Men's hoops junior enrolls in 28-hour military experience at Fort Gordon
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Men's basketball junior Keshun Sherrill enrolled in the Augusta Boots Program from Oct. 7-8 at Fort Gordon Military Base and experienced life as soldier in the two-day event.
The Augusta in Army Boots Program provides community leaders a chance to plunge themselves into military life and gain a first-hand account by being matched with a "battle buddy", an active duty soldier from Fort Gordon.
Men's hoops junior-guard and returning All-American Keshun Sherrill, joined over a dozen participants as the 35th Signal Battalion and several other Fort Gordon units interacted and showed the participants what being in the military is like. The civilians learned why soldiers do what they do, how it impacts their families, and why community support is so important.
"I am honored to be chosen to participate in the Augusta Boots Program," Sherrill said. "This is a once in a lifetime experience that I will cherish forever."
A typical session includes eating meals with the soldiers, receiving hands-on combative training, riding in the back of military trucks, walking through the woods, sleeping in tents (heated/cooled, cots/sleeping bags), and eating an MRE (Meals-Ready-to-Eat).
The majority of the time is spent at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) – an outside training area that has been created to duplicate what soldiers experience. They participated in a variety of scenarios at the FOB to include night operations and they fired weapons in a simulator.
At the end of the session, a graduation ceremony took place that names all participants honorary Second Lieutenants and members of the Signal Corps Regiment.
