In Our World/Table of Contents/Type 1 Chapters/North America/United States of America/Virginia/Norfolk/Old Dominion University/Groups
From WITTIE
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University Groups and Activities
ROTC
By: Mbeye001
Going off to college is fun, exciting, and allows the young individual to grow and expand in new horizons. This new journey comes along with new responsibilities and new opportunities. For about 300 Old Dominion students, they have decided to be more than just average college students.
I, along with a couple hundred Army Reserve Officer Training Corp (AROTC) Cadets am contracted to the U.S. Army. We have decided to allow the Army to pay for our college education by means of an Army 4 Year Scholarship, in exchange for service time in the Army. I will have everything I need paid for, except my Room and Board fees, along with a stipend that increases from freshmen year to senior year $300, $350, $450, and $500 respectively. To be awarded with this though, you have to distinguish yourself in high school and then be passed medically and then pass the Physical Fitness Test; which includes a pushup, sit-up, and 2 mile run event. Should you qualify and pass everything needed, you take an oath and then Uncle Sam now owns you.
The life of a cadet is very similar to that of a regular student. We are allowed to stay in regular dorms, join fraternities or sororities, have other jobs, intern where we like and major in what we like, but the opportunities that arise for the cadet are once in a lifetime opportunities and experiences.
We do have to take a Military Science and Leadership class for our 4 years in college, however. We have one week where we are in class learning about topics from land navigation, to the Army Values, to tactical movements. The following week we have lab and this is where we get to put the knowledge we learn in class into a little hands on learning. Our entire battalion groups together and we get to work on tactics such as “taking out a bunker” or “squad attack”. This is a lot of the cadet’s favorite things to do because it allows us to get out of a classroom, and learn a whole other way. Labs for us are on Thursdays, which is also uniform day. We have to dress out in our Army uniform and wear it from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (Or 1600 in military time). For me, I love to wear the Army Combat Uniform (or A.C.U.). I am proud to wear our Army’s Uniform and I wear it with the respect and loyalty I took my oath with.
Each semester is highlighted with the biggest event, our Field Training Exercise (or FTX). The first semesters FTX is a learning process. Because we have new freshmen cadets (or MSI) who have probably never been in the field before or know how to set up a patrol base, this FTX is the way they learn. The FTX last from Friday to Sunday, and we get to do all sorts of activities such as obstacle courses, or the FLRC (Future Leadership Reaction Course), which is a mental obstacle course. The second FTX is basically a mini war game. Because we now know how to do everything, from land navigation to setting up a patrol base, we can now play pretend. We get M16’s and blank rounds and enter a place called Palomis. We get our missions and the Juniors or MSIII’s are our platoon leaders or squad leaders and we get sent on Situational Training Exercises or STX Lanes. The FTX’s are really fun and are awesome opportunities for the cadet.
Towards the end of the year we have our annual Military Ball where the entire battalion is invited for a night of tradition and fun. We all get dressed up I our class A uniforms and get to bring a date. Last year was a lot of fun and I look forward to going again this year as well!
As you can tell, we get to do a lot of awesome and exciting things that the average fraternity or student can’t. I’m thankful for this opportunity and am having fun doing this. I know I will look back on my college career and know I made the right choice of taking this opportunity. When I graduate, all my friends are going to be scrambling trying to find jobs and pay off debt while I already have a job locked in and will owe nothing. HOOAH!
NROTC
By: Mstar016
FOCUS
By: Bleex017
Color Guard
The Season By: Capkirk
Marching Band
By: Jwash013
Dynasty Dance Team
By: Alang014
Cheerleading
By: Apayt003
Student Government
By: Ligel001
Study Abroad
By: Nshoe001
Intramurals
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
By: jchap003
