JROTC Cadets Compete At Raider Challenge 2021 by Michael Maddox,
U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs
March 17, 2021
JROTC Cadets from across the nation turned out to compete in a
grueling two-days of chilly temperatures, maneuvering through muddy
obstacles, and sometimes becoming completely drenched during the
JROTC Raider Challenge in Molena, Georgia on February 26-27, 2021.
The event pitted Cadet teams
against one another in five different team challenges, and
individual competition ... as the Ultimate Raider.
 February 27, 2021 - Cadets from high schools from across the country compete against teams in various physical challenge events during the Army JROTC Raider Nationals 2021 at the Gerald Lawhorn Scouting Base in Molena, Georgia. The challenges in the image are the Gauntlet, Physical Team Test, Cross Country Rescue, and One-Rope Bridge. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from photos by Michael Maddox, U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs.)
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This year’s event was a little different than past years,
according to Mike Jones, co-curricular manager for Cadet Command’s
JROTC program.
“We’ve made a few changes for safety reason around the COVID virus.
We mandated masking when the cadets aren’t competing, and there
can’t be more than one school in any of the campgrounds here. We
also limited the spectators at a lot of the events,” he explained.
“As far as competition, one of the biggest changes was mandating
that they wear helmets while crossing the rope bridge, and we put in
a safety line because of the current at that event.”
This
year also saw a reduction in the number of teams due to COVID travel
restrictions.
“Normally we run about 90 teams through, but
this year we were down to 35. That’s based off the school’s that
could travel, could stay a night, but a lot of them are coming in,
competing and going home,” Jones said. Also, in the past the Army
National event took place over two days, but with the reduced number
of teams this year we were able to condense it into a one-day
event.”
Even with the changes, the event seemed to be a
success, according to Jones.
“It’s went very well, and I
think this may be the only event that a lot of these cadets will be
able to compete in this year. Getting these kids out and being able
to do something has been a huge boost, not only to the kids, but to
the parents,” he said.
Before the winners were announced
Saturday, Maj. Gen. John Evans, commander of U.S. Army Cadet Command
and Fort Knox, took time to share how proud he was of what the
cadets went through over the weekend and their ability to adapt as
they faced the challenges presented.
“I am a huge, huge fan
of JROTC and being here today reminds me of why that is. I will tell
every single one of you out there is a winner individually and
collectively for the efforts you put forward and what you have
achieved. I can tell you that you are strong group of young people,”
he shared with the crowd.
He went on to share how he hopes
their JROTC experience will influence the cadet’s future endeavors.
“We talk a lot in Army ROTC about the value the JROTC program
provides us. First and foremost it provides us citizens of
character. So whether you decide to go on and serve in the military,
go to an academy, serve as an officer or enlisted person, we value
you,” Evans said. “If you choose not to do that, that’s okay too
because what you do and what you will do for our nation as you get
older is you will carry with you this experience of dedication, the
bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.”
Winners By Category
Overall Mixed Division: Ozark High School Overall Male
Division: Adairsville High School Overall Female Division:
Adairsville High School Rope Bridge Mixed Division: Campbell
County High School Rope Bridge Male Division: Adairsville High
School Rope Bridge Female Division: Adairsville High School
Gauntlet Mixed Division: North Fort Myers High School Gauntlet
Male Division: Adairsville High School Gauntlet Female Division:
Adairsville High School Cross Country Rescue Mixed: Sarasota
Military Academy Cross Country Rescue Male Division: Adairsville
High School Cross Country Rescue Female Division: Adairsville
High School 5K Mixed Division: Ozark High School 5K Male
Division: Leavenworth High School 5K Female Division: Adairsville
High School Physical Team Test Mixed Division: North Fort Myers
High School Physical Team Test Male Division: Adairsville High
School Physical Team Test Female Division: Adairsville High
School
All-Service Results
Overall Mixed Division: Graves County High School Overall Male
Division: Lake Cormorant High School (Marine JROTC) Overall
Female Division: Mariner High School Rope Bridge Mixed Division:
Graves County High School Rope Bridge Male Division: Perry High
School (Air Force JROTC) Rope Bridge Female Division: Mariner
High School Gauntlet Mixed Division: North Fort Myers High School
Gauntlet Male Division: Graves County High School Gauntlet Female
Division: Mariner High School 5K Mixed Division: GMC Prep High
School 5K Male Division: Mariner High School 5K Female
Division: Mariner High School Physical Team Test Mixed Division:
GMC Prep High School Physical Team Test Male Division: Lake
Cormorant High School (Marine JROTC) Physical Team Test Female
Division: James Madison High School
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