News – Page 44 – EWU Army ROTC

Ten EWU ROTC Cadets Earn 2018 Expert Fighting Eagle Badge

11/06/2018 by jstafford3

From 1-3 November, 2018 the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) battalion conducted its annual Expert Fighting Eagle Badge (EFEB) testing. The EFEB test challenges Cadets to pass 5 mandatory events and 10 of 13 additional events in order to wear the highly coveted EFEB badge on their Cadet uniforms.

The Expert Fighting Eagle Badge

This third year of EFEB testing saw 65 Cadets attempt to earn the badge. Each event was organized, executed, and evaluated by Cadets that had previously been awarded the EFEB. The first event was the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) conducted at Roos Field on the morning of November 1st. It is a mandatory requirement for the Cadets to pass the APFT to be eligible to be awarded the EFEB.

EWU ROTC Cadets take the APFT at Roos Field on November, 1, 2018.

The rest of the day on Thursday featured one last train up for all the Cadets on various skills before testing on all the events over the next two days.

Cadet Melinda Leen (center) gives train up EFEB briefing to EWU ROTC Cadets.

Cadet Tyler Roylance briefs EWU ROTC Cadets on how to assemble an M4 rifle.

On Friday, November 2nd the actual testing began. Before conducting the EFEB test the Cadets geared up and put on their camouflage face paint.

EWU ROTC ready to conduct Expert Fighting Eagle Badge testing.

The first EFEB tests were held at Cadet Hall. The tests included:

ASIP Radio procedures
SALUTE Report
M4 Assembly/Disassembly
M240 Assembly/Disassembly
M249 Assembly/Disassembly
Hand and Arm Signals
Written Land Nav test

EWU Cadets take the written land navigation test.

Cadets Liam Hewey (left) and Isabelle Erickson (right) take the written land navigation test.

Cadet Jazmin Castrejon conducts weapons assembly/disassembly testing.

Cadet Everett Kuhnel conducts weapons assembly while Cadet Coy Odiorne watches (right).

Cadet Libby Glover (left) is tested on Hand and Arm Signals.

Cadet Megan Baker conducts the ASIP radio test.

After completing the testing of events at Cadet Hall the EWU ROTC Cadets then moved out to the woodlands located at the Cheney Waterworks. After setting up camp the Cadets then bed down for the night in the forest to rest up for the next day’s activities.

Command post tent in the woodlands of the Cheney Waterworks.

Cadets warm up by the fire at the camp at the Cheney Waterworks.

At 0330 in the morning on Saturday, November 2nd the Cadets were woken up to get ready to execute night land navigation. To pass the night land navigation event each Cadet had to successfully find 3 of 4 points within a two hour timeframe. Night land navigation was one of the mandatory events that Cadets had to pass to be awarded the EFEB.

Cadet Andrew Norby briefs a terrain model of the night land navigation course prior to the event.

Cadets Kyle Stanton and Carly Garland grade night land navigation results in the command post tent.

After each event, Cadet Erling Anderson inputted scores into a specially designed database that provided instant scoring feedback.

EWU ROTC Cadets warm up by the fire after completing night land navigation.

After the Cadets completed night land navigation they then were able to eat an egg and sausage burrito breakfast cooked up by the EWU ROTC Cadre.

Assistant Professor of Military Science, Captain Gregory Benjamin cooks up eggs for breakfast for the Cadets.

After completing night land navigation and eating breakfast, the Cadets then conducted their day land navigation testing. For day land navigation they had to find 4 of 5 points to pass the event. Day land navigation was another mandatory event that had to be passed to be awarded the EFEB.

EWU Cadet plots points during day land navigation.

EWU ROTC Cadet finds a point on the day land navigation course.

After day land navigation the Cadets then conducted a hand grenade course. The Cadets had to successfully throw simulated hand grenades at three targets of various distances to pass the event.

Cadet Everett Kuhnel throws a grenade.

Cadet Amayia Roberts throws a grenade.

The next station the Cadets were tested on was the Tactical Combat Casualty Care lane. Cadets had to successfully evaluate and properly treat injuries to pass the event.

Cadet Jameson Palmer evaluates a casualty.

Cadet Olivia Roble evaluates a casualty.

