Kofi Ampeah Woode
By Colonel Richard Edukwesi WOANYA
Director Support and Demonstration
Ghana Military Academy
“Nations have passed away and left no traces, and history gives the naked cause of it – One single simple reason in all cases; They fell because their peoples were not fit.” – Rudyard Kipling
INTRODUCTION
“…They fell because their peoples were not fit.”
“…our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security.”
Mental and physical robustness is a prerequisite for soldiering. The Officer must be mentally and emotionally tough and physically fit to meet the challenges of peacetime management of troops and the fluid and stress-packed terrain of warfare.
It is suicidal for the military leader or commander to reach his/her culminating point whilst his/her troops have not. The Officer must be able to survive and think diligently and logically to deal with fleeting and irregular scenarios within the context of challenging peacetime administration with limited logistics support and the continuous buildup of pressure from the aggression of the enemy, and the erratic and fluid battlespace, during war time.
John F Kennedy has been quoted as saying, “Our growing softness, our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security.” It can be deduced from this statement that the security of a person, a group or nation is indirectly linked to its fitness. The fitness status of those who have the primary responsibility of securing the territorial integrity of the nation in all aspects is very important.
A physically unfit armed forces, and by extension the totality of its hard power, means an insecure state. This quote collaborates that of Rudyard Kipling which asserts that nations passed away and left no traces because their people (troops) were not fit. Physical fitness and mental robustness of those who have the mandate to secure Ghana must therefore be unquestionable. This informs the concept of endurance training at the Academy.
Pursuant to this, Officer Cadets’ training incorporates endurance training and series of inter platoon competition ranging from taekwondo, swimming, novices boxing, steeplechase competition, canoeing, rappelling, orienteering and map reading exercises. During some of these exercises/competitions cadets go through long distances running and trekking over arduous, rugged and difficult terrain. Sometimes the routes are well defined and known to cadets whilst on other occasions, they have to navigate using compass or GPS. Officer Cadets are pushed to the limit of their resilience to test their endurance, staying power and tenacity.
One of the physically and mentally demanding and energy-sapping exercise that is built into the Officer Cadets’ training in order to build their resilience and tenacity is the steeplechase competition. This paper therefore, seeks to acquaint the august reading public with the conduct of the steeplechase competition at the Academy.
AIM
The aim of this paper is to place in the public domain the conduct of steeplechase competition at the Academy to build the endurance, tenacity and resilience of Officer Cadets in order to reassure the Ghanaian populace of the safety of Ghana, as espoused by Rudyard Kipling and John F Kennedy.
THE CONDUCT OF STEEPLECHASE COMPETITION AT THE ACADEMY
Steeplechase competition is a very exciting but energy-sapping event which involves running and trekking over long distance and crossing varied obstacles as a team. Esprit de corps, endurance, intelligence, resilience and calm composure is required for competing and completing the course successfully.
The steeplechase competition begins with a standing start. The start command is ‘on your marks’ but the competitors do not touch the ground before leaving their marker. The Academy organizes the Junior and Senior Steeplechase competition for Officer Cadets during their training period at the GMA.
This paper will be limited to the Junior Steeplechase competition organised for Officer cadets of RCC 62 on Thursday 1 December 2022 at the Training and Doctrine Command Physical Training Grounds. The purpose of the competition as specifically and explicitly spelt out in the administrative instructions for the conduct of the steeplechase, was aimed at testing the endurance, physical fitness and obstacle crossing capabilities of the Officer Cadets.
RCC 62 Junior Steeplechase competition was held between 1400hrs (2pm) and 1700hrs (5pm). The Guest of Honour for the competition was Major General Abraham Yeboah Nsiah, Chief of Defence Intelligence, General Headquarters, Burma Camp. The host is the Commandant of the Academy, Major General Charles Kojo Abede Asomaning Awity.
Other Senior Officers present were the Deputy Commandant GMA, Brigadier General Charles Adu-Brempong, Representative of Commander ATRAC, Representative of Deputy Commandant TRADOC, Chief Coordinator GMA, Directors at the GMA, Chief Instructors at GMA, Instructors and Staff of GMA and the Ghanaian populace, mostly those leaving at Teshie, close to the Academy, witnessed the competition.
A total of 198 cadets made up of four (4) platoons, namely – Abyssinia, Burma, Chiringa and Duala Platoons took part in the competition. The competition started from the physical training ground, specifically the basketball court and covered a distance of eight (8) kilometers within the GMA Local Training Area (LTA).
