By Kaneesha Penny

For The Newberry Observer

These students are doing the Highlander Challenge, a physically challenging team course that requires teamwork and critical thinking skills. This is also done during the lab days on Thursdays at Presbyterian College.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_ROTC.jpgThese students are doing the Highlander Challenge, a physically challenging team course that requires teamwork and critical thinking skills. This is also done during the lab days on Thursdays at Presbyterian College. Kaneesha Penny | For The Newberry Observer

NEWBERRY — Newberry College has an ROTC program for students interested in serving our country in the Army.

In ROTC — which stands for Reserve Officer Training Course — students attend four years in the ROTC program with their major as military science.

The ROTC program is designed to educate, train, and commission college students to become Army officers. It instills the values of citizenship, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment in its students.

Captain Renee Cox, assistant professor of Military Science at Newberry College, said students are given several opportunities while enrolled in the program to better themselves.

“It also teaches leadership that can be used not just in the Army but in everyday life as well,” Cox said.

By teaching students the fundamentals of basic leadership, no matter what their profession is, they can effectively lead others who are under their command.

“Along with leadership, it also teaches students how to follow, which is equally important in learning to lead and in everyday life,” Cox said. “The skills learned while in the program and during your service can be used for the rest of your life.”

Students are given ranks based on their class rank. For example, freshmen are call MS1, sophomores are called MS2, juniors are MS3 and seniors are MS4. MS stands for military science.

MS4 Cadet Mersadees Alexander has been in the Newberry College ROTC program all four years of attending the college. She also took ROTC for four years while in high school.

“What inspired me to want to do the Army was how much I loved the discipline and structure. What I mean by discipline is the sense of discipline within yourself,” Alexander said, who is in charge of the supplies provided for PT, also known as physical training.

MS4 students lead PT and those position are rotated every 30 days. It is supervised by the assistant professor of military science.

PT is held on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, starting at 5:45 a.m. and ending at 7 a.m. Each student does long runs, short runs, speed work, weights and jump training in plyometrics. Lab classes are held in Thursdays.

Physical training physically conditions students to be prepared to perform their duties in combat. Physical training also helps students to get into shape for a PT test, which consists two minutes of sit-ups, push ups and a two mile run. The test measures an individual soldier’s upper and lower body muscular endurance.

Presbyterian College hosts the lab classes, practical applications of small unit tactics and combat skills. Students also learn land navigation, the ability to navigate terrain using a compass, map and a protractor within a limited time to do it. Lander University also hosts some of the labs and PT training.

Clinton High School and Mid Carolina High School are partner JROTC schools, Cox said.

According to Company Commander Cadet Joseph Lazzara, Newberry College ROTC program has 18 students currently enrolled.

“ROTC teaches you a lot, it doesn’t force you to grow up but you’re definitely going to because you have a lot of responsibilities being in the program,” Lazzara said.

Once the students graduate they have the opportunity to go to the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, or active duty in the Army.

Contact Major Brian Penson at 864-684-7714 for more information.

Kaneesha Penny is a student at Newberry College, studying journalism.