Army ROTC cadets from UAH, Alabama A&M, UNA conduct field training on Redstone Arsenal

HUNTSVILLE – The grenades were fake when Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A&M University and the University of North Alabama put lessons into practice during field training exercises last weekend on Redstone Arsenal.

However, each plastic grenade was treated like the real thing by the 75 or so cadets and seven cadre officers who turned arsenal fields and wooded areas into hands-on classrooms.

“In the Army, accountability is everything,” said Cadet Heidi Kaeding. “Yes, even if we lose a $5 fake grenade. Everybody has to get in line, and we have to walk down and make sure we find it. That’s how we treat fake plastic grenades.

“We’re gonna treat actual humans a lot more seriously.”

Kaeding, a UAH business administration major, is a MS (military science) IV, the senior ROTC level. During the exercise, she and other MS IV cadets passed along their experience to the MS I, II and III cadets and practiced their own leadership and management skills. She’s in charge of social media for the ROTC unit and was assigned the S6 communications position for the exercise.

“For this specific field exercise,” she said, “beside each cadet, there’s a dummy rifle. We want them to treat it like it’s a real weapon because, when they go to camp, they’re going to be getting a real weapon, and you’re not going to be shoving the barrel into the dirt.

“You’re not going to be pointing it at someone. It’s good to set habits now, early.”

Those good habits will be especially important to the MS III cadets who are next in line for camp – cadet summer training. Completing the training is required to become an Army officer. Kaeding has already passed that test.

“We cover as much as we can here to help prepare cadets for CST,” she said.

The schedule of field activities – from day land navigation to attack, patrol, ambush and three different positions on the grenade course – was laid out on a large whiteboard inside the Tactical Operations Center tent. Sections of the board were also devoted to tracking equipment and personnel changes – who got sick, who left, who arrived – as well as weather developments.

Cadet Daniel Navarro, MS IV, monitored and updated information on the board. Other cadets in the TOC entered data in spreadsheets.

“It’s a multiple training operation on many levels,” said Navarro, a business major at UAH. “Even though we’re doing all the planning in here, the real show is happening out there. We’re making sure that the people out there know what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Those cadets included William Tarpley, an MS III who is also a pitcher for the Chargers baseball team. His busy schedule requires good planning to fulfill his responsibilities.

“It really just takes communicating with my coach and my cadre,” he said. “My coach is very gracious. Since I’m a spring sport athlete, he allows me in the fall to be more focused on the Army. In the spring, the Army and my cadre have been gracious enough to allow me to focus more on baseball.

“It’s truly a balance with classes and wake-up times. Every morning, it’s early.”

Tarpley, a history major, said he thinks his lifelong experience as part of a baseball team will benefit him in the military.

“It’s going to help, not only to think on my feet and stuff like that, but being more team oriented,” he said.

Cadet Michelle White, MS I, is also juggling ROTC with athletics – UAH soccer’s her sport – and she said her coach has been flexible.

“Since my soccer season has ended, I’m going to start going to more ROTC,” she said. “All my classes have worked out with ROTC, labs and stuff.”

White is majoring in nursing, a path inspired by one of her sisters who is disabled.

Cadet Joshua Bonson, an MS II, is a UAH history major. He said he’s always wanted to join the Army.

“The main reason I came to college was for ROTC,” he said. “My grandfather was in the Army, and I had a lot of respect for him. He inspired me to go through ROTC instead of just doing basic training. I’ve enjoyed it and made a lot of friends.”