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News
the Racquette
April 22, 2016
ROTC Cadets Fly to Exercise in Style Marcus Wolf Editor
To the surprise of many students, three helicopters landed in the athletic field outside of Knowles Hall to pick up ROTC cadets for their Joint Leadership Development Exercise in Vermont last Thursday, April 14. According to an email from the Office of Public Affairs, the helicopters landed at 9 a.m. Time was allotted for public display for about an hour until the troops used them for training at 10 a.m. before taking off at 11 a.m. Scott Toth, the enrollment officer for the ROTC program, said that the ROTC cadets learned how to enter the helicopters and to execute emergency procedures. “Having helicopters has a fun little wrinkle to it,” Toth said. From there, the helicopters took the cadets to Camp Ethan Allen for their joint exercise program. During the program Lt. Col. Abrahm DiMarco, the professor of military science and the man in charge of the Golden Knight Battalion, said that ROTC students from
Photo by Marcus Wolf
One of the three helicopters landing on campus.
the Golden Knight Battalion worked together with ROTC students from the University of Vermont program and the Sienna College program. The exercise focused on tactical leadership but challenged the troops’ endurance and cooperation. DiMarco said that operations continued for two to three days straight through the camp’s rugged and steep terrain. The cadets never removed their backpacks throughout the entire exercise. The 250 cadets from all three different programs –
including the about 70 Golden Knight cadets – who never met each other prior to the program had to cooperate with each other in order to accomplish their tasks. “[It was the] most challenging exercise that we’ve devised for them,” DiMarco said. The helicopters landed again around 2 p.m. on Sunday on the same field outside of Knowles Hall to drop off the cadets upon the completion of their training. A group of spectators who came to see the SUNY Potsdam Women’s’
Softball team play against SUNY Oneonta left their spots to take pictures as the helicopters flew above them. The cadets came out still wearing their uniforms and packs. This wasn’t the first year that the cadets participated in a joint leadership development exercise. This leadership exercise is one of two biannual exercises that the Golden Knight Battalion participate in, DiMarco said. There is one leadership development exercise in the fall, in which only the Golden
Knight cadets participate, and one in the spring, which is a joint exercise between the Golden Knights and at least one other program. “It’s really all about leadership,” DiMarco said. While this isn’t their first joint leadership development exercise, it was the first in years that made such a grand entrance and exit. Toth said that it has been at least four years since the battalion was able to use helicopters as part of their training. Usually they travel by bus, which is how they went to their session at Fort Drum last year. Toth said that they hoped the battalion would continue to be able to use helicopters. “Of the current cadets,” Toth said, “this is the first time these cadets have trained with helicopters.” The Golden Knight Battalion is made up of students from Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton and St. Lawrence University. For information, contact them through their email armyrotc@ clarkson.edu or by phone at (315) 265-2180.
Police Blotter April 4-April 13
April 4-5 19:10 – Drug complaint– Reported odor of marijuana– Bowman third floor 22:35 – Suspicious vehicle check – Lot 22 – Vehicle found parked in lot 18 – Student owner identified and interviewed – Incident ongoing 23:41 – Suspicious vehicle – 3 males to UPD to speak to Officers regarding incident – one male referred for lack of cooperation – Case closed – Nothing
April 9-10 10:44 – Admitted staff member into his apartment at Sisson Hall second floor, he accidentally locked himself out 12:22 – Female visitor reports she fell in the academic quad. Female declined medical treatment 13:01 – Admitted & Escorted Crane student into Crane. Instrument retrieved. Door re–secured upon leaving 13:62 – Turned off Intrusion alarm at Kellas basement control room, so staff member could work on system 23:18 – Marijuana complaint – Bowman Hall West – Referral generated
April 10-11
21:30 – Fire Alarm activation – Bowman West basement kitchen room 0116 – Students accidentally burnt food. HP & PVFD on scene 3:00 – Transported two students from hospital to campus 4:00 – Transport student from campus to hospital 5:15 – Transported student from hospital to campus
April 11-12 10:40 – Attempt to locate student to deliver Criminal Summons – negative results 13:28 – Fire alarm – Knowles Hall – set off by elevator contractor – dust set off detector – PVFD arrived and gave okay for panel reset 15:15 – Attempt to locate student to deliver Criminal Summons – negative
April 12-13 13:05 – Checked on suspicious male – Maxcy Hall – individual gone prior to patrol arrival 20:41 – Report of marijuana use – Knowles Hall exterior – Unfounded