Being a female student at CU can come with its ups and downs, but being a female in CU’s ROTC program comes with an entirely new set of challenges and regulations. Women involved in the ROTC face more restrictions than those who are not, but they also help pave the way for new improvements in the program.
Of the several women involved in the ROTC, I was able to sit down with two members of the air force branch, juniors Roxy Clark and Maria Kizhnerman, to hear what their experience has been so far. These two women, though challenged by the program, face every day with their heads held high and the hope that they are helping to inspire younger cadets.
“My main mission is to create an environment for cadets where they feel like asking for help is not only tolerated and accepted, but encouraged,” Kizhnerman said. “We all have to work together, at the end of the day.” As female leaders in the ROTC program, Clark and Kizhnerman inspire younger female cadets to push past former boundaries and strive to become leaders in the future.
Inspiring young women in the air force is important now more than ever, as the branch has recently seen a significant increase in female members. With this increase of female members in the air force, the branch has had to make adjustments to their regulations. These changes include hair, makeup, and other cosmetic regulations that, until recently, were far more restrictive.
“These new regulations open up doors for people more interested in expressing themselves through their appearance to join the military,” Clark said. Clark, who enjoys expressing her own individuality, has been happy to see these changes in regulations, and hopes it will break the stigmas that often surround the military. “We are the future of women in the air force,” Clark said, “and we can’t wait to see what we can accomplish.”
Female representation in the ROTC is also a very current and pertinent theme in the army. An increase in female leadership and overall involvement encourages aspiring female cadets to join the organization. Especially with role models like Clark and Kizhnerman, female cadets can be inspired to seek out their own leadership positions. Improvements in regulations also allow all members of the ROTC to outwardly express themselves in ways they never could before. The latest improvements for 2024 open doors for women in the military, and break former stigmas surrounding the organization.