ROTC protocol to remain unchanged

By Tyler Harbert

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

President Bush’s push for an influx of more than 20,000 troops in Iraq will not change the ROTC program protocal at the University of Kansas.

“We’re a four-year program,” Maj. Gary Farley, executive officer for the KU Army ROTC program said. “We’re not accelerating; we’ll have the same curriculum, the same standards.”

The purpose of the ROTC program is to train cadets to become “warrior leaders” while earning a four-year degree. That philosophy hasn’t changed since the president’s highly-debated announcement, Farley said.

“If anything there’s more relevance or purpose to their training,” he said.

The program gives cadets hands-on training to equip them with the leadership skills necessary for active duty, he said. Farley hasn’t noticed an increase in anxiety among cadets about the up-coming troop surge.

“The ROTC cadets know we’re a nation at war up-front,” he said. “They know what they’re getting into.”

Two cadets, Lt. Col. Noah Rees, battalion commander and Lecompton senior, and Sgt. Maj. Mark Anderson, Mission Hills junior, said they were indifferent to the surge.

“What happens with war doesn’t affect the ROTC program at the rate we progress through it,” Rees said. “Even if not in Iraq, I’m confident I’ll have to serve and I’m willing to do whatever is necessary.”

Graduated cadets come out of the program as second lieutenants, but their training isn’t complete, Farley said. From there they go to more specialized training, which could last for up to a year before being stationed with a platoon.

Cadet Major Mike Beamon, battalion executive officer and Lenexa senior, said that because of the training time line, there are no definite odds on whether or not he will go to war. He said Army ROTC life is more focused on meeting a standard.

As far as recruitment into the Army ROTC program, Farley said neither the troop increase nor the Iraq war have had any effect on getting cadets to join.

The number of graduated cadets has stayed at a steady level since the war began, Farley said.

More than anything, the Army ROTC program is not going to send out cadets unprepared for whatever may lie ahead, Farley said.

“We want critical thinkers to lead our troops,” he said.

Kansan staff writer Tyler Harbert can be contacted at tharbert@kansan.com.

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