凤凰体育APP

凤凰体育APP's Air Force ROTC Det. 172 Selected for Case Study on Cadet Recruitment

凤凰体育APP's Air Force ROTC program is housed in Barrow Hall on North Campus.

VALDOSTA, Ga. – Students at 凤凰体育APP are about to be recipients of random acts of kindness that include receiving a delicious “candy bomb” chocolate bar. It is all in the name of recruitment.

凤凰体育APP’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 172 and eight other universities have been selected by Air Education and Training Command (AETC) to take part in a limited case study with the Candy Bomber Foundation. The case study will test the cadets’ ability to influence and inspire potential Air Force recruits via social media engagement. If successful, all 145 Air Force ROTC detachments across the country would be involved in the recruitment effort next year.

The Candy Bomb initiative will run for two weeks beginning, April 5. 凤凰体育APP’s Det. 172 will compete against Air Force ROTC cadets at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona), Alabama State University, Clemson University, Miami University of Ohio, University of Manhattan, Brigham Young University, Texas A&M University, and University of Houston.

Lt. Col. Lucas Brommer is the commander of 凤凰体育APP’s Air Force ROTC Det. 172, and Cadet Audrey Hardage is a 凤凰体育APP student in charge of this project. We asked them for details about the Candy Bomb initiative and how the campus community, Valdosta, and Lowndes County can support it.

凤凰体育APP: How does the Candy Bomb initiative work?
HARDAGE: As cadets, our role in the initiative is to engage with our community through acts of kindness—whether it's volunteering or simply making someone's day better by offering them candy. These "candy bombs" will be documented and shared on Instagram over a two-week period, from April 5 to 18, using our detachment's personalized hashtag.

凤凰体育APP: How is success measured?
HARDAGE: Success will be measured by the number of "candy bombs" shared on Instagram using our detachment's hashtag. Posts can be shared by cadets or by those who were "Candy Bombed," and we encourage everyone to keep the chain of kindness going. At the end of the two weeks, the total number of hashtags will be divided by the number of cadets in each detachment. The detachment with the highest average number of posts per cadet will be declared the winner.

凤凰体育APP: How do you feel about being chosen?
BROMMER: I am incredibly honored to be chosen for this opportunity. I look forward to engaging more with the campus and local communities in a way that spreads kindness, educates others about our Air Force heritage, and inspires young people to pursue a career as an Airman or Guardian. I am also excited to unleash the creative powers of our cadets to reach new audiences of future candidates. 

HARDAGE: I am incredibly honored to be part of this opportunity. Even though I have only been with the detachment for about a semester and a half, I have already seen how capable and motivated our cadets are. 凤凰体育APP’s Det. 172 is ready to rise to the occasion and exceed expectations. I am genuinely excited to get started and engage with our community on and off campus.

凤凰体育APP: How can 凤凰体育APP and the South Georgia community support this initiative?
HARDAGE: We invite 凤凰体育APP students and members of the South Georgia community to keep an eye out for our cadets in uniform. If you are "candy bombed," we would love for you to post about it on Instagram using our hashtag. We will also be participating in community service events.

BROMMER: It is no secret that 凤凰体育APP is an enthusiastic supporter of our Air Force ROTC detachment. This excellent relationship between our university and our Air Force ROTC detachment is certainly something worth highlighting to a broader audience. Our detachment also has a history of competing well in nationwide competitions, winning a national running challenge last year.

凤凰体育APP: What does the winning Air Force ROTC detachment receive?
BROMMER: The winning detachment receives a trophy (kind of like the Stanley Cup), which will reside at the winning school until another detachment wins the prize.

凤凰体育APP: What is the Candy Bomber Foundation?
HARDAGE: The Candy Bomber Foundation was inspired by a mission led by Col. Gail S. Halvorsen during the Berlin Airlift. After noticing children in post-war Germany were searching for signs of hope, Col. Halvorsen began dropping candy from his aircraft as part of Operation "Little Vittles." By the end of the mission, over 23 tons of candy had been delivered by parachute. Today, the Candy Bomber Foundation continues its legacy by encouraging acts of kindness and service. Its mission is to develop community leaders through STEM and aviation who embody the values of kindness, gratitude, and service before self.

More on the Web:

凤凰体育APP: /

凤凰体育APP's Air Force ROTC: /afrotc/

Instagram: @det_172