The final lane at the Cheney Waterworks was the individual movement techniques lane. Cadets had to successfully demonstrate proficiency in tactical movement techniques to pass the lane.

Cadet Samantha Knight conducts the individual movement techniques lane.

Cadet Hayley Primm low crawls at the Cheney Waterworks.

After completing the training at the Cheney Waterworks, the Cadets then had to complete a 6-mile road march back to Cadet Hall. Completing the road march was another mandatory event that had to be passed.

EWU ROTC Cadets prepare to conduct the 6-mile road march.

Cadets Carly Garland and Hayley Primm conduct the 6-mile road march.

Cadet Josiah Bryan conducts the 6-mile road march.

Cadet Destin Garcia gives a thumbs up during the 6-mile road march.

Cadet Candace Madriaga smiles during the 6-mile road march.

After completing the road march the Cadets then had to successfully cross over the monkey bars outside of Cadet Hall, then climb over two walls, and then climb a rope.

Cadet Josiah Bryan crosses the monkey bars.

Cadets conduct the wall and ropes course below Cadet Hall.

Following the completion of the EFEB testing an award ceremony was held at Cadet Hall to recognize the Cadets that achieved all the standards for the EFEB. Demonstrating how difficult it is to receive the Expert Fighting Eagle Badge, out of 65 Cadets only 10 met all the standards to be awarded the badge. The Cadets that received the badge were:

Jameson Palmer (True Red)
Cesar Guzman
Chad Triplett
Christopher Milward
Austin Pfennig
Valentino Olmstead
Marcos Sanchez (True Red)
Kyle Isaacson
Hunter Smith (True Red)
Jacob Villasenor (True Red)

Of the ten awardees four of them received “True Red” status by receiving “Go’s” in every event during the testing.

(Back row from left to right: Jameson Palmer, Cesar Guzman, Chad Triplett, Christopher Milward, Austin Pfennig. Front Row from left to right: Valentino Olmstead, Marcos Sanchez, Kyle Isaacson, Hunter Smith, and Jacob Villasenor.)

The 2018 EFEB pass percentage of 15% is typical of past years which shows how hard it is to receive the badge. Cadets typically need 2-3 years in the ROTC to build up the skills necessary to receive the badge. The EWU ROTC Cadre is extremely proud of all 65 Cadets that tested for the EFEB and offers a big congratulations to the ten Cadets awarded the badge.

Go Fighting Eagles!

The Easterner Features Article About EWU ROTC Blood Drive Partnership

11/03/2018 by jstafford3

One of our Eastern Washington University (EWU) ROTC Cadre members, Captain Nicholas Carbaugh recently had an article published in the Easterner about the on campus Blood Drive our unit recently assisted with sponsoring:

The cadets pictured are 13 of the 17 cadets that donated blood during the blood drive. Top left to right: Ian House, Jazmin Castrejon, Megan Anderson, Crystal Cruz, Emma Latour, Melinda Leen, Austin Pfennig. Bottom left to right: Ethan Smart, Devante Hall, Erling Anderson, Thomas Luce, Christopher Millward, James Tallakson

The EWU ROTC and Vitalant, formerly known as Inland Northwest Blood Center, partnered to host a blood drive on Oct. 18 on the EWU campus.

Vitalant brought two blood mobiles, each staffed with six personnel and capable of collecting blood donations from six donors at a time. The blood drive collected 97 red blood cell units and 1 plasma unit, surpassing our goal of 80 total units donated and making this the largest blood drive on campus since 2015.

The blood drive was truly a communal event, receiving donations from students, faculty and staff, ROTC Cadets and community residents.

“Every day we need about 200 donors to support our local community,” Brooke Lively, the Vitalant Event Coordinator said. “This event provides approximately 80 units of blood, out of the 200 we need every day to support our local hospitals. As we get into the holiday season when our donations drop off a bit, having an event like this where we can supply that huge donation makes it possible for us to be prepared for emergency situations. It also makes us able to still do regular procedures like chemotherapy and surgeries.”

