FORT KNOX, Ky. – The 1st Regiment Cadets started off their day with a battle march and shoot in Fort Knox, Ky. June 11, 2023. BMS starts at 5:30 a.m. with a four-mile tactical road march and ends with stringers of shooting practice. The BMS tests the Cadets marksmanship skills while under pressure.
The BMS is just one of multiple smaller-scale training events Advanced Camp Cadets experience before the qualification test. After having multiple opportunities to work on their skills, the Cadets are beginning to thrive out at the range.
Sgt. Maj. Andrew Porch from Georgia Military College commented on the 1st Regiment’s outstanding performance at the range.
“I didn’t see a lot of mistakes,” said Porch. “I saw a lot of Cadets being able to execute the proper procedures when their weapon malfunctioned, so what that tells me is that they’re listening to their Cadre.”
After hitting every single target, U.S. Army Cadet Lisa Marie Sanchez from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came off the BMS range with excitement. Although Sanchez’s biggest challenge was keeping her cool, the belief she had in her own abilities was what led her to success.
“I’ve only shot twice in my life. You can do anything if you really believe in yourself,” said Sanchez.
The 1st Regiment Cadets have been learning from their experiences. After successfully completing several training tasks, there has been an increase in confidence within the 1st Regiment.
If Cadets can get through marksmanship training under stress, their marksmanship skills can then improve for future trainings to come.
Porch explained that training such as BMS puts Cadets in the best position. The overall improvement within a Regiment speaks for itself when Cadets put forward as much effort as possible.
Porch said, “Just go out there and give 100 percent; that’s all we ask for our Cadets.”
