40-Year Service Recognition Ceremony for LTC (Ret) Swift
By Adam Kostik
It seems like only yesterday when the MSL IVs walked in to their very first ROTC class as freshmen. They were met by a man who knew no fear and spoke with a passion for military service that could not be put into words. It was something that one could only experience by being there. LTC (Ret) Swift was honored in January for his 40 years of service in an emotional ceremony that recognized his lifelong service.
He began his career as an enlisted soldier and served in Vietnam and then received his commission as a 2LT through Officer Candidate School.
Not to understate the importance of his early military career, it truly was his later years which had a significant impact on the future leaders of tomorrow. LTC Swift has trained and mentored many cadets throughout his tenure at schools in the region.
If not for his unwavering dedication to strengthening the minds of young Cadets, many may not have succeeded in becoming the excellent officers that they are today. Though he has received many awards throughout his career, including the National Infantry Association―Order of Saint Maurice; nothing can compare to the knowledge he has bestowed upon the Cadets he has trained.
Whether it was helping them out with last minute preparations for training, getting them out of a jam with Residence Life, or preparing them for Warrior Forge, LTC Swifts service has never gone unnoticed, and will never be for-gotten. With the upmost appre-ciation and sincerity, we thank him for all that he has done and wish him the best of luck in the future.
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Battalion PT Success
By Andrew Bernett
Cadets from the different companies of the Pride of PA Battalion often find themselves sitting next to a stranger at Battalion-level events.
Penn State Behrend, Gannon, and Mercyhurst all have separate campuses and schedules, therefore the cadets do not always interact with those from their sister schools.
Battalion PT is a chance to encourage esprit-de-corps and friendly competition within the Pride of PA Battalion. It is also another way for cadets from the three schools to get to know one another outside of events such as training labs and field training exercises.
Battalion PT was held in Behrend’s Junker Center on February 28. Events consisted of dodgeball, football, and handball. Each school had two teams and company commanders led the way by playing with their own schools. The cadets competed with a high level of motivation and sportsmanship in keeping with the Army values of respect and honor. After some changes from last semester’s Battalion PT, events started with a round of dodgeball. After the grueling round of dodgeball, the cadets demonstrated their athletic prowess in a round of ultimate football.
Finally, the Cadets competed in a round of handball. At the end of the grueling three rounds, Mercyhurst Company came out on top with the most wins; Gannon and Penn State were a very close second and third place.
Battalion PT was a huge success and the cadets enjoyed themselves. There were no injuries and the cadets went home with a sense of pride for their company and also a sense of respect for cadets from the other schools within the Pride of PA Battalion.
Gannon and Penn State are planning their come back at the next gameday PT.
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A Reflection of the Army Values: Respect and Integrity
By Adam Kostik
Have you ever found yourself filling out an application for a job and notice that it reads “Character and Fitness”? What comes to mind? If you think of the egregious actions you may have done in the past, do not fret, for you are not alone.
An individual’s moral and ethical qualities help guide them in making mature decisions in any situation. A Soldier’s character stresses the value and worth of making the tough, right decisions in the face of adversity and encourages others to do the same. By taking an oath to become an Army Officer, cadets are also taking an oath to uphold these values in their daily lives. Moreover, the value of respect is essential in making not only the Officer, but more importantly the individual.
In American society, respect for others is a critical foundation for jurisprudence. It is not only the foundation, but what this nation was built upon. Simply put, leaders should lead by example. They must uphold the morals and values which are not only instilled when they are young, but those that create the foundation for society. This includes creating a positive environment and treating others with dignity. Remember the golden rule: Do unto others? There is a lot to be said about that statement.
When fostering relationships with others, a mutual respect develops that propels the integrity of the work and the end goal they wish to achieve. The inner struggle of what may seem right and what is always right is not only recognized, but easily chosen.
Leaders ought to routinely strive to act in accordance with principles which reinforce the moral standards they live by. By attempting to do what is right all of the time, a leader shows they truly respect the other individual not only in actions and in words, but through their desire to achieve nothing less than a character filled with the Army Values, empathy and the Warrior Ethos.
“Leaders cannot hide what they do, but must carefully decide how to act. Army leaders are always on dis-play. To instill the Army Values in others, leaders must demonstrate them personally. Personal values may extend beyond the Army values, to include such things as political, cultural, or religious beliefs. However, as an army leader and a person of integrity, these values should reinforce, not contradict, the Army Values” (Field Manual 6-22, 2006).
Respect for others is not only an Army Value, but an essential component of being a human being. By respecting others, the diversity of the world can make an individual’s life more interesting and be beneficial to learning new ideas everyday. But only if we learn from one another, and only if we get along with one another. Try spending a few moments with a person and learn something new. By refusing to stereotype an individual, one can show a true interest and appreciation for someone else’s beliefs and culture. And who knows, maybe with a little more respect in our interactions with one another as the leaders of tomorrow we can gain a valuable insight that may aid in the development of ourselves and those we will one day lead.
To get there, we must make a conscientious step. It takes a leader willing to uphold the moral values that are the basis for our society. It takes a future officer willing to stand up and take responsibility for nurturing and promoting respect and the values of that society when it needs it the most. Accepting responsibility, upholding integrity, and never replacing an apology with an excuse will lead to a better military, and a prosperous society.
“The discipline which makes the soldiers of a free country reliable in battle is not to be gained by harsh or tyrannical treatment. On the contrary, such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army. It is possible to impart instruction and to give commands in such manner and such a tone of voice to inspire in the soldier no feeling but an intense desire to obey, while the opposite manner and tone of voice cannot fail to excite strong resentment and a desire to disobey. The one mode or the other of dealing with subordinates springs from a corresponding spirit in the breast of the commander. He who feels the respect which is due to others cannot fail to inspire in them regard for himself, while he who feels, and hence manifests, disrespect toward others, especially his inferiors, cannot fail to inspire hatred against himself. “
-Major General John M. Schofield
Address to the United States Corps of Cadets, 11 August 1879