Campus VIP: ROTC Student Sarah Leporace

Have you ever seen the kids on campus, walking in herds before the crack of dawn, wearing their military uniforms proudly? They are ROTC students, or Reserved Officer Training Corps students, and they are a different breed. The dedication, drive, and deliverables of ROTC students truly is something to admire and may not be attainable for everyone. The grueling hours of study and workouts, all prove to be worth it for the ROTC students. The potential for getting your degree paid for isn’t half bad either. The military is not just a career but a lifestyle. People respect it and the work it demands. To balance this with the average struggles we deal with as University of Pittsburgh student is incredible in and of itself. I recently had the pleasure to sit down with Senior ROTC student, Sarah Leporace. 21-year-old Sarah, of Reading, PA, is also a club lacrosse player in addition to being a key member to our schools NROTC, or Naval option of ROTC. Below is her advice and experience with the program.

For those who don’t know, what is NROTC?

Ok. So, NRTOC is a commissioning program for people who would like to become officers in the Navy or Marine Core. There are different routes to become an officer in the military such as any of the academies like the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy. And Officer Commissioning School, which is OCS. But every officer in the military needs to have a college degree and any ROTC program offers people the opportunity to get their college degree paid for while learning how to be an effective leader in the military. And making sure you know your responsibilities and jobs once you graduate and commission into the military.

What other branches of ROTC are there? Do you know how they are similar and different to Navy options?

There are other ROTC branches. I know Pitt has Air Force and Army. I don’t know much about them, but they’re pretty similar to how they conduct their operations day to day. So, they have PT like we do, lab days, or mandatory briefs that need to be given to us. And on those lab days, they have to wear their uniform all day to classes and what not, which we also have to do. But other than that, I don’t know much about them.

Sarah (middle) with fellow ROTC classmates Sam Espos (left) and Kaitlin Andres (right)

What made you decide ROTC was the route to your college career?

I wasn’t totally sure that I wanted to do this after I graduated high school but when I was a senior in high school, I applied and picked up a four- year scholarship so I knew I definitely wanted to try it out and see if I liked it. When I got there, I learned a lot because I don’t have a military background at all, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Once I learned…more about it and what opportunities I could have after graduation, I knew I wanted to stick with it and become an officer in the military.

ROTC provides scholarships for some, but not all of its members, what is this like and what are the pros and cons to earning a ROTC scholarship?

So, as a freshman when you come in, you’re either a scholarship kid or a college programmer kid. When you pick up scholarship, you get your tuition paid for, and you get a monthly stipend along with a stipend every semester for books. If you’re just a college programmer, they don’t get their tuition paid for, any of the stipends, and they’re working towards getting a scholarship. On top of all their school work, they’re worrying about applications for the ROTC scholarship. Also, when you pick up scholarship or come into ROTC on scholarship, you’re able to go on summer cruises. They give you a taste of what being in the Navy will be like once you commission. It’s almost like an internship where you’re getting real world experiences.

Sarah, her father Pat (left) and uncle Danny (right)

Is ROTC or any other military/civil service in your family history?

I have a little bit of military and civil service in my family history. My grandfather served in the Italian Army, and one of my uncles is in the Navy Reserves currently. He was deployed to Afghanistan last year for about 10 months. My dad was never in the military, he went to the police academy once he graduated to become a cop. He was a cop in Philly for a couple years before he moved to Reading,PA, where he is now a narcotics detective.

How does ROTC affect your life?

ROTC does affect your day to day life, a lot. For one thing, you’re not getting a whole lot of sleep, going to bed late to get your work done, and then you’re waking up before the sun comes up so you’re definitely having to learn to budget your time really well. Just because we are taking a full course load and on top of all of credits we have a bunch of ROTC work that needs to be done as well.

Are you thankful for the path you have chosen?

I’m definitely thankful for this path I’ve taken. I didn’t grow up thinking this was what I wanted to do, but once I got here and learned more and more about it, I’ve loved every second of it. I don’t think I would give this up for anything.

What is your schedule like?

So, my daily schedule changes quite a lot. It’s not as consistent as people think it is. But, for the most part, we have PT twice a week from 6 to 7 in the morning. One morning we have a lab which starts at 6:30, and we’re just getting mandatory briefings that we need to do. Then, another morning we have drill from 6-7 and that is basically just learning how to march in formation and the different formations you have to do. Once all my morning ROTC stuff is done, we do Naval Science classes that take place in the unit. Once that’s all over then we go to our classes for the week. After my classes are done for the day, I come home and try to get as much work as I can and then do it all again the next morning.

What is required of you as a ROTC student?

As an ROTC student, you’re regularly required to work out, so you can pass your PT tests. You have to maintain a GPA above 2.5.

