ARMY ROTC:

BEHIND THE CAMO

FEATURE

By ROB GARNER

The Terrapin Times Staff Writer

               Cadets prepare for their two-mile run at Ludwig Field

           Uniformed students can be seen all over the

Maryland campus.

               The basketball team wears uniforms when 

it plays at the Comcast Center.  

The marching band wears uniforms when it performs

during halftime at Byrd Stadium.  The football team 

wore uniforms when it beat the Virginia Wahoos last

month.

               But these are not the only groups of students

that wear uniforms.  Maryland’s Army ROTC cadets

can sometimes be spotted on campus in their battle 

dress uniforms (camouflage) or formal uniforms.  

Camouflage is worn to ROTC classes and labs, while

the formal uniform is reserved for special occasions.

               The ROTC at the University of Maryland, 

known as the Terrapin Battalion, trains students to

be second lieutenants in the United States Army, 

Army Reserve, and Army National Guard. Cadets

work as a team, in which each individual has the

latitude, encouragement, and assistance to develop

their full leadership potential.

               The Terrapin Battalion develops cadet’s 

leadership skills by instilling in them the importance

of courage, candor, competence and commitment, by

following its motto, “Live free or die.”

               The ROTC allows an individual to join the 

Army as a 2nd lieutenant, the lowest commissioned 

officer rank, after graduation. If a person wishes to 

become an officer without participating in ROTC, he 

or she can either go to a military academy or enlist 

and eventually attend Officer Candidate School (OCS).

               One cadet said participation definitely gets you 

in shape.  Another cadet said before getting involved, 

he weighed over 200 pounds.  He now weighs about 160.

               There is only one disadvantage to the ROTC, 

according to cadets.  “Just the amount of sleep you can’t 

get,” said economics major David Sumutka, who in his 

third year with the Terrapin Battalion.

               However, Company Commander Christopher 

Wei says, “The benefits far outweigh the cost.”

               With recent events in Iraq and around the world,

 people may think its best to take out their frustrations 

with the military on cadets, not realizing that cadets are 

not policy-makers, Company Commander Christopher Wei 

says.

               “But most people walk by and thank [us] for 

providing [our] service” Mileva says.

               Holly Johnson, a criminology major and 

self-described military brat with a family history of military 

service, says, “You feel proud of what you are and what 

you’re doing.”

               The Terrapin Battalion is a fairly young and small 

ROTC group.  The ROTC is in its third year at Maryland, 

and it currently has 48 members.  In comparison, 

Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets is over 125 years old and 

has about 2,000 members.

               James Snoddy, the battalion commander of the 

Maryland ROTC believes that the Terrapin Battalion is 

more cohesive than larger groups across the country.  

Cadets agree their size allows them to be part of a 

closely-knit family with excellent camaraderie.

Cadets devote their mornings to physical training (PT).  On

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, PT runs from 6:30 a.m.

to 7:30 a.m., unless there is a physical fitness test as there

was Friday, Nov. 21.

               On that brisk morning at 5:50 a.m., cadets trickled

into Cole Field House long before the sun rose to test their

strength and endurance.

               At 0557, the cry to fall in was given.  “Why you 

walkin’?” some shouted as the last few cadets got in line.

               Cadets began the PT test by measuring their 

heights and weights to make sure they meet the Army’s 

requirements for body composition.  Rick Charette, one 

of the cadets, calls it the fat test.

Push-ups are next.  Cadets must do as many as 

they can within a two-minute time period.  Before 

taking the test, one cadet lists the rules about what 

push-up positions are valid for the test, what rest 

positions are allowed and what movements are 

not allowed.

               If they fail to follow these rules to the letter, 

they are terminated. The test is over for them.

               Ryan Conley managed 70 push-ups, one 

short of what the Army lists as a score of 100 for 

men in Conley’s age bracket.  “I sucked” he said. 

The minimum passing score for Conley is a 60, 

or 42 push-ups.

               Cadets then try to complete as many 

sit-ups as they can, following rules as stringent as 

those for push-ups.

               After this rigorous workout, the Terrapin 

Battalion marches over to Shipley Field for a two-mile

 run.  One cadet called the cold ideal weather for 

running.

               The cadets finished their run, in which, 

“13 minutes is a good time.” The sun had just started 

to show itself, and the frost blanketing the ground had 

just begun to melt.  The group of cadets dispersed 

with some rushing to get to their 8 a.m. classes on 

time.

               For all their work, which includes hours of 

classroom work as well, freshman and sophomore 

cadets get one credit hour per semester.  Juniors and 

seniors get three.

               Although students can receive scholarships 

and stipends for being in the ROTC, cadets in the 

Terrapin Battalion say they do not participate for these 

benefits alone.  Anelia Mileva, a sophomore hoping to 

graduate with a business degree, said, “I don’t feel 

like I need a benefit.  It’s something that I just really 

like to do.”

For more information on the Terrapin Battalion, send email 

to umcpgoldbar@hotmail.com or visit The Terrapin 

Battalion’s web site at www.armyrotc.umd.edu.