Having freshly arrived at Fort Knox the day before, Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, woke up bright and early to practice drill and ceremony (D&C) in front of their barracks. The Cadets were drilled on the basics of marching by cadre responsible for preparing them for the drill sergeants that will be training them later in the week. “Some of these Cadets never did D&C,” said 2nd Lieutenant Jaunn Caldwell. “They never did drill ceremony, they don’t know how to present arms, no customs and courtesies. It was just the basics, the fundamentals.” This day is the perfect opportunity to […]

5th Regiment Cadets worked on grouping and zeroing M4 carbines at Fort Knox, Ky., June 26, 2022.  Cadet Ryan Miller from Rutgers University, said they were zeroing their weapons in preparation for their upcoming weapons qualification. He also said this was not his first time completing the M4 weapons qualification.  “It’s my second time ever qualifying with this weapon, so I’m not too nervous since I have previous experience,” Miller said.  Miller said his first time qualifying was at Basic Camp last year.  “I got a lot of good training from drill sergeants, a lot of good tips and tricks,” Miller […]

Having entered into their second week of Cadet Summer Training (CST), the Cadets from 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp, were ready to take on the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST). This training is the second phase in preparing Cadets for the task of qualifying on a range with their M4A1 carbines. The Cadets will take what they learn from the EST and apply it to group and zero training later in camp. Despite having half a decade of prior Army experience as a behavioral health specialist, Cadet Raynika Williams, from Fayetteville State University, was anxious about EST. “I was very nervous with qualifying […]

“Go…Go…Go…” was heard in the cold, quiet, hours before dawn, as Cadets from 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, stood lined up in front of the wooded trail that marked the beginning of their 12-mile foot-march route. Cadre member, 2nd Lt. Hailey Hutton stated that the 12-mile march serves to signify the Cadets’ last mission in the field, following their time at the Field Training Exercises (FTX). After 12 days in the field and waking up at 2 a.m. the Cadets were already tired, making morale important.  For Cadet Madison Nygren, from the University of Southern California, motivation came from thinking of her […]

Some Cadets in the Reserve Officer Training Corps plan to stay with the Army for a few years before moving onto civilian careers. Other Cadets want to stay in the Army for a couple decades, which is the case for Cadet Madeline Wickel with the 4th Regiment at Cadet Summer Training.  Wickel, from Lehigh University, said her goal is to stay in the Army for 20 years and afterwards work as a Department of the Army civilian.  “I really enjoy the military,” Wickel said. “Every step of the way since before freshman year applying for this scholarship and even now, the […]

From crawling, to walking, to running, 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed its Cadet led run through of missions during Field Training Exercise II in Fort Knox, Ky., on June 22, 2022.  According to Master Sgt. Alan Roche, a senior military instructor with U.S. Army Cadet Command, the exercise was last requirement Cadets fulfilled for their commission. He added it is more difficult than past training exercises because it’s meant to be a final test of whether a Cadet has what it takes to become an officer. “We’re gonna make them tired, we’re gonna make them hungry, and we’re gonna make them […]

Cadets at Cadet Summer Training join the Reserve Officer Training Corps for various reasons.  For Cadet Andrew McPoyle from James Madison University, one reason for joining was a family history of military service. His grandfather, uncle and three of his four brothers serve or have served in the Army.  “I was interested to join the Army, become an officer, because my family has a military history and I wanted to join that tradition,” McPoyle said. “I’ve always wanted to serve.”  McPoyle said he wanted to join the Army and pursue an education, so joining ROTC was the best choice for him.  […]

4th Regiment Cadets completed training with the engagement skills trainer (EST) at Fort Knox, Ky., June 20, 2022.  EST, which is part of Cadet Summer Training, teaches Cadets some of the skills they need to qualify with their weapons. It is a simulated, digital range where Cadets can grow more comfortable with the M4 carbine. The training also allows them to practice techniques that will help them when they move to the live fire ranges.  Cadets at CST have varying levels of familiarity both with weapons and with the EST training itself.  Cadet Trejaun Smallwood from Liberty University said he has […]

A big talking point at Cadet Summer Training is how to communicate with one another. There is no such thing as a single-person squad, and Cadets going through the program must learn how to effectively communicate with each other, or else risk failure in the field. The situational training exercise (STX) the Cadets go through at Fort Knox aim to test just that, with freshly formed squads being required to scout or capture objectives within a time frame. Cadet Jordan McIntyre from Michigan State University was part of a squad participating in the drills that day. “Our first one that we’ve […]

At Cadet Summer Training, mission success isn’t realized without a competent team to make it happen. This is especially evident for FTX Panther, a Cadet lead mission that could easily fall to disaster without effective leadership and communication. “My platoon’s mission was to deliver an ambush along with a hasty defense afterwards,” said Cadet John Barrales from California State University, Northridge. “We were given very little time to do the ambush. We didn’t even have time to brief an OPORD (operations order), so our communication had to be on point.” To complicate matters, the platoon had to face the dense Kentucky […]

“Currently, the Cadets are receiving a block of instruction on hand grenade identification,” said Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas George Gonnion. Cadets from 3rd Regiment were taking instruction a short distance away, sitting on the red Kentucky earth and enjoying the nice weather while they take in the basics of grenade training. “They’re learning the different types and capabilities of grenades that we use in the United States Army,” said Gonnion. “Following the class, they will do a practical exercise with the two different throwing techniques that we’re going to be teaching them today, which is standing and kneeling [position].” This exercise […]

