Look inside the Ranger Challenge
See video of the events at the-standard.org Tuesday • October 18, 2011 • Vol. 105 Issue 8
Briefs Living OUR Legacy game honors service members
Missouri State University’s third annual Legacy soccer game has partnered with the Code 3 Sertoma Club chapter of Springfield, whose purpose is to serve in any fundraising efforts to support local public safety and service personnel in need. MSU’s legacy game’s theme is “Soccer Salutes Service,” to honor efforts in law enforcement, firefighters, and EMT, medical and rescue personnel. A portion of the proceeds of ticket sales will be donated to Code 3 Sertoma Club. The game will be on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. at Plaster Sports Complex. A pregame fun zone for families and children will open at 4 p.m. Admission to the game is free for all service and military personnel with valid ID, children, high school students and MSU students, $3 for MSU faculty and staff and $5 for all others. For more information, visit msulegacygame.com
Flu shots available for residents without health insurance
The Springfield Flu Immunization Coalition is offering several adult flu shot clinics in November. Vaccinations will be available for residents without health insurance. Health care workers and individuals with insurance coverage should get flu shots through employers or physicians. The clinics are scheduled throughout the month of November and will be open from 7 a.m. Until 11 a.m. The clinics are available Nov. 2 at St. Agnes School, 531 S. Jefferson St.; Nov. 3 at Salvation Army, 1707 W. Chestnut Expressway; Nov. 4 at Northview Senior Center, 301 E. Talmage St.; and Nov. 14 at Crosslines/Council of Churches, 627 N. Glenstone Ave. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Flu shots will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis. For details, call 417-874-1228.
Calendar October 18 to October 24
Tuesday
Last day to drop second block classes for 100 percent refund, all day Study Away 101, 10 to 11 a.m., Plaster Student Union 309 Brown Bag Lunch: “LGBT Springfield 1945 to 2010,” noon to 1 p.m. at PSU 317 Student Government Association meeting, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at PSU 313
Wednesday
The Vine, 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Carrington Hall
Thursday
Mid-semester grades available online, all day Brown bag lunch: Queering the Warrior Queen, noon to 1 p.m. at PSU 317 The Big Gay Talent Show, 7 to 9 p.m. at PSU Theatre
Friday
Last day to drop second block classes at 75 percent refund, all day Grammar Fridays at the Writing Center, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Meyer Library Bear CLAW MSU Care Open House, 3 to 5 p.m. at The Kitchen Medical Clinic, 1630 N. Jefferson
Monday
Up ‘til Dawn Kick Off Party, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the PSU Ballroom
Michael Gulledge/THE STANDARD
The female ROTC team carries a 185-pound dummy and a 5-gallon water jug through an obstacle course for the Casevac Challenge.
Bear Battalion reigns supreme Ranger Challenge tests the grit of Missouri State’s ROTC program By Megan Gates The Standard FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Missouri State’s ROTC Bear Battalion dominated the Ranger Challenge at Fort Leonard Wood this past Saturday. The female team took first place, the men’s Alpha Team took second place and the men’s Bravo Team took eighth in its division. The Ranger Challenge, considered a “best of the best” competition that mirrors the Army Ranger Challenge consists of ten challenges: a Physical Fitness Test, Land Navigation, Cavesac, OneRope Bridge, Weapons Qualification, Weapons Assembly, Knot Tying, an Obstacle Course, a Grenade Toss and a Ruck March. “This Ranger Challenge course mimics what the active Army does for all Ranger qualified personnel, which is the Best Ranger Competition,” said Lt. Col. Troy Wisdom, professor of military science and department head. “It’s extremely huge, it’s the varsity sport for the Army as it is the varsity sport for ROTC.” The challenge began on Friday
night with the Physical Fitness Test and Land Navigation Written Test and continued at 7 a.m. Saturday morning with the rest of the challenges against teams from across the region, including Missouri S&T, Truman University, University of Missouri, St. Louis University, Washington University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Southern Illinois University at Evansville. “The female team, this is the first one I know of that we’ve had, is very, very strong physically and mentally so I think our teams have a very good shot at winning this overall competition,” Master Sgt. David Dowell, professor of military science, said. MSU’s female team consisted of Captain Amanda Ehrhardt, twins Abby Clabaugh and Ariel Clabuagh, Meghan Stark, Amber Lekey and alternate Ann Robbis, under the direction of Sgt. 1st Class James Young. Stark had the highest female score for the Physical Fitness Test, with 357 points out of 300, and was given a chance to relax with her teammates during the challenge before competing in the Casevac Challenge. “I’m most nervous about the Casevac because we’re pulling stuff under barbed wire and I’m kind of worried about getting stuck,” she said. “Hopefully it goes well.” See ROTC page 9
