Ups and downs of a possible future in the military
Michelle Salvagno
Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: College Life
In the October 30 issue of The Racquette, I invited readers to sound off about the ROTC program available through Clarkson University. Sadly, I did not get any responses. Considering America's controversial involvement overseas, I figured our student body would eagerly jump at the chance to voice their opinions. Apparently I was mistaken.
For those of you who may not know, SUNY Potsdam is a member of the Clarkson Golden Knight Battalion. ROTC is an introductory program laying the foundation for a future in the military. Students can take a basic elective course to gauge if the ROTC is right for them. The Golden Knights provide both Air Force and Army training to students.
Most ROTC students enjoy finding out about opportunities provided by the military and participating in training exercises. The ROTC has a long standing tradition of preparing students to be effective, valuable assets to the U.S. armed forces. They are by no means committed to the military, but can choose to sign during junior year. Those who do choose to sign with the United States military realize the dedication and effort required of an American soldier.
U.S. troops have occupied Iraq since March 20, 2003. Many of those soldiers currently serving participated in a ROTC program beforehand. As of November 16, 2009 there have been 4,364 U.S. military deaths resulting from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Given that there have been 17,686 individuals wounded in action and returned to duty within 72 hours, it is easy to be concerned about the potential injury of those involved with the ROTC. Naturally, we want our friends and family to be safe in the future.
Also, we cannot forget the 13,880 soldiers who were wounded in action and did not return to duty within 72 hours. Keep in mind, these statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Defense are only for Operation Iraqi Freedom. There are thousands of soldiers stationed worldwide who are not listed in these particular figures.
It is easy to see why many people are pushing for peace in a time of global unrest. Peace-oriented groups are popular on college campuses. They speak out against an organization they may view as detrimental to our nation's health. So, what does ROTC mean to you? Is it a positive chance for students to learn about our nation's military? Or is the ROTC somewhat sinister, setting up our able-bodied youth to be stationed overseas? As always, contact me at salvagms193@potsdam.edu. I would love to hear the views and opinions on campus.
For those of you who may not know, SUNY Potsdam is a member of the Clarkson Golden Knight Battalion. ROTC is an introductory program laying the foundation for a future in the military. Students can take a basic elective course to gauge if the ROTC is right for them. The Golden Knights provide both Air Force and Army training to students.
Most ROTC students enjoy finding out about opportunities provided by the military and participating in training exercises. The ROTC has a long standing tradition of preparing students to be effective, valuable assets to the U.S. armed forces. They are by no means committed to the military, but can choose to sign during junior year. Those who do choose to sign with the United States military realize the dedication and effort required of an American soldier.
U.S. troops have occupied Iraq since March 20, 2003. Many of those soldiers currently serving participated in a ROTC program beforehand. As of November 16, 2009 there have been 4,364 U.S. military deaths resulting from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Given that there have been 17,686 individuals wounded in action and returned to duty within 72 hours, it is easy to be concerned about the potential injury of those involved with the ROTC. Naturally, we want our friends and family to be safe in the future.
Also, we cannot forget the 13,880 soldiers who were wounded in action and did not return to duty within 72 hours. Keep in mind, these statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Defense are only for Operation Iraqi Freedom. There are thousands of soldiers stationed worldwide who are not listed in these particular figures.
It is easy to see why many people are pushing for peace in a time of global unrest. Peace-oriented groups are popular on college campuses. They speak out against an organization they may view as detrimental to our nation's health. So, what does ROTC mean to you? Is it a positive chance for students to learn about our nation's military? Or is the ROTC somewhat sinister, setting up our able-bodied youth to be stationed overseas? As always, contact me at salvagms193@potsdam.edu. I would love to hear the views and opinions on campus.
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