Cadets take to the sky

  Friday, March 14, 2014 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Cadets in Pittsburg State University’s ROTC program took advantage of a perfect day to fly on Thursday, March 13. After a quick safety lesson, the students boarded UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for a short flight to an area south of Pittsburg where they conducted drills.

The event was part of the program’s spring Air Mobility Lab I.

The Blackhawks flew to Pittsburg from the Kansas Army National Guard's 108th Aviation Battalion in Topeka. One of the pilots was Maj. Josh Urban, a 2004 PSU grad who has participated in previous training missions at his alma mater.

“It is always enjoyable to come back and work with the young cadets,” Urban said. “I remember what it’s like.”

An added component to the Air Mobility Lab this spring was a brief contracting ceremony in which a number of new cadets took an oath and officially committed to the ROTC program.

Lt. Col. Chris Lambert administered the oath. He said it was an early and important milestone in each cadet’s life.

“Riding on a Blackhawk for the first time, combined with the contracting ceremony makes this a day these young men and women won’t forget,” Lambert said.

Below:

Lt. Col. Chris Lambert administers the oath to new contracting ROTC cadets before they board UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for the spring Air Mobility Lab exercises.