FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment Basic Camp completed their training for introduction to battle drills June 20 in Fort Knox, Ky.
There are eight lanes that Cadets need to complete; each of them had different scenarios. Within each lane Cadets are given 10 minutes to plan out the attack using a hand-made map using various items to symbolize what they will come into contact with.
A model of the battle plan executed by Cadets during a battle drill on Ft. Knox, Kentucky, June 20. Photo by Lindsey Crown
After Cadets plan, Cadre then lead them to where the enemy should be. The Cadre within the Regiment then plays the enemy. Cadets are told how to walk in formation, having the Squad Leaders lead the way.
With this training Cadets learned the importance of working as a team when communicating amongst each other to destroy the enemy.
“It’s to give us a better understanding on how things work and get [a] basic foundation of battle drills and how it works on the combat field,” said Cadet Junior Dominguez, University of Nebraska.
One of the lanes was the Deliberate Attack Plan; Cadets were not to be spotted by the enemy but to destroy them. Some squads were spotted while they were looking for them; they realized their mistake and fixed it for the next lane.
Cadets descend on enemy forces during a battle drill excercise on Ft. Knox, Kentucky, June 20. Photo by Lindsey Crown
Some lanes became more complex, they had to destroy the enemy and be prepared for enemy artillery. Cadre would use different things to indicate a machine gun was going off or when a bomb would go off. This was to prepare Cadets to never think that the battle is over but to always be alert at all times.
“Expect the unexpected really, you know what could happen. You could have a mission and as you’re executing that mission anything can happen, you can be ambushed,” said Cadet Avion Mickens, Lander University.
Throughout this training, Cadre did not help them. Most squads were able to destroy the enemy without their help, which shows these Cadets are Battle ready.
