Spartan Warrior

SPARTAN WARRIOR AFROTC DETACHMENT 380 Issue #2 21

Spartan Warrior

AFROTC Detachment 380

“INNOVATIVE TEAM INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION TO INTEGRITY, SERVICE, AND EXCELLENCE” OCTOBER 2017

Can you believe the month of October is already over? We’re over halfway through the semester! If you’re reading this, congratulations on sticking with us! We know there have been challenges along the way, but you should recognize the accomplishments you have made thus far. We encourage you to continue enjoying the journey with us; there is certainly a lot more fun still to come!

In this issue, we’re going to revisit some of the awesome events our Cadet Wing has taken part in throughout the month of October. We hope you had the chance to participate in at least one of these memorable functions!

As always, the Public Affairs Section looks forward to any suggestions you may have for us this semester, especially in regard to the Spartan Warrior. If you have any ideas, or would like to submit an article for the next issue, please contact me at

[email protected], C/4c Brian Walrad at [email protected], C/4c Cayman Nelson at [email protected], or C/4c Thomas Jennett at [email protected].

We hope you enjoy this edition of the

Spartan Warrior! 😊

Cadets Bielat and Sanchez enjoying

Warrior Day at WMU!

What an Exciting Semester! From the Editor: C/Col Jesse Alcaraz, Public Affairs Officer

IN THIS ISSUE… • What an Exciting Semester!………...1

• WMU LLAB: Warrior Day……………2

• Combat Dining In………………..…...2

• From the Perspective of the Ops Group/CC: Planning the Demmer Center LLAB…..………………...….…..3

• Morale, Welfare, and Recreation…4 o Cornhole Tournament o MSU Pasta Dinner

• Community Relations………………..5 o What’s New With SEDT? o MackCONaw 2017

• AFROTC Through Pictures…………7

UPCOMING EVENTS… • Field Leadership Exercises (FLX)

at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center o 3 Nov – 5 Nov 2017

• Survival Training LLAB o 9 Nov 2017 (LLAB 10)

• Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat Game & Fundraiser/Morale Event o 12 Nov 2017

• Volunteering with the Red Cross o Now through the end of

the semester (sign up!)

mailto:[email protected]




SPARTAN WARRIOR AFROTC DETACHMENT 380 | Issue #2 2

While there were many important aspects of planning the Warrior Day LLAB, communication was by far the most important one. At Detachment 380, communication is the key to everything we do, and this was especially true when it came to Warrior Day. Coordination with other people in terms of securing a location, providing transportation, planning a schedule, and running the event itself was highly important. Without everyone doing their part, this LLAB would not have been as successful as it was. The Warrior Day LLAB was an event designed not only for fun, but to test the skills of the participants. This was seen in the Warrior Knowledge Competition, where participants had to march and answer questions about both Detachment 380 and the Air Force as a whole.

The other activities of the day were Air Force Frisbee (a variation on Ultimate Frisbee), as well as the marching game ‘Tanks’, where each flight must march and perform maneuvers in order to hit the sides or backs of other flights. While the Warrior Knowledge and Air Force Frisbee were conducted the same as in previous years, ‘Tanks’ was conducted with a different set of rules, and I was glad to see it go well. This LLAB was successful due to the lack of failures that occurred. This was due to planning and communication. We had to plan the day, step by step, and visualize how LLAB would play out. This made us stop and double check the required things for each activity as well as think of backups in case something was to go wrong. There were several other locations and backup plans readily available in case we ever needed it. You can never be too

prepared! 😊

WMU LLAB: Warrior Day by C/Lt Col Jude Denina, Operations Squadron Commander

Combat Dining In

by C/1Lt Benjamin Lenning, WMU Outreach Officer

On 6 October, Det 380 from MSU and Det 390 from U of M met at Newbury State Park for Combat Dining In 2017 (CDI 2017) to celebrate the MSU vs. U of M football game on 7 Oct. The detachments squared off in an intense game of Capture-the-Flag. While the Det 390 cadets competed valiantly, they were ultimately unable to best Det 380 in athletic prowess, morale, and most importantly, numbers of cadets on their team. Although the victory at CDI 2017 was a foregone conclusion, Det 380 cadets can rest easy knowing that, for at least another year, Capture-the-Flag is an MSU dominated game.

