Air Force ROTC aces over the competition

January 29, 2009

What do a fraternity president, a varsity pole vaulter, and a Black Student Union president all have in common? They are all proud cadets with the University of Florida’s Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), recently named one of the best in the United States.

“In a school of 50,000, we’re just a small group, but we have a strong presence on this campus,” said Maj. James Bodnar, an assistant professor of aerospace studies for the Air Force ROTC. “Right now, we have the best, most-motivated cadets we’ve ever had.”

And that motivation has certainly paid off. With just 100 cadets, the UF detachment was named number one in 2007, competing with the 52 medium-sized detachments in the nation. The evaluations take place every three years, and only 5 percent of detachments ever receive this distinction.

UF’s Detachment 150 received outstanding ratings in training, recruiting, personnel acrtions and education. A rating of excellent was given for financial management and unit support.

“One of the reasons we won the award is because the quality of the students at the University of Florida,” Bodnar said. ““Our cadets tend to do better academically. They’re more mature, more accountable for their actions, and more enthusiastic about learning.”

Lori Bowen is a prime example of the type of student who has helped UF’s Air Force ROTC become so successful. The 21-year-old exercise physiology junior joined the program as a way to gain leadership experience and help pay her way through medical school. Her father was a military lawyer for 20 years, so she knew the military had a lot to offer college students like her.

“I’m a regular student athlete,” said Bowen, who is on the varsity track team. “This is the perfect way of entering into the military. The few things that you have to live by are things that you should be living by anyway. It just teaches you to be a better person.”

Bowen was attracted to the opportunity to gain real life experience in the military, but at the same time serving her country. Travel is an added perk for her, too. She plans to attend medical school and work as an Air Force physician on base.

“Anything a regular city needs, an Air Force base needs,” she explained. “In the civilian world, there is a glass ceiling. But, rank doesn’t have gender. It’s based on your abilities and what you want to do.”

Adam Hausman, a fourth-year engineering aerospace engineering studentstudent, is another example of the range of career opportunities that joining the Air Force ROTC offers.can create. He came in to Gainesville wanting to be a pilot, but was soon swayed by other attractive choicesaerospace engineering. He also liked the idea that joining the ROTC wouldn’t dominate his time as a busy college student.

“A lot of people think it’s everyday, but it’s not,” he said, adding that his Air Force commitment includes about one day a week of service. “Every other day you are a normal student.”

Hausman said that many jobs that students may not think of as part of the Air Force are now available, including working with satellites, space shuttle launches, and global positioning systems (GPS). The Air Force will continue to pay for his education at the University of Florida until he graduates next year.

“Graduation is just a means to commissioning,” he said. “This is just the beginning for us.”