A new sign in the Military Science Building says it all: “Cadets are our #1 Priority.”
A year ago the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps brought in a completely new staff with a fresh attitude and little ROTC experience. But the lack of previous ROTC participation did not stop the AFROTC from winning the High Flight award, naming it the Best AFROTC detachment, or unit, in the nation this year.
“We sat down and I said, ‘Here’s my philosophy: We focus on the cadets first’,” said Col. Kenneth Bankston, aerospace studies professor and head of the AFROTC program, about the new additions to the program. “If we let cadets come in and work through the program by themselves, some will succeed, but if we inject ourselves in their lives by counseling and tutoring them, almost all will succeed.”
Col. Bankston, who was the only new staff member who had participated in ROTC in college, had the AFROTC revamp programs, making the lieutenants and instructors more involved and the cadets more hands-on in organizing events.
Some of those events include “LSU Salutes,” an ROTC tribute to members of the Old War Skule to celebrate Veterans Day, and “Dining Out,” a formal dinner for cadets. Both events are strictly run by the cadets, said Daniel Monroe, industrial education freshman.
Another improvement that helped the AFROTC win the High Flight award was that the program is more organized this year, said Victoria Rutter, pre-nursing sophomore and AFROTC cadet. Rutter also said she is honored to be part of the best AFROTC detachment in the country.
The award was presented to Bankston at the Commander’s Conference in Atlanta on Nov. 3 along with a $2,500 check to make more improvements to the program.
Bankston and 36 other commanders from the Southwest ROTC region sent ROTC headquarters their University AFROTC nominations that explained the improvements within their detachments, from saving money to helping cadets improve grades.
The AFROTC is divided into four regions nationwide and three divisions by the group’s size, Bankston said.
The University won for the southwest region in the small division and went on to compete against the other top three region winners in the small divisions, and then won overall, Bankston said.
“I was kind of surprised we won from our size,” Bankston said. “I always want the organizations I’m associated with to be No. 1 or the best we can be, and if we aren’t No.1 that’s OK as long as we worked hard. But to actually be picked out of the small detachment, that’s great.”
Winning the award also meant a lot to the cadets.
“In high school, our Junior ROTC competed for an award like this and all of our efforts produced second place,” Monroe said. “Now I come here, and I’m a part of the best unit in the nation, and I didn’t even know it when I signed up. It’s great to know I’m with a great group of people.”