Competing for Warrior Flight

      Many things happened for the cadets of Det. 415 over the course of this week.  For PT, the members of Delta Flight faced Alpha Flight in several games of Icarus.  Though the members of Alpha flight gained the lead early and never slacked, Delta Flight was able to secure victory in a decisive showing of tactical knowledge and physical excellence.  On the next PT day, Delta Flight faced Bravo Flight in both Icarus and ultimate Frisbee.  To the shock of everyone involved, Bravo Flight was able to win consistently.  Their celebrations would be short-lived, however; Delta Flight was able to dominate Bravo Flight in several games of ultimate Frisbee that same morning.

            In AS100 class, Lieutenant Johnson briefed the freshman cadets on Air Force public relations.  Over the course of the class, Lt. Johnson covered examples of Airmen carrying out positive events for public relations (such as helping with disaster relief efforts, both foreign and domestic), and examples of how Airmen should not conduct themselves.  To illustrate incorrect behavior when on television, Lt. Johnson pointed out the flaws of Antoine Dodson and Sweet Brown’s actions when they were interviewed.

            Over the course of the week, every cadet had to face the same academic challenges they must face every week.  Though the courses each cadet is taking may differ from one another, no cadet was spared from having to complete seemingly endless hours of lectures, discussions, homework, and studying.  However, it was not all work and no play, at least for one particular group of freshman cadets.  The movie Interstellar had released and Cadet Weingartener, Cadet Warren, Cadet Gassie, Cadet Harris, and I decided to see it together.  After nearly losing our way to the theater (all while being directed by Cadet Gassie…), we were eventually able to make our way to our seats and proceeded to be mesmerized by the beautiful, albeit highly confusing, work of director Christopher Nolan.  Though some cadets were reduced to tears by the movie, every cadet in attendance agreed that the movie was outstanding in the end.

            In Gopher Football, Cadet Hubbard and I carried out flag detail for the American flag prior to the game.  Despite being our first time conducting the detail, the whole process went off without a hitch.  The American and POW flags were raised with dignity at the appropriate time and neither touched the ground at any point.  Sadly, this marked the high point in the game, as the Gophers were unable to secure a victory against the Buckeyes, leaving every cadet and Gopher fan in attendance highly disappointed.

-Cadet Pederson 

Retreat

The week began with an eventful, and stressful, Lead Lab. It was the 100’s first glimpse at outdoor marching and it showed us the importance of fully being able to perform the commands we have been learning all semester. The destination of our outdoor excursion was to Williams Arena where a Retreat ceremony was to be practiced. Retreat is the act of taking down the flag. Our nation’s colors flying in the wind and surrounded by our fellow wingmen reminded many of us of why we are in ROTC. Once we had completed Retreat and successfully marched back, Lead Lab continued with a lively game of Battle Ship. Battle Ship consists of flights marching around the gym while trying to run into other flights in column formation. This turned into a hectic event, which resulted in recitation of Warrior knowledge. Lead Lab ended with a GMC discussion about our views on the detachment and the usual announcements. In this time, we were reminded through a motivational brief that the Air Force requires 100% effort every day, and anything less will not be enough.

PT this week took a fun turn now that the FA has been completed. Tuesday morning the detachment’s morale was boosted and cadet bonding was strengthened. This was aided by a pancake breakfast, compliments of the POC and MWR flight. The intake of calories rather than the burning off at PT was a well-earned break. The following PT session brought the GMC more competition, specifically for Warrior Flight. They competed in a game of Ultimate Frisbee and Icarus (a game designed for the Air Force, but similar to dodgeball).

Last, but not least, Color Guard presented wonderfully at the Gophers VS Hawkeyes Game, which is good considering it was Military Appreciation Day at the stadium. The Gophers also beat the Hawkeyes 51-14.

-Cadet Weingartner

  (JMAC)-

JMAC!

Another busy week at Detachment 415 started off with Lead Lab. During lead lab there was a corps-wide open ranks inspection (ORI), as well as time for squadron marching. The 100’s were put into some intense leadership roles and they rose to the occasion. As always, there was a warrior knowledge review, the phonetic alphabet, and a briefing by the Wing Commander, Cadet Wachter, about Movember. Several cadets will be growing out their mustaches in order to raise awareness for men’s health.

