[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npKGAiYCatU[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, KY. — “Be flexible and be ready for anything,” said Cadet Zaw Aung, from the University of Pittsburgh, “you have no idea where anyone is coming from.” The Field Leader Reaction Course (FLRC) helps prepare Cadets for this. During their third day at Cadet Summer Training, Cadets had to overcome six different obstacles at FLRC. They were given 17 minutes for each of the obstacles they faced. During this training, Cadets learn how to lead effectively or listen to the squad member in charge. Cadet Thomas Booth, from Ohio University, said that the obstacles, “are meant to […]

The Cadets from 1st Regiment, Alpha Company took part in Field Training Exercises (FTX) to showcase the skills they have learned in Advanced Camp. FTX is a graded mission where Cadets are assessed on how they handle certain leadership positions and the mission itself. The Cadets have just completed day one of the walk phase, which is a part of the crawl, walk, run development technique used to teach information that builds upon each other. Tyler Sisson, 2nd Lt. who graduated from University of Alabama explained the grading process. He said, “So the grading process is we go assess Cadets from […]

FORT KNOX, Ky – Before 2nd Regiment Advanced Camp tackles its rigorous Field Training Exercise (FTX), platoons worked together today going over their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). An SOP is a plan Cadets will use in the FTX while conducting missions. With an SOP in place, everyone is on the same plan and it will be easier for the platoon to defend its territory against the enemy Second Regiment’s Cadre allowed platoon leaders to take charge of their Cadets develop plans and review combat tactics. Delta Company’s 1st platoon leader, Cadet Dylan Lanting, from University of North Georgia, took advantage of […]

“The range is hot,” yelled different Cadre as the Cadets began firing their rifles.  Last week, 4th Regiment completed Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI) training where they familiarized themselves with their M4 Carbines.  Today, they gathered at Canby Hill Range to zero their rifles. For some Cadets, zeroing their weapon is an unfamiliar skill they have yet to practice, but many Cadets from the 4th Regiment have had a wide-range of experience with rifles.  Today allowed each Cadet to make adjustments to zero their weapon, based on the shots they fired at a target. Cadet Sinai Erazo arrived at Fort Knox around […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91OsmDLJ4tY[/embedyt]   FORT KNOX, Ky. — Fort Knox’s training ground for Land Navigation is wet, heavily forested and teeming with wildlife, but it’s also where the Cadets of 4th Regiment prove they have what it takes to find points in the wild without the help of technology. Sgt. Jonathan Shyrock, of the 3-61 Cav 4th ID, is the non-commissioned officer (NCO) officer in charge (OIC) at the communications station for the area, and has been enlisted in the Army for eight years. So he has seen his fair share of courses. He noted that the course may not be hard […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnqIf5IOxvg[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp, 3rd Regiment Cadets aimed to pass their weapons qualification, June 14, at George Blair Range. Weapons Qualification is a must pass event for Cadet Summer Training. Basic Rifle Marksmanship training is a four-day process, starting with preliminary marksmanship instruction and culminating with weapon qualification. Over the course of the four-days Cadets built their confidence and skill with their assigned M4 Carbine. “The four-day progression model that we have starts very basic, PMI teaches them how to take it [the rifle] apart and how to handle it,” said Master Sgt. Don Oakes who is an […]

