PDF Blackhawks Land at MIT and Fly Cadets Over Boston

[Pages:8]The Revere Recorder

Special Issue

The AIRBORNE Edition!

Summer/Fall 2007

Blackhawks Land at MIT and Fly Cadets Over Boston

Second Lieutenant Allan Reyes, MIT `07

On Wednesday, September 19th, the MIT Army ROTC and MIT Flying Club jointly sponsored an event to land UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters right onto the campus of MIT. Two Blackhawks landed on Briggs Field, an expansive athletic field nestled between several dormitories. The aircraft training event created such a buzz on MIT's campus that several hundred curious students from local colleges made their way to the landing site to see firsthand the high-adventure training in which the cadets in Army ROTC participate. Spectators watched with excitement--and perhaps also with a greater appreciation for the military--as the cadets of MIT's Army ROTC Paul Revere Battalion loaded onto the helicopters to conduct 5-10 minute flights above Boston. Passengers in the aircraft were able to see famous landmarks such as the MIT Dome, the Prudential Center, and Fenway Park from a perspective rarely seen by anyone. Commenting after his flight, Cadet Aaron Scherer (Harvard '11) said, "I thought it was a great training event, and it was a great way to show our presence here on campus. It was simply an amazing experience." For those unable to fly in the helicopter, the aviators conducted a short static display on the ground, and allowed people to talk to the pilots and examine the two helicopters.

"Walk-in" students who expressed significant interest in flying and trying out Army ROTC were able to enroll in the program as cadets and participate in the training. In addition to the cadets, a select group of college and university leaders was able to train with the Paul Revere Battalion. Among this group were President Lawrence Bacow of Tufts University (second picture), Chancellor Phillip Clay of MIT (third picture), Deans Larry Benedict and Daniel Hastings of MIT, and Associate Director of Career Services Susan Vacca of Harvard University.

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Tales from Airborne School

A SMALL TASTE OF FREEDOM Cadet Karl Kmiecik, Harvard `10

You can feel the butterflies in your stomach; more of an anxious feeling than anything else. Everything should go smooth. You've trained for two weeks straight just for this. The Jumpmaster taps the front man in your chalk and shouts go. Suddenly you find yourself rapidly shuffling to the door, arm extended to provide the proper one second interval, following those in front, who one by one, turn, kick out, and jump from the door. As you leap, a torrent of wind greets your exit, but you instinctively tuck into a good exit position, feet together, knees locked out, chin to chest, bent over, hands loosely gripping the sides of you center-pull reserve and count: ONE THOUSAND, TWO THOUSAND, THREE THOUSAND, FOUR THOUSAND. By now you have felt the welcome jerk of your parachute open, and have automatically looked up, gaining canopy control and checking the integrity of your chute. For a few seconds you can relax now. You look around to the ground beneath you and the fellow jumpers in the air. Suddenly it sinks in, a new, foreign, but welcome sensation. You're floating! The descent is a new wonderful experience of freedom. It is as if this is how you were meant to be. This unique feeling is your reward during jump week of airborne school. After two solid weeks of training, and countless hours waiting for the jump, five times, you get to taste freedom.

Every summer, multiple cadets from our battalion obtain a chance to go to the U.S. Army Airborne School located at Ft. Benning, GA. There, we join cadets from around the nation, as well as, soldiers, NCO's, and officers from all our service branches and possibly even an officer from a foreign nation, to endure three weeks, in Benning's brutal humid atmosphere. At the culmination of three weeks and five successful jumps each person will have earned their airborne wings.

Week 1 is ground week. As one of our black-hats (the trainers who run airborne school) said, "Any idiot can jump out of a plane, it's being able to walk away from the landing that takes training." The key to this training is muscle memory. Throughout ground week, you learn the basic techniques needed to perform a proper exit from the aircraft and a proper PLF (parachute landing fall). All students are tested on these techniques on the 34-foot tower and the lateral drift apparatus. Drills are performed over and over until all students can display a satisfactory mastery of the techniques.

Week 2 is tower week. The techniques learned during ground week are built upon and tested to a more rigorous level through the swing-landing trainer. Additionally, the class practices mass exit techniques, learns how to control the parachute in the air, and how to deal with malfunctions and emergencies. If you're lucky (not every class or every student always gets to do this) you get the opportunity to fall from the 250 ft tower to experience a more accurate simulation of the actual drop. Interestingly, the 250 ft towers are considered a landmark,

and date back to the origins of the airborne school in the 1940's.

