By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp, completed the Beaudoin Obstacle Course as platoons and squads, June 20, during their Cadet Summer Training. The Beaudoin Obstacle Course is a set of 13 different obstacles that challenge Cadets in many ways. These obstacles include: low crawl, the ditch, lanes to change directions, the wall, balance beam, hurdles, balance logs, maze to change direction, tunnels, low rail, fence, cargo net, horizontal traversing (also known as monkey bars). “This is a way to show them that if they put each other first and work together as a team, they can […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – It’s been a long day for First Regiment Advanced Camp. Starting at 3 a.m., Cadets strapped on their 35 lb. rucksack, got into formation and began what would be a 12-mile ruck march. “It was pretty painful,” said Cadet Samantha Basgall, University of Colorado, Boulder. “I feel tired and I’m hurting a little but I feel positive and really relieved that we all made it this far.” Some Cadets were given an extra source of motivation to get them through the 12 miles. In addition to glow sticks given to Cadets to help see in the early […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Centers of Influence attended a Cadet Panel at Fort Knox, Ky., during the Summer of Fort Knox Visit, June 14. Here, COI had the opportunity to ask Cadets questions about Cadet Summer Training, Cadets’ experiences and about the Army ROTC program. The six Cadets on the panel included: Daniel Ijibamigbe, Kansas State University, Houston, Texas Zachary Beck, Capital University, Flushing, Ohio Ashia Bales, American University, Upland, California Amanda Tetreault, California Baptist University, Alabama Joelle Pond, Virginia Tech, Suffolk, Virginia Cal Ballou, Kansas State University, Albuquerque, New Mexico The panel opened with Col. Lance Oskey, […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Centers of Influence attended the Summer of Fort Knox Visit, June 13. COIs are community partners from the eight brigades in the United States Army, which operate under Cadet Command. COIs were invited to the Summer of Fort Knox Visit with the intent to spread the word about the benefits, opportunities and options offered by Army ROTC. While at Fort Knox, COIs attended a number of informational meetings. They also participated in exercises Cadets experience during Cadet Summer Training, including the Field Leadership Reaction Course. “What’s going to be happening is they’re going to […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, participated in weapons zeroing and weapons qualification June 12 at Canby Hill Range at Fort Knox, Kentucky during Cadet Summer Training. This training is for Cadets to better understand their weapon in terms of safety and proper use. “Right now, they’re getting qualified on the M16. They are getting confidence in grouping, zeroing and basic familiarization at this point. Some of them have never shot a weapon before and so that’s the experience that they’re getting,” said 2nd Lt. Aurora Alejos. Cadet Patrick Spencer, Texas Christian University, Indianapolis, Indiana, explained […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, performed Individual Task Testing (ITT), June 16, during Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Ky. ITT is testing for Cadets which evaluates the skills they have learned up to this point in their training. “Today, we’re getting tested on everything we’ve learned up to this point. We’re making sure we know how to load a weapons system, do system checks on it and, if there’s a misfire, how to take care of it. We’re also being tested on first aid as well as different carries and how to treat […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of 3rd Regiment Advanced Camp practices Situational Training Exercises in prep for their Field Training Exercise June 18 at Fort Knox, Ky. During STX Cadets are given different situations to act upon. One of the situations is mock raid on the nearby village because of the intel received. Each situation was simply a simulation of what Soldiers go through when deployed. “We were area reconnaissance it to see what type of person we were looking for, a specific type of personnel. This guy named Abdul Whali, we were looking to find him on this objective and […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Alpha Company of the 2nd Regiment Basic Camp completes the Army Physical Fitness Test early morning, June 17 in Fort Knox, Ky. Part of APFT is to complete two minutes of pushups, sit-ups and end with two-mile run. Each gender has a minimum and maximum amount of pushups and sit-ups Cadets have to complete. It’s up to the Cadet how many they would like to complete before two minutes is up. Each Cadet receives points for every pushup or sit-up they complete. As Lt. Col. Elvis Coronado noticed each Cadet struggling he would motivate them to finish. […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp Regiment 4 received their MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems) gear at Assembly Area Baker at Fort Knox, Ky. on June 15 during Cadet Summer Training (CST). MILES gear is a three-part system consisting of a sensor vest, a helmet sensor called a halo and a laser system for rifles. “There are sensors that detect lasers that are shot from the rifles and also a laser system that is attached to their rifle or the machine gun. When a blank round is fired from the weapon, it shoots a laser out,” said […]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Advanced Camp 5th regiment collected items, June 15, from the Central Issue Facility that they will need for their annual Cadet Summer Training, Fort Knox, Ky. CIF is a warehouse that Cadets go to collect items that they were unable to bring from their home station It’s a quick and easy process, the Cadets first line up in alphabetical order, then by groups of five they enter the warehouse where there are stations for them to go through. “It’s hard to tell what they will need to use in the field, its important for them to have these […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp, 4th Regiment, arrived June 9 at Fort Knox, Kentucky for Cadet Summer Training (CST).  Cadet arrival is a hustle and bustle kind of day. Many things need to be accomplished upon arriving as a Cadet. Things like settling into the barracks and preparing for the training ahead. Other activities include packing and unpacking their belongings. Why? While waiting to go up to the barracks, one Cadet answered this question. “It’s just for inspection to make sure you have everything. Last thing you want, while you’re out in the field, is to not […]