            Then came the moment we had been training for all year, the FA (fitness assessment)!  Overall, Detachment 415 put up very impressive test scores, including several cadets maxing the push-ups, sit-ups and mile and a half run. It was a very motivating and rewarding time to see the improvement we had been training all semester for.

            To cap off the week the detachment participated in JMAC, the Joint Military Athletic Competition, with the other branches here at the University of Minnesota. The Air Force made a clean sweep of Army and Navy in both football and basketball. The 4x400 and warrior relay teams both posted good times but just fell short, taking second place. The Ultimate Frisbee team showed a valiant effort, but couldn’t quite connect the dots to defeat the Navy.  After the scores were calculated the competition was a tie between Air Force and Navy. This meant one thing, TUG OF WAR!! Both teams lined up and pulled for what seemed like an extremely long amount of time. Sadly, the Air Force cadets were bested by the midshipman. The whole day was an extremely fun experience and gave us motivation to get the trophy back next year!

            Next week holds many new exciting challenges and opportunities to look forward to, so wish us luck!

-Cadet Beck

Warrior Competition!

Our week at Detachment 415 started off with some fun and invigorating drill and ceremony 

practice. This week we spent our time reviewing a lot of marching movements that we had 

done in the past. This included an ORI (Open Ranks Inspection), which is a very tedious 

procedure to conduct as there are so many steps to it. We spent D&C reviewing this because on 

Monday during lead lab we had a detachment wide "Warrior Competition.” This is competitive 

event that tests each flight in our detachment on everything: warrior knowledge, basic 

knowledge, marching, physical fitness, and anything else that we have covered over the past two 

months. A certain point amount was given to the flights that took first, second, third, and fourth 

in each event, and at the end of leadlab the points were tallied. It was a close competition in 

which Delta Flight just barely took home the gold! HUA! 

PT this week was light. JMAC teams practiced during each of our morning PT sessions while 

everybody else tapered for the FA (Fitness Assessment) set for next week. We have been training 

for this all year so hopefully we have a lot of people max the test, especially the Phase 0 and 

ST (Special Tactics) Prep teams. From what I have heard from some of the upperclassmen, the 

FA is actually one of the easiest days of PT that we have since we only have to do our minute 

of pushups/sit-ups and then we’re done! On Saturday the Arnold Air Society cadets had their 

annual ARCON (Area Convention) event. It was a great opportunity to meet AAS cadets from 

other detachments. There were also two distinguished guests present. Brig. Gen. Dennis W. 

Schulstad was the guest speaker and he gave a very motivational speech about being in ROTC. 

The other guest was Brig. Gen. Daniel P. Woodward, Executive Director of Arnold Air Society,

who spoke during many of the briefings throughout the day.

In other exciting news, the 100s’ uniforms have arrived and will be picked up this upcoming 

week! It’s been a long wait but worth every second of it! Wish us luck in the next week!

-Cadet Hubbard

Homecoming Week!

This week Det 415’s schedule began with LLAB, as always.  We formed up in the gym, reported in, and separated into our respective rooms to carry out the tasks of the day.  We had our midterm, which most of us took at the position of attention, yet we emerged victorious by surpassing our expected average scores.  At drill and ceremony selected cadets were asked to give certain commands while marching our flight. 

At PT this week we performed AMRAPS, which means “as many reps as possible.”  The workouts have been getting harder and demand more mental strength, and thankfully, the motivation was really high this week.  I’m confident all of our hard work will show in our FA scores!

Phase 0 had another weekly training session, helping those cadets hone in on their physical and mental strength and develop qualities demanded of Special Forces officers.  Arnies training candidates met for another training session Wednesday morning, meaning there is one less week till pledge night!

The homecoming game against Purdue gave the detachment another opportunity to work CSC and Color Guard.  It was an exciting game and an excellent closure to another Air Force ROTC Det. 415 week!

