Finals on the frontier
By Daily Bruin Staff
March 10, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 11, 1998
Finals on the frontier
Snipers, gunfire and mountains of mud comprise just another day
for UCLA’s Army ROTC squad members
Photos and Story by Michael Ross Wacht
They loaded on their rucksacks as they looked into the day ahead
of them. Eight different terrains, eight different missions; a
chance for each member of the squad to prove his or her leadership
abilities.
Faces smeared with earth-toned paint, they began planning for
their first mission. Terrain models were made out of dirt and
twigs, and duties were assigned to every member of the group. Exams
and school life seemed to fade away as they began to ascend a
mountain in search of a hidden enemy.
Silently, the squad made its way up the mountainside until
bright flashes of light and sounds of gunfire came from the brush
above. The group dropped to the ground, and began to return fire
and advance on the enemy above. While some of the squad held the
enemy down with the constant sound of blank gunfire, others
surrounded and forced her to surrender. After searching the
sniper’s body for hidden information, the group established a
perimeter of defense and then sat back, relaxed and waited for
their evaluations from their commanding officer.
The members of this group are members of UCLA’s Army ROTC on a
Field Training Exercise, or FTX for short, at Camp Pendleton Marine
Base in Southern California. Along with courses in strategy and
political science, AROTC members are required to participate in
actual field training as part of their overall education in
Military Science. These photographs were taken of Squad 5 – only
one of the many groups comprised of UCLA, USC and Cal State Long
Beach AROTC members – as they made their way through each of the
exercises.
Cadets assemble in the early morning hours before embarking on a
day of intense training.
As the squad comes under fire, Cadet Davidson simulates a radio
call describing the situation to headquarters.
(above) After a slow battle uphill, Squad 5 finally captures and
questions the enemy.
(below)Cadet Sandoval enjoys a quick laugh between
exercises.
(below center)Cadet Seamone returns fire upon the "enemy."
(bottom)
The cadets from Squad 5 march back to base camp after a day of
training at Camp Pendleton Marine Base.
