Patriotism and Money Spur a Harvard Cadet

For the first time in an hour-long interview, John E. Hyten '81 hesitates. "You want my picture with my uniform on?" he asks. There is silence. "Well, okay," he says finally, "it's just that when I'm wearing my uniform, I have to make sure I'm looking my best."

For four years Hyten has been an Air Force ROTC cadet. That's four years of drill practice, leadership training, and military coursework. That's summer training with jogging, flying, daily briefings, and shooting on the pistol range. When he graduates this spring. Hyten will be among the first group of Harvard students to complete the full ROTC program through cross-registration at MIT.

"At first, I took the scholarship for the money--I was going to take the first two years, then quit," Hyten says. ROTC offers full scholarships for freshman and sophomore years, full payment for books and materials, and a monthly stipend for living expenses, with no commitment to serve. Only if a cadet continues to accept the scholarship as a junior and senior, does he or she incur an obligation of four years of active duty in the military.

After many second thoughts. Hyten changed his mind and stuck with the program. The scholarship was important, but the main reason was patriotism. "You feel good about serving your country," he says.

Hyten adds, however, that Harvard can be an uncomfortable place for a ROTC cadet. "If you walk through Harvard Square in uniform, a lot of people make rude comments, like 'Oh, off to kill babies?' You're spit at a few times, but you get used to it."

Hyten challenges the "misconception that everyone in the military is the ultra-conservative, gung-ho, shoot 'em up type." A few are, he says, but many have liberal views.

Agreeing with ROTC recruiters, Hyten says the biggest cause of recent increases in enrollment is fading antiwar sentiment. "I don't think people have forgotten Vietnam," he adds. "I just think they look at it from a different perspective. There were mistakes. It was a bad time. They understand it."

As one of the first cadets since 1969 to graduate from Harvard, Hyten says he was able to choose whatever starting job he wanted. He will begin active duty this fall as a procurement officer in Florida or California.

Hyten speaks of new, easier military discipline. "When I look back at the old military. I don't think I could have been a part of it. Now you can explain your views and people listen to you. You can question orders. You can ask why."

"I certainly don't want to be in a war," he adds quietly. "But I don't have any second thoughts anymore."