Finally Week 3, jump week, arrives. Each morning you wake up early and do a review of the mass exit techniques and practice your PLFs. Equipment is then issued and donned. Following multiple inspections your chalk is finally guided on-board the C-130 or C-17 aircraft that will be used for the jump. The plane will fly with a velocity of 115 knots at an altitude of 1250 ft over Fryar drop zone, located just over the Alabama border, whereupon it will drop 30 jumpers (15 on each side) per pass. The jumpers will then land at speeds up to 20 feet per second, which is why all the practice on PLFs is so crucial. The five jumps that each student completes consist of three daytime "Hollywood" jumps (no gear), a daytime jump with combat equipment, and one night jump with combat equipment.

Unfortunately, the great sensation of peacefully gliding through the air is only passing. At about 200 ft above the ground you determine your direction of drift and then at 100 ft pull the appropriate slip to reduce lateral drift when landing. You keep your feet and knees together, knees bent, and eyes fixed on the horizon, the ground catches you by surprise, but instinctively you hit your points of contact in order and your parachute landing fall is over before you have time to register what just happened. As you walk back to the rally point after each jump you can't help feeling a mixture of feelings: a sense of accomplishment for what you just did, and a hint of longing to once again be floating in the air.

RIDER ON THE STORM Cadet Daniel Bilotti, Harvard `09

As we slowly shuffled on the tarmac, heads down to avoid the hot air streaming off the C-130's propellers, I began to question what exactly I was doing. This was to be our fifth and final jump in the Airborne course, and all we had to do was exit the plane to get our wings; however that didn't mean you weren't going to break your legs upon contact with the unforgiving earth. While the jumps before had gone smoothly, this jump was to be at night with a full combat load consisting of an ALICE pack and weapons case. The moon was but a sliver and clouds crowded out all light but the faint glimmers of nearby Columbus, GA. We sidled into the plane with our cumbersome packs like fat kids into a school bus. The air conditioning condensed and combined with green night lighting inside the plane created an eerie scene. We took off and before we knew it we were mere minutes from the drop zone. My stomach dropped as I envisioned a rough landing or ending up in the trees, but at this point the weeks of training took over and I shuffled inevitably towards the door. I reached the frame, handed the jumpmaster my static line, and plunged into encompassing darkness. My canopy opened right on schedule, I checked for any malfunctions, then peered at the dark masses that were my fellow paratroopers. After taking in

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Tales from Airborne School- continued

this horribly beautiful sight, I snapped back to reality and tried to determine my direction of drift. As I neared the ground, I released my combat load, pulled a slip to slow my movement, and prayed I'd be walking off the drop zone. The landing came and I rolled onto my back with hardly a scratch. My parachute floated down and I looked up into the darkness from whence I came. As I lay there, a grin spread over my face as I knew I had earned my wings.

THE SWING LANDING TRAINER by Cadet Josh Guerra, Harvard `10

When I went to Jump School this past summer, I thought the hardest part would be the five airplane jumps on the last week of training, or Jump Week. Not so. The swing landing trainer (SLT) instruction, conducted during the second week, or Tower Week, is probably the toughest part airborne school, literally and figuratively.

Essentially, the SLT is a swing from which the Airborne instructors, known as blackhats, simulate a parachute landing fall in order to critique your "landing" technique. Two safeties attach risers to a soldier's harness, which are held up by a black rope that the blackhat holds as you drop from an elevated platform. When the blackhat releases the rope, he releases the prospective parachutist. During the first few turns on the SLT, this basically looks like the blackhats' cruel way of getting their kicks as they drop soldiers like bags of sand. By the end of the day, most parachutists get the hang of falling from the contraption.

In order to avoid hitting the gravel an excessive number of times on the SLT, landing form is key. One must hit the gravel with the balls of the heels, shift his knees, and hit the ground sequentially along the remaining four points of contact: the calf, the thigh, the buttocks, and the "pull-up" muscle. By reinforcing the muscle memory needed to land safely, the SLT prepares parachutists for landing on the drop zone during the Jump Week. Many parachutists agree that the impact felt from SLT is harder than Ft. Benning's Friar Drop Zone. It's definitely a block of instruction I would never want to repeat, and it is the main thing you have to worry about if you dare to join the ranks of the Army's paratroopers

AN AIRBORNE LEGACY CONTINUES Second Lieutenant Allan Reyes, MIT `07

Before General David Petraeus delivered his report to Congress on September 10th regarding the military progress in Iraq, he stopped by in Georgia to support his son, Stephen, during his final jump and graduation at the United States Army Airborne School. Atop the Fryar Drop Zone at Fort Benning on a sunny Friday afternoon, General David Petraeus awaited Stephen's final parachute landing to both congratulate him and help him pack the bulky, T10-Delta parachute. "I'd like to introduce our latest Airborne trooper," General Petraeus said as his son smiled.

