From March 24-26, the Weston Ranch JROTC Cougar Battalion went to the Army Post Camp Parks in Dublin for adventure training known as the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC). The Cougar cadets were joined by JROTC cadets from Edison, McNair, and Beyer high schools. At the camp, the cadets were housed in military barracks, ate meals at the dining facility, marched to training sites, and participated in activities similar to those at military “boot camp.”
During Friday’s training activities, the cadets crossed over single and double rope bridges, which tested their balance. A few cadets lost balance on the double rope bridge and fell into the waist-deep pond. Also, the cadets rappelled off a 60-foot tower as they battled their fear of heights.
Physical fitness training started Saturday’s training activities. At 6 a.m., the cadets performed numerous exercises and ran around the cantonment area. Then, after a delicious hot and cold breakfast meal at the dining facility, the cadets marched to the training sites and negotiated the leadership reaction course (LRC), obstacle course, confidence course, and rappelling. All these activities were highly challenging to the cadets, but they motivated each other to complete them to standard.
Last month’s JCLC was the first camp for all the cadets due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the last camp for the seniors. The Cougar Battalion last participated in a JCLC at Camp San Luis Obispo in 2019. The cadets expressed that they enjoyed the camp and would do it again, even though it was exhausting. They were able to make new friends and bond with other schools. As a token of recognition, the 117 cadets that participated received the JCLC arc pin for their dress uniform, and many of them received the Rappel arc pin for scaling down the tower wall.
Photos courtesy of Mr. Cerezo