How much time do you dedicate to ROTC a week?

On average, I would say I dedicate about 10 hours to ROTC a week.

Was it difficult finding a balance with such a gruesome, tight schedule?

I was really difficult finding a balance first, especially freshman year. It’s just hard, getting used to waking up early, going to bed so late at night, and trying to get all of your work done that you need to. Usually a lot of us do extra-curricular activities, too, like club or varsity sports. Once those get involved it’s even more difficult to find a balance and try to weigh those all out so you can excel in all three.

What is your major?

My degree is in Natural Science.

How did ROTC affect your declaring a major, if at all?

I don’t think ROTC affected me declaring that major, but a lot of ROTC kids are usually Engineering majors, which I don’t think is required in any way. It’s definitely encouraged by our staff a lot, though.

How does ROTC influence your course load as a regular student?

ROTC does influence your course load, as a regular student. Like I said before, a lot of us are engineering majors, taking 18 credits just for you major and then you have to take 3 more credits for ROTC so you're well above what you should be taking.

You have to take Navy classes, what are those like? What are their requirements?

Every semester, you are required to take a specific Naval class, depending on which year you are. So, like a freshman, they take “History of the Navy” both semesters. It’s just two different history classes. Sophomores take a “Leadership and Management” course and “Navigation” where you’re learning how to navigate on a ship and all the rules to Ocean Navigation. Junior year, you’re taking engineering courses. So, your first semester is “Dynamic Systems” and your second spring course is “Weapon Systems.” Senior year, I’m currently taking “Navigation 2” which is just advanced navigation, learning more rules and conducting your ship through traffic patterns. Next semester, I’ll be taking “Leadership and Ethics” where we learn how to be an effective leader in the military. We do a lot of case studies in that.

Will you apply your degree to your Naval career?

I should be able to apply a little bit of my degree towards my Naval career. A lot of my degree is in Physics, which is a lot of what flight school is. You need to learn everything about how your aircraft flies and what each specific part of your aircraft does. It is a lot of learning, but mostly I think my degree was useful to put good study habits in me which is what I’m going to be doing for the next two years in flight school.

Sarah and Best Friend, Marine Option Mike Koenig

What are your fellow ROTC classmates like? And how would you describe the friendships this program has given you?

My fellow ROTC classmates, I would say, are honestly my best friends. You spend so much time with each other and you bond over complaining about ROTC. There are a lot of perks about this program, BUT I mean, it is the military, so it’s going to suck sometimes. The only way to get through that is when you’re with your friends at 5 AM and it’s raining and complaining about how much it’s going to suck. You all eventually get through it and you look back on it, and it wasn’t all that bad

What will you do after you graduate, since you owe years of service?

So after graduation in May, I’m going to commission and go down to Pensacola, Florida for flight school. I’ll spend about 6 months there, and then go to Milton, Florida for a year and a half, which is about an hour away from Pensacola, to finish up flight school there. Once I’m finished there, I’ll get stationed at an Aviation Squadron. My designation is an NFO which is a Naval Flight Officer. So, if you’ve ever seen “Top Gun”, it’s what Goose is. I’m basically the one controlling all the systems in the back, like radar, weapons and such systems in the back of, like, an E2. After Milton and I’m in the squadron and I’ll finish out my time. So as a Naval Flight Officer, you need to spend about 6 years in the military, which won’t start until after I finish flight school. So, it will total out at about 8 years in the Navy.

What did you have to do to prepare for this as a career?

So preparing for this career, I had to take a bunch of tests. I took a lot of PT tests, and I had to go through a lot of medical assessments to make sure I’m able to be an NFO. I had to take an ASTB, which is basically an aptitude test. The scores are one of the main factors in you being selected into flight school.

Do you have any fears working in the public sector with the current political climate? Why?

I don’t have an particular fears about working in the public sector with the current political climate. I feel like a lot of people, I guess most people, have respect for the military and what we do.

What is some advice you would give to prospective ROTC students?

I would say to any prospective ROTC students…Embrace the Suck. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. ROTC will push you to your limits, and you will do things you didn’t think you could do, like running 5 miles with a 30 pound pack in the cold, windy rain. So yes, it’s going to suck a little, but it’s going to be some of the best times of your life and you will remember those times when it’s all done.

Are you happy with your decision to do ROTC?

I’m definitely happy with my decision of joining ROTC. I’ve met some of my best friends, and I get to do what I love, which is flying. It’s just an added bonus to have an opportunity to serve in the military. I don’t think I would be the same person if I didn’t do it.

Sarah Leporace is a force to be reckoned with, and a real-life version of Nick “Goose” Bradshaw from “Top Gun.” I’m excited to see where her career in the Navy will take here, and you can following along via her social media, if you’d like.