Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is an organization that demands good physical health, a readiness to succeed and intensive training. Before COVID-19, cadets had access to the Texas Athletics Nutrition Center (TANC) to understand their nutritional needs and how to obtain them with the guidance of nutritionists. However, as UT moves to a post-COVID-19 campus, this access has not been renewed by Texas Athletics. 

Texas Athletics should allow ROTC cadets access to the TANC, just like before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Without this access, cadets have few affordable options to understand their personal nutritional needs due to the expense of hiring a nutritionist. Growing up, I was not taught a lot about nutrition, beside the general statement to “Eat all five food groups.” When I joined Army ROTC, I tried to learn how to eat healthy. However there was a lot of contradicting and confusing information. Therefore, input from a nutritionist would have been extremely helpful to aid in my ROTC career. 

Many ROTC cadets struggle with food insecurity, unhealthy diets and nutritional knowledge, which is why research shows that with a better understanding of nutrition, cadets are able to become better military leaders. 

Lt. Col. Timothy Jones, department chair and professor of Army ROTC, has been in discussion with Texas Athletics to allow cadets back into the TANC in order to better prepare cadets for military leadership. 

“As strenuous as our (ROTC) curriculum is, we have minimal opportunities to give you that expertise from a nutrition perspective,” Lt. Col. Jones said. “So having that partnership with the TANC can give you that knowledge and then hammer it home.” 

Lt. Col. Jones also noted that in the military, soldiers have ready access to nutrition centers on military bases that benefit their training. However, UT ROTC cadets lack this access when they are treated similarly to soldiers in the military area. 

Also, with the adjustment to college, many cadets are eating less nutritious food out of convenience. 

McAnthony Everest, neuroscience sophomore and Army ROTC cadet says that he never struggled with his nutrition until arriving on campus. 

“I usually don’t (struggle with my nutrition). In high school, it was a lot easier because of my parents,” Everest said. “Although I know how to make my own food … it takes a toll on you doing that, so it makes it hard as a student as well, with our busy schedule as ROTC cadets.” 

According to Lt. Col. Jones, he and Texas Athletics have been in conversation to allow the TANC to be reopened to cadets. However, when asked about the timeline related to this change, John Bianco, senior associate athletics director for communications, said that the TANC will not be reopened.

“The Texas Athletics Nutrition Center is no longer available to the public. Going forward it will only be utilized to feed our student-athletes and for occasional athletics department staff meals,” Bianco said in an email.

This change is a disservice to UT ROTC cadets. While it may seem understandable that the TANC is reserved for athletes, cadets train just as much as the athletes who are granted access. 

ROTC cadets should have renewed access to the TANC in order to receive the nutritional resources they need to prepare for military leadership. As UT moves toward a post-COVID-19 campus, the access should be returned to cadets.

DuBois is a public relations and sociology sophomore from Killeen, Texas.