PHOTOS: ROTC cadets learn marksmanship, other skills during lab

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets learned rifle marksmanship, first aid skills and how to properly throw a grenade Saturday morning during a training lab.

After hiking more than a mile outside of Vermillion to a gun range near Harold Davidson air field, the cadets were split into three sections to start their training.

At the rifle station cadets were taught how to properly sight their M16 rifles, how to fire the weapons and how to adjust their sights for better accuracy. They then shot at targets from the prone and kneeling positions. After sighting their guns, the cadets were given 40 rounds to try to hit multiple paper targets. Depending on how many targets they hit, they could qualify for certain achievements including the titles of marksman, sharpshooter or expert.

Cadets also learned how to treat wounded soldiers during a first aid course and how to properly throw a training grenade from cover during the Hand Grenade Assault Course.

Captain Jerry Zevecke, an assistant professor of Military Science, said the day’s events also prepare USD’s Ranger Challenge Team.

“It’s an inner-scholastic challenge that we run annually,” Zevecke said. “The winner of the local challenge gets to go to the brigade challenge which consists of several schools from several different states, so it’s pretty exciting.”

PHOTO GALLERY