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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 1957)
DAILY NEBRASKA PAGE II 1TC 3 Nebraska Cadet Units Established Since the University of Nebraska Is a land-grant school, all physical ly fit men attending the Univer sity must have at least two years of some kind of ROTC. There are three units here at Nebraska, rep resenting the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Army and Air Force are open to anyone to fulfill the requirement of two years ROTC. -At the end of the cadets sophomore year, he may be selected for advanced train ing if he has applied and been found acceptable. If he successful ly completes his advanced train ing, the cadet is commissioned an officer; in both the Army and Air Force his commissioned rank would be Second Lieutenant. The Navy is slightly different in that they select their officer candi dates at the beginning. Anyone ac cepted in the NROTC program is assured his commission as long as he meets the standards which the Navy enforces. He is commis sioned either an Ensign in the Navy or a Second Lieutenant in the Marines, depending on which he chooses If it is possible to fulfill this obligation as an officer, so much the better. In this case it does not cost any more to go first class than it does to go at a lesser level. Military Skills Train Cadets For The Army The Army ROTC program is the oldest of the three units here at the University of Nebraska. Its training is divided into the basic course and the advanced course. Freshmen and sophomore students are enrolled in the basic course and selected junior and senior students are enrolled in the ad vanced course. The training in the basic course is aimed at giving the student a clear understanding of the United States Army and the ROTC Pro gram. Students in the basic course also receive training in rifle marksmanship which includes fir ing on the rifle range with the 21 caliber rifle. During his sophomore year, a cadet may apply for admission to the advanced course. Whether or not he will be accepted for the training, which will result in his re ceiving a commission when he suc cessfully completes the course, de pends on several things. Academic grades; interest, aptitude, and lead ership ability; and score on a quali fication test given in the sopho more year are all deciding fac tors in the cadet's acceptance. If a cadet is accepted for the advanced course, a large part of his instruction during the junior year will be devoted to a detailed study of small unit tactics. This is in preparation for the summer camp which he will attend during the summer between his junior and senior years. The summer camp lasts for six weeks and dur ing that period, each cadet is given an opportunity to put into prac tice the principles which he learned in the academic work dur ing his junior year. The Army ROTC sponsors two honorary military societies, the Pershing Rifles, and the Phalanx. The Pershing Rifles, which has its National Headquarters here at the University of Nebraska, is open to basic students, as well as advanced course students. (Groups' AciHive mi Cammpys ;- ' r - : : X M v I i ; ' ; . nr,y.y T il II II tr - II - -- -'' " THE HONORARY COMMANDANTS, who were presented at the Military Ball, an annual event spon sored by the ROTC units. Air Force ROTC Unit Open To Physically Fit Freshmen The Air Force ROTC unit is open to all freshmen who are physically qualified for the ROTC program in general. The freshmen and sophomores are classified as "basics" for the "advanced" train ing is open only to those juniors and seniors who have been se lected. Applications for the ad vanced training course are made in the sophomore year. To be el igible for acceptance the appli cant must pass the extremely rig id Air Force physical examination and attain a satisfactory score on the aptitude test that is given. He must also have a 4.5 overall av erage. Although the schedule calls for the two class periods and one drill period per week, all three class meetings are devoted to drilling in the spring and fall. This is make up for the drills that are missed during the winter months. This en ables the cadet to become profi cient in the important aspects of drilling. In the classroom the instructors maintain a fast pace, which is necessary to cover the interesting Navy ROTC Commissions Officers as Ensign or 2nd Lieutenant in Marines A comparatively young organi zation, the Navy ROTC program was begun at Nebraska in 194f. The Navy offers two programs through which University students may receive a commission as in either an Ensign in the U.S. Navy or a Second Lieutenant in the Ma rine Corps. The first method, called the Reg ular program, offers high school graduates a college education and a Naval career through a scholar ship. Applicants for the Regular scholarship must pass rigorous mental and physical examinations and be interviewed by several Naval officers. If the applicant is accepted, he receives a scholar ship that amounts to five or six thousand dollars by the end of his four years of college. In addition to paying a $50 dollar per month retainer fee, the Navy gives the student holding a Regular scholar ship his tuition, text books, i and and valuable material. Geography and history make up the major portion of the freshman studies. In the cadet's sophomore year the attempt is made to interest him in applying for advanced training. If the basic student is accepted for advanced training, he learns about Air Force navigation and communications, military justice, and weather. The senior cadet learns the more technical aspects of the program. The junior and senior cadet officers have the op portunity to display their leader ship abilities. They have command over the cadet wing and take charge of drilling the cadets. Between the junior and senior years, the cadets participate in a four-week training course at an Air Force