Each semester, Cadets are required to participate in Field Training Exercise (FTX) at an off-campus location. During the fall, both Alpha Company and Bravo Company come together to conduct this training exercise. This year , Cadets had an exceptional opportunity due to the presence of MAT 1233 from 2nd Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade who helped plan and execute the FTX at Stone’s Ranch Military Reservation in East Lyme, CT.

Execution

With FTX approaching quickly, planning began with Company Commander CDT Goss and S-3 CDT Davis during senior week in August. Once roles were assigned and deadlines were set, CDT Davis learned something he would never have expected: an entire Manuever Advisor Team (MAT) nicknamed the “GOATs” from 2nd Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade would be coming to help him plan and oversee the execution.

Early in the planning process, CDT Davis met with CPT Young, a championship weightlifter and United States Military Academy graduate nicknamed “Strong GOAT” by his subordinates who helped advise CDT Davis when planning the various events. After multiple shifts and changes, a total roster of events was finalized with MAT 1233’s guidance. With certain events like the rappel tower being run by the GOATs, the Cadets involved received unique training from professionals that they otherwise would not have had.

CDT Davis said, “The SFAB team was instrumental in the success of our FTX. They not only helped navigate our planning through unconsidered friction points, they also provided subject matter experts to train our
MSIIIs on the rappel tower and improve our ranger challenge team. The result of their efforts was the best training value I have seen at any of our battalion’s FTXs.”

During the FTX, MAT 1233 was critical in providing tactical advice as well during battle drills lanes where each squad was assigned an advisor from MAT 1233. The OIC for the battle drills lanes, CDT Garcia said “SFAB was very crucial in helping Cadets at all MS levels for battle drills and IMT in preparation for Advanced Camp. They provided a unique, operational perspective that we had not experienced before.” Specific advice was given based upon recent deployment and a laundry list of additional training throughout their careers, to include Ranger School.

Conclusion

At the conclusion of the FTX, Cadets felt significantly better prepared for future training opportunities and were enthralled to learn about SFAB, their mission,
and gain new insight as to the importance of small unit tactics.

Every year the Connecticut National Guard comes to UConn Storrs to showcase their equipment, explain their mission to the public, recruit new Soldiers, and educate Cadets on the various branches. This year , Cadets got the opportunity for hands on training with some of the National Guard’s equipment while asking questions about the various branches.

Execution

Branch Day was coordinated and planned by its lab OIC, CDT Cayangyang, beginning during senior week in August. The planning process began with complete coordination with the University and the National Guard, making the planning challenging as CDT Cayangyang had to take on the role of liaison as well as lab OIC.

CDT Cayangyang stated “The biggest thing for me about planning my lab was that I was planning around the lack of branches. We’ve had ten to twelve branches come out in the past and this year
there was only six. So, I had to adapt and adjust my plan. I also had to manage the time for lab. Typically, when we’ve done these labs, they were separate labs and they lasted two hours. I had to combine those two labs into one.”

Despite the adversity, the planning was complete without any hiccups and the Cadets got to spend time with Soldiers from the Engineers, Infantry , A viation, Chemical, Medical, and Military Police. In each, experienced Officers, Noncommissioned Officers, and Soldiers explained what their branches do and how their role fits into the National Guard’s mission. Officers also had the opportunity to explain to Cadets how the commissioning process worked for them and what life as a Second Lieutenant is like within their branch.

Afterwards, Cadets got the opportunity to do a workout with the National Guard’s Mobile Athletic Program on Founder’s Green, consisting of different stations including a massive blow up obstacle course.

Conclusion

By the time training was concluded, Cadets had a fun bonding experience within their squads and got to learn a lot about their future careers within several possible branches.
CDT Carroll best summarized the training: “Challenges like squad relay’s where you can only go as fast as the slowest component make you think outside the box to finish as fast as possible. The team building aspect reinforced the importance of camaraderie to not only get the task done but to work as a cohesive unit, support each other, and build the team on each
other’s strengths.”

