ROTC Cadets support Global Strike Command defense innovation through program

Andrew Ku, a U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet Success Program participant for 2025, presents his project designs at STRIKEWERX in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 24. Ku worked to design a clamp that allows an ammunition loading truck to open B-52 Stratofortress bay doors, improving maintainer efficiency.  (U.S. Air Force Courtesy Photo by Sean Green, STRIKEWERX) 

By Sean Green, CIC Facilitation and Outreach Manager

BOSSIER CITY, La. — U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets spent their summer using their skills to strengthen the defense innovation in Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). 

The fourth year of the ROTC Cadet Training Success Program at AFGSC featured 13 cadets from Louisiana Tech University, Penn St. University, Texas A&M, Trinity University, the University of Houston, and the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). The cadets working in AFGSC gained real world experience building technical skills under the guidance of mentors at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, Malmstrom AFB, Montana, and Whiteman AFB, Missouri. 

This program attracts talented college cadets to spend eight weeks of their summer working on technical projects that develop systems, concepts, and technologies to enhance AFGSC capabilities. Cadets can use their skills to aid the unique challenges facing the nuclear mission while gaining rare professional development opportunities with senior leadership.

U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet Success Program participants for 2025 at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, gave their final project presentations to Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) staff July 24 at STRIKEWERX in Bossier City, La. This program attracts talented college cadets to spend eight weeks of their summer working on technical projects that develop systems, concepts, and technologies to enhance AFGSC capabilities. (U.S. Air Force Courtesy Photo by Robin Nichols, STRIKEWERX)

“It was a wonderful experience to mentor them and get them prepped for what’s coming when they become active duty,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Alvaro Cermeno, AFGSC cyber plans and resources manager and mentor for the ROTC Cadet Training Success Program. “The cadets brought fresh ideas to the command. They were constantly thinking of new ways to solve problems, which was a benefit in helping us with these projects.” 

The program was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research through Clarkson Aerospace Corp. and facilitated by the Cyber Innovation Center (CIC). All students presented their accomplishments and lessons learned in STRIKEWERX, the innovation hub for AFGSC, located at the CIC in Bossier City, Louisiana. 

Holly Huber, a student at the University of Houston, spent her second year in the program at Whiteman AFB optimizing the design of the Smart Bomb Rack Assembly (SBRA) Training Stand. She said the program is beneficial to cadets, allowing them to see how commissioned officers work alongside enlisted Airmen and DoD civilians in contributing to the mission.

“It's an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for cadets to learn more about career fields they can pursue, the impact every aspiring officer has on the AFGSC mission, and just how complex and expansive the operations are at a command base,” she said. “Participating in this program for the last two years has been extremely beneficial as it has provided us with as close to active-duty experience as possible as cadets.”

She added that her time at Whiteman gave her an appreciation for the maintenance and operations required for the command. She also had the opportunity to learn and practice the engineering processes needed to improve systems that surround the AFGSC mission.

“This experience has allowed us to gain a huge appreciation for all maintainers and the long hours of work they put into keeping jets flying,” said Huber.