Activities and Organizations

PT (Physical Training)

Maintaining physical fitness is essential in the United States Army to ensure combat readiness and health. PT is performed three times a week Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for an hour in the morning before classes start.

FTX (Field Training Exercise)

Every semester there is an FTX that is held for the weekend to reinforce and use those tools learned in the classroom and lab to apply out in the field at West Camp Rapid. Cadets will participate in doing day and night land navigation; basic rifle marksmanship (BRM); field leadership reaction course (FLRC), an obstacle that needs to be completed by a team; squad situational training exercise (STX), a squad movement that has an objective to be completed and is composed and operated by many of the subjects taught in class and lab throughout the semester; and patrolling which is like STX but on a larger scale.

Ranger Challenge

The varsity sport of ROTC that competes against other ROTC programs from South Dakota and neighboring states at Camp Ripley, Minnesota in the middle of October during every fall semester. The competition consists of many activities that are performed during lab and at FTXs such as land navigation, one rope bridge, army physical fitness test (APFT), basic rifle marksmanship, field leadership reaction course, patrolling, and STX.

Buddy Ranger

The cadet equivalent of the Best Ranger competition, Buddy Ranger consists of a weekend of cadets from around the nation to compete in teams of two in Lawrence, Kansas.

Pershing Rifles

The National Society of Pershing Rifles is a student led and -operated leadership development organization that was founded by General John J. Pershing to develop outstanding traits of leadership, military science, military bearing, and discipline within the framework of a military-oriented, honorary fraternity as stated by the founder himself. The organization is open to both civilians with or without any connection to ROTC and cadets.

Army 10-Miler

Cadets are able to participate in the Army’s annual Army Ten-Mile Race and Expo which is conducted in our nation’s capital by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington (MDW). Attracting over 35,000 runners and 900 teams from around the world, the Army Ten-Miler (ATM) exemplifies the Spirit of Sport and the Spirit of a Nation.  Participants include military, civilians, wheel chair athletes and wounded warrior athletes. ATM’s mission is to support Army outreach, build morale, and promote physical fitness.  Over 900 Soldiers and 900 volunteers support the Army’s “world class” ATM race.

Bataan Memorial Death March

This is a 26.2 mile marathon course is held annually at the end of March in White Sands, New Mexico. The Death March has many categories to compete in such as military light and military heavy, just to name a couple that the Mount Rushmore Battalion has competed in.