Cadet Activities
Requirements
Every Cadet is required to participate in the following for each semester:
- 1 Hour of Physical Training at 6am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
- 1 Military Science class per week ( 1 or 2 credit(s))
- 1 Military Science Lab every Thursday (2 credits)
While participating in ROTC, cadets are encouraged to take part in activities with ROTC for great training and for fun. Often, it is through these events that cadets receive valuable experience and build comradery with cadets from UW-Madison and around the Midwest. Intramural sports, color guard and Ranger Challenge are just a few examples of what keeps in ROTC cadet busy.
ROTC Competitions
Ranger Challenge
The Ranger Challenge competition is held annually at Ft. McCoy for members of the 3rd Army ROTC Brigade. This competition is physically demanding and requires additional physical training alongside the required Army ROTC training. The Ranger Challenge teams train Tuesdays, Fridays, and sometimes Saturdays in addition to regular PT unitl the competition in October. During the competition, cadets are tested in a number of functional areas to include:
-Land Navigation
-Obstacle Course
-One Rope Bridge
-Weapons Assembly/Disassembly
-Stress Shoot
-Call for Fire
-Physical Challenge
-Foot March
The Ranger Challenge team requires dedication and training beyond the normal ROTC experience but comes with many rewards, including increased physical fitness, more advanced hands on training, and a strong team bond. All cadets are welcome to try-out for the team and compete on either the 9-man or 5-man team that competes every year.
On Campus Opportunities
Color Guard
The Color Guard is composed of cadets from each school who go to university and community functions to perform the traditional carrying of the United States flag, the Army flag and the State of Wisconsin Flag. The Color Guard squad is utilized for various athletic events on all the campuses, memorial events and other local ceremonies and is often featured in the local media for its presence at such events. All cadets are encouraged to participate and build their skills in Drill and Ceremony as well as continue the great tradition of honoring our nation’s colors.
Scabbard and Blade
Scabbard and Blade is an ROTC joint service honor society that unites cadets and midshipmen from all over the nation in military excellence.
This means that there are not just Army members, but also Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy members from UW-Madison. The Society strives to better these cadets and midshipmen as future officers and to strengthen the joint service relationship through service to the community and leadership opportunities.
The University of Wisconsin – Madison was the founding university of Scabbard and Blade in 1904-1905.
Foreign Award Opportunities
Sometimes we have the opportunity to either host or send Cadets to events where they can earn a Foreign Military Award. The most common events are the Norwegian Foot March and the German Armed Forces Badge.
Norwegian Foot March
The Norwegian Foot March (Marsjmerket) is an 18.6-mile (30 km) endurance event. Originating in 1915, it challenges participants to complete a set course carrying an 11 kg (24.25 lbs) rucksack within strict time limits. Successfully finishing to standard is highly prized by military personnel as an authorized foreign service badge.
German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge
The German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge is a multi-event competition, the same fitness test the German Military uses to access their troops. Cadets compete in events that include pistol shooting, a ruck march, 1000M run, shuttle sprint, flex arm hang, a 400M swim and a first aid exam. Each of these events is scored and each cadet is given an overall score, which may qualify them to wear a distinctive badge on their dress uniform. Though it is demanding, this event is filled with many opportunities to advance your physical fitness beyond what is offered in the normal physical fitness training program. The competition is open to all cadets in all academic years although there is limited travel space.