FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp challenged the Forest Hills Climbing Complex on Fort Knox, Ky., July 13, 2023.
FHCC is a part of training to help Cadets overcome their fears and gain confidence in themselves while completing the different obstacles.
“Most people would say that it’s important because it teaches you not to be scared of heights,” said Cadet Dean Grassi, Penn State University. “I think it actually teaches you to overcome obstacles like your fear.”
The course is comprised of a rock-climbing wall, two vertical alpine towers, and the high ropes course. All of these obstacles are designed to help Cadets conquer fear.
“They all look pretty intimidating. At first, it’s ‘I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make it’,” said Cadet Trevor Jenkins, Boise State University. “Once you start getting up there, you see that you can actually do it, it feels pretty good.”
Each Cadet comes in with their own view of what this event is about.
“We’re here to climb and gain confidence in ourselves, to focus on getting over that mental block in our heads,” said Cadet Madison Sundquist, Cedarville University. “A lot of the stuff we do here is mental, [how to] face our fears.”
Many Cadets let their fear take over as they approach the obstacles.
“I was freaking out. I don’t like heights a lot. So, I get up there, ‘I don’t know if I can keep going’, but my battle buddy motivated me,” said Cadet Oliver Harper, University of Houston. “I started maneuvering myself, getting ready to go. I did it with some help, but I got up there and didn’t quit, I flew.”
Cadets have learned when uncertainty lies above, a leap of faith may be all that can eliminate doubt.
“You’re always going to doubt yourself until you start doing something that you couldn’t have done before,” Grassi said. “I thought I was going to quit, wimp out, and now I’m almost looking forward to coming back and doing this stuff again.”
For the Cadets, getting out of your own head and into the mindset of a Solider is the key to pushing past your own limits.
“It’s all in your head. The only limitations that you have for yourself are what you believe,” Sundquist said. “Once you get past that fear in your head, the limitation is no longer there. You can do whatever you put your mind to.”
