FORT KNOX, Ky. – The sun shining down, a light breeze blowing through, sounds of laughter and rejoicing filled the air. Tears streamed as Cadets of the 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, were reunited with their families at long last. From Near and Far Family Day is a moment of love and appreciation for what you have; as cliché as that may sound, there is simply no other way to put it. To see the face of your loved ones right in front of you rather than on a screen, is a time where love can do nothing but thrive. From near […]

  FORT KNOX, Ky. — 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets achieved one of the final must pass events July 23 during Cadet Summer Training – the 12-Mile Road March. “For CST, we have to complete several must pass events. Today was our final must pass event of CST and that was the 12-Mile Ruck March,” explained Cadet Jake Beretta, Slippery Rock University. “As a company, we marched all the way to the finish line from where we were placed out in Grizzly.” The road march was considered tactical for this event, which, according to Cadet Courtney Craig, University of Central Florida, […]

FORT KNOX, KY.— “The Army has a lot of high-tech tools, but if something were to happen, we need to know how to navigate through the land, figure out terrain and be able to stick together to help each other out,” said Rachel Hickey, from Carson-Newman University. On July 23, 2019, 5th Regiment Basic Camp Cadets got a hands-on learning experience on how to navigate through woods and terrain. These classes help prepare Cadets for their Land Navigation tests later in the day. The Day Land Navigation test will occur after lunch and Cadets must locate four out of five points. […]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp learned first aid at Heard Park, July 23. The Army teaches Advanced Camp Cadets the basics of Tactical Combat Casualty Care while at camp. After they commission as second lieutenants they will receive more in-depth medical training. Cadet Nicholas Newel, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, was a prior enlisted soldier participating in training. “We are going over how to stop the bleeding,” Newel said, “and how to save someone’s life. That is the overall goal.” After going through the large group lecture Cadets were split into groups of five. Newel […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets spend a very humid morning, July 22, out at George Blair Range to qualify on the M-4 rifles as part of their Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky. To qualify on the M-4 rifle, Cadets must go through multiple days of training. They start out at group and zero where they learn to group their shots together both with and without a laser. They then move on to qualifying the weapon. Cadets shoot 40 rounds at different distanced pop-up targets. To make Marksman, they must hit the target at least 23 times […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — First Regiment, Basic Camp, Cadets graduated today, completing the final event of their 31 days of training. Cadets sent to Basic Camp learned about different Soldier and leadership skills they will need as future Army Officers. “Basic Camps purpose is to give people who are interested in the Army a start,” Cadet Celeste Doiron, from Monument, Colorado, and attending California Polytechnic State University, said. “It kind of gives them a taste of the Army and [helps them decide] if it is something they want to do in the future.” “Get Up There and Lead”  Some Cadets came […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcko90yshPQ[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Rappelling may not have been in the repertoire of all 10th Regiment Cadets prior to Advanced Camp, but each one of them bounded down the 60-foot rappel tower, July 22. 1st Lt. Jason Keniston, the 10th Regiment chaplain, explained how the rappel training at Advanced Camp readies Cadets for their career as commissioned officers. “The rappel training prepares Cadets for combat situations but primarily demonstrates how overcoming fear is feasible,” said Keniston. “Everyone goes up the tower with some sort of fear. All Cadets have to do is trust their leadership, trainers, equipment and the […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8AopQVoQHU[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — Freshman and Sophomore Army ROTC Cadets stand in as the Opposing Force, or OPFOR, that play the enemy for Advanced Camp Cadets when they go through their different Field Training Exercises (FTXs). These first and second year military science students, also known as MS1s and MS2s, come from different ROTC programs from colleges across the country to help train this year’s Advanced Camp Cadets. While they’re assisting training, these MS1s and 2s also get a chance to catch a glimpse of what’s in store for them in the coming years at Advanced Camp. Cadet Kelsey […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 8th Regiment Advanced Camp completed their final day in the Panther FTX site today, July 22, before moving onto Grizzly. Their morning began with a Movement to Contact drill, a mission in which Cadets maneuver through the FTX area in search of their enemy. Once the enemy is spotted, the fire begins. Mental Agility There’s a lot that goes into making an FTX mission successful; from keeping your squad’s spacing in tact to ensuring communication between the platoon is clear, there’s a lot that can be learned from these drills. Perhaps the most important […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcJjy4dY05A[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets conducted training on the Field Leadership Reaction Course (FLRC), July 21, during Cadet Summer Training. The Field Leadership Reaction Course (FLRC) is a cornerstone of Advance Camp training. This course is utilized to assess the leadership potential and competency of the Cadets being tested. 2nd Lt. Dalton Clark comments on FLRC’s uses, “FLRC gives Cadets a chance to expand their leadership skills.” He goes on to say, “you are supposed to fail most of this, FLRC challenges Cadets in order to increase the pressure on Cadets.” This pressure allows supervising […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMobnb97XqE[/embedyt]   FORT KNOX, Ky. — Family Day has finally arrived for 1st Regiment Basic Camp, and it was filled with many smiles and tearful reunions. Basic Camp Cadets have been here at Fort Knox for 30 days. In that time, this is the first time Cadets got to see their families again since they left home. Cadet James Graves, from White Haven Pennsylvania, said he had been counting down the days until this day. And that waking up today had felt weird. “You’re always thinking about when you get to see them and counting down the days till that […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZfbHQ6X-iU[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets conducted a platoon attack against opposing forces (OPFOR) as part of their second field training exercise (FTX II), July 21.  FTX II is the run phase of FTX, meaning that Cadets coordinate their maneuvers completely independent of Cadre assistance. At the end of each mission however, Cadre guide Cadets’ after-action reviews (AARs) to explain where Cadets made errors and how they can correct them in future.  “During each mission we learn something new, especially during the AARs. We take a lot from them,” said Cadet Kiera Dixon, attending the University […]

