FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp 3rd Regiment Graduation took place in the Natcher Fitness Gymnasium, July 5, as a sign to the Cadets that their training at Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky has come to an end.
Advanced Camp 3rd regiment has four platoons, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta; making up over three hundred Cadet who are set to graduate.
Before Cadets graduate they recognize certain Cadets who have done extraordinary during their training. They recognized four Cadets for RECONDO award.
Commander of Troops, Cadet John Horoho, The College of Charleston, 3rd Regiment Advanced Camp, led his fellow cadets through their graduation ceremony of Cadet Summer Training. July 5, Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Amber Vincent)
The RECONDO award stands for reconnaissance commando, the Cadets who are receiving this award achieved a 90 percent or more on all of their test on the first try.
They then moved onto the different awards the Cadets can receive and subsequently awarded each award to the deserving Cadet.
To keep things running smoothly there is one Cadet who is the Commander of Troops, Cadet John Horoho. The Commander of Troops is the one who gives all of the commands during the ceremony to ensure everything runs smoothly. The Commander of troops is chosen based off of Leadership Qualities; they are looking for someone who can learn from their mistakes.
“It’s a huge honor to be the Commander of Troops, that means they a leadership in me and the ability to take control in front of some of the highest officers,” said Cadet John Horoho, The Citadel from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “To be loud and confident enough to be in front of three hundred plus Cadets and be able to make them feel confident, it’s an honor.”
Horoho had a lot riding on his shoulders during the ceremony the past pew days. Not only was he told that he was going to be the Commander of Troops five minutes before walking into rehearsal yesterday but his parents were going to be front row with the VIPs. His mother is a retired Lieutenant General and his father is a Colonel.
“Being the Commander of Troops is such a big role. I have been to a lot of military ceremonies and I’ve seen the commander of troops do his duty and have always had major respect for them. Now I stand up here in front of my peers who have worked their butts off over the whole time period; being able to command them through their last iteration of our Cadet career. It’s a huge honor,” said Horoho.
Commander of Troops, Cadet John Horoho, The College of Charleston, 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, led his fellow cadets through their graduation ceremony of Cadet Summer Training. July 5, Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Amber Vincent)
Some challenges Horoho has faced while being put into the role of Commander of Troops were, “I’m not very rehearse in drill and ceremony, I’m confident I have the ability to get loud and give orders and commands but drill and ceremony is my weakness,” said Horoho. “I keep getting put into it and it’s a sign of how adaptive our leaders are in the U.S. Army.”
Horoho said “as a Cadet you don’t usually do this (be Commander of Troops) this is going to be a huge confidence booster, the ability to step up here in front of my peers and give them commands and have them listen is a great confidence boost.”
Horoho also had some challenges that he overcame during his time at CST. “My biggest challenge out in the field was just making sure I was doing that most to my ability for the people I was leading.”
“Be prepapred to make mistakes, because a bunch of them will be made, so recover and ruck on.” Said Horoho. “Cadets are put into uncomfortable situations but we always find a way to succeed.”
Cadet Summer Training will bring 8,200 Cadets through Basic and Advanced Camp this summer on Fort Knox. These camps are designed to help challenge, grow and improve various skills and leadership qualities within the Cadets. If you think you have what it takes to be a Cadet or if you are interested in a job after college, click the following link:
https://my.goarmy.com/info/form/GetBrcFormRedirectByUrl.action?url=/info/rotc1/index.jsp
