ROTC Summer Training
°Â¾±»å±ð²Ô±ð°ù’s Army ROTC cadets participated in several training opportunities this summer. Here are two of their experiences:
James Kelly – Project Go
This summer, I had the privilege to take part in a program called , or Project Global Officer. This is a Department of Defense program designed for ROTC cadets to learn a new language, through classes and cultural immersion.
Project GO offers programs both domestic and abroad for 12 different languages. I was fortunate to be chosen for a domestic program at San Diego State University to study Persian-Farsi.
For 11 weeks, I attended classes Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. We also had a two- to three-hour cultural lesson after class two times a week and a visit to various places, such as Zoroastrian temple and the Iranian Culture Society, once a week.
Not only did I learn to read and write in the Farsi language, but also learned to speak a decent level of fluency. However, the true lesson for me was the culture.
All of my teachers were born and raised in Iran and lived in both the pre-revolution and post-revolution societies. They were able to teach and show us about a truly different world.
As a U.S army officer, it’s realistic that I may have to lead men and women in Farsi-speaking countries or regions. Thanks to this program I will be able to help my soldiers relate to the people of the area and work with them hand-in-hand to understand the culture and way of life.
Because of my involvement in the Widener ROTC program and Project Go, I developed a professional skill that will ultimately help me in whatever career path I choose.
Alyssa Niedzwiedz – Nurse Summer Training
While other cadets are running, jumping and working through Cadet Summer Training, ROTC nursing students have the unique opportunity to extend their training through the Nurses Summer Training Program.
Cadets are sent to Army Medical Centers around the United States and Germany to complete this training. Nursing cadets are given the opportunity to put in IVs, give medication and work the shifts of an Army nurse.
Cadets are paired with a preceptor and work their schedule, while adding additional experiences in other departments, such as the intensive care unit, emergency department and the operating room.
This summer, after completing 30 days of Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, I went to Fort Gordon in Georgia to complete the nursing training at Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center.
I was able to learn nursing skills that I would never be able to experience during my school nursing clinical. The one-on-one relationship between preceptors and cadets allows students to tailor the entire experience to what each individual cadet wants to get out of the program.
I specifically wanted to learn how to insert IVs, and I was able to successfully insert over 80 IVs during my three weeks at the medical center.
