“I think I really do well under pressure, like moving, making sure I’m not frozen in place when I hear gunshots," Roberts said. "I’m trying my best to get to the next cover. I think that’s my biggest strength so far.”

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Jeffery Newton, University of Louisville Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Phillip King, McDaniel College Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Lydia Young, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Brandi Brooks, Bowie State University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Hailey Sundblom, Kansas State University Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Serigne Cisse, City College of New York Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet William Mitchell, Middle Tennessee State University National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Mitchell Bauer, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Kinley Frazier, SUNY-Brockport [...]

For the first couple of days of Cadet Summer Training, Cadets spend most of their time taking care of paperwork, getting to know each other and preparing for the challenging days ahead.  These initial events build their teamwork and morale, and teach them how to lead and follow. The Rappel Tower and Confidence Course is the first, but definitely not the last, event that tests all of this.  Rappelling is an event that requires a two person team: a Rappeller and a Belayer. The Rappeller is the person who descends and is in full control of the ropes while the Belayer [...]

9th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets, especially those who love video games, showed off their marksmanship skills during Engagement Skills Training (EST) on July 16, 2021. Much like immediate feedback from a gaming system, EST connects the virtual world to real world experiences. “The Army figured out a way to replicate what real-life shooting would be like. We can use something virtual, on the screen, and we can still learn from that,” said Alexander Pizana, University of Illinois at Chicago. The simulation allows Cadets to enhance skills they acquired just days before at Primary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI). During PMI, Cadets receive in-depth [...]

“They have to accomplish something as a team,” said Staff Sgt. Jamie Mrazek. “We assign a team leader or a squad leader. They utilize the equipment that they have to traverse the obstacle, whatever the goal is whether it's to go over a wall or utilize a rope to get from obstacle to obstacle.”

“My grandpa was a second lieutenant in the Army. I’m named after him, my first name is Roberto, his first name was Roberto,” Ortega said. “My grandma, she said I looked like him a lot and we have the same type of personality so I think that was a great motivation to join the Army and follow his steps. He’s always been a motivator for me since I was a little kid and I always looked up to him.”

The Occupational Physical Assessment Test, or OPAT, is a physical fitness test that has been used by the Army to determine the fitness levels of recruits for years. Although the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, is beginning to become the new norm, the OPAT is still relevant for the future. On July 14, 2021, the Cadets of 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp took on the OPAT for themselves at Fort Knox, KY. “This is the test that they use to put people in their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty,)” said Major Peter Ahching of Georgia State University. “So far these guys are [...]

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet James Shottenkirk, Methodist University Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Riginst Macenat, Florida International University Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Kaylee Lichtenstein, University of Iowa First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Ana Khvedelidze, West Chester University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Jonah Andrews, Point Loma Nazarene College Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Jacob Horwitz, Georgetown University Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Austin Grabill, Kansas State University National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Jack Anderson, Texas A&M University Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Cadet Carlos Delva, Fayetteville State University Armed Forces Services Corporation AwardCadet [...]

Catholics everywhere have an obligation to attend Sunday Mass, but how can they do this in a military setting? Cadets of 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, specifically the Catholic Cadets, were in luck when there was a field Mass held at Densburger Base Camp on July 11, 2021 during their refit from rigorous field training exercises. Field Mass is not necessarily an uncommon occurrence, however this one stood out because of its host: Bishop Richard Spencer. Bishop Spencer is a highly recognized member of the Church, who has traveled across the country and world doing religious work, meeting the Pope and various [...]

It started around 3:30 am on July 12, 2021. The Cadets of 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp took position in the middle of the deep woods and got to work planning. Treating their Field Training Exercise as if it was a real mission, stealth was a priority. Whispers, red lights, and crawling through mud were the norm at Fort Knox, KY’s Panther Phase. Most apparent however, was the waiting. After the planning started, most of 1st Platoon, C Company stayed mostly still for hours. They would secure a well-fortified perimeter, then would lay vigilant on the ground, despite rain and bugs all [...]

Cadets from 1st Regiment Basic Camp were introduced to the concept of Land Navigation on July 11, 2021. For most Basic Camp Cadets, this was the first time they learned to find their way without a phone or GPS. Cadets rotated through three courses, learning how to properly use a compass, identify terrain features on a map, and set their pace count, or how many steps they take when walking a distance of 100 meters on flat ground. During Land Navigation, Cadets receive randomly assigned coordinate points that they will plot on a map using their protractor. Using the map, they [...]

“Back in Puerto Rico, while I was doing a FTX, it was very hot. Unfortunately I wasn’t hydrating enough and after two days in the field, well, I had a heat cat,” Oliver said.

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Maxwell Congrove, The Ohio State University Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Lauryn Jeans, Claremont McKenna College Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Nicholas Vosburgh, Appalachian State University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Adam Arel, Texas A&M University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Steven Carson, University of Arizona Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Ethan Gilmore, Virginia Military Institute Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Edgar Christie, University of North Carolina at Pembroke National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Jacob Arquisola, University of Pittsburgh Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet John Stovall, Virginia Tech Armed Forces [...]

As 1st Regiment Basic Camp Cadets exited their required 10-day COVID-19 monitoring period, they entered Handiboe Gun Range, firing live rounds with their M4’s while learning how to properly group and zero their weapons. For many Basic Camp Cadets, like Cadet Colby Lane, University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Cadet Deja Whitt, University of Guam, Group & Zero served as their first time firing a weapon. “It’s about weapon safety, getting more comfortable with weapons in general, and gaining confidence on the range,” said Whitt. Prior to Group & Zero, Cadets attended Primary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI) where they received in-depth training [...]

