JUNIOR CADET LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE 2017 - 2018
17 cadets from the Rockcastle County Rocket Battalion participated in the annual Junior Cadet Leadership Challenge at the Bluegrass Army Depot from May the 26th through the 30th. JCLC is an event that tests every cadets’ mental and physical strength in the form of physical challenges along with obstacles crafted to test and train cadets’ leadership abilities with little to no preparation in the field.
On the first day, cadets are rushed into a formation with their school and assigned to their respective companies. They are then solely responsible for finding and preparing their bunk and locker to a set standard fit for an inspection.
Throughout the four day event, cadets must participate in various physical activities and challenges, with most also testing each cadets’ ability to lead their squad or work together to overcome obstacles. Events like an Army PT test, a swim test, and the ropes courses at the EKU campus are some of the highlights of what each cadet must complete in order to get the coveted silver musket award on the last day.
One event in particular, the EKU “low ropes” course, is built specifically to test the camaraderie between every cadet in a squad by utilizing difficult and small obstacles that require groups to work together in order to successfully complete them. Each course also offers penalties for hints on how to complete it that carry over to future obstacles, relying on the squad to decide if the penalty is worth the payout. The last event of that day is the EKU “high ropes” course. Suspended by wires four stories (or approx. 45 feet) in the air, randomly assigned groups of four cadets must complete two sets of obstacles that rely directly upon each cadet being able to physically support each other in order to get across. At the end of the course, each cadet is given the option to either zip-line 75 feet across a nearby river to the other side, or drop down 45 feet in a large swing.
Every day at the camp tested the cadets mentally. Each day, the upper company and platoon leadership was randomly switched to a new cadet. Cadets called to command did not originally know that they were commanding that day, and must be able to quickly assume and switch command with their previous leader and command to the best of their ability that day, with the performance of the company and / or platoon at stake. This forces cadets to quickly think and make rational decisions for the best of their subordinates, with the punishment of bad commanding being the detrimental performance of their subordinates.
On the last day, cadets who successfully completed every event of the leadership camp received the much-coveted “silver musket” (and the silver musket with stars for recurring visits), along with any event-specific awards as well. Cadet Paige Fowler received the award for second place on the battalion leadership board, Cadet Andrew Didelot was evaluated by his peers and received first place in squad leadership for Bravo company, Cadets Hunter Medley and Eli Price got first place in the battalion rope bridge competition whilst Cadets Cager Doan and Chris McCoy placed third, Cadet Sarah Pride received the commendation ribbon for her selfless volunteering and participation in various support events, and Cadet Chanler Cole placed third place in the results of the Army PT test on the second day out of Bravo company. Congratulations to all the cadets who participated in this year’s event!
On the first day, cadets are rushed into a formation with their school and assigned to their respective companies. They are then solely responsible for finding and preparing their bunk and locker to a set standard fit for an inspection.
Throughout the four day event, cadets must participate in various physical activities and challenges, with most also testing each cadets’ ability to lead their squad or work together to overcome obstacles. Events like an Army PT test, a swim test, and the ropes courses at the EKU campus are some of the highlights of what each cadet must complete in order to get the coveted silver musket award on the last day.
One event in particular, the EKU “low ropes” course, is built specifically to test the camaraderie between every cadet in a squad by utilizing difficult and small obstacles that require groups to work together in order to successfully complete them. Each course also offers penalties for hints on how to complete it that carry over to future obstacles, relying on the squad to decide if the penalty is worth the payout. The last event of that day is the EKU “high ropes” course. Suspended by wires four stories (or approx. 45 feet) in the air, randomly assigned groups of four cadets must complete two sets of obstacles that rely directly upon each cadet being able to physically support each other in order to get across. At the end of the course, each cadet is given the option to either zip-line 75 feet across a nearby river to the other side, or drop down 45 feet in a large swing.
Every day at the camp tested the cadets mentally. Each day, the upper company and platoon leadership was randomly switched to a new cadet. Cadets called to command did not originally know that they were commanding that day, and must be able to quickly assume and switch command with their previous leader and command to the best of their ability that day, with the performance of the company and / or platoon at stake. This forces cadets to quickly think and make rational decisions for the best of their subordinates, with the punishment of bad commanding being the detrimental performance of their subordinates.
On the last day, cadets who successfully completed every event of the leadership camp received the much-coveted “silver musket” (and the silver musket with stars for recurring visits), along with any event-specific awards as well. Cadet Paige Fowler received the award for second place on the battalion leadership board, Cadet Andrew Didelot was evaluated by his peers and received first place in squad leadership for Bravo company, Cadets Hunter Medley and Eli Price got first place in the battalion rope bridge competition whilst Cadets Cager Doan and Chris McCoy placed third, Cadet Sarah Pride received the commendation ribbon for her selfless volunteering and participation in various support events, and Cadet Chanler Cole placed third place in the results of the Army PT test on the second day out of Bravo company. Congratulations to all the cadets who participated in this year’s event!