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Personal Narrative: Ranger Challenge Competition

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Recommended: Basic Soldiering Skills

I stood on the sidelines, watching my teammates receive the first place trophy at the Ranger Challenge competition. I could not help but feel joy for their success. I knew they had earned it. Or, I should say, “we” had earned it. Even though I did not get to compete, I considered myself part of the team.

I am a cadet in the Army’s Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at Wheaton College. Ranger Challenge is the “competitive sport” of ROTC, culminating in a tough regional competition. Wheaton College sends two teams, the A team (varsity) and the B team (junior varsity) to compete against more than twenty colleges and universities in the Great Lakes region. The competition consists of a physical fitness test, a demanding land navigation course, …show more content…

I dragged myself out of bed every morning at five thirty and worked out hard for two hours before going straight into mental focus at class. I spent what little free time I had learning and refining my soldier skills for Ranger Challenge. As the amount of light in the mornings dwindled, so did the number people vying for a spot on the team. Some quit and others got cut. However, I stuck with it. I began to notice those who could once outdo me in the physical aspects of training now fell behind. The cadets who had taught me how to tie all the knots and disassemble a weapon now took more time than me to do such …show more content…

I was only needed for one event and spent nearly the entire weekend as a cheerleader. At first I thought that all the training, all the pain, and all the lost sleep was for nothing. But I soon realized that wasn’t the case. Life certainly isn’t fair. I won’t always be rewarded or even recognized for my hard work. Sometimes life calls me to sacrifice personal wants for a higher calling. As I watched the B Team receive the first place trophy, I knew in my heart that I was an integral part of the team’s success. I had surpassed my own expectations and helped bring out the best in others. And that’s reward

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