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Thursday,
April 22, 2004 |
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ROTC
cadets soar higher
Eugene
Chu is a senior political science major from Arlington.
While
graduation is important to many, it has many special meanings
to TCU ROTC cadets. For our academic roles, it means an
end of being a student and the beginning of being an alumnus
or alumnae. For our social roles, it means the end of
adolescence and the beginning of adulthood. For Army ROTC
and Air Force ROTC cadets, it means the end of being a
cadet and the beginning of being a commissioned officer.
The changes for ROTC cadets may seem insignificant for
some, but they mean more than a simple role change.
On May 7, one day prior to graduation, the TCU Army ROTC
battalion and TCU Air Force detachment will commission
their senior cadets as officers in their respective branches.
After graduation, those officers from ROTC at TCU will
begin their service in the United States Army and United
States Air Force. These branches of the U.S. military
are not only organizations, but also societies. In these
societies, these two groups of TCU alumni are not only
members, but also leaders. Their time in ROTC and at TCU
not only means instruction, but also personal development.
Though some may dismiss the significance of ROTC, please
consider the training that TCU cadets go through. ROTC
cadets often awake before sunrise to participate in physical
training in order to develop their bodies. ROTC cadets
participate in military science or aerospace studies classes
in order to develop their minds. ROTC cadets participate
in occasional weekend training exercises in order to develop
their spirits. Along with military training, please consider
the special meaning that TCU has for its ROTC cadets.
One special aspect about ROTC in the United States is
its balance of military and civilian elements. At TCU,
cadets participate in regular classes, receiving a civilian
academic education alongside the student body. At TCU,
our cadets participate in varsity or intramural sports,
competing athletically alongside the student body. At
TCU, our cadets hold membership in fraternities and sororities,
participating socially alongside the student body. At
TCU, while military training exists, it co-exists peacefully
with academic learning.
My days as a ROTC cadet and a TCU student are slowly becoming
numbered. For graduating seniors, these final days mark
a change of role, going from student to citizen. For many
of my friends and myself, these final days not only mean
transition, but also transformation. As you read my final
column, please think about the ROTC cadets in our student
body. While I wholeheartedly respect all TCU students,
I hope you will all understand the special meaning of
ROTC and TCU for my friends and me. |
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