A team of five cadets representing Fox Valley Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Battalion and UW Oshkosh showed its strength in a test of individual and team skills in the Northern Warfare Challenge Feb. 24-25 at Fort McCoy.
“Overall, our cadets placed 22nd out of 51 teams and proudly represented the Fox Valley ROTC Battalion,” said Capt. Andrew Scholl, assistant professor of military science.
Organizers say the competition is designed to test the limits as cadets compete in physical challenges and soldiering skills.
ROTC is a program with curriculum focused on leadership skills and professional knowledge subjects of the U.S. Army. They include team-building, time management, leadership, physical fitness, land navigation and weapons training. The ROTC program provides college-trained officers for active duty Army, U.S. Army Reserve and the Army National Guard. Upon graduation, cadets earn their commission as 2nd lieutenants in the U.S. Army.
Fox Valley ROTC Battalion was represented by cadets Mike Conway of Slinger, UWO sophomore majoring in business administration; and Emily Rivero of Lake Forest, Illinois, sophomore majoring in psychology; and three cadets who attend Ripon College: Nathan Crenshaw, Jacob Lange and Mitchell Lipinski.
All cadets participated in the following events:
- Knots Test- Requiring each cadet to successfully tie seven knots within a given time standard.
- Fire-Making-Teams given 10 minutes to build a fire using only an Army-issued flashlight, steel wool and sticks or foliage found in the surrounding area.
- Evaluate a Hypothermic Casualty-Successfully evaluate, treat and evacuate a simulated casualty experiencing hypothermic injuries.
- Basic Rifle Marksmanship-Cadets qualify with their individual weapon system, with 23/40 rounds on target
- Ruck March-Complete a 16.7-mile ruck march through snow-covered back woods of Wisconsin, from Fort McCoy to La Crosse, with 35-pound rucksacks on their backs.
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