The deafening boom of gunfire echoed through Pells range as Cadets from 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, went for their M4A1 qualification. This event is the culmination of prior training exercises that the Cadets had to go through in order to reach this point. Exercises such as preliminary marksmanship instruction, the engagement skills trainer, group and zeroing, and battle march and shoot all aim to prepare Cadets for this final moment. Of the Cadets present for the M4 qualification, Wang Ruan from the University of San Francisco waits for his chance at the range. While this would be Ruan’s first time qualifying […]

Land navigation is one of the skills taught at Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Ky., but DePaul University Army ROTC Green to Gold Cadet Ryan Russett, 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp, had prior experience that made this challenging event easier. “I applied my points really quickly” he said, and then, “I just picked the shortest path which was — to the south first.”  Russett is from Chicago, where his program honed his navigation skills further as a Green to Gold Cadet. To his advantage, the ROTC program at his university comes to Fort Knox to do their Field Training Exercises […]

3rd Regiment Cadets completed grouping and zeroing with their M4 carbines in preparation for their rifle qualification at Fort Knox, Ky., June 16, 2022.  Cadet Vincent McGinnis, a graduate of Penn State Brandywine, said he enjoys grouping and zeroing. Grouping and zeroing, which is part of Cadet Summer Training helps Cadets be sure their sights are set properly.  “Grouping and zeroing entails taking five shot rounds and trying to place them as close to the center of the target as possible and making adjustments on your sight so that your sight lines up with where your rifle is aiming,” McGinnis said.  […]

“It seemed like every scary movie where someone’s about to fall off a cliff,” said Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet Jasmine Valentine, from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, when describing the feeling of being on the 64 ft. rappel tower at Fort Knox, Ky. Valentine is from the the University of North Georgia where she has done things similar to the rappel tower with its ROTC program, but those experiences did not take away the fear she had going into the rappel tower training event.  “I have a deathly fear of heights,” she said.  Valentine said encouraging words she received from […]

4th Regiment Cadets completed their chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear training and testing at Fort Knox, Ky., on June 15, 2022.  The training is part of Cadet Summer Training. It involved a safety brief, classes, tests, and then a short time in the confidence chamber. In the chamber, Cadets are exposed to CS gas. They have to perform several small exercises while wearing their masks. Then, they remove their masks.  Many Cadets feel nervous when thinking about entering the confidence chamber. For these Cadets, their squad and platoon can be a source of encouragement and motivation.  Cadet Hunter Cashmer from Clarion […]

1st Regiment Cadets trained on the rappel tower and confidence obstacle course as part of Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., June 9, 2022.  Cadet Conor Custer from Lock Haven University enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 18. He attended air assault training, which he said helped him conquer his fear of heights. One obstacle involved climbing a rope, walking across beams and climbing down a rope net.  “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do the ‘tough one’ obstacle, but other than that I passed all the obstacles that were over there and repelling – repelling is always fun,” […]

Only four hours into a new day, the Cadets from 4th Regiment are awake and ready to perform to the best of their abilities for the Army Combat Fitness Test. Located under a large turfed pavilion surrounded by a mile-long circular track, the ACFT aims to put a Cadet’s physical prowess to the test in a series of six back-to-back events. The six events are the deadlift, standing power throw, hand release push-ups, plank, and the sprint-drag-carry. These events all cumulate into the final challenge; a two-mile run. The ultimate goal of the ACFT is to score a perfect 600 points […]

2nd Regiment Cadets tested for their basic rifle marksmanship qualification as part of their Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky.,  June 12, 2022.  Master Sgt. Benjamin Chumley with the 7th Brigade works at Middle Tennessee State University and was one of the Cadre at the qualification. Chumley said scoring is based on accuracy and how many hits a Cadet gets with 40 rounds of ammunition.  “23 out of 40 is a pass, but they are broken down into marksmen, sharpshooters and expert,” Chumley said.  Chumley said 23 to 30 is a marksman, 30 to 36 is a sharpshooter and 36 […]

Cadets from 3rd Regiment assemble in the open lot of the Field Leader Reaction Course.  These Cadets would be tasked with completing obstacle courses designed to test their squad’s teamwork and critical thinking skills. “They’re supposed to be really, really difficult challenges to do…to see how they work together and how they overcome seemingly impossible challenges,” said Capt. Robert Moore. Cadets go through the FLRC early on in their time at Cadet Summer Training. By the time 3rd Regiment arrived at the FLRC, most Cadets have only had a week’s time to get to know each other. The FLRC helps to […]

More than 300 Cadets from 2nd Regiment filed in through a single door leading into a large room at the Engagement Skills Trainer building, empty save for easels with instructional material and a Humvee roll-over training aid. The Cadets were ready to attempt the training after having gone through preliminary marksmanship instruction yesterday. EST uses a digital range with modified M4A1 carbines that fire a laser at simulated targets to test a Cadet’s accuracy and technique. “It’s a great way to get our Soldiers out and simulate effective range training,” said Maj. Yul Heredia,“ but in a digital capacity. “It saves […]

2nd Regiment Cadets tested on land navigation for Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Ky., on June 6, 2022.  Staff Sgt. Lana Bansbach, with the 2nd Battalion of 319th Regiment, has been working on land navigation for five years. She said the Cadets receive different points to find. They get different lanes, which could be a mixture of similar points or different points to other Cadets.   Cadets worked to find four points using minimal equipment. Cadets had four hours to find three out of the four points to pass the test.  Cadets could not ask each other for help and […]