The second annual Army/Marines Challenge takes the Parkersburg youths who've enlisted in the two branches and measures how physically fit each recruit is. The challenge includes six events and shows the recruits what areas they can be working on before entering basic training.
While the event gives the winning branch bragging rights it also helps the community understand a bit about basic training and shows how important community and family support is to each member of the armed forces.
"Less than 2% of the population serves in the military. So, its something that is so much more than a job," explains Capt. Spence Phillips of the Charleston Army Recruiting Company. "The amount of time, and effort, and sacrifice that has to be made, it's not an easy thing to do. If you don't have the support of your family, and you don't have the support of your community, and your nation, it just makes it an extremely difficult task. So, having people behind you to support what you're doing is vital."
Captain Phillips says the event happens each quarter with each new bunch of recruits. The community is always welcome to come out and support their local recruits.
