NW Valley Times

Ethan Doest, Matthew Krauss, and Louis Odom completed the 11-day Air Assault Course at the Army National Guard Warrior Training Center in Fort Moore, Georgia. Despite the physical and mental challenges posed by the Georgia humidity, Krauss found strength to join his Grand Canyon University classmates in finishing the demanding course.

“You keep telling yourself, ‘I got to keep pushing through,’” Krauss said. “The biggest thing was keeping my faith in God, trusting Him and asking Him for strength.”

The final test of the course was a 12-mile ruck march where cadets had to carry at least 35 pounds of gear within three hours. Krauss managed to complete this march with less than three minutes remaining.

“We stuck together, helping each other study,” Krauss noted about their training. The course has a graduation rate of less than 50%. “I knew that going back to GCU in the fall, I needed to try and do this for everyone because they sent me there."

Master Sgt. Jamie K. Weaver highlighted the importance of attention to detail throughout the course. "Their graduation and earning of their Air Assault Wings brings great credit among themselves, the ROTC program and Grand Canyon University," Weaver wrote.

Krauss initially failed one part of the sling load operation but succeeded on his second attempt after additional study time. This perseverance was shared by all three cadets who supported each other throughout their training.

Odom expressed pride in their accomplishment: “Usually they go to ASU. We got the majority of the spots and all of us passed, which was huge.”

The cadets’ preparation included nightly study sessions following daily training activities. They faced several challenges during these sessions but remained focused on their goal.

Doest recalled emptying his water supplies during the final ruck march but continued with support from his peers: “We walked the last two miles together.”

Since completing air assault training, each cadet is spending summer differently—Krauss in Massachusetts, Doest working various jobs while vacationing in California, and Odom working for a construction company near San Jose.

Their air assault training graduation remains a significant achievement as they prepare for future endeavors at GCU.

“We didn’t want to see any of us fall out," Odom said. “We all wanted to graduate together."

GCU News Senior Writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]

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