Before the start of this semester, seniors in the Army ROTC program carried on a tradition. This tradition offers seniors a chance to participate in a journey to a Civil War battlefield, and walk the same steps the soldiers walked years before. We call this tradition a Staff Ride. The purpose of a Staff Ride is for the seniors in Army ROTC to take on the role of one of the key leaders or fighting elements involved in a certain battle. The senior will study this role, then lead their peers through that particular moment in time, while walking the same ground.

This year we studied the famous battle of Vicksburg during the Civil War era, a battle which took place at the same time as the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. The Vicksburg National Military Park is located in Mississippi right along the Mississippi River and across from the banks of Louisiana. The ISU seniors walked the battlefield and re-enacted roughly what occurred more than 130 years ago through the hills of Vicksburg and on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.

David Giaimo, a senior in ROTC said, “It was a great experience to walk through a historical site like Vicksburg. As a future leader in the United States Army it showed me what kind of dedication and courage past soldiers have put forth so that I can be in the position I am in today.”

This tradition is meant to be a team building activity, which also allows the seniors to learn more about our country’s heritage and about each other. This year we began our adventure in Ames, Iowa, and then drove down to Mississippi, which is a 16 hour drive. Next year, however, coordination attempts are being made to fly to Mississippi instead. This is a tradition that ISU Army ROTC plans to carry forward to teach the future leaders of our country the value of history and teamwork. More information about the Staff Ride can be found at http://www.armyrotc.iastate.edu, and questions about ROTC can be answered by calling Captain Dan Runyon at 294-0308.

Trista Boyenga

Senior

Sociology