FORT KNOX, Ky.-Representatives from corporate America and academia across the United States acted as ambassadors as they visited Fort Knox, Ky., June 12-13, to take part in a Center of Influence (COI) tour of the Cadet Summer Training (CST) mission. The sophomore and junior Cadets from Reserve Officer Training (ROTC) programs attend summer training missions annually. During the first day of the tour, the ambassadors learned about resiliency, or the ability of a Cadet to bounce back from a stressful situation or environment, and how it applies to Cadets during their summer training. “Our employees need to understand the training that […]

“My heart is racing, but in a good way,” said Vivek Sarin, Executive Officer of Kentucky Cabinet of Economic Development, after his tandem sky dive jump. “Beautiful. Just incredible! It’s so peaceful up there.” Sarin jumped in honor of a taskforce called Work Matters that was recently launched by the governor of Kentucky. It assists disabled veterans, foster children, disabled people and anyone with a criminal record. “It’s an initiative to help those folks get jobs,” Sarin said. Sarin is part of a group called Centers of Influence that is on Ft. Knox to witness the training of ROTC Cadets in […]

FORT KNOX, KY. – Cadets from Fourth Regiment Advanced Camp applied their map and mathematics skills while participating in call for fire training on June 13. “Call for fire training is an integral part of army military reconnaissance tasks,” said Cadet Joshua Jones, Murphy, N.C., Jacksonville State University. “Cadets are learning how to properly apply an artillery round to engage long range enemy targets.” The training included learning the basic terminology associated with Calling for Fire, mapping the coordinates of targets, an interactive audio/visual representation of the call for fire, a pre-test as well as a final exam to test their […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Third Regiment Advanced Camp test their Map Reading skills with a written exam June 13. Each Cadet received a Military Map, protractor, string and written test. This test was pass-fail; Cadets need to pass the test in order to pass the camp. “Today we took a written Land Navigation test, so its all about our ability to read a map. Including intersection, resection, finding where you are, finding where other things are, identifying terrain features on a map and plotting distance,” said Cadet Rebecca Dykhoph, College of St. Benedict and Saint John’s University, Maple Grove, Minn. Prior […]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Advance Camp 3rd Regiment braved it out in the Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear (CBRN) gas chamber June 12, as part of the Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadets learn the importance of their equipment before they head into the CBRN chamber. They learn the different hazardous gases they may face in the combat zone. “CBRN helps us learn the resilience of ourselves and to see how far we can push our bodies,” Cadet Catherine Gimbert, Dickinson College, McCain, Virginia. “It causes us to trust our equipment.” Cadets also learned the first aid procedures for […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp, 2nd Regiment Cadets navigated through the woods with small teams to find certain locations during the annual Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadets first did Land Navigation with a partner, same course different locations. They are then required to do the same course by themselves with no help besides a compass, protractor and the knowledge they were given before hand. This course is required for graduation, it does help when the Cadets get commissioned and get real world missions. Cadets found some differences when it came to navigating with partners versus themselves. […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – 1st Regiment Advanced Camp enter their first day of Field Training Exercise June 10 at Fort Knox. “This training is the first day of our Field Training Exercise 1 and that really brings all of the elements together that we have been learning so far; so all of the patrolling, tactics and just the different individual skills of learning navigation,” Cadet Ben Ziegler, Northern Illinois University, of Genoa, Ill. Cadre created a mock village; within this village there are Cadre who are roleplaying as villagers. Each day Cadets are training they are given different scenarios and it’s […]

