AFTER HOURS: In The Trenches

No words were spoken, but everyone understood the mission: to enter hostile territory without being seen -- or shot. Crawling over the brush, they peered intently through the barren trees for any sign of danger. After all, their lives depended on it. Suddenly, a shout broke the heavy, silent air -- "Sniper!" The squad leader had only seconds to decide if his troops should withdraw or whether the sniper could be taken out. But confusion took over where steady guidance should have prevailed. One squad member fired indiscriminately in the general direction of the unseen adversary, while others withdrew -- running off in different & directions. The chaos could have been deadly for the 12-per - son squad, but, fortunately, the event was only prac - tice for the University's Army Reserve Officer & Training Corps cadets. · On every ROTC cadet's uniform is a patch which bears the words "leadership and excellence" -- two skills which cadets are told they must develop. Four times each year, the cadets put these skills to the test in true-to-life training exercises. They take to the field to put into practice all they have learned from books and blackboards. During the school year, cadets spend about an hour each week in the classroom studying military science. But these classes provide only the theoreti - cal underpinnings for development into a military officer. The primary purpose of last weekend's two-day exercises -- held at the Fort Dix military base in New Jersey -- was to evaluate junior cadets on their leadership ability in "difficult situations." "This is what ROTC is all about, to put juniors in leadership positions and make them respond," said Major Robert Lara, who evaluated the squad's & performance. ROTC instructors said the training exercises are significant not only because they make the cadets better officers, but because they make them better leaders in the civilian world as well. Battalion Commander and College senior Rachel Spade, who hopes to be a supply officer after gradu - ation, said she doubts she will ever need to know how to react to sniper fire in the future. But she added that these kinds of experiences have helped her develop the ability to lead others. Other cadets agreed. "A lot of what I learn at Wharton in management is theory," College and Wharton junior Scott Hawley said. "But when you go out into the field, you put that theory into practice and you get to see how it really works. It's the best of both worlds." "Some people on campus join up with the [Under - graduate Assembly], or try to become officers of some club," Wharton senior Eunhee Lee said. & "Here you combine not only the organization of leadership but the execution as well. You're always in a leadership position." But despite visions of leadership positions in the civilian world, the cadets are being paid to hone their skills for only one firm -- the U.S. Army. This is not a fact that escapes the ROTC students, espe - cially in a time of war. Spade said graduating seniors can request one of two possible commissions -- regular army or re - serve status. If they decide on regular service, their stint will last eight years with an option to extend that term indefinitely and make a career out of the military. If a ROTC graduate requests reserve status, & which Spade said most do, the cadet will serve either as a reserve officer on weekends for eight years, or work full-time in the army four years and then serve another four years in the reserves. To be eligible to receive a commission, junior Cadets must first attend and pass a four-week ad - vanced camp during the summer at Fort Lewis, Washington. Last weekend's field training exer - cises were designed to help prepare the cadets for that experience. One experience that cadets will not be preparing for is a role in Operation Desert Storm, according to ROTC officials. But if the war continues into next fall, some graduating seniors may be eligible for service since they will receive their commissions in September or October. · After the confusion of the mock-sniper attack, one of the junior squad leaders being evaluated saw Lara take down lengthy notes on his performance. The junior, known as an MSIII to the ROTC cognoscente indicating third-year status, nervously inquired ab - out what the instructor had written. Lara said the leaders failed to plan properly, organize their maneuvers well enough, communi - cate orders to the rest of the squad and control the squad's movements. After the day wore on, however, even the tough major was forced to admit improvement. "Their communication and their skills and the way they worked together clicked," he said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.