Aim high — that goal couldn’t be more fitting for the University of Houston students enrolled in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

Relatively new to campus, the Air Force ROTC detachment opened for the first time a year ago. The unit is the first such facility to open in Texas in more than a decade and the first to open in the Houston area. Only two other detachments —the University of Texas at San Antonio and Angelo State University — have opened in Texas since 1952.

Now, the Air Force ROTC at UH is moving to a new facility in Room 109 in the Susanna Garrison Building. That’s where 50 students — called cadets — will tackle the tough requirements of becoming officers while earning their college degrees.

Cynthia Montalvo, a senior and ROTC’s mission support group commander, said the challenge was a natural step toward her dream of working in the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations.

“This program has been demanding, but it’s what I expected,” Montalvo said. “I knew there would be some hard times, and some of the leadership training we’ve done has been particularly difficult, but I pulled through.”

Montalvo’s interest in joining the military began when she was a high school junior. It was due in part to her father’s career in the U.S. Army.

Admittedly “just one of the girls” in high school, Montalvo said she wasn’t accustomed to leading others. Once in the position, however, she quickly adjusted and now feels comfortable at the head of the class.

“I want to teach new cadets what the Air Force is all about,” she said. “I’m looking forward to leading the labs and utilizing other skills I’ve learned. The experience will help me later as I pursue my career. The competition out there is fierce.”

Any student may register for the Air Force ROTC program within the first two years. After that, students must be approved to continue. Approval is based upon such aspects as GPA, physical fitness test scores, Air Force Officer Qualification Test scores and past performance in the cadet wing, among others.

Col. David Mintz, who has clocked almost 4,000 flight hours while in the Air Force, said interest in the program is always high at first, but many cadets leave after getting a taste of the hard work the program necessitates.

“These students are competing with other cadets nationwide,” Mintz said. “Once they sign on that dotted line, they are dedicating themselves to the Air Force. It’s a big commitment. There are no favorites here; everything is based on merit.”

Mintz is pleased with how well UH’s students have performed so far. They have demonstrated strong leadership ability in the classroom and in the field. Already, 10 cadets have received approval to continue in the program.

This year, those 10 cadets will head the leadership labs that all students enrolled in the program must participate in. From learning how to wear the Air Force uniform to learning how to march to participating in a ropes course, all cadets must attend the two-hour lab each Wednesday during the semester.

Juniors and seniors run the lab, which Mintz said allows them to further develop their leadership and management skills. Outside the lab, the cadets are required to enroll in an academic course.

Freshmen cadets take Foundations of the Air Force, which teaches them what life is like as an officer and what career fields the Air Force offers. Sophomores take Evolution of Air Power, which provides the history of the Air Force and its current place among other air forces. Juniors take Air Force Leadership, which focuses on how to lead other cadets in the wing. This class also teaches them the structure they’ll be working in once they are commissioned as officers. Seniors take National Security Affairs, which focuses on how the Air Force fits into the Department of Defense and sheds light on contemporary events.

Trips to NASA and participation in Ellington Field’s “Wings Over Houston” also spark interest among the cadets, Mintz said. Cadets also can take advantage of a variety of optional summer programs to enhance their skills.

Montalvo recently competed four weeks of field training at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. She woke up every morning at 5:45 and started her day with physical training exercises that included sit-ups, push-ups and running. Montalvo and other cadets endured such physical training three times a day, she said. The cadets also performed marching drills and maintained strict room standards.

“Everything has to be done a specific way,” she said. “It’s definitely an experience I won’t forget. Every bit of outside training feeds into what we learn in the classroom.”

By Leticia Vasquez
Lvasque5@central.uh.edu