917th Airman builds warriors from ground up

Seaman Apprentice Seth Loftin of the TYLER JOINT FORCE Battalion of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corps slowly pulls in a jug of water as his teammates try to keep him from falling off a platform. The cadets are taking part in an exercise called “Nitro Crossing” at the East Texas Medical Center/Behavioral Health Center in Tyler, Texas, August 15, 2009. The exercise, which involves swinging on a rope across an expanse to their teammates who are standing on a two foot by two foot platform, is used to enhance the planning process and trust between the cadets. The exercise also requires the cadets, at some point during the exercise, to get the jug of water across the expanse to their teammates without spilling a drop. The exercise, which proved to be very difficult to accomplish, will also benefit those cadets who decide to join the U.S. Military in the future. Seaman Loftin’s hometown is Tyler, Texas. (Courtesy photo)