Women in NAU’s AFROTC
April 4, 2007
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.—Her alarm clock goes off 5 a.m., waking her up. She sits up in bed and yawns. After five minutes of reminding herself of why she woke up, she gets out of bed to stretch on the floor. For breakfast, she makes herself a bowl of Special K cereal. She then brushes her teeth, gets dressed in work-out clothes, fills up her water bottle and walks to go meet the other Air Force ROTC cadets for physical training (PT).
Once she arrives, she and the other cadets start first by stretching for 10 minutes. Next, they move to some type of running activity for 40 minutes. For the final 10 minutes, the cadets do more stretching and finally cool down.
This has become her morning routine.
It has been a difficult adjustment for Brianna King, Northern Arizona University freshman, preparing to join the NAU’s Air Force ROTC.
“Air Force ROTC stands for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps,” states the official Air Force ROTC website. “It’s a college program offered at over 1,000 colleges and universities across the U.S. that prepares young Americans to become officers in the United States Air Force.”
The Air Force ROTC is difficult to get accepted in to. Not only are there general requirements, there are also physical, fitness, medical and academic requirements.
“I plan on joining [the Air Force ROTC] in fall of 2007. But before I join, I need to lose nine pounds to meet the weight requirement,” King admits.
To lose the weight King has put herself on a strict diet and exercise routine.
This future Air Force ROTC cadet has already infiltrated herself into the ROTC family by participating in the Monday, Wednesday and Friday PT sessions.
“I attend PT three days a week, each starting at 6:30 a.m.,” King explains. “On Monday nights I attend a Turbo kickboxing class. And every night of the week I do a cardio workout by myself on my exercise ball for half an hour.”
Joining the Air Force ROTC has been a passion she has dreamt of since her junior year of high school.
“When I told my friends and family they were very surprised, but supportive as well,” King says. “My dad is probably the most supportive of all.”
King’s father served for three years as a staff sergeant in the Air Force. “My dad talks to me and tells me what to expect,” King says.
Joining the Air Force ROTC will provide King with a lifelong career.
“Air Force ROTC prepares you to become an Air Force officer,” the official Air Force ROTC site explains. “And being an officer in the Air Force carries a high level of responsibility, accountability and professionalism. If you can make it in Air Force ROTC and the Air Force, you can make it anywhere in life.”
Not all cadets have to stay in the Air Force after completion of the ROTC program.
“Cadets in the Professional Officer Course and scholarship cadets are called contract cadets,” the Air Force ROTC site explains. “There is no service commitment until you are on contract. After completing all Air Force ROTC and academic degree requirements, contracted cadets accept a commission appointed by the President of the United States as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. After your initial obligation whether you remain in the Air Force or pursue a civilian career is up to each cadet. Either way, Air Force ROTC is a great way to get an education and learn the skills that you need to succeed in life.”
Another Air Force ROTC cadet, Thomas James, is an advocate for women who want to join the program.
“More power to them,” he adds enthusiastically. “If they want to join, go for it. They have no sexual preference for people in the military.”
James is a sophomore attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has been in the Air Force ROTC for two years now.
At James’s school there are approximately two dozen female cadets out of 250 students.
“The women are treated just like the men,” James says. “The only differences are in the physical requirements. They don’t have to run as fast or do as many push-ups or sit-ups as the men.”
James cannot recall a single incident in which male cadets and female cadets have not gotten along. He said the only reason for one not liking the other would be because of personality differences, not sexual biases.
King would have to agree with James.
“I have gained a second family by joining the Air Force ROTC,” she explains. Even though she has just begun the training and is not an official Air Force ROTC cadet, the “cadre has accepted me as if I am one of them.”
“I am an equal and the men treat me as an equal,” she says. “Getting along with the guys is not a problem for me.”
As for her toughest obstacle so far?
“Getting into shape at PT,” she admits. “Oh, and not eating my favorite food—hot wings!”