Leadership Labs – EWU Army ROTC

Cadets Train on Tactical Combat Casualty Care Skills During Leadership Lab

01/31/202101/29/2021 by jstafford3

On January 21st, 2021 Eastern Washington University (EWU) Fighting Eagles Battalion Cadets conducted Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) training. TC3 was created by the U.S. Department of Defense in order to teach soldiers life-saving techniques and strategies to be used on the battlefield or wherever necessary. Cadets will need to be proficient with these techniques when they become commissioned officers leading soldiers.

Fighting Eagles Cadets stand in formation as they prepare for the start of Leadership Lab.

Cadet reacts to contact during TC3 training.

During the lab Cadets were first attacked by an opposing force (OPFOR) enemy. This forced to Cadets to practice their react to contact battle drills. The steps included returning fire, getting to cover and shouting the distance, direction and description of the enemy (three D’s). After the attack the Cadets then had to demonstrate the TC3 skills they learned to administer first aid to themselves or their buddy.

Cadets Chapple (left) and Kuhnel (right) evaluate a casualty.

As the winter quarter progresses, the Cadets will learn more squad level skills such as special teams, clearing objectives, handling of enemy prisoners of war, and performing aid and litter. All the skills learned during this quarter’s leadership labs will culminate in our Winter Field Training Exercise (FTX) in March.

Note: More pictures can be seen and downloaded from the leadership lab by going to our EWU Army ROTC Flickr page.

Go ROTC! Go Eags!

Fighting Eagles Cadets Begin 2021 Winter Quarter with ACFT and Leadership Lab

01/11/2021 by jstafford3

It was an auspicious start to the 2021 Winter Quarter with some nice sunrises seen over the campus of Eastern Washington University.

The view over the Communications Building and southern Cheney.

ACFT

Before Cadets from the EWU Army ROTC “Fighting Eagles” battalion could see any sunrise, they had to get up early to take the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). The ACFT was held under the bright lights shining on the Inferno at Roos Field. It is always a great experience for the Cadets to do physical training on the famous red turf of Eastern’s home football field.

Cadets conduct the hand release pushup event on the Inferno at Roos Field.

The ACFT is supposed to become the test of record for the U.S. Army within the next two years. The ACFT assesses Soldiers on six events:

Deadlift
Power Throw
Hand Release Pushups
Sprint-Drag-Carry
Leg Tuck
2-Mile Run

Unlike the prior Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), the ACFT is both age and gender neutral for scoring. Scoring instead of age and gender will be based on a Soldier’s job. Non-combat MOS’s have the lowest minimum standards while Combat Arms have the highest standards. EWU Army ROTC conducts ACFT testing every quarter to ensure Cadets can continue to assess their progress at improving in each event of this new test.

Leadership Lab

During the weekly leadership lab held each Thursday, the Fighting Eagles Cadets conducted a welcome back lab. During the lab the Cadets conducted icebreaker events to welcome new Cadets into the program. .

Cadet Olivia Roble conducts icebreakers with her squad to welcome new Cadets.

After conducting these icebreakers they then conducted a review or upcoming training events and some initial skills training with the new Cadets.

Cadets conduct initial movement skills training.

After the lab the new Cadets began their process of receiving their initial entry gear from the Cadet Hall supply room. It was great to see a high number of new Cadets at lab and we hope they all have a great experience in ROTC. You can view more pictures from the lab on our EWU Army ROTC Flickr page.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Leadership Lab Trains Fighting Eagles Cadets on Ambush, Recon & Break Contact Drills

02/23/2020 by jstafford3

By: Cadet Marcos Sanchez

On the 21st of February 2020, Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) Cadets traveled to training site “Waterworks” to conduct the seventh lab of the Winter quarter. The purpose of this lab was to have the Cadets demonstrate their ability to execute Ambush, Recon and Break Contact to standard in order to prepare them for the upcoming winter Field Training Exercise (FTX).

EWU Army ROTC Cadets patrol through the wooded terrain of the Waterworks property adjacent to the city of Cheney.

Cadet Chad Triplett was the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the lab and he went about executing this by splitting the two platoons into two separate Area of Operations (AO), which had four objectives in each. At each objective there was a different task that needed to be complete; the Ambush, Recon, Break Contact and Setting up an Objective Rally Point or ORP. The MSIII Cadets were then graded on their ability to do these to standard based on the Ranger Handbook.

EWU Army ROTC Cadet, Thomas Luce participates in Leadership Lab training.

The MSIII Class, which is comprised of Junior level students, will be attending the Cadet Summer Training (CST) within the next 6-7 months so it is crucial that they get the most realistic training as possible. In order to accomplish this, OIC Triplett had them perform land navigation from one objective point to the next. This is something that will be done at CST so building confidence now helps them tremendously. Another, method which was used was to have the Cadets set up a proper ORP and conduct a leader’s recon. Two things that will be tested repeatedly at Advanced Camp during CST.

MS-III Cadet, Emma LaTour prepares a brief for her squad during Leadership Lab training.

This lab was also conducted at the Waterworks which is where the Winter FTX will take place. As the MSII’s and MSIII’s have been in this area in years pasts, this helps the MSI class become more familiar with the area because they have only seen this AO a handful of times. Cadets will continue to work in this AO for the remainder of the quarter in order to get used to wooded terrain similar to what they will experience during CST at Ft. Knox, Kentucky this summer.

Note: You can see more pictures from the training below and at this link.

Eagle Strong! Go Fighting Eags!