The Reserves Officers’ Training Corps allows students to attend college while training to become an Army officer once they graduate. The Army ROTC teaches leadership courses in universities across the country and is part of the college curriculum at USFSP.
The ROTC program at USF St. Petersburg is entering its fifth year. As part of their leadership training, they get involved in helping the campus and surrounding community.
“We really do a lot for the campus, and then the color guard and community support that we’ve done,” said Major Scott Macksam.
They will participate in the Women of Combat event on March 1, a multicultural event hosted by the university. One of their cadets will be the panel speaker, along with a retired officer and an active duty officer.
On March 2, first and second year cadets will take part in specialized training at the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s range, where they will train in repelling and get familiar with shooting M16s. They will also train in repelling and performing room clearing operations.
The ROTC will also be going on an outing with senior cadets to Fort Desoto, where they will do physical fitness and a historical staff ride on March 9.
“Our venue is going to be the 2003 invasion of Iraq,” Macksam said. “The senior cadets are going to be briefing the military history at different stations out there.”
Following the staff ride will be a beach jog and a cook out.
On April 3 two cadets from the ROTC will be escorting 75 World War II veterans on what is called an honor flight, from St. Petersburg to Washington, D.C., where they plan to visit all of the memorials.
This year they will hold their annual military ball as well as a commissioning ceremony.
