Magna Vista JROTC team brings home award from national championship

MOLENA, GA – The Magna Vista JROTC Raider Team attended the Army Raider National Championship on November 2 in Molena, GA.

The Warrior raiders had a respectful showing, finishing in the top 15 of the 4 events they entered and brought home an award for finishing fifth in the nation on the Gauntlet Course.

The Gauntlet is an obstacle course which the 10-person raider team must negotiate.

They must first dive through a tire approximately four feet off the ground; once through the tire, they are passed two ammo boxes and four ruck sacks through the tire.

The ammo boxes each weigh approximately 50 pounds and the ruck sacks each weigh 35 pounds.

The ruck sacks and ammo boxes must be carried through the entire three-fourths mile course.

After the tire, the raiders with ammo boxes and ruck sacks must negotiate an eight-foot wall.

Once all raiders are over the wall, they must crawl through two 30-foot culvert pipes, 23 inches high with all the equipment.

The remainder of the course involved running to the finish line.

The Warrior raiders finished with a time of eight minutes three seconds, fifth best in the country.

The Warrior Raiders brought home an eighth place finish in the rope bridge event with a time of three minutes 21 seconds.

The first person had to run across an 84-foot body of water about a foot deep.

The team then constructed a one rope bridge and eight members crossed the body of water on the rope bridge.

After eight members crossed the bridge, the last member takes out the knot and runs across the body of water.

The MV raiders finished in the top 15 of the 5K and the Team Physical Fitness Challenge.

They could not compete in the last event, the Cross-Country Rescue, due to an injury to one raider and illness to another.

Because of this, they were not qualified for a placement of the overall standing.

Even though the Magna Vista JROTC Raider has qualified on many occasions for the National Championship, this was the group’s first trip.

It was a great experience and learning opportunity for the 12-member team.

The underclassmen vow to attend again.