LSU Cadets to Compete in the 2015 Ranger Challenge

01/23/2015 08:45 AM

BATON ROUGE – Training to be in the military is not for the faint of heart and relies on more than just physical strength; it requires critical and tactical thinking along with mental and physical resilience. To fine-tune these skill sets, LSU ROTC cadets will travel to Camp Blanding, Fla., to compete in the annual Ranger Challenge beginning on Friday, Jan. 23, and ending Sunday, Jan. 25.

The challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, is open to all Army ROTC cadets and will consist of teams made up of 11 cadets. The competition will allow LSU ROTC to see how it compares to other schools in the nation and will provide cadets with the opportunity to learn skills that the average cadet doesn’t, such as making a one-rope bridge or how to pilot a Zodiac.

LSU cadets began prepping for the event in August – holding tryouts to find the best cadets within the Tiger Battalion, 5 a.m. physical training sessions five days a week, methodically working on essential military skills and rehearsing them until they become muscle memory.

In addition to the grueling training the cadets undergo, LSU ROTC also relies on the companionship of Luna, the LSU Army ROTC mascot. The Doberman-Golden Retriever mix has been a part of the ROTC family for 16 months now.

“Luna’s role is to lift motivation and team spirit,” said LSU Department of Military Science Director of Academic Affairs and Student Development and ROTC Programs Housing Liaison Linda Warmsley. “She is a constant companion to the cadets.”  

 
U.S. Army Cadet Command is comprised of eight Brigades, each responsible for a geographical and/or functional area. LSU’s Army ROTC makes up the 6th Brigade, along with Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. To learn more about the Cadet Command, visit www.cadetcommand.army.mil/.

For more information about LSU Army ROTC or the Ranger Challenge, contact Warmsley at lwarms1@lsu.edu or 225-578-2371.  

 

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Tara  Kistler 
LSU Media Relations
225-578-3869
tkistler@lsu.edu

Posted on Friday, January 23, 2015