Air Force ROTC cadets complete drills on campus
Cadets come from a variety of majors, but half the current 140 cadets are from the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Graduates go on to serve in the Army and the Wyoming Army National Guard. In fact, the Cowboy Battalion provides the majority of Wyoming Army National Guard officers.
“One of the reasons that we’re one of the best programs in the nation is because we remain small by design to ensure we have a high cadre-to-student ratio,” Day says. “The reason we want our numbers lower is that our students get more leadership rotations than a larger program, so they get more feedback, more practice, and by the time they leave, they have more, if not twice as much, leadership experience as a larger program.”
Students receive classroom instruction, physical training, field trainings and leadership courses. They are also eligible for living stipends and scholarships.
With the ROTC, Schmitt already has traveled to Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Knox, Ky.; and Senegal, Africa; and she hopes to be stationed overseas during her career. But wherever the Army takes her, she will one day return to Wyoming: “Wyoming is my home. I bleed the Wyoming colors. Every time I have left for a month or more for training, I always remind myself how lucky I am to be raised in the state.”
After living in Washington, D.C., during his undergraduate and master’s program, Buckingham wanted to return to Wyoming for good. “Having the National Guard option was extremely appealing, because I want to have a private career while serving my country,” he says. “I’m doing an MBA in energy management, and in law school I’m focusing my classes on natural resource law. I definitely want to work in the energy sector.
“I enjoy the solitude, the nature and the small-town conviviality that Wyoming offers,” he says.
Day says this is typical of graduates: “The majority of folks that go on to do great things remember their roots. They come back, and they re-invest in the program and the state.”
Distinguished graduates include Pete Schoomaker, who served as the 35th chief of staff for the U.S. Army, and Les Brownlee, who served as undersecretary of the Army and acting secretary of the Army.
UW’s Air Force Detachment 940 prides itself on lower cadet-to-cadre ratios than larger programs. The program currently has 34 cadets.
“Here, you have a smaller ROTC family, which translates into a lot more interaction with staff,” says Capt. John McKee, UW Air Force ROTC recruiting flight commander.
“UW being the only four-year institution in the state is an excellent match for those interested in joining the Air Force and commissioning as an officer and getting their college degree at the same time,” he says.
Cadets are eligible for scholarships and also receive a stipend after contracting. In addition, cadets from both ROTC programs can receive credits from UW toward on-campus housing and food expenses.
As sophomores, Air Force cadets head to Montgomery, Ala., for a summer field training course.
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