Rising Green Machines

By: Gia T. Cruz

Kennesaw, GA.- With the wind blowing harshly in a cold Georgia winter, you would think that it is insane to see 50 people dressed alike laying flat on an open road. A screaming sound carries in the wind, followed by dynamic movements and a group yelling back with a countdown.

These people aren’t just the standard Kennesaw State student, they are 2nd lieutenant prospectives looking to join a cause greater than their own, the United States Army.

Stinger Battalion, headquartered in the Georgia Institute of Technology, has seen many students transform from civilians to soldiers. With an already rigorous school schedule, Cadets are expected to maintain a good standing GPA, pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), attend tactical classes, conduct hands on training as well as the planning and execution of assigned events. An added bonus is for Cadets to show heart, charisma, resiliency and integrity.

The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) molds students who have never had military experience to move as a unit, customs and courtesies, speaking with confidence, as well as attaining basic soldiering skills. Prior enlisted soldiers also join the program to advance their careers within the military and obtain an officer status while expanding upon the knowledge that they have already acquired through their years of service.

With events ranging from presenting the nation’s colors at football games or attending the required and rigorous month long training held at Ft. Knox, KY, Cadets learn to become well rounded individuals who act upon quick and logical thinking as well as strategically taking a tactical pause.

Although these future officers struggle to walk within the brushes of thorns and vines in the hot and humid weather at Ft. Benning, these Cadets ball up their fist, which falls over the seam of their camoflagued cargo pants, alternating them naturally 30 inches forward and 15 inches back, beads of sweat start to fall into their eyes. They all praise moments like these. Moments like these are what make the end result that much greater.