Discourse Community Project

The Reserve Officer Training Course is a college program designed to train a student to
become an officer throughout his or her college career that spans through all branches of the
military. Rotc ROTC is responsible for 30% of current active duty officers in the military, so it is
unquestionable that it is an important institution. As a group we have decided that the ROTC
program was a discourse community and had the same six essentional parts of being a discourse
community.
ROTC helps students transition into learning more about what they will be doing in the
future and it will help prepare them. Military instructors instill knowledge into the cadets to
prepare them for the challenges they will face when they commission. Each grade level typically
are put into their of classes, for example freshmen are AS100s, Sophomoressophomores are
AS200s and so forth until your last year. Each class has a different focus,focus; AS100s learn
about the foundations of the Air Force, AS200s will learn about the History of the Air Force.
Along with the AS class it is mandatory to go to Leadership Laboratory, where senior cadets will
give briefings and lead flights to do marches and teach basic movements that every Airman
needs to know. Senior cadets (Junior/Senior year) are in the Professional Officer Course or POC
for short. The POCs command most of the cadet wing and each semester the leadership changes.
After you graduate you must serve a mandatory four years in the military, where your skills will
be put to the testt.
Not all Rotc ROTC detachments are all the same, each one will run things differently.
Every new wing commander havehas the ability to change how things are done in the wing.
Though you can find this information online, there are things that can only be experienced.
Consequently well look into Detachment 592 at UNC Charlotte, to see how the wing works

through problems and what the classes look like. We will get an idea of how an actual cadet wing
will look like.

For our discourse community we decided to interview a member in the ROTC program.
Hearing firsthand what the people involved felt about the way the community handles problems
and daily communication is very different than it is in most communities. We observed a cadet
that is a freshman in ROTC. Anna Weeks my interviewee is a reservist in the air force and
decided to join ROTC to become an officer in her air force future. We asked numerous questions
to understand the types of communication used by the community. The ROTC program is very
structured like the air force; communication is not casual to the least. Before researching and
observing it was not as obvious that respecting people in higher authority by not directly
communicating is more important than finding an answer immediately. Throughout the interview
we asked questions about the goals and communication in this discourse community. For
communication they use what is called the chain of command. This is how and from whom they
get their questions and concerns answered. Just like most discourse communities there are rules.
In ROTC you must always remember you are a reflection of the program, you must always
adhere to uniform regulations, and you must follow customs and courtesies. My interviewee also
explained that the community is filled with professional people who are well disciplined and
think a lot about their future. Ms. Weeks enjoyed the community because she appreciated the like
minded people that shes surrounded with. The ROTC program has shared values which include
integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do (AFROTC Detachment 592.).
Unstated values Mrs. Weeks shared were hard work and discipline at all times. The last question
we proposed was wondering if the ROTC program mirrored other armed services. Ms. Weeks
felt that there were subtle differences for instance the uniform, how we march, ranks, and

commands is all different. Another genre we observed was the University of North Carolina at
Charlottes ROTC website. It was obvious when first going onto the website that the communitys
goal/ mission are emphasized on the website. Their mission is to recruit, train and commission
future Air force officers (AFROTC Detachment 592.). It was easy to find important
information like location and contacts. It also includes the promise that students in this discourse
community can get ROTC scholarship to help with tuition, gain experience, train to become a
leader and manager, and gain respect of their peers and future employers. Email is another source
to give out information in the ROTC community. Email is used to send out the OPORD,
volunteering opportunities, or upcoming events. The OPORD is a summary of the plan for the
week, it tells the cadets what the UOD is, where PT is, or what they are doing in LLAB. UOD is
uniform of the day, PT is physical training, and LLAB is lead lab which is a leadership lab. If
any cadets want to email a higher up they need to do it in a formal specific way that corresponds
to the Air Force standard tongue and quill. It is the format for writing memorandums. We also
observed informal texts as well as formal texts used by UNC Charlottes ROTC program.
GroupmeGroup me is used in the detachment to get information from other cadets. All first year
cadets have a group chat that they use. This text is used in a very informal way. Each flight in
ROTC has their own group chats. Flight commanders have their own separate group chat. All of
these different forms of communication allow the people in this community to get the
information they needed.
The price of being in the Rotc ROTC program for cadets is time. Every Monday,
Tuesday, and Friday cadets must go to PT (Physical Training) to avoid receiving a form 6. Not to
mention there are optional advanced PTs on tuesdayTuesday and thursdayThursday. The goal of
PT is to keep the cadets in shape and improve their physical capabilities for the FA (Fitness

