jstafford3 – Page 16 – EWU Army ROTC

“Fighting Eagles” Cadets Complete Final Land Navigation Lab of the Fall Quarter

11/01/2019 by jstafford3

By: Cadet Austin Bristow

On October 31st, the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” battalion conducted its third and final land navigation course for preparation for the upcoming Expert Fighting Eagle Badge test. The land navigation course was meant to be significantly more difficult than past lessons so leadership could assess the Cadets land navigation skills. In order to make the course more difficult, Cadets were encouraged to work alone so they could see where they are truly at. The course also had points significantly farther apart from one another so Cadets were forced to put more thought into planning a route.

Cadets were truly put to the test. Many Cadets were seen using various land navigation fundamentals to change their route to the next point or just making sure they are at the point in accordance to the map. When asked about how the course was compared to previous ones, Cadet Caleb Bullard said, “This one was a real challenge, it felt more like a test rather than a lesson.” Bullard also said, “I had a rough time, but was happy to see what I needed to work on.”

When the land navigation course ended a contracting ceremony was held for Cadet Crystal Cruz. By contracting, Cadet Cruz after graduation will commission as Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. As a contracted Cadet, she will also receive a $420 a month stipend and a $5,000 bonus for completing ROTC Basic Camp this past summer. We are so excited for Cadet Cruz and her future in the United States Army!

Cruz contracting — Cadet Crystal Cruz contracts into the U.S. Army. Retired Army Major, Rob Riedel gives the Oath of Enlistment to Cadet Cruz.

Go Fighting Eags!

Throwback Thursday: 1989 EWU Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Team

10/31/2019 by jstafford3

This picture is of the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army ROTC Ranger Challenge team conducting what appears to be the ruck march event back in 1989. Does anyone from the 1989 graduating class remember where the competition was held and how the team did at Ranger Challenge that year?

EWU Army ROTC Conducts Weapons Familiarization Training During Quarterly Shooting Range

10/22/2019 by jstafford3

By: Cadet Austin Bristow

On October 17th, Eastern Washington University (EWU) Fighting Eagles Battalion traveled out of the local city of Cheney, Washington and executed its Fall weapons range at the Department of Corrections Range located in Medical Lake. The Cadet officer in charge, Cheyenne Sweet (MS-IV), organized the range and executed it with the assistance of other MS-IV Cadets.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3wr778h_eW/

The training objective for the range was to familiarize the Cadets with the various weapons systems that the military uses, the M4, M249, and the new M17 pistol. For some of the new Cadets, this was the first weapons training they had ever received. Cadet Edgar Acosta, a brand new Cadet to the Fighting Eagles battalion, said, “I had always wanted to shoot a firearm, and was happy to get the chance to shoot a couple different firearms back to back.” This viewpoint was equally shared with fellow Cadet Olivia Richied, who said, “my favorite firearm to shoot was the machine gun, the M249!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3x40QGBGHp/

Training on weapons safety and marksmanship is one of the key skills that Cadets learn within the EWU Army ROTC program. After all the Cadets completed their weapons familiarization training, the Cadets then used the additional ammunition available to test their shooting skills in a friendly marksmanship competition. The Cadets fired at targets in different positions to challenge their marksmanship skills.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3xN3-ihQy5/

The weapons range was an outstanding training event that properly trained the Cadets on how to safely handle weapons and practice their marksmanship skills. More pictures from the range can be seen below.

Go Fighting Eags!

Cadet Jacob Villasenor (MS-IV) briefs Cadets on weapons safety on the M17 pistol range.

Cadet Pietrina Coe engages targets on the M17 pistol range.

Cadet Elizabeth McGuire engages targets on the M17 pistol range.

Cadet Caleb Bullard engages targets on the M17 pistol range.

Cadet Giovanni Beegan engages targets on the M17 pistol range.

Cadets conduct weapons assembly and disassembly training.

EWU Army ROTC Cadets conduct M4 rifle familiarization training.

Ranger Challenge 2019 (Taskforce East) Day #2 Events

10/21/2019 by jstafford3

Day #2 Events (Oct. 26th)

(Click here to go back to Scoreboard)

Event #5 – Land Navigation

Task: After post air-movement consolidation, each team will receive all 42 coordinates. Teams will decide how to divide the points amongst the members.

Condition: Teams must return within the allotted time/ with all key equipment.

Standards: Teams have two hours to collect as many points as possible. Teams with any members arriving late will have their scores penalized by 25% for every 5 minutes.

The picture shows part of the thickly forested terrain that composes Camp Seven Mile.

