ROTC cadets visit Shaw, take oath

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daniel Phelps
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  More than 80 cadets from Det. 290 Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from the University of Kentucky arrived here Feb. 11 for a base tour and watched a demonstration by the F-16 Viper East Demonstration Team, Feb. 12.

Afterward, three cadets took the oath of enlistment.

The cadets who took the oath of enlistment were Mercedes Rosado, a junior majoring in nursing; Nicholas Jayjock, a junior majoring in engineering; and Courtney Allen, a sophomore majoring in political science and history.

The cadets were sworn in by Lt. Col. Kelvin O'Dell from Air Force ROTC Det. 290 from the University of Kentucky.

According to Cadet Jayjock, the visit here was part of the cadets' annual orientation to see how bases operate.

"Shaw is one of the only bases where they could see how the Air Force goes to war," said Capt. Mickey Jordan from ROTC Det. 290.

The base tour consisted of visiting various base facilities such as the fitness center, the control tower, the 682nd air liaison officers and watching the Viper team practice.

"We were scheduled to fly today anyways, heard the cadets were coming and figured we'd give them a show," said Capt. Ryan Corrigan, F-16 Viper East Demonstration Team pilot.

"Seeing the F-16 demonstration was a real treat," Cadet Jayjock said.

Cadets said they were happy to come to Shaw. It was especially exciting for one cadet enlistee.

"It was nice to take the oath at Shaw," Cadet Jayjock added. "Otherwise, it would have been done in a boring classroom."