FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from the 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their Warrior Skills training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 30, 2023.
The Warrior Skills training is an event that teaches and improves Cadets’ tactical skills for the field. Cadets learn about the fundamentals of munitions and practice what they have learned in a hands-on environment.
Cadet Elena Oliver from Pacific Lutheran University shares her thoughts on the Warrior Skills training.
“I think I did pretty well, and it was nice to refresh our skills in the field,” Oliver said. “It was good to interact with everything, and see how it works, and we usually don’t mix with other squads.”
Cadets are split up into multiple stations that each focus on a different skill. Grenade throwing, setting up claymore mines, and participating in enemy attack scenarios, are all subjects that Cadets must know to advance in their training.
“It’s a great opportunity to grow your skills and push your boundaries of what you can accomplish,” Oliver said. “Coming into Warrior Skills, I thought it was going to be something similar to the Field Leadership Reaction Course, where Cadets follow a leader to accomplish a task, but it helped us learn things we don’t normally get to do.”
Cadet Brittain Skinner from Tarleton State University also enjoyed learning new criteria at the training event.
“It was a blast, and I enjoyed getting to relearn different things since the past 3 years of ROTC,” Skinner stated. “I liked getting to do stuff that you don’t get to do all of the time; especially when it comes to throwing grenades.”
Cadet Skinner also discusses the importance of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
“This training is totally worth it, and it is hard work, but the best things in life are hard work,” Skinner explained. “People achieve leadership in different ways, and nobody is going to lead the same way every time.”
Though each Cadet has a different approach to their role as a leader, the ROTC provides the same training to each future Commissioned Officer.
Cadet Oliver states, “This training is difficult at times, but if you stay motivated and stick with your goal, it will be a lot of fun.”
