2 The Compass Friday, October 10, 1997
by Frank Scott and Damon L3mn
M ECSU:
What do you think of the new food service?
V ■■■IllUIIIIIIJIIIIIlillll. Illil..1. .1, L.JllMUiil...., M
Daminica Moody
Freshman
"It's pretty good, better that Shaw's. The juice is full
and breakfast is real good, especially the waffles."
Jay Johnson
Junior
"It's better than ShaWs and the dishes are
cleaner."
April Whitley
Sophomore
"It's better than before."
Earl Jones
Junior
"I think the new food service is excellent. It needs
to be kept in working order."
Guest Column
A hero remembered: ROTC chief
lives on in student’s heart and soul
by Ike Lister
Most teenagers today have many
ideas and expectations about how their
"hero" should be. Some may want their
hero to be their dads. Others may want
their hero to be six foot six with the
ability to jump over tall buildings and
dunk a basketball with the greatest of
ease. Some may want a hero to be a
man who can throw the pigskin or cut
through holes that are made by the
offensive lineman and deliver an out
standing football game on any given
night. The man who inspired me is
none of these, even though he does
have good basketball playing skills.
The man who inspired me was Chief
Master Sergeant Arthur Roberson,
USAF Retired. Standing six foot even,
he was a big, muscular man who kept
himself physically fit. He was 48 years
old when I first met him. With his one
inch gray-and-black afro. Chief
Roberson, to me, was the coolest man
to ever wear an Air Force imiform. He
was also the first black man 1 had ever
known to have partly blue eyes. He
had brown pupils with blue outlines.
It was a unique sight to see.
Throughout my four-year career in
AI^ROTC, I learned a lot under Chief
Roberson. With his sharp walk and his
"drill sergeant voice," I learned how to
march aiul call cadence. As he marched
with his chest out and his back straight.
I can hear chief say, "Your-left-your left-
your left right-right your left." Then he
could transfer into his drill sergeant
voice and say, "hep hop horp hop hep
hop." It was a special Air Force Drill
Sergeant language.
In the classroom, I really learned a
lot from Chief. Through his preaching
on his "soap box," I learned valuable
lessons. Two I can perfectly remember
were on peer pressure and drugs. The
lesson on peer pressure taught us not
to fall imder worldly temptations as
young adults. We should not make the
mistakes some of our friends have
made. The lesson on drugs simply
pleaded for us not to make the mist^e
and do drugs.
When Chief taught, he became a
madman. With his eyes wide and his
arms wild, he would really get into the
lesson.
I can recall the lesson on drugs. With
his yardstick in his hand. Chief would
go into a frenzy. "It's a shame to see
how our kids fall in society today," he
would say. “IM s because of these nickel-
dime pushers, dope dealers and drug
sellers. But you can be the generation
that will be different You can rise above
all the negativity in the world. The fu
ture is with you. You can make a
change."
Throughout all the waving, of the
hands and smacking of the stick, that's
what Chief was saying. His encourag
ing words always stayed with me.
I knew that I could always coimt on
Chief for anything. If I ne^ed advice
about girls. Chief was there. Whenever
I was uncertain about a yoimg lady.
Chief would say "Be yourself and the
rest will come naturally. You're a nice
guy and she'll see it. Just be patient." If
I needed to be brought bac^ down to
reality. Chief was there. If I was ever at
a point to where I was full of myself.
Chief would tell me, "You need to re
evaluate yourself, son!" He was like a
father to me. Our special bond was a
father-son relationship.
All throughout my high school years.
Chief taught me leadership, discipline
and self-control. He would tell me day
in and day out, "In order to become a
good leader you have to be a good
follower." Placing his hand on my
shoulder he would say, "You have a lot
of potential son, you have to unlock
it." That would always inspire me to
carry on.
Chief and I would always talk on a
one-on-one basis. We didn't always
agree but we would settle our differ
ences.
Near the end of my Senior year in
high school, I noticed a difference in
Chief's attitude. He was grouchy all
the time. He would fuss over anytlung.
I would find out soon enough what
was wrong with him. He would later
tell me, "I'm leaving after you gradu
ate." I thought it was a joke.
Unfortunately, I foimd it to be true. I
saw his letter of resignation and I asked
him, "Your kidding right. Chief?" With
a serious, stone cold look he replied,
"No, son." Tears formed in my eyes
when I heard that.
From that point on there was a dif
ference in the relationship between
Chief and me. I resented him for de
serting me—for leaving me, after all
that time. I felt as if he stuck a knife in
my heart.
After graduation. Chief stayed imtil
August 1, 1997.1 went to see him on
that day. I said to Chief, "Thanks for
everything. Pop." He looked me
straight in the eye and gave a cool re
sponse, "Keep in touch, son." With a
look of peace on his face and his cool
sense about him he said, "I know I
taught you well." Then we bid each
other farewell. As I saw him turn his
back and walk away, I got in my car
and drove home crying.
To this day I think of Chief. He en
couraged me to be the person I am
today. Thinking of his encouraging
words everyday, I have the strength to
move on. As long as I live, he'll never
die. He was, and still is, my hero.