FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from the 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their Tactical Combat Casualty Care training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 29, 2023. The TCCC is an event that teaches Cadets important life-saving strategies during a battlefield scenario. This training is crucial to becoming a well-rounded leader and Commissioned Officer in the likelihood of a battle-related injury. Cadet Robert Carr shares his thoughts on the process of TCCC. “We learned about how to use radios, about formations, and how to move injured soldiers on a stretcher to the casualty collection point and get to a medevac,” Carr said. “This [...]

 FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from the 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Situational Training Exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., July 23, 2023. STX is an event that focuses on squad communication and tactics in a combat-like setting in order to qualify and become future U.S. Army leaders. Multiple scenarios test Cadets on their ability to work as a team and carry out their responsibilities in a timely manner. Cadet Trey Crow, from Harding University, shares his thoughts about the process of the STX. “It just helps you to learn teamwork with the new group of soldiers that you have just [...]

FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, completed their training at the Forest Hills Climbing Complex on Fort Knox, Ky., July 22, 2023. The FHCC is a series of high obstacles that focuses on confidence and having trust in the climbing equipment for each course. It is composed of the Alpine Towers, The Rudders Ropes Course, and a rock-climbing wall. Cadet Lydia Sleeman, Allegheny College, shares her thoughts on the ropes course portion of the training. “I liked it, even though there were some scary parts of the course,” Sleeman stated. “I think the worst part for me [...]

FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Engagement Skills Trainer at Fort Knox, Ky., July 21, 2023. The EST is a simulated training event that teaches Cadets important marksmanship skills in several environments. Cadet Kevin Kirby, Pennsylvania State University, shares his thoughts on the training. “My favorite part of the EST was the shooting simulation,” Kirby stated. “I really enjoyed that because I was able to actually see myself improve each round.” The EST includes virtual firing ranges to test Cadets’ accuracy and improve their marksmanship skills. This simulation allows each person to become familiar with [...]

Name: Laura Lamecker School: University of Alaska Fairbanks Hometown: Chaska, Minnesota Major/Minor: Master of Science in Biochemistry What Makes This Cadet  Stand Out From Their Peers? Cadet Laura Lamecker is an MSIII at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Laura joined the Nanook Battalion at the start of the Fall 2019 Semester as an ADO Cadet. In less than one semester, Laura immediately stood out from her peers as the most capable leader in her class. She is a competent, mature, and adaptable leader who is quick to learn and eager to selflessly serve others. In a very short period, Cadet Lamecker’s [...]

Name: Elliott Clements School: University of Cincinnati Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio Major/Minor: Civil Engineering What Makes This Cadet Stand Out From Their Peers? Cadet Clements is not only working on becoming a future Army officer, but he is electively furthering his academic career and pursing his master’s degree in Civil Engineering. Cadet Clements has proven that with balance, focus, and determination, anything is possible. While balancing a challenging school work load and ROTC is difficult enough, Cadet Clements continues to go above and beyond. He is also a volunteer member of the National Park’s Search and Rescue team. Often times Cadet Clements [...]

Name: Emily Maier-Costanza School: The University of Alabama Hometown: Walnut Creek, Ca Major/Minor: Criminal Justice What Makes This Cadet Stand Out From Their Peers? Cadet Maier-Costanza has demonstrated great dedication and determination since she stepped foot on the University of Alabama Campus and joined Army ROTC. Cadet Maier-Costanza is a very active participant in and outside of the ROTC program. She has played on the UA club soccer team, has volunteered to be the OIC for the Dinning Out in Spring of 2020 and is the current PAO for the Cadet Battalion. Furthermore, Cadet Maier-Costanza has been a member of the [...]

Name: Lydia Wagner School: West Virginia University Hometown: Morgantown, West Virginia Major/Minor: Major in Nursing with a Minor in Military Science What Makes This Cadet Stand Out From Their Peers? Cadet Lydia Wagner is one of the most dedicated and humble Cadets in the Mountaineer battalion. A naturalized citizen born in China, Cadet Wagner truly appreciates the freedoms and opportunities afforded to her as an American citizen. Her conduct in ROTC, college, and personal life exemplify what it means to be a selfless leader. Since day one, she has put in more time and effort to improving herself and others than [...]

