Fort Knox, Ky.– As Cadets from 8th Regiment, Basic Camp filed into Smith Gym to take Platoon pictures, many of them opted for a cause that is rewarding in itself. The Armed Service Blood Program [ASBP] is an internal organization with the Department of Defense that takes blood donations and distributes it to those in need within the Armed Forces community. While seats were filled with many Cadets volunteering to have their blood drawn, there was a special guest that caught their attention. Major General John Evans Jr., Commanding General, U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox decided to share a […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – With a slight layer of freshly fallen rain covering the trimmed grass of Keyes Park, Cadets from 8th Regiment, Basic Camp got their feet wet exploring potential career paths during Branch Orientation. “Branch Orientation is basically a way to learn about what you can find from every branch in the Army and work on our professional development,” said Cadet Jadiel Crespo, University of Puerto Rico – Rio Pierdas. From Armor to Field Artillery, Branch Orientation serves as the Army’s own career fair, allowing Cadets to explore what they could expect as future Officers in the United States […]
By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 8th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets competed in a Drill and Ceremony Competition Aug. 7 during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky. Platoons competed against one another to earn the title for best movement. Drill and Ceremony is a long-held tradition in the Army and focuses on Soldier movement. “We have everybody up in their straight lines doing parade rest, attention, correcting salutes, and making sure that our whole formation is on cue. We’re all competing with the different platoons to fight against whoever is the best at being all squared away and tight […]
FORT KNOX, Ky.—7th Regiment, Basic Camp completes their 31 days of training here at Fort Knox. As family and friends of Cadets filled the stands that surround Brooks Field, the Regiment begins to form up just a few hundred feet away and the Cadets’ excitement to go home builds. “I’m really excited to finish up Basic Camp, it’s been a blast,” said Cadet Lewis Pack, The Citadel. “I was an Air Force ROTC Cadet prior to this and this was much more fun and I really like the Army life.” Cadets choose to participate in Basic Camp, which is a stepping-stone to […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – Out of all the experiences Cadets have gone through while at Basic Camp, there is always one experience that a Cadet can’t wait to tell their family and friends about when they get the chance. Saturday morning, Cadets from 7thRegiment, Basic Camp got that chance, as they were greeted by the familiar faces of family and friends outside of Waybur Theater for Family Day. For Cadet John Hupka, John Carroll University, the gas chamber portion of his Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) training was the first story he would tell his family. “Just going through it [and] […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 7th Regiment, Basic Camp participated in a Drill & Ceremony competition on August 2. D&C consists of the proper way to move and hold oneself while in formation. The competition is a new addition to Cadet Summer Training this year. Cadet Jamie Bridenstine, who completed Advanced Camp this summer, is working as a Military Science III trainer at Basic Camp. Bridenstine, a student at the University of Wyoming, stated that D&C builds discipline and helps people work as a team. She went through Basic Camp in 2016. “We focused on D&C but it wasn’t to […]
Fort Knox, Ky.– As tents were lined up side by side with basic branch Officers within them, Cadets of 7th Regiment, Basic Camp went touring for the many options that the Army has to offer. Within these tents, many Combat Arms including Field Artillery, Infantry and Engineers were beginning to fill up with young and ambitious female Cadets. January 2016 marked a day in history lifting since the ban on women joining combat branches. This achievement allowed female Soldiers to fight next to their male counterparts and equally participate in any event within the Army. “The Military is based on wars […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. — The 8th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets woke up early to process a 6-mile Ruck March, August 3, 2018, during Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox. Describing Ruck March is difficult for people who have never moved with a 50-pound backpack for many miles. We can explain it as simply walking with all of the military gear, loaded for bear, over uphills and downhills for a long time. Ruck March is part of the Cadets summer training; which is an excellent opportunity to go back over some of those skills necessary for a soldier and build Cadets up to […]
FORT KNOX, Ky – As the beginning of their Field Training Exercises, Cadets from 8th Regiment, Basic Camp spent the day of August 1, 2018 split up by squad, running through various tactical operations. The Cadets started the planning phase of the mission after receiving an initial order. This is when the Cadet in charge, the squad leader, gives a detailed brief of who will be going where and how the operation will unfold, making sure everyone is on the same page. “We were given the op ord. [operation order] that we were going to do a deliberate attack,” Cadet Aaliyah […]