During the graduation ceremony, Stephen Petraeus carried on the Airborne legacy as his father pinned on a set of Airborne wings that once belonged to Stephen's grandfather. When asked a week later how he felt about the ceremony, Stephen responded, "It was a really proud moment getting my father to pin on my wings." Jovially, he then added, "...and it was also probably the only time I'll ever have a 4-star pack up my chute on the DZ!"

Stephen is a cadet at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he continues to excel as one of the top performers amongst his peers and was appointed the captain of the Ranger Challenge team.

"It was a really proud moment getting my father to pin on my wings."

A special note of thanks for contributions and donations to the MIT Army ROTC Paul Revere Battalion: Your continued giving helps provide our cadets with the best possible training and preparation for becoming leaders in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you and best wishes!

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Warrior Forge

Cadet Courtney Wilson, Wellesley `08

This summer, more than 4,800 students from 761 colleges across the United States and its territories hung up their beach towels, packed away their flip flops, and said goodbye to a long, lazy summer to head off to Fort Lewis, Washington for 33 days of non-stop military training.

At Ft. Lewis, these future Army Second Lieutenants are trained, tested and evaluated on their basic soldiering and leadership skills during five weeks of training. They must prove their abilities in a wide variety of areas, including physical fitness, land navigation, basic rifle marksmanship, first aid, combat water survival, combatives and squad/ patrol operations. Known as Operation Warrior Forge, the five-week program must be completed by all rising seniors in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program before they can commission as second lieutenants.

For the three years of school leading up to Warrior Forge, Army ROTC cadets learn the tactical and technical skills required of a second lieutenant: military custom and courtesies, drill and ceremony, battle drills, and most importantly, leadership skills. As years pass and cadets rise through the program, the intensity and frequency of training picks up.

During MS-III year, class instruction starts to focus primarily on preparing cadets for Warrior Forge and cadets are given multiple leadership roles within their university battalions. Just as what will happen at Fort Lewis, cadets receive evaluations and feedback on their leadership abilities. In doing so, cadets learn what his or her strengths and weaknesses are as a leader.

In order to graduate from Warrior Forge, cadets must pass multiple events including a physical fitness test, day and night land navigation, marksmanship qualification as well as a water confidence course. This year, the most failed event was the night land navigation course. The high failure rate can be attributed to the lack of chemical lights. In earlier years, these "chemlights" were placed directly on the points which allowed cadets to spot them more easily in the dark.

Many cadets at Warrior Forge enjoy the chance to interact with a diverse group of young men and women when they are assigned to their platoons. In all cases, cadets must work together and deal with personalities and characters they have not encountered before. "To take people with different leadership styles, from all over the country and have them work together; it can be a challenge," Cadet Danielle Williams (Harvard '08) said. Despite the inevitable difficulties, she enjoyed being able to work together with other cadets and accomplish tasks.

After enduring 10K ruck marches, rappelling down 37-foot towers, shooting anti-tank weapons, throwing live hand grenades, going through a gas chamber and spending 10 consecutive days out in the field with no showers and little sleep, each cadet's performance at Warrior Forge is reviewed, evaluated and then compared against their peers. The evaluation is combined with an evaluation from the cadets' ROTC battalions. Their academic GPA is also configured into the equation, creating a kind of "score" per cadet. From there they receive a national ranking which is used to determine what Army branch the cadet will serve in for the next four years. For this reason, Warrior Forge is considered by both cadre and cadets to be one of the most important events in one's ROTC career.

Despite the stress and strenuous challenges of Warrior Forge, 4879 cadets met all the Warrior Forge standards this year and graduated from the course. While some were end-of-camp "commissionees" and thus began their tenure as a Second Lieutenant immediately upon completion of Warrior Forge, the majority of cadets headed back to their campus for their senior year. They will then be given the task to prepare the younger cadets for their Warrior Forge experience the upcoming summer.

