Guard's officer candidates focus on teamwork

Missouri National Guard Officer Candidate Brian Randolph, of the 880th Engineer Haul Team, of Perryville, slides across an obstacle on Fort Leonard Wood's confidence course. (Photo by Matthew J. Wilson)

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- The Missouri National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 140th Regiment Missouri Regional Training Institute Officer Candidate Class 49 spent its most recent drill weekend focusing on teamwork.

The class of about 30 officer candidates completed a 7-mile road march and took on the confidence course during their eighth month of training. The class trains one weekend a month over the course of a grueling 18-month program where they'll have to demonstrate they have what it takes to become an officer.

Teamwork is a central theme in officer candidate school.

"Those are the only people you have to rely on, your buddies to your right and left," said Officer Candidate Brian Randolph, of the 880th Engineer Haul Team, of Perryville. "They help you get through and you help them get through."

During the road march, candidates were in full gear, including an M-16 rifle, Kevlar helmet, body armor and a 35-pound backpack. They had to finish the march within two and a half hours.

"It was long, hard and tough, but in the end, everyone finished in the time standard," Randolph said of the march. "That was a good teamwork experience and everyone was pretty motivated about it. It feels like we've hit one of the milestones of the school."

Before they graduate, the class will have to complete a 10-mile road march.

"This march showed us that we have to continue to work to prepare ourselves," said Randolph, who lives in Cape Girardeau.

One highlight of the march for Randolph was the fact that the class brought along its mascot, Wilber, a 25-pound metallic pig statue.

"We passed it around so everyone shared in carrying it," Randolph said. "I don't know if any other class has had a mascot that heavy."

The mascot was a 'gift' from the previous class's officer candidates, who's mascot was a smaller, lighter, wooden lion.

Officer Candidate Emily McCampbell, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Special Troops Battalion, of Lexington, called the march challenging.

"It was really rough, but I passed," she said. "There was one hill that was just brutal -- it was extremely steep."

If it wasn't for motivational assistance from Officer Candidate Blake Parker, also of Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 35th, McCampbell said she might not have made it.

"I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to make it or not," said McCampbell, who lives in Kansas City. "I had Officer Candidate Parker with me and he pushed me through it."

Officer Candidate André Reed, of the 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, of Kansas City, was the platoon leader for the march, a role that shifts within the class from event to event.

"The responsibility was very intense," said Reed, who lives in Independence. "I had to coordinate logistics, create an operations order, brief the platoon and make sure the platoon got to the starting point on time."

After he completed the march, Reed said he was among the officer candidates that went back and made sure to motivate those who hadn't finished yet.

"That way as a class, we got a 'Go' for that event," Reed said. "We never leave anybody behind. Even though it is an individual event, we're still a team."

As platoon leader, Reed graded himself as having done an average job.

"That's only because it was my first time in that leadership position," he said. "There are a lot of things I can improve on. We passed our inspection and our road march, which is good. But as far as planning, logistics and just maintaining positive leadership throughout the experience, that's something I need to work on."

Reed said he feels good about being looked to as a leader, which he calls a never-ending learning process.

"You are always learning new techniques to lead Soldiers, how to motivate them and how to better yourself," he said. "It's not something you are ever going to perfect, but you strive for it. You're going to make mistakes. You just have to learn from those mistakes and grow from it."

At the confidence course, officer candidates had to work together in three separate squads to finish their tasks.

"We had to finish as a squad, so it didn't do any good for the fastest person to get through," Randolph said. "We all had to help each other out and motivate each other."

Reed said the confidence course gives the officer candidates the opportunity to display the spirit of the Soldier.

"It's good to come out here because it breaks the monotony of being in the classroom and it also gives us a break from the classroom," he said. "When we come out here we have a chance to exercise, as well as compete and push our bodies."

Reed said physical fitness is one of the keys to being a good officer.

"You have to set the standard and lead by example," he said. "If you are not capable of doing something yourself, you can't lead the Soldiers in your command, and they won't respect you."

The officer candidates' time on the confidence course was capped by a squad competition. Reed helped his squad to victory.

"I never had a doubt," Reed said. "Third squad leads the way."

Randolph's squad, second squad, took second.

"We will be a little disappointed about that, but we've won some, too," Randolph said.

The final squad competition was Randolph's favorite part of the confidence course.

"It was the most exciting and motivating," Randolph said. "You heard everybody yelling and cheering, trying to do their best."

With elevation being a factor in about half the obstacles, McCampbell said the confidence course gave her a chance to overcome her fear of heights.

"You don't spend a lot of time thinking about it -- you just do it," McCampbell said. "It's kind of one of those things where it's not an option to just try. I know that I can do it. I just have to trust my battle buddies."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.