Student balances classes, training

There are two sides to every story – and Theresa Schumer is no exception.
Schumer is a junior criminal justice major from Necedah, Wis. On most days, she walks around campus looking like a typical VU student.
But on Thursdays, Schumer might just catch your eye. She still walks around campus…but in her Army uniform.
Schumer is in her second year as a member of ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) at Viterbo and her third year as a member of ARNG (Army National Guard). Schumer balances her full-time student schedule at Viterbo with ROTC training sessions throughout the week in La Crosse and ARNG training one weekend a month in Prairie du Chien.
According to GoArmy.com, the Army ROTC trains college students to become officers of the Army through classes, leadership labs, physical training, and field training as part of their college curriculum.
After graduation, ROTC members are required to serve four years in active duty in the Army or eight years in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve, Schumer told Lumen.
Currently, Schumer serves as a cadet in both the ROTC and ARNG, she said. When Schumer graduates from Viterbo in May 2011, she expects to complete a few months of ROTC engineer training (her specialty in both ROTC and ARNG). Then, she will serve as a 2nd Lieutenant in ARNG.
According to the Army National Guard website, ARNG is one component of the Army, along with the Active Army and Army Reserve. ARNG members are usually civilians who serve on a part-time basis – one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer.
"After graduating and completing the ROTC engineer training, I'll go right back to my civilian life and continue my commitment to the National Guard," Schumer said. She hopes to use her criminal justice major to work in a branch of the FBI – possibly in Madison.
Schumer's commitment to ROTC and National Guard does result in some benefits, she said. Her school tuition is covered by ROTC, and she receives a stipend for living expenses from both ROTC and the National Guard.
Viterbo ROTC members train in conjunction with UW-La Crosse's ROTC branch, Schumer said. This branch also includes ROTC students from Winona State University and St. Mary's University in Minnesota. Schumer goes to Mitchell Hall at UW-La Crosse to complete physical training (PT) before class three times a week.
During Friday PT sessions, Schumer mentors a first-year ROTC member who is freshman at Viterbo. "I work out with my mentee a lot," she said. "I get evaluated on how well I perform as a leader. I don't succeed unless he does."
Schumer also attends weekly two-hour ROTC lectures at Viterbo, which focus on leadership skills and military training, she said. She attends two-hour labs at UW-La Crosse on Thursdays. During labs, ROTC members practice active training, such as battle drills or land navigation, Schumer said.
Schumer's roommate, Lizzie Fusilier, is also a member of ROTC at Viterbo. Fusilier, a sophomore elementary education major from River Falls, Wis., met Schumer last year as a freshman in the ROTC.
"We were friends right away," Fusilier said. "We're both really goofy. Now, as roommates, we love to cook and shop together."
Fusilier and Schumer also attend ROTC sessions together. Schumer proved her top-notch leadership skills when she recently led ROTC labs, including ambush practice, Fusilier said.
"She prepares herself really well when she leads," Fusilier said. "She practices a lot ahead of time and makes sure to have all of the right information."
Fusilier has also witnessed Schumer's efforts with her mentee in physical training.
"She's there with him every Friday morning to motivate him," Fusilier said. "She doesn't just tell him what to do – she does the training with him. She also talks to him afterwards to make sure everything's going well with school and anything else."
Schumer said it is challenging at times to balance a school schedule with ROTC and ARNG commitments. She's also facing a challenging decision: her National Guard unit will be deployed to Afghanistan this year in the summer or fall.
"I could volunteer to go with my unit," Schumer said. "But ROTC puts an emphasis on academics first. Because we're training to be officers and leaders, ROTC wants us to get that degree. Since I'm also in the National Guard, it's ultimately my choice."
Schumer is not sure yet if she'll stay at Viterbo and finish her degree or join her National Guard unit. But she is sure of one thing.
"If my unit is deployed again in the future after I've graduated, I will definitely join them," Schumer said. "I'll go wherever they need me."
Years ago, Schumer wasn't on her current track to become an Army officer. After graduating from Necedah High School in 2003, she attended Western Technical College and earned her associate's degree in interior design.
"I've always loved art," Schumer said. "I really enjoyed my interior design classes, and I hope to own a stained glass business later on in life. But I didn't want to move to a bigger city to find a job in interior design right away."
Next, Schumer worked as a front-desk supervisor at a local spa for three years. "I enjoyed the job, but I wanted to do something different with my life," she said. "I had three cousins and several friends who were in the National Guard. I needed a change, so I thought: what better opportunity than to serve my country?"
In December 2007, Schumer joined the Army National Guard. She also applied at Viterbo to pursue her interest in criminal justice.
Schumer left for ARNG basic training on Valentine's Day in 2008. She trained for approximately five months at Fort Leonard in Missouri. While she was gone, she found out that she had been accepted at Viterbo.
Schumer returned home in June 2008. As she made preparations to start classes at Viterbo in the fall, her cousins began to persuade her to join ROTC.
"Two of them are already officers, and one will be soon," Schumer said. "The youngest was in ROTC at Marquette University. I saw how he was able to balance school and ROTC." Schumer joined ROTC in the fall of 2008, her first semester at Viterbo, and continued to serve with the Army National Guard.
Schumer's experiences with ROTC and ARNG have been memorable, she said. Last summer, she spent three weeks in airborne school in Georgia as extra training for ROTC.
"I got to jump out of a plane five times," Schumer said. "I'm scared of heights – but it was incredibly cool."
Along with exciting activities, the ROTC also provides life lessons, Schumer said.
"It's a great bonding time," Schumer said. "Everyone in ROTC works together and gets along. We're not just learning how to be officers – we are learning how to be leaders in life."