Student Soldiers

By Christopher DaCosta

While most students are savoring the last few hours of sleep before a stressful week begins, junior John Zazenski is wide-awake perfecting his push ups.

"On Monday mornings at 6 a.m. the juniors have a mandatory physical training session," said the management major. "When we train we do a lot of cardio workouts and of course, push ups and sit ups," said the management major.

Zazenski and approximately 35 other Santa Clara students are cadets in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), a leadership training program established through a military science curriculum.

ROTC is responsible for producing a breed of leaders and the next generation of officers in the army.

In order to meet a specific "commission mission," the Santa Clara ROTC also commissions students from Stanford and San Jose State.

"The purpose of ROTC is to train and prepare college students to accept a commission as an officer in the United States Army," said Captain Charles McGuinness, a training officer for the ROTC program. "We give the students the foundations of what it means to become an officer, so this runs the gamut - from leadership theory to law of land warfare."

ROTC allows for one to learn more about oneself, in addition to practical problem solving skills, according to Zazenski.

"So far, in the two years I have participated, ROTC has had an amazing impact on my life," Zazenski said. "It has given me a strong sense of confidence in both my mental and physical abilities and it has given me leadership skills that can only be found in ROTC."

Sophomore cadet Camille Johnson could not imagine her life without ROTC. For her, it represents the perfect balance between academics and preparation for a career in the military.

"ROTC is a program that allows me to be in school, participate in unique projects and meet interesting people," said Johnson. "It has completely reshaped my college experience."

The impact ROTC has had on these students' lives is primarily due to the authentic military opportunities they are given.

Last spring, Bellomy Field turned into a helicopter pad when ROTC cadets were picked up by Chinook Helicopters and transported to Fort Hunter Ligget, three hours south of Santa Clara, for a field training exercise.

"We spend the entire weekend in the woods doing combat exercises; we are divided up into squads and are given missions against other squads," said Zazenski, who cites this activity as one of his favorites. "Everyone ends up usually getting about three hours of sleep for the entire weekend, but it is an amazing bonding experience for all of the cadets and it gives us a chance to do things that most college students will never experience."

Apart from executing combat missions in the middle of the woods, ROTC students are taught how to handle M-16 rifles and state of the art night vision equipment. Leadership skills are taught in classroom labs and curriculum but they are honed and practiced in an actual hierarchy.

"As a junior in the program, my specific job is to act as a platoon sergeant," Zazenski said. "This means that it is my responsibility to disseminate information to squad leaders and work with my platoon leader in training cadets in my platoon."

Cadets gain more leadership responsibility and management skills as they progress further into their college career.

In contrast to Zazenski, Johnson, halfway through her second year of ROTC, has considerably less responsibility.

"As an MSII, or a second year ROTC student, my duties are pretty limited," Johnson said. "At this stage in ROTC, I am mainly trying to learn as much as I can to be an effective leader."

Johnson is one of a few women in a predominately male environment; she explained that people outside ROTC often have misconceptions about women in the program. "There are only about 11 women in ROTC, and we give each other support and encouragement," said Johnson. "It helps to know that women I like and respect as people are experiencing the same types of things as I am."

Even with recent global events threatening war, the climate of ROTC training sessions have not changed and continue with the same rigor.

"I personally try not to think about it because it is important for me and for all cadets to focus on our training right now," said Zazenski regarding the prospect of war. "I have faith in the fact that our policy makers will make the best decisions for the best interests of our country and its citizens."

McGuinness said that he hasn't noticed any particular changes since his involvement in ROTC during the Gulf War.

"Sometimes I'll see ROTC people training or in their uniforms around campus and they seem really devoted," said senior Daniela Mejias.

While ROTC participants have the respect of most students on campus, McGuinness believes that some myths need to be dispelled.

"Being in the program does not necessarily mean that we demand you guys to turn into a bunch of ROTC Nazis of some type if people want to think of it that way," McGuinness said. "These students have a deep commitment to their country and they will make great officers one day."