Oregon National Guard Soldiers Lead Veterans Day Fitness Training

Three Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers led students through Army-style physical training at Crossler Middle School on Nov. 10 to mark the period leading up to Veterans Day.

The visit, which took place in the school gym, focused on physical fitness and connecting students with the history of military service within their own families, DVIDS reported.

This marks the second year the Soldiers have visited the Salem school for this purpose, though this year the school staff initiated the request for the program. 1st Sgt. Angel Payne, who has children and a step-grandson attending the school, said that teachers emailed her directly following the success of last year’s visit.

“The kids really liked it. The staff really liked it, and it went well to honor Veterans Day,” Payne said.

The training session was modeled after the Army Fitness Test, dividing classes of approximately 100 students into three rotating groups. Each station focused on specific physical disciplines led by members of the Oregon Army National Guard Medical Command.

Oregon National Guard Soldiers Lead Veterans Day Fitness Training

Capt. Godwin Nwando managed a deadlift station.
1st Sgt. Angel Payne led a sprint and weighted-sled drag station.
Capt. Rionna Brenes oversaw a push-up and plank station.

During the deadlift exercises, Nwando observed one student who handled the weight with enough ease to warrant adding more to the bar. The student completed five or six repetitions and proceeded to coach his classmates on proper form, including keeping their feet shoulder-width apart, their eyes up, and their backs flat, Nwando said.

While the intensity of the workout prompted questions from the students—most commonly regarding what Soldiers eat—the Soldiers worked to keep the atmosphere engaging. “They look a little tortured sometimes, but a lot of them are having fun with it,” Brenes said. “I make it a game. I make it a challenge.”

Beyond the physical exertion, the Soldiers used the downtime between exercises to discuss the meaning of Veterans Day and the definition of a veteran. The goal was to encourage students to recognize the military service present in their own homes.

The conversation revealed that the student body and the military are closely connected. Brenes said that more students than she expected identified family members who had served.

“A lot of grandpas, great-grandpas, or grandmas. There’s a couple grandmas, moms,” Brenes said. “So as a female Soldier, that’s kind of cool.”

The Soldiers encouraged the students to reach out to these relatives on Veterans Day to express their thanks. Payne emphasized that the intent of the visit was not centered on recruitment. “It’s just nice to be engaged in the community and have a presence,” she said.

The day concluded with a school assembly where students and teachers competed against one another in the same fitness events in front of the school’s bleachers. Payne said the ultimate aim was to demonstrate how Soldiers maintain physical fitness while teaching students how to honor the family members who have served.