UVM ROTC Cadet Christian Ruf, a senior majoring in natural resource management, posted the fastest time among all Cadets nationwide in the 2-mile run during the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). Fellow Cadet Bradley Patnaude posted the top overall score among 500 cadets based on his performance in the 2-mile run and number of push-ups and sit-ups.
Ruf, who has a 3.88 grade point average and was president of the fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho, ran the fastest time to date this summer with a blistering 11:07 in the 2-mile run. Patnaude, a senior criminal justice major at Champlain College who maintains a 3.8 GPA, posted the top overall score (358) in his 500 Cadet regiment by completing 99 push-ups and 95 sit-ups within two- minute time periods, along with his 2-mile time of 11:37.
Patnaude received additional bonus points because he exceeded the maximum requirements in his age group of 71 push-ups, 78 sit-ups, and 13 minutes in the 2-mile, allowing him to exceed the normal maximum score of 300 and place him among the top two percent of his regiment.
Ruf and Patnaude were among the over 6,000 college students from around the country who have converged on Joint Base Lewis McCord, Wash., each summer to attend Army ROTC's 29-day capstone training and assessment exercise known as the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC). Passing the test is a prerequisite for becoming commissioned as a U.S. Army Lieutenant with each Cadet expected to pass the APFT on their fourth day of training.
LDAC is considered the single most important event in a Cadet's student career, culminating in the regimental graduation ceremony. UVM ROTC is the region's host school and includes Cadets from Champlain College, Plattsburgh State, St. Michael's College, Middlebury College, Castleton State, and Johnson State.
