The forgotten students in uniform

Wednesday morning. 6 a.m. They're up and out of bed. They grab a quick breakfast and head off to class. Who am I talking about? The members of the Army, Navy and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. The men and women who are training to defend America's liberties -- and who are learning such skills right here at Penn -- are awake and ready to get to work. Most ROTC and NROTC students take an average of six classes every semester. Some at Penn are double majors, and at the same time are working to fulfill their military requirements. Their military coursework includes eight academic courses -- all required in addition to Penn requirements -- and drill class two times a week every semester. But despite the hard work they put into their studies every day, some of these students feel their program is not always viewed in a favorable light on campus -- and they're not happy with that. Many of Penn's ROTC students feel shunned by the faculty and administration on campus. The NROTC building -- the Hollenback Center -- sits on the outskirts of campus, near the Schyulkill Expressway. The Army ROTC branch at Penn was folded several years ago, and students now have to walk to Drexel University. And Air Force students have it even worse; they have to take the train to St. Joseph's University. NROTC classes are held at 7:30 a.m., so as not to conflict with the rest of Penn's curriculum. In the College of Arts and Sciences, after all, students do not get credit for their military academic course work. This was not always the case. In 1969, during the Vietnam war era, the College stopped giving credit for ROTC classes. Some believe this was Penn's way of responding to anti-military sentiment that the country -- and the University -- were facing at the time. Shortly thereafter, the ROTC programs were moved to Hollenback, far from the rest of campus. Today, NROTC shares the space with a number of athletic practice facilities. This is not a slight to the athletic department at Penn, but by no standard can the ROTC programs be adequately compared with other extra-curricular activities. Some students feel that the isolation is Penn's way of hiding its association with the military. The military is a predominately conservative organization, and Penn tends to lean left in its affiliations. Naturally, some military and University policies just don't coincide. For example, the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay and lesbian lifestyles once caused a firestorm of protest against military outposts on campus. On the whole, Penn's community is much more open to such lifestyles, and embraces them, in part, through the LGBT center. The armed forces, on the other hand, would never dedicate a living space or a meeting place to the same group. To some, this type of conflict seems to be at the root of such disparate treatment. Most ROTC students recognize that the decisions affecting their perception on campus were made a long time ago. But they still contend that Penn's administration just doesn't know how unfairly some of them feel they have been treated. Just a few years ago, a stroll down Locust Walk would prompt the throwing of eggs at them. Today, the disdain for the military is wrapped in well-articulated meetings or silent, cold looks. And some ROTC students have even been told by some Penn faculty members that they're wasting their time -- that they should concentrate on more mainstream pursuits like engineering or nursing. "It's as if [the administration and faculty] are saying this is not an honorable pursuit," remarked one NROTC member. Another student feels that people at Penn do not care. "The military is something to be proud of, but when I am here, it certainly is not the first thing I mention in a conversation. No one cares or they look at me like I am crazy." As they make that long walk each day to the Hollenback Center -- or walk to Drexel or take the train to St. Joe's -- these students cannot help but feel like the unwanted stepchildren of Penn. Sadly, the men and women who are trained to defend our country feel like academic outcasts right here on our campus. It's high time that these students are recognized for their hard work and dedication to our country. I hope Penn's administration will realize the diamonds in the rough that are being stifled just because they're image has been hurt by years of opposition. Ladies and gentlemen, if no one else tells you... this is an honorable pursuit.

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