Alumni Stories

Growing up in a military family, 2d Lt John Splitter always strived to join the military. Upon completing his first year of community college in Michigan, he transferred to Indiana University to join Air Force ROTC. 2d Lt John Splitter joined Air Force ROTC as a 250, and he initially wanted to go into Security Forces. However, space was always in the back of his mind. When the Space Force was stood up, he could not pass up on the opportunity to be among the first to serve in the United States Space Force and continue to pursue his fascination with space. Both he and his wife 2d Lt Kyndelin Splitter were given the chance to join the Space Force upon commissioning. They were the first 2d Lt’s to commission out of Indiana University to join into the Space Force. Now, they serve join-spouse at Vandenberg Space Force Base where they are going through training to become Space Operators.

The minute she walked into her 250 year at Air Force ROTC, 2d Lt Kyndelin Splitter knew she wanted to be involved with Space. When the Space Force was officially stood up in December 2019, she knew that’s where she was meant to be. Alongside her husband, 2d Lt John Splitter, they both graduated and became the first two Space Force commissionees from IU Air Force ROTC. Today, Splitter and her husband are stationed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA where they are currently attending Officer Undergrad Space Training (OUST). Upon graduation, they have hopes of entering the Space Power Discipline of Orbital Warfare. Semper Supra!

Captain Dan Brown already had two and a half years of experience in the Air Force before stepping foot on the IU campus. Even though this gave him a leg up in Air Force ROTC, Brown realized he had much to gain personally from the campus environment. “IU is a huge melting pot of different cultures and people. Meeting people from all over the world created an amazing foundation for me to work with others,” Brown says. This benefited Brown greatly when he was responsible for nearly 70 people right after commissioning. And within six months, he was in charge of a flight of 120 people. He says, “The foundation I got at IU and at Air Force ROTC enabled me to be the leader I am today. I love being a positive externality on others’ lives.”

The day after Captain Kayla Foster graduated from IU, she drove across the country to begin flight school. Two years later, Foster was a mission-ready fighter pilot. “My job is challenging and exciting every day. There is always a goal to achieve and something to be striving for. Your training and your mission is not trivial, and you have the opportunity to make an incredible difference in people’s lives,” she says. Foster credits her IU education and Air Force ROTC training for preparing her for a fulfilling career. “IU provided me with the degree I needed to both pursue my dream job as well as set myself up for success in the future after the Air Force,” she says. “To this day I look back with nothing but extreme fondness for my alma mater and my time spent there.”

Captain Daniel Sloat always wanted to fly. He came to IU with his sights set on becoming a pilot, but after two years in Air Force ROTC, Sloat made a tough decision—to turn down a pilot offer. However, this choice opened up more doors. During six years of service as Air Battle Manager, Sloat deployed three times, earned a master’s in economics, and still fulfilled his dream by becoming a private pilot. Today, as a second year law student, Sloat continues to call on his Air Force skills. He says, “The leadership training I received in Air Force ROTC has been highly applicable to my further education, and it will bolster my career as a lawyer. I believe clients will recognize the value of my military experience and extend their trust that much more easily.”