After the victory, Det 380 cadets and Det 390 cadets attempted to settle their differences through joint games such as Air Force Frisbee, soccer, and volleyball, as well as a delicious pasta dinner. Of course, what good is a Dining In without a grog bowl? Each flight brought in a choice beverage, including, but in no ways limited to, Sqwincher, hot sauce, chocolate protein mix, and maple syrup. Unsurprisingly, the grog was an interesting blend of spicy, fruity, and savory notes—truly

a drink enjoyed by all. 😊

Cadets Dyni and Smith skipping during

the Warrior Knowledge Competition

C/Lt Col Denina directing the Wing

C/Lt Col Venticinque and C/Col Garcia

showing out for Combat Dining In

Cadets from MSU and UofM doing

some flutter kicks during CDI 2017


The Demmer Center visit was overall a great success. Most GMC cadets I spoke with said that they really enjoyed the visit, and a few I spoke with even expressed interest in visiting the Demmer Center again. I’m really glad that we took advantage of the facility and that we did something that hasn’t been done before at Detachment 380.

Planning for the visit started early in the semester as it was necessary to have constant communication with the Demmer Center staff. Like most things that cost money, there were a lot of factors that played into whether or not we could do this visit and what the budget would look like. For instance, a few of the main factors that played into the price of the trip were transportation, ammo, and of course the number of cadets attending.

Execution was not as difficult as the planning. There was miscommunication between both sides as to how the training itself would take place, but the main concept of the transitions between stations remained intact. Cadets really enjoyed their time on each range and training was effective. I think it’s important that if future POC would like to have this trip repeated that they remain flexible and that they make sure that the Demmer Center staff have an understanding of our schedule.

While it was difficult to plan the trip, I don’t believe it would be quite as tough in the future. Now that we have an AAR written up on the situation and have something to look back on, I think future Wing Staff and POC will be just fine if given the

opportunity to repeat the trip. 😊

From the Perspective of the Ops Group/CC: Planning the Demmer Center LLAB by C/Col Austin Garcia, Operations Group Commander

ARCHERY…

Cadets Miller, Koble, and McKenna

determining their dominant eye

Cadet Baker learning how to shoot a bow

and arrow!

SHOOTING RANGE…

Cadet Boehme’s expert shooting position

Cadet Hemphill focused on the target

Cadets Jobson, Helsel, Mattson, and Wilson proud of their targets!


Every month, the MWR sections try to come up with some fun events that allow the cadets to get together, learn about the other individuals that they will one day being serving our nation with, and have fun outside of regularly scheduled ROTC functions.

One specific event that allowed this to happen during the month of October was the first-ever Det 380 Cornhole Tournament. The tournament took place on Friday, October 20th in the grassy area between Bessey Hall and the Bessey parking structure. The tournament was originally structured to be a single elimination tournament, but a majority of the cadets wanted to keep playing, so an addition to the bracket was created in order to accomplish this want. Even with doing that, there were plenty of extra pick-up games that took place.

There were around twenty-five to thirty people who showed up throughout the tournament to either watch or participate. Congratulations to the overall winners and remaining champs – Lt Col James and Captain Latta!

The tournament finished with a BBQ dinner, which allowed the cadets to once again come together in a big group and just sit around and talk while enjoying some food. Everyone who came to watch or participate seemed to have a great day and blow off some steam after a long, hard week of school/work. An event like this is a great way to bring individuals together and put a little competition feel into the mix as well. I hope to see/hear about future cornhole tournaments

taking place at Det 380! 😊

Morale, Welfare, and Recreation…

Cornhole Tournament by C/1Lt Mariah Reinhart, MSU MWR Officer

MSU Pasta Dinner

by C/4c Sean Depalma, Echo Flight

A pasta dinner was held in MSU’s Det 380 cadet area to help cadets prepare to excel at the upcoming 18 Oct Fitness Assessment (FA). The dinner, which took place around the central table in the cadet

lounge, ran from 1900 to 2030 on 17 Oct. Eighteen cadets attended and loaded up on carbohydrates to ensure they had plenty of energy

for the next morning’s fitness assessment. In this potluck style event, five different kinds of pasta, along with vegetables, bread,

and cookies, were brought – with the only mandatory tasks for the night being to eat pasta and have fun. The atmosphere of the event

was laid-back and relaxing, with plenty of entertaining conversations throughout. The stress-free environment and carbo-loaded dinner successfully assisted the cadets in preparing for the

