Fort Knox, Ky., – Basic Camp 7th Regiment attended a seminar on Army History as part of their immersion into Cadet Summer Training, where Cadets form the building blocks that will be the base of their future careers as Officers.
Cadet Kyle Curabba, student at Saint Leo University, native of Dade City, Florida, has been attending the immersion classes in the days leading up to actual field training.
“We’ve had a really great block of instruction over here at Fort Knox. We’ve been learning about Army history, our values, kind of where we come from and we stand to do as future Officers and apprentice Soldiers in the U.S. Army,” said Curabba. “We haven’t gone to the field yet, we are kind of in that phase where they are indoctrinating you into the Army and you are learning the very basic steps, even something as simple as how to stand at attention. Some people don’t know it, we all come from different backgrounds and experience levels.”
Basic Camp 7th Regiment Cadets attended an Army History seminar on July 13, 2017, Fort Knox, Ky. The seminar teaches Cadets about United States military history along with important traditions and values they will need as they develop into future leaders in the United States Army. Cadet Lowe led a group discussion and lecture for the Cadets on Army history. (Photo by Emily LaForme).
Basic Camp serves as one of the first steppingstone in a Cadet’s Reserve Officer Training Corps career.
“I think it’s important for us to come to Basic Camp and get more of that context, that actual Army training,” said Curabba. “As Cadets, we are defending a classroom, so coming here and being with actual military personnel and learning from ourselves and from our peers, we really get that sense that we are doing something bigger than ourselves. There is such a history and tradition behind the United States military and what we stand for.”
Curabba believes that part of learning how to be an Officer is to also learn why they serve the United States in the first place.
“I think it brings an absolute gravity to the situation. As college students, we have a short thought process: we think about Friday, Saturday, and then taking a test on Monday. When we learn about this huge history of all these people who have fought and died for our freedoms, to defend the right to wear the patches that we wear, it really brings that weight in, that I am doing something that is so much bigger than myself,” said Curabba.
The call to serve in the military has always been there for Curabba.
“I’ve wanted to be in the military since I was six years old. Going to college was part of it, my family said “you are going to go to college”, and doing ROTC was not only a great way to get a scholarship to pay for college, but to have a successful future military career afterwards,” said Curabba.
Cadet Ashley Clemons, student at Fort Valley State University, native of Quitman, Georgia, recognizes that learning the history and values of the Army is what prepares them for future leadership roles.
Cadet Ashley Clemons, student at Fort Valley State University, native of Quitman, Georgia, takes notes during the Army History seminar on July 13, 2017, Fort Knox, Ky. The seminar teaches Cadets about United States military history along with important traditions and values they will need as they develop into future leaders in the United States Army. (Photo by Emily LaForme).
“It’s very important that we do this now, we are training to be Officers, we have lead by example, we can’t have our uniform messed up and we [have to] know how to properly talk to someone,” said Clemons.
Unit cohesion and working as a team are values that are also instilled during the immersion classes.
“It’s easy pick up, but the process is challenging, because you have to make sure you are squared away as well as your battle buddies,” said Clemons. “It’s very essential that you are helping the next person, because you are never supposed to leave a fallen comrade, you are never supposed to leave your buddy out. This is no longer a “me” thing, this is a “we” thing. We are all together as one unit.”
Clemons feels like these building blocks they are forming will better prepare her for the future, as both a Cadet and eventually, an Officer.
“I felt prepared, I knew a lot of stuff coming into it, but this camp has helped me learn more and will help better the things I already knew,” said Clemons. “I came in scared and terrified, very nervous. Once I leave here, I feel like I will be more confident. I feel like I will be able to go back to my university and relay some of the information that I learned here to my fellow Cadets that didn’t get to come here, or didn’t have these opportunities that I had, and I feel like that will better our company back home.”
Basic Camp Cadets will take the history and values they learn during the immersion classes and continue to build on them both at CST and at the respective universities for the remainder of their ROTC careers.
Considering ROTC?
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