Fort Knox, Ky.- Today, the 6th Regiment, Alpha and Bravo Company Basic Camp Cadets graduate Cadet Summer Training 2018. Proud family members from all across the country gather together to witness the inspiring ceremony. These Cadets have all come a long way and yet this is only the beginning. Day in and day out they trained rigorously, overcame tremendous fears, and strengthened themselves to achieve their highest level of excellence. There has been outstanding growth from the day they first arrived. Throughout each exercise completed they acquired leadership characteristics, teamwork and accountability for one another, and the strength and stamina to conquer all tasks. Excitement is in the […]
Fort Knox, Ky.- 8th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets were out at Training Area Six as they drilled on Small Unit Tactics. Cadets practiced indirect fire, setting up ambushes, and taking on enemy contacts throughout wooded areas. Squads of 12-to-13 Cadets perform certain tasks and set up a 360 degree perimeter. Bravo Co. was taken through a battle drill and ran an artillery simulator to evaluate their reactions in high-stress situations. Cadet Lawrence Kirkman from Valley Forge Military Academy & College talked about the importance of Small Unit Tactics for training and real-life applications as a potential 2nd Lt. “As an […]
FORT KNOX, Ky.—7th Regiment, Basic Camp completed their 10k Ruck March in the early hours of a cool Kentucky morning. Beginning 0300, the Cadets of 7th Regiment Basic Camp formed up by companies to complete their 10k, or 6.2 mile, ruck march. Unlike Advanced Camp, the Basic Camp ruck march is a one-way walk and Cadets do not have a time limit for completion. The Cadets from Basic Camp also ruck in a two-line formation. “Everyone is feeling great. We just came off our field training exercises and we are just about done with training so that means we get to go home,” […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – 6th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets explored the different branches of the Army during the Branch Orientation in Keyes Park July 29, 2018. After completing the Advanced Camp in the Army ROTC program , graduated Cadets will be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Army and will embark on specialized training in their first Army branch. At Branch Orientation, Cadets were free to attend any tent that interested them, talk to people and ask questions. It allowed Cadets to learn about all different branches and makes every opportunity available to everybody. Tents, and military vehicles lined the field of […]
Fort Knox Ky.- The 6th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets competed at Drill and Ceremony Competition on 28. July 2018. Each Platoon from the Bravo and Alpha company fell in to position and marched to the beat of the Drill Sergeant and his commands. One Drill Sergeant in particular, Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Neely, expressed the importance of Drill and Ceremony. “The amazing thing about Drill and Ceremony is it’s not just necessary here, but also in the battle field. If you look back on old war movies you’ll see they used a drum when marching. That meant everything moved at a […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. — Stay low Cadet, stay low! 8th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets motivated each other through the Beaudoin Obstacle Course July 27th, 2018. Obstacles like the low crawl, cargo net wall and balance beams, teach the Cadets what to expect later in the field while also testing their physical fitness. Cadet Spencer Jerome, University of Arkansas, explains how the Obstacle Course is a challenge to Cadets in Cadet Summer Training. “We’re running through different types of obstacles to test different physical capabilities, whether that be balance, upper body capabilities or the low crawl,” he continues, “Usually the obstacles have some […]
Fort Knox, Ky.- Today, 7th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets completed a portion of their FTX training at Tactical Area 5 on Fort Knox, Ky. When the Cadets arrived, they received an OP order for their mission, after that they go through the troop leading procedures which help them plan and prepare for the mission. This procedure is an eight step process: receive the mission or OP order, issue the warning order to their subordiante leaders, make a tentative plan, start necessary movement, reconnoiter, complete the plan, issue the complete order, and finally supervise. Once completed, they conduct a patrol where they […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 5th Regiment, Basic Camp huddled around cell phone cameras before camp graduation on July 26, trying to see how their group photos with fellow Cadets turned out. 2nd Lt. Kasey Greenfield, a graduate of Texas A&M University, noticed an extraordinary difference in the demeanor of a lot of the Cadets – particularly their sense of pride – between