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Assignment One
Site Location: Army ROTC Cadet Lounge

Observation One Monday, September 2, 2013 Time: 1330-1400

Description of Location: The cadet lounge is located on the right side of Memorial Hall here on UNC Charlottes campus. Along one wall in the lounge is 4 computers and a new printer sitting in between the 2nd and 3rd computer all sitting on a high top counter. Each computer has its own rolling computer chair. Next to the computers is a full size fridge and freezer combo for all of the cadets to use to store food or drinks in for in between classes and such. On the opposite side of the lounge there is a flat screen tv mounted on the wall with a Blue Ray player. There are two green couches, one sitting in the middle of the lounge and the other against the wall. Under the tv where the Blue Ray player sits, there is a 6 foot long table that holds filing trays that hold many different Army documents, stickers, cards, pictures, etc. for all of the cadets to utilize. There is also another table that is right next to the door that has a smaller rolling computer chair where you can place your laptop on to work. There are also countless Army and Military posters and signs on the walls. Figured Worlds: A figured world is an environment that has its own customs, habits, and behaviors that help a certain community interact with each other. RULES AND CONVENTIONS OF THE CADET LOUNGE There are some unspoken rules for the cadet lounge. Most of the people that come into the cadet lounge are almost all Army or Air Force cadets, and as cadets we are held to a higher standard than just a regular student here on campus. We are supposed to act a certain way at all times, be well dressed, and be in a certain mind set. The cadet lounge is mainly used for the cadets to just hang out before or after our Military Science classes or in between our other classes on campus. Some cadets use the lounge to study for tests, since it can be quiet during some parts of the day, and can also use it to work on projects since there are computers and a free printer in the lounge. The lounge has also been used to hold certain small meetings for different ROTC events and groups. The etiquette for the cadet lounge is different for different times of the day. There are classes right across the hall of the lounge, so if there are classes going on, you have to be respectful for the cadets that are trying to learn so you have to be kind of quiet. But if there is no class in session then the lounge can get to a certain sound level. There are the cadres offices near the cadet lounge, so there is always someone working in the area, so the cadets always have to be respectful of that also. The cadet lounge can never be used as a party room because even while in the cadet lounge, you still have the opportunity to learn.

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Actors: Actors are the people that interact and make a significant impact in the figured worlds. Even though there are a lot of different characters in this figured world; almost 60+ cadets use this lounge a week, these are the significant ones in the figured world while I was there. 1. CDT Johnson. Johnson is our Platoons First Sergeant, which basically means he gets everything done for our platoon. He is a big deal to our platoon and is a natural leader, which is why he has the position he has. Johnson is what we call high speed in the Army world. Hes one of the top of the class, one of the first to get contracted, and is also in Ranger Challenge and proudly wears the patch. 2. CDT Koch. Koch is the Company Commander which makes him the highest ranking cadet in our platoon. He gives the orders to Johnson and Johnson makes them happen. Koch gets a lot of respect from all the other cadets in our platoon and the company. Hes not afraid to stop what hes doing to help another person out. 3. CDT Walker. Walker is one of the biggest cadets we have, standing at 63. Hes one of the smartest cadets and he always like to play some jokes on people. Walker is in the lounge a lot between classes, so you can almost always find him there. And with him being so smart, he is usually studying or helping others study.

Artifacts: These are real items that mean a lot to the actors and help almost define the actor. When you think of the artifact, you picture the actor in your mind, or vice versa. 1. CDT Johnsons Ranger Challenge patch. Johnson earned that patch through hard work and dedication and he proudly wears it on his left arm. Not everyone gets a Ranger Challenge patch because you are selected to be in the Ranger Challenge out of all the cadets in the battalion. 2. CDT Koch 5.11 tactical assault pack. Koch always has his assault backpack with him, whether we are in class, off campus, or out on training missions his assault pack is always near him. He carries almost everything you would ever need in his pack. Its almost like its an endless black hole because he just keeps pulling things out of it. 3. CDT Walkers tattoo. Walker has the Airborne wings tattooed on his chest over his heart. His dad is in the 82nd Airborne and it means a lot to him. He put the tattoo over his heart because his dad loves the 82nd and Walker loves his dad. He also hopes to join the 82nd one day like his dad, and he uses his tattoo as a reminder daily to work hard for it. Discourse Communities: These are communities inside the figured worlds that share more interests than the others and are more alike. Cadets in command. Johnson and Koch have a real big responsibility with in ROTC and are held to a higher standard than most cadets because of their positions. In ways the act just like regular cadets but they carry themselves differently when its their time to step up and get the job done. Uniform cadets. All of the cadets are bound together in one way or another. We all have to dress the same and act the same while in uniform. We are all held to higher standard than regular student and we all help each other as much as we can. The camo brings us together, but each other holds the bond.