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A Nurse's Perspective

Cadet Amanda Bisacre, Endicott `09

Joining Army ROTC in the second semester of my freshman year was a major decision in my life, as it is for every cadet. As a nurse, I was required to attend LDAC after my sophomore year--a full academic year earlier than most other cadets. I trained as often as I could and put forth my best efforts, but I was always told "you did good...for a nurse." No one had meant this offensively, but it was true. A rigorous nursing schedule kept me constantly busy, and unfortunately took time away from preparation for LDAC. The following summer approached fast and my report date came even faster. Before I knew it, I was on a flight to Ft. Lewis, WA. Very nervous and feeling completely out of place, I hopped off the bus to begin the first day of in-processing.

My first challenge was to pass the APFT. It was a big concern to me, but fortunately, I did well and it proved to be a big boost of confidence. By the fifth day-- when were brought out to the land navigation course--I had already felt close to my platoon and even closer to my squad. We were beginning to work well together and I made friendships that I still have today.

The only "horror story" I have from LDAC occurred during the fifth day. An hour into the five hour long land navigation course, I found myself with no points obtained. With no remaining hope, I realized and essential tool of mine was not working correctly. Yes, my compass. I quickly ran to the nearest checkpoint and received a new compass. I ran from one waypoint to the next, passing the course just in time. The night course was far more difficult, especially since 2007 was the first year that they eliminated chemlight illumination from the points. With no source of light available at waypoints, many people had a "no-go" and had to redo the night course. Fortunately, I passed the first time around.

"You kicked butt, biz... and not

just for a nurse."

Garrison life continued, learning new things and trying to stay out of trouble. Passing events like the Combat Water Survival Test (CWST), the confidence course, the Leaders Reaction Course (LRC), Individual Tactical Techniques (ITT) training, first aid training, and the gas chamber was exhilarating. I built my confidence with each day by doing things that I never would have imagined myself doing. I suddenly realized I was becoming a recognized leader in my platoon. This came as a bit of a surprise to me. When I entered LDAC, I was simply hoping not to make a fool of myself. I learned that to earn respect, all you have to do is help others where you can, DO NOT complain, and find some way to stand out from your peers.

To stand out, I used my abilities as a nursing student in the two days of first aid training. By the end of the second day everyone was turning to me with questions. Embrace what you know or do well, and use it to your advantage. Everyone was ready to get out to the field after the sixteen long days of garrison. The first five days of STX lanes were repetitive, but whether or not it was my time to shine I had to be on my toes and always put forth my best effort. I respected everyone in my squad and knew they would do the same for me. By the end of field training we were all tired, cranky, and dirty but we still stuck together.

The greatest moment of my training at LDAC came on the victory march back to the barracks. A cadet (who would later be named number one in our platoon) turned and said to me, "you kicked butt, biz...and not just for a nurse". This quote won't go down in history, but it will forever stay with me. At that moment I finally felt as though I had a place in the United States Army.

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Summer Experiences Abroad

By Cadets Delbert Joo, Clark Burns, and Roxanne Bras

SOUTH KOREA (Cadet Delbert Joo, MIT '08)

Upon arriving at Korea for Cadet Troop Leadership Training (CTLT) with about 30 other cadets from my LDAC regiment, we spent the first few days at Yongsan Army Garrison in the heart of Seoul. Here we were given briefings and classes to introduce us to Korean culture and our expected roles as acting Second Lieutenants. We were also taken on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone and the Joint Security Area that is located on the Korean border. The JSA is the only point on the Korean border where North and South Korean troops stand literally face-to-face. The cease-fire armistice signed in 1953 technically leaves both nations still at war.

After our time in Yongsan, all the cadets split up and were taken to various camps throughout the Korean peninsula to begin our training. I was taken to Camp Casey and assigned to 1st Battalion, 72nd Armor Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division, known as "First Tank". Camp Casey is located north of Seoul, only about 20 km south of the DMZ, making it the home of the most forward deployed heavy combat units on the entire peninsula. Within 1/72 Armor, I was assigned to a platoon in a mechanized infantry company.

As soon as I arrived, I literally hit the ground running as my platoon was in the middle of a week-long training exercise. My platoon was assigned to forward operating base security and tasked to establish an entry/exit point. The opposing forces probed our perimeter periodically and finally mounted a large attack on the final day of the exercise. They struck simultaneously at several positions and attacked us with simulated chemical weapons. I had to quickly don my protective mask and check on our positions with the platoon leader.

For the next few weeks, I learned a great deal about the day-to-day responsibilities of a platoon leader. I was introduced and familiarized with the M2A1 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, an armored vehicle used to transport infantry and provide fire support. I took advantage of my unique position as a cadet to interact with other officers and the lower enlisted alike, learning a lot about the soldiers I will work with shortly.

