FORT KNOX, Ky. - Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox is home to one of the largest training events in the U.S. Army. Approximately 10,000 Cadets attend either Advanced or Basic Camp every summer, and ensuring their safety is a top priority. Task Force Med is one of the key elements in providing a safe training environment.

FORT KNOX, Ky. - Every year Soldiers and Civilians come to Fort Knox from across the country to facilitate Cadet Summer Training. Some act as Cadre for the Cadet regiments, some handle command and control or logistics, and some form task forces with specific purposes. Task Force Wolf from the 104th Training Division is comprised of U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers that attend CST every summer to prepare Cadets to becoming future officers.

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Soldiers from all different parts of the Army come to Fort Knox, Ky., to support Cadet Summer Training. Staff Sgt. Lidia Zavalza came to Fort Knox from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington to cook in one of the mobile kitchen trailers, making food for Cadre while they are on the job.  Zavalza joined the Army 10 years ago as a 92G, also known as a Culinary Specialist.  “I joined the Army because I grew up with my dad’s side of the family all being in the military, and I wanted to try it too,” Zavalza said. “My grandmother, she […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – On June 12, 2023, during observer controller training, the Observer Coach Trainer Academy instructors of Fort Knox, Ky., laid out the expectations they had for the Cadre with the 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp, who will be in charge of the incoming U.S. Army Cadets at Cadet Summer Training. Lt. Col. Dan Hurd from the University of North Carolina explained why OCT takes place before Cadre receive their assigned Cadets.  “Today’s training is to get them onboarded onto this process, so they learn the technical and tactical tasks that they need to teach Cadets,” said Hurd. Hurd explained […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_BTtQ–NpQ[/embedyt]   FORT KNOX, Ky. — US Army Medics from across the country took part in a validation exercise to stay prepared in case anything should happen during Cadet Summer Training (CST). The training today, July 24, 2019, focused on validating the steps medical personnel have in place when a patient needs evacuation. This scenario found four soldiers badly wounded after a truck had flipped and each soldier launched onto the side of the road leaving them in dire need of help. Medics who arrived on scene had to make sure the patients on the ground were taken care of, […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets attended Branch Orientation, a time where the different branches of the Army hold informational briefs to showcase different career paths, July 21 during Cadet Summer Training. “They’re just giving us an overview of career paths that we can choose from along with guard and reserve options. Basically, we get to active, reserve, and guard officers about what they do and it helps us figure out what we want to do,” explained Cadet Austin Pfennig, Eastern Washington University. Cadets glean new information as they visit each branch’s tent and listen to the Cadre […]

During Cadet Summer Training the Cadets are the main focus, but there are also Active Duty Soldiers who spend their time developing these future leaders. During Field Training Exercises (FTX) there are active duty infantry Soldiers who work as the Opposing Force (OPFOR) against the Cadets. One unit in particular, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment have come to Fort Knox from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. For one day they let me observe them while they went through their procedures. These Soldiers work in four-day shifts. They spend four days in the field during the day helping create scenarios for the Cadets. Then […]

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 […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWXygPo6Sfs[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — “Today is the culminating event for [2nd Regiment Cadets] basic rifle marksmanship (BRM),” said 1st Lt. Mike Marta, from Fort Carson. “It is part of a four-day process starting with primary marksmanship instruction (PMI), going into grouping zero, location of misses and hits so they can see where on the targets they are hitting and then culminating here with the qualification range,” said Marta. In the past, this was not a must pass event. This was available so Cadets could familiarize themselves with the weapons. In order for Cadets to pass their qualification test, they […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQw09qPaBn0[/embedyt] Cadets from 2nd Regiment Carlie and Delta have two hours to locate two points, and they must find at least one in order to pass. Cadets use a protractor and a map of the area to plot their points. After that they use their maps and compasses to navigate to their points. Capt. Jason Dubyoski, from The Citadel said, “[The Night Land Navigation] tests [Cadets’] ability to navigate to points dismounted in the dark in hours of limited visibility.” Dubyoski mentioned that, “some of them struggle to shoot a good azimuth using the compass.” It is also possible that […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EFg7aCW7Kc[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadre members run a Casualty Evacuation Exercise at Christensen Range. The CASEVAC exercise is to make sure they are prepared in high-risk environments like the live grenade range. The exercise was all Cadre members. This specific CASEVAC scenario had two Cadre members in the grenade pit when a grenade went off. Both personal were hit with shrapnel in the legs. They were then treated by three of the five medics that were on hand. Once they were stable they moved them to the helicopter location. They would be airlifted out of Fort Knox up to […]

