Public Invited as Cal Poly ROTC Hosts Special Operations Van on Feb. 13

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly ROTC will host the U.S. Army Special Operations Van on Feb. 13, giving members of the campus community and the public the chance to experience flying and parachuting simulators, handle military gear and get a pair of their own dog tags.

The $1.3 million, 18-wheel semi-trailer features equipment used by Special Operations soldiers during offensive combat operations.

The van spends about 10 months a year on the road, traveling to fairs, air shows, colleges, high schools and sporting events as a tool for the Army to recruit for Special Operations. The van’s attractions include:
· a parachute simulator;
· a ground mobility vehicle simulator;
· an unmanned aerial vehicle flight simulator;
· an AH6 Little Bird helicopter flight simulator;
· soldier and weapons displays;
· Special Operations touch-screen videos;
· Army game kiosks; and
· a dog tag machine.

The van will be parked in front of the Dexter Building on campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 13. The event is free and open to the public.

Cal Poly Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is offered as a college elective to undergraduate and graduate students. The program includes classroom instruction on developing leadership; problem solving and teamwork; physical fitness training; and leadership labs in which students lead classmates on simulated tactical missions. Students also can participate in rappelling, paintball and obstacle courses, leader’s reaction courses, and land navigation.

Cal Poly ROTC currently includes about 100 students, 50 of them contracted to become U.S. Army officers. Contracted students can receive two-, three- or four-year scholarships covering tuition, or up to $10,000 room and board, $1,200 per year for books and a monthly stipend of $300-$500 per month. Upon graduation, students receive commissions as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard.

For more information about Cal Poly ROTC, contact Cpt. Jennifer Hill at 805-756-7690 or jhill06@calpoly.edu or log on to http://www.rotc.calpoly.edu/.

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