At 4:30 this afternoon in Loftus, a tradition that dates back to the times of knights and ruling monarchs will take place. It is a tradition that has been a part of this University since the beginning of military instruction on this campus.

The Presidential Pass in Review, which up until two years ago was held on South Quad, will take place inside Loftus today. Although Col. David Mosinki said the ceremony would benefit from an outdoor setting, he added that the ceremony will be meaningful and students will be recognized for their hard work and dedication.

Underlying the debate over whether the Pass in Review should be relocated to a more prominent place outdoors is the fact that wherever it is held, it will always be an opportunity for the student body and the public to show support for the accomplishments of cadets and midshipmen, especially the seniors who will soon be on active duty.

There is a great deal of tradition behind the Pass in Review, especially for those involved in Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs. Maj. Mark Lyon, marine officer instructor for the Naval ROTC program, points out its historical significance.

"The Pass in Review historically was a chance for a commander, maybe a new commander coming on, to get a look at his unit," Lyon said. "Over the last several centuries, drill and parade was an important way of actually maneuvering about the battlefield, so the parade was a way for him to see how well they drilled and how disciplined and well-trained they were."

Not everyone on campus supports the presence of ROTC. At last year's Pass in Review, Pax Christi Notre Dame, a pacifist organization, protested the ceremony. The Catholic student group, which is dedicated to prayer and political action for the cause of peace, organized the rally at the Clarke Memorial Fountain to follow the annual ROTC recognition ceremony. The group plans to demonstrate outside Loftus again before this year's ceremony, holding signs and distributing pamphlets.

"What we are trying to do is lay some facts out and raise some questions about how compatible it is to be a soldier and be a Christian," Daniel Lawson, Pax Christi facilitator, said. "Many people may think and pray and decide that their place is in the military, and we respect that. We do feel there are serious moral issues here that need to be explored."

For Notre Dame ROTC students, the Pass in Review is a chance both to honor the military tradition and for the top achievers to be recognized by University President Father Edward Malloy. It's also a chance for the University and the public to express appreciation for ROTC students.

While most students have friends who they occasionally see in uniform or who wake them up really early in the morning, many don't realize the dedication of ROTC students. The physical training regimen for Marine options includes dead hang pull-ups, abdominal workouts, push-ups, circuit and interval training courses, weight-lifting, swimming, rifle runs, rope climbing, load-bearing conditioning hikes and more — several times a week.

Lyon said the purpose of ROTC goes beyond providing trained officers for military service. While this is the fundamental goal of the program, it also teaches valuable life skills. He said that although most of the midshipmen and cadets will not make the military their career, they will have acquired discipline and other skills that will be relevant to the careers they do choose.

"Most will do their four years or whatever their commitment is and then they'll do something else, but the skills and the discipline and the training that they get here serve them very well in the private sector," Lyon said.

Much is expected of midshipmen, most of whom take an extra class every semester. There is required knowledge they must learn in addition to classes, covering a range of topics from the Code of Conduct to Naval colloquialisms. They also have an hour-long drill session every week, which could include leadership education, marching, maneuvering and handling arms at close intervals.

In the Navy, there is an hour of physical training each week as a unit, while the Marines meet three times a week for about an hour and a half. They also know that they are expected to train on their own, since they have a PT test each semester holding them to the physical standards of the Navy. In addition, there is summer training, which lasts between two to five weeks.

"I'm glad to be here and have the opportunity to train the future officers; the quality of the midshipmen we get here at Notre Dame is outstanding," Lyon said. "We certainly appreciate all the support the University gives us, and I do think the student body, by and large, is very respectful and appreciative, or at least thinks somewhat highly of the programs and the cadets and the midshipmen."

As an '87 graduate of the program, Lyon welcomes the debate and discussion regarding the presence of ROTC on campus and the war.

"As long as it's done in this collegial environment where people can have the freedom to express their opinions, I think that's great. This is the time when students should be thinking about these questions. I'm all for it," Lyon said.

The many expectations and advantages of ROTC are just as prevalent in all the branches, not just the Navy. Mosinski, professor of Army Military Science, described the numerous benefits derived from being an Army or Air Force cadet as well.

"Like with any ROTC program, the cadets get tremendous leadership training; we're preparing them to be leaders in the Army — small unit leadership skills, basic tactics, how to react to changing situations, diverse situations, how to meet challenges, how to motivate soldiers, how to manage time, equipment, money and all kinds of resources," Mosinski said.

Mosinski said the education in ethics and morality is an advantage for cadets and midshipmen at Notre Dame. ROTC students receive additional lessons on ethics regarding military situations in their military science classes.

"I think it's important for the program to be here, just like at any other institution, so that the Army is well-represented from the whole gamut of universities nationwide," Mosinski said. "And with Notre Dame being a prestigious institution, with a strong ethics foundation, it's particularly important I think to have a program right here."

He outlined some of the demands on the time of an Army cadet. There is physical training at least one day a week, which can be up to four times a week based on classes and ability; a leadership lab once a week and a field training exercise that consumes an entire weekend per semester. The exercise immerses cadets in a field environment and teaches basic military skills such as field craft, patrolling and small unit tactics.

Occasionally, there will be a Saturday training event, like the platoon competition that takes place every December and some rifle ranges where cadets use small arms. As the cadets stay in the program they assume leadership positions and bear more responsibilities for providing direction, motivation and planning for the subordinate cadets. They can even go as far as writing complete operations plans for exercises or special events.

"The cadets that we have here in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary's community are really top notch people with excellent values," Mosinski said. "They're service-oriented, and they've proven in exercise and training events that they're solid performers — better than most of their peers in other institutions. They're just really a great group of dedicated, motivated cadets."

Cadets in the Air Force have similar schedules in terms of time. Requirements differ among the classes, but a standard week will include an Air Force class, a leadership laboratory with guest speakers or leadership activities, PT and flight practice once a week where students learn the basics of being an Air Force cadet.

So if the arduous walk all the way to Loftus is the only thing that's keeping you from joining the spectators who come to salute our ROTC students today, just remember this: the Marine options usually start field training exercises with a 10-mile conditioning hike with full gear. Surely those who support ROTC programs can stand a little stroll across campus.

• God, country, corps, Notre Dame