Background

Newly Minted MSIVs from Alpha Company have returned to campus following Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, KY where they have demonstrated their skills as MSIIIs in individual, squad, and platoon level events. Now, they must work together to plan and execute training similar to those events in order to train the incoming MSIII class.

Execution

The first meeting began on August 19th, 2019 at 0900 with an in brief from the new Company Commander, Cadet Goss, who was named Cadet of the Year for Alpha Company in 2019. Working closely with the First Sergeant, CDT Adler, and the S-3, CDT Davis, CDT Goss began tasking out roles to his subordinate MSIVs in order to begin the planning process for the remainder of the semester. In his office, CDT Goss began drawing up plans for the semester with CDT Davis while creating specific assignments and due dates for each day for every assigned position.

Before the conclusion of the week, the class of MSIVs as a whole got the opportunity to sit with LTC Morris as well as other Cadre and discuss their experiences at Advanced Camp and how their training during their MSIII year helped them there. At the same time, sustains and improves of the previous year were discussed as well as ways in which training can be updated to reflect the differences between CST 2019 and CST 2018. While these changes are mostly to be implemented in weekly leadership labs and Physical Readiness Training, some will affect Military Science class, having the possibility to change the coursework even MSIs are asked to undertake.

Conclusion

By the end of the week, a successful training meeting was conducted after being rehearsed and the new MSIVs had completed the hardest part of their acclimation to their new positions. With plans in place for FTX and six weeks of training planned out completely, the MSIV class was ready to receive the rest of the company and begin the Fall semester’s training. As the clock begins to count down to CST 2020, the MSIV class will continue to work tirelessly to provide the best training and preparation for the Army’s newest generation of Officers.

Alpha Company Cadets competed in the first annual Ranger Challenge Ranger Assessment Phase (RAP) week led by current and former Ranger Challenge Cadets.

Background

The 2019 Ranger Challenge command team (Cadet Campos, Cadet Heske, and Cadet Adler) created events to physically and mentally challenge Alpha Company in order to show the Company what Ranger Challenge entails and determine which Cadets are competitive for a position on the 2019 Ranger Challenge team.

Execution

The first event on Monday 18FEB19 was the squad competition at the Indoor Track. Cadets started the event at 0515 with an introduction brief and safety brief. Two squads started at each of the three stations with the goal of completing all stations in the fastest time. The stations tested Cadets’ combat casualty care at the medevac station, mental agility with the tire carry, and physical strength throughout the entire event. Cadet Joe Olis and Cadet Zoe Di Chello were recognized as MVPs of the challenge demonstrating exemplary physical fitness and leadership potential.

The Company took a Ranger Physical Fitness Test (RPFT) on Wednesday 20FEB19 which consisted of push-ups, sit-ups, a 5-mile run, and pull-ups. To pass the test, Cadets were required to complete 49 push-ups, 59 sit-ups, a sub-40-minute run, and 6 pull-ups to standard. Cadet Will Goss, Cadet Chris Paier, and Cadet Joe Olis were rewarded with Nathan Hale Battalion coins from LTC Morris for impressive scores that earned them 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively.

The culminating event for the week occurred on Friday 22FEB19 at Horsebarn Hill. The event included four-15 minute stations followed by a tug-of-war competition between the four teams. The goal of the competition was to complete all stations within the time limit and as fast as possible while maintaining the proper standards. The four events included: skedco pulls, PT smoker lane, Army-related trivia, and equipment transport. Team 1 was the overall winner with a dominating win at tug-of-war.

Conclusion

All Cadets showed tremendous effort and determination this week to make the first RAP week a success. Cadets were able to challenge and develop their physical fitness, mental agility, and resilience throughout every event. The Ranger Challenge team will continue their selection process with the UConn Arctic Ranger Challenge Competition against Bravo Company on 30MAR19 at Horsebarn Hill.

Cadet Emily De La Cruz (left) and Cadet Sean McKenna (right) buddy carry their teammates during the culminating event.

Background

In Israel, all citizens are required to participate in military conscription after graduating high school. Citizens have the opportunity, however, to delay their conscription for a year and spend it abroad to teach and learn in Jewish communities around the nation.