-Cadet Warren

Busy Bees

Lead lab begins, as it usually does, with the escalated heart rate of GMC and the forming up of the four flights in the gym. Once attendance has been reported, we move directly into training time, which consists of Drill and Ceremony practice as well as academic hour. Drill and Ceremony is a time to practice our marching skills, which consistently proves to be more difficult than it sounds. This week, in between D&C and academic hour, we were presented with the challenge of moving our flight across a minefield without the use of sight or verbal communication. With the flight commander being the only one who could see, the importance of “following the leader” and trusting your wingmen was extremely apparent. In academic hour, a game of jeopardy prepared us for next week midterm. We also received a powerful briefing on the importance of motivation within the detachment. Lead lab ended with a meeting among mentors and mentees, further driving home the close knit community that AFRTOC creates.

At PT this week, we preformed AMRAPS, rolling of the dice workouts, and- as always- ample running. With the FA fast approaching, everyone is working harder than ever at PT. At PT and in one of the 100’s AS classes, Lieutenant Fontenot visited, who assists Lieutenant Johnson with recruitment for the Detachment. Phase 0 met again this week, giving the new members a glimpse of their swimming workout. Arnie’s trained together bright and early for their second session this week, which brings the pledges one step closer to being initiated members. This weekend brings two CSC events, The Gophers vs. Northwestern and The Vikings vs. The Lions.

-Cadet Weingartner

In the Swing of Things

In the Swing of Things

As far as ROTC is concerned, the week starts with Lead Lab. This week started off less than perfectly. Generally, when we need to get from place to place, we are given a time to get there. I’m not entirely sure about the other flights, but Bravo Flight missed a few of those transfer times, which disappointed our trainers. In addition to that, there was a deadline the previous week for shirt sizes that many of us missed, so we have to write a memorandum about the importance of meeting deadlines and being a good wingman. This worried more than a few of us because we didn’t know the formatting for such a thing, and to turn in an incorrectly formatted anything is to be wrong. Being wrong is bad, in case you weren't sure. Lastly, we are supposed to know a whole array of “warrior knowledge,” and our trainers did a good job of finding those among us who didn't study.

During PT, the 100’s (freshmen) ran around the track a couple of times and did a few push-ups and sit-ups and other exercises with the 300’s and 400’s (juniors and seniors) while the 200’s (sophomores) did a FTP workout with Cadet Wachter, the Cadet Wing Commander. Thursday morning, we went on a warrior run across the river and back again. Along the way we sang some interesting “Jodies.” Thursday morning ended up being a great bonding time for most of the cadets as well as a great workout.

-Cadet Piechowski

We're Back!

We're Back!

Welcome back to the school year! All of the returning cadets are finding their normal routines and congratulating those returning from this summer's field training. We have a fresh batch of AS100's (including myself) eager to participate, but still tripping over themselves in this new college environment. School is seemingly in full swing.

Monday, 15 September 2014, we had our second Lead Lab. We went over formation and marching, a great refresher for the returning AS200's.

Tuesday, 16 September 2014, we had a mock FA for Physical Training. "FA" stands for Fitness Assessment, which is a physical training exam every cadet must work to pass. I'm happy to say that all of the cadets did a great job during the mock exam. 

Saturday, 20 September 2014, the Color Guard did a great job displaying the colors at the Gopher-San Jose game. The game eventually ran into a rain delay, but eventually continued and the Gophers took a 24-7 win.

Finally, on Sunday, 21 September 2014, the detachment held its annual POW/MIA vigil at TCF Bank Stadium. The purpose of this event was to honor those who have been or are still prisoners of war as well as those who have been declared missing in action while serving our country. The agenda included a speech from Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and a wreath hanging ceremony honoring POW/MIAs from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the War on Terror. There was also supposed to be a flyover of T-6's, but it unfortunately got canceled. Everything went well, thanks to Cadet Schaper who organized the vigil.

- Cadet Martinson

LLIP Warrior Day

On 3 May the members of Det 415 went to MN Pro Paintball, a paintball course located in Lakeville, MN for a day of fun and learning.  This year’s LLIP/Warrior Day event is an exercise for the GMC flights to employ battlefield tactics in a simulated combat situation. The course consisted of eight different battlefields and we used four for the scenarios planned for the different GMC flights. 

