SU ROTC Ranger Challenge team, an inside look by Cadet Casey Strunk
Pursuing a career as a U.S. Army officer is a path that very few individuals take because of the dedication and discipline required to be an effective leader. A common path to becoming an officer is through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC is comprised of cadets who attend colleges all across the nation and work rigorously both academically and also to enhance themselves as military leaders. Cadets have the opportunity to get involved in a number of activities while enrolled in ROTC, with the most prestigious being Ranger Challenge (RC). The RC team is comprised of nine cadets and two alternates who try out for the team and are selected by the team captain. The team competes annually at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Shippensburg University Raider Battalion competes in the 2nd Freedom Brigade, which encompasses the entire northeast portion of the U.S., from Pennsylvania to Maine. Cadet Billy Graham, who plans to be an active duty Army officer, led this year’s RC team. Under the mentor-ship of U.S. Army Captain Nathaniel Sebren, Graham continually displayed his leadership presence by developing and training the team at a high level.