Air Force ROTC

By Maj. Adam Cade '09

Exceeding expectations, Air Force ROTC Detachment 875’s dynamic spring semester included training, leadership development, and exciting base visits, which honed cadets’ expeditionary skills, strengthened their leadership abilities, and provided first-hand exposure to Air Force operations. 

Kicking off the semester, Chief Master Sgt. Carlos Damian, the 37th Training Wing's most senior enlisted member, and Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Hernandez visited Upper Quad and shared best practices for training and insight on the enlisted pipeline, advice for new lieutenants, and how to interact with the enlisted force to achieve mission success. The detachment also hosted basic military training instructors for virtual question and answer sessions.  

Cadets visited Moody Air Force Base and received mission briefings on the HH-60 Pave Hawk, HC-130 Combat King, and A-10 Thunderbolt II. They enjoyed incentive flights and hands-on time in both the HH-60 and A-10 aircraft and simulators, as well as an officer panel, squadron tours, heritage room experiences, and night vision goggle demonstrations.  

Next, the annual Air Force training exercise at Radford Army Ammunition Plant focused on developing expeditionary and leadership skills. Training included group leadership problems, which placed cadets in realistic scenarios in a high-stress environment to develop their ability to lead in operational settings and solidify understanding of the new combat Air Force deployable combat wing concept. 

Field training selection, a pivotal milestone in AFROTC, remains a semester highlight. Forty-five cadets earned primary allocations, and 12 made the alternate list. The detachment celebrated with a mass contracting ceremony in front of Lane Hall, recognizing this milestone achievement and the hard work and dedication of the entire team. 

We attended a large-scale field training preparation day at Virginia Military Institute, interacting with 324 cadets from nine detachments. Our cadets engaged in joint training exercises, which fostered camaraderie and cooperation among multiple universities. 

Furthermore, 60 cadets were introduced to basic marksmanship skills at the detachment’s first range day, which provided critical firearm familiarization and prepared them for field training and beyond. 

Thirty-four cadets traveled to Joint Base Andrews and engaged in a mentorship session with Maj. Gen. DeVoe, commander of the Air Force District of Washington and the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing. They toured the aerospace physiology facility, observed an F-16 static display, and heard from an OSI special agent. Cadets gained invaluable knowledge about various careers, which will help them rank their job preferences before Air Force specialty code selection takes place. 

Continuing the theme of operational exposure, 30 cadets visited Joint Base Langley-Eustis. They received an intelligence briefing, observed a security forces demonstration of military working dogs and weapons, and toured the maintenance jet engine hush house, an enclosed, noise-suppressed facility. These cadets visited the civil engineering and communication squadrons and toured an explosive ordnance disposal flight (where two cadets donned bomb suits), before the visit concluded with F-22 and T-38 capabilities briefings. Overall, cadets gained a comprehensive look into various Air Force missions and specialties, deepening their understanding of operational readiness. 

On April 16, the cadet wing participated in the annual Matthew LaPorte memorial run. The solemn event included a reading of his award citation at his gravesite and honored his heroic sacrifice during the Virginia Tech shooting, serving as a reminder of the values and dedication expected of service members. 

Cadets capped off the semester with a combat dining-in, an Air Force tradition that fosters esprit de corps and reinforces military customs. Our eventful and productive spring semester included base visits, field training exercises, and traditional ceremonies, from which cadets gained invaluable experience that will serve them well. Detachment 875 continues to exemplify excellence, living up to its "Best Alive" motto as it prepares the next generation of Air Force and Space Force leaders!