Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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Ranger Charles Harriman, senior in history, dons gloves while waiting for the UH-60A Blackhawks to depart near Milford Lake. Cadets trained in basic light infantry tactics over a 30-hour period. (Photo by J. Kyle Wyatt) A Ranger patrol moves out on a patrol through tall grass on the first morning of the field training exercise. The patrol was soon to heavy resistance from OPFOR, or opposing forces, and was offcourse. (Photo J. Kyle Wyatt)

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GAME DAY (Continued from page 8) sophomore in journalism and masss communications. It (the game) was cool because I love big crowds and all the excitement. The first game ' s spirit-filled atmosphere provided an excuse for some students to act crazy. The first game we decided to call Hat Day. We all wore stocking caps, and some even wore mittens, said Marcus Mountford, senior in finance. For die-hard Wildcat football fans, Sept. 4 marked the beginning of a promising season. They didn ' t care that most of the national polls had picked the Cats to finish or eighth in the Big Eight because they had confidence in the team and the new starting quarterback, Chad May. (The Cats will have) at least four home wins. No, we ' ll go with five, and two wins on the road, said alumnus Joe Lask, who traveled from Oklahoma City for the game. After fans had stuffed themselves full of food and drinks, they headed into the stadium and received free purple balloons and pompons. At kickoff, the balloons were released, transforming the sky into a sea of purple. The new five-story Dev Nelson Press Box was also dedicated on opening day. The $3.2 million structure housed 22 sky suites and 124 club seats. The press box is amazing, said Melissa Stover, junior in marketing. I can ' t believe that is really our press box. I love it. The fans cheered the team on to a 34-10 victory that extended their home-game winning streak to seven. May proved himself as a by completing 17 of 30 passes for 228 yards. The team ' s performance thrilled the fans. This is the first game I ever came to, said Michael Tillman, sophomore in secondary education. I like it. There ' s a lot of school spirit. Hopefully, it will last the whole season. High-rise window washer Sam Day is suspended outside the fourth floor windows of the Dev Nelson Press Box at KSU Stadium the Friday evening before the season ' s first game. Tours of the press box were given to guests. The most expensive sky suites had $50,000 fees plus $10,000 annual fees for five years. (Photo by Brian W. Kratzer)

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TRAINING IN THE FIELD Rangers gain realistic experience through exercises by Bren Workman pulsating whop-whop sound of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters intensified as they came in for a landing on the KSU Stadium parking lot. The 23 students of the ROTC Ranger Company went airborne April 17, 1993, to spend the next 30 hours in the field-training exercise, FTX. The main purpose of the weekend was to put all of the Rangers ' technical knowledge to the test, said John Highfill, Ranger commander and senior in engineering technology. The FTX provided the group training as well as goals to strive toward. The students are trained in light infantry tactics, said Dave Almquist, Ranger executive officer and senior in animal sciences and industry. The goal of the operation is to develop leadership skills, which are crucial to all military officers. The FTX started with an air insertion to the training site, courtesy of three Blackhawk helicopters. The students later performed boat operations, using two RB-15 Zodiac Commando Assault Boats, and took a 10-km foot march with a rucksack. They finished with an air insertion back to the KSU Stadium parking lot. When we train the Rangers, we train realistically, Highfill said. We also outfitted the Rangers in the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System, MILES, for the FTX. The MILES is the military ' s form of laser warfare, which also adds an extra sense of realism to field training. The Ranger Company was composed of basic-and-advanced course cadets from the U.S Army and Air Force ROTC. One of the good lessons learned through the Rangers is the ability to (Continued on page 15) Heath Polkinghorn, Manhattan armed with a light anti-tank weapon and an M-16, consults his map of the area while in a wooded ravine. All M-16s carried by the were fitted with a laser that set off a loud buzz on a harness worn by cadets when they were shot. (Photo by J. Kyle Wyatt)