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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Participants in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge prepare for competition Feb. 24, 2023, at a range on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL
More than 40 teams of Army ROTC cadets under U.S. Army Cadet Command descended on Fort McCoy for competition in the 2023 Northern Warfare Challenge, which is hosted by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Eagle Battalion and 3rd Brigade Army ROTC.
The ROTC teams came to the installation from across the Midwest, Arizona, and Vermont, said Lt. Col. Brian R. Knutson with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
At Fort McCoy on Feb. 24, teams competed in rifle marksmanship, cold weather first aid, knot tying, and fire-starting, Knutson said. On Feb. 25, teams then participated in a 16-mile ruck march through the bluffs of La Crosse, Wis., on the Hixon trails with 35-pound rucksacks, beginning at the Forest Hills golf course.
Knutson said a new part of the challege for 2023 was the River City Running Club in conjunction with the Eagle Battalion hosted the Hixon Ruck Run where competitors from around the area ran the same course as the teams. He said they appreciated the joint event that involved participants from the local community.
And during the challenge, the weather didn’t disappoint. Several inches of fresh snow fell throughout Western Wisconsin and colder temperatures arrived to give competitors that additional test to their abilities to operate in cold-weather conditions.
A Feb. 24 Facebook post by U.S. Army Cadet Command stated what competitors were facing.
“Teams arrived at Fort McCoy to make their final preparations and were tested on winter survival skills — a winter range event, treating a hypothermia casualty, building a fire, and tying knots,” the post states.
And in the same post, it describes the Feb. 25 ruck march in the La Crosse hills as the “hardest race in ROTC.” “(It) is a 16-mile march through the cold of winter with a 2,500 ft. elevation change,” the post states.
At the end of the challenge, the top three finishers were posted to the Cadet Command’s Facebook page as follows:
— First place: Eagle Battalion Army ROTC, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
— Second place: University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
— Third place: Golden Eagle Battalion, Marquette University Army ROTC “Bravo Teams.”
According to its website, “the U.S. Army Cadet Command partners with universities to recruit, educate, develop, and inspire senior ROTC cadets in order to commission officers of character for the Total Army; and partners with high schools to conduct JROTC in order to develop citizens of character for a lifetime of commitment and service to the nation.”
Learn more about ROTC by visiting https://www.cadetcommand.army.mil.
(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office.)
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