Seneca Valley JROTC Zips Through Leadership Training

Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps recently spent a day at Slippery Rock University for a leadership training program district officials said was intended to instill the Army motto, “This We'll Defend.”

The cadets, also known as the Raider Battalion, spent Oct. 22 rappelling from a 40-foot wall, riding down a 200-foot cable zipline, and climbing and crossing a wire bridge 40 feet above the ground, according to a statement from Seneca Valley.

The group trained with Slippery Rock’s Senior ROTC Program members in three areas; tower training, leaders reaction course and orienteering.

The leaders reaction course aims to develop teamwork, including overcoming obstacles in simulated combat.  Orienteering training required cadets assigned to two-person teams to use a compass to navigate through the wooded training site and locate five destinations before a deadline expired.

“The greatest obstacle the cadets must learn to overcome is fear,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Massullo, Army instructor for the Raider Battalion. “Fear of heights being the biggest. Once they overcome that, it becomes difficult to get them off the tower for other training.”