Photo By Staff Sgt. Steven Colvin | A Latvian cadet and U.S. soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade...... read more read more
Subscribe
RIGA, Latvia – Most Friday nights, civilian university students are not out in the woods being fired at by blank rounds. For teams competing in the Cadet Path competition, that is just part of what they encountered during the two day competition, which began on Oct. 30, 2015.
Latvian cadets, civilian university students and United States Army soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division participated in the 2nd Cadet Path competition. The event featured the students being taught basic military skills that were later tested during the competition by the Latvian cadets and Army. The two-day event began with university students from Latvia’s capital, Riga, receiving training from the Latvian Cadets from the National Defense Academy (NDA) of Latvia.
The cadets taught the teams of students at different stations which included stations for first aid, mountaineering with ropes and knots, radio techniques, bounding with mock weapons, how to set up temporary sleeping quarters in the outdoors, and camouflaging in the woods. Once the university students received their training, they sat around a fire in the woods that had just been used by the cadets to cook the meal for the students.
The cadets briefed the university students about the next portion, which began the competition portion, while U.S. Army soldiers set up to play the opposing forces. The NDA cadets and soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, who are currently stationed in Latvia in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, began testing the university students on basic military skills they just learned.
The civilian students moved from station to station which included paint ball, pulling a car, how to make a tent with a poncho and stakes, an observation point, medical incidents, how to make food, mountaineering and formation types.
They were tested throughout mid-afternoon of the first day to the early morning hours of the second day. In between the first and second checkpoint, the university students were tested on their reaction to fire by blank rounds.
As the university students walked along a road, they received fire from a NDA cadet and U.S. Army soldiers who were in the woods. Although the weapons only had blank rounds, they still had an effect. As one team of university students heard the rounds, they ran and found cover behind a van, which was parked along the side of the trail.
Beginning early in the morning on the second day, the university students were tested at stations, which included a ruck march, radio techniques and map reading, and a race relay. The Cadet Path competition benefits many involved.
Third year NDA Cadet Alma Luka said, “I can work on my own skills and improve myself while teaching the students.”
The Cadet Path allows all three groups, the civilian university students, NDA cadets and U.S. Army soldiers to work and train together, and build relationships. And for the civilian university students in particular, perhaps being out in the woods will peak their interest about military service.
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2015 12:32 |
| Story ID: | 180594 |
| Location: | RIGA, LV |
| Web Views: | 324 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Latvian civilians, cadets, US counterparts conquer competition, by CPT Jennifer Cruz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