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Different ranked cadets. Every cadet has a rank, some are the same but most are different. Depending on how long youve been in the program decides your rank. Even though your rank in ROTC isnt a real big deal, you see cadets of the same rank, or MS class, hang out together. INTERVIEW WITH CDT WALKER

How many times a week would you say you're in the cadet lounge? At least 3 days a week, sometimes 4. How long are you usually in the lounge at a time? Depends on the days. Sometimes just a few minutes, other times hours. Ive actually skipped class, on accident I might add, here in the cadet lounge while doing homework for a different class, but I guess the longest at one time was likeI dont know, 3 hours? What do you mainly use the cadet lounge for? Mainly so I dont have to walk back to my apartment in between classes, but I usually just do my homework in here. Sometimes if its quiet enough Ill take a nap, but thats not very often unfortunately. Does the noise level or amount of traffic affect your uses? Umm not really. Most times Ill just throw my headphones on so I just forget about the noise if there is too much for me, but the traffic doesnt really affect me much. I mean I like that theres traffic because I get to see my friends but its not a burden or anything. What is your ROTC rank and position? Right now I am a Staff Sargent and as of right now just a PT leader. Does your rank affect how you act in the cadet lounge? I dont think so, but I know it does for other cadets in here, I mean Ill talk to anyone, doesnt matter if hes a MS1 or a 4. Do you think the Army ROTC lounge is any different from the Air Force lounge? Of course, its cooler because its Army! But really its mostly the same, I know over there they are more uptight about D&C(dress and ceremony) but over here were more chill about it. Do you think you would come to the cadet lounge if you didn't participate in ROTC? I wouldnt know that it existed if I wasnt in ROTC.

INTERVIEW WITH CDT JOHNSON How many times a week would you say you're in the cadet lounge? Like 5 days a week. I come here in between most of my classes. How long are you usually in the lounge at a time? It really just depends on what day it is. Like on Mondays and Wednesdays Im here for like an hour probably, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays probably a little bit more, but thats combined throughout the day. What do you mainly use the cadet lounge for? Eating and watching TV between my classes since I have like 30 minute breaks between them. Does the noise level or amount of traffic affect your uses? Oh definitely not, Im just in here for a few minutes at a time, so people walking in and out doesnt bother me. And plus I never really do anything productive in here, just mainly hang out. What is your ROTC rank and position?

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Im rocking the one dot 2nd lieutenant. Does your rank affect how you act in the cadet lounge? Not really, at least I dont think it does. I just act myself. Do you think the Army ROTC lounge is any different from the Air Force lounge? Um I dont think they have a TV or computers, but I think theirs is a little bigger, but Ive only been in it once. Do you think you would come to the cadet lounge if you didn't participate in ROTC? Oh definitely not, I probably wouldnt step foot in Memorial Hall if I wasnt in ROTC.

OBSERVATION 1 1:30pm. Cadet Bazemore, Johnson and Lewis are all sitting at the computers. Bazemore and Johnson are talking about homework that they have and Lewis is checking out girls on Facebook. Cadet Walker is sitting at the end of the couch with his laptop and his headphones in watching YouTube videos before class. There are a few rucksacks sitting on the floor as you walk in with no names on them and 2 Biology books on the table. Finding Nemo is playing on the TV in the lounge. 1:35 Cadet Eaves walks in and tells everyone hey and sits down on the other couch and starts watching Finding Nemo. CDT Johnson tells Bazemore that he is going to leave and go find CDT Tkach to help them on a question. 1:37 Johnson returns with Tkach trailing behind him and they both walk over to the computers. Tkach grabs the only open computer chair and sits down with Johnson and Bazemore. 1:40 Mr. Stabel, or supply guy, comes in looking for a MS1 cadet. Eaves tells him that he hasnt seen him anywhere and Mr. Stabel leaves. 1:45 COL McGuinnis comes into the room looking for CDT Ktach. Everyone rises to attention as the COL enters the room. Everyone stays at attention until the COL tells us as you were and everyone takes their seats. Ktach leaves the room with the COL and doesnt return. Everyone continues doing what they had been doing before. 1:50 Nine other cadets come into the lounge but dont stay longer than a minute. Those cadets all head across the hall to get ready for class that begins at 1400. 1:55 The remaining cadets in the lounge gather up their things and head to the same class room. Walker closes his computer and carries it, along with his bag, in his hands. Johnson, Bazemore and Lewis all sign off of the computers and gather their things and head over also. 1:56 Bazemore reenters the cadet lounge and goes over to the printer and picks up a stack of papers and exits the lounge.

