Most students at least know about the AFROTC program, and many are also aware of the general activities that go on within the unit, from mandatory uniform days on Tuesday to field trips. However, many people don’t quite know what the orienteering is and that we have a team for it.

Major Lacey said, “Orienteering provides students a fun and unique way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors.  This is a value few students recognize.”

The Orienteering Team, aka the Lost Knights, is a group of volunteer cadets who go out to parks for a competition to find certain points in an area. Simple, right? The catch: they have to go on their own maps and instruments, which at times can be challenging. Cadets must find points that may or may not be very obviously marked and vary greatly in location. It may be an object in a tree log to an object next to a rock.

The team meets after school on Wednesdays, and practice around the campus with compasses and learn how to use various other tools. The team is decently sized, with about 15 cadets participating with the Lost Knights. Not only is it a way to learn life and survival skills, but it’s also a really good way to get out and go outside, even during school for a meet.

Just one of many available ROTC activities, the Orienteering team is well worth a shot if you’re willing to go out and learn some dead-reckoning skills.