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.