Each GMC flight was tasked with the same mission.  Their performance will be tracked and scored based on the amount of time it takes for them to accomplish the four assigned missions, as well as by the number of side missions they are able to complete along the way.

The overall mission, along with the side missions, were tailored in way to allow the cadets to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of battlefield tactics that are outlined in the Airman’s Manual, as well as the tactics they will learn in more depth and practice at Field Training.  Such tactics included self-aid buddy care, public relations, small unit tactics, tactical field marches, and clearing buildings. Resources the GMC cadets can use to learn about the previously mentioned tactics were provided to them prior to the event with enough time for them to go over them as a flight and be prepared to use them during the exercise. At the end of the scenarios we grilled out and then played paintball as a large group before heading home.

Cadet Sawina - AS300

After one of the proudest moments in my cadet career graduating from Field Training and getting Iron Woman I was right back into school to start the next school year. This time as a member of the Professional Officer Course (POC).  My first position in the Wing was as a trainer for the Field Training Preparation flight.  This was a very rewarding experience being able to positively influence and help the AS200 class in their development. I was able to watch the cadets grow and learn from their mistakes and give them the tips and tricks I have learned along the way.

My second position was as Physical Training Commander, my job was to plan and execute the physical training twice a week to the Wing. The experience was unique in the fact that even though I was not part of wing staff, during PT I was the one in charge of the entire wing.

It’s a whole new experience being on the other side and having cadets looking up to you for advice or guidance, one that each member of my class has stepped into this year to continue their development as a leader.  The 300 class has become closer than ever this year as we faced that transition, assisting each other in one way or another along the way and the countless weekends we spend together.  We used to be a flight of GMC cadets always together to perform a task. But this year we got assigned individual tasks as leaders. We had to realize that even though we are not IN the same flight or squadron we still ARE a flight and help each other with tasks that are not always our job. We have come a long way in terms of becoming a team since our freshman year. We have made many friends along the way that have not been able to continue on with our class or the program.  However, since the 300 class size has now become a constant until we commission we know exactly who we have as our wingman and can count on each person in our class for anything.

Our class next year will be transitioning to the Executive staff level, of positions such as Wing and Group commanders. My class and I are hoping to continue what the current AS400s have started and finish out our time as Cadets here leaving a legacy to follow.  I couldn’t ask for a better group of Cadets to share this year with and I am looking forward to what the future will hold for the class of 2015 in our final year together. 

Cadet Leveille - FTP/AS200

It typically takes 4 years to process Air Force ROTC training. In the first year, college freshman learn the basics, from marching to knowledge about the Air Force to various leadership styles. The role of these AS100 cadets is to simply learn as much as they can, from both the sophomore AS200 cadets training with them, and from the upperclassmen AS300 and AS400s who actually train them.

            In the second year of the program, expectations are increased dramatically. AS200s, AS250s (cadets who are initially joining the program as sophomores), and AS500s (cadets who did not attend field training following their first AS200 year) are all preparing to compete for an enrollment allocation to field training, and if they earn one, prepare for field training itself. I am an AS500, and so that is where I am now.

            Field training preparation is designed to be both stressful and educational. It is supposed to give cadets a taste of the intensity and pressure they will face at the month long field training in Alabama and Louisiana, and teach them how to work through those situations as well. The best part of the AFROTC program design, is that cadets who are most recent graduates of field training, are the ones who carry out the training for those preparing to go. These returning graduates impart all of their knowledge and experience onto the next generation, teaching them from their own mistakes and successes.

            Field training preparation can get extremely frustrating at times. Everything that the cadets in FTP flight do must be standardized and executed in the shortest time possible, operating at the speed of excellence. This means that mundane tasks, such as how names are written on papers, to how items are carried in hands, to how towels are folded, or how uniform items are stored, must be carried out in the exact same manner by every cadet in the flight. With 14+ people each with their own idea of what the most efficient way to do something, it can be difficult for the flight to work together and get the job done. Another complication is the way cadets interpret each other’s ideas. Folding a towel, or a shirt, or any other sort of uniform item can be incredibly difficult without demonstrating the folds as they are explained. Ultimately, if a task isn’t carried out to perfection, or within the set amount of time, FTP cadets are required to repeat the task until they do so successfully.

