Editor’s note: This is the first story in a two-part series.

The cadets of NIU Army ROTC moved toward their patrol base location via a road march as cold, spring rain soaked them. Throughout the long walk and into the night the rain continued; finally the cadets got their patrol base set up.

NIU ROTC cadets spent the weekend at the Joliet Army Training Area. Operation Huskie Thaw, the spring 2005 ROTC field-training exercise, began Friday and consisted of a pre-conceived training scenario.

The nation of Jolietta faced harassment by the nation of Purumphia over a disputed southern border region. Through a band of thug mercenaries, known as the “Criminally,” the Purumphian government launched attacks against civilian and governmental interests.

In stepped the ROTC cadets to save the day.

By dawn, the sky had cleared and the only sign of the rain was the mud and soaking wet sleeping bags. The cadets rose before 5 a.m. and prepared for a series of missions to oust the Criminally forces in the area.

They departed their patrol base and headed for the woods in a “movement to contact” the enemy.

The forest terrain proved difficult to negotiate. Mud and various types of thorn bushes and trees covered the forest floor. Anyone without gloves bled by the end of the nearly five-hour mission.

Unfortunately for the cadets on patrol, the Criminally forces had reconned the area the night before and knew their position.

The cadets who portrayed the Criminally were surprised that the 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company cadets at the patrol base did not see them during their reconnaissance mission.

“I can’t believe they didn’t see us,” said Cadet Clinton Merritt, a senior political science major, with a laugh. “I figured there would be a machine gun or something at the 12 o’clock, at least that guy would be awake.”

The Criminally cadets tried hard to be seen by the cadets at the patrol base.

“On our way out we just went through the road,” said acting thug Cadet Sebastian Lemus, a senior corporate communications major. “We were just kind of hoping they would see us. No one saw us and we went back home.”

With the Criminally fully aware of their position, the cadets moved through the thorny woods. Bloated streams dotted the muddy forest floor, making for treacherous crossings and adding to the difficulty of the terrain.

The squad leaders decided early in the mission to separate the two squads on the patrol.

This separation did not constitute a good tactic, said Mission Evaluater Cadet Mike Moyers, a senior English literature major, shaking his head in disapproval.

Moyers’ observation proved true as the separation of the squads cost the cadets time and added extra walking to the mission.

First Squad moved through the wilderness alone when the Criminally launched a mortar attack against the cadets. The explosion of the rounds rocked the otherwise serene forest setting. The smoke and the blast combined to make for a shocking experience.

“I had to realize what direction it was coming from,” said Cadet Stephanie Gay, 1st Squad leader at the time of the attack. “And once I knew it was coming from my 6 o’clock, which is behind us, I made sure my squad knew.”

The squad then moved 300 meters in the opposite direction where Gay and her squad checked for casualties and missing equipment.

Now, 2nd Platoon faced the task of finding and destroying those who had attacked them. But first, the two squads had to find each other again.

Find out what happened to the cadets in Wednesday’s Northern Star.