As a member of Central Michigan University’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Alumni Board, Pioneer President Wayne Linderman was invited to participate in this year’s ROTC Staff Ride in Europe.
Staff rides are historical studies of campaigns or battles and can be traced back to the turn of the century when the U.S. Army took charge of preserving and marking Civil War battlefields. These rides serve to convey historic martial lessons to current and future military leaders. Staff rides differ from TEWTs (Tactical Exercise Without Troops) and historical battlefield tours because students conduct preliminary studies of the ride locations and battles to inform their visit and discussions.
By personally visiting the battle sites of a military campaign, ROTC students receive the unique opportunity to visualize and better understand the decisions made by historical military leaders and the circumstances surrounding them. Students analyze these historic battle decisions and learn from past successes and failures. All senior ROTC cadets must complete a staff ride prior to graduation or commissioning.
As a veteran, Wayne was thrilled to take part in a staff ride this spring. He and the ROTC cadets visited a variety of beautiful historical sites in Normandy, Paris and Bastogne. Highlights included the Ardennes forest, the Major Dick Winter Memorial at Brecourt Manor, the Arch De Triumph, and the Omaha Beach Cemetery where the cadets had the opportunity to raise the American flag out of respect for our fallen soldiers.
“One of my favorite moments was the visit to Normandy,” Wayne said, “The rich history has been preserved with great care, providing a perfect site for staff rides.”
Wayne is an alumni and continued supporter of the Central Michigan University ROTC program, as well as nationwide ROTC programs and military organizations. He recognizes the importance of the personal sacrifices that ROTC students are prepared to make for our country, as well as those made by current members of the armed forces and by veterans like himself. By investing his personal time in current ROTC students at Central Michigan, as well as involving Pioneer Systems in other veteran support endeavors, Wayne is committed to paying respect to our men and women who serve.
In addition to supporting veteran engagement organizations and events—like the annual Fishing with Veterans event—Pioneer Systems also strives to aid veterans in their employment efforts. Last month, the Michigan Veterans Affair Agency recognized Pioneer as a Veteran Friendly Employer for our efforts in providing jobs and opportunities to veterans in need.
Learn more about Pioneer Systems and Wayne Linderman’s background on our About page.