Fort Knox, Ky.–Cadets at Advanced Camp made history June 3, 2019, by being the first Cadets to throw live hand grenades during their time here at Cadet Summer Training. The Cadets were briefed on hand grenade procedures and then were given the task to practice with training grenades. Once they passed the training portion, they were taken down to Christenson Range where each Cadet had to complete two safe throws with live grenades. Maj. Edward Adams, an ROTC instructor at Gonzaga University, said the live hand grenade event is a way to make the Cadets training more rigorous. “It used to […]

Cadets from First Regiment took part in the WPN Qualification at George Blair Range to test their marksmanship capabilities. 1st Lt. Mike Marta from Apache Company 212 said the course has, “40 targets that they (Cadets) can hit, anywhere from 50 to 300 meters. To qualify they need to hit 23 out of 40.” Marta explained that if they don’t hit 23 out of the 40 targets, the Cadets will be sent to a retrain tent. “They will be trained by two AMU, the Army Marksmanship Unit, certified NCO’s,” he said. Cadet Michael Lugowsai attends Slippery Rock University, and is fromPittsburgh,Pennsylvania, […]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadre gathered at George Blair Range Wednesday morning to further prepare for the arrival of Cadets later this week for Cadet Summer Training (CST). Their mission was to not only review their basic marksmanship fundamentals, but also understand how to teach and appropriately evaluate the incoming Cadets. Cadre practiced zeroing in on their target at the Location of Miss and Hit, or LOMAH, Range. Groups of two to four Cadre spread out across the range and began to prepare their weapons to shoot at different target meters. Some took position to practice zeroing in their weapons while […]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Early Tuesday morning on May 21, Cadre from different college’s ROTC programs gathered to evaluate other Cadre members as they completed a Threshold to Failure mission. They also learned how to increase or decrease stress for Cadets in these situations. The assigned squad leader was expected to lead the team through the different obstacles with an end goal of retrieving and returning an injured Soldier. Cadre were there to observe this mission and evaluate the leadership skills of the squad leader. Capt. Darren Ekey from the University of Tennessee at Martin explains, “Today’s mission is what we […]

[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 […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Wednesday, May 22, Cadet Summer Training Cadre refined their fundamentals at the George Blair Live Fire Range.  They are sharpening their skills for when the Cadets come to CST. The Cadre focused on the basics of marksmanship for the training. They focused on getting into position, how to be sturdy in the position and finally how to execute shots up to 300 meters away. “It helps our self-confidence because I know what I am doing and everyone knowns what I am doing; we just need to hone in our skills,” said Spc. Zachary Hauk. “It helps to […]

Fort Knox, Ky.– Engaging an enemy in live fire combat is not in normal human nature. However, in the Army it is not only expected but becomes second nature. Getting to that point takes training—and lots of it. The Buddy Team Live Fire training exercise has Cadets go through with a partner and practice maneuvering down range towards an enemy bunker. Partners take turns shooting to cover the other participant advancing down the range. This exercise requires constant communication between partners and strategic planning ahead of time. Monday, May 20, Cadre members were out at the range setting up the lanes […]

Fort Knox, Ky.–The Tactical Operations Center (TOC) is coming to the end of their preparations for Cadet Summer Training (CST) which will provide a well-run experience for the Cadets. The TOC is staffed by Cadre from different states who are stationed at Fort Knox for the summer for CST. They run the day-to-day operations of Advanced and Basic Camp. Capt. Evan Adams from Maverick Battalion, a Military Science instructor at University of Texas-Arlington, stressed the importance of being a cohesive unit. He said, “People come from all over the states, so we really have to integrate amongst each other.” Adams said […]

Fort Knox, Ky.–The Cadre participated in an event called Alternate Course of Fire (ALT-C) at Schroeder shooting range. In this event they practiced on a Known Distance Range, a range that allows the participants to shoot at 100, 200 and 300 meters to test their lethality and grouping. Task Force Lethal and the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) led the training. Task Force Lethal is a unit from Fort Carson, Colorado who came to Fort Knox to teach Cadets for the summer. The Army Marksmanship Unit is a part of the Army that provides arms training for the soldiers. First Lieutenant Adrian […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Movement to Contact on its surface may seem like a fairly simple exercise but holds so much more for the Cadets and Cadre that participate. Cadre that will be overseeing Cadet Summer Training (CST) Cadets took part today, May 24, 2019, in an exercise that tests a platoon’s ability to plan, move and execute a tactical military operation based on the information given by Cadre. However, for the Cadre, it was also a time to learn how they will be scoring the CST Cadets on their performance in the exercise as well as leadership qualities they show. […]