FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed Battle March and Shoot training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 19, 2023.
The battle, march, and shoot event, or BMS, is an event where Cadets are pressured to see if they possess qualities fit to become adequate marksmen and future US Army leaders.
Cadet Neanco Collins from the University of Illinois, Chicago, shares his experience at BMS.
“I believe I did pretty good because I have been practicing, and I’ve been able to grasp a good skill set during qualification,” Collins said. “On table six with the position changing, I thought that it was a little more difficult because learning all of the different aspects of shooting and changing different positions was hard.”
Cadets participating in the battle, march, and shoot event, focus on targets from the prone supported and unsupported firing positions, as well as a 4-mile ruck to put them under pressure before firing. These aspects of training prepares them for the field and their future role as a leader.
“I consider this event to be one of the more important aspects of the Army because it prepares us for missions and tactics,” Collins said. “You want to be able, not only to lead, guide, and execute missions, but you want to be accurate in those missions as well.”
This event teaches Cadets to be more alert while under pressure, which is an important skill that the US Army values in terms of building leadership qualities.
“I’m huge on leadership, mentorship, and guidance, so I wanted to be able, not only to improve my leadership skills, but also, help other soldiers and Cadets improve on their leadership skills as well,” Collins stated. “That way, they can help other soldiers do the same to become better leaders, soldiers, and better people in general.”
Cadet Erica Gonzales from Texas A&M University also wishes to improve her marksmanship and leadership capabilities.
“I want to carry on my family legacy and push myself to become a better person, and being in the Army ROTC program has allowed me to push myself way outside of my comfort zone,” Gonzales stated. “I feel like a completely different person from when I came into the program 3 years ago.”
As Cadets learn more about marksmanship and load up their gear for a ruck march, they grow a sense of preparedness and become more comfortable with their weapons and gear.
“I would like to work on my magazine changes in the future,“ Gonzales said. “The best thing is to remain calm and know how to effectively reload, as well as anticipating a magazine jam or something else with the rifle.”
Cadets must be quick to reload their M4 carbines while firing on the range. They must also be aware of any potential problems that may affect their shooting, to become more efficient marksmen.
“I used to be scared of shooting, and I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect with battle, march, and shoot, but it was a lot of fun and was a big adrenaline rush,” Gonzales said. “I wasn’t expecting to be rucking the 4 miles and immediately getting online and firing 40 rounds at the targets, but it was a really fun experience.”