            The monotony of doing such training exercises can be boring, frustrating, and even demotivating. But that’s where having flight-mates comes into play. These 14+ people who are working to accomplish a task, aren’t working to accomplish it themselves. An FTP flight is comprised of cadets who are willing to give 100% effort to make the person next to them look better. These cadets make sacrifices so that the flight is successful. 1 person can work to make themselves successful, but a group of people working outside of their own goals to achieve the flight’s goals is an awesome experience to be a part of.

            Few people can say they have contributed to something bigger than themselves. This commonality between all cadets, freshmen through seniors, is what the close relationships, mentorships, and friendships in Det 415 are built on. The flight or unit mentality spills over, out of training, and into the rest of our college lifestyles. We are always looking out for each other, whether its academics, personal lives, or other areas. Joining Air Force ROTC is more than pursuing a career in the Air Force; it’s joining a family with which ties will last a lifetime.

Jon Leveille

Cadet Mitchell - AS100

As everyone knows by now, I hail from the grand old city of Houston, Texas, where it behooves one to ruminate on one’s words. As I learned rather discourteously, things just ain’t the same up here, and certainly not in our great Detachment 415, but the change of pace has done me a great deal of service.

I didn’t know what to expect the first day of Lead Lab, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. Fresh cadets scampered about, unsure of where to go or what to do, clinging to each other in loose groups like orphaned monkeys; a humble start for the future leaders of America! Somehow though, I felt comfortable, for a few lead labs. Taking direct orders is a fairly basic activity to engage in; much better, I thought, than being the poor sap up front, desperately trying to lead us around.

Then came my turn.

While the pace may not have changed for those under my command (or may even have slowed down), the great effort of formulating plans, be they marching movements or timehacks, was in stark contrast to the relative ease of following those plans. Had it not been for one area of prior experience in quick-thinking, I would have been completely lost. The practice I’d had in the cockpit of an airplane talking on the radio granted me a smidge of the fast-talking, fast-thinking skills transferrable to any position of command; brevity in thought and word breeds credibility wherever you go, be it as Flight Commander or Pilot in Command.

I think that my decision to come all this way north for school was well-conceived, but I know that joining AFROTC was one of the best decisions of my life. Aside from the outstanding group of people I get to associate with (my second family), I’ve gained great confidence in my own ability as a leader through the challenges presented. Hopefully in a few years, that confidence and ability will earn me a flight suit.

Open House on April 23rd

Detachment 415 is hosting an open house on April 23rd for anyone interested in Air Force ROTC here at the University of Minnesota. The event will be held in the Armory at 4:00PM with pizza and refreshments. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the program from current students as well as Air Force officers. It is a perfect time to explore career options with the Air Force, and to get more information about potential scholarship benefits. If you know anyone that might be interested in AFROTC, let them know and spread the word about this event. There's no better place to have your questions answered directly than by those currently involved!

A quick summary of the event:

When: April 23 at 4 p.m.
Who: Students, Parents, & Friends
What: Learn about AFROTC, Tour the Armory, social activities and much more.
Why: To see what Air Force ROTC is all about in a relaxed, social environment.
Where: The U’s Historic Armory Building!


The Armory is located at:

15 Church St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455


Nearby parking is available at:

Church Street Garage
80 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

The End of Mustache March

Following a challenge from the Air Force’s Chief of Staff, the males of Detachment 415 set their crosshairs this March on growing the best mustaches they could muster in just 31 short days. It quickly became clear that many would need every single one of those days to achieve any semblance of the handlebar ‘stache for which the tradition began (and for some, 31 still wouldn’t be enough). In his speech in late February however, General Mark Welsh made it clear that the ladies of our Air Force were not to be left out of the fun, giving them the far more enviable task of ridiculing the guys about their valiant, yet futile and surely “idiotic” looking attempts at looking like Tom Selleck. The annual Air Force tradition originated as a tribute to the late Brigadier General Robin Olds, a legendary fighter pilot and “triple ace” with 16 aerial kills over his 30-year military career spanning from World War II through the Vietnam War.  General Olds began growing his famous whiskers while deployed during the Vietnam War where it became superstition for all deployed Airmen to grow their own “bulletproof mustache” for protection. Now each March, Airmen stationed all over the world grow their flavor savers both as a tribute to our heritage, and as a morale booster within each respective unit. All in all I think most cadets would agree Mustache March was a great success in 2014. While most cadets, many of whom have yet to reach their 20^th birthday, may have struggled to grow any discernible ‘stache visible from further than 10 ft. away, the month undeniably brought many jokes and laughs, and helped build upon the camaraderie of the Flying Gophers Detachment. 

