Cadet Life

UND Army ROTC Color Guard is the face of the Battlion in the Greater Grand Forks Community.  UND Army ROTC Color Guard team displays professionalism and military bearing essential to being an Army Officer.  Color Guard practices weekly to improve and perfect their drill and ceremony skills that they use at the various events they do around the community.  Some of the events Color Guard is involved in over the course of the year includes UND sports games, holiday ceremonies both on UND Campus and in the Grand Forks community, as well as parades.  They are also asked to do a number of other events on and off campus.

The Fighting Hawks Battalion Cadets are always exploring ways to elevate the program and establish meaningful connections within the community, which is why the "Do Better" seminar series was introduced.  During these seminars, members from the Greater Grand Forks community contribute their insights on a range of topics, including Nutritional Awareness, Career Connections, Financial Readiness, Community Involvement, and Networking for Leaders.  The "Do Better" seminars have served as a bridge between the UND Army ROTC program and the broader community, fostering connections that will benefit Cadet's future.

The significance of the Army vs Air Force ROTC football game extends beyond the fiield, embodying a spirited rivalry rooted in the military tradition.   The annual match not only showcases the athletic prowess of these cadets but also fosters camaraderie and a healthy competition.  The game serves as a platform for both Army and Air Force ROTC programs to demonstrate discipline, teamwork, and leadership - core tentets of their training.

Army ROTC has worked with UND to allow new Cadets in the Army ROTC program  move into the dorms early.  This allows us to facilitate our New Cadet Orientation the week before school starts.  The past few years we held a two-day event where new Cadets participated in many activities.  Introductions of Cadre and Cadets, took on a major-centric campus tours, team-building games, and played an adrenaline-pumping paintball game!  This event aims to foster camaraderie, instill a sense of belonging, and provide a glimpse into their chosen majors' unique academic and social aspects.  As the new cadets embark on their academic and military journeys, the hope it that the bonds formed during the event should help them feel a sense of community and solidarity.

Through ROTC, Cadets gain a crucial skill - rappelling, which improves their physical abilities and builds trust in themselves, their equipment and their instructors.  Exceptional Cadets may seek the demanding experience of attending Air Assault School, where they can show case their rappelling proficiency by descending from a helicopter.  Beyond standard training, the Fighting Hawks Battalion's Cadets have had the unique opportunity to apply their rappelling skills to iconic structures like the Alerus and Ralph Engelstad Arena.  These experiences enhance their technical prowess and broaden their perspectives, preparing them for the diverse scenarios they may encounter in their military careers.

The Army ROTC Push-Up Team brings a strong dose of camaraderie and support to fellow UND students while the UND Football team plays at the home arena of the Alerus Center.  All participants are down on the side of the field, ready for when UND scores.  With every goal our team makes, we rush to the field and commence a push-up for each won point.  Together, we bring an extra component of school spirit, all while showcasing the Army ROTC program.

The weekend before Fall Semester starts, UND holds an annual designated move-in day for all the new incoming students.  ROTC Cadets sign up to help incoming students move into their doom rooms.  Organizations across campus come together to help out the newest members of the University.  Move-in Day is an enriching volunteer event for our program because we meet many new students and help make their transition less stressful!  This is one example of our fun inter-organizational volunteer events throughout the school year.

Ranger Challenge is a composed of a 9-man and 5-man tams that take on other collegiate teams from surroundings colleges.  This rigorous competition challenges the cadets' skills, ranging from obstacle courses, ruck marching, weapons skills, casualty evaluation, call for fire skills, and more. Each skill is a graded event on a strict regime, allowing each team to be ranked within the competition.  Whoever comes out with the overall win will compete again against schools nationwwide to determine the Ranger Chalenge's overall winner.      

Ranger Buddy is a physical and mental competition with events similiar to Ranger Challenge, where cadets' skills are put to the test and critically scored.  Some skills include weapons assembly/disassembly, grenade throwing, and fitness!  What sets this competition apart from the Ranger Challenge is that the Cadets compete in teams of two in a 15-kilometer and a final 5-kilometer ruck to close the competition.  The purpose of this event is to physically and mentally challenge competitors and build confidence and Esprit de Corps across Cadet Command.     

Each Winter, Cadets have the opportunity to train and compete in the Northern Warfare Challenge competition.  The competition is held in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Northern Warfare is nicknames the "toughest race in ROTC".  Cadets who compete on the team learn skills in Arm cold weather operations. These skills consist of fire building, knot tying, and hypothermic casualty care.