EWU ROTC has been supporting an annual blood drive at the EWU campus since 1963. [The Easterner]

You can read the rest at the link, but as the article mentions, the EWU ROTC program has at least been sponsoring an on campus blood drive since 1963. The below image is from the 1963 Eastern Washington University yearbook that shows Cadets from 55 years ago participating in a blood drive:

Overall it was an awesome event that it was great see so many of our Cadets keeping alive a tradition began over 50 years ago by the EWU ROTC program.

Go Fighting Eagles!

EWU ROTC Hosts 50th Anniversary Reunion at Cadet Hall

04/09/202111/02/2018 by jstafford3

On Saturday October 27, 2018 the Eastern Washington University ROTC program had the privilege of hosting the 50th anniversary reunion of graduates from the class of 1968 and 1969. 30 graduates from the EWU ROTC program and their family members attended the reunion event sponsored by the EWU Alumni Association. The day’s activities began with first watching the EWU football team wins its homecoming game against the University of Idaho, 38-14. During the game the 50th anniversary graduates were able to see current EWU ROTC Cadets participate in Cannon Crew in support of the home football team.

Following the football game the reunion participants then moved over to Cadet Hall where the EWU ROTC program is based out of. Cadet Hall is the same building that the reunion members participated in ROTC back in 1968.

Inside of the building they were able to view the various pictures and historical displays.

After touring the building the participants then had a catered dinner in the building’s shooting range area.

The ROTC program’s shooting range is named after retired Major General Ken Privratsky.

MG Privratsky was a 1969 graduate of the program who attended the reunion with his wife Kathy:

At the dinner reunion members and their family members had a chance to socialize with current ROTC Cadets as well as each other. Some of the reunion members had not seen each other in 50 years.

During the barbecue dinner the current Professor of Military Science (PMS) Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Stafford addressed the gathering about the current status of the university’s ROTC program:

We at the EWU ROTC program really hope that everyone had a fantastic time at the reunion and it was a great honor to host it at our historic Cadet Hall. Below are more pictures from the reunion. A big thank you to EWU ROTC alumni, Mr. Jerry Mellick for taking and sharing the photos with everyone.

Go Fighting Eagles!

EWU ROTC Cadets Volunteer to Support Harvest Fest 2018

11/01/2018 by jstafford3

Harvest Fest in an annual trick-or-treating event put on by Eastern Washington University’s Office of Community Engagement. The event was a chance for families to safely come together on campus and celebrate Halloween. For Harvest Fest this year 5x ROTC Cadets served as student volunteers to lead children on a trick-or treating tour around campus. The kids visited the JFK Library, Showalter, Sutton, Martin, Williamson, Tawanka and Hargreaves Halls to receive candy. Great job by Cadet volunteers and a happy Halloween to all the Cadets, Cadre, friends, and family of the EWU ROTC program.

Go Fighting Eagles!

From left to right: Cadets Liam Hewey, Chad Triplett, Ian House, Mindy Leen, and Megan Anderson.

Commanding General of US Army Cadet Command Announces Strategy to Grow the Officer Corps

10/31/2018 by jstafford3

The US Army Cadet Command (USACC) Commanding General, Major General John Evans recently published his strategy to ensure that the US Army’s ROTC programs are commissioning enough officers to meet demand:

Major General John Evans

The Army may have missed its recruiting goal this year, but the head of Army Cadet Command said he remains confident in officer accession.

Maj. Gen. John Evans, who is also the commanding general of Fort Knox, Ky., said there have been challenges – such as low nationwide unemployment, which means increased competition for top talent – but the officer corps is strong. By 2020, leaders hope to have 6,000 new second lieutenants filtering into positions.

“While there’s always a concern about growing the officer corps and whether you can get the right number of qualified candidates, I feel very comfortable right now that we are on the glide path to making our mission in the out years,” he said.

Here are four ways Evans is working to grow the officer corps. [Military Officer Association of America]

MG Evans strategy has four points:

Reaching the 2020 Goal
Building Up JROTC Groups
Reaching Out to Students Who Miss the Cut for West Point
Calling on Retired Officers

You can read the details for each point at the link.

EWU ROTC Finishes First in Four Events at the 2018 Ranger Challenge Competition

10/28/2018 by jstafford3

From October 19-20, 2018 Cadets from the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program competed in the regional Ranger Challenge competition held at Ft. Harrison located just outside of Helena, Montana.