base. Besides gaining invaluable experience and instruc tion, the cadets are paid $78 and traveling expenses. Advanced ca dets are also able to avail them selves of local orientation flights, and seniors accumulate 35 hours of flying time, which is a great aid when they go into basic flight training upon commissioning. other fees of an instructional na ture. In return for this financial assistance, the Regular must com ply with certain regulations. He must participate in three summer cruises, for which he is paid monthly, and he must remain in the active service for i minimum of four years. Other obligations are explained upon application. Contract Program Students unable to avail them selves of the Regular program may receive a commission through the Contract program. The difference between the two programs is that a Contract student participates in only one summer cruise and re ceives an allowance during just his junior and senior years. He is commissioned into the Waval Reserve for a period of three years active duty, whereas the Regular receives his commission in the regular Navy. Other than, these differences, both receive tfie same The Air Force provides a full schedule of interesting and educa tional field trips. The various members of the unit participate in approximately ten field trips a year. Last year trips were made to the Boeing plant at Wichita, the North American plant at Los Angeles, the Laredo Air Force Base, and other points of interest to AFROTC cadets. The AFROTC sponsors many extra-curricular activities for its ca dets. The Arnold Air Society is one of these. Last year 22 men be longed to this national honorary for advanced Air Force cadets. Usually the group takes one big flight during the year. In recent years members have taken four day trips to Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach, Florida. The Sabre Air Command is the freshman and sophomore counter part of the Arnold Air Society. Its purpose is to develop leadership and motivate its members towards a career in the Air Force. It is a social organization, and, as such, it sponsors AFROTC dances as well as speakers, field trips, and training and opportunities. Both have their uniforms for drill and cruises supplied by the Navy. Con tract students may apply for Reg ular status at any time. Besides taking the required col lege courses, the Naval ROTC stu dent must necessarily attend classes which will further his ca reer upon commissioning. In his freshman year the student takes a course in Naval Orientation and Naval history. This serves to ac quaint him with the Navy customs and traditions. During his sopho more year, he studies gunnery. In the final two years, the student receives instruction in engineer ing and Naval operations respec tively. Throughout his college ca reer, he attends a weekly drill period. When the weather permits in the fall and spring, the time is spent marching and learning com mand of the re. In foul weather, the student is' taught ' the funda All-Campus Formal Is Cadet Ball Each year the three ROTC units here at the University of Nebraska sponsor the campus-wide Military Ball. Navy mid-shipmen and Army and Air Force cadets take turns doing the necessary "backstage" jobs that are required to make the Military Ball the success it is every fall. The officer staff in structors of each unit give the students a helping hand with the administrative side of the dance. The actual responsibility for the procurement of the band, the dec orations for the Ball, . and the various other jobs are passed around each year to a different unit. In this way the Army, Air Force, and Navy get a chance to outdo each other every three years. This friendly spirit of competition insures the high quality of enter tainment that the University stu dents -"xpect annually. The Military Ball is the first and, in recent years, the only all campus formal social event of the year. Students in the three units come in uniform, as is fitting on this occasion. All others attending the Ball do so in formal attire. This makes the Military Ball one of the most colorful events of the entire school year. Each unit selects its representi tive in the beauty competition for Honorary Commandant. "M i s s Army" "Miss Air Force," and "Miss Navy" are presented at the Military Ball, and the Honorary Commandant is presented at that time. Last year Diane Pedersen, "Miss Navy," was chosen to reign over the proceedings in her honor ary capacity. Last year, the Military Ball, held ech year in the Coliseum, was sponsored by the Navy and fea tured Richard Maltby and h i s band, the world famous NavCad Choir from Pensacola, Florida, and the Arthur Murray dancers. a drill squad. The drill squad won the first and second place awards in the annual Phalanx competition. The Sabre Air Command is start ing a drum and bugle corps this year which will be the first on this campus. The Air Force also sponsors MARS, the Military Affiliate Ra dio System. This organization is the amateur radio society at the University, and it is open to all students. Because of their interest, the emphasis is naturally placed on Air Force cadets. mental principles of seamanship. Navy or Marines? At the end of the sopho more year, the midshipman must make the choice between remain ing in the Navy or receiving his commission in the Marine Corps. If he chooses the latter, the mid shipman attends a Marine class instead of the prescribeo Navy classes in his last two 'ears. He also goes to the Marine training camp at Quantico, Virginia, for his third cruise. The cruise this past summer took freshman and juniors through the Panama Ca nal to Valpariso, Chile, and back up to Guantonamo Bay, Cuba. Be sides Guantonamo and Valpariso, the ports of call were Balboa and San Christobal, Canal Zone. Sopho mores spent the summer at Cor pus Christi, Texas, and Little Creek, Viifinia, taking part fei Na- ' val air and amphibious training.