May 19, 2003
 

Dear Parents,

The school year rapidly came to a close on a wonderful year of ROTC. You can judge for yourself with the following information from LTC Buhmann:

1. Completed spring FTX 4-6 April, 99 cadets, 7 cadre, and 1 Reservist who helped us out, conducted day and night land navigation on a special course SFC Blackburn laid out, day and night Squad Tactical Exercises, and day and night patrolling. We also trained on surviving in the field and barracks and completed a 25 meter zero and RETTS qualification range for all 99 cadets. It was extremely busy, but no injuries, and great training was accomplished that focused on leading, following, and teamwork.

2. During spring break, we sponsored a 10-day missions trip to southeastern Kentucky. At their own expense, twelve cadets from Wheaton and Olivet traveled to the hills of southeastern Kentucky, cleaned up the Property, and rebuilt two houses for widows who are living in extreme poverty. One sophomore cadet, Stephen Gieser, had the idea for, planned, and led the entire trip. They raised the money, arranged and rented the transportation, arranged local shelter, and bought all supplies and food locally. They did it from scratch using what they had learned in ROTC to wade through all of the decisions, planning, and execution. All twelve were sophomores or freshmen. Again, no losses or injuries, just two happy widows who now have decent, weatherproof housing.

3. Cadet Katherine (Liz) Waits, XO [Executive Officer] of the battalion, earned the 2nd Region Pallas Athene Award. This award means she ranks as the number one female ROTC cadet in the country!

On the 25th of April, we had the Dining Out Awards Banquet. Space would fail to give all the names and awards of each of the cadets. Parents of those who received awards should be getting a "print ready" announcement from Wheaton College to put in the newspaper of your choice, or just keep for memory's sake. Each of the award winners has a certificate and a medal, ribbon or book (AUSA History).

LTC Buhmann gave a summary of the outstanding Army Physical Fitness Scores, and these I must tell you. The big event was held at the Wheaton College Track at McCully Field on Thursday, 17 April. He told us that in all the years of his experience, even at West Point Military Academy, these scores have not been as high as the achievements of the Rolling Thunder Battalion! The top overall male winner is David Ahern with 99 push-ups, 97 sit-ups and 11:51 for the two-mile run. The top overall female winner is Robin Fine with 65 push-ups, 109 sit-ups, and 13.99 for the two-mile run. The next highest male winners are - Timothy Kraftson with 114 push-ups, David Fahs and Scott Smith with 113 sit-ups, and Micah Niebauer with 11.22 for the two-mile run. The next highest female winners are Stephanie Pauls with 78 push ups, Cyndi Peters with 118 sit ups and Erin Sneed with 12:43 on the two mile run. As parents, you have much to be pleased about in the achievements of your sons/daughters! Physical fitness is a forefront issue for being in the military, so please be aware of and compliment your sons/daughters this summer as they keep up the good work in order to be in great shape for the fall.

How do I begin to tell you of the next subject? MSIII Joel McLin, with the sky in his eyes, wind in his hair, and a smile that would melt a glacier, a Kinesiology Major who'd spent a semester at Honeyrock where he took junior high and high school groups on wilderness trips, went home to Washington State when school let out last week. He made the traditional hike he'd made the past ten years, to the peak of a mountain in Washington State. On the way back down, he was swept away by an avalanche. Please pray for his bereaved parents, Kathryn and Ralph and his older brother Matt (& Matt's wife Jennifer). We will truly miss Joel! The MSIII class is planning a gift to Honeyrock Camp in his memory and a number of cadets and graduates are making plans to go for his funeral. I know your hearts go out to his family at this time, as ours do! In case you want to contact them, their address is 550 E. Strong Road, Shelton, WA 98584. I quote his older brother, Matt, "There will be a memorial service this Tuesday at 11:00am at Westwood Baptist Church in Olympia, WA. A graveside service and reception will follow. Those who feel they need to see Joel can do so any time on Monday at McComb's Funeral Home in Shelton."

Next year, we hope to have another in my place to continue with the Parent News, as this is my farewell letter. I need to take a full time job somewhere. Please know that you and your cadets will be in my thoughts and prayers. We will still be living in Wheaton, at least for the next year, so I will be around, checking in on things occasionally, as I'm able. It has been a joy to communicate with and hear from so many of you! Thank you all for your commitment to and support of your son/daughter and for trusting God enough to allow them to be in the Rolling Thunder Battalion. What a wonderful group of young people - America's finest!

Warmly,

Susan

Susan N. Sauer

P.S.

Last but not least - the Commissioning was Sunday, May 18 for Lewis University, Sunday, May 11 for Wheaton College, and Saturday, May 10 for Olivet Nazarene University. Since LTC Buhmann changed the time for Leadership Lab for school year 02-03, and classes are on one evening with the cadets from all schools under the umbrella of the Rolling Thunder Battalion, there has been a real unity of purpose and mutual support, so that a number of cadets from each school were at each others' commissioning. Here's a list of all who were commissioned into the U.S.Army - degree - assignment -and where Officers Basic Camp will be.

Lewis University:

Jeff Eden BA - Criminal Justice Transportation Corps Fort Eustis, VA

Nancy Strahan BS - Nursing Nurse Corps Fort Sam Houston, TX
 

Olivet Nazarene University:

Andrew Chovancek BS - Business Admin Armor Branch Fort Knox, KY

Faith Kulmala BS - Nursing To be commissioned at Camp this summer

Jason Tatom Masters - Business Admin Field Artillery Branch Fort Sill, OK
 

Wheaton College:

Aaron Armetta BS - Kinesiology Medical Service Corps Fort Sam Houston, TX

Brendan Bell `BA - Chr. Education Educational Delay for Dental School, U of IL, Chicago

Matt Benton BS - Electrical Engineering, IIT Signal Corps Fort Gordon, GA
 

Liberal Arts degree, Wheaton College, Math minor

Brandon Cain BA - Business/Economics Infantry Branch Fort Benning, GA

Sean Collins BA - Communications Infantry Branch Fort Benning, GA

Paily Eapen BA - Political Science Air Defense Artillery Fort Bliss, TX

Ben Grover BA - History/Economics Infantry Branch Fort Benning, GA

Tim Kraftson BA - Business/Economics Armor Branch Fort Knox, KY

Amanda Leggett BA - Economics & Spanish Medical Service Corps Fort Sam Houston, TX

Dustin Marlett BA - Political Science Aviation Branch (Flight School @) Fort Rucker, AL

Adam Morehouse BA - Political Science(Hist) Military Intelligence (Field Artillery) Fort Sill, OK

Micah Niebauer BA - Political Science Infantry Branch Fort Benning, GA

David Perkins BS - Computer Science Signal Corps Fort Gordon, GA

Gerritt Schellin Bachelor of Music Aviation Branch(Flight School@) Fort Rucker, AL

Ben Swan BS - Biology with educational delay for medical school

Rich Viola BA - Communications Ordinance Corps Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD

Liz Waits BS - Biology & French educational delay to attend law school - U. of AZ

Abraham Young BA - English Field Artillery Branch Fort Sill, OK