Yvette Tostado  |  Contributing Writer

Students see them around campus, around the living areas and might have seen them at the homecoming football game, but do they really know what they are about? Azusa Pacific University’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps members are part of a program a little different than any other ROTC, according to junior psychology major Garrett Arnold and junior history major Forrest Tylutki.

Arnold, who originally joined the program his freshman year, left it but rejoined last year, while Tylutki has been in ROTC ever since being a freshman. Arnold first talked to Captain Gabe Higerd, who was in charge at the time, and rejoined the program when Captain Chris Young was in charge.

Some may wonder what exactly APU’s Army ROTC students’ schedules look like. Tylutki explained that they are like those of the typical student on campus.

“In a sense we have to perform like other students at school, but the difference is we have a tighter bond, like D-groups but tighter,” Tylutki said. “We eat together, train together and fight together. We’re really good friends. … We’re students, but a lot more than students.”

“We don’t make cliques. We’re all one big family,” Arnold added.

APU Army ROTC students start off with physical training at 0600, which is the military way to say 6 a.m., and go until 0700. They then head back to their living areas.

“You’re really a normal student, you just have PT and on Fridays you have military class that can go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Tylutki said. “You get paid to work out, you get paid to eat and you get paid to get good grades.”

One thing they said was clear to them was that brotherhood is an important thing in the ROTC program, along with honor. They believe in the mentor tree system, where the higher ranks mentor the ones below them to guide them in the right direction.

“We train like we fight,” Tylutki said, explaining that the system continues after college, when they will fight alongside each other in war. “If I go to artillery and Arnold goes to artillery, we could fight next to each other; we’re a brotherhood.”

Essentially, they have a familial bond. Tylutki said honor is what made an impact on him in being part of the program. Saluting a World War II veteran means a great deal to him.

“We have lost so many people who have sacrificed their lives,” Tylutki said. “It doesn’t matter your [spiritual] beliefs [or] your political beliefs. It’s a humbling thing to feel that. People will die for you despite your beliefs.”

Arnold believes leadership skills and some of the more combat-style training are what make an impact on some people, but for him, communication is [the] most important.

“The biggest thing I will learn from this is the social skills and communicating with other people,” Arnold said. “It doesn’t matter what you do after college; you have to know how to work with other people. We work with Cal Poly Pomona [and] Claremont and we’re expected to coordinate classes with them. How to work with other people gets results.”

Tylutki said he has not had a single regret since joining the program.

“There is absolutely nothing to dislike about the program,” Arnold said, though he wasn’t too excited he has to get up at 5 a.m. to get ready for PT.

“Waking up early, I think that’s something everyone in college hates, but you get used to it,” said Tylutki in agreement.

Tylutki met friends he said he will have for the rest of his life as part of the brotherhood and sisterhood because yes, there are females in the program as well.The only regret Arnold cited was leaving the program.

“I was in it freshman year, then I backed out because of a girl, but my biggest regret leaving the program was not because I wanted to, but because someone else wanted me to,” Arnold said. “Do it because you want to do it. My biggest regret was dropping out of the program for a year.”

Arnold and Tylutki ultimately joined the program to prepare them for their future.

They are confident knowing they will have a lifelong brotherhood and take pride and honor in protecting the country regardless of any differences in people’s ethnicity, religion or worldview.

“Plus, we all know the dress uniform looks good,” said Tylutki.

“Yeah, just look at the jacket,” added Arnold.