Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Dunagan | Representing excellence, the Forward Land Forces Battle Group Poland challenge coin...... read more read more
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BEMOWO PISKIE TRAINING AREA, Poland — An 18.6-mile timed march, a 24-pound rucksack with extra water weight, a cold biting windchill, and slick paths, all while in uniform—these were the challenges soldiers faced during the Norwegian Foot March (NFM) on Dec. 21, 2024. NATO Multinational Battle Group Poland participants pushed their physical and mental limits to complete the grueling event.
Approximately 120 soldiers representing the U.S., Poland, U.K., and Romania arrived before sunrise to check in, get their rucks approved for weight, and receive their prescribed time to complete the NFM. The times range between four and a half hours to six hours, depending on the participant’s age and gender. Upon successful NFM completion, soldiers are awarded a bronze, silver, or gold Norwegian Armed Forces Marching Badge, also known as the “Marsjmerket.” Participants completing their first NFM earn the bronze badge, those who have completed two NFMs earn the silver, and those who have completed five NFMs earn the gold.
At 8:30 a.m., the participants stepped off to begin their march. Boots pounding the ground, motivational cheers and music kept the soldiers’ spirits alive through their long journey ahead. At approximately 11:46 a.m., while most participants were far from completion, one U.S. Army National Guard soldier emerged from the woodline and made his way across the finish line.
Missouri Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Christopher Saunders, a public affairs mass communication specialist with the 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 70th Troop Command, was the first American to complete the NFM. Clocking in at three hours, sixteen minutes, and sixteen seconds. Saunders was the second person to cross the finish line, finishing twenty four minutes after British soldier Cpl. Scott Shepherd, assigned in Charlie Squadron, 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, took first place.
“I started getting into competitive endurance running about eight years ago. I liked the idea of competing against yourself and your thoughts.” Saunders said. “In the end, it's not about how fast you are, it's about existing in a state of elevated discomfort for a long time.”
Despite multiple participants, the NFM is not a race; each participant’s biggest competition is themselves. The chance to prove we, as soldiers, are physically and mentally tough has drawn many across the globe to compete in the event.
Saunders recalls the more challenging moments of the event: “You just have to continue moving, and it gets easier from there,” said Saunders. “When competing, I’ll go far before I check my watch or pace. I get into my thoughts and think about anything else, allowing me to take my mind off the event I’m doing.”
Endurance events such as the Norwegian Foot March motivate soldiers worldwide to understand the intersection of physical and mental resilience. If there’s one thing we can learn from Saunders, there are no obstacles we cannot overcome and we are capable of far more than we realize.
The 1st Cavalry Division’s mission is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent while strengthening partnerships with our NATO allies and regional security partners. This provides competent and ready forces to V Corps, America’s forward-deployed corps in Europe.
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| Date Taken: | 12.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.27.2024 09:45 |
| Story ID: | 488304 |
| Location: | PL |
| Hometown: | JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | SHELBINA, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 13,590 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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