MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Cadet Emily Zirkelbach will take over the Air Force ROTC Instagram account March 30, 2023, to highlight AFROTC Detachment 915 at West Virginia University and give a behind-the-scenes perspective on day-to-day life as a female ROTC cadet.
Zirkelbach is a junior and serves as the Echo Flight commander for her unit. She is majoring in communication and journalism.
“Air Force ROTC has been a wonderful experience for me, and I want to share that with others,” said Zirkelbach. “I’ve grown immensely as a person and leader and have been able to make great friends.”
One of her favorite parts of ROTC has been participating in field exercises, where cadets use skills learned in the classroom in a hands-on environment. They often operate in field conditions and experience making decisions under stress.
“It’s been eye-opening to go from just being trained during a field training exercise to seeing how training is planned and executed now that I’m an upperclassman,” she said. “It’s one of the most dynamic parts of the program to me.”
She hopes to serve as a public affairs officer upon commissioning and sees the takeover as a way to further her own professional development.
“This is a great opportunity to get experience planning and implementing a communications plan,” said Zirkelbach. “I’m looking forward to showing you the world of ROTC at West Virginia University.”
Follow the takeover on AFROTC’s Instagram at usafrotc