Corps of Cadets to hold Jaffe Eager Squad and Eager Individual competitions
Members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets will participate in the annual Jaffe Eager Squad and Eager Individual drill competitions on Saturday on the drill pad on Upper Quad.
The first company will start the drill competition at 7 a.m. and the last should conclude at approximately 11:30 a.m. The Eager Individual competitors will start at 11:45 a.m. and conclude by approximately 12:30 p.m.
The Regiment will conduct the competitions in accordance with FM 22-5, the Army’s Field Manual on Drill and Ceremonies, to determine the best drilled squad and individual in the Corps of Cadets.
For the Jaffe Eager Squad competition, each of the eleven cadet companies will field a team consisting of a junior class cadet commander, two sophomore class cadets serving as squad leaders, and eight freshman cadet squad members. Each cadet’s uniform and rifle will be inspected and then the team will conduct the marching portion of the competition.
Each company will also be represented by a freshman and a sophomore cadet for the Eager Individual competition which determines the most knowledgeable and best drilled freshman and sophomore. The first part of the individual competition is a test on required cadet knowledge. Then each cadet will be individually inspected and tested on their proficiency with Armed Standard drill.
All rifles used in the drill competition and individual drill inspections are demilitarized (no firing pin) rifles.
The Jaffe Eager Squad Trophy, presented to the winner of the Annual Eager Squad Drill competition, is named in honor of Jeff Jaffe, Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Class of 1942. Each of the 11 members of the winning squad is recognized with a $200 award by Jaffe. He was on his unit's Eager Squad when he was a cadet and the experience meant so much to him that he wanted to make sure it was still a meaningful event today. In 2004 Jaffe donated the money to purchase the trophy and plaque as well as annually giving the monetary award for the winning cadets.
All winners will be recognized at the Annual Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Military Awards Ceremony in April. This is one of the most intense competitions of the year for the Corps of Cadets. Cadets have been practicing since the fall to prepare for Saturday.
