FORT KNOX, Ky. — Working together in teams of two and three, Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp completed the Forest Hills Climbing Complex at Fort Knox, Ky., July 21, 2023. The FHCC is made up of three parts, the Rudder’s Rope Course, the Alpine Towers, and the rock wall. It challenges Cadets physically and mentally to overcome their fears and become confident in themselves, their peers, equipment and their Cadre. “You’re really learning to trust your equipment, being able to know it all works, and then trusting your peers because they’re the ones that are helping you get up and [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky.—Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, completed the Team Development Course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 21, 2023. TDC is designed to challenge Cadets as they complete various obstacles in order to strengthen their teamwork skills. “This is a part of our training because the military is not an individual thing,” said Cadet Janyah Robinson, South Carolina State University. “Everybody is a team, everybody is working together. We all represent one thing.” During their time at Cadet Summer Training, Cadets are given many opportunities to get to know each other and grow together. “We all knew each other’s weaknesses [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, completed the Team Development Course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 20, 2023. The TDC consists of different obstacles that are designed to mentally and physically challenge Cadets. They must learn to critically think, solve problems, and work together as a team to find the solutions to the obstacles. Cadet Caitlyn Devaney from Georgia Military College trained on the PBT Hang Garner’s Bridge obstacle. This obstacle consisted of a destroyed bridge where Cadets were provided three wood planks to build a bridge on top of the posts in order to send their [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky – Cadet Keyoate Allen from Georgia Military College, Cadet Kylie Anderson from Georgia Military College and Cadet Nathan Nantasai from Valley Forge Military Academy, Basic Camp, 1st Regiment, mentally prepared themselves for the Forest Hills Climbing Course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 20, 2023. While they waited to begin training, Sgt. 1st. Class Justin Golder from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University explained that the course contains two different sections that Basic Camp Cadets must complete. He went on to describe the design of the FHCC. “The first side is the alpine tower and climbing wall side, where we have a [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – U.S. Army Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, participated in the Field Training Exercises as part of Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox, Ky., July 19, 2023. During the FTX, Cadets engage in realistic training scenarios in a field environment to enhance their tactical abilities and teamwork skills. It is vital that Cadets receive realistic training in order to build their skillset and their overall confidence. Cadet Stephen Swope from New Mexico Military Institute shares his experience at the FTX. “It’s going great, we woke up a little early this morning,” Swope said. “We had a briefing [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Basic Camp Cadets from 1st Regiment, were issued their safety vests after they arrived at the Night Infiltration Course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 16, 2023. Staff Sgt. Kevin Davelaar, one of the Cadre members who helps run the course, described what the Cadets were about to experience as they waited for further instruction at the bleachers. “In pure darkness, the Cadets have live machine gunfire over their heads,” Davelaar said. “This is about as close as you can get to what you would actually experience in combat.”   Davelaar said NIC was designed to be a [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, listened to instruction at multiple different stations during Fire Movement Training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 16, 2023. The FMT showed Cadets how to conduct a mission by teaching them skills such as field maintenance, indirect fire reaction, how to use face paint, crawling methods and land navigation tactics. Cadet Grace Thomas from Shippensburg University, enjoyed the training despite it being new to her. “This is all brand new to me, but I love it,” Thomas said. “I really hope to do it more in the future, and I want to [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. —1st Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets crawled through the Night Infiltration Course (NIC) at Fort Knox, Ky. on July 14, 2023. NIC introduces Cadets to the sounds of the battlefield by having them low-crawl across an approximately 100-meter field with bullets being shot overhead. Cadet Nicholas Mahon from The Citadel, learned new skills as he navigated the course. “This is all new to me,” Mahon said. “I learned land navigation, battle strategies and tactics, and field operations.” Even though this training was new to Mahon, he used his strengths gathered from previous training to not only guide himself but [...]

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 [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, completed the Team Development Course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 13, 2023. The TDC consists of different obstacles that are designed to mentally and physically challenge Cadets. They must learn to critically think, solve problems, and work together as a team to find the solutions to the obstacles. Cadets had 10 minutes to plan and 20 minutes to execute the plan. Cadet Alex Poynter from Tarleton State University, 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, mentioned what obstacle he faced during the TDC. “We did event number four, which was the destroyed bridge,” Poynter [...]