FORT KNOX, Ky. — Because the early morning solar broke the daybreak, a whole bunch of JROTC cadets moved to their begin positions. Radio crackles might be heard throughout the beginning traces, signaling the competitors was about to start. Nervous faces turned severe. On the command ‘Go!’ cadets broke right into a dash, striving to convey house the gold.
The JROTC Nationwide Raider Problem, hosted by U.S. Military Cadet Command, introduced greater than 5,000 cadets from throughout the nation to Fort Knox Oct. 24-27, 2024, to check their grit and try to convey house the title of Nationwide Raider Champion.
“This is a chance to see America at its most interesting, and these younger folks got here to battle it out and so they wish to win,” mentioned Sgt. Maj of the Military Michael R. Wiemer, the Military’s senior enlisted advisor.
Whereas this was an occasion for highschool college students, it was not for the faint of coronary heart. The competitors featured grueling impediment programs, a 5K run and the notorious one rope bridge amongst different difficult duties. Regardless of how overwhelming this competitors could seem to some, JROTC cadets who’ve been coaching for months fortunately accepted the problem.
“My staff has been coaching since summer time began,” mentioned Cadet Stephanie Quintero-Hernandez from Palmetto Excessive College, Florida. “We knew that we had been coming to nationals, and we wished to win. We’ve been working additional, even through the hurricanes. Nothing stopped us.”
The competitors is split into three divisions – Problem, Masters and All-Service. The Problem division competed on Friday and is corresponding to junior varsity in different highschool sports activities, with groups being made up of youthful or much less skilled cadets. The Masters division competed on Saturday and is the equal of varsity with groups comprised of primarily higher classmen who sometimes have years of raider expertise. Competing alongside the Grasp divisions had been JROTC packages from the Air Power, Navy and Marine Corps who had been slated within the All-Service Division.
As soon as the Masters and All-Service divisions concluded, the highest ending groups nominated two cadets to symbolize their faculty within the Final Raider problem — a three-mile course damaged up into an 800-meter dash, a 14-station impediment course, a 25-meter swim and a 2-mile run. The outcomes from the Final Raider Problem are then mixed with their general scores from Saturday’s occasions to create the ultimate standings for the competitors.
In the course of the remaining awards ceremony, the highest 12 finishers of the Final Raider Problem had been introduced a 4-year Military ROTC scholarship. These scholarships will enable the cadets to proceed their training at their faculty of alternative with an Military ROTC program, offered that they meet the minimal necessities and select to function an officer within the Military.
“It’s occasions like this that present the true colours of those cadets and show that they’re able to be the subsequent technology of leaders for this nation,” mentioned Brig. Gen. Maurice Barnett, commanding normal of U.S. Military Cadet Command. “We noticed some true grit and willpower from the entire opponents as they confronted a fairly powerful course — and they need to be extremely pleased with themselves and their groups.”
Along with the competitors, cadets skilled a pageant like environment all through the weekend. From performances by the Military’s ‘As You Had been’ rock band to demonstrations from premier army models, there was lots to entertain cadets and households. This occasion additionally gave cadets the chance to speak to a number of universities, serving to them determine their paths after highschool.
Competitors Outcomes
Masters Division
Male
1st Place — Leavenworth Excessive College
2nd Place — Adairsville Excessive College
third Place — Etowah Excessive College
Feminine
1st Place — Leavenworth Excessive College
2nd Place — Ozark Excessive College
third Place — Warren County Excessive College
Blended
1st Place — Clarkrange Excessive College
2nd Place — Georgia Army School Prep College
third Place — Smith-Cotton Excessive College
All-Service Division
Males
1st Place — Hendersonville Excessive College
2nd Place — Camdenton Excessive College
third Place — Campbell County Excessive College
Females
1st Place — Reside Oaks Excessive College
2nd Place — Logan County Excessive College
third Place — Smith-Cotton Excessive College
Blended
1st Place — Walker Excessive College
2nd Place — Concordia Lutheran Excessive College
third Place — Rhea County Excessive College
Problem Division
Male
1st Place — George Rogers Clark Excessive College
2nd Place — Manatee Excessive College
third Place — Bluffton Excessive College
Feminine
1st Place — Palmetto Excessive College
2nd Place — Manatee Excessive College
third Place — Claudia Taylor Johnson Excessive College
Blended
1st Place — Newsome Excessive College
2nd Place — Northeast Excessive College
third Place — Kenwood Excessive College
By Ian Ives
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