Event #6 – Hand Grenade Assault Course

Task: As a squad, receive a mission and move along a prescribed azimuth to take out three dismounted targets and an enemy bunker utilizing hand grenades.

Condition: Given 6 hand grenade simulators.

Standards: Cadets will move and engage targets with grenades as a squads. Squads will high crawl from a marked location to a marked throwing location. Thrown grenades that land within an engineer taped circle or around the target will be considered ‘hits’. For the bunker, the grenade must land inside the structure to be considered a ‘hit’.

Event #7 – Mystery Event

Cadets will find out what this event is when they arrive to the station.

Event #8 – Grinder / TCCC

Task: Assess a casualty, move squad with simulated casualty from the start point, up hill 1800 to end point via the route described. Once at end point, the team will provide the grader with a 9-line call for medevac.

Condition: Teams are given the option to carry either 1 200+ lb. ‘rescue randy’ with their entire squad, or they can carry a random (picked from a hat) member of their squad.

Standards: Cadets negotiate the route described while carrying the dummy or squad member via poled litter or SKEDCO. Cadets may take breaks, but may not remove the casualty from litter. Once complete, the team will provide a 9-line call for medevac in the proper format.

Event #9 – HMMWV Push

Task: As a team, load a HMMWV with the prescribed equipment, man all seats, and push the vehicle from the start point to the endpoint.

Condition: Given a M1151 HMMWV and assorted gear.

Standards: Teams will load the HMMWV with the prescribed equipment, occupy 4 seats within the vehicle, and push the vehicle 200m. At 100m, they will stop and teams will exchange all 4 seats before continuing to the endpoint.

LZ at Seven Mile — This is where the HMMWV Push event will be executed.

Event #10 –Road March

Ranger Challenge 12K Road March: 8thBrigade conducts 12K Road March VIC Camp 7 Mile IOT score Battalions on physical fitness within the Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition.

Throwback Thursday: 1968 Picture of the EWU Army ROTC Jeep

10/17/2019 by jstafford3

This is a picture from the 1968 Kinnikinik Yearbook published by then Eastern Washington State College of the Army ROTC Jeep. Eastern’s mascot back then was the Savages and thus the Jeep was named “Lil Savage”. Today the university’s mascot is the Eagles and thus the ROTC Jeep is named “Lil Eag”. After all these decades the ROTC Jeep is still up and running and can be seen at every home football game next to the Cannon Crew.

We encourage any of our EWU Army ROTC alumni and friends to stop by and see “Lil Eag” and our historic World War II howitzer when attending home football games. We hope to see you there! Go Eags!

Eastern Washington University ROTC Cadet Awarded the Prestigious Legion of Valor Bronze Cross

10/17/2019 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program is pleased to announce that Chad Triplett has been awarded the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement in recognition of being the top Cadet in the western United States.

Chad Triplett, a Cadet in the Eastern Washington University Army ROTC program was awarded the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross.

The Legion of Valor traces its roots back to 1890 when veterans created an organization to promote patriotism, belief in the U.S. Constitution, and support of civil liberties. Members of the Legion of Valor are all recipients of the nation’s highest military awards for heroism, the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Air Force Cross.

The Legion of Valor began awarding the Bronze Cross in 1961 to top Army ROTC Cadets across the country. The recognition expanded to include Air Force ROTC Cadets in 1962, and Naval Cadets in 1975. Cadets selected for the award go through a competitive nomination process through their ROTC Brigades where they must have dem0nstrated academic excellence, outstanding leadership potential, and a high degree of physical fitness. The Legion of Valor then selects its winners of the Bronze Cross for Achievement from the brigade nominations. Only 1 in 4,000 Cadets across the country receive this award. Cadet Triplett this year was selected as the Legion of Valor’s top Cadet in the 8th ROTC Brigade that covers the western part of the United States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam.

Chad is a Criminal Justice major who is on pace to graduate with honors, scored a perfect 300 on his Army Physical Fitness Test, is part of the university’s Ranger Challenge team, was awarded a Gold German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, and is active in volunteer activities in the community. This past summer he completed ROTC Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky with the highest rating of “outstanding” and graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He has also been recognized as one of this year’s Chertok Scholars from the College of Social Sciences. Finally, Triplett is the current Cadet Commanding Officer for the EWU Army ROTC “Fighting Eagles” ROTC Battalion.

The last known Eastern ROTC Cadet to win the annual Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement award was Richard Ator who graduated from EWU in 1962. Cadet Triplett after graduating later this year from Eastern will commission in the rank of Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Congratulations to Cadet Triplett for this prestigious accomplishment.