Texas State! Hampton! V.M.I. ! One by one Cadets lined up and shouted their University name before completing the hand grenade qualification course at Christensen Range.  After 3rd Regiment threw their two live grenades, they returned to the practice grenades to execute a simulation on a course with six different stations. For most of these Cadets, today was the first time they handled grenades. This is true for Tazman Briganti.  The Cadet from Virginia Military Institute has never thrown a grenade before this training.  His brother, father, two uncles, and grandfather all have military careers in the Navy, but Briganti is […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuUvbaZKYzQ[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — With Buddy Team Live Fire finished, the Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Charlie and Delta Company, prepare for their final task of Cadet Summer Training (CST), the FTX. Buddy Team Live Fire tasked each Cadet to trust their battle buddies as they moved down a lane towards a goal. And with it now completed they get a chance to reflect on all their training and time here at CST before they leave the comfort of their barracks and head to the woods for FTX. Kyle Delaney, an Elon University Cadet, is one of the many Cadets […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2kPPSQI1po[/embedyt] Fort Knox, Ky. – It was a long climb up the stairs for the 4th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets this morning. From the ground to the top of the 60-foot rappel tower it’s 80 steps. Depending on one’s anxiety level it was either a quick walk up or a slow shuffle. Cadet Jacob Drobney, from Atlanta, Georgia, who attends the University of North Georgia, said the signs with Army values motivated his climb. “As you are walking the stairs up you can see the leadership qualities like loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage,” Drobney said. […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM9d2Zvh_yc[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, KY. — “Being brave is not about not being afraid of anything. It is about being afraid of something and going through with it anyway,” said 1st Sgt. Justin Davis, as he stood in front of the 64-foot rappel tower here. Cadets from the 2nd Regt., Advanced Camp took on the daunting tower, in what some say is the one event Cadets dread most about CST. Before Cadets conquer the rappel tower, they first learned to tie a swiss seat which is how Cadets rappelled the wall and free-fell. “[The swiss seat], is a super tight knot […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 2nd Regiment Charlie and Delta Company took part in training that was brand new to the Cadet Summer Training (CST) here at Fort Knox. While Buddy Team Live Fire is a new addition to CST, it is a basic tenant to be a Soldier and officer in the Army. Two Cadets, or Battle Buddies, take turns moving down a lane and firing at pop up targets before tossing a dummy grenade at an objective. The training is broken up into two different phases: blank firing and live ammunition. Today was the blank firing phase. The […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_lntJCEp9s[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — With the end in sight, 1st Regiment puts all they have learned to the test at the Situational Training Exercise (STX) lanes. Cadets from 1st Regiment began their first day of Field Training Exercise (FTX) by going through the six different STX lanes. Each lane was set up to put the Cadets in six different situations that tested how well they could operate tactically as a squad. Master Sgt. Conrad Vasquez, from the University of Oregon, has been a part of the Cadet Summer Training (CST) Team at the Wolverine area of operations for three […]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Fourth Regiment Cadets spent their morning wandering through the woods during the daytime portion of Land Navigation. Cadets received a map, a compass and a protractor to help them locate specific points. After plotting their points they were released into the woods to navigate to those points. Cadets had four hours to find at least three of the four points. Land Navigation Officer in Charge (OIC) Capt. Deshon Sims said the training not only taught Cadets navigation skills, but also confidence and perseverance. “It is important because it teaches them the skills to plan, time management, to […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp took a deep breath as they prepared their minds and bodies for the confidence chamber. The confidence chamber is also commonly referred to as the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) gas chamber. The purpose for CBRN is to prepare Cadets in case an adversary uses a toxic substance against them and their Soldiers.  “We learned how to put the gear on properly, the different types of gases and how to identify them,” said Tyler Hudson, from DePaul University. With that knowledge and practice, the Cadets are then taken to the […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJlF-4DeDAM[/embedyt] “My favorite part about this training is that you are not limited to how many bullets you get to shoot,” said Stacey Estrada, from Weber State University, “If you are not doing so great and you need extra practice, we have the supply here to keep practicing and to keep getting better.” And practice they did.  For the last two days Cadets from the 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp shot round, after round, after round improving their shooting skills at the George Blair Shooting Range. All their practice leads to their weapons qualification tomorrow. Fort Knox uses a location of […]

The Cadets from A Co., 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp completed the Hand Grenade Qualification Course June 11, 2019. Sgt. 1st Class James Nichols, from 4th Infantry Division, described the course. He said, “This course is the hand grenade qualification course. They are going to have one lane with six stations, they need to get a go, that is (passing) four out of six stations. It’s all graded on a go or no-go basis, depending on alternate throwing positions from knock out a bunker, to knock out a mortar pit, to taking out a vehicle.” The Cadets were optimistic about completing the […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFCJY15WUIM[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, KY. – “These are just basic Soldier skills that everyone in the Army just needs to know,” said Cadet Joseph Marcos, from Seton Hall University, “Not everyone is going to be in combat but you may find yourself in that position where you may have to execute some of these tasks.” Cadets started the day by practicing with mock hand grenades then moved on to live hand grenades. After learning how to operate one, 2nd Regtiment Advanced Camp Cadets learned how to use it to their advantage. Once Cadets completed these two trainings, they went down to […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_uoAWE-KnM[/embedyt] Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets were instructed to shoot, move and communicate as they navigated down range today during the Buddy Team Live Fire training exercise. The exercise is designed to teach skills and Army values to Cadets, such as teamwork, self-reliance and communication. Woods II Range Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) Master Sgt. Kirby Odom said the training was added to Advanced Camp this year to prepare Cadets for future careers. “We are ensuring that the Cadets get a little bit more of a taste like their privates would [get]  going through basic training,” Odom said. “When they […]

