Paintballs fly in Army ROTC’s field exercise
Students planned the day’s activities in a mock-combat and got a chance to be leaders — and get a hint what the Army is like.
By Bill Morrison
Staff Reporter

While most students were sleeping in Saturday, Army ROTC cadets were maneuvering through the forest and engaged in mock-combat.

Using paint-ball guns, 72 Army ROTC cadets participated in the fall Field Training Exercise last weekend. The cadets executed military tactics in a war-like environment to gauge their leadership skills.

Sam Denton, senior speech communication major and cadet battalion commander, said the purpose of the FTX is to get everyone together and test their skills.

“(FTX) lets us see how the cadets are developing and gives us a way to evaluate the juniors tactically,” Denton said. “It also gives them (cadets) a taste of what the army is like.

The cadet’s day began at 6 a.m., as they met up and prepared to leave for Camp Wolters just outside of Weatherford. The exercises were conducted all Saturday and through Sunday morning. The cadets went through a series of combat scenarios including reconnaissance, attacking bunkers and performing night and day land navigation.

Maj. Jon Nepute, assistant professor of military science, said the seniors are in charge of FTX from planing to the evaluations.

“The cadets run everything,” Nepute said. “The cadre (military personnel) try not to get involved unless there is a problem.”

The events done at the FTX are similar to what cadets do in their weekly labs, but are a more particle application because of the setting at Camp Wolters, said Aaron Price, a senior marketing major. Price was in charge of planning all the activities for the FTX and said preparations had been going on all semester.

“At FTX we are able to see how juniors will react under realistic conditions,” Price said. “As leaders they (juniors) will have to be able to make decisions quickly.”

One of FTX’s main goals is to prepare juniors for the Nation Advanced Leadership Camp, Price said. The NALC is a five-week camp the summer after a cadet’s junior year, where they are evaluated and given a national ranking, he said, adding that what they do at camp is similar to what is done at FTX.

Benjamin Ball, a senior history major, said this is the first time juniors are put in an authority position over other cadets in a field environment. He said this is a more realistic learning experience than what is done in labs.

“Not every cadet is a natural born leader,” Ball said. “It’s had to take everything you have learned and lead a tactical lane (mission). Paint-ball gives the missions a realistic felling by having projectiles flying at you.”

During a mission changes can come in just one second and you have to react quick, said Chad Fitzgerald, a junior history major. He said infantry tactics are the hardest lesson to grasp.

“It was a little nerve-racking (leading) because everything happens so fast, your adrenaline is rushing and your mind is going at 100 mph,” Fitzgerald said.

David Ruiz, a freshman nursing major, was a member of the opposing forces. He said it was a great learning experience because he was able to see everything the squads did and the mistakes they made.

“(FTX) puts things into perspective, and gives you a chance to experience combat,” Ruiz said.

Bill Morrison