Our patrol started out across the windswept field with a bleak sky above us and took to the road for the first mission. I was wearing a camouflage jacket so kindly lent to me on account of the frigid temperatures.

The cadets moved in a staggered formation with their weapons (containing blank ammunition) pointing outwards, heads always swiveling, always alert. Even though we were just 45 minutes away from campus, it felt like this was actually enemy territory in far off “Caquetia” (the name of the imaginary country where we were stationed).

Caquetia, a country full of dangerous terrorists, is different from past training grounds; Assistant Professor of Military Science, Major Travis Grigg, recalled his being shaped by the Cold War.

“It’s a different scenario now; we’re fighting a different enemy,” said Grigg.

Caquetia is also near a toxic waste site and on the grounds of an old World War II dynamite production facility.

“They say there is still some [dynamite] buried in the ground and they forgot where it was,” said Grigg. “It’s always a good feeling.”

The main aim of the training program is to give ROTC cadets experience in leadership positions in a combat simulated situation.

As a senior, Joel Groves of Wash. U. travels with the patrol to evaluate its decisions and actions.

“Everybody needs to take on the pressure of being in charge,” said Groves.

The training consists of three missions with different objectives and challenges (“variables”) thrown in to test on-the-spot decision making skills of leaders.

“It’s all a learning process,” said Professor of Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Wilson, “and that’s why we’re out here – to learn.”

The woods were silent except for the tread of our feet on the gravel and leaves, the occasional sound of gunshots in the distance or the drone of an airplane overhead. It was cold, with an occasional flurry of snow, but some cadets reported training in worse conditions, such as sleet and rain.

Every now and then, the squad would halt and take up positions along the roadside for surveillance. At one halt, hurried instructions were passed back, and it turned out that we had stumbled upon an improvised explosive device (IED). The cadets had set up a perimeter and messages were being sent to headquarters when a loud explosion ripped through the quiet winter air as the IED exploded unexpectedly.

Shouts filled the air, “Aid and litter! Aid and litter!” and first aid was immediately administered to the “casualties.” Casualties were denoted with a card detailing their injuries, and imaginary wounds were quickly bandaged. One of our casualties required a medical evacuation, and a van emerged from the woods to load the victim on a stretcher and take him away, though he returned to the group as a “replacement” down the road.

With one variable cleared, the decision was made to move out and complete the mission.

“For a leader, there is never a lull. You always have to be thinking about what could happen,” said Grigg, “and sometimes you have to take risks.”

We eventually came to a clearing, which Major Grigg informed me was considered a linear danger area, as our squad would be exposed. A whistle above us, indicating incoming artillery fire, suggested that we had overstayed our welcome, and the squad pulled back behind the wood line to stay concealed.

We continued to our ambush point denoted on the map. Lying belly down amidst the trees, we silently awaited our targets. Moments later, three black-clad, armed men ambled up the road. Shots punctuated the silence, smoke filled the air and, at the end of the skirmish, three “bodies” lay in the road. Each one was carefully searched for identification, weapons and intel such as maps or communiqu‚s.

“One thing to do to check if they are dead is kick them in the groin,” said senior and evaluator Emily Nuse, “but we’re obviously not going to do that here.”

To confirm that a body has been thoroughly checked, the subject is placed on its back, legs crossed, and arms crossed over the chest. Usually boots are taken off and jackets unzipped.

“This is serious because in Iraq they booby trap bodies a lot,” said Nuse.

Upon clearing the roads, an After Action Review concluded the mission. The mission was briefly evaluated, and the tactics, decisions and variables were discussed as a group.

On our way back into the trees, we came across one of our men tied to a tree and blindfolded; it was Cadet Pillarick, who had been stationed alone as security, in violation of the buddy system, and been taken by the enemy.

“We left one man behind,” said Pillarick. “It’s a hard lesson, but you always have to have a buddy.”

“When you come and see a guy tied to a tree, you learn your lesson,” added Grigg. “This is the time to make mistakes and learn from them.”