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The regional competition featured 11 ROTC teams from the states of Montana, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and California. Each team was composed of the 10 top Cadets from each program.

The members of the 2018 EWU ROTC Ranger challenge team included:

Carly Garland – MS V
Scott Hinshaw – MS IV
John Howard – MS IV
Bryce Stanton – MS IV
Kyle Stanton – MS IV
Christian Goldbach – MS III
Coy Odiorne – MS III (Team Captain)
Jameson Palmer – MS III
Cheyenne Sweet – MS III
Chad Triplett – MS III

This year’s Ranger Challenge featured 11 complex and physically challenging events such as rock climbing walls, obstacles courses, night time land navigation, and stress shoots. The EWU ROTC team placed 1st in four of the events. The first event they placed first in was the Tactical Combat Casualty Carry. This event had the Cadets move tactically and search for the entrance to a tunnel complex.

Cadets tactically move across an open area at Ft. Harrison, Montana.

Once the team found the tunnel entrance they then had to tactically move through the tunnel:

EWU Ranger Challenge team tactically enters the tunnel complex.

After entering the tunnel the team had to then bear crawl for about a quarter mile through the tunnel complex until they found a house. Inside the three story house they had to locate a casualty, then correctly treat the casualty’s wounds, and then transport the casualty on a stretcher back through the tunnel complex.

EWU Cadets begin to transport a dummy casualty through a tunnel complex.

After exiting the tunnel the Cadets then had to correctly radio in a medical evacuation to complete the event. Since the EWU Cadets correctly completed all steps and extracted the casualty within the determined time to save its life, the the team was awarded the top score for the event.

EWU Ranger Challenge team takes a break after completing the Tactical Combat Casualty Carry Event.

The next event the team finished first in was the M-16 Alt-C stress shoot.

EWU Cadet Scott Hinshaw fires around an obstacle on the M-16 range.

The Cadets rotated personnel going to fire on the range while the rest of the team pulled a 200 pound sled through dirt and sand.

EWU Cadets pull a 200 pound sled during the 2018 Ranger Challenge competition.

Every target they hit and every lap they completed with the sled was worth points in the event. The EWU team completed the most laps with the sled and ultimately had the top score for the event giving them their second win of the competition.

EWU Cadets Bryce Stanton (left), Christian Goldbach (center), John Howard (right) dig deep as they lead the pulling of a 200 pound sled during the 2018 Ranger Challenge Competition.

The next event the EWU team finished first in was the Call for Fire event. During this event the Cadets had to spot with binoculars enemy targets and then accurately call in artillery fire. During the event the Cadets were able to accurately complete all steps and engage all targets with artillery.

EWU Cadets use a terrain model to help them plot enemy targets during the Call for Fire event.

The fourth event that the Cadets finished first in was the React to Contact event. During this event the Cadets had to tactically move across open terrain.

EWU ROTC Ranger Challenge team moves across open terrain.

During the movement the Cadets were ambushed by machine gun nests and bunkers firing blank rounds at them. The Cadets had to engage the targets with blanks and then accurately throw grenades to destroy them. The Cadets then moved through a mock village and were engaged once again by direct fire.

EWU Cadets Kyle Stanton (left) and Carly Garland (right) clear a house during the React to Contact event.

The Cadets had to tactically move through the village to engage the bunkers with grenades.

Cadets Carly Garland (left) and Kyle Stanton (right) crawl up a hill and through concertina wire to flank an enemy bunker.

The team received points for how well they conducted tactical movements and accurately engaged the bunkers with grenades. The EWU team ultimately received the top score for the event.

Cadet Kyle Stanton assaults an enemy machine gun bunker.

Other events during the 2018 Ranger Challenge included a 9mm pistol shoot, an obstacle course, rafting event, rock climbing wall, weapons assembly/disassembly, M-16 buddy team shoot, and land navigation. The host of this year’s Ranger Challenge, the University of Montana ultimately won 1st place in the competition, but the Eastern Washington University ROTC program’s strong showing gained the respect of the other programs that attended the 2018 Ranger Challenge.

EWU ROTC 2018 Ranger Challenge team pose for a picture after completing the final ruck march of the competition. The team road marched approximately 27 miles during the two-day competition.

