NMSU cadets rappel at White Sands Missile Range May 1.

A NMSU ROTC cadet looks down as he rappels at White Sands Missile Range May 1 as rappel master Ed Taitano guides him and another cadet looks on.

Rappel masters Ed Taitano, right back, and Ed Stahl, right front, helped NMSU ROTC students get their safety gear on, and made sure they practiced proper form and safety.

Students with the New Mexico State University ROTC program were at White Sands Missile Range May 1 to practice at the rappel tower.

About twenty-five cadets with the Bataan Battalion took the challenge and rappelled down the tower.

Cadet Madeline Jones, a senior at NMSU, said the cadets were here to get exposure on the rappel tower before the junior cadets leave for Fort Knox to do their summer training.

A couple of the cadets had experience while others were there for the first time conquering fears.

Rappel masters Ed Taitano and Ed Stahl helped students, making sure they practiced proper form and safety. They also had help from assistants Shadon Taitano and Shandlyn Terlaje-Taitano who often volunteer at the tower.

Shadon and Shandlyn each have over 20 years of rappelling experience. Shandlyn has been demonstrating for active-duty soldiers when her father, Taitano, was the Bliss Installation Rappel Master, and Shadon has been rappelling since he was three years old.