In addition to the training I received during the week, I took advantage of my time in Korea by traveling south on the weekends and experiencing the great city of Seoul. We visited ancient palaces, historical sights, and museums throughout the city. One particularly memorable and impressive museum was the Korea War Memorial and Museum. We only had a few hours to spend there but we could have easily spent a whole day at this elaborate museum.

All in all, my CTLT experience was very fulfilling and enjoyable. The program allows cadets a very unique perspective of the Army and I'd recommend it to all juniors as they look at training opportunities following LDAC.

EASTERN EUROPE (Cadet Clark Burns, Tufts '09)

During May/June, several other ROTC cadets from around the nation and I were lucky enough to join a West Point trip to Eastern Europe--Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. It was a rare chance to explore a part of the world that does not often see Americans, much less those in uniform. We visited each nation's military academy by day and hung out with our foreign counterparts by night. Given that none of us spoke these languages, we were relieved to find that English is a prerequisite for these cadets.

Our trip to the US Ambassador's house in Poland was a night not to be forgotten. At a ceremony commemorating US-Polish military cooperation, we met veterans of the Polish resistance and ghetto uprising. These old men and women were thrilled to meet Americans and told us their stories. One man, proudly wearing his old dress uniform, told of his war stories from when he was only 14 years old. Others told of crawling through the sewers of Warsaw to battle on against impossible odds. Additionally, we met an Iraqi general, a Chinese officer, and a Russian colonel. All in all, the trip was a two and a half week adventure in a part of the world many Americans do not think about, much less visit.

PANAMA CITY (Cadet Roxanne Bras, Harvard '09)

This summer, I was fortunate enough to travel to Panama through a joint program with West Point and ROTC known as Academic Individual Advanced Development, or AIAD. Six other students and I were selected, and we met at West Point to begin our adventure. After a day of briefings, we traveled to Panama City to meet our host families. While at Panama, we attended Spanish classes, which were the most academically enriching part of the program. For four hours each day, I received Spanish lessons with only one other student. This incredibly small ratio made it possible to conduct class outside of the traditional class room. We visited local businesses and museums, which made the time fly by.

After classes, we experienced a variety of cultural tours and site seeing. We traveled to historic areas of Panama with a guided tour. We were able to experience some of the amazing natural sites Panama has to offer. There were boat rides down the Panama Canal, a tour of Panama Vieja (the first Spanish settlement on the Pacific), an hour journey by dugout canoe to visit an Indian village, white water tubing down the side of a mountain, snorkeling along a beautiful coral reef, and other amazing cultural experiences. But the best part of this adventure was the camaraderie I developed with the other students. Being able to experience a new country with other cadets made the journey all the more enriching, as we were able to share and compare our lives with ROTC and West Point while simultaneously learning about a new culture.

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Letter from an Alumnus

Edward Kiess, MIT `55

I am responding to your invitation for alumni, in this case an older ROTC graduate, to share his experiences. My message to the cadets and recently commissioned officers is that military experience is of great value in whatever profession you pursue.

I graduated from MIT in 1955 with a degree in course VIII, physics, and was commissioned in the Signal Corps. My active duty was from 1956 through 1959; I graduated from Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker and I flew the L-19 and L-20. After discharge from the Army I went to graduate school, received my PhD and taught physics at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, and also at Longwood College. I am now Professor Emeritus.

A few years ago, quite by accident, I found out the address of my former commanding officer. I wrote him a letter in which I told him of my life after the Army, and of some experiences while in his Aviation unit. One such

Thank you for your continued support, contributions, and donations! For information, contact:

Advocates for MIT Army ROTC Fund (#3829700)

or

MIT Alumni Fund Attn: Alumni Records 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building W92-280 Cambridge, MA 02139

experience was a question by another junior officer to a respected senior officer about what he thought of our commanding officer. His reply: "The Major is an outstanding officer. I hope to serve with him again some day." That answer taught us a lot about loyalty, mission, authority, respect. I concluded my letter: "I learned a lot in the Army. You were part of that great experience. Thank you." I received an e-mail from his daughter informing me that he had received my letter in August and died in September.

To all the ROTC cadets and officers, I would say that the military is a great experience; you will learn a lot that will be valuable in any career you pursue. And thank you for your service to our country.

Sincerely, Edward Kiess MIT, Class of 1955

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Thank you!

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No Fear, Paul Revere!

From the Past...

MIT Army Commissioning Ceremony at the Kresge Oval in May 1983

MIT Army ROTC 201 Vassar Street, W59-192 Cambridge, MA 02139

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