EXTRACURRICULARS
Being a part of Cavalier Battalion means that aside from the multitude of clubs, teams, and other opportunities you have to get involved in at UVA, you also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of physically and mentally challenging ROTC extracurriculars.
Ranger Challenge
Ranger Challenge gives cadets a chance to work together in teams and prove themselves in tough mental and physical competition, enhance their leadership development, and develop their team cohesion. Events like land navigation, first aid, ruck marching, and marksmanship are tested as teams compete for the Ranger Challenge trophy, and earn the Ranger Challenge tab.
Participating in Ranger Challenge takes dedication and hard work. It is not simply a matter of showing up on competition day. Our Ranger challenge team spends weeks training up for the competition date, waking up early to work out before class and coming in the in the evening to practice technical skills. Though rigorous, Ranger Challenge offers valuable experience that helps set cadets apart from their peers in ROTC and sets them up to be a physically fit and technically competent officer.
Rainey's Rangers
Rainey's Rangers is a group of cadets who meet weekly for extra training to better prepare them for the lessons and skills they are learning at our labs. These cadets are led by a group of three 2nd year cadets who have demonstrated a high caliber of physical fitness, tactical understanding, and technical ability and have been personally selected by senior cadets to take on this responsibility. Rainey's training includes critical skills like land navigation, basic rifle marksmanship and safety, field skills, ruck marching, and tactical training. These additional training sessions are a key part of what makes our underclassmen cadets stand out among their peers nationwide.
Army 10-Miler
The Army 10-Miler is the second largest 10-mile race in the US, held each year in October in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. The Cavalier Battalion proudly participates each year, sending a team to D.C. for the weekend to run in the race. The team trains together on a regular basis leading up to the race and helps connect our cadets and our program to not only the greater Army community but the greater community of current and former service members around our nation.
Color Guard
Our color guard are a motivated and disciplined group of cadets who represent our school and our unit at UVA sporting events and other military related events in the greater Charlottesville area. These cadets practice their drill and ceremony skills on a weekly basis and hold the colors for everything from basketball and football games to military ceremonies held in Washington D.C.
Giving Back
Aside from all of the ways that our cadets give back to their community through UVA sponsored organizations, they also plan and organize several community service focused events throughout the year.
1LT R.J. Hess Memorial Event
Every year, the cadets of Cavalier Battalion put on a fundraising event in memory of 1LT R.J. Hess, a CavBat alum and Army Aviator who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013. Every year, cadets, cadre, friends, family, peers, former soldiers, and other members of the community come together to celebrate RJ's life and legacy.
In years past, this event has taken the form of a 5K race. However, 2024 marked the first ever R.J. Hess memorial golf tournament in Charlottesville. Hundreds of people came together to remember RJ, play golf, and give back to the greater Charlottesville community.
Class Service Projects
Each class is responsible for planning, organizing, and completing a service related project each year. Historically, this has ranged from updating our in-house land navigation course to making and providing food for the homeless. These projects change each year and are a testament to the impact we have on our local community.
