FEATURE: ROTC member embarks on training mission in Japan
By Juan Carlos Puente
Editor-In-Chief
Published on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024
One of TAMIU’s U.S. Army ROTC members traveled to Japan for special logistics training this past summer. He was hand selected by the U.S. Army due to his dedication and stellar performance in previous training camps.
Army Cadet Carlos Ramirez went to Camp Zama, Japan, after completing two separate training sessions.
“I was chosen for that program through the availability of slots and my involvement and dedication to the program,” Ramirez said.
Military member walks across Mount Fuji in this undated submitted photo.
The first training camp occurred at Fort Moore, Georgia, also known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. WHINSEC focused on training basic soldiering skills alongside Latin American cadets as well as their military academies.
“Honestly, they were great people,” Ramirez said. “They cared, they were confident in their job and what they’re going into.”
Ramirez was able to learn about land navigation, basic rifle marksmanship, tactical combat casualty care and leadership qualities.
After his month in Georgia, Ramirez moved on to Cadet Summer Training in Fort Knox, Kentucky. That summer training program is required for all ROTC cadets once they enter their third year. It serves as an overall assessment of cadet leadership and how well they can adapt to different situations.
“It’s not to prepare you for war, but it’s to see how well you can do your job under stressful situations,” he said.
After another evaluation, ROTC Cadet Summer Training supervisors noticed Ramirez’s dedication and growth as a leader and individual, as well as recognizing he wanted to learn more. With those impressions, Ramirez was selected again and placed in a slot for Japan to participate in Cadet Troop Leader Training.
Military personnel row a boat on Aug. 9.
Army cadet Carlos Ramirez looks down on the clouds from atop Mount Fuji in this undated submitted photo.
While in CTLT, Ramirez began to see and understand other Army jobs and professions outside of combat, which helped him find out exactly where he fits in the program. Ramirez was assigned to the 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
“Their purpose was basically to ensure that they are able to sustain and maintain military forces while conducting combat operations,” he said.
In his off time, Ramirez was able to explore and discover the Japanese Tokyo area. He traveled to places such as Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama.
“I explored the area, tried the food, talked to some locals,” Ramirez said. “It was very nice. They are really great people, very pleasant and modest.”
He said aside from traveling the cities and borough, he was able to experience Japanese nature in many ways, such as being able to climb Mount Fuji.
“I was not expecting to climb a mountain this summer, but sure enough I did,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez, currently a senior psychology major, returned to the U.S. and continues to work on his curriculum. His most eventful summer completed and he returned with numerous memories from the land of the rising sun.
