CWU Army ROTC to Host Nighttime Norwegian Foot March Next Friday

More than 200 soldiers will compete in the third annual Central Washington University Army ROTC-sanctioned Norwegian Foot March on Friday, April 28. Troops will begin congregating at 7 p.m., and the 18.6-mile nighttime march will begin around 8 p.m., once the sun sets, at the John Wayne Trailhead near the Ellensburg Rodeo Grounds.

The CWU Wildcat Battalion hosts the annual event.

Participants, including the CWU Air Force ROTC and Army ROTC, as well as representatives from numerous other organizations from Washington and Oregon, must march the near 20-mile hike within four hours and 40 minutes while carrying a 25-pound rucksack to earn an official Norwegian Foot March badge. Known as "Marsjmerket" in Norwegian, the badge can only be earned through official events such as the one next Friday.

Ordinarily, a representative of the Norwegian Armed Forces must be present for Norway to recognize this achievement when completed by non-Norwegian service members. This year, because of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Norway has been unable to send that representative. As a result, CWU Cadet Tom Sturgeon was granted approval by the Norwegian embassy to oversee the march.

Professor of Military Science and U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Paolilli hopes the event will serve to introduce new people to CWU, and Ellensburg as a whole.

"CWU is honored to once again sponsor this event and make it available to so many service personnel," Paolilli said. "I want all those coming, many who may be potential students, to have a great time and think how wonderful CWU and the greater Ellensburg community is to live and learn within."

The public is welcome to participate in the event, though only military personnel may earn the Marsjmerket.