Cadets covered part of the distance carrying a twenty Kilogram (20kg) sand bag over undulating terrain. The officer cadets then went over the following obstacles before crossing the finish line:
Horizontal Ladder: The horizontal ladder is designed to test the strength of the arms and shoulders of the Officer Cadets and the ability of their arms to carry their body weight on the obstacle to swing across a distance.
Two Feet Metal Bar: The two feet metal bar is designed to test the ability of the Officer Cadets to jump over the metal bar per their individual weight with or without rifle. Those who train, extra mess and gain weight, are detected or identified and advised as well coached by Physical Training Instructors as to how to apply appropriate techniques to surmount this obstacle.
Scramble Net: The scramble net obstacle is designed to obstruct movement of the Officer Cadets and cause entanglement. The ability of Officer Cadets to forcefully cross swiftly or timely is tested.
Six-Feet Ditch: The six-feet ditch is constructed to test the ability of the Officer Cadets with their individual weights to jump over water and land properly and safely with or without rifle. Their endurance, coordination of arms and legs in jumping are measured after enduring over the distance run (8km).
Six Feet Wall: Officer Cadets are required to jump high and make themselves small targets on the six feet wall by lying flat, turning and landing with their body square to the front. It determines how agile they are in coordinating these movements.
Balance Wall: The balance wall tests the ability of the Officer Cadets to walk and run on narrow and level platforms or structures and still concentrate on the enemy at alert position or posture without falling off.
Confidence Climb/Ladder: The confidence climb/ladder obstacle tests the ability of Officer Cadets to overcome the fear of height, especially those who report for training with height phobia.
Coordination of arms and legs in climbing play a vital role in this regard when crossing.
Ramp: The landing techniques at the ramp tests the ability of the officer cadets to jump from a height. Jumping and landing from a height is paramount in training of Officer Cadets so as to avoid lower limb injuries as they are expected to land on the toes or balls of the feet, with feet and knees kept together, which absorbs the shock when knees are slightly bent. In case of a fall, they are required to forward roll.
Vertical and Horizontal Rope Climbing: The vertical and horizontal rope climbing is designed to test the strength of the arms and shoulders of the Officer Cadets as to how best they are able to carry their individual weights including rifles and sometimes large packs, depending on the situation and their level of fitness. Their arm and leg coordination, as well as muscle endurance ability are tested here.
Tunnel Cross/Belly Crawl and Heave Ups (Under Grasp) to the Chest Four Times: The tunnel cross/belly crawl and heave ups (under grasp) to the chest obstacle is aimed at assessing the ability of the Officer Cadets to crawl within limited space and to take cover under barbed-wire and temporarily disappear from enemy sight and to engage him/her afterwards. Their endurance is also tested.
Lastly the Officer Cadets undergoes heave ups (4 times) to the chest. This is designed to test the strength of their arm and shoulder muscles and their ability to endure and finish the race.
PRESENTATION OF PRIZES
As mentioned, 4 platoons participated in the competition. Prizes were presented to individual best performers and to platoons as follows:
a. Best Female Runner – 219073 F/CDT Asante Christiana – Burma Platoon.
b. 2nd Runner-Up Award – 218984 F/CDT Sefah Richard Obeng – Abyssinia Platoon.
c. 1st Runner-Up Award – 219009 O/CDT Ashiley John Tetteh – Abyssinia Platoon.
d. Best Runner – 219009 O/CDT Larbi Theophilus – Abyssinia Platoon.
e. Best Platoon – Abyssinia Platoon.
Commendation goes to members of Abyssinia Platoon and all individual best performers. The rest are all encouraged to maintain and improve upon the standard attained.
CONCLUSION
The Junior Steeplechase Competition is designed to develop the endurance of Officer Cadets. It is also intended to strengthen their mental toughness and the tenacity needed to achieve their peak performance in varied scenarios of the military profession. The link between the statement by John F. Kennedy and Rudyard Kipling is worth taking note of. Both men alluded to the fact that the safety and security of the nation state is directly and indirectly linked to the physical and moral toughness of members of its Armed Forces. Fitness to the military is a necessary prerequisite, not only to earn the enviable Presidential Commission but to also live and fight over the whole spectrum of the battlespace and during peacetime administration. Hence training at the Academy is designed to build this important quality in the officer cadet.
