“I packed a lot of underwear, but sometimes you don’t have time to change underwear, so I definitely recommend panty liners,” said Portis. “I go through probably like eight or so a day. You can just rip those off, change them and what not.”

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Keely Jones, University of North Carolina, Pembroke Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Jaylan Workman, University of North Georgia Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Elizabeth Glazener, Texas Christian University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Grant Schafer, North Dakota State University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Malia Kaakimakaifo, University of Honolulu Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Tae Kim, University of Texas at Austin Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Adrianne Williams, Georgia State University National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Justin Heyn, South Dakota State University Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Apolline Vincent, University […]

On the early morning on July 29, 2021, when the moon was still high in the sky above Fort Knox, Ky., the Cadets of 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp donned their rifles and rucksacks, strapped bright red safety lights to their heads and took to the vacant streets to complete a six-mile march of endurance. “This is a ruck march, this is to test their endurance, and to just make sure that they’re prepared to move themselves and their equipment across the battlefield if they have to,” said Capt. Harrison Coch, of the University of Wisconsin, Steven’s point. “They can expect to […]

FORT KNOX, Ky., — There is no doubt that the tactics modern troops use to move around the battlefield would surprise the early American Soldiers. Perhaps no other tactic would surprise them more than the concept of Fire and Maneuver. A squad tactic that involves the use of two elements, maneuver and fire support, Fire and Maneuver revolutionized the way wars are fought by replacing the rigid line-up tactics of the past with a dynamic approach that allows for movement, cover and concealment on the battlefield. On July 18, Cadets from 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp, learned how to apply this tactical […]

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Luke Vandenbergh, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Garrett Wood, Tarleton State University Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Grant Norman, The Citadel First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Lucas King, Lehigh University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Vlaun Samuels, University of West Florida Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Victoria Ann, Virginia Tech Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Alden Cayea, State University of New York at Brockport National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Carlito Ancheta, Norwich University Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Jacob Blair, University of New Hampshire […]

corrected some of my forms, especially trigger squeeze,” Juhasz said. “A lot of times I get into a bad habit of trying to pull the trigger with my whole finger instead of just the tip of my finger. So having someone correct me on that even here at camp is a good way to learn and a good way to adapt to the environment.”

Cadets from 9th Regiment Advanced Camp attended chemistry class on July 21, 2021, except this time, the classroom was outdoors in the hot Kentucky summer, the professors were Cadre from across the U.S. Army, and the topic was CBRN: chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training.  Starting off their morning, Cadets learned how to effectively react to these hazardous substances by donning their Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear in allotted timeframes. Most importantly, these future Army officers had to efficiently put their gas masks on in nine seconds or less.  “There is a possibility we could encounter it [CBRN] in the future,” said Gabe […]

On the morning of July 21, 2021, the Cadets of 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp were set loose in the forests of Fort Knox, Ky. with a map, a set of coordinates, and a time limit. “They’re somewhere in the woods—find them using plotted points,” said Cadet Orkhun Ismayil of Virginia Tech. “You’re given four, and you have to get at least three in four hours.” The four grid coordinates that were given to each Cadet corresponded to a real-world objective, which were comparatively small orange and white squares suspended about six feet above the ground on a street sign post. Each […]

Fort Knox, Ky., — Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, received a motivational boost from Gen. Paul E. Funk II during his visit to their Field Training Exercise (FTX) at AO Wolverine on July 19. “I was busy writing my OPORD (Operations Order) and I started looking up and I counted one, two, three, four stars on the chest and I was like ‘oh my God, we have a general out here,’” said Cadet Danny Yim, UC Berkeley.  Funk, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, shared with Cadets a moment of comradery and expressed his gratitude […]

Cadets from 11th Regiment Advanced Camp put their lifesaving skills to the test during Warrior Skills training on July 16, 2021. They learned Call for Fire and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), two important sets of skills that could potentially save their battle buddies’ lives. Call for Fire involves suppression of the enemy by indirect fire from field artillery using a radio and target location descriptions to pinpoint the area. Cadets find the location on a map and go through a series of steps communicating messages clearly and quickly with the field artillery unit when soldiers on the ground are unable […]

“When I first came to the United States, the first people that helped me through were veterans,” Tway said. “My English teacher, my mentor and my coaches were all veterans and I still keep in touch with every single one of them and they’re the reason why I joined [the Army].”

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 […]

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 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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

First there was the silence of aiming. Next the first couple gunshots of the eager. Eventually, the shots cascaded from the lined-up Cadets so fast that it sounded reminiscent of the opening drum solo of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher.” Although it sounds like fun, 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp’s Weapons Group Zero training was a serious event that demanded intense concentration. Each Platoon took a prone-supported position on a shooting range at Fort Knox, KY, and fired volleys of five rounds from their M4 rifles at a target approximately twenty-five meters away. The goal: grouping their shots together, and adjusting their […]