Des Plaines ROTC cadet runs marathons in full gear
As if the Bataan Memorial Death March — a grueling 26.2-mile journey through the high desert terrain of White Sands, N.M. — wasn't challenging enough, Amberly Glitz opted to carry a 40-pound ruck sack on her petite frame.
Same went for the Boston Marathon, where the Des Plaines native joined soldiers who wore fatigues and hauled the extra weight to raise money and honor a fallen Rhode Island National Guardsman.
In no way is the Providence College ROTC cadet expected to take on these physical feats, but Amberly always has been the first to sign up, recruit others and then smile while testing her limits.
“I love extreme and strenuous exercises,” said the 2008 graduate of Willows Academy in Des Plaines.
Amberly's aptitude for pushing herself, passion for her program and love for her country have helped her develop into one of the nation's most promising future officers.
Out of 5,640 senior cadets nationwide, the 22-year-old ranks 29th based on GPA, performance in a leadership course, physical fitness and other factors.
“She is absolutely incredible and by far the most physically fit cadet we have,” Providence College ROTC enrollment officer Maj. Tucker Shosh said. “She loves what she's doing and does everything willingly and passionately.”
Three years of training culminated last summer when Amberly and thousands of other incoming senior cadets took part in a required 29-day summer Leader Development and Assessment Course in Fort Lewis, Wash.
She finished with the highest overall score on the Army Physical Fitness Test, completing 58 push-ups and 101 sit-ups during two-minute tests and a 2-mile run in 11 minutes and 41 seconds, a personal record.
Army officials were just as impressed by the leadership she showed during tactical battle exercises and days-long stretches in the woods, recognizing her with the Lt. General Sinclair L. Melner Award and giving her the highest possible mark on 12 of 17 “dimensions” such as confidence, communication skills and resiliency.
She also earned the respect of her fellow cadets, earning a 148 score on a peer rating when 100 is average.
“She knocked it out of the park,” Shosh said. “Those scores are practically off the charts.”
Given her family's extensive history in another military branch, Amberly's decision to join the Army ROTC was, to say the least, a surprise.
Her father served as a U.S. Air Force pilot for more than 20 years. Her mother was an Air National Guard flight nurse. Her uncles were in the Air Force, and her identical twin sister soon will graduate from the Air Force Academy.
“It was kind of a jolt to everybody given the service rivalry, but something spoke to me,” said Amberly, a French major and writing minor.
Wanda Glitz said she and husband Robert never encouraged either Amberly or twin Caitlin to join the military. If anything, they shielded their oldest daughters from it.
“We never lived on base except one year and always told them that Daddy wears a uniform to work,” Wanda said. “I wanted my children to grow up like normal kids.”
Then Robert retired 10 years ago and the family moved to Des Plaines, where the girls grew close to their grandparents and heard story upon story about how they met while serving in World War II, and how proud they were of their three sons' service.
Amberly wrote to soldiers, helped start a color guard at Willows Academy and collected stuffed animals for military personnel to distribute to Iraqi children. She still crochets red, white and blue blankets.
She also oozes patriotism on every birthday, which naturally is July 4.
“They began to develop a love and appreciation for the military that we had never really infused in them,” Wanda said.
Still, the Glitzes thought their twin daughters were simply going through a phase, just like their earlier dreams of moving to Hollywood or raising sheep in Australia.
But neither could be swayed come college application time.
Though Amberly's decision to break with recent family Air Force tradition at first proved a bitter pill to swallow, her parents understood her reasoning. Amberly wants to be a medevac helicopter pilot and the Air Force maintains more planes.
The Air Force does fly a medical evacuation helicopter, but Amberly said her chances of flying are better in the Army. The biggest difference between the two is that the Army still flies unarmed with a red cross.
“It's a controversial tactic because it's how it was when we were fighting a more conventional enemy,” Amberly said. “You definitely need to like the adrenaline rush.”
Despite zero flying experience, she's guaranteed placement in the Medical Service Corps since the top 10 percent of ROTC cadets get their desired branch specialty like infantry, combat arms and aviation.
After graduation, she'll go to Fort Sam Houston in Texas for an officer leaders course and apply to flight school. If accepted, she'll spend about a year training and commit to serving at least another three or four years.
The only obstacle Shosh foresees is making sure Amberly can physically reach all the aircraft controls.
“She's tiny (about 5-foot-2), so she'll have to work through some physical issues,” he said. “But assuming that works out there's no doubt in my mind she'll make it and excel.”
Amberly said she knows the chances are high of her being deployed, a reality she accepted long ago.
“It's foolish and naive to think you wouldn't go, but if you're looking to serve your country, this would be a better time to do it instead of peacetime,” Amberly said.
In the meantime, she enjoys training with her battalion and signing up for any and all additional opportunities, be it the Ranger Challenge Team, working in the ROTC office, taking specialized skills courses on room clearance and hand grenade assault, or traveling to Ghana for a three-week language study program.
As for her parents, they're thankful Amberly has found something she loves.
“You just put her in God's hands at a certain point,” Wanda said. “She's doing what she feels called to do and she's doing it well. That's all you can hope for.”
Ÿ Kimberly Pohl wrote today's column. She and Elena Ferrarin always are looking for Suburban Standouts to profile. If you know of someone whose story just wows you, please send a note including name, town, email and phone contacts for you and the nominee to standouts@dailyherald.com or call our Standouts hotline at (847) 608-2733.
Amberly Glitz
Age: 22
Hometown: Des Plaines
School: Providence College
Who inspires you? My mom. She has always given 100 percent to whatever she commits to.
What's on your iPod? Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, Young Dubliners
What book are you reading? “On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and Peace,” by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman with Loren Christensen
The three words that best describe you? Outgoing, Motivated, Cheerful