Being an Army officer requires a person to devote themselves to the tasks at hand, both physically and mentally. To do this requires more than just will; it requires confidence. Cadets of 7th Regiment put themselves to the test on July 8, 2021, in the Confidence Course: a set of eight obstacles in the woods of Fort Knox, KY. The obstacles were designed to force Cadets to learn to manipulate their bodies in difficult and unconventional ways to prepare them to navigate an unforeseen environment. But more than this, completion of the Confidence Course would get these Cadets to question what [...]

4th Regiment Cadets were seen emerging from deep in the woods for refit day on the morning of July 5, 2021, in Fort Knox, Ky. Refit serves as a break day for Cadets completing their Field Training Exercise (FTX). Cadets are able to wash their uniforms, hang out in air-conditioned tents, and spend some time out of the field. “It gives us a chance to rest our feet a little bit and rehydrate. We should be getting a hot meal tonight which is really exciting after eating MRE’s all the time in the field,” said Cadet Alexandra Bisaccia, Siena College. 4th [...]

3rd Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets are on the last leg of Cadet Summer Training (CST), and on their way to becoming Commissioned Officers in the Army. As a final challenge, Cadets are put to the test during their Field Training Exercise (FTX), a 12-day-long event where Cadets live in the woods, encountering ticks, pouring rain, and opposing forces.   FTX not only assesses a Cadet’s physical capabilities, but it also teaches them how to adapt and depend on their leadership skills. In fact, leadership is at the forefront of every decision made in the field. FTX is divided into three phases: wolverine, [...]

On an unpredictable battlefield, only nine seconds, and a good set of gear, can be the difference between mild irritation and suffocation. This was taught to Cadets of 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp through an uncomfortably hands-on method on July 7, 2021, during their Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear training, or CBRN, at Fort Knox, KY. After being given extensive lessons on their JSLIST (Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology) suits, a set of protective clothing to wear over their uniforms, as well as the M50 Protective Masks, Cadets formed lines and charged into a small, unventilated concrete building in the woods. [...]

For millennia, humans have navigated the world using the stars and maps. Unfortunately, most people nowadays can’t find their own home without using their cellphones or some other form of assisted navigation. While many have lost or abandoned this ancestral ability, the art and talent of navigating using traditional means remains an important part of being a Soldier.  “It is a very important skill because we can’t rely too much on technology,” said Gabriel Cordero-Velasquez, a Cadet from the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez. “We’re not always going to have technology there to assist us.” Cadet Summer Training prepares Cadets to [...]

Advanced Camp at Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox, Ky is a rigorous 37-day camp full of complex and challenging training events, designed to assess a Cadet’s ability to demonstrate proficiency in basic officer leadership tasks. Having any prior knowledge or experience would be most advantageous to have in this stressful training environment.  Well this is exactly what Cadet Kanesha McGraw possesses. McGraw attends Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama where she’s been studying the same concepts taught here at Advanced Camp for the past two years. McGraw is also prior enlisted. She is currently in her third year of service [...]

Only ten days into Basic Camp, and 1st Regiment is beginning to adapt to life in the Army. It’s tough, but they are not alone. On July 5, 2021, 1st Regiment took their introduction to the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT. The ACFT is the Army’s new physical fitness assessment to determine a person’s general readiness for combat. It consists of six parts: deadlifts, hand-release pushups, a sprint-drag-carry, power throws, leg tucks, and finally a two-mile run. This training created a stage to display a large part of life in the Army, which is the support and bonding from peers [...]

Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Chloe Brown, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Vincent Carney, Niagara University Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Reiss Mika, Colorado State University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Tabitha Seigley, Newberry College Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Chloe Brown, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Malleigh Ebel , Saint Mary’s University National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Jaron Palmer, Southern Utah University Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Timothy Canane, Austin Peay State University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Austin Gabriel , University of North Georgia Armed Forces Services Corporation [...]

Imagine the tension of hanging in a roller coaster car during that slight pause at the top of the first vertical drop, anticipating the ride down. This is similar to what the Cadets of 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp experienced today on July 3, 2021, except there was no car, and they were hanging by a rope with their legs supporting them against a flat wall before jumping off and rappelling 64-feet down. The rappel tower is meant to push Cadets to overcome their fears, and to build up trust in their gear and procedures. The stakes felt high, but these Cadets [...]

When the Cadets of 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, arrived to the Warrior Skills training site on Thursday, July 1, the excitement could be felt in the air. Smiling faces bounced around scouting every inch of the green military tents in the distance. For the Cadets, Warrior Skills is the first hands-on training event of their Cadet Summer Training, and the place where they learned to save lives and provide indirect fire support for ground troops. Cadets started the event by receiving a mandatory safety brief from the Cadre staff and later split into platoons to challenge the Call for Fire lane [...]

On April 22, 1915, German troops wrote a gruesome new chapter in the book of modern warfare with the deployment of poison gas on the unsuspecting Allied troops defending Ypres, Belgium. Since then, the use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons became widespread among nations and have been used as recent as the 1990s when Iraqi forces deployed Nerve Agents and CS Gas against its own population to control a popular uprising. To prevent a repeat of the Ypres attack, the U.S. Military developed the Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) and trained its troops in the effective reaction against the [...]