JFM is here! The time of the year where the ROTC branches (Air Force, Army, Navy) go head-to-head and duke it out with some healthy competition. But what is JFM? Well, joint field meet is a yearly competition between the Army, Navy, and Air Force ROTCs that fosters a spirit of competition, while still improving morale among all involved. It also allows the branches to build stronger joint relationships, despite the competitive nature of the event.
Air Force ROTC hosted a special physical training (PT) session on October 17th to strategize and practice for the event in hopes of finally ending the current losing streak. The goal was to “Win with everybody.” While winning is a priority, working as a team is a lesson that cadets can learn and use long-term. Teams were set in advance so that way cadets could set goals and work towards those goals come game day, another lesson that goes beyond JFM. The morale was high after the practice, and cadets were ready to get out there and take down the other branches. Although Air Force did not win overall, the AFROTC men’s tug-of-war team and the E-Race team were both victorious.
This year’s JFM contained several events: Log sit-up, Litter Carry, E-Race, Dead Hang, Tug of War, Ultimate Frisbee, and the Tactical Relay. Those returning to the event may notice a few new events and the notable removal of some events such as the bear crawl relay. Many former events have been swapped out or just plain removed in favor of others. While some of the events are traditional, like Log Sit-ups and Tug of War, we are always trying to add new and fun ways to mix it up. The addition of the dead hang and the E-Race come to mind. The E-Race, also known as the endurance race, is a way to get long-distance running more incorporated into the competition. As for Dead Hang, the branches thought it would be an exciting variation from the traditional pull-ups.