the beginning of camp and graduation. Towards the end of camp, Greenfield stated, “a lot of them would stand up straighter,” and just wear the uniform a little differently. Between the homesickness, drill sergeants, and physical standards […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – Another obstacle out of the way! Cadets from 8thRegiment, Basic Camp tackled the Beaudoin Obstacle Course July 26. The course consists of eight obstacles designed to test the Cadets’ strength, endurance, confidence and leadership. Like any other obstacle the Cadets face throughout their training, comradery is what keeps the Cadets pushing forward. Throughout their 31 days at Fort Knox, each Cadet pairs with a Battle Buddy, a person responsible for boosting morale and holding the other accountable. For this training in particular, Battle Buddies are their most important team member. “It’s a mutual relationship, and […]
FORT KNOX, Ky – As the first taste of field training, Cadets from 7th Regiment, Basic Camp began learning the basics of tactical operations July 25, 2018 during Squad Formation Order of Movement. The day started off with an early morning wake-up, an MRE breakfast, and a short trek to Training Area 7, where the Cadets were briefed and split up for individual squad training sessions. The Cadets sat in small clearings in the forest, listening to play-by-play instructions of the operation they would be conducting. “We were taught a hasty assault, which is coming up on an enemy when you […]
FORT KNOX, KY. — Pushing yourself mentally and physically is an enormous part of being in the U.S. Army. Cadets from 8th Regiment, Basic Camp woke up early this morning July 26th, 2018, to take part in the Army Physical Fitness Test. The APFT is a way to determine whether or not Cadets are in peak physical shape during CST. Cadets are required to do a specific number of push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run in a certain amount of time according to their gender and age. According to Cadet Kobe Kupp, Eastern Washington University, keeping up with personal physical fitness is […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – In just 60 seconds, someone you love could be gone. But in that same time, you have the equipment and skills to save a life. Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp learned the importance of proper Combat First Aid, July 25. As injured “Rescue Randy” dummies laid on the ground, Cadets sat and listened to Cadre explain how to properly assemble a tourniquet. For this example, their Randy suffered a femoral artery injury just above his knee. The Cadets were given 15 seconds to properly apply a Combat Application Tourniquet while following all of the necessary protocol. Attaching […]
FORT KNOX, Ky.— Cadets from 5th Regiment, Basic Camp set out to learn more about their potential careers at Branch Orientation July 24th, 2018. The purpose of Branch Orientation is to give the Cadets more information about the Branches that they are interested in as a future career in the Army. Cadet Jessica Hickman, University of Georgia explains the importance of Branch Orientation and how it helps to solidify her Branch decisions. “In the particular branch you want to see, you get to go in and find out more information to see if you would like to pursue it, or not pursue […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – Physical fitness is a a requirement of a good Soldier. 8th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets participated in the Army Physical Fitness Test at Fort Knox, July 24. The APFT is a combination of a ritualistic exercise mixed with the urgency and anxiety related to any must pass test. Nervous and droopy eyed Cadets lined up to begin the exam at 5:00 am. A future lieutenant must successfully meet Army standards on two minutes of push ups and sit ups and then a two-mile run. The standards set by the Army are just a base goal according to Cadet […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – 5th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets headed outdoors to practice marching procedures for the Drill and Ceremony Competitions July 23, 2018. Filled with the sounds of pacing boots and rhythmically chanting in the air, Cadets were organized and lined up in coordination with their fellow teammates. Though some of the Cadets looked nervous about turns and specific footwork, each performance during the competition featured precision movements and marching skills. Cadet Kenneth Excellent, Georgia Military College, said, “As Basic Camp Cadets, we are here to learn the basis for discipline and teamwork so that we’ll be able to march […]
FORT KNOX, Ky. – 7th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets sang while slugging through a mud crawl at Beaudoin Obstacle Course, Fort Knox, Ky. July 22. After weeks of improving their marching skills, meshing together as a unit and honing their leadership Cadets were awarded with a chance to let off some steam with some friendly competition. The obstacles included a rope climb, mud crawl and a wall hurdle. The Cadets were excited to get away from their barracks says Cadet Don Diego Florencio, State University of New York at Buffalo. “I am just happy to get down and dirty,” Florencio said. […]