On November 14th, 2019 the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” battalion conducted the Combat Water Survival Test (CWST). The CWST is an event that every Cadet must pass in order for them to commission as officers. The test was held in the Aquatics Center on the EWU campus.
Cadets came in their assigned uniforms excited because of the fact that CWST is the only swimming event scheduled in the regular academic week. Even though the CWST is serious and is necessary for all Cadets, many Cadets also see it as the highlight of the academic quarter.
The first events are a 10-minute swim that requires all Cadets to not touch: the walls of the pool, the floor of the pool, or any other Cadets. After a short rest, Cadets then enter the pool again to tread water for 5-minutes. The other events include a step off the high dive board with a rubber M16, a gear ditch, and a 15-meter swim with a rubber M16 in hand and a fighting load carrier on the body. All of these events (besides the 10-minute swim and 5-minute tread) but be completed in a uniform that includes physical training shorts, tan tee, and ACU top and bottoms.
Due to all the Cadets finishing the CWST early, this allowed Cadets to have some free time. The Cadets used this free time to go over various water survival skills (like inflating a pair of pants for a flotation device) and also do some water-resistant exercises. Not only did over 90% of the Cadets pass the CWST, but they had a great time doing so as well.
Go Fighting Eags!
Note:You can view more pictures from the CWST below:
The Eastern Rifle team, under the direction of Sgt Kyle Payne, captured the conference title with a clean sweep. The undefeated marksmen were victorious in all six of their conference matches and scored their second flawles.s season in three years. The men fired .22 calibers that were specially designed for the range. They are 15 lbs. and ten pounds heavier than regular .22 rifles. The model 52C weapons are precision-made for accuracy and have several added range features. The cost is approximately $400 per weapon. Jim Zimmerman, who placed eleventh in the Big Sky conference at the invitational match, led the team and the league with a 287.8 average for the year. A perfect score is 300. Pat Aegerter finished the season with a 285.5 average, good for second in the league.
In target competition, each man is required to make ten shots in each of three positions; prone, standing and kneeling. Time is a prime factor in the contest as each man has 36 minutes to complete his rounds. Points are accumulated according to the distance from the center of the target. A man receives ten points when he completely shoots out the “Bull’s Eye”. Eastern placed five marksmen in the top ten positions in the conference at the end of the season. On the squad are Zimmerman, Aegerter, Rich Hamrich, Ray Grimes and Cal Kam. Pat Culllgan, who failed to accumulate enough points for conference standings, won third in the Big Sky Invitational for the prone position. [1968 Kinnikinik Yearbook]
Did you know that Eastern Washington University still has a rifle team today? If you are interested in competitive shooting and would like to be part of the rifle team you do not need to be part of Army ROTC program to do so. The rifle team is an elective college class open to everyone in the university to enroll into. Anyone with questions can contact our EWU Army ROTC office at Cadet Hall at 509-359-2386 with their questions.
On September 26, 2019 the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program contracted 9 Cadets into the U.S. Army. The Contracting Ceremony was held in front of the historic Showalter Hall on the EWU campus. Showalter Hall is the oldest building on EWU’s campus that was built back in 1915 when EWU was a teacher’s college. The Contracting Ceremony was attended by faculty, fellow Cadets, alumni, friends, and family.
Nine Contracting Cadets from the EWU Army ROTC program salute the flag during the playing of the National Anthem.
During the ceremony the 9 Cadets recited the Oath of Enlistment given to them by Captain (Promotable) Nicholas Carbaugh, the Assistant Professor of Military Science for the EWU Army ROTC program. The first Oath of Enlistment was developed during the Revolutionary War when the Continental Congress established different oaths for the enlisted men and officers of the Continental Army. The first Oath of Enlistment under the Constitution was approved by an Act of Congress on 29 September 1789. It applied to all commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted Soldiers in the United States military.
Emma LaTour, Liam Hewey, Kaylie Watters, Destin Garcia, JP Dutton, Everett Kuhnel, Jennafer Knight, Ethan Smart, Evan Lien take the Oath of Enlistment into the U.S. Army.
The oath would receive minor modifications during the 1800’s, but the current oath recited by the contracting Cadets has remained unchanged since 1959. Here is the current Oath of Enlistment:
“I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
Emma LaTour, Liam Hewey, Kaylie Watters, Destin Garcia, and JP Dutton contract into the U.S. Army.JP Dutton, Everett Kuhnel, Jennafer Knight, Ethan Smart, and Evan Lien contract into the U.S. Army.
Following the reciting of the Oath of Enlistment, the 9 Cadets were then given their right shoulder sleeve EWU ROTC patch. The patch was presented by Master Sergeant Michael Zehring who explained the importance of the right shoulder sleeve patch that recognizes combat service in the active U.S. Army. In the EWU ROTC program the right should sleeve patch recognizes these Cadets’ commitment to serve their country by contracting into the EWU Army ROTC program.
By contracting the Cadets can now activate scholarship benefits, receive a $420 a month monetary stipend, attend advanced training, internships, and other opportunities to help them towards their goal of becoming a U.S. Army officer after graduating from EWU. Congratulations to all nine of our newly contracted Cadets!
How to Contract into ROTC
When Cadets first enroll into an ROTC class, they have no military obligation. Taking an ROTC class is the one way to explore military service without having to contract into the military. For students who find that military service is something they want to pursue they can then contract into ROTC. Contracting requires the Cadet to meet specified academic, physical fitness, character, and medical requirements. The are various options to contract and a college student does not have to join ROTC as a first year student to explore military service. We have many transfer students, sophomores, and juniors enroll into ROTC to explore military service before making a decision to contract. Please read our Contracting page or reach EWU ROTC through our Contact page for more information on contracting options.