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 […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Spirit and morale were high within 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp, Bravo Company, 4th Platoon yesterday, as they completed another Field Training Exercise mission and took another step toward graduating. Cadets performed a platoon-level deliberate attack on an enemy strong point. Penn State University Cadet Brian Hobbs, from Fairfax, Virginia, said his platoon’s mission went according to plan, with only a few hiccups. He claimed it could not have gone that smoothly without the platoon’s teamwork. “I had a lot of support from all of my peers so that made it all run a lot smoother,” Acting Platoon […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — 4th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets studied and performed practical application of first aid and care under fire July 20 during Cadet Summer Training. “We’re learning how to do combat first aid, apply tourniquets, work with chest wounds, stopping bleeding, detecting burning, and any other first aid needs to get someone help before the medic could arrive,” stated Cadet Chad Crook, Western Oregon University. Cadets were presented with a hypothetical scenario where a Cadet and their battle buddy are on patrol and are suddenly under fire. Then the battle buddy is hit, explained Cadet Brooke Thompson, Westminster College […]

FORT KNOX, KY. – Basic Camp Cadets will train in the air, in the woods, on the range and even on the track but today 5th Regiment will train in the classroom. Cadets spent the morning training in Map Reading and Terrain Association. Cadet Brenden Gleeson, from Valley Forge Military College said he was enjoying the break from Kentucky’s midsummer heat and humidity. “Training is going pretty good,” the Ridgefield, Connecticut native said. “It is nice that we are in an air-conditioned building considering its very hot outside.” Cadet Michael Vannote, a student attending Valley Forge Military College, also enjoyed the […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — On July 19, 6th Regiment Basic Camp Cadets spent their days in the air running through various obstacles at the Forest Hills Climbing Course. The course is composed of three different sections: a 55-foot tall rock wall comprised of nine lanes, two different alpine towers that stretch 40 feet high, and the Rudders High Ropes Course which has heights up to as 32 feet. Basic Camp Cadets have the chance to attempt each of these challenges. The intent of this daunting set of obstacles is to help Cadets learn to work through their fears, to grow their […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — The Dunagan Teamwork Development Course is comprised of six obstacles. Each obstacle has a scenario for Cadets to attempt and complete with only the materials at hand. However, as the 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets soon realized, the course develops teamwork and more but not always through success. Cadet Nicholas Cramer, of Omaha, Nebraska, and his group went through three of the six obstacles. Unfortunately they were unable to complete any, but that failure wasn’t Cramer’s, or his buddies, take away. “Our first course was a sort of ropes course with a casualty,” the Wayne State College […]

