Photo By Sgt. Abraham Morlu | Spc. Briana Zike, a combat medic assigned to the 505th Engineer Battalion, bounds down...... read more read more
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Confidence is a desired trait of those who serve in the military, and there are many different ways to build that trait among Soldiers.
One way is to overcome something that holds you back, such as fear.
For some Soldiers who took part in the rappel tower exercise at Camp Butner in Stem North Carolina, on June 16, 2021, it was an aversion to heights.
“The bravest people you meet are not free of fear. They look fear in the eye and say, ok, I am not going to be bested by it,” Spc. Briana Zike, a combat medic with the 505th Engineer Battalion.
Zike is afraid of heights, and she made no secret of it.
“I am nervous, I am terrified of heights,” she said.
She did not let that fear stop her. She was the first in line for instructions and the first to go down the wall.
Her nervousness grew as she got closer to stepping off the edge of the wall. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“There are two ways to get someone to take that first step, one is to be very direct, and the other is to be very encouraging and get fellow Soldiers involved,” Capt. Robert Essic, rappel master with the 505th Engineer Battalion.
Essic asked Zike to step forward. He inspected her harness and hooked her up to the rope that would lead her down the wall.
He encouraged her, letting her know she is in charge of how she gets down the rope.
After composing herself again, she stepped backward, securing her weight against the rope, and began to bound down the wall.
She was relieved once her feet reached the ground.
“It felt like insanity,” said Zike, “it was probably the coolest sense of freedom and the most intense fear I have ever felt.”
Exercises like the rappel tower do not come around often enough for some Soldiers. When the opportunity presents itself, it is important to take advantage of it.
It’s been two years since Zike had the opportunity to rappel. Her first and only experience prior was at basic training.
Not one to let an opportunity pass her by, Zike decided to tackle the 40-foot rope climb to the top of the tower and to rappel down once again, further confirming she looked fear in the face and pushed past it.
“The best thing about this is seeing everyone’s morale boosted,” said Zike. “One of the best things is being here with my friends and teammates taking it head-on and coming out smiling.”
The rappel tower served as a confidence-building exercise and a team-building exercise. Zeik received encouragement from the friends and team and motivated them as well when they were nervous on the wall.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2021 16:24 |
| Story ID: | 399217 |
| Location: | STEM, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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