East Union High returned from the National Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Championship Weekend in Daytona Beach with a great sense of accomplishment.

And why not?

For the first time in its 28-year history, the Lancers Battalion competed on the national stage – the special 40th anniversary of the national fitness challenge was held at Ocean Center featured 41 of the best Army, Air Force and Marine Corps programs in the country.

East Union was one of only eight Army Raiders fitness teams in the nation to earn that recent trip to Florida, according to instruction Lt. Col. (retired) John Tao.

“What an amazing week it was,” he said.

His team placed third in the 1.7-mile beach run in “the grueling 90 percent humidity.”

Outside of the balmy East Coast weather, Tao got his teams – 30 altogether from Lancers Battalion – ready for the beach run by training on the cool California ocean side in Monterey.

“Our hard work over three months paid off,” he said.

Tao was also thrilled with the pep talk his cadets received from Major General Johnny Davis prior to the competition.

He’s the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Cadet Command and a sponsor of the event.

The East Union cadets exceled in local competitions held earlier this year on their home field and Weston Ranch. They were tested in fitness events such as mile run, push-ups, sit-ups, long jump, and the high jump.

At the regional event, they tallied the top score of 174. Competition consisted of JROTC programs from the Western U.S. along with the overseas territory of Guam and Samoa.