The Army sponsors an annual JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge for an all-expense-paid camp for selected cadets. JCLC is located in Fort Jackson, SC.
JCLC develops cadets to assume leadership roles within their school’s JROTC program while developing their self-discipline, confidence, communication skills, leadership skills, and self-esteem.
JCLC is a mentally and physically demanding summer camp. Cadets wake-up at 5:00 AM and start the day with a Flag Raising Ceremony at 5:50 AM, followed by physical fitness training, swimming, or an obstacle course. The day is full of adventure, strategy, team-building exercises, and leadership skills that end around 5:00 PM. This is followed by cadet led sports competition after dinner (relay race, basketball, soccer, kickball, water polo, and volleyball). Lights out are 10 PM. All cadets have responsibilities while at JCLC and may be assigned as company commanders, company First Sergeants, down to a squad leader. Cadets from South Carolina JROTC schools, other cities and states attend Fort Jackson's JCLC.
Events at JCLC - JROTC Cadel Leadership Challenge
Cadets work together to tie a rope over a body of water to move their squad across. One cadet, the swimmer, takes one end of the rope and swims across and ties the rope opposite the team, across the body of water. The squad, except one, hooks their harness to the rope and works their way to other side. The last cadet unties the rope and swims across the body of water to their squad. The rope is usually tied between two points 50 feet apart.
Cadets rappel down a 50-foot tower and face their fears and find confidence in themselves as they go down. Cadets can also complete a climbing wall.
Cadets have the opportunity to enter the water in a pool where they learn water survival techniques, such as turning their pants into a floatation device. They also enter the water in a pond where they receive plastic 55-gallon drums, rope, and wooden board to build a floating and functioning raft. Each team must be able to float their raft, with one cadet on top, and take it to a point in the pond and back.
Cadets learn basic archery techniques and safety protocols, then have the opportunity to send arrows down range.
These Leader events allow cadets to work on their communication and planning skills by challenging them with five round-robin tasks such as the Spider Web. In this event, cadets must get their entire team through the web, by only using each opening once and not go above or below the web. These events require cadets to work on crossing each other's personal boundaries in a respectful manner.
Cadets start off this with a hike to the training area, where they learn the map reading basics, where things are on a map by using a compass and a protractor. Map reading is crucial to land navigation. Cadets are put in teams, given their map, protractor, compass, and coordinates then must find their points in the fastest time.