All the EWU Cadre is extremely proud of our team and especially of our 5 very dedicated seniors who participated in their last Ranger Challenge competition. They have laid a strong foundation for future EWU ROTC Ranger Challenge teams. The tryouts for the next Ranger Challenge team will begin in Spring Quarter 2019.

Go Ranger Challenge! Go Fighting Eagles!

More pictures from the 2018 Ranger Challenge competition can be seen below or on our Flickr site.

EWU ROTC van stops for gas on its way to Helena, Montana.

EWU ROTC team members get their gear ready for the Ranger Challenge competition outside their barracks at Ft. Harrison, Montana.

EWU Ranger Challenge team members wait in line to fire at the rifle range.

EWU ROTC Cadets zero their M-16 rifles in preparation for the next day’s events.

Cadet Carly Garland engages targets on the 9mm pistol range.

Cadet John Howard is inspected before the rock climbing wall event.

Cadet Christian Goldbach scales the climbing wall.

Cadet Jameson Palmer rappels down the climbing wall.

EWU Cadets John Howard (left), Christian Goldbach (center), Jameson Palmer (standing), Kyle Stanton (right), and Carly Garland (foreground) prepare for the M-16 buddy shoot range.

EWU Cadet engages a target on the M-16 buddy shoot range.

Cadet Coy Odiorne, the EWU ROTC Ranger Challenge team captain, engages targets on the M-16 range.

While other Cadets were engaging targets on the buddy shoot range, the rest of the Cadets had to move sandbags for additional points.

Cadets John Howard (left) and Cheyenne Sweet (right) move sandbags during the M-16 buddy shoot range.

Cadet John Howard pulls security on the React to Contact event.

EWU ROTC 2018 Ranger Challenge team takes a break as they wait to board a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

EWU ROTC Cadets ready to board CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

CH-47 Chinook helicopter takes EWU ROTC Cadets to the night land navigation site.

EWU ROTC Cadets plot land navigation points.

EWU Cadets scale a cargo net with 50 pound duffel bags during the obstacle course event.

EWU ROTC Cadets scale Jacob’s Ladder with 50 pound duffel bags during the obstacle course event.

EWU Cadets complete a rope obstacle during the obstacle course event.

EWU Cadets high step over an obstacle.

EWU ROTC Cadets crawl under a wire obstacle.

Cadet Kyle Stanton back crawls under a wire obstacle.

EWU Cadets work their way through the weave obstacle.

EWU Cadets march to their next event.

EWU ROTC Cadets receive instructions before competing in the Grinder Event. From left: John Howard, Kyle Stanton, Bryce Stanton, Carly Garland, Chad Triplett, Scott Hinshaw, Coy Odiorne, and Cheyenne Sweet.

During the Grinder event the Cadets had to pull a 210 pound dummy on a stretcher up a steep hill while wearing gas masks.

EWU ROTC Cadets pull sled with a 210 pound dummy on it to the summit of the hill during the Grinder event.

Dog tags of former ROTC Cadets killed in action from all the regional ROTC programs that was placed on top of the hill at the end of the Grinder event.

Dog tag of EWU alumni Medal of Honor Recipient Bruce A. Grandstaff who was killed in action in Vietnam on May 18, 1967.

The view looking down at Ft. Harrison, Montana from the top of the Grinder event.

EWU Ranger Challenge team captain, Coy Odiorne discusses strategy with the other team members.

EWU Cadets receive briefing before competing in the paddling event.

EWU Cadets paddle across a lake in Helena, Montana.

EWU Cadets take a break after completing the paddling event.

Cadet Jameson Palmer participates in the weapon assembly/disassembly event.

Cadet Kyle Stanton disassembles a M9 pistol.

Cadet Chad Triplett assembles a M-249 machine gun.

EWU Ranger Challenge team excited about their performance during the 2018 Ranger Challenge competition.

2018 EWU Ranger Challenge team pictured at Ft. Harrison, Montana. Back Row from left: Bryce Stanton, John Howard, Kyle Stanton, Jameson Palmer, & Cheyenne Sweet. Front Row from left: Coy Odiorne, Chad Triplett, Christian Goldbach, Scott Hinshaw, & Carly Garland.