-Cadet Sarno

Follow this link to take a look at the results!

Irish for a Day 5K

On Saturday, 8 March 2014, 16 cadets volunteered their time at the 100% Irish for a Day 5K and 10 mile run through Twin Cities in Motion (TCM). TCM is a local organization whose mission is to, “inspire wellness and fitness throughout the entire community, donate to charity, and promote the sport of running, especially to children.” The course of the race was around Lake Harriet and/or Lake Calhoun, about 20 minutes from campus. After receiving instructions, fluorescent green vests and Caribou Coffee at 0800, the cadets were dispersed along the race course, and were in charge of preventing cars from entering the course route. The race kicked off promptly at 0900. Throughout the duration of the race (0900 - 1100) cadets enjoyed cheering on the runners (often in the form of an occasional joke as they passed, courtesy of Cadet Mitchell), observing the outlandish St. Patrick’s themed costumes, and the beauty of the lakes as well as the surrounding neighborhood.  Though the Cadets were pelted with Lucky Charms and lost some of the feeling in their toes due to the frigid temperatures, it was great to volunteer our time for such a good cause!
-Cadet Mullings

Mustache March

Midway through March marks the start of our spring break here at the University of Minnesota, and with that comes an update to the challenge given from a top spot in the chain of command. Late in February, the Air Force's Chief of Staff, General Mark A. Welsh III, issued a challenge to the entire Air Force, though mostly the men many would hope, to grow the best mustache in what has become an Air Force tradition of Mustache March. He called for full participation in his address to the Air Force Association, stating “I don’t think we’ve ever had an all-in Mustache March, have we?” Here at Detachment 415, we are honoring this challenge, and although we aren’t officially part of the Air Force wide competition, we are hosting one of our own.

During our Leadership Laboratory on 26 February, we were given the challenge and given the rules. Not any mustache would do for this competition, because many styles are wildly out of regulation for what can be grown. Regulations state that the mustache must not extend beyond the vertical planes drawn by the corners of the lips, and that the mustache must also not touch the upper lip. Such regulations result in admittedly interesting appearances to say the least. From pencils, to lampshades, to painter’s brushes, to peach fuzz, there are many ways to grow a regulation mustache, although for many the peach fuzz is not much of a choice. With such interest drawn to Mustache March this year, it is interesting to look into its origins in the Air Force.

Regulations have more or less always been in place to govern the appearance of military individuals, and facial hair is no exception. While some facial hair is permitted as described above, the limits are quite prohibitive for those that desire a more full facial feeling. Such was the case with Air Force pilot Robin Olds. Olds was well known for his flying career, one in which he earned himself the title of “triple ace,” earning each title for a victory against five enemy aircraft. In total, Olds had 16 victories spread throughout Word War II and the Vietnam War. Although his flying career is undoubtedly impressive, Olds was better known for his stylish mustache. He grew a very full, and wonderfully waxed mustache that was wildly against Air Force regulations. He grew it in part because many airmen would sport “bulletproof mustaches” as a superstition, but also as a sort of protest against the appearance standards. Mustache March is now an Air Force tradition in honor of Brigadier General Robin Olds.

Included are some of the more notable two week check up ‘staches.

