Rappel Tower Naming Opportunities

A young cadet stands at the edge of the 30- foot platform, boots planted on steel, rope in hand, waiting for the command. “On rappel!”

Raw fear tells them to hesitate. Training urges them to move. But it’s trust – in their training, their equipment, and themselves – that sparks action.

“Trust in their under pressure, emotional control, and decisive action are extremely difficult to teach without an experience like the rappel tower,” says Major Benjamin Carrick, Deputy Commandant/Operations. “It builds instant self-confidence and reinforces confidence in leadership in a way no lecture or discussion ever could.”

Unlike a climbing wall, where cadets move upward with visible progress and constant contact, a rappel tower requires them to step off into empty space. But the second they commit, they realize they’re capable of more than they believed.

“A significant number genuinely believe they may not survive the experience. Their minds race through worst-case scenarios, and the body’s natural fight-or-flight response takes over,” says Major Carrick. “It’s an unfiltered moment of stress that can’t be replicated in a classroom or simulated environment.”

For nearly 30 years, GMC’s rappel tower has helped cadets confront fear, build confidence and prove they can do hard things. Now, we’ve constructed a new, state-of-the-art rappel tower to continue this transformational training for Prep School, High School, Junior College and ROTC students.

GMC has already made a significant investment in the project. Your support helps complete construction and sustain this leadership experience for the next generation of cadets.