Annex 'Amused' Over Plan For Women's ROTC Unit

A supercilious sneer from most 'Cliffies greeted yesterday's announcement of a future AFROTC unit for women here. "Maybe at some gym teachers' school" was the typical response to the idea of uniforms and weekly drill for the girls on the Quad.

The Commandant of the National AFROTC program, Brigadier General Turner C. Rodgers, announced yesterday that "in the near future" AFROTC units will be established at all coeducational Universities with AFROTC units for men. At present ten universities have trial units for women in which the coeds take two hours of basic training per week including both drill and classwork, receive reserve pay and attend summer training camp. They must qualify for and join the Air Force Reserve in order to graduate with a commission.

At the University of Maryland, one of the schools with a trial unit, only two girls are at present participating in the program although Colonel Kendig, professor of Air Sciences and Tactics, hopes that with increased publicity, the unit will soon expand.

"The whole idea sounds like a complete farce to me," was another comment. Since a girl must enter the units as a freshman she must already have her life regimented to a degree rare among the typical first year student. She must have determined on an unmarried existence before entering college, and un-usual decision for even the Radcliffe-bound 18-year old.

In general most girls felt that the number of girls interested in the program would be almost negligible although as one commented "it might be better than gym."