CRB News
February Newsletter
CRB Celebrates Tri-Service Military Ball– 3 Feb 2012
The annual tri-service Military Ball took place last week at the ballroom of the historic Park Plaza Hotel in Boston’s Copley Square. Cadets from the Army, Navy and Air Force programs enjoyed a sumptuous meal followed by an evening of dance. The ceremonial portion of the event included a tribute to fallen veterans from all branches of service. An empty table was set in the center of the room to provide a poignant reminder of those who have given their lives serving our country. Upon the conclusion of the opening ceremonies, Cadets and Midshipmen dined with their dates while the Navy Band provided instrumental background music. Following dinner, the band continued to play popular swing classics as attendees danced the night away. At the end of the evening, contemporary music was featured by DJ Whitefleece.
Cadets Recognized for Excellence– 26 Jan 2012
The CRB gathered for its bi-annual awards ceremony to recognize Cadet achievement. Awards were given for academic achievement, physical achievement, and in recognition of performance at other ROTC Events. Additionally, several cadets were given Commander’s Discretionary Awards; MSI Cadet Kelsey Kornblut was given hers for maintaining a 4.0 GPA in the Fall 2011 semester. Cadet Pretti, an MSIII law student, took the contracting oath from Major Ludwig , making him an official member of the CRB. The CRB is proud of all its Cadets for their accomplishments.
Army Captures Sheehan Cup Victory– 21 Jan 2012
In a near-complete victory, the Charles River Battalion defeated the Boston Consortium Navy ROTC and Air Force ROTC 355th “Flying Tiger” Detachment at the annual Tri-Service Sheehan Cup. The Sheehan cup consists of five sporting events that pit the services’ best athletes against each other; The first event, Warrior Challenge, consisted pushup, burpee, situp, ammo can press, and running events, led by c/ CPT Paul Smits, with team members c/ CPT Dedominici, c/ 1LT Mamacos, and c/ Manelski.
The CRB Warrior Challenge team took 2nd and 3rd place. Other events included Soccer, led by c/ CPT Ben DeDominici, which unfortunately resulted in two close losses. c/ CPT Baker led the dodgeball team undefeated; team member c/ Getty managed to save the team from certain defeat when she was the lone player remaining; she caught the dodgeball thrown by a navy midshipman, bringing a teammate back into the game, ultimately leading to victory. “I did it because I’m Army strong,” she said. Basketball, led by c/ LTC Broderick, also won both games. The 4×400 Relay, led by c/ MAJ Funk, also beat both Air Force and Navy. With these victories, the CRB took back the Sheehan cup; it will be displayed in the Military Science building until Sheehan Cup next year.
CRB Dining In and Branch Ceremony– 3 Dec 2011
Every December, the CRB joins together in a formal dinner event known as the Dining In. The event, which emerged during medieval times in European monasteries, was adopted by the British army, which carried the tradition on into modern units around the world. This year’s event took place on the 9th floor of the Boston University Photonics building and was organized by Senior Cadets from Bravo Company. The evening began with the Senior class branching ceremony, which identified the jobs the seniors will be working in following commissioning. Afterwards, each senior placed an edible item representing his or her branch in a punch bowl. This formed what is known as “the grog.” During the dinner portion, Cadets and cadre were invited up to taste from the grog while Cadet Robert Tobin, provided entertainment as the master of ceremonies, known as “Mr. Vice.” Following dinner, each MS class performed skits spoofing their classmates. The ability to poke fun at one another regardless of rank or position makes the event important for unit cohesion.
Deputy Brigade Commander Visits CRB– 18 NOV 2011
The CRB was treated to a visit from Colonel Anderson, the Deputy Brigade Commander on 18NOV11. COL Anderson, a retired Infantry Officer, first met with the MSIV staff for a briefing on what their jobs were as well as what the Battalion was doing via a Command and Staff Meeting. Following that, COL Anderson went to a lunchon hosted by the Department of Military Education in the Faculty Dining Room in the George Sherman Union. There, COL Anderson spoke to cadets from every MS Class about the value of military service and recognizing the cadet’s choice to serve. Cadet Myers attended the luncheon and said that COL Anderson “took a lot of time getting to know each of us,” and was “very open about the future of the program (ROTC) in the face of budget cuts.” Meeting the Deputy Brigade Commander allowed Cadets to gain a greater understanding of the higher levels of ROTC, and look forward to future visits.
Veteran’s Day Ceremony– 11 NOV 2011
On Veterans Day, the CRB joined fellow Cadets and Midshipmen from the Navy and Air Force ROTC programs at Marsh Plaza to honor those serving our country. The annual ceremony is hosted by the Air Force and takes place following a day-long vigil. It is a public display of solidarity amongst the three distinct service traditions that form our military. Following a demonstration by the Air Force ROTC drill team, Dr. Douglas Sears, Chairman of the Department of Military Education, delivered remarks.
Dr. Sears spoke highly of the commitment that past and present Boston University ROTC Cadets have made in the defense of our nation’s freedoms. Air Force ROTC commander, LTC Jeffrey J. Cook, followed Dr. Sears’ address with words of gratitude for the support and praise afforded military members by the vast majority of civilians. The ceremony helped in the continued effort to increase the awareness of the military on the Boston University campus.
Tri-Service Halloween PT– 31 OCT 2011
The Cadets and Midshipmen of Boston University conducted a joint PT session on Halloween 2011; while initially intended as an outdoor fun-run, below-freezing temperatures forced the event to be moved inside the Track and Tennis Center. The Cadets competed in a variety of physical events and conducted a poll to see what service had the best costumes; despite costumes that varied from banana suits to Muslim Sheiks, the CRB narrowly lost to Navy. The event, brainchild of CRB c/BC Sarah Funk, is expected to become a new standing tradition in the Boston University ROTC community.