Army ROTC cadets develop leadership skills at Field Training Exercise
Trevis Matheus
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: Diversions
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Every year, ERAU Army ROTC cadets participate in two Field Training Exercises, one in the fall that takes place at ERAU and one in the spring that takes place at camp Navajo near Flagstaff. The FTX introduces first and second year cadets to leadership positions and helps solidify third and fourth year students positions as future leaders in the United States Army.
The overall purpose of the FTX was to "get as much leadership training as we could safely fit into one weekend," said ERAU Army ROTC Officer in Charge, Maj. William J. Brooks.
One hundred and thirty seven ERAU and Northern Arizona University cadets started at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov 2, by reporting with all their gear to the eagle gym. The cadets marched from the gym to Pioneer Park approximately half a mile northwest of the campus.
The first task of the FTX was the Land Navigation Course, known more commonly as LandNav. In the LandNav, cadets had to use maps and compasses to find the points of the co-ordinates given to them. Cadets split into groups of three, one second year and two first years to find the points. Second year, cadets instructed the first year cadets on how to plot points, determine distances, and plot azimuths or the degree that had to be followed to the next point. Points were marked by signs with numbers and letters on them.
Finding the points was no easy task because "you have to be accurate so it's going to be a challenge," said Cadet Cody Kaufman.
The cadets did one land navigation exercise during the day on Friday and one at night on Friday and Saturday. During land navigation on Saturday night, third year cadets had to find the points on their own without the help of anyone else. Third year cadets were training for Warrior Forge, a month long camp where cadets are trained and tested to become officers.
After the land navigation on Saturday, cadets participated in the Field Leadership Reaction Course. The FLRC is a series of obstacles that must be completed as a squad. Scenarios consisted of navigating over minefields, through nets, over walls and across platforms. FLRCs help cadets grasp the concepts of the chain of command, organization of a team, teamwork, creative thinking and problem solving.
"FLRCS are a riddle, we have to use creative problem solving to get it done," said Major Brooks.
After the FLRCs and night land navigation, the cadets split into patrols and set up patrol bases in which to sleep. A patrol base, or PB, consists of cadets lying prone around the perimeter of a triangle facing out to provide security for the patrol while only a few members sleep at a time. The cadets slept on thin pads in sleeping bags with predicted overnight lows of approximately 33 degrees Fahrenheit.
On Saturday, cadets conducted Situational Training Exercises. In STX, nine squads of ten to eleven cadets practice war-time scenarios in which they usually have to neutralize opposing forces. A large portion of STX is planning. STX offers the third year cadets a chance to plan an attack and lead a squad composed of two teams. Third year cadets get a chance to practice leadership and tactics for Warrior Forge.
The event concluded on Sunday morning with a warm breakfast and an After Action Review in which cadets discussed the weaknesses and strengths of the FTX with Major Brooks.
Before leaving the cadets sounded off the Warrior Ethos, a code all officers must follow and the NAU cadets loaded the buses to go back to Flagstaff. The ERAU cadets stayed behind in the gym and swapped stories.
One particular story discussed a cadet that slid head over heels down the side of a hill during the night land navigation and lost all of his gear. His fellow cadet did what any good friend would do and took pictures before helping the fallen cadet.
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