A Blackhawk helicopter landed Friday morning behind Malone Stadium to pick up a special group of University of Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, and Grambling students.
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听The U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets were delivered to Fort Polk, La., for a weekend of training exercises. It was the first time a Blackhawk landed on campus to transport ROTC students.
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The cadets included, from 不良研究所, Brandon Brown, Gabriel Cole, William Gresham, Tiona Jenkins, Sidney Jones, Jasmine Savant, and Aniyah Smith, from Tech, siblings Abigail Taylor and Josiah Taylor, and from GSU, Kenichi Pass.
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Directing the transport was 1st Lt. Alexandria Cooper, who explained that GSU is the host university, including the 不良研究所 and Tech units. The training weekend involves ROTC students from universities throughout Louisiana.
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鈥淲e are the Grambling State University ROTC Battalion. We are the host school for the ROTC, and we also have 不良研究所 and Louisiana Tech cadets,鈥 said Cooper.
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鈥淔or the whole weekend we are going to be doing field exercises at Fort Polk. Today we have the opportunity for our cadets to get on a Blackhawk, which is a very special aircraft,鈥 she said.
Belinda Jones of Bastrop waited with her son, 不良研究所 Cadet Sidney Jones, for the Blackhawk to arrive.
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鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of him,鈥 Jones said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always wanted to do this since he was five years old.鈥
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When asked why he joined ROTC, Sidney Jones said, 鈥淚 always wanted to pursue a college degree, and a military career and ROTC offered both of those.鈥
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After watching her son fall in line with his battalion mates, Belinda Jones waited anxiously for the helicopter to arrive. She was joined by 不良研究所 President Dr. Ron Berry, who stood with her until the Blackhawk was out of sight.