War Story

“They think they’re the s---,” says one USF student referring to a few freshmen ROTC boys who are flaunting around campus in their camouflage uniforms. “Yeah, well they take orders from my sister,” says the brother of sophomore ROTC student, Lisa Nelson. Though she is a nursing major, she’s trained to kill and can outdo almost anyone in a push up contest.

Born in Maryland on a military base, it was almost fate that Nelson would join ROTC at USF. Her liberal views set her apart from many of the other students in the ROTC program; she calls it a “touchy subject,” explaining that she is obligated to be on Bush’s side. “There are people I know in ROTC who do want to kill, I don’t want to unless I have to. I could never imagine shooting someone,” said Nelson. During a practice mission, Nelson recalls one of her instructors telling students to go up to the enemy and “just kill them.”

In the ROTC program, Nelson is trained to be a soldier and does not receive any special treatment for being a nurse; she is required to get the same training as all the other ROTC students. “I know how to shoot an M16,” said Nelson. ROTC training is strenuous and takes a lot of dedication.

However, as a nurse her focus is saving lives rather than destroying them. “As a nurse, you save a life no matter who needs your help,” said Nelson. There are prisoners of war who need medical help as well as American soldiers. In her nursing classes, Nelson must take oaths that reflect the values of nursing, emphasizing the importance of saving lives, no matter whose life is being saved.

Nelson does not expect to get commissioned. “The army needs leaders to maintain stations, Iraq is 100% voluntary,” said Nelson, clarifying that everyone in Iraq is there because they enlisted. She doesn’t believe that she will go to Iraq, but if she was called upon to go she would not be anywhere truly dangerous. Nelson will graduate USF as a Second Lieutenant and will be given her gold bars.

She was attracted to ROTC because the program offered a full ride to the university. USF was her dream school, according to Nelson, but tuition was too high. ROTC provides her an opportunity to receive nursing education while taking part in army training. “ROTC has changed my lifestyle and given me an identity. There’s a lot more to it than people would imagine. We all support each other. Don’t stereotype us, there’s a lot of discrimination we receive, like the dirty looks we get on the street,” said Nelson.

ROTC is a boot camp and more, according to Nelson. Being in the military teaches team work and trust. Nelson also stated that participating in ROTC takes muscular endurance for rigorous workouts; it takes dedication, and an open mind. Students who participate in the program form a bond through the intensity and spend much of their time together outside of class according to Nelson.

Nelson's family is supportive of her decision to join ROTC. Her dad was a commissioned officer but did not have much of a life so he retired. Her mother is fascinated by it all, and her brother couldn’t be more proud.