MCHS MCJORTC Cadets Compete in Physical Fitness Test for Chance to Go to San Diego

MCHS MCJORTC Cadets Compete in Physical Fitness Test for Chance to Go to San Diego

The cadets of the Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) recently took the Physical Fitness Test (PFT). The test consists of a 300 meter shuttle run, pull-ups, stomach crunches, push-ups, and the standing long jump.

The top six male scores and the top six female scores are sent to the MCJROTC Headquarters. If MCHS has the top scores in our region, then those cadets will compete at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA, for the National MCJROTC Physical Fitness Championship. That trip would be conducted at no cost to MCHS or the cadets. It would be completely funded by the Marine Corps.

“The object of the physical fitness portion of our program is not to prepare cadets for Marine Corps Boot Camp,” said Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath. “It is to motivate cadets to incorporate physical fitness into their daily routine. Someone once said that if you have a strong body, the mind will follow. Being physically fit will help a leader in any career.”

Master Sergeant Jeff Benak, the Marine Instructor, noted the strides that some of the cadets have made in their physical fitness this year. “It is great to see young men and women who struggle with exercising when they enter the program, but then improve throughout the year. You can see how it helps their self-confidence and over-all attitude toward school.”

The cadets will be physically and mentally challenged when they attend their Leadership Camp June 5-9 at the St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, WI. The training day will start at 5:30 am with physical training. The week is filled with physically demanding activities like swimming, canoeing, land navigation, and negotiating various obstacle courses. The camp will culminate with three leadership scenarios that will test the cadets mentally as well as physically. This camp is also conducted at no cost to MCHS. The U.S. Marine Corps will completely pay for the cost of the camp.