You have been awake since 5:30 a.m., and you have already been to Physical Training with the other 60-plus Badger Battalion cadets in preparation for the upcoming Physical Training test. Because today is Thursday, you are wearing army fatigues, differentiating you from other students on campus.
Upon graduation, you will not be headed to a civilian job. Instead, you will be in active duty for four years as an Army officer, followed by four years in the Army Reserve. You could be stationed almost anywhere in the world.
Unless you are part of the Army's Reserve Officers Training Corps, explained Kelly Torrico, a senior in the ROTC program, this commitment can be difficult to understand.
""It's really not a typical college experience,"" Torrico said. ""We have our standard of excellence. You always have to be spot-on with everything you do.""
However, both Torrico and Maj. Josephine Daniels, an assistant professor of Military Science and Iraq War veteran, said the benefits outweigh the costs of participating in the program.
According to Daniels, the greatest advantage of the program is gaining both leadership experience and an undergraduate degree at a young age.
""If you're not successful academically, you can't stay in our program,"" Daniels said. ""So we're going to make sure in this faculty we sit down and evaluate that with each cadet on a monthly basis, on a minimum per semester, to go over how they are doing in all their classes, what the challenges are, if there are any stresses personally or academically ... we really support making sure they're successful academically by looking at the total person, not just military, military, military.""
Cadets must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA to stay in the program, and are only eligible for scholarships with a 2.5 or higher. And GPA will decide more than whether or not students will be allowed to continue with ROTC.
Within the military, there are three branches—Army, Navy and Air Force—and within each branch are more specific branches. A cadet's level of academic success is a leading factor in determining how much choice he or she will have in where he or she is placed within the military upon graduation.
""It's kind of like anybody. If you are the cream of the crop, you have more opportunities. More people want you. If you're average … you're going to go where the organization needs you,"" Daniels said.
ROTC students must also perform well at the Leadership Development and Assessment Course between their junior and senior years. Demonstrating not only physical fitness but also leadership in simulated combat situations allows them to commission as an Army officer upon graduation.
In addition to participating in ROTC, cadets look forward to socializing. However, any legal issues resulting from alcohol consumption could result in consequences more serious than those for non-ROTC students.
According to Daniels, the Army does not expect these future officers to ""shun"" all social temptations, but also expects that they act responsibly both in social situations and by fulfilling all ROTC obligations unimpaired.
""We know it is out there,"" she said. ""We let them know what the consequences are if any legal issues arise so that they are well aware that they could jeopardize a career by making a bad choice out at a party here at the UW.""
""We're building leaders,"" Daniels said. ""We need people who are going to have a higher standard than maybe the average person, be able to set the example for others to follow … It's hard to get people to strive for excellence or greatness if the individual isn't accomplishing that themselves.""
Beyond requiring that cadets act responsibly given the party-school atmosphere, ROTC also necessitates that they not offer opinions on controversial issues while in uniform. That does not mean, however, that members of the Army are silenced.
""Does that mean people are opinion-less? Not at all. Everybody has opinions, but they just have to understand the forum in which they are in when they have discussions. If they are out with a group of friends and having discussions, not representing the United States Army, they can state their personal opinion,"" Daniels said.
Ultimately, other lessons are more important, Torrico said.
""We have training on how to deal with political questions, how to deal with people who disagree, how to deal with people who don't support. But really at the end of the day, it's about doing your job. It's about being there for the people to your left and right on the frontlines. It's about leading people, making good decisions, being a good person.""
