San Diego -- Recruits must overcome every obstacle, including their fear of heights, during recruit training to earn the right to claim the title Marine.
Marines of Company F, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, conquered the Rappel Tower with confidence on training day 58 aboard the depot, Jan. 17.
The purpose of the Rappel Tower was for Marines to build trust and confidence in one another.
“The biggest challenge the Marines go through other than the height of the tower is being able to trust others while rappelling down the tower,” said Sgt. Anthony J. Juedes, drill instructor, Platoon 2133, an Oshkosh, Wis., native. “Once Marines build the confidence to rappel down, they’re a lot more comfortable with being able to trust those around them, which is a part of the Marine Corps brotherhood.”
Before Marines rappelled, Instructional Training Company instructors taught a class on how to properly set up their harness and rappelling techniques used. One of the techniques learned was for Marines to use their “brake hand” to adjust the speed while descending the tower. Marines were given gloves, as a safety precaution to prevent rope burn and have an extra grip on the rope, along with a helmet and safety harness.
The Rappel Tower event consisted of two individual events; fast roping and rappelling. Before rappelling from the top of the tower, Marines slid down using a fast-rope. Fast roping is used to quickly get troops from a hovering aircraft to the ground.
After fast-roping, Marines walked up to the top of the tower to rappel the 60-foot rope.
“I felt comfortable with the height of the tower, although I was nervous climbing from the bottom to the top,” said Pvt. Angello A. Nlundacawolff, a Lancaster, Calif., native. “I have trust in the instructors that helped guide me down, but it’s hard to overcome and give that trust knowing if I mess up or my gear fails I have to rely on them to guide me to the ground.”
Co. K Marines left the Rappel Tower not only with a higher level of confidence, knowing they descended a 60-foot tower using a rope, but also with the ability to trust the Marine to their left and right, which is a principle the Marine Corps brotherhood is built around.
“The only thing going through my mind is becoming a Marine, and I use that to motivate myself to get through the many challenges of recruit training,” said Nlundacawolff. “Overcoming the height of the tower, being able to trust the Marines to guide me down and taking the role of a leader to get down the rope are all a part of the journey to become a Marine.”