As the morning light shines down on 4th Regiment at Fort Knox, Cadets pair together and kneel in front of a small pile of sandbags while preparing to be tested by Cadre on Call for Fire. Call for Fire is when Soldiers call for support through a radio from field artillery units, or a Fire Direction Center, to suppress an enemy with cannon fire by giving target location and description. Cadets from 4th Regiment exercised their Call for Fire skills during a warrior skills training on June 12, 2021 at Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp in Fort Knox, Ky. Whether they […]

On June 10th, 2021, First Regiment Cadets arrived at the Land Navigation (Land Nav) site, ready and prepared to tackle the Day Land Nav course at Fort Knox, Ky.  Lt. Col. Kraig Kline, chief of the Land Nav committee, is responsible for preparing the course beforehand and supporting Cadets during the training event. “We give Cadets a certain number of points,” said Kline. “Cadets take their protractor and compass and figure out, after they have plotted the points, how to actually get to that point on the ground.”  Kline compares the exercise to a ”treasure quest.” He says they’re similar, however, […]

Just one week after their arrival at Fort Knox, KY, the Cadets of 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp marched to their hand grenade training on the sunny morning of June 14, 2021. Despite having been strangers when they got here, these Cadets had been spending almost every minute of every day together for the past week, and it showed in their behavior. No Cadet seemed out of place, and they used every minute of down time to make conversation. “Delta company, fourth platoon feels like family already,” said Cadet Liberty Henson from the University of Central Florida. “At first it was kind of […]

“It burns,” said Ampofo. “It feels like cooking peppers and onions and a whole bunch of spices and stuff, like spicy siracha basically.”

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, the Cadets of 5th Regiment got off the bus at Fort Knox, KY on June 12th, 2021 ready to begin the trials of their summer training.  With these Cadets coming from all walks of life and all parts of the country, they were very out of their element as they got their things in order and fell into formation, however they seemed to greet the situation with an optimistic determination, and a desire to seize the day. “I’m just ready to meet new people, maybe pick up some skills and tricks, become […]

1st Regiment had the chance to step into a gas chamber and breathe in tear gas during their protective gear and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) training on June 12 while at Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp in Fort Knox, Ky. “The purpose is for them to have confidence in their protective gear,” said Staff Sgt. Paville Simpson, who ran the training inside the chamber and is from the 172nd CBRN Company. “In the event that someone wants to use chemical weapons against us, they know how to properly use their mask. Like how to properly put it on, […]

“In those moments you have those negative thoughts, but in the end, I kept telling myself that I can do this," said Hoyle. "This is only the beginning of a long path, a long journey that I can continue if I’m willing to push forward and keep going and not give up.”

By: Amy Turner and Kyle Crawford Fort Knox KY — Despite an unprecedented past year and a half, Cadet Summer Training (CST) is well underway training future U.S. Army officers. COVID-19 precautions have been put into place such as requiring Cadets to wear masks for a 10-day monitoring period. Cadets will also be tested upon their arrival to Fort Knox. Before exiting the 10-day monitoring period, pool testing methods are used. Pool testing is a method that tests various Cadets from groups composed of the people that interact most closely together. If a certain group has multiple people testing positive then […]

Letting fear run their lives? For some 2nd Regiment Cadets, not anymore. Those Cadets just learned how a 64-foot rappel tower test can help them overcome fears and build confidence within themselves during Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp. The main challenge for those Cadets was facing a fear of heights.  “I’m not ashamed to say that I’m scared of heights,” said Cadet Jeanille George from University of Colorado Colorado Springs. “My fear is really falling.” While fear may have tried to control some Cadets’ thoughts, the danger was solely in their minds. The best solution? Replace that fear with confidence in […]

On June 9, 2021, 2nd regiment Cadets completed the Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) at Advanced Camp 2021. The OPAT consists of four different events: Strength Deadlift, Standing Long Jump, Seated Power Throw, and Interval Aerobic Run. Cadets must pass all four events of the OPAT while attending Advanced Camp. Capt. Stephen Paniati usually works as an assistant professor of military science at George Mason University in Virginia, but he currently serves as Cadre for the 2nd regiment during Advanced Camp. Paniati said the OPAT, “ tests the base level fitness of an individual looking to commission in the United States […]

Packing their bags and moving to Fort Knox alone, Cadets almost have no choice but to become good friends with one another before Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp ends. After all, they do everything and spend nearly every minute together during camp at Fort Knox, Ky.  During a hand grenades exercise and test on June 9, 2021, the closeness between the Cadets in 3rd Regiment, Charlie Company, was obvious.  When Cadets were lined up in the testing lanes to throw the practice hand grenades, there were cheers coming from behind them by others in the platoon who were watching and waiting […]

“This is a calm, steady environment for them to be able to shoot calmly, get their weapons zeroed and be able to confirm their zeros so that whenever they are in a war fighting situation they don’t have to worry about shooting and missing the target,” said Tucker.