After moving further into the woods, we stopped to organize the next mission. Here, I was able to enjoy a Meal Ready to Eat (MRE). There is definitely an attempt to provide diversity, and I had my pick of meals ranging from spaghetti to chicken fajitas to veggie burgers.

Each MRE comes with a cooking bag. Just insert the main course bag into the heating bag, add water and let the chemical reaction prepare a warm dinner. Along with the main course, the MRE is complete with snacks such as raisins, bread, peanut butter and even a cinnamon scone for dessert, as well as matches and rolling paper for cigarettes.

During the break, I had the chance to talk to some of the cadets about their reasons for being in ROTC and their plans for the future.

Nuse is planning on going to medical school after graduation and serving as a doctor in the Army after residency.

“People assume that if you are in the military you are conservative,” said Nuse, “but people at Wash. U. are doing it for so many different reasons. ROTC is a good deal and I don’t think a lot of students know about it. Wash. U. offers great scholarships.”

Senior Ben Tramposh (editor of the Washington University Political Review) plans on taking a similar “education delay” to attend law school and then serve on the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG).

“It’s easy to complain, and it’s a big balancing of time commitments,” he said, “but overall it’s well worth it. I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to Wash. U. if not for the scholarships.”

Being involved in Wash. U. ROTC also allows for a blend of college and Army life.

“At a military school like West Point you live the Army lifestyle,” said Tramposh. “But here we live the college life with the Army on the side.”

After packing the MRE leftovers into our rucks, we set out under the guidance of our newly assigned squad leaders to complete our next mission – a raid on a sheik camp.

All was relatively quiet until we noticed a plume of smoke in the distance and arrived at the scene to find a downed helicopter pilot, appropriately fitted with fake wounds and a singed plastic hand.

One of our leaders was killed by the unexpected firing of a nearby sniper while trying to administer first aid. Another important lesson learned – clear the area before providing aid. After removing the sniper threat and witnessing an Oscar-worthy performance by injured pilot Kevin Blanchard, we cleared out and continued our mission.

Great emphasis is put on decision making and leadership skills and this exercise was more about leadership building than basic military training. In the heat of a combat situation, decisions have to made and acted upon – and quickly.

“It’s better to make a wrong decision that is acted upon than no decision,” said Grigg.

After some confusion about our location, we breached a nearby hill to find a camp of sheiks, decked out in robes and headdresses, in the clearing. It was surreal to see this convention of apparent foreigners in the middle of Missouri, but we were stationed in Caquetia, after all.

Teams were pulled back to set up our objective rally point and to plan the raid from within the concealment of the woods. Orders were distributed and teams set up a perimeter around the enemy.

Shots were fired and returned, but the enemy was soon overtaken, searched and taken as prisoners. Excitement, shouts and smoke filled the air, and the mission was followed by another After Action Review.

For the last mission, we were removed from our embedded position within the squad to become the next variable. As the token journalists, photographer David Brody and I were instructed to turn on our media charm and to try and pry information from the squad. This would provide cadets with necessary practice in dealing with the media.

We were driven down the gravel road and dropped off, to await the arrival of the squad we had just left. After the squad “stumbled” upon us, we approached the unit, asking questions and taking pictures, despite orders to remain still. Our questions were met either with silence from the cadets or comments about orders not to reveal information from the squad leaders.

Here our stint as embedded reporters ended, and we left the Battalion to finish out their exercise with reviews and weapon cleaning. The day was an eventful and informative one, infused with enthusiasm from the cadets for the day’s training and their involvement in ROTC as a whole.

Many of the cadets expressed concerns about the Wash. U. student body’s general lack of awareness concerning ROTC and what they do, and they encourage students to learn more and become better acquainted with the program and the students.

These fine men and women, involved in their studies, extracurriculars and social lives, still make the time to commit to their physical and classroom military training. After a day embedded with the ROTC in Caquetia, I gained a better understanding of what these students do and met so many amazing individuals, who put a face to the ROTC program.

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