Loaves and Fishes

Friday 28 February, several cadets decided to make a difference in the community.  Even after a massive ice storm, cadets chose to travel to St. Matthew's Church in St. Paul to volunteer at Loaves and Fishes.  Loaves and Fishes is a service organization with a mission of feeding those who are hungry in our community.  They run out of several different locations cooking and serving food for people who can not afford it.  Cadets went and helped the Loaves and Fishes group to serve meals.  The afternoon started with some clean up of the cooking dishes and the final preparations of the meal. Cadets then helped put out the food and dish up plates to serve those people who made the journey through the cold to have a warm meal. After the meal was finished cadets helped do dishes as well as sweep, mop and wash down the kitchen and dining hall.  Overall cadets had a really fun time and helped out the community too.

-Cadet Zastrow

Flying Gophers at NDSU

This weekend, the cadets of Detachment 415 flaunted their basketball skills during NDSU’s basketball tournament in Fargo, ND. With a team of eleven amazing players and eight enthusiastic cheer leaders, Det. 415’s team played for five amazing games (four of which were in a row.) Of those games, there were three wins and two losses, placing the cadets in second.

The first game was a close one that ended with the team down by a single point. After the initial loss, the dedicated players stepped up their game and dominated the court all the way into the finals. The second game was straight Flying Gopher domination. The third game, however initially ended in a tie. During overtime, the team managed to pull ahead and win. With that win, the great team of Detachment 415 went into the finals. During the first game against the undefeated, UND Army, the amazing cadets of Detachment 415 pulled ahead and won the first game. During the second game, both teams were in fierce competition. However, the UND Army managed to pull ahead and win.

Some highlights of the game included the non-stop three pointers by Cadet Leveille (he made over 10.) In addition, Cadet Leveille scored over 40 points (the most of any cadet), over 12 rebounds, and quite a few blocks. Cadet Wachter also gave quite a bit of trouble to the opposing teams, scoring over 27 points and having over eight rebounds. Cadets Malcolm and Brown also violated the Honor Code in the best possible way by constantly stealing the ball. Our esteemed Wing Commander, Cadet Kornhoff; ace trainer, Cadet Lamers; and Cadet Hofland all were able to not only score, but help with many assists. And, there was also some new talent from Cadets LaFrance and Hubert. Though both were relatively new to the game, they each were able to stay competitive in the game. Cadet Erickson, the coach, also cannot be left out. From the sidelines, Cadet Erickson led the team and came up with strategies that pushed the Flying Gophers to success.

Additionally, the cheer team that went along for the ride were both extremely loud and extremely proud. Many made signs between the first and second game in order to motivate the Flying Gophers. The cheer team also had a constant stream of encouragement and cheer, especially when a cadet scored. There was also a great bit of motivation from the very colorful outfits worn by Cadets Krapf and Almquist. Cadets Gulsvig and Kornhoff also brought along food, so the players and cheerers were never short on energy.

The game played over the weekend is one that will always be a great memory for the cadets of Detachment 415. The camaraderie between cadets and the rush of victory will certainly be felt by everyone for a very long time.

-Cadet Forester

Winter Commissioning

Earlier this frigid January was the event all cadets strive for, the pinnacle of the cadet career. A ceremony to mark the end of a years long, rigorous, but ultimately rewarding journey into the United States Air Force. Former cadets Peot and Larson had finally completed that journey when they were commissioned as second lieutenants on a January afternoon, earning the first of many ranks expected in their careers.

Family and friends gathered in the Bell Museum auditorium to watch as the two at the time waning cadets took to the stage from which they would return officers. Their time as cadets had passed, and they were ready to take the first step into active duty. Along with the rank of second lieutenant comes a pair of gold bars to be worn with the uniform. In attendance of the ceremony were lieutenant Larson's parents, taking part by pinning these gold bars on him. It was an exciting moment as the lieutenants received their first salutes as officers, lieutenant Peot's coming from a Navy SEAL. After the ceremony, punch and cake was served, a sweet end to an important milestone.

The ceremony was brief, not unlike the experience the incoming freshman cadets had with the now lieutenants Peot and Larson. While having only spent one semester together, it was clear to all that these two individuals were something special, a true motivation for the cadets still working toward this honor. The commissioning serves as a reminder to all that the hard work and dedication will pay off in the end, despite any struggles along the way.

Both Larson and Peot will continue to pilot training, and hopefully on to becoming pilots for the United States Air Force. We wish them the best of luck with their futures!

-Cadet Mundt