Five, four, three, two, one, Cadets can be heard joining in on the countdown for the six-mile ruck. Some out of fear, some out of anticipation but all with the drive to pass. GO! 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets had an early start the morning of June 9th, as they faced the six-mile ruck march. A must pass event for the Cadets, they have two hours to carry 35 lbs. of gear on their backs if they want to continue on to graduation. Cadet Mary Coverdale, from Norwich University, gave her thoughts as she pushed forward one foot at a time. […]

On June 7, 2021, Cadet Erin Lunt, a rising senior from Stetson University in Florida, was one of the many 2nd Regiment Cadets that completed Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI). Lunt had very little experience in weapons training, so she was very eager for this event.  “I am not too familiar with the M4 weapon or many weapons in general. So I am really excited that we get the opportunity to practice and get really high-quality training before we go out to the range in a few days,” said Lunt. The purpose of PMI training is to help Cadets become more familiar […]

“I think getting woken up by our cadre at 3 am definitely gets my adrenaline pumping and it gets me ready for the day,” said Cadet Lindsay Martz, a student at Edinboro University from Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

“The Confidence Course, also known as the obstacle course, is just an opportunity for the Cadets to negotiate different obstacles to build confidence with themselves, to build camaraderie, to build team work and to overcome some fears that one would normally associate with heights,” said Sgt. 1st Class Obie Carswell. He is the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) for the Confidence Course and an instructor for MSII and MSIII classes at Vanderbilt University, assigned to 7th Brigade Cadet Command.

64-feet above ground. A secured rope seat and your own strength holding you up. Now Cadet, take the leap. Facing your fears is something all of us have to do, but for 1st Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets, their fears became all too real when looking at the Rappel Tower this morning. Cadet Carter Jefferson, from the Virginia Military Institute, shared his feelings as he climbed up the stairs of the wooden structure. “If you can’t call it anxiety, I’d say it’s a lot of anticipation of what’s going to happen,” Jefferson explained. For any Cadet who has never rappelled before, like […]

Cadet Akua Adu who attends Western Michigan University had never trained with grenades before coming to Fort Knox, Ky. Because this was a new experience for her, she was ready to take part in the training event.  “I am very excited. I have never done it [hand grenade training] before, so it was really nice to be able to have the experience,” said Adu. Adu will be graduating and commissioning in December 2021, and she is very motivated to learn all that she can at Advanced Camp this summer. She has enjoyed her experience at Fort Knox thus far and is […]

“You never know how a patient is going to be,” said Spc. Kaleb Wilkerson, a medic at Task Force Med, who played the injured. “A patient can be calm as a cucumber or they can be combative. Today I was trying to mess them up… I was trying to give them the worst situation they can possible have… Just make it the worst-case scenario so they can do better in the real scenario.”

Every Summer, thousands of Cadets come from all over the nation to attend Cadet Summer Training (CST) in Fort Knox, Ky. Ensuring the safety of those Cadets is the number one priority for US Army Cadet Command (USACC).  That is why Army medical personnel and local emergency first responders worked together to make certain that if an injury or incident occurs, they can respond to the situation in a timely and efficient manner.  On June 2nd, 2021 emergency first responders and Army medical personnel, who are known as Task Force (TF) Med, conducted the first Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) joint training exercise […]

Fort Knox, Ky. — “I got you covered,” is a simple phrase, but for the Cadets it carries so much more. Fire Team Maneuver tasked the 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets with working together in pairs to cover each other with their M4 Carbines, move down a lane, and reach their target safely. Running in front of another person who would be firing rounds past you takes a lot of trust, and Sgt. Owen Brooks from Fort Hood, Texas, helped give some tips for Cadets on how to build trust with each other and their future soldiers. “I would say two […]

1st Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets spent their day learning about fire and maneuver techniques at Fort Knox, Ky. on May 30, 2021.  Cadets learned techniques on how to effectively move through a field with barricades, logs and wire, all while trying to carry their rifle and maintain safety of themselves and their partner, otherwise known as their battle buddy.  The purpose of the exercise is to help Cadets get comfortable with high-stress situations and also know how to move under real fire when in combat.  Cadre use a go and no go system to test Cadets. “Go” means that they passed […]

“The Cadets are expected to learn how to properly grip the grenade depending on if they are left or right handed,” said Douglas. “Correctly employ the grenade in the correct form. Today we went over prone to kneeling and kneeling to standing.”

Saturday, May 29th, Cadets from the First Regiment, Alpha Company attended Hand Grenade Familiarization Training at Advanced Camp 2021. Upon arrival, Cadets were broken down into their platoons and briefed on the training to come. Then each platoon separated and received in-depth instruction on hand grenades by Cadre.  The instructor demonstrated the proper way to handle and throw a hand grenade; this prepared Cadets for the practice exercises they would do later that day.  Each Cadet had the opportunity to get one-on-one discussion with Cadre at the hand grenade identification station, where they learned about the different types of hand grenades […]

In preparation for Cadet Summer Training (CST) 2021, U.S. Army Medics and Soldiers from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment (3CR), Medical Troop, are hard at work establishing a field hospital to aid this summer’s training.