Name: Chandler Bullard School: Loyola University Chicago Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Major/Minor: Major in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience with Minors in Biology and Psychology What Makes This Cadet Stand Out From Their Peers? Cadet Bullard is an exceptional Cadet, and this was reflected in her recent selfless actions. Cadet Bullard is the Rambler Battalion Commander, a Distinguished Military Graduate, and a two-time member of the champion Bataan Memorial March Team, but still stepped up to the plate when her team needed her the most. The day prior to the Task Force Ranger Challenge, one of the primary members of the team had [...]

The U. S. Army Cadet Command Ranger Challenge is a demanding mental and physical team sport that puts Cadets through a grueling 2-day competition designed to enhance leader development, develop team cohesion, and to encourage healthy competition among the 274 Army ROTC Battalions. The Challenges take place over the Fall and Spring semesters, with each Brigade responsible for planning and executing their own concept that inspires excellence through rigorous physical and mental challenges that reflect the tempo, uncertainty and tasks of combat operations. The Ranger Challenge has a long history in Army ROTC, and Cadets who compete and complete a Ranger [...]

By Cadet Michael Hoffmann, Virginia Military Institute We five ROTC Cadets arrived at the Alexandria Airport in Louisiana, anxious to begin what would prove to be an unforgettable experience.  Two officers wearing pressed olive green field uniforms and maroon berets crested low over their eyebrows, the distinctive uniform of the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, soon arrived and took us to Fort Polk. The 1/509th, or “Geronimo” Battalion, was activated in 1941 and possesses a rich history, including the Army’s first combat jump during World War II in November 1942.  Today the 509th serves as the Opposing Force (OPFOR) at the [...]

Cadets from colleges across the United States have the opportunity to travel to foreign countries and immerse themselves into the culture while becoming familiar with different military training. The Cadet Coalition Warfighter Program (CCWP), formally known as the Cultural Understanding and Leadership Program (CULP), has been described as a “paid vacation” by some, but these Cadets quickly dispel this notion. Thirty-one Cadets spent twenty-one days in Malawi, while another twenty-one Cadets spent twenty-four days in Romania. Each Cadet left the U.S. with impressions of the foreign land and excitement for cultural day trips; however, they returned with a completely different outlook. [...]

Perspective.  A term that Cadets Teata Gutierrez, Michael Bock, Kendra Curtice and Calvin Dally used often when reflecting on their trip to Latvia through the Cadet Coalition Warfighter Program (CCWP); previously known as the Cultural Understanding and Leadership Program (CULP).  Gutierrez, Bock, Curtice, Dally and thirty-nine other Cadets travelled to Latvia as part of the CCWP. There, they immersed themselves into Latvia’s military infrastructure, European history and culture. Military to Military U.S. Cadets interacted with Latvian military personnel at Camp Adazi and the NCO Academy.  At the academy, U.S. and Latvian Cadets were grouped together and given a mind or strength [...]

When most people think of Peru, they think of the Amazon Rainforest, Machu Picchu or the Andes Mountains.  Cadets who were accepted into the Cadet Coalition Warfighter Program (CCWP) had a different experience on their trip to this South American country. Cadets stayed at the Escuela Militar de Chorrillos, the Peruvian Military Academy, where they spent their weeks training with the Peruvian military and their weekends exploring the diverse city of Lima.  Although Cadet Daniel Perez, from the University of Texas El Paso, found their training similar to that of the United States, he believed that the Peruvian training was more [...]

