Students interested in a career in the military or those who just want to help support armed forces have a variety of opportunities in and out of uniform at UNM.
The Air Force ROTC of UNM is composed of 102 members and 67 students are involved in the Navy ROTC. Subsidiaries of those groups include fund-raising and support organizations such as the Wardroom Society and the Warhawk Booster Club.
Lt. Scott Gooch is an instructor at UNM and also recruits high school students for the Navy.
He says the Navy ROTC membership has increased in the last few years and is always looking to continue expanding.
"We want to build to 100 - that would be our goal is to have about 100 students someday," he said.
Gooch and Lt Col. Richard Trembley, the Air Force ROTC adviser, say that they have seen an increased interest in ROTC programs on campus since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
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"We've had a lot more people show interest, some very good candidates but definitly an increase in the amount of interest," Gooch says.
Trembley says that in the past year the UNM cadet wing had increased by 40 percent and that the increase began even before September terrorist attacks.
Both emphasize the financial benefits as well as valuable leadership skills that ROTC members recieve.
Scholarships for both programs include tuition expenses, additional fees, books and a monthly stipend that begins at $250 a month and increases every school year.
Both underscored the life skills and leadership benefits of ROTC programs.
"It is a tremendous level of responsibility so it's very important that we develop their skills," Trembley says. "We teach them how to perfect their leadership skills, how to work as a team and we also emphasize their communication skills - and that means both written and verbal."
Gooch and Trembly say that when a student joins the ROTC, they are provided with an extra set of advisers that closely guide them throughout their degree in four years.
Many organizations within the ROTC units also exist in which members can become active leaders in the community and participate in events.
The Air Power Honor Guard is an organization that exists under the wings of the Air Force ROTC and coordinates the presentation of the flags at special events.
Jessica Block is a junior at UNM and is the president of the honor guard. She says that the purpose of this organization is to provide community support and teach the community how to respect the flag.
Block is also active in the Warhawk Booster Club, which includes members from the ROTC and community members interested in supporting the military.
The Arnold Air Society is for members of the Air Force ROTC and has 19 members who volunteer at Veterans's Administration Hospital and Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital and help organize blood drives.
Jonathan Zetner, the group's president, says the members have also participated in graffiti clean-up within the city and in working with Habitat for Humanity.
To become a member of this nonprofit honor society Zetner says that regular ROTC retention standards must be met.
Within the Navy ROTC unit is another group called the Wardroom Society.
This organization competes in drill and color competitions and also manages the Navy ROTC's finances, according to group member Dallas Norman.
