As everyone is returning to Madison from across the country, friends and strangers alike are asking the same question: What did you do over your summer vacation? Many worked, visited friends and family, or just chilled in Madison taking summer classes. However, my summer vacation had a six-week period that I will never forget. I had the opportunity to attend Air Force ROTC Field Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. While there, the people I met and the activities I did will stick with me for the rest of my life.

First, to understand what field training is, you have to understand what Air Force ROTC is. Air Force ROTC, available at most universities, is a training program that trains college students on how to become officers in the United States Air Force. There are several classes students take in their freshman and sophomore year to learn more about the Air Force and basic principles of leadership. To become an officer candidate, a cadet must go to a field-training camp between their sophomore and junior year. Field training is where cadets learn how to lead.

Leadership is an officer’s job and it is what we were taught at field training. I had the opportunity to learn from Captain Anthony Williams. He enlisted several years before he became an officer. He told us every day that as an officer, we would have to be strong, confident leaders. The truth is that the first day a second lieutenant arrives at his first base, he will have airmen serving under him. This level of responsibility is unheard of in the civilian world but is commonplace within the armed services. The most important lesson I learned about leadership is the concept of “getting the job done.” It does not matter what obstacles are in the way, the leader must take full responsibility for his team’s success or failure. That mantra will be with me forever, and the camaraderie I found while at training is strong and will last a lifetime.

Field Training was also one of the most physically and mentally stressful challenges of my life. Imagine 25 cadets from across the United States, each with different backgrounds and views of the world, coming together for six weeks to become a team. By the end, each person was more than a name; they were my brothers. That is the essence of field training, where teamwork is more than just a word; it is a way of life. Everything in life becomes easier with teamwork. You can run farther and faster, you can study harder and more efficiently, and most of all, you can stay positive by watching over each other. In other words, we learned that teamwork is a cornerstone to success.

The lessons learned are very important, but the experiences are awesome. Every few days the entire field-training unit went on a 3.1-mile “warrior run,” where 600 cadets are running in–step and singing cadences. That was a blast. With everyone around you, you don’t even feel the burning in your thighs or realize the distance you have run. Even more interesting was the confidence course. It is an obstacle course with all the exciting things you see in the movies. You have to jump over walls, crawl in the mud, and other fun, physically challenging obstacles. Although many seem impossible, with effort and perseverance, even these challenges are can be overcome. By the time you are done, you feel on top of the world.

Robert Thelen, III ([email protected]) is entering his junior year.