Mission: Establish the foundation – Purpose, Fundamentals, Meeting the Standard
The Thang
At precisely 0515 PAX rucked up and formed two ranks on the baseball field facing the parking lot. PAX appropriately dressed right and adjusted with proper spacing and alignment. Rucks down in front.
Gear Discussion
- All required GORUCK event gear was reviewed: Rucksack, weight (30# or 20# depending on body weight), headlamp, reflective straps, carabiner, water bladder, ID, $20 quitters cash.
- Moving forward, ALL PAX participating in the GRH006 are instructed to have all required gear during the Spearhead workout. If any PAX fails to do so, the lead Q has the freedom inflict whatever consequences he sees fit.
PT Test
- Proper form, instruction, and standards demonstrated and communicated
- PAX paired up in groups of 2 to perform the push-up (55 in 2 minutes) and sit-ups (65 in 2 minutes)
- PAX then lined up to run 1 mile – standard time 8:00
Welcome Party
- PAX return to rucks and form 2 ranks to complete the following exerices:
- Squats 20X IC
- Shoulder Press 15X IC
- Muricans 10X IC
- Sit ups 15X (single count)
- Squats 15X IC
- PAX about face
- Group one on their stomachs and begin low crawl
- Group 2 begins after group one builds distance
- Momentary halt to discuss purpose and instruction and then low crawl continues
- PAX movement changes to bear crawl for the remainder of the field
- Mosey back to the flag and form 2 ranks
Debrief
- Rucks overhead to review mission objectives, gear requirements, lessons learned
COT
Moleskin
- Today's primary objective was to lay a proper foundation in which to build upon. YHC attempted to be very intentially about introducing or re-introducing key fundamentals of a GORUCK event and training for one
- Each phase (including the gear review) had a specific purpose and reason:
- Forming 2 Ranks: getting into ranks and properly dressing down is our primary formation. It aids in organization, structure, and head count. Getting this correct now will make it automatic later on when chaos ensues we need to get into formation quickly. It also initiates leadership as one person assumes the start of the formation (right flank position) with the rest of PAX falling in accordingly.
- Gear Check: Each item reviewed, which are all the required gear for a GORUCK event, serves a specific purpose, such as safety, hydration, being able to bug out, etc. Reviewing this now and requiring it for all future Spearhead training sessions is about attention to detail. These are small, often overlooked details during training that can bite you in the butt later. Do the small things now and be prepared to do the big things later. Lacking in attention to detail leads to failure and breakdown of the team.
- PT Test: We had to establish a baseline. We are 4+ months from the event so regardless of where you're at today you can improve and meet the standard. But make no mistake, there is a standard and we should all strive to meet and exceed it. That standard is not just a rep count or time hack, that standard encompasses doing it right, all the time. Going all the way down and locking out on push-ups is doing right. This leads to greater strength to do MORE later. This is also about integrity. When we cheat on the fundamentals (push-ups, sit-ups, squats, etc.) we not only cheat ourselves but we will end up cheating others. If we cut corners now we will cut corners later, which will lead to failure and letting the team down.
- Welcome Party: The overarching purpose of the WP is to get into the right state of mind and recognize that we're all in this together. Low crawling across an entire field sucks, but guess what? Each guy is going through that same suck together. This is the first step of building a team in a GORUCK event. Get your mind right. It's not about you. These aren't just words, they're mantras. The sooner you embrace this the more fun this becomes and the better team we become (not to mention better individuals).
- Debrief: Review the key points and lessons learned. We will continue to put emphasis on these foundational elements until they become second nature. Doing this with rucks overhead is about focusing when your suffering. We will find ourselves in far worse situations where we're suffering and will need to remain focused and calm.
- I appreciate the strong turn out this morning and the commitment to crushing this event together. This is going to be an awesome event and an awesome team. I couldn't be more excited to be doing this event with each guy signed up. Thank you.