Execution

16 Israeli Emissaries located throughout Connecticut and southern Massachusetts visited the University of Connecticut on 25 January, 2019 to learn about Cadet life and teach Cadets about their experience with the Israeli Military.

Over 20 Cadets and three Cadre from the Nathan Hale Battalion came to the Israeli Emissary discussion. At the start of the event, the Emissaries gave a presentation on military service in Israel and the typical career paths that Israelis take. Unlike Americans, all Israelis are required to partake in military service following high school graduation. After their service (two years for females, three years for males) they typically take a year off to travel the world, going to places like Thailand, India, or Europe before going to university.

After the presentation ended, the Cadets and Emissaries broke into smaller groups to discuss on a personal level. Cadets told the Emissary about the daily training routine of an ROTC Cadet, and the challenges of being a student and a Cadet at the same time, as well as various broadening opportunities and Cadet Summer Training. Likewise, the Emissaries informed the Cadets about their typical training, day-to-day life, and other various opportunities that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) provides.

Conclusion

Nathan Hale Battalion Cadets developed a better understanding of Israeli conscription and the typical enlistment and commissioning path of Israeli Soldiers while the Emissaries were able to learn about Cadet life. Furthermore, the Nathan Hale Battalion Cadets conveyed a positive image of the Battalion on campus and with the visiting Emissaries.

Annually, 2^nd Brigade hosts a competition at Fort Dix, NJ to bring teams together from all over the Northeast to compete for the opportunity to go to the Sandhurst competition.

Background

Every year the Ranger Challenge team holds tryouts to take nine Cadets to this competition. These nine Cadets must be mentally and physically strong, and adaptive leaders. The members of the team will go through weeks of physical and technical training in preparation for this event which includes: a physical training event, orienteering, an obstacle course, tactical combat casualty care (TC3), a hand grenade lane, weapons assembly complete with functions checks, and a rope bridge, all of which culminated in a six mile ruck march.

Execution

At 1200 Friday afternoon, the Ranger Challenge team consisting of team captain Cadet Barnes, his team leaders Cadets Ravenberg and Finnigan, and Cadets Adler, Appell, Caldwell, Campos, Cassidy, Heske, Lopez, Palmer, and Squier left for Fort Dix. Upon arrival, the team went and signed in before moving to the first event of the weekend; the physical training event. This grueling task involved running while carrying a litter with two full water jugs inside for more than three miles. Every so often there was a station that involved one of the following: 300 burpees, 500 kettle bell swings, 400 hand release pushups, and a skedco pull. Following a strong showing, the team got some sleep before the early morning wake up. At 0500 it was a gear layout until orienteering started at 0600. This involved going out and finding as many points as possible while completing a written test. After this event was a rapid succession of lanes for which the team rucked from station to station. The obstacle course was the first which involved navigating a challenging course as safely and as quickly as possible. The TC3 lane was next which involved the care of a casualty and sending up a 9-line MEDEVAC report so the team could move the casualty to a safe casualty collection point (CCP). The grenade lane consisted of events from the new physical fitness test at first, secondly the team traversed walls and barbed wire to throw grenades into bunkers and trenches all while keeping the enemy suppressed. The weapons assembly portion saw the team with five boxes filled with a random number of weapon systems (there were two M9s, two M240Bs, and four M4s) which they had to put together and check to ensure they functioned as fast as possible. The rope bridge was a unique challenge that gives the team a 150m rope, several carabiners, and several pieces of rope used for climbers to secure themselves to the rope. They had one Cadet crawl across a 30m gap with one end of the rope so that the team could construct a bridge for every member of the team to slide across.

Conclusion

Thanks to the efforts of the Ranger Challenge team, the Nathan Hale Battalion team score two places higher than last year and is already ready to crush next year’s competition headed by a new Ranger Challenge captain.

The Nathan Hale Battalion moved to Stones Ranch Military Reservation (SRMR) to train in their biannual field training exercise (FTX) to prepare MS3s for Advanced Camp and follow on training.

