By Adrian Garcia
A newly established ROTC affiliation with the University of Texas at San Antonio is launching soon, timed with the fall opening of the Patriots’ Casa, a building dedicated to veterans.
During the transition from Gillette Campus to Patriots’ Casa from this fall, the ROTC program will begin as an affiliate of UTSA, said Joy Hutchinson, former Navy Photographer and military field ambassador at Texas A&M-San Antonio.
“The transition from an affiliation with St. Mary’s to UTSA will allow a greater number of students from the Alamo Colleges to enroll in ROTC,” Hutchinson said.
The affiliation with UTSA, and their acceptance of transfer ROTC cadets, will assist in attracting prospective cadets from the Alamo Colleges to enroll at A&M-San Antonio. The program has jumped in enrollment from three to potentially 13 in the fall.
An affiliation with UTSA will also create more competition among ROTC cadets within the community, according to Sgt. First Class Jennifer Faubion, interdisciplinary studies graduate and ROTC cadet.
“The addition of UTSA’s program to ours will allow more students to transfer and create a competitive environment. This means better soldiers in the end,” Faubion said.
Faubion is currently pursuing a master’s degree in guidance counselling, mental health, and military relations while in ROTC.
Under the current program guide, students who wish to pursue a career in the military may enroll in ROTC with the hopes of becoming a non-commissioned officer in the Army upon graduation.
The ROTC program is currently a conjunction between A&M-San Antonio and St. Mary’s. Students study academically at A&M-San Antonio and travel to St. Mary’s for ROTC exercises.
St. Mary’s ROTC program has two and four year programs for enrollment, but cadets must be either former active duty or incoming freshman.
Currently, A&M-San Antonio only accepts upper-division students, and all five past graduating cadets have had prior military service.
While UTSA and A&M-San Antonio are teaming up in their ROTC endeavors, Hutchinson hopes to one day offer a stand alone program.
“In order to obtain our PMS (Professor of Military Science), A&M-San Antonio must graduate at least 15 cadets in consecutive years, and with our current enrollment, that is a possibility,” she said.
