Cadre Messages – Page 14

EWU ROTC Battalion Sponsors German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge Testing

11/13/2018 by jstafford3

The Eastern 24/7 website just ran a great article about the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) testing going on this weekend, 17-18 November 2018 at Eastern Washington University:

Cadet Sam Coutts briefs Cadets before conducting swim test training at the EWU Pool.

On the weekend of Nov. 17-18, service members from locations across the Pacific Northwest will be competing at Eastern Washington University for an award deemed highly sought-after by the United States military.

The German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge is a decoration that can be awarded to soldiers of all ranks, provided they pass a series of rigorous tests meant to challenge physical endurance and military training. [Eastern 24/7]

You can read the whole article at the link, but hosting the GAFPB testing at EWU is very rare opportunity for Cadets and servicemembers alike to be awarded a foreign military badge that they will be authorized to wear on their uniforms. It is expected that 160+, Cadets, active duty personnel, National Guard, and Reservists will participate in the test. For those that past each event, based on their score, they will be awarded a Gold, Silver, or Bronze badge from the German Army Sergeant Major the EWU ROTC battalion is flying out to evaluate the event.

For those interested in watching the event and cheering on the competitors the schedule is below. All the swim events will be in the EWU pool and the athletic events will be in the field house. Strip maps will be available for anyone that wants to drive out to where the pistol qualification is happening. The testing will be going on all day on Saturday. The footmarch on Sunday will be on a course that goes around the university campus. This a great opportunity to cheer on the competitors that morning. It is going to be a great event that I hope friends, family, and alumni of the EWU ROTC Fighting Eagle Battalion take time to come and visit.

2018 EWU ROTC GAFPB Testing Schedule

17NOV

0700: Welcome Brief and chalk breakdown
0730-1700: Swim Test, Basic Fitness Test, and pistol qualification

18NOV

0800: Footmarch Brief
0830-1100: Footmarch
1200: Awards Ceremony
1300: Catered Meal

First Snow of the School Year Falls Over Cadet Hall at Eastern Washington University

11/10/2018 by jstafford3

Here is a picture of Cadet Hall blanketed in the first snowfall this academic school year:

The Easterner Features Article About EWU ROTC Blood Drive Partnership

11/03/2018 by jstafford3

One of our Eastern Washington University (EWU) ROTC Cadre members, Captain Nicholas Carbaugh recently had an article published in the Easterner about the on campus Blood Drive our unit recently assisted with sponsoring:

The cadets pictured are 13 of the 17 cadets that donated blood during the blood drive. Top left to right: Ian House, Jazmin Castrejon, Megan Anderson, Crystal Cruz, Emma Latour, Melinda Leen, Austin Pfennig. Bottom left to right: Ethan Smart, Devante Hall, Erling Anderson, Thomas Luce, Christopher Millward, James Tallakson

The EWU ROTC and Vitalant, formerly known as Inland Northwest Blood Center, partnered to host a blood drive on Oct. 18 on the EWU campus.

Vitalant brought two blood mobiles, each staffed with six personnel and capable of collecting blood donations from six donors at a time. The blood drive collected 97 red blood cell units and 1 plasma unit, surpassing our goal of 80 total units donated and making this the largest blood drive on campus since 2015.

The blood drive was truly a communal event, receiving donations from students, faculty and staff, ROTC Cadets and community residents.

“Every day we need about 200 donors to support our local community,” Brooke Lively, the Vitalant Event Coordinator said. “This event provides approximately 80 units of blood, out of the 200 we need every day to support our local hospitals. As we get into the holiday season when our donations drop off a bit, having an event like this where we can supply that huge donation makes it possible for us to be prepared for emergency situations. It also makes us able to still do regular procedures like chemotherapy and surgeries.”

EWU ROTC has been supporting an annual blood drive at the EWU campus since 1963. [The Easterner]

You can read the rest at the link, but as the article mentions, the EWU ROTC program has at least been sponsoring an on campus blood drive since 1963. The below image is from the 1963 Eastern Washington University yearbook that shows Cadets from 55 years ago participating in a blood drive:

Overall it was an awesome event that it was great see so many of our Cadets keeping alive a tradition began over 50 years ago by the EWU ROTC program.

Go Fighting Eagles!

EWU ROTC Cadets Volunteer to Support Harvest Fest 2018

11/01/2018 by jstafford3

Harvest Fest in an annual trick-or-treating event put on by Eastern Washington University’s Office of Community Engagement. The event was a chance for families to safely come together on campus and celebrate Halloween. For Harvest Fest this year 5x ROTC Cadets served as student volunteers to lead children on a trick-or treating tour around campus. The kids visited the JFK Library, Showalter, Sutton, Martin, Williamson, Tawanka and Hargreaves Halls to receive candy. Great job by Cadet volunteers and a happy Halloween to all the Cadets, Cadre, friends, and family of the EWU ROTC program.

Go Fighting Eagles!

From left to right: Cadets Liam Hewey, Chad Triplett, Ian House, Mindy Leen, and Megan Anderson.

Autumn Colors Around Eastern Washington University

10/27/2018 by jstafford3

The autumn colors will soon be coming to an end here at Eastern Washington University (EWU). If you haven’t already, hurry up to campus to see them before they are gone. Here are a few pictures of the autumn colors around Cadet Hall and our beautiful EWU campus. The first one is of Cadet Hall:

List of EWU Homecoming Activities Supported by the ROTC Program

10/25/2018 by jstafford3

The fall colors are in full bloom all around the Eastern Washington University (EWU) campus which means it is homecoming week:

The 2018 Homecoming & Parent and Family Weekend parade is 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26, in downtown Cheney. The EWU ROTC color guard and classic Jeep “Lil Eag’” with our historic towed packed howizter will lead the parade that starts the festivities of Eag-Nite (which also includes the bonfire-pep rally and street party).

Captain Nicholas Carbaugh pictured with our classic Jeep “Lil Eag'”.

The Color Guard and Lil Eag’ will stage at 4:30 p.m. in parking lot P-15 in front of Hargreaves Hall, next to the fence bordering the University President’s house. Anyone wanting to get pictures with our Jeep and cannon are encouraged to show up during this staging period for photos. We would love to see any alumni, friends, and family of the EWU ROTC program during this time. The Color Guard with Lil Eag’ will lead the parade from P-15, followed by President Cullinan and her husband, EWU Alumni Association Board members, and our 50-year reunion guests, down C Street. The remaining parade entrants will follow from their staging point in P-17. The parade will then turn right onto 1^st Street. The parade ends at the Surplus parking lot (H Street), where the bonfire-pep rally will be held.

Our historic World War II era pack howitzer fires after a touchdown during an EWU home football game earlier this year.

On Saturday, homecoming activities continue with the EWU football team playing the University of Idaho. Prior to the 12:05 PM kickoff our EWU ROTC Color Guard will present our nation’s colors during the National Anthem. During the game our Cannon Crew team will hopefully have a busy day firing our historic pack howitzer after many EWU touchdowns.

We look forward to seeing everyone this weekend. Go Eags!