MIT Reports to the President 1994-95

The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program at MIT provides challenging and comprehensive leadership and academic training for students attending MIT, Harvard, Tufts, and Wellesley. We continue to recruit and commission men and women as 2nd lieutenants in the United States Air Force. Year-end enrollment in AFROTC as of June 1995 was as follows:

                Freshmen     Sophomores   Juniors       Seniors       Total         
MIT           24            6             11            10            43            
Harvard       6             1             2             2             9             
Tufts         1             1             0             0             2             
Wellesley     0             1             0             0             1             
Total         31            9             13            12            65

The assortment of special cadet activities continued unchanged from previous years and included a Freshman Orientation Program emphasizing Air Force knowledge, physical fitness, and drill; an Air Force Dining-In, a formal dinner with guest speaker; and the Tri-Service Military Ball, parade, awards ceremony, and commissioning ceremony at the USS Constitution.

Highlights from AY 94/95:

* In the fall term, Professor Meyer lectured and Colonel Borah and Mr. Seabolt led the recitations for 17.471, American National Security Policy, to 42 students (30 were non-AFROTC).

* In the spring, Detachment 365 sponsored a field day at MIT for cadets from six other detachments in the surrounding area.

* The Air Force approved delays in entering active duty to pursue advanced degrees for one MIT graduate and one Harvard graduate. The MIT graduate was a von Karman scholarship winner and the Harvard graduate was an Air Force Historical Foundation Award winner.

* Six MIT cadets received commissions as 2nd lieutenants on 9 June 1995. Vice Admiral Reason presided over the ceremony. Two Harvard cadets were commissioned on 7 June 1995.

* The AFROTC program provided MIT cadets with over $860,000 for tuition for AY 94/95.

* The cadre for AY 94/95 included Colonel Borah, Captain Gerrig, Captain Genannt, Captain Tagg, MSgt Trevino, TSgt Briggs, and Mrs. Cronin.

Colonel Steve B. Borah

ARMY ROTC

The 1994-95 Academic Year was a period of change and introspection. While our training program remained strong, as measured by the Brigade assessments and camp scores, our recruiting efforts suffered from the decrease in scholarship value under the new, tiered scholarship program.

Enrollment

Over the academic year, a total of 65 students participated in our program, and at year's end, 50 of those students were still enrolled. Of the 50 Cadets, 8 (16%) were females.

A breakdown of year-end enrollment by year and institution is shown below.

                Freshmen     Sophomores   Juniors       Seniors       Total         
MIT           5             6             3             6             20            
Harvard       3             7             5             4             19            
Tufts         1             4             1             6             12            
Wellesley     1             0             0             0             1             
Total         10            17            9             16            52

Of the 20 MIT students enrolled, 17 are currently recipients of Army ROTC scholarships. These scholarships pay 80% of tuition and 80% of mandatory fees; provide a monthly allowance of $100; and contribute a one-a-year textbook allowance of $450.

Commissions

This year the Army ROTC Department commissioned 15 new second lieutenants, six of whom were from MIT. Of the 15, two are entering graduate school, and thirteen will be reporting to Active Duty.

Staff and Faculty

Two faculty positions changed this year; Captain (P) Long replaced Major Sherrill as Executive Officer, and Captain Campbell resigned from the service, with no replacement named as yet. The supply and personnel sergeants both rotated.

Extracurricular Activities

During the year, Army ROTC again sponsored the Annual Tri-Service Awards Banquet with over 120 cadets receiving awards from over 40 different organizations. Representatives of the MIT and Harvard administrations attended the banquet. LTC Creel, Professor of Military Science, was the host; and the guest speaker was Brigadier General Milton Hunter, Commander of the North Atlantic Division, Army Corps of Engineers. Army ROTC also participated in various Tri-Service events sponsored by the other services such as the Military Ball, athletic competitions, and the Tri-Service Commissioning Ceremony at the USS Constitution.

On- and Off-campus learning opportunities both continued to expand. Cadets trained voluntarily at Fort Benning, GA (Airborne); Ft. Campbell, KY (Air Assault); and other U.S. installations (troop leadership). Participation continued strong in the MIT Pershing Rifles Company, a group of both ROTC and non-ROTC students dedicated to the pursuit of military tactical excellence and patriotism and the unit's rifle team. The ROTC Faculty Committee, under the new chairmanship of Professor Will Watson, continued to provide timely advice and support of the ROTC programs.

Lieutenant Colonel Buckner M. Creel IV

NAVY ROTC

The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program at MIT provides challenging and comprehensive leadership and academic training for students attending MIT, Harvard, and Tufts. The Program encourages academic achievement, while providing practical experience, to endow the Navy and Marine Corps with capable officers. In the 1994-95 Academic Year, a total of 21 graduating men and women were commissioned. Program enrollment just prior to June commencement was as follows:

                Freshmen     Sophomores   Juniors       Seniors       Total         
MIT           20            7             7             11            45            
Harvard       7             4             9             7             27            
Tufts         4             0             2             3             9             
Total         31            11            18            21            81

The Navy's financial assistance totaled approximately $1,558,000 for the year, including about $830,190 for MIT students. Approximately 96% of all NROTC students receive full tuition, payment for books, and a monthly stipend. We are expecting total enrollment to rise in the fall with a higher number of freshmen entering the program than the number who are departing due to being commissioned.

Activities

Annual activities included Freshman Orientation, and the Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball, the first combined birthday ball in our unit's history. The MIT midshipmen performed superbly at two Military Excellence Competitions, one at Cornell and one at Villanova. In addition, MIT midshipmen hosted the first annual MIT Beaver Sailing Regatta on the Charles River with the Navy ROTC unit at Cornell participating. The MIT midshipmen sailed into first place overall.

During the summer, all of the scholarship midshipmen participate in active duty training with deployed naval units. This summer, 52 midshipmen are cruising aboard submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, aircraft carriers, and amphibious assault ships, to name a few. They are representing their universities and the United States in over a dozen countries including exchange cruises with the navies of The United Kingdom, Australia, Peru, Israel, Denmark and Japan. This training provides invaluable experience for their future careers as naval officers

Visits

The culmination of four years of training was reached on June 9, 1995, as 11 MIT students were commissioned as Ensigns in the United States Navy in a service alongside the USS Constitution. The guest speaker, Vice Admiral J. Paul Reason, gave a motivational address that highlighted the commitments they would all bear as military officers, but especially the requirement to maintain their honor, an implicit, but fragile characteristic of all military officers.

In addition, the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Mike Boorda, came to visit the Boston area and address the midshipmen on current naval issues, and Rear Admiral John T. Kavanaugh addressed the battalion at an MIT Naval Science Lab.

Captain Michael L. McHugh

MIT Reports to the President 1994-95