8/13/2009 - From Robes to Army Fatigues

From Academic Robes to Army Fatigues:
ROTC Program inspires faculty to take part in summer training course

Story by Bill Mathews

Two Judson administrators surprised faculty and staff at the recent Faculty Institute on Aug. 13 by arriving at the working-session luncheon wearing camouflage fatigues and combat boots!

Dr. Sara Kiser, vice president for academic affairs, and Sandra Fowler, vice president for student affairs, earned the right to wear their outfits by participating in a five-day educator visit at Ft. Knox in Kentucky.

They were two of the nearly 100 visiting educators from around the country undergoing ROTC training--the same training ROTC students from their respective schools participate in as part of the Leader Course.

LTC is a program designed for students choosing to enter the ROTC program between their sophomore and junior years.

In addition to classes about various aspects of ROTC leadership and character programs, Kiser and Fowler got "down and dirty" doing stream crossings, running the ropes course, repelling off 19 foot and 50 foot towers and being up-close to simulated battlefield conditions with smoke bombs, charging soldiers and battlefield sounds.

As part of the luncheon, Lt. Col. Robert McKinley (Ret.), an adjunct professor at Judson and assistant professor of military science/recruiting officer at Marion Military Institute (MMI), gave a slide presentation about ROTC programs, scholarships, training sessions and various opportunities and options available for college students. 

Students can participate in many such programs without career commitment to the military, he said.

Lt. Col. Nicolas Britto, executive officer of military science at MMI, was the platoon leader for Kiser and Fowler at Ft. Knox and answered questions from the faculty and staff at the luncheon.

"The educator's visit to the ROTC Leaders Training Course at Ft. Knox provides the educators opportunity to observe the leadership development, military skills and the rigorous training that their students undergo during the summer months," Britto said.

Judson students have enrolled in ROTC at MMI in past years and received military commissions at the conclusion of their programs. Two Judson students enrolled in the most recent academic year and one expects to graduate and be commissioned next spring.

Judson was recently pegged by G.I. Jobs magazine as a Military Friendly School for 2010, an honor that places the college at the top 15 percent of all schools nationwide - and the school is also proud to be listed as a "Yellow Ribbon School" as part of the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program.

"The LTC Educator program was an excellent opportunity to understand just a small part of what the Army practices," Kiser said.

 "The program teaches character values of duty, honesty self-sacrifice and personal courage," she said. "The physical as well as mental training the Army delivers can be useful to all students and I hope more will consider taking a few military science courses even if they don't want to commit to a military career."

Kiser further noted, "As a civilian, not eating MREs (meals ready to eat) everyday, they weren't bad--stick with the beef stew."

* To learn more about Judson's unique ROTC program with Marion Military Institute, visit our ROTC page!

* Meet other faculty members at Judson!

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