Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp participated in the 12-Mile Ruck March August 4 at Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Emily Peacock)
Fort Knox, Ky.- Up before the sun, the Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, prepared for their final graduation task. The long awaited, 12 mile ruck march. Throughout Fort Knox, sights of mile markers and chem lights crowded the roads.
As Cadets were stepping it out for the final stretch of the ruck march, a couple of Cadets were in their Company area waiting for their battle buddies. The 12 miler is an event that should be completed in under 4 hours, however there were a handful cadets who finished before the 2 hour and 50 minute mark.
Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp participated in the 12-Mile Ruck March August 4 at Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Emily Peacock)
Cadet Dylan Gadille, University of Michigan, was one of two Cadets in the entire Regiment to have acquired the bragging rights of attaining a RECONDO status. With a time of 2 hours and 47 minutes, Gadille shows his humbleness towards his earned badge.
“It was just a spur of the moment thing,” Said Gadille, ” I just did one event at a time. I was right on with what I needed the whole time.” The exhausted Cadet described how tired he was with coming out of the field for 20 days and only having one recovery day. “It shows Passion,” expressed Gadille, “this is what I care about, and it shows me that I’ve been putting in the work for the last couple of weeks.”
Cadets of Alpha Company, 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp share some friendly smiles after the completion of their 12 mile ruck march on August 4th, 2018. Photo by Gia Cruz.
Cadet Zachary St. Laurent, Georgia Military College, who completed his ruck march in 2 hours and 38 minutes was just one event shy from finishing with a RECONDO status. “Perfect practice makes perfect results,”, St. Laurent started, “you never stop trying. if you want it, go for it. Do the best you can.”
St. Laurent jokingly admitted that his inspiration to finish the ruck was the finish line. With all Cadets in high spirits with the conclusion of their final Camp requirement, these future officers will have endless stories to tell their friends and peers back in their ROTC programs.
