DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI RETURNS HOMEBY CADET LINDSAY KLOEPFER

The University of Central Missouri named Brig. Gen. Troy D. Kok this year’s Distinguished Alumni on Oct. 23, as part of the 2015 Homecoming celebrations at the university.

Kok graduated from UCM with a bachelor’s degree in aviation maintenance technology in 1986 and a master’s degree in aviation safety in 1987. His military career began at UCM, where he was commissioned through the ROTC program as a second lieutenant in 1984.

Kok returned to UCM to talk to current cadets about leadership and his personal experiences during and after his time in ROTC, and also participate in Homecoming events.

After watching the first half of the football game in the stands with University President Chuck Ambrose, Kok joined the Fighting Mules push -up crew behind the end zone on the field. As the guest of honor, the crew supported him as he performed push-ups after the Mules football team scored a touchdown.

Proud of his connection to the university, and particularly the ROTC program, Kok said, “The impact that the UCM education has had on the success of my career, in both my military and civilian life, has been insurmountable. The five years I spent at UCM thoroughly prepared me for the challenges I would face as I progressed through my career in the military.”

NEW CADETS CONTRACTED AT CENTRALBY SAMANTHA WHITEHEAD

Brandon Clark, Calvin Rucker, George Cottrell, and Jacob Angevine (pictured left, listed left to right) became the newest contracted cadets in the Fighting Mules Battalion on Oct. 26.

In order to be successfully contracted, the cadets had to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test, maintain good academic standing with the university, and meet other requirements, set both by the battalion and ROTC Cadet Command.

Clark, Rucker, Cottrell and Angevine participated in a swim PT session on the morning of their contracting as a camaraderie-building exercise with the rest of the battalion.

FIGHTING MULES REVIEWUNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI'S MILITARY SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENT | SINCE 1968

NOVEMBER 2015 | www.ucmo.edu/rotc | ucmfmb@ucmo.edu | UCMFightingMules UCMFMB UCM_FMB

Photo by Megan Ebrecht

Photo by Cadet Lindsay Kloepfer

MissionTo select, train, retain, develop, and commission high-quality future leaders for the United States Army and the nation. Our vision is to be one of the Nation's premier ROTC programs by continuing to develop adaptive warrior leaders that we are confident can lead our most treasured commodity - the U.S. Army Soldier.

Department StaffLTC Jason Christenson Department Chair

MSG James Krause Senior Military Science Instructor

CPT Xavier Loredo Training Officer

OC Jerry Shreve National Guard Recruiter

John Wolfmeyer Recruiting Operations

Rotimi Akinbohun Supply and Logistics

Gareth Young University Instructor

Patty Roberts Office Professional III

Sandra Streicher Human Resources

Samantha Whitehead Public Affairs Manager

Megan Ebrecht Public Affairs Assistant

The Fighting Mules Review is published monthly by the University of Central Missouri’s Military Science and Leadership Department. Views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army.

MULES TAKE ON RANGER CHALLENGESTORY BY CADET L INDSAY KLOEPFER, PHOTOS BY CADET CRIST INA TEJEDA

The Fighting Mules competed in the Ranger Challenge at Fort Leonard Wood over a memorable three-day weekend beginning Sept. 25.

The excitement began Friday morning as we loaded three teams, for the first time in battalion history, onto a bus and headed to Fort Leonard Wood. The first day consisted of several events - an APFT, weapons assembly, disassembly and grouping, and night land navigation.

The teams arrived back at the barracks around 2300, with morning and a 10k road march only hours away. The road march began after a 0530 call time, and was one of the most intimidating events of the competition. The march is potentially the most mentally and physically straining event of the entire competition and sets the tone for the rest of the day’s events.

Each of the teams put their hearts into the road march, with the male A team coming in 3rd place in the event, and the female team placing 2nd - crossing the finish line just four minutes behind the 1st place female team winners.

The rest of the day consisted of a round-robin course of day land navigation, a medical lane, grenade assault course, obstacle course, one-rope bridge, and the mystery event.

For the medical lane, the five-person female team carried a 230-pound mannequin on a litter, along with their gear: an FLC, rifle, helmet and kevlar, radio, and medical pack. The nine-person male and coed teams had to move two litters with the same equipment. Both teams ran a 300-meter obstacle course, maneuvering hills, rocks and trees.

Parents and friends were later able to walk the course alongside the teams and graders at every event.

Ranger Challenge brought the battalion together through competition, allowing cadets to spend time together, and strengthen their leadership and teamwork skills. The teams worked to improve on their weaknesses and used the competition as an opportunity to train for next year’s events and the Ranger Buddy Competition.

Name Class Year Address City State ZipEmail My donation is in the amount of: [ ] $20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $250 [ ] $500 [ ] Other $Please make checks payable to the ROTC Cadet Fund. Mail to Humphreys 101, UCM, Warrensburg, MO, 64093

CONTINUE THE TRADITION - DONATE TODAY!Your donations support our efforts to select, train, retain, develop and commission future leaders of the U.S. Army.

Donations support the funding of this newsletter and help to offset the costs of competitions and events such as Ranger Challenge, Ranger Buddy and the battalion’s yearly participation in the Bataan Memorial Death March.