For many IU students, the days are filled with classes, homework, and part-time jobs. For Reid Shanks, his days are a bit more intense.

Every Tuesday, Shanks is up and at ’em at 5 in the morning. He heads to the IU Intramural Center for 6AM workout. However, he is not alone.

Shanks is a member of the IU Air Force ROTC program. His training involves workouts every Tuesday morning and Leadership Lab followed by more training every Thursday afternoon. Their strict workout regime consists of stretching, jogging, sit ups and many, many pushups.  For Shanks, the training is not necessarily just about the physical aspect.

“Its not intense in the physical sense but in the mental sense. You could be put into a situation where you’re asked a question but a colonel and you don’t know the answer so you have to come up with a plan and enact that with your flight.”

Cadets arrive to Leadership Lab every Thursday in their uniforms eager to learn more about the technicalities of being in the Air Force. Captain Dustin Schimp compares the training to that of the Karate Kid. By teaching them marches and chants and how to act in front of the cadre, they are indirectly learning confidence and discipline. A “wax on, wax off” lesson of sorts. During Leadership Lab, the cadets practice marching in lines, doing their meticulously memorized chants, and practicing incorporating the required standardization needed. This included properly tucked in shirts, shined shoes, ironed clothes and absolutely no tags or strings.

Most cadets only donate six hours a week towards the program and are able to still be involved in non-ROTC campus life. Many members of the ROTC participate in things such as intramural sports or the Little 500 Races.

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The Air Force strives to not only build confidence in their members but to build leaders.

“The things you learn from this program will benefit you 10-fold in the civilian world. Its not just military stuff we’re doing here. We’re building leaders,” says Air Force cadet Brice Weathers.

Weathers decided to join IU’s Air Force ROTC after previous deployment. He says IU’s ROTC program is different than any other in that it encourages students to work up the ranks during their time at IU so that at the time of their deployment, they will out rank a large percentage of active duty Air Force members.

The program provides a safe place to learn and create lasting friendships.

Cadets usually attend summer field training in between their sophomore and junior years. This program involved physical exercise, survival training, and essential weapons training.

There is a spot for students with any type of degree choice.

For more information on how to join, visit their website or go to their Instagram page.