FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the field training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., June 30, 2023. During the FTX, Cadets conducted a raid, a surprise attack where Cadets destroy or capture the opposing forces.

One Cadet talked about their experience during the raid.

Cadet Sam Barnhart from Virginia Tech said that he joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps because of his family. He was able to date his family’s history all the way back to the Revolutionary War.

“Having that lineage of the military, it’s just in the blood, and I knew I was going to be in ROTC one way or another,” Barnhart said.

The Revolutionary War was known as the American War of Independence. The war was between the British and the colonists and lasted from April 19, 1775, to September 3, 1783.

“My ancestor, Peter Barnhart came here from Germany, and within a couple of years, he immediately joined George Washington’s Continental Army. He survived and was buried in 1820 somewhere around Maryland,” Barnhart said.

Barnhart continued, “Just having that story in the back of my head always, I have the lineage of a man that came here, and within a couple of years, he loved this place so much that he instantly signed up. It’s such a story that I live by and something to live up to.”

Barnhart ancestors did not only serve in the Revolutionary War, they served all throughout. 

 “I have two ancestors that fought in the Civil War. I’m pretty sure one for the North and one for the South,” Barnhart said. “I always have people to look up to in the military, and I want that for my family.”

The American Civil War was fought between the Union and the Confederacy from April 12, 1861, to April 9, 1865. Tensions were between the Northern and the Southern states over the moral issue of slavery.

After hearing about Barnhart family’s military history, let us take a look at how Barnhart uses the legacy of his family to help him at Advanced Camp during Cadet Summer Training.

Cadre has a small black notebook called a leadership book that they carry all throughout Advanced Camp. Inside the book is a list of which Cadet is going to be the next platoon leader, squad leader, or platoon sergeant. Barnhart mentioned how he felt when he found out that he was next in line for the platoon leader.

“I got a little anxious because it’s a lot you got to do. I did not know what lane [training lane] I was gonna be running yet, so there were a lot of different variables that can go on,” Barnhart said.

Barnhart stated that he was anxious, but during missions, he remembered his father who was in the infantry. 

“My dad enlisted in the Army when he was 17, and he had to have his dad sign off on him,” Barnhart said. “He was 17 when he joined, and I’m 22 right now. I’m five years older than my dad when he was going through even worse stuff than this.”

Cadre marched the Cadets out to the next training lane where Cadets conducted their mission. Cadre told Barnhart that he is the platoon leader for the raid. Barnhart mentioned what his mindset was at the start of the planning phase for the raid.

“It was not going to go the way that I think it was gonna go because we’re in the grizzly phase right now, It’s the last phase,” Barnhart said. “In the first lane that we did, they threw a bunch of stuff at us [smoke grenades or indirect fire] that we were not expecting, and that we haven’t seen before.” 

Barnhart continued, “I kind of had in the back of my mind that something was gonna go awry, but still gotta follow the protocol, still got a plan to follow, and we’ve been rehearsing what we’re supposed to do for a while now. Then afterward, we got attacked pretty hard.” 

Barnhart took the time to dedicate his gratitude to his team while discussing his mindset at the end of the raid. 

He said, “I felt pretty good. I had an amazing team that I never had to worry about once. I relied on our team a lot, and I think that showed in the results.” 

“I’m pretty happy with how we reacted. The team came together, all leadership did what they were supposed to do, and it was a very good lane,” Barnhart said. “We’re at the Cadet Super Bowl, so we got to show out.”

While Cadets are in a leadership role during a mission, Cadre will find ways to make the mission challenging to see how the Cadet will react and solve the problem. Barnhart mentioned what the raid has taught him.

“I can handle some pretty daunting tasks,” Barnhart said. “If I rely on other people to do what they’re supposed to do, and I trust them, trust is a very big thing. I trusted my people to do what they were supposed to do, and in the end, I got great results.” 

Barnhart concluded, “Just learning that I have that great trust in people, and their job was a great asset to the mission.”