FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, complete the 8-mile ruck march during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 14, 2023.

The 8-mile ruck march is the Cadets’ transition into the second half of their time spent in the field before graduation.

“The march is at the end of the first phase of our Field Training Exercise (FTX),” said Cadet Madison Cappellano, Virginia Military Institute. “It’s basically a culminating event that transitions to the last six days of the field for the platoon.”

At this point, Cadets have been in the field for five days, completing their Situational Training Exercise lanes and planning for the FTX that lies ahead.

“We’ve just finished it and we’d heard that it’s the worst part, so we’re glad that it’s done,” said Cadet Campbell Long, University of Alabama. “The people all around drove us. Everyone was checking in and motivating each other.”

Cadets work and grow together throughout the entire CST process, learning from their own squads as well as the other regiments.

“Leading up to it, we heard a lot from the other regiments who all said this event was awful,” Cappellano said. “The buildup and suspense were the most challenging part, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

Many Cadets see the greatest part of CST is the relationships you build with those around you.

“Working with other people from across the country and meeting different people is my biggest takeaway,” Cappellano said. “Keep an open mind to meet and take advice from others that may think differently than you do.”

Cadets act as the main inspiration to those around them, guiding each other in order to better grow as a group.

“Be open to meeting new people and build more than just surface-level relationships,” Long said. “Lean on the people around you and take the effort to get to know people.”

This march marked a greater checkpoint for these Cadets. Upon completion, they could see the finish line, their graduation, driving each and every one of them towards it.