Building a Warrior Ethos

On 26-28 September, 90+ cadets from Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the University of St. Thomas met at Volk Field (near Camp Douglas, WI) to develop a warrior ethos through learning.   UW-Madison Det 925 hosts this annual Joint ROTC Field Training Exercise.   Freshmen and sophomores from three AFROTC detachments integrated and formed 3 flights for the weekend.  “It's rewarding when you get thrown into situations with people you don't know, and are able to accomplish a task with them.  You don't realize how dependent you get on your teammates in such a short amount of time.  It really brings out the strengths in people.”  Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, C/4c, AFROTC.   

A seasoned NCO taught underclassmen self aid and buddy care.  Marine instructors from UW-Madison taught hands-on land navigation.  A four-time deployed Air Force Iraqi war veteran instructed cadets how to shoot the M – 9 and M-16.  Another highlight of the weekend involved cadets working as teams to overcome obstacles in the Leadership Reaction Course.  The capstone of the weekend was the end exercise, where rescue teams of 13 cadets used night vision goggles and compasses in a dark forest to find and rescue 5 wounded airmen played by various upperclassmen armed with dim flashlights.  "Next time I will take off the cap to my night vision goggles when I go on the night mission, maybe I'll last longer."  C/4c Xxxx X. Xxxx, AFROTC.  Experiences like the ones that cadets gained at Volk Field solidify the expeditionary mindset and warrior ethos.  This new way of training will produce leaders that are more prepared for today’s Air Force.  "I think FTX was a very beneficial experience for everyone who participated and helped set it up.  I can't wait to go next year!" C/4c Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, AFROTC

By Cadet Major Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx