Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) has been in the news lately for several reasons. First the good news, then the bad, and what students can do about it.
Saint Norbert College in Wisconsin is one of few colleges where ROTC is honored. This article discusses the upcoming military ball and how the college is supporting the young men and women who are dedicating their time and putting their lives on the line to defend our freedom.
Unfortunately, Saint Norbert is an exception in our country. Many schools are hostile toward ROTC and have been since the Vietnam war. Yale, Harvard, Emory, and others even ban the organization altogether and make students drive to other campuses to attend training programs.
In North Carolina, vandals defaced ROTC buildings with anti-American messages such as "ROTC trains murderers" and resist "the racist war" at both UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University. Authorities are not yet sure if the incidents are linked.
At UCSB, the ROTC's annual dining-in formal dinner was the only event that was not funded by the Associated Students Finance Board, even though comparable events were funded. And, at the University of Virginia there is a debate and replies and more replies about the legitimacy of ROTC on campus.
This disrespect of ROTC follows a nationwide pattern on college campuses that is an affront to those who volunteer to serve their country and defend the very freedom to protest used against them. Young America's Foundation continues to support ROTC and has activism initiatives and guest lecturers that concerned students can utilize on their campuses to support the troops and keep ROTC running strong.
