Graduates return to talk about ROTC

Sisters High School students were given a special opportunity last Friday to learn about combining ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) programs with their university studies. Two 2005 Sisters High School graduates, Kate Canja and Joe Green, came back to the school to talk with interested students.

Canja is in Navy ROTC, and Green is in Air Force ROTC. Both are juniors at Oregon State University.

The forum was offered through the school's ASPIRE program (Access to Student Assistance Program in Reach of Everyone). ASPIRE helps students discuss and outline post-high school plans. (See "ASPIRE helps students plan for the future," The Nugget, October 10, 2007, page 4 .)

"We just started military forums this year. Our first one was for November. We had all of the recruiters here. It was not a recruiting campaign at all. It was just exposure for all the students," said Carla Merrell, who works with ASPIRE.

Canja and Green came to the school to increase students' awareness about the opportunities ROTC provides.

Canja told The Nugget that three years ago when she was sitting in the same spot as today's seniors she knew nothing about ROTC.

"I was just like them, just an average student," she said, noting that today's students could easily follow her path.

"Going military you have so many opportunities," she said.

When ROTC participants graduate from college, they enter the armed services as commissioned officers. According to Green, a student's active military obligation after graduation depends upon his or her job.

"A pilot in the Navy and the Air Force will have a minimum of a 10-year commitment, plus pilot training. So it ends up being 11 to 12 years. With Air Force if a person wants to be a navigator or an air battle manager, that's a six-year commitment," Green said.

For Canja joining Navy ROTC has allowed her experiences she never dreamed possible. She has flown in a T-6, a small, fixed-wing, acrobatic airplane.

"I've also flown in a helicopter. I steered a frigate, and I steered an SSGN submarine," she said.

Graduating seniors can apply for ROTC scholarships that provide four years of paid college tuition. Scholarship recipients also receive a monthly stipend. For Canja that stipend is $350 per month; for Green the amount is $450.

According to Canja, rather than just joining the ROTC, a student can volunteer and see if they like it before making the commitment.

"I just walked on. It was completely voluntary. For almost a year I wasn't getting paid. I was waking up at five in the morning, drilling with a rifle, everything," she said.

After working as a volunteer, the Navy offered Canja a scholarship and she joined.

For college students ROTC requires at least a three-day-a-week commitment.

"It's minimum three days a week," said Green. "A lot of people are involved four and five days a week just with the extracurricular activities."

Canja and Green agree that more than anything else, ROTC has helped them to become more self-confident.

"Going through ROTC has really developed my inner confidence...," said Green. "If I look at a task now, it's not so much that I can't do it. I try to figure out ways that I can do it. I know the steps to go through. I know how to accomplish something."