23 The weekends usually mean a time to catch up on sleep and relax before the next week ahead. For nearly 1,500 cadets, staff and faculty at the U.S. Military Academy, the weekend for them meant an opportunity to participate in the grueling Norwegian Foot March over the course of several days on April 3, 11 and 25. The Norwegian Foot March, also known as Marsjmerket, is an armed forces skill badge earned after completing an 18.6-mile foot march while carrying a 25-pound rucksack in under 4.5 hours. The march was first held during World War I in 1915 to test the strength and endurance of the Norwegian military while exposing them to conditions they could expect in combat. To this day, the foot march remains a test of endurance and allows U.S. Soldiers an opportunity to earn a foreign badge.