Yearly Training Events

Each year the MG Patrick H. Brady Battalion conducts 3 major training events and 3 minor training events. These events take place over the course of a weekend and occur at Ft. Lewis.

Leadership Excellence Orientation (LEO) Lab:

LEO lab is the first training event of the year. It is an opportunity for new cadets and returning cadets to build relationships and get in the grove of the new school year through various activities that test teamwork and personal endurance. Cadets spend the weekend at Ft. Lewis, complete the physically demanding confidence course and compete in a squad and platoon competition on the obstacle course. Cadets may also get experience at the rappel tower, learning how to make a harness called a swiss seat from a long rope that is secure enough to rappel from the 30 ft tower.

Land Navigation:

Land navigation is the major training event in winter quarter. Land navigation takes cadets to the woods of Ft. Lewis to test their skills at map reading, terrain association, compass reading, and pace counting. Cadets are given a certain number of points to find in a limited number of hours during the day and at night.

Squad Stx:

Squad STX (situational training exercise) is the culminating event of the year that happens mid spring quarter. Cadets who have been developing teamwork skills with their squads of 8-10 cadets all year are put to the test in a simulated tactical environment. SQD STX is a grueling, physically and mentally challenging weekend that is immensely rewarding. Squad's perform a series of 2 hour tactical missions in which the squad leadership uses all of their ROTC skills to receive a mission, prepare their squads, and conduct a mission that tests their leadership skills.

Patrolling Lab:

The Patrolling lab is a supplementary training event that is one of the most fun events of the year. This lab takes two weekend days. The first week is about the mission preparation and the second week is the mission execution. These missions are larger scale missions that those conducted at SQD STX consisting of 3 squads. These missions occur all over Washington. The 2006 Patrolling Lab occured in a warehouse near SEA-TAC airport and 2007 occurred in a village on Ft. Lewis. Cadets learn skills such as entering a building and clearing a room.

Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM):

Cadets have the opportunity to hone their marksmanship skills by taking a day down to Ft. Lewis to the range or the simulator. Cadets will get the chance to zero and qualify on an M-16, M-9, or M-4 rifle.

Combat Water Survival Training (CWST)

CWST involves a series of stations cadets must navigate in full uniform. Stations include swimming across the pool while maintaining the muzzle of an M-16 rubber duck above water, a 3 meter drop and 30 second tread water while maintaining contact with a weapon, ditching equipment underwater, and learning how to use uniform pieces as floatation devices.