Two New Perspectives

We have two new cadets this semester; Cadet Kutz and Cadet Wallock, and we have asked them some questions about their perspective on AFROTC thus far. 

Why did you join?

C/4C Kutz: My cousin Aaron is in ROTC and I’ve always heard him talk really highly about it. Also, I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. I’ve always been interested in aviation which influenced my choice of AFROTC.

C/4C Wallock: My mother and father were both in the Air Force. My mom was a Medical Lab Technician and my dad was a Linguist/Cardiopulmonary Technician. I was born on Eglin AFB so I was surrounded by Air Force life growing up and was inspired by my parents and military background. I was driven by the desire to serve my country and to see self improvement.

How are you liking it?

C/4C Kutz: I like it! Everyone was super welcoming and very helpful and continues to be. I really feel like I can go to anyone with my questions/concerns. Its a really close knit group, especially in the IMT squadron. 

C/4C Wallock: I love it! Immediately from day one I felt really integrated and I felt like a part of the AFROTC family. It was crazy how much support I was given from day one. Everyone was super understanding, patient, and excited to have me here.

What surprised you most about AFROTC? (good and bad)

C/4C Kutz: Definitely how tight knit the detachment is. Getting up at 5:30 in the morning kind-of drains you. I was expecting it to be intense, and it sure is, so I guess that wasn’t unexpected. The trainers throw you into the mix right away, giving you unexpected leadership roles and the opportunity to learn from failure.

C/4C Wallock: I was very surprised by the intensity. I didn’t really know what to expect when I came in so when I was handed opportunity after opportunity I didn’t really know to handle them all. With that being said, I was taken aback by the kindness and and helpfulness of everyone in the detachment. I assumed it was just because it was my first week in ROTC, and everyone wanted me to feel welcomed, but even after a month I feel just as welcome as the first day I stepped into the armory.

What do you like most about AFROTC?

C/4C Kutz: I like that I can always have a group of people to depend on whether I need help academically or someone to work out with on off days.

C/4C Wallock: I love the family aspect of it all. I know that if I ever run into a problem, I can turn to anyone in my wing for help.

Have you seen self-improvement yet?

C/4C Kutz: Definitely; I was always a shy timid guy...still am, but being thrown into leadership roles has really helped me gain confidence in myself and my abilities.

C/4C Wallock: I’ve really surprised myself so far this semester. I’ve taken on leadership positions that I didn’t know I would be able to. My self confidence has increased tremendously and I’m not as apprehensive to delve into new opportunities.

A Week Full of Surprises

Heading into week six of Spring Semester, the intensity is picking up quickly whether that’s in the classroom via midterms or a challenging morning training on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Along with all that added intensity comes a lot of new excitement and opportunities.

Detachment 415 welcomes two new cadets to the ROTC program as 100’s this Spring Semester. Cadet Kutz and Cadet Wallock are really enjoying the program so far and can’t wait to see all the opportunities that their hard work will bring them.

Speaking of hard work, two in college AFROTC scholarships were awarded this past week to Cadet Medina and Cadet Gilmore. Congrats on your hard work!

A huge Congratulations to Major Schweiker as she received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for distinguishing herself through non-combat outstanding achievement.

One of the recent highlights was the Air Force rated career field selection. Hairs stood on end as Captain Johnson had cadets spin a spinner to display their assignment. Cadet Braun, Timinski, and Burneske were assigned pilot. Cadet Donahue, Bendler, and Banaszak got Combat Systems Officer. Cadet Wells got ABM and Cadet Brown got RPA Pilot. The classroom erupted with cheers as the results were heard.  

The Flying Gophers got together to help clean up the Sports Pavilion after a men’s gymnastic meet. The cadets loved helping out and working together to make the arena spotless…and they had fun in the process. 

The energy and excitement is just picking up and we can’t wait to see what surprises the following weeks will have in store for us.

Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings Joint National Project; The Spirit of ’45

Irene Ladner: Wife of WWII Vet, John Ladner.

Irene, now 92, lives alone in a small home in Granite Falls, Minnesota. The same city where she met John, the man that she would spend 73 happy years with. 

They met at a dance and then “went steady for a while” until he was called for the draft in 1942. He was stationed first at the Presidio in San Francisco, and were engaged before he left. She followed him to San Francisco, where they bought a small apartment just off-base. They were married 3 days after her arrival to San Francisco, on 18 September, 1943.

They faced tough times in San Francisco, and their apartment was very small. Even baking was quite the task, Irene had to use a propped-up broom to keep the oven door from falling open. The apartment had no refrigeration, the only refrigeration she had was “the little window that opened by the stove that had a little edge on it, and I [she] put butter and things out there. If I [she] could get butter.” But regardless of all of this, John thought that she was a marvelous cook anyway. Food was rationed during the war, and Irene had to make do with what she could get her hands on at the Post Exchange, which the Food Ration Stamps provided. John didn’t receive any rations, since he was in the service and ate most of his meals on-base.

While in San Francisco, Irene got a job at the Presidio working in the post-locator’s office, working alongside a dozen or so others. She spent her time answering phones and attempting to give concerned family members and friends as much information as she could about their loved ones in the services’ whereabouts.  They attempted to find phone numbers or addresses, some way to get ahold of them. It was a “pretty interesting job” as she describes it, and an important one at that.

John’s job in the Army was as a clerk in an office for a Captain where he worked for 3 ½ years. He worked up the ranks from a Private 1^st class, to a Corporal, to a Sergeant. In his free time with Irene, they liked to go to the zoo nearby.

She described what her time with John was like during the war. He was allowed to stay off base with her most of the time, unless they were on alert. In their apartment they could have no lights on that could be seen from outside. This meant either no lights at all, or all of the curtains had to be drawn early in the evening, and cars weren’t allowed on the streets since their headlights would be too bright. Patrols walked the blocks to ensure that no lights were visible. There was no gas for the cars, nylons or pantyhose, no shoes (or at least leather soles for shoes); all of it went to the war effort. The cars running on Kerosene sounded like “old trucks”, even the new top-of-the-line models. They received news on the war through their radios (playing quietly) or newspapers. She remembers pictures of the Japanese being taken from their homes and forced into Internment camps.

She told a story of how a friend of hers was a Merchant Marine. She invited him over for dinner and he brought her 5-6 pounds of butter. He brought it to her from the ship with one request; for her to not make Mashed Potatoes for dinner. He had been out at sea for 3 months and that was all that he had been given to eat.

 Irene also had 4 Brothers, all of which were in the service. Peculiarly enough, they each chose a different branch. Bill served in the Army as a tanker and was sent into the conflict in Africa. Twice, his tank was blown up with him inside, but he managed to survive both times when many did not. He was awarded the Silver Star and two Purple Hearts for his actions during the war. Irene said that Bill “definitely got the worst of it” in comparison to the other brothers. Her brother Ben joined the Marines and was sent to Japan. She remembers him sending her a beautiful Japanese Kimono as a gift, and his job was to clear though the caves where it was believed that the Japanese were hiding. Joe was a member of the Army Air Corps and was sent to the Philippines. Irene describes him as a “very friendly man” and told us of how he made friends with the locals. He got Jungle Rot (Trench Foot) in his feet, a fungal infection caused by being constantly in damp conditions, and felt the effects of that for the rest of his life. Her fourth brother, Clarence, was a ship Gunner in the Navy. She says that he had the best time. He went completely around the world; he left from California and docked in New York.