FORT KNOX, KY. – The Cadets of Fourth Regiment Advanced Camp got their equipment for Cadet Summer Training at the Central Issue Facility on June 10. “First, they (cadre members) defined the equipment.,” said Cadet Hayden Blankenship of Delta Company Fourth Platoon from Arkansas State University Jonesboro. “After defining it and telling us exactly its main use, they showed us how to use it. After that, we got issued our own equipment. Then, they put it on us.” Cadets get their equipment before training to ensure they can complete their missions in the field. It’s the lieutenants’ responsibility to make sure […]

Cadets went through Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Threat Training on June 8 at the CBRN Chamber. They learned how to defend themselves from chemical attacks, and cadre members taught them how to put their equipment on, put their mask on and how to seal their mask before entering the chamber. “We have to trust the people in charge of us and trust that they have our best interest in mind,” said Cadet Braden Hayes of Bravo Company Third Platoon from the University of Scranton. The goal is for Cadets to be able to put on their masks in nine […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp 1st Regiment Cadets do a practice raid to learn Situational Tactical Exercise (STX) skills in a three-day course at the annual Cadet Summer Training (CST) June 7 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. During the three-day STX Lane course they learn three different scenarios raid, ambush and movement to contact. Before they do each lane they devise a plan, which is then executed. After they finish the lane the Cadets are evaluated on how they did and what they can do to improve. “ This is the first phase the Cadets come to get their initial training […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets learned the fundamentals of Preliminary Marksmanship Instructions (PMI) June 8 during the annual Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadets learn the fundamentals of shooting the Army’s M4 Carbine Rifle. Three stations were set up for the Cadets to cycle through, teaching them basic rifle marksmanship skills. “The three stations we have set up for the Cadets are the fundamentals and positions, ballistics and trajectory and minute of angle (MOA), and the last station is maintenance,” said, Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Baeza, 4th Squadron, 3rd Calvary Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd and 4th Squad Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, were trained and tested on Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) environments June 7 during Cadet Summer Training (CST). This required training is to educate Cadets on CBRN environments should they arise during deployment. “It’s important because the current environment that we might be going into, we might face it one day. So, making sure that we’re properly prepared and ready for it is something that, I think, future officers should know when getting ready to lead their troops,” said Cadet Angel Rivas, University of […]

FORT KNOX, KY. – Cadets finished the FieldCraft portion of their Cadet Summer Training (CST) on June 7 at Richardson. “We’re starting with the basics so we can get a baseline and see where our Cadets fall within their platoon,” said cadre member Lt. Col. Robert Hilton from Moorhead State University. “It’s important because it will make the Field Training Exercise (FTX) go a lot smoother if they have time to gel, bond and figure out these basics.” FieldCraft is separated into four different stations. These stations include Land Navigation, how to build a poncho hooch, Troop Leading Procedures and Combat […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – The Charlie and Delta Companies of First Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear, CBRN, training on June 4 during Cadet Summer Training, CST. This training helps educate the Cadets should they encounter a chemical environment. “Any kind of energy source that would cause a hazard, we have to be able to take care of it. Also, if you come upon an unknown substance, liquid or gas, it could cause a lot of harm. Since we don’t know everything that exists, we need to be able to prepare for it and test […]