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OTC Raiders
L
earning the ropes can be a matter
of life or death as Army ROTC
students learned when they
transported themselves, equipment and
supplies across streams to reach the base
of a cliff to "rescue" people.
About 80 students participated in the
day-long adventure training course at
Laird Park, about 40 miles northeast of
Moscow.
The exercise was coordinated by the
Raiders, a group of ROTC students who
are "super dedicated" to survival training,
according to Maj. Warren Mills,
assistant professor of Military Science.
The first exercise was the suspension
traverse, which is psed to transport people
and equipment across a canyon or
ravine when the river at the bottom is impassable.
A rope is strung from one side
of the canyon to the other.
"We can move boxes, lockers, and personnel
across an unpassable ravine," said
Scott Veibell, a senior ROTC student.
Rappeling or bouncing down the side
of a cliff at the end of a rope, is based on
the same principles as the suspension
traverse.
Staring at the face of the cliff, students
would get instructions from the upperclassmen
and then slowly work their
way down.
"Get your butt down," a student would
yell, and carefully the person rappeling
would straighten his legs and lower
himself to a more horizontal position with
the ground. continued t>
A cliff bcmger.
ROTC student Nancy Henderson practleaa rappellng.
a versatile means of rope transportation
which allows the climber to lower herseU down
a steep mountain or cliff. (photo by M. Touhey)
NHOTC Alpha-One.
FRONT ROW: David Croasdell. John Tomzlk. Jeff
Mlller, George Mata!s. Craig Ka:uber. BACK ROW:
Fred Keers, Richard Rogers. Chris Manis, Dan
Powell. Pat Murphy, Chris Putzig. Vernon Young.
Mike Russell, Colleen Case. Don Davey, Scott
MacDuff, Philip Teas.
NHOTC Alpha-Two.
FRONT ROW: Tam! Harpham, Theron Gough.
Tim Mull. Richard Chandler. BACK ROW: Normand
Bissonnette, Phlllp Ong. Ronnie Moss, Ron
Lovely. William Fagan. Lisa Nlchols. Jamaa
Wickline. Mary Dawson. Dennis Alston, Dan Cole.
Ian Varney. Jeff Stansfield.
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ROTC