Ranger Challenge Events Physical Fitness Test Team members do as many push-ups in two minutes, sit-ups in two minutes and run two miles as fast as they can. Fastest mile, most push-ups and sit-ups wins. Land Navigation Teams are given a map of an area and plots to plot on the map and then find to gain points with a time limit of one hour. Team with the most points wins. Casevac Female teams take one 185-pound dummy and one five-gallon water jug through an obstacle course. Fastest time wins. Male teams take two 185-pound dummies and two five-gallon water jugs through an obstacle course. Fastest time wins. One-Rope Bridge Male teams construct two one-rope bridges and transport their equipment and the entire team across. Fastest time wins. Weapons Qualification Teams shoot at targets on a computer system. Scored on accuracy. Weapons Assembly Teams assemble and disesemble weapons. Scored on accuracy of assembly. Obstacle Course Teams go through an obstacle course of monkey bars, over low walls, tunnels, one rope bridges, a maze and a hanging rope as a team. The fastest team time wins. Knot Tying Teams tie various knots. Scored on accuracy of the knot. Grenade Toss Teams are divided into groups of three and go through a course where they throw dummy grenades at targets. Scored on accuracy and throwing technique. Ruck March Teams march 10 km./6 mi. with a 30 lb. ruck sack. Fastest team time wins.
MSU offers help to students facing depression Counseling and Testing Center is available for free student use By Brandon Corrigan The Standard “Joey” is a bright freshman who brought along high ACT scores when he entered MSU. He is an aspiring athletic trainer and is attending school on an academic scholarship. Since the end of a three-year relationship with his high school girlfriend, which crashed for good a month ago, Joey has been acting differently. At night, he parties and drinks obsessively until he blacks out or pukes. He sleeps throughout the entire day and rarely attends class. His friends see him eating at the dining hall once a day, if at all. Joey’s friends think that he is just trying to cope with the breakup of his girlfriend and don’t see his behavior as a serious problem. Joey feels
anguish and emptiness inside but assumes there is no one who can understand or sympathize with his problems. This hypothetical scenario is a Greiner genuine psychological quandary for any number of MSU students. And too many students are reluctant to seek help when they are feeling depressed. “It can be scary to go in and talk to a stranger — a person you don’t know — about your personal concerns or problems that you might be dealing with,” said Doug Greiner, director of the Counseling and Testing Center and licensed psychologist. “Sometimes there may be a feeling of ‘I have to be really ill to go talk to a counselor,’ and that’s not necessarily the case. Students can come in and meet with a counselor and talk one-on-one about what’s going on and about what they might be able to do differently.” October is a significant month for
depression awareness. Oct. 2 through 8 was Mental Illness Awareness Week and Oct. 6 was National Depression Screening Day. The Counseling and Testing Center offered free, anonymous, educational screenings for a range of conditions including depression, eating disorders, manic-depression, anxiety, alcohol and post-traumatic stress disorders. “I think it was great for MSU to participate in National Depression Screening Day because it helps educate students about depression and helps connect those who are struggling to get help for their problems,” said junior nursing major John Rundle. Greiner said that over the last five years approximately 25 percent of the students who visited the Counseling and Testing Center met the criteria for depression. At MSU, 12 percent of students reported that they sought assistance for depression within the past year and 55 percent reported seeking assistance with “major depression” at some point in their life. Greiner said depression is a mood
disorder that is broadly defined. “Typical signs of depression can include a feeling of sadness or a numb or empty feeling, kind of a lack of feeling,” Greiner said. “Finding it hard to concentrate, withdrawing from things that used to bring pleasure, not spending enough time with friends are all signs.” Greiner said that over the past few years more people have recognized depression as a real and serious concern. “I think more people are aware of depression and how it comes across, but it still involves some educating and making sure people know that it is a real concern,” Greiner said. “I think the hard thing for some people is that depression can sometimes come on very slowly and gradually, that a person will be depressed before they know they’re depressed.” Students with concerns about depression can visit the Counseling and Testing Center for free services. The Counseling and Testing Center is located in Carrington Hall 311. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.