Published Nov. 9, 2020
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.
PHOTO: ROTC cadets from ULM, Tech and Grambling board a Blackhawk helicopter for transport
to training exercises at Fort Polk.
Sid Gaulee/ULM Photo Services
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.
The cadets included, from ULM, 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.
Directing the transport was 1st Lt. Alexandria Cooper, who explained that GSU is the
host university, including the ULM and Tech units. The training weekend involves ROTC
students from universities throughout Louisiana.
“We are the Grambling State University ROTC Battalion. We are the host school for
the ROTC, and we also have ULM and Louisiana Tech cadets,” said Cooper.
“For 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,” she said.
Dr. Ron Berry and Belinda Jones.
Belinda Jones of Bastrop waited with her son, ULM Cadet Sidney Jones, for the Blackhawk
to arrive.
“I’m very proud of him,” Jones said. “He’s always wanted to do this since he was five
years old.”
When asked why he joined ROTC, Sidney Jones said, “I always wanted to pursue a college
degree, and a military career and ROTC offered both of those.”
After watching her son fall in line with his battalion mates, Belinda Jones waited
anxiously for the helicopter to arrive. She was joined by ULM President Dr. Ron Berry,
who stood with her until the Blackhawk was out of sight.