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OBSERVATION 2 7:05 I enter the cadet lounge and sit next to the door in a computer chair. There are 3 cadets sitting in the cadet lounge, all wearing their Army PT uniforms. Two are sitting on the computers, cadet Wallace and cadet Church, and the other cadet is sitting on the couch, cadet Wyatt. 7:08am Cadet Wyatt grabs his book bag that is sitting next to the couch and leaves the lounge. 7:09 4 cadets come into the lounge and ask if anyone has seen cadet Johnson. Both Wallace and Church say no and the 4 cadets leave. 7:10 Cadet Nylund comes into the lounge and grabs a bag that was sitting on the table and turns around and leaves the lounge. 7:13 Cadet Wyatt returns to the lounge. He is holding the same back pack but has changed into civilian style clothes. 7:15 Cadet Johnson enters the cadet lounge with his bookbag and a pair of shoes in his hands. Cadet Church turns and tells him that cadet Koch and some other guys are looking for him. Cadet Johnson says ok and sets down his bag and shoes on the couch and walks out of the lounge. 7:18 Cadet Wyatt gets up off of the couch and tells us see ya guys and leaves the cadet lounge. 7:20 Cadet Johnson returns with a handful of papers. He sits down on the couch next to his bag and pulls out a binder. He then opens the binder and puts the papers in his binder. He puts his binder back into his bag and then proceeds to change into the other pair of shoes that he has next to him. 7:24 Cadet Church logs off of his computer and grabs his bag and leaves the cadet lounge. 7:29 Cadet Walker and cadet Mina walk into the lounge and sit on the couch. They both get out binders from their bags and get out a few papers and begin talking to each other about math and start writing things down on their papers. 7:34 Cadet Tsujimura enters the lounge with a Bojangles bag and cup. He sits down his food on the coffee table and goes over to the TV to turn it on. He pushes play on the DVD player and sits down on the couch and eats his food. The movie Saving Private Ryan is playing on the TV.

OBSERVATION 3 12:00 I enter the lounge and take a seat on the couch next to the TV. There are 5 cadets in there, 3 on the computers and 2 eating lunch on the other couch. Both cadets are eating Subway. The TV is on and is playing Black Hawk Down. 12:05 Cadet Lambert comes into the lounge and gets on the last computer. 12:06 Cadet Tucker comes in and goes into the fridge and gets out a Gatorade and then leaves.

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12:10 The printer starts printing off papers and cadet Lambert goes over and picks them up and sits back at his computer. 12:12 The two cadets that were eating gather up their trash and throw it away in the trash can sitting between the fridge and the computers. One cadet tried to shoot his trash into the trash can and missed (haha) and got up and picked it up to put it into the trash can. 12:16 Lambert leaves his computer and exits the lounge with his things. 12:19 Black Hawk Down ends and cadet Williams gets up off of the couch and goes over to the DVD player. He thumbs through some of the DVDs and asks if anyone wants to watch Despicable Me and 2 cadets at the computers say yes. Williams then takes the DVD out and puts Despicable Me into the player. 12:22 The movie makes it through the previews and the movie starts. MSG Titus comes into the room and asks for Cadet Newman, and then laughs at us for watching Despicable Me. Newman leaves the room with MSG Titus. 12:26 Newman comes back and is carrying a case of water. He sets it down next to the fridge and opens the fridge door. He then opens the case of water and begins filling one of the doors with water. CDT Tucker comes back in with another case of water and begins helping Newman by handing him the waters and he put them in the fridge. 12:30 Two cadets on the computers start printing out things and then leave the room. Cadet Johnson from interview 2

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Cadet Walker from interview 1. (He doesnt actually have a unicorn head but it shows his tattoo.)