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