Assessment). The FA is a test the Air Force is required to conduct to maintain a standard of
fitness throughout the military branch. To pass the FA the cadet must: do at least 33 pushups in a
minute, at least 43 sit ups in a minute, run 1.5 miles in at least 13:36, and finally have a 39 waist
line or smaller. The FA is conducted every semester to make sure the cadets are eligible to stay in
the program. Cadets must attend at least two of the three PT days of the week or else they will be
counted absent and be given counseling. PT can sometimes be grueling as the PFOs (Physical
Fitness Officers) are responsible for creating a workout that is challenging to the cadets and also
doable. Campus runs are the most grueling things a PFO can put you through. The beginning of a
campus run will start like any other, but as you progress and the hills take a toll on your legs you
will begin to falter. Furthermore when you think you are almost done, and the PFO is leading
you back to the start, she takes a turn to another hill.
Once every week the cadets must attend Leadership Laboratory. Just like PT if you miss
LLAB you will be given a Form 6 and counseling. LLAB is a 2 hour class where the Cadre
(Actual Officers and Enlisted) and POC (Senior/Junior cadets) will give briefings on events,
important news, problems in the detDET, volunteering, and etc. After announcements the Flight
Commanders will take the cadets outside to practice Drill. Drill is typical marching and
marching movements. This is where the lower ranking cadets will learn about Air Force lexicon
and standards. For example you must say exactly the right commands or the flight will not do
what you say. The proper command to march your flight forward is Forward, Harch. Instead of
March the Air Force will pronounce it Harch. It also goes with cadence, instead of regular
counting it will be Up, Twoop, Threep, Fourp like adding a p on the end of each number. You
must know which foot to call a command on, for example if you are calling a column right you

must say column right, harch on the right foot so the flight can turn on their left and vice versa
for a column left
One of the biggest things a cadet needs to keep in mind is appearance standards.
Obviously the military had appearance standards, but the IG (Inspector General) does not mess
around. First off at PT you must wear your PTUs (Physical Training Uniforms), shirt must be
tucked in, you can only wear white,white or black socks, and your shoe laces must be tucked in.
On Uniform days GMC (Freshmenfreshmen) must wear the Detachment Polo, Khakis, and Shoe
laces must be tucked in. In general you must be clean shaven everydayevery day, your hair
cannot be on your forehead, your hair cannot touch your ears or the collar of the polo, you can
only wear a black backpack in uniform, you cannot have earphones in when you are walking, nor
can you eat. There are many more standards to keep in mind if you are a cadet. As for Service
dresses, you must be to the tee, everything is measured to inches and you must salute cadre and
POC while in service dress.
Communication is a big part of the program, as any problems experienced by cadets
should be addressed. If a cadet has an issue or question the first thing they can do is ask other
cadets which is a very informal way of communication. Each class has a group chat to discuss
any thinganything pertinent like issues or homework assignments that they can help each other
on. Each flight also has a group chat where the flight commander can answer questions, Itit is a
little bit more formal but at the same time the flight commander wants to be comfortable with the
cadets. Two formal ways to address issues is to use email. Any email sent must start off with a
greeting depending on what time of day it is, and it must be a formal and polite style of writing.
Furthermore every cadet must have a signature block with their name, rank, job in the cadet
wing, and contact information. One more formal way to communicate is in person. Just like an

email you must greet POC,POC and Cadre with the time of day greeting and name and rank
every time you see them.

Work Cited
AFROTC Detachment 592. AFROTC Detachment 592, N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
The best way to chat with everyone you know. GroupMe, N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
Appendix
Interview Questions:
How do you get questions you have answered? I go through my chain of command.
What are some set rules in ROTC? Always remember you are a reflection of the program, must
adhere to uniform regulations, following customs and courtesies.
What do you enjoy about ROTC? I enjoy the community and being around like minded people.
What is the community like in ROTC? Professional people who are well disciplined and think a
lot about their future.
What is the chain of commands? The order of the people you go through for certain information.
Is the chain of command effective for communication? It is a set precedence that will always be
followed and it is established to keep professionalism how, some things can be lost in translation.
How does this set you apart from other college students? We all understand we are apart of
something bigger and are choosing different lifestyles from our peers.
What are common values shared among ROTC? Integrity first, service before self, and
excellence in all we do.
What are some unstated values? Hard work and discipline.
Why do you think the chain of command is in place? For respect.

Does this mirror other armed services? Yes, but there are subtle differences. The differences for
example are the uniforms, marches, ranks, and commands.
Observation Notes:
AS100 Class= Cadets are required to stand at attention when the Captain enters the room.
Standard classroom setting, no side talk is tolerated.
Lead Lab=All cadets in the detachments form up and sit with their respective flights while
getting a run down on announcements, issues, or news.
Drill=Cadets are formed up into flights and taken outside to practice drill. The Flight
Commander takes control of the flight and decides what kinds of movements the flight will do
and makes his/her own lesson
Informal Texts
Groupme=Groupme is commonly used in the detachment to get information around in a very
informal way. Flights each have their own group chats. The entirety of first year cadets has a
group chat. Flight commanders have their own group chat (GroupMe, N.p).
Email=Email is used to send out the OPORD, volunteering opportunities, or upcoming events.
The OPORD is a summary of the plan for the week, it tells the cadets what the UOD is, where
PT is, or what they are doing in LLAB. If any cadets want to email a higher up they need to do it
in a formal specific way that corresponds to the Air Force standard Quill and Pen.