APSU ROTC landing Black Hawks on campus for training
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. 鈥 Seeing UH60 Black Hawk helicopters circling above is not unusual in Clarksville. However, seeing them land at Austin Peay State University鈥檚 campus in Downtown Clarksville is a bit uncommon.
As part of a coordinated effort between Austin Peay鈥檚 Governors Guard ROTC program and the Tennessee National Guard, the APSU ROTC department has arranged to have Black Hawk helicopters land on campus three times over the next several weeks. The training is open for public viewing and media coverage.
The first landing will take place between 7:30-8:30 a.m., on Friday, April 13. The aircraft will land on the Dunn Center front lawn and the University Recreation Intramural Field, located at the corner of Marion Street and Drane Street. APSU ROTC cadets will load onto the aircraft to be transported to Milan, Tennessee, where they will conduct a Joint Field Training Exercise. The cadets will return between 12-1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 15 using the same fields for landing.
鈥淭his is one of the advantages of the University supporting our military community鈥攕upporting the military is part of the culture of Austin Peay,鈥 said Lt. Col. John Montgomery, professor of Military Science.
鈥淭he University has been tremendously supportive of our ROTC program and when you combine that with the support we get from Fort Campbell, and the Tennessee National Guard, it results in us consistently being one of the best programs in the country,鈥 said Montgomery.
Anyone planning to view the landings and training is asked to do so from a safe distance and to not interfere with those involved in the training. Recommended areas for viewing are sidewalks surrounding the perimeter of the Dunn Center lawn, or outside the fence of the Intramural Field.