Army ROTC to Hold Annual Fall Training

SOMERS - The UW-Parkside Army ROTC program will conduct their annual fall training, known as Super Lab, on-campus on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Super Lab will take place in the wooded areas around campus, primarily on the west side of campus opposite of the residence halls.

UW-Parkside partners with the Host program at Marquette University, Golden Eagle Battalion, to provide the Army ROTC program. Army ROTC is one of the most demanding and successful leadership programs in the country. The training a student receives in Army ROTC provides leadership development, military skills and career training. UW-Parkside freshmen and sophomores, have academic and physical training classes on the UW-Parkside campus; juniors and seniors concurrently complete their major coursework at UW-Parkside and their Army ROTC coursework at Marquette as cross-enrolled students. Students, known as Cadets, graduate with their chosen degree and are commissioned as an Officer in the Army.

The Army ROTC curriculum provides intellectual knowledge (Institutional domain) and opportunities to implement the classroom instructions into the practical exercises (Operational Domain). “This Super Lab training is a part of practical exercises which provides an opportunity for Cadets to reduce the gap between the textbook knowledge and practical experience,” according to Captain Hyeon Kim, Assistant Professor of Military Science. Super Lab gives Cadets real-time, applied training, in this simulated field exercise. After the event, Cadets will be able to analyze their performance with their leadership, and based on any mistakes they make, reflect on what they have learned in a process which Captain Kim refers to as “Self-Development Domains.” This Army leadership development domain model has been applied to developing critical and creative thinking skills which are extremely important tools for anyone who lives in this complex world. Cadet Jonathan Helton, a MS III (junior) and criminal justice major said “I am excited for the Super Lab. There is no better opportunity to be able to hone my craft.”

The Super Lab will include the use of paintballs and may include a medical challenge, simulated grenade throw, simulated claymore mine emplacement, call for fire, and conclude with a ruck march. The exercises use various training implements including paintball guns, uniforms, nonfunctional training rifles (blue plastic), nonfunctional training claymore mines, nonfunctional training hand grenades, training dummies, a rope bridge, and other gear. None of the training implements use live ammunition or are capable of functioning as a weapon, outside of the paint gun.

All areas used for training will have signs posted to alert the public. The event is open to the campus community and the general public. If you would like to observe the Super Lab you can stop by the information table located in Parking Lot A any time before noon. All participants and observers should note that face masks are required at this event.

For more information about the Army ROTC Super Lab contact Captain Hyeon Kim at kimh0@uwp.edu.

Visit www.uwp.edu/rotc for more information on the Army ROTC program.

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Media Contact:

Denise Olstinske
Co-Director, Center for Professional Studies
Army ROTC Staff Liaison
College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
denise.olstinske@uwp.edu | 262-595-2162