BIRMINGHAM, Ala., - An unwelcomed rush of cold water flooded through the laced tongues of their combat boots as they forced their way through the stagnant water. The tips of their oars broke through the yellowish milky film that had settled atop the water and they were off.
In a synchronized thrust of muscle and determination, the crew made their way through the mucky water toward their next destination. Not a typical day for most college students, but for the ROTC cadets at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), it's certainly not atypical.
On April 10, the UAB ROTC cadets participated in a Spring Challenge at Oak Mountain Park in Birmingham, Ala. The challenge started bright and early with an Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) followed by a road march, a man-powered boat race in a F470 Zodiac assault vessel and a land navigation course. The cadets were broken down into three- and four-person teams with each team competing against the other.
Maj. Lee Green, a military science instructor for UAB, said the cadets participating in the challenge were freshmen and sophomore students. Even though they are in the ROTC program, freshman and sophomore students do not have to commit to military service.
Some have already committed, but others are still uncertain about their future in the military.
"This challenge is a great opportunity for the cadets to get a more hands-on experience of how the military really works," said Green. "We do this to get them motivated and excited to continue the program and their military service."
About one quarter of the cadets from UAB sign up for service in the Alabama National Guard.
Birmingham recruiter Staff Sgt. Laura Carroll recruits cadets from UAB into the Alabama Guard. "These events are great recruiting tools," she said. "Most students don't realize that the Guard is a great way to pay for tuition."
Carroll said the Alabama Guard supplied lunch for the cadets at the Spring Challenge.
UAB ROTC cadets Jacob and Jared Wesley, twin brothers from Gardendale, Ala., have signed with the Alabama Guard and are currently attached to Bravo Company, 167th Infantry.
Jacob Wesley said the UAB ROTC program has grown over the past few years. "With a larger program, we have more opportunities to host events like the Spring Challenge," said Wesley.
Jared Wesley said the experience is much more than a recruiting tool. "This is such a motivation exercise," he said. "It encourages teamwork and leadership and gives cadets the opportunity to work on their physical fitness, land navigation, military skills and road marching abilities."