FORT KNOX, KY – Eleventh Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets pushed through the streets of Fort Knox for 6 miles with a rucksack on their backs on Friday morning. The 6-Mile Ruck March takes place at the beginning of Cadet Summer Training (CST). This ruck will eventually prepare the Cadets for the 8-Mile and 12-Mile rucks that are later on throughout training. The ruck march commenced at 4 a.m., Friday morning. The time limit that Cadets must complete the ruck march is set at two hours. At each mile marker, Cadets were given a number of how much time had surpassed. The […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUkESwRqd08[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — Fifth Regiment Cadets took another step toward commissioning as Army Officers today as they graduated from Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadets spent the last 37 days completing Advanced Camp. Advanced Camp is the training they must complete in order to continue in their university’s ROTC program and eventually commission as an Officer. The training gave Cadets experience in everything from basic soldiering skills, like rappelling, to organizing and executing platoon operations during the 10-day Field Training Exercise (FTX). After 37 days, Cadets were eager to have finished and head back home. “I’m excited […]

FORT KNOX, KY. – Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp participated in Hand Grenade Qualification at Christensen Hand Grenade Range July 19. Cadet Summer Training can be split into two major categories, leaderships development and confidence building. This training is an example of a confidence exercise. “It’s definitely a confidence booster,” said Grant Carstens, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “You do get to hold a live hand grenade in your hand, so it’s about building confidence in yourself and the ability to throw something that could potentially blowup in your hand.” Cadre often remind Cadets they might have to ask their future Soldiers […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — 1st Regiment, Basic Camp held an inter-regimental Drill and Ceremony (D&C) competition July 19 during Cadet Summer Training. “We just completed a drill and ceremony competition, otherwise known as D&C,” said Cadet Maabendu Sirleaf, New Mexico Military Institute. “D&C is getting uniformity and helping us dress across each other because that’s really essential in the Army, that uniformity, and that’s what D&C teaches us.” The first part of the competition was between companies and held in the form of a knockout drill as Cadet Erin Wolfe, an attendant of New Mexico Military Institute, explained. Cadets were given […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB8qOtaHaZg[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of 10th Regiment Advanced Camp qualified with their M-4 Carbine Rifles on the George Blair Range this morning, July 19. Cadets at Advanced Camp go through various forms of weapons training during their Basic Rifle Marksmanship training; Grouping and Zeroing is one example. The shooting done at the George Blair Range is different, though. There, they shoot at pop-up targets, appearing at random on their lane. This is the range where they train for their qualification, this is the range where they qualify. Stick to the Basics “I’ve shot quite a bit through my […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – The Cadets of 7th Regiment Advanced Camp performed a simulated platoon attack during their field training exercise (FTX), July 17. The training Cadets received was part of the walk phase of FTX, meaning that they were assisted by cadre. The Cadets’ mission was to assault an objective held by an opposing force (OPFOR), establish security and assess casualties before proceeding to conduct an after-action review (AAR) The Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. James McConville was visiting Cadet Summer Training and observed the platoon’s assault and participated in the AAR.  Although his visit was brief, McConville spoke […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YA5hvhCuCk[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – 5th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets were reunited with their families before officially graduating from Cadet Summer Training, July 18. Family members rejoiced in seeing their Cadets on family day after having been separated from them while they trained. While family day warrants Cadets a free pass to leave Fort Knox in the company of loved ones, it also marks the eve of advanced camp graduation. “I’m very excited to be done with camp,” said Cadet Benjamin Sorg. “It’s been a long time coming. It feels good.” Before being released to see their Cadets, family members […]