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. – Throughout Cadet Summer Training, there are many events that Cadets are fearful of or struggle to complete.  It may be getting lost during land navigation, rappelling off a 64-foot tower, or shooting a rifle, but for many, this fear comes out at the live hand grenade range. That fear surfaced for 2nd Advanced Camp Regiment Cadets this morning at Christensen Range.  Each Cadet has their own way of facing their fears.  Cadets David Hall and Kenneth Walker handle their fears by focusing on their families and the sacrifices made to get them where they are today. The [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky – There was a break in the rain at Fort Knox when Advanced Camp 3rd Regiment began its Land Navigation testing. Although it was cloudy, muddy and 7 a.m., Cadets wore a smile on their face and were excited to start the day. Just like the 1st and 2nd Regiment, Cadets received a map, points to plot, and then tasked with finding these given points within a four-hour period. Cadets must locate three points to pass the event, but to stay in the running for RECONDO, they must find all four of their points. Within the four hours, [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky – George Blair Range was in full use around 7 a.m. today as the 1st Regiment conducted their weapon qualification.  Cadets had spent the previous two days honing in on their marksman skills to prepare for this morning’s qualification. “We spent the last 48 hours detailing, zeroing and adjusting the clicks, knobs and turns so that we could come out here and qualify,” said Eric Jones, a Cadet from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  Zeroing in a weapon involves aligning sights in a sight picture and then aligning aiming points at a target.  Jones explained, “You spend [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from the 2nd Regiment Advanced Camp overcame their insecurities and became more self-assured at the Rappel Tower and Confidence Course today.  In order to complete their training at Fort Knox, Cadets must complete these two events. While Company C began learning how to tie a Swiss seat harness for the Rappel Tower, Company D began its day at the Confidence Course.  Through each of the nine obstacles on the Confidence Course, Cadets tested not only their mental endurance, but also used their upper-body and core strength. Some obstacles included The Weaver, where one has to maneuver [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yljztc__YQ4[/embedyt]Fort Knox, Ky. – Around 9 p.m. Tuesday, the 1st Regiment at Advanced Camp patiently waited for the sun to set before beginning their Night Land Navigation test.  Cadets had two hours to find at least one point, unassisted, on a course on the outer edge of Fort Knox. “Land nav is the essential function of leading Soldiers, especially soldiering skills like infantry.  It’s the basic building block to finding your way, knowing where to go, where you are, and knowing where to go after that,” explained Cadet John Just, an Organizational Leadership and Human Resource major at Ball State [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMek7uvk0yg[/embedyt] Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets from the 1st Regiment filed into formation behind the Copple Center today for Cadet Summer Training (CST) Advanced Camp inprocessing. Once inside the Copple Center, Cadets pass through seven different stations: including arrival at CST and CCIMS, listing special guests that might be coming to graduation, Cadet payment information and issues, verifying travel arrangements in Defense Travel System (DTS) after CST, confirming emergency data information, and a few other administrative stations. “We double check to make sure all their pay information is included, their scholarship payments, and if there’s any issues, they will be [...]

Name: Victoria Heim School: University of Mississippi Hometown: York, PA Major: Sociology with Minors in Classics, Environmental Science and Military Science What makes this Cadet stand our from their peers? Her involvement in the program is what separates her from her peers. She truly strives to improve the program on a weekly basis. She not only cares about the program, but also her university and community. She is the Director of Standards and Ethics for the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and the president of the Ole Miss Women’s Club Volleyball, and she also works for Ole Miss Athletics Broadcasting Services. Cadet [...]

Fort Knox, Ky.- For many Cadets, Camp may be the first time that they have had exposure to any type of Military training. However, for others, they have acquired skills from special schools that set them apart from their peers. Cadets from 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp are proud to talk about their prior work within the Military. Cadet Hannah Gillan, Virginia Military Institute, explained SERE [Survive Evade Resist Escape] school and how it felt  being a Cadet attending such a tough program. “I didn’t know what to expect the entire time,” started Gillan, “easily the most rewarding [...]

Ft. Knox, Ky. – Every summer, Cadets from all over the nation join together to defeat mock enemy forces at Fort Knox. Cadets are assigned to destroy peers that are dressed in a black button down and phased out uniforms. The question is, who exactly are these enemy forces? As Cadets from 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp were practicing how to conduct a raid during a situational exercise, the opposing forces were patiently waiting. OPFOR, which consisted of rising MS3 juniors explained why participating as the bad guys has been a very rewarding experience. “I volunteered for OPFOR, [...]

Ft. Knox, KY– Deep within the vegetation of Atropia, there’s an enemy force that is described as far worse than any other Cadet force known within the Cadet Summer Training program. These enemy forces study their victims every morning and make it their mission to attack at night. These bandits, that wear a natural black mask and fitted gloves seem to be an issue for even the Cadets that play the role of the bad guys.”For the amount of trash they leave and the havoc they have caused, we have never had eyes on these raccoons. Opposing force member Patrick Ewing, [...]