FA! 😊

Grandpas Kunzi and Duggan looking

workout-ready at the Cornhole Tournament

Cadet Willis admiring his toss

C/Lt Col Venticinque, Cadet Huisman, Lt Col

James, Cadet Lasal, and C/Lt Col Kunzi

reacting to what was presumably an epic toss


The Silver Eagles Drill Team has been expanding their activities to include weddings, high school football games, and JROTC activities over these past few months!

The Silver Eagles had the privilege of performing a saber arch for Lt Cortright’s wedding, a Detachment 380 alumni, as well as at the wedding of another Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. The Silver Eagles have also been performing multiple color guards for football, hockey, and basketball since the beginning of the semester and will be finishing off the football season this Saturday vs. Penn State!

The Silver Eagles have reached out to the community and have performed a color guard for a Veterans Day High School Football game up in Traverse City, MI and also judged a JROTC competition at Anchor Bay High School. Lastly, four members of the Silver Eagles helped out their fellow cadets by participating in the 1st annual Arnold Air Society Golf Outing! The Silver Eagles are hoping to do more this upcoming month,

so stay tuned! 😊

Community Relations…

What’s New With SEDT? by C/Col Erin Kelly, SEDT Competitions Officer

Cadet Helsel, C/Col Kelly, Cadet Simon, and Cadet Jobson perform the color guard at LLAB 8

Above and below: SEDT performs for Lt Maulder’s wedding

Above and below: SEDT performs for Lt Cortright’s wedding


Cadets Wymer, Levandoski, Dunphey,

and Parks inside the Mission Point Resort

Cadets Alcaraz, Kelly, and Chapman

enjoying the scenery on Mackinac Island!

Lt Philip Louis Bek Squadron against the

backdrop of Lake Huron

Bek Squadron inside the Conference

Center participating in business sessions

MackCONaw 2017 by C/Capt Caleb Parks, AAS Deputy Squadron Commander

This October, actives in Arnold Air Society’s Lt. Philip Louis Bek Squadron of Detachment 380 travelled to the beautiful Mackinac Island to participate in Area VI’s yearly ARCON (Area Conclave). They participated in business meeting sessions throughout Saturday, presented a bid for Area Staff, and attended a banquet to conclude the event. Throughout the weekend, actives learned how to become more involved in Arnold Air Society events, how to improve the squadron, and met cadets from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan. Overall, the beautiful weather and scenery, the camaraderie built, and the lessons learned amounted to an outstanding weekend of professional development.

The weekend began with a scenic ferry ride to Mackinac Island on Friday evening. The brisk, 20-minute cruise to the island was a one-of-a-kind experience, especially for the few that had never been to the island before. However, the trip was not all pleasure, but mostly business. Most of the cadets there were focused on preparing and presenting a brief for Area VI detailing why the Bek Squadron should take control over operations of the area for the 2018-2019 school year, so they spent their Friday night practicing the brief.

Saturday morning, alarms were set bright and early, as business sessions began at 0800. During these sessions, cadets from Bek Squadron listened to ways to get more involved with different organizations including Silver Wings, Civil Air Patrol, and the Air Force Association. The national commander of Arnold Air Society was also present at the event to give remarks and check in on the successes of her people.

Then, the proposed Area Staff for the 2018-2019 school year from Bek Squadron, led by AAS C/Capt Caleb Parks, briefed everyone present on why Bek Squadron was qualified to lead the area. AAS C/2d Lt Chapman, Tiemann, Dunphey, Pulice, and Levandoski were also present to detail goals and a vision for their respective proposed positions. Bek Squadron was facing another very qualified squadron from Notre Dame, and following each presentation was a debate and an opportunity for questions that got the entire area involved. After more briefings, squadrons went to lunch, and upon their return, everyone placed their votes. Unfortunately, Notre Dame’s squadron won the bid, but Bek Squadron remains dedicated to continuing the greatness in years to come, hoping to take over Area Staff sometime in the near future.

