When you think of the military what conjurs in your mind? Do you have images of a spitting, red-in-the-face drill sergeant, like in Full Metal Jacket? Or do you have images of being a Top Gun, Tom Cruise character in a leather jacket, romancing women and testing the limits of an F-15?
Or maybe you think females are really the G.I. Jane types, with shaved heads, and the ability to bodyslam a Marine. But really, all Hollywood fantasies do not convey the true people, mission and aim of the military.
There are no Drill Sergeants, wearing Smokey the Bear hats, running around screaming bloody murder. Yes, one part of being part of ROTC is discipline.
And when I put on that blue uniform, that so many before me have proudly worn, I conduct myself accordingly. But, there is no screaming and yelling and push-ups.
As I sat in my air force leadership management class today, our commander and instructor Colonel Ricky Willis asked us to briefly to summarize why we were in Air Force ROTC.
For my friend, Cadet Aaron Carcher, it is a chance to learn to fly and become a pilot. Just recently, Carcher was able to fly a T-38 Jet Trainer at Columbus AFB in Mississippi.
Name for me one other college class where you get the opportunity to fly a jet as part of the class.
For some, it's for the scholarship opportunities, which is one of my reasons. After all ROTC does mean tuition is free, cadets receive $200 a month and $450 a semester for books, as long as you keep a 2.3 GPA. This is probably one of the easiest scholarships available these days.
Remember when I said there are no push-ups, well there is a push-up time, during the P.T., in the mornings.
But P.T. (Physical Training) is more than just push-ups, sit-ups and running. It's volleyball and football. In fact, watch out for Willis in football, that's all I will say. But it's fun and it's camaraderie.
Air Force ROTC is a chance for you to become a leader. It's a chance to have a support group that doesn't make any pre-judgements about you.
In Air Force ROTC, you are a part of a team. You work together and play together. Yet you have your space. And you have the chance to see is the military right for me?
Criminal justice majors, sociology majors, pathologists, pre-med, pre-law, political science, math, etc., listen up.
This is JOB SECURITY. Why, because in the civilian world, you are competing with so many others with similar resumes.
At best, there is a 50 percent guarantee. With Air Force ROTC, it's a 100 percent guarantee, for a job, when you graduate.
After all, do you like to eat? Have a place to stay? Travel? AND a big paycheck? These are not lines of bullshit that are put out to trick you into something bad. The military is a good life.
As a former brat I can say, Air Force bases are safer, cleaner and have better facilities than the best neighborhoods you can find in the civilian world.
