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First Sgt. takes on Mangudai Warrior Challenge

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Marelise Wood
  • 7th Air Force Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Eighteen Air Force members representing 7th Air Force participated in the 2015 Mangudai Warrior Challenge May 13-15, 2015 at an undisclosed location, Republic of Korea.

The Mangudai Warrior Challenge is designed to bring together members of all branches of service, to include ROK service members, to perform as teams and overcome physical and mental obstacles while running on little food and even less sleep.

One of the 18 warriors who participated from May 13-15 was 7th Air Force staff First Sergeant Master Sgt. Cynthia Schmitz, who after hearing about it and reading about it, decided to rally her fellow Top Three members and take on the challenge.

"It was a lot out of the box for me," she said, "but quite a few folks in our Top Three said 'yeah, let's do it,' and they motivated me and I think I motivated them."

Five weeks before the challenge, Schmitz began prepping for the event with weekly ruck marches up to eight miles long, and the reality of what she was about to undertake started setting in.

"What have I gotten myself into?" was the thought that circled her brain, but she had committed to doing the challenge and she said there was no turning back.

However, once the challenge began Schmitz quickly realized that even with her preparation, she was in for an experience like no other.

"The challenges at times were so physically challenging and some of them were literally impossible," she said.  "I can say after four of them I was almost in tears; I really was astonished that I had just done this."

The highs of accomplishment and pride were tempered with what Schmitz called some pretty pathetic points where she had to be dragged and pushed by her teammates.

"Encouragement was the main thing," said Senior Master Sgt. Roelma Wood, 51st Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent. "It can be very emotional doing something like this, your body just doesn't know how to react, so it was about not letting them quit."

Wood, who participated in the challenge last year, was there this year as a mentor and found it to be a fulfilling experience. 

"It wasn't easier, but the confidence was there, so it was about helping others get through it," she said. 

Teamwork was a constant theme throughout the challenge.

"There was one obstacle course where we had to climb this ladder, it was probably 35-40 feet in the air straight up, no sides," Schmitz said, "and the higher you go, the boards get farther apart."

When she got to the last rung before the one at the top, Schmitz saw a problem.  The top board seemed about six feet away and she stood five foot one inch.

"All I could really remember is standing on that second to the top board and just reaching and I couldn't reach it," said Schmitz.  "Everyone's looking up and yelling 'you can do it!' and I'm thinking, how am I going to do this."

Help came in the form of one of the ROK Special Forces participants who saw that she needed assistance.

"He climbed that thing, grabbed my uniform and kinda pulled me over," said Schmitz. 

But once on the other side of the ladder, Schmitz had a test of trust.

"He didn't speak English, but he was trying to tell me that I was going to have to let go and he was going get my foot on the rung," said Schmitz.  "I didn't even know this guy, but I had to trust him, so I just let go and he grabbed me and put my foot on the next rung." 

Language could have created a barrier but during this challenge, the participants realized that they had to do whatever it took to make it through.

"The two ROK Special Forces members on my squad could not speak English, but that's the point of it," said Wood.  "It's not about how physical it can be, but we have a task to do and we have to be able to overcome no matter what."

At the end of it, Schmitz is proud of what she accomplished and happily displays her 2015 Mangudai Warrior Challenge certificate on her desk.

"I would definitely encourage other people to experience this, however I would also encourage them to be mentally prepared because it's probably the most physically demanding thing that I have done."