They join with different majors, have different career goals and come from different military branches. But UW-Madison's Reserve Officer Training Corps students have one aspect in common—passion.
It is that passion and dedication that helps these students wake up at 5:30 a.m. while most other college kids are soundly sleeping. Early morning physical training is one aspect of ROTC, but these students gain more than just a great workout.
""It definitely teaches you to manage your time because you have to learn how to balance all of this and your classes,"" said senior Dave Kohlhepp, a cadet in the Air Force ROTC.
Each semester students take one to three credits of military science courses in addition to required classes for their majors. Non-academic requirements include physical training three times a week and two field-training exercises at Fort McCoy over a three-day weekend, according to Lieutenant Colonel John Bechtol, a UW-Madison professor of military science.
Sophomore Jeffery Batterman, a cadet in the AFROTC, estimates he spends an average of 10 hours a week doing ROTC-related activities, including classes and training.
Bechtol reminds students that their education takes precedence.
""First and foremost we tell students they're here to get a degree,"" he said.
Sophomore James Kevern, a midshipman in the Navy ROTC, keeps in mind that ROTC is not a major, but more like an extracurricular activity.
""You're here to go to school, and on the side you're training to get a commission in the Navy or Marine Corps,"" he said.
Joining ROTC is not the same as enlisting in the army. An ROTC student takes college courses in leadership and learns the basic military skills, and there is no obligation to serve, although all programs have a few years of active duty requirement.
The knowledge they acquire is not just useful in the military, according to Kohlhepp. The military science classes that training corps students take help them communicate, problem solve and deal with stressful situations.
""I've gained a lot of confidence just in general in my life,"" he said. ""When I came in I didn't really feel very comfortable with being a leader...and being confident in my abilities. What I've learned now in ROTC has totally turned that around.""
Classes taken as an ROTC student can benefit other academic concentrations, as well.
""ROTC is training military officers, which an officer is a manager, is a leader,"" said Kevern, a finance major. ""So it's a professional leadership program, which corresponds really nicely to the business world. It makes you focus more on scheduling your time.""
An initial concern for military training students is figuring out how to balance their time, which their first leadership laboratories address.
""It teaches you to sort of multitask, plan, and organize, which are all necessary aspects of being a leader,"" Kevern said.
ROTC department leaders are flexible and understanding when it comes to midterm season, Bechtol noted. If a student has multiple exams on one day and was up late studying, officers try to accommodate. But he emphasized the high level of expectation that comes with being a ROTC student.
""A lot of folks will graduate from UW-Madison with a degree,"" he said. ""We expect more from ROTC students. We expect them to be able to do an addition to everything else.""
UW-Madison currently has over 200 student members enrolled in the navy, air force and army ROTC.
An alternative to reserve officer training is to go to a military academy. But ROTC was the preferred option for many students who wished to maintain a ""normal"" college life.
When considering his choices, Kevern said he began filling out paperwork for the Air Force Academy when it dawned on him that it was a huge time commitment that would leave him with little time for himself. Kohlhepp had a similar experience.
""I was thinking about the Air Force academy but I kind of wanted a more normal college life,"" he said.
An added bonus of being in ROTC is the camaraderie.
""It's incredibly powerful. Everyone goes through the same stress. And you see these same people year after year, so you build this incredible relationship with them,"" Kevern said.
With UW-Madison's notoriety as a liberal campus, Kevern was apprehensive about the response he would receive by joining the military. But he and many other ROTC students said it has not been a problem.
""I remember just waiting for the bus and people would come up and say thank you, or shake your hand or comment on the uniform. The reception has been good,"" Kevern said.
He added that while people assume cadets support all U.S. policies because they wear a government-sponsored uniform, it is not always the case. In fact, sophomore JJ Clements, a cadet in the Army, believes it is possible to be pro-troops and anti-war at the same time.
""There are actually some cadets in the program who...openly feel that Iraq wasn't a good choice. But they support our country in whatever we're doing,"" he said.
And even if he did face opposition, it would not change his mind about his decision to be in Army ROTC.
""It's something I feel really passionate about, so not a lot can really sway me from that,"" Clements said.
Bechtol acknowledged that while there are some on campus who are not supportive of the military, the general response has been positive.
""Reactions from students ranges from neutral, to interested, to supportive, whether or not they're in ROTC,"" he said.
Post-college opportunities for ROTC grads are innumerable, since cadets and midshipmen apply for the commission of which branch they want to enter into. Kevern sees himself in a surface warfare officer commission.
As for his future, Clements said he is open to any possibility.
""I'm more just concerned about being in the army and serving my country,"" he said.