After a few more briefings, the business sessions ended, and everyone changed into modified mess dress for the banquet. Cadets got to eat a scrumptious meal as well as listen to a retired major general speak on what being in the Air Force and Arnold Air Society should mean to them. Everyone got to interact with other cadets in the area and even share training experiences and get to know what other detachments were like. Upon conclusion of the banquet, Bek Squadron was determined to find a place on the island to watch their Spartans beat up on the Wolverines. A sweet victory in Ann Arbor was a cherry on top to the fun-filled weekend.

Sunday morning, Bek Squadron boarded the ferry home with full, eager minds, ready to make both the squadron and the area better in the future. The future for Bek Squadron looks bright, and they look very much forward to next year’s Area

Conclave, which will be held at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio! 😊


C/1Lt Tiemann observing the wonder that

is Western Michigan University

Cadet Simon is hype for Air Force Frisbee

Cadets Sanchez and Garza doing some intense play-calling during AF Frisbee

Cadet Miller looking fly at CDI 2017

A rare sighting of the one and only C/2d Lt Ly at the WMU LLAB!

Cadets Levandoski, Wilson, and Rhoades doing a front-leaning rest as directed by

C/Col Koch

C/1Lt Smith is contracted into the USAF! Congrats!

Hotel Flight getting ready for Tanks!

Alpha Flight getting pumped for the Warrior Knowledge Competition

Capt Aalderink and C/Capt Wilson doing some burpees during Air Force Frisbee

Cadets from Det 380 and Det 390 getting to know each other at Combat Dining In

2017 😊

What else has Detachment 380 been up to?

AFROTC Through Pictures From the Editor: C/Col Jesse Alcaraz, Public Affairs Officer


SSgt McNeal obviously pleased to be representing the Spartans. Go Green!

Cadets Hemphill, Walrad, Minor, Moore-Willis, Mondalek, Blythe and Mrla having a

great time at the shooting range!

C/2d Lieutenants promoted to C/1st Lieutenants! Congratulations, cadets!

C/Capt Josh Edwards promoted to C/Major! Congratulations, C/Major Edwards!

Cadets playing soccer at CDI 2017

Cadet Whipple happy with her shooting results at the Demmer Center LLAB

Cadets in Force Support Squadron working on a GLP at Demmer Center

C/Lt Col Venticinque and C/Lt Col Wendzel

listening to the Cadre Perspective talk

Capt Stinchcomb and Capt Steffen playing cornhole at CDI 2017

Cadet Couk preparing to reload his weapon

Cadet Mrla is awarded 100 of the Month!

Congrats, Cadet Mrla!

Golf Flight listening intently to the Cadre

Perspective talk


Cadre talk to the GMC cadets in 108 Bessey

during LLAB 7

SSgt Deering and TSgt Fink give their

perspective to cadets

Cadet Jennett receiving candy from C/1Lt Kosik during the Scavenger Hunt

C/Lt Col Wendzel displays the Scavenger

Hunt trophy!

Cadet Simon is awarded 200 of the Month!

Congrats, Cadet Simon!

C/1Lt Lenning practicing his customs and courtesies

C/2d Lt Whipple and C/Lt Col Venticinque

at the Beaumont Tower for the Halloween-themed Scavenger Hunt during LLAB 8

Echo Flight is the champion of the Scavenger Hunt! Congratulations!

C/Lt Col Ritchey is awarded POC of the

Month! Congrats, C/Lt Col Ritchey!

C/2d Lt Wellman, Capt Aalderink, C/1Lt Reinhart, and C/1Lt Smith in front of Spartan

Statue

Cadet Lasal accepts the Halloween Scavenger

Hunt trophy on behalf of Echo Flight


Spartan Warrior AFROTC Detachment 380

104 Bessey Hall East Lansing, MI 48825

Thanks for reading!

Spartan Warrior

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