Kentucky Squadron Overcomes Ft. Campbell Obstacle Course

Capt. Anibal Pacheco
Public Affairs Officer
Fort Campbell Composite Squadron
Kentucky Wing

Eleven cadets and four senior members from the Kentucky Wing’s Fort Campbell Composite Squadron tested themselves recently on Fort Campbell’s Morale Welfare and Recreation Challenge Course, designed to bolster participants’ confidence through a series of obstacles and team-building tasks.

The course consists of three large obstacle structures and a team development exercise section, where participants work as a group to move building materials and a pail of water without leaving anyone behind, spilling the water or falling off the obstacle.

The largest structure is the 50-foot-high, 360-foot-long Odyssey. Its imposing size and intricate weaving of cargo nets, zip lines, sliding platforms and cables were no match for the cadets, who navigated its challenges while suspended in midair. They worked in teams to traverse the obstacle from one side to the other while moving along three towers and a line cable system.

"I loved working through the obstacles and conquering my fear of heights,” Cadet Staff Sgt. Daniel Pacheco said. “Overall, this was a good experience because I got to work with other cadets as a team, doing something challenging that not only tested our physical abilities but also required critical thinking as well."

Second Lt. Tim Schroeder, exercise logistics and coordination officer, said the obstacle course "helped to develop leadership and teamwork skills through a series of challenges fostering esprit de corps and using varied height obstacles as a catalyst for character development."

Later in the day cadets alternated between obstacles, as each team navigated the Alpine Tower – an hourglass-shaped structure also standing 50 feet high. It’s comparable to a jungle gym, with participants working in groups or as individuals to ascend cargo nets, ropes, poles and hanging ladders to the top, where they ring a cowbell before being lowered to the ground using the tower's rope belay system.

The Team Development Course was the final event of the day, pushing the cadets to apply what they learned and work together as a team to solve logistical problems while moving individuals and supplies through a series of elevated obstacles.