FORT KNOX, Ky – The culminating event of CST is the field training exercise (FTX) – which places Cadets in stressful situations that simulate a battlefield environment. But before 1st Regiment Advanced Camp can make their way to the Wolverine Lane, they have to get through their Pre-Combat Inspections (PCI) and Precombat Checks (PCC). “Today we are developing platoon SOPs and then we’re getting ready to conduct our first FTX which would be on the Wolverine Lane.” Dajuan McDonald, a Cadet from University of South Carolina explained. “Standard Operating Procedures [are] how you conduct operations that’s going to be specific to […]

Leadership. It is a word that the Army prides itself upon. The Army is made up of thousands of Soldiers who live and give their lives for their country. The job is not for everyone. You have to have a certain desire and tenacity to serve and lead for a higher calling. Leaders by definition are “the person/people who lead/s or command/s a group, organization, or country.” Here at Cadet Summer Training (CST), Soldiers take on the task of preparing and making the future leaders in our country’s Army. Capt. Vernita Handsborough, who teaches at Georgia Military College, gave her definition […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – On this cool morning at Fort Knox, Ky., 4thRegiment, Advanced Camp Cadets seized the morning and took the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). The APFT is a mandatory event. There are three events within the APFT; sit-ups, push-ups and a two mile run. Cadets must do the number of repetitions of push-ups and sit-ups for their age and gender within two minutes. For the two-mile run, their passing time is also based on their age and gender. “I respect the work ethic more than the number,” said Maj. Timothy Patterson, a ROTC instructor at Alabama A&M. “It […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Before any Cadet walks onto a range at Cadet Summer Training (CST), they must first attend PMI or preliminary marksmanship instruction.  For some Cadets from the 4th Regiment, today might have been the first time they have held a weapon, specially an M4 Carbine rifle. Master Sgt. Jose Trevino, an ROTC instructor at the University of Texas at Brownsville, led one squad’s training.  “There’s a lot of things that go with this. The first thing is safety. You always have to make sure they’re safe because most of them have never fired a weapon or a weapon […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Second Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets spent the last three days on marksmanship training and put that training to the test today during Weapons Qualification on George Blair Range. To successfully qualify a Cadets must hit at least 23 of the 40 targets that pop up in their lane. Targets are as close as 100 meters and as far away as 300 meters. They pop up as a single target or in pairs. The shooter fires 20 rounds from the prone supported position and 10 rounds each from prone unsupported and kneeling position. “Today was the best I […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na9yhkK8pUQ[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Hundreds of Cadets of 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp simulated different combat scenarios early this morning in preparation for their upcoming Field Training Exercise (FTX). The FTX is a vital part of Advanced Camp for these Cadets. They are able to practice the various skills they’ve learned from previous training during the 14 days in the field. Capt. Patrick Harvey, a logistics officer, explained the purpose of field preparation today. “The purpose of the training today is to basically go over the squad battle drills,” he said. “What that means is the squads are breaking down […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0DIMJAD98g[/embedyt] Cadets participated in a six-mile ruck march assessment at 4 a.m. on June 9, 2019 to prepare themselves for their 12-mile ruck march at the end of Advanced Camp. The Cadets have to complete the six-mile trek in two hours in order to maintain the required pace. Lt. Col. Michael Marchetti Company Commander of Bravo Company 3rd regiment explained the ruck process.  He said, “A ruck is a backpack that soldiers wear that carries all of their equipment. For this ruck, the required weight is 35 pounds.” He continued, “Ruck marches are important because the Army moves on its […]