The Warren County JROTC Raiders are departing this weekend, Nov. 5-6, in what can be considered the Super Bowl of all Raider competitions.
Teams will compete in the Army Raider Nationals at Gerald Lawhorn Scouting Base in Molena, Ga., which will have 80 teams and 1,100 cadets competing from morning till night.
According to the U.S. Army Cadet Command, 4,000 parents, counselors and cadets will converge to watch cadets test their skills in endurance and teamwork in five events Saturday, culminating in the Ultimate Raider Challenge on Sunday.
On Saturday, the Warren County teams compete with South Paulding and Ida S. Baker in the rope bridge challenge, the gauntlet, physical team test, 5K team run and cross country rescue. On Sunday, a male/female team from Warren County will compete in the Ultimate Raider Challenge.
“The U.S. Army, JROTC Raider Nationals is considered to be the Super Bowl of Raider meets. High school JROTC units from all four corners of the U.S. participate in this grueling event,” said Warren County 1st Sgt. Tim Howard. “The Pioneer battalion has been preparing for this weekend since June 29 with its summer conditioning program both on Harrison Ferry Mountain and the campus of Warren County High School. Once the school year began, the team resumed its regular practices and the competition season. Last year, the Pioneers ranked as the 11th overall team in the nation.”
“This year we look to place in the top 10 with some underclassmen and seniors who have been on the team from one year to all four years,” Howard said. “They are Joe Meekins, Weston Overton, Trenton Worch, David King, Hunter Rowland, Christopher Hennessee, Stephanie Rainey, Katie Cleland and serving as the team leader, Abraham Villafuerte. This will be a weekend that will test their teamwork and endurance.”
Each team event consists of 10 team members who must score in five events to be eligible for the overall title. The rope bridge is to build and cross at least 150-foot, team-built rope crossing. The gauntlet the team maneuvers carrying rucksacks through roughly one mile of woodsy terrain while overcoming obstacles along the way. The physical team test is a physical fitness test of agility, strength, balance and stamina. The 5K run is a team run and in the cross country rescue the team carries a weighted stretcher carrying rucksacks.
If all that isn’t enough, the best male and female cadets competing in the previously mentioned events compete in the Ultimate Raider on Sunday. The course is 1.75 miles with a three-quarter-mile road run followed by a one-mile run through the woods. Add to the running, the course has walled obstacles and participants wear boots and carry 35-pound ruck sacks.
Spectators are allowed on almost all areas of the course, but it is designed for maximum viewing on both the starting and finish lines to allow fans to cheer on their home cadets.
The Raider event is a popular extreme athletic completion and the equivalent of the Army ROTC Ranger competition in college. There will be camping available, plenty of parking and concessions among other amenities for spectators making in an enjoyable event for all.

Warren County Raiders national event schedule
Saturday
Rope Bridge 9:00 a.m.

South Paulding  Male
South Paulding  Mixed
Warren County Mixed
IDA S. Baker  Mixed

Gauntlet 10:55 a.m.
PTT 1:25 p.m.

South Paulding  Male
South Paulding  Mixed
Warren County Mixed
IDA S. Baker Mixed

5K 3:15 p.m.

South Paulding Male
South Paulding  Mixed
Warren County   Mixed
IDA S. Baker  Mixed

CCR 4:55 p.m.

South Paulding Male
South Paulding Mixed
Warren County  Mixed
IDA S. Baker  Mixed

Sunday

Ultimate Raider 8:25 a.m.

Adairsville  1M/1F
Creekview  1M/1F
Central Hardin 1M
Campbell  1M/1F
Waynesville CC  1M/1F
Hopewell – 1M
South Paulding 1M/1F
Warren County 1M/1F
IDA S. Baker  1M/1F