FORT KNOX, Ky. — 592 Cadets graduated from Cadet Summer Training on July 10, 2017 in the 4th Regiment of Advanced Camp.
The Colors were presented in the Pass in Review of 4th Regiment Advanced Camp graduation. July 10, Fort Knox, Ky. Photo by Hope Nelson
Col. McRae had a few simple takeaways for the Cadets – listen, learn and lead – his three L’s.
“First, listen. Communication is key in our line of work and it all starts with listening. It’ll build trust in your organization and create a positive, transparent unit climate,” said McRae.
A sense of trust and a positive climate were seen throughout 4th Regiment’s time in Advanced Camp. “Trust equipment. Trust your teammates. Just trust everything around you,” said Cadet Stephen Bill.
With trust stemming from listening, listening can be the key to success in a profession such as the Army. This is a lesson the Cadets soon learned while at Cadet Summer Training. “Listen to Cadre. Listening is a huge part. When you listen, that’s when you learn the most and then you apply that to everything else you do,” said Bill.
“Second, learn,” said Col. McRae, “a lesson learned is only valuable if you truly learn your lesson, fix the problem and don’t repeat.”
The lessons Cadet Paige Herbst learned while at training only made her that much more successful. “I learned [to have] a lot of patience. Try as hard as you can and just keep going,” said Herbst.
Cadets of 4th Regiment Advanced Camp prepare to receive awards. July 10, Fort Knox, Ky. Photo by Hope Nelson
These lessons played a large role in her being awarded the Armed Forces Bank Award, which was given to her for demonstrating respect for other cultures, people and cross-cultural competencies. “I’m honored and I’m humbled. I definitely worked hard and tried my hardest in every position,” said Herbst.
“And finally, lead. A leader of character creates a positive environment in which you cannot only establish effective influence of your unit, but inspire them to do things they didn’t know they were capable of,“ said Col. McRae.
The Cadets of 4th Regiment Advanced Camp have been given the tools they need to succeed as an officer. They will take away the importance of listening, learning and being a strong leader. Not only will these three components build trust but also so much more within themselves and their soldiers.
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/rotc1/index.jsp?iom=IP08-AUTO-R1NA-BR-XXX-XX-XXX-MO-XX-X-BRCMAC:IP08
