Photo By Melissa Buckley | One Soldier, on his way back from the halfway turnaround point of an 18.6-mile...... read more read more
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence’s Combat Training Company put Soldiers and civilians through a Norwegian military endurance test Nov. 7.
More than 150 Soldiers and civilians registered to participate this year. To earn the badge, participants had to march or run 18.6 miles, while carrying a rucksack weighing 24 pounds, in under a certain amount of time — based on their gender and age.
According to the Norwegian Armed Forces website, the march was first held in 1915 as a test of marching endurance for Norwegian army soldiers. The strategic goal was to be able to move larger units of troops over a great distance swiftly and in a manner that enabled them to efficiently be prepared for combat — even after the march carrying their rucksack and weaponry.
Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Woodside, Combat Indoctrination Platoon committee chief of the Combat Training Company at MSCoE, said the CTC organizes this event each year to give Soldiers and civilians the opportunity to earn a foreign badge, spread esprit de corps and promote physical fitness.
“The badge can be worn on the Army Green Service Uniform, Army Service Uniform and will be uploaded into their records,” Woodside said.
According to Woodside, the civilians who participated can also compete to earn a badge. He said most civilians sign up to build camaraderie within their units or offices through the experience and if they earn a badge, they can proudly display it on their desk or at home.
This is the second year Woodside has organized the event for the company.
“I am proud of the turnout for this year’s event, as it is not easy and cannot be underestimated,” Woodside said.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Turcios, a drill sergeant with Company C, 787th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade, agreed and added, “It was the toughest foreign badge I've earned.”
As a drill sergeant, he is consistently motivating his Soldiers-in-training to be the best they can be. He said he tries to be a positive role model for them by keeping himself active and motivated, too.
“I hate being stagnant,” Turcios said. “And I love new challenges.”
And a challenge it was. He said he didn’t have much time to physically prepare because he was in the field guiding his trainees through an exercise just hours before the event began.
“I will say, both thighs started to cramp up around mile 10 to 13, so I really had to push my body on the way back,” he said.
He hopes to have even more battle buddies join him in earning the badge.
“Congratulations to all those who completed the foot march,” Turcio said. “To everyone else who is asking themselves if they should attempt it — the answer is yes.”
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2024 14:55 |
| Story ID: | 485311 |
| Location: | FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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