Embry-Riddle has been bustling with activity since I got back from Spring Break, which will have its own blog soon, and I have never been this busy! Analysis reports, personality profiles of spies and social psychological case studies have me running all over the place trying to complete all this work before the Army commitments take me over. On that note, The Army has been demanding a lot of the cadets lately in preparation for the Spring 2011 JTFX (Joint Field Training Exercise). For those that don’t know, every school in Arizona sends its ROTC units to work together during this JFTX which lasts a few days at some base of military operations. This year it is taking place at Ft. Hauchuca in Cochise Country near Tucson! Last years JFTX was at Ft. Navajo and we all froze the entire time! The unit here can only take a few MSII’s, sophomore cadets, due to lack of space. I fortunately was one of the ones that is assigned to go in my class although this means that a lot of work and commitment is required even of us sophomores in order to make this learning experience worth our time and worth the Army’s time.
Some more good Army news is that I was fortunate enough to get offered some Army school slots this upcoming summer. Only a fool would turn down any of these amazing opportunities and I got to pick between Airborne, Northern Warfare and an attempt at seizing a Combat Diver Scuba Slot. I picked the Northern Warfare slot but a lot of commitment and physical and mental training comes as a prerequisite in order to pass the school. It happens this summer in Alaska from July 31th – August 18th and it is going to be freezing up there even in the summer! I will probably turn into either an ice cube or lose my permanent Hispanic tan by the time I get back. I am excited but if I said I wasn’t nervous then I would be lying because I most definitely am! I know that I can do it but I have to prove myself now through physical conditioning so that I can be prepared instead of some cornfused cadet with the “deer in the headlights” approach to everything I will be presented with.
The Army’s Military Ball is happening this Friday and I am excited because I invited my friends Rachel and Lindsey to come up from ASU to be my dates to the ball! It is going to be fun and my friends Joshua and Emily had to get all dressed up today for inspections so that nothing we wear is entirely inappropriate. I mean, please, this is a professional environment. I am really looking forward to living with these two next year because they are great friends and I know that we will get along great.
Joshua, Emily, Steven