Background

In the middle of the Fall semester, the Nathan Hale Battalion goes into the field to have the MS3 Cadets take what they have learned throughout the year and apply it in a practical exercise that takes place over the course of several days. MS4s and Cadre work with the MS3s to best prepare them for similar situations at Advanced Camp over the summer.

Execution

Friday Afternoon, Cadets from each school representing the Nathan Hale Battalion departed to the SRMR to begin training in a field environment. Upon arrival, Cadets were issued weapon systems (either an M4 or M249) and began moving into their new squads. This was done so that each Cadet would start a little out of their comfort zone being surrounded by new people. The first event taking place at FTX was land navigation. The MS3s executed lanes by themselves, the MS2s were in pairs, and the MS1s were in groups led by MS4s. This exercise in day land navigation was followed by night land navigation following completion of the first lanes. Everyone stayed in the same groups. The next morning, the lanes for the day started. These lanes covered a wide variety of important Army knowledge consisting of: four squad attack lanes, a communications and marksmanship lane, and an individual movement technique (IMT) and patrolling lane. Each squad had a different itinerary on which order to attend the lanes. Each squad attack lane focused on a different objective (OBJ) type. Two lanes had a bunker as an OBJ while another had a temporary fighting position, and the last just personnel. This lane was used to test the Cadets on how well they had retained knowledge obtained earlier in the year on how to properly attack an OBJ. The communications section taught Cadets radio etiquette and proper usage of ASIP and SINGCAR radios. The other portion of this lane taught Cadets proper shooting technique and how to properly maintain their respective weapons. The IMT and patrolling lane was used to explain to Cadets how they should be moving in a tactical environment. It taught them what crawls worked best under fire, how far apart Cadets should be while on patrols, and other basics that are very important for Cadets to understand to achieve maximum training value at FTX and follow on training.

Conclusion

The efforts put into this training event made this an excellent exercise for all Cadets involved. Following FTX, all Cadets feel more comfortable in tactical scenarios and will perform better at their summer training because of it.

Every year, Alpha Company tries to host as many sports teams as possible to build positive relations between ROTC and D1 athletics at the University of Connecticut.

Background

In years past we hold a physically and mentally taxing event in which a D1 sports team will go through similar physical training that we go through as Cadets. This is designed to test the physical limits and mental toughness of those involved through a series of lanes run by Cadets.

Execution

Saturday morning, the Alpha Company Cadets assisting with the sports challenge reported to Horsebarn Hill to set up their respective lanes and rehearse before the team got there. There were five lanes for this challenge: the CASEVAC, the minefield, the memory puzzle, the smoker lane, and the individual movement technique (IMT) lane. Upon arrival of the team, they split up into five groups and were led by their team leader to their starting lane. The CASEVAC lane involved the use of skedcos and buddy carries to move all designated personnel to the top of the hill designed to test the physical limits and problem-solving abilities of each participant. The minefield lane involved 16 squares on the ground. The teams had to find a specific sequence through trial and error only moving left, right, forward and backward. Every failure resulted in a 200m sprint. This was designed as a mental test, as well as an endurance test. The memory puzzle was a matching game utilizing a six by six puzzle. Team members had to sprint to the top of the hill, flip two cards, spring back down and brief their teammates within 10 seconds of return. Those not flipping the cards were doing exercises at the bottom of the hill. This was a memory and endurance test. The smoker lane was just that, designed to test the mental and physical strength of each participant. This event included team totals of 1000 pushups, 1000 sit-ups, 30 hill sprints, 600 flutter kicks, 600 jumping air squats, and 600 jumping lunges. The IMT lane was designed to show the participants exactly what Cadets must do in the field when in tactical environments. This included a linked-arm low crawl, a bear crawl, a crab walk, and a three to five second buddy rush up the hill. This took place in steps, and following this, the team had to buddy carry designated persons back to the start point of the lane.

Conclusion

UConn ROTC has continued its great relationship with the swimming and diving team and we have invited them back to participate in our sports challenge again next year. The Cadets participating made this a worthwhile, and very entertaining event for both parties.