By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – After 31 days of training, 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, Cadets completed Advanced Camp at Cadet Summer Training, graduating at Brooks Field at Fort Knox, June 30. “This ceremony marks the culmination of 31 days of rigorous and intensive training for these young men and women. For them, Advanced Camp served as a test of their leadership abilities and potential to be an officer. They have emerged from this challenge, confident in their ability to assume the tremendous responsibilities of being an Army officer,” said 2nd Lt. Nathan Daws, commonly called ‘Pipes’, the narrator for […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp 2nd Regiment Commission ceremony took place, June 29, at the Waybur Theater on Fort Knox, Ky. The commissioning ceremony starts off with the Cadets marching up to the stage to be sworn in with the Oath for Commissioning Officers. After they finish the oath and they are sworn in the cadets march back to their seats where they begin the process of pinning the Cadets Gold bars, which represent the rank and position they received. By tradition the silver dollar is the only coin given in exchange for the first salute. To new officers it […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced and Basic Camp 2nd Regiments, gathered together at the Olive Theater, Fort Knox, Kentucky, to hear Brian Pauling give an influential presentation about leadership.   Pauling opened up with asking which person are you, a prisoner, the person is who was forced to attend the briefing, the Vacationer, the person who is glad to be here because it’s it means they don’t have to do their work, or the person who is willing to learn from this experience? Most of the Cadets answered with Vacationer, Pauling had a mission to change those Cadets minds in hope […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, arrived at Harmon Hall, the Central Issuing Facility, June 28, to return equipment and gear used during Cadet Summer Training. If gear was not issued to Cadets by their host program, the CIF issued gear and equipment so Cadets could obtain the most experience during CST. “Today, we’re basically just doing gear turn in. So, stuff that we didn’t have, they were nice enough to issue it here. Then, we have to work really hard to make sure it’s clean because, if it’s not, they will make us clean it […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 5th Regiment, Basic Camp, arrived at Fort Knox, June 27, for Cadet Summer Training for in-processing and to settle into the barracks before training begins. Cadets sift through their belongings, fill out paperwork and are briefed about what is expected of them during the next 30 days of training. As they waited in lines, Cadets spoke about their feelings toward the training ahead of them. “We’re super excited and nervous about what to expect,” said Cadets Emily Tran, College of Charleston, Greenville, S.C., and McKenzi Wenninger, Minnesota State University Mankato, Luverne, Minn. “I feel […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, arrived at Smith Gym, June 22, for Platoon photos. Cadet Summer Training is centered around the Cadets and creation of future leaders by making graduates into 2nd lieutenants. With their training almost complete, there are very few things left for them to complete. There is one thing, however, that was done that was centered around  helping others; the donation of blood. The Armed Services Blood Program held the first CST blood drive, June 22. The ASBP set up everything required in Smith Gym including chairs, interview stations, recovery stations and […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Rappel Tower and Confidence Course at Fort Knox, June 26, for Cadet Summer Training. The Rappel Tower is a 64-foot tower that challenges Cadets through heights as well as rappelling skills and tying the Swiss seat. The Confidence Course is a set of obstacles for Cadets to push themselves to their limits. “Today, we are Rappelling and doing the Confidence course which is like an obstacle course where there’s different challenges and obstacles that you have to get over. There’s a lot of physically challenging stuff from climbing […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, attended Branch Orientation near the Patton Museum at Keyes Park, June 23, during Cadet Summer Training. During the event, different branches and specialties of the Army came to give Cadets information about the options and opportunities available to them after graduating. “It’s really just to give them a familiarization of what’s out there in the Army so they can set their expectations now rather than find out last minute what the Army has to offer. We’re just trying to educate the Cadets on what jobs are there in the Army […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – 287 Cadets from 1st Regiment Basic Camp graduates at Brooks Field June 26 in Fort Knox, Ky.   Their friends/family as well as Brig. Gen. Bennett and Maj. Gen. Hughes accompanied Cadets.   At nine a.m. the graduation ceremony started with Cadet Jonathon Ordonez, Commander of Troops, leading Cadets as the United States Army Band stood beside them. Cadet Ordonez addressed Col. Halloren, Commander of Task Force Warrior, that the troops are ready to start the ceremony. Once address was given, Chaplain Candidate, 2nd Lt. Jimenez, led everyone in prayer.   The key part of the ceremony […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – As graduation approaches, 1st Regiment Basic Camp Cadets completes the Confidence Course as their last event, June 25 in Fort Knox, Ky. There are three different events, Rudders Rope Course, Rock-Climbing and Merrils Maurauders, that each Cadet needs to complete. Each event has its own difficulty. This course was to test each Cadets confidence and if the Cadet has a fear of heights then this course is to test them to see if they will do it. “[Confidence Course] to see how confident are you, for me, to overcome my fears and to see how strong you […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from Fifth Regiment, Advanced Camp strapped on their gas masks and braved the CS chamber on June 24. The purpose of the CS chamber is to build Cadets’ confidence in the defensive equipment they would use in the case of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack. For this reason, the exercises preformed in and around the CS chamber are referred to as CBRN. “Confidence here could be the difference between life or death,” said Staff Sergeant Katie Shaw. “Cadets need to know that the equipment issued to them by the government will protect them in […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of 4th Regiment Basic Camp completes Teamwork Development Course June 23 in Fort Knox, Ky. TDC is about Cadets working together as a team for the first time. “The purpose of it is for all of the Cadets to develop as leaders and figure out how work in a team. A lot of these Cadets sit in a classroom and plan things out but when you get in a real environment and work with a bunch of people who all have ideas, you need to learn how to work together,” said Cadet Mentor Sean Bogertey, (MSIII), […]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed weapons qualification at the Pells/George Blair Range, June 21, at Fort Knox during Cadet Summer Training. Weapons qualification is training where Cadets shoot live ammunition on a range at pop-up targets. “Yesterday, they did their grouping and zeroing to get their shot group closer and closer to the center of the target. Today, they’re going out onto the range and they shoot their targets and qualify,” said 2nd Lt. Michaela Bauman. Before going out to qualify their M4 Carbine Rifle, Cadets must go through several steps. “To get ready […]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Day 22, Basic Camp 2nd Regiment Cadets tracked through the Field Training Exercise lanes, June 22, to learn the foundation of combat tactics, for the annual Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky. FTX lanes help the Cadets set up Objective Rally Points (ORP), different types of missions, patrol bases and focuses on the tactical part of the mission. Cadets first spend a few nights in Tent City where they learn the different types of ambushes they will be conducting and they get an overview of what they will be doing in the field. “We learn about the […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment Basic Camp completed their training for introduction to battle drills June 20 in Fort Knox, Ky. There are eight lanes that Cadets need to complete; each of them had different scenarios. Within each lane Cadets are given 10 minutes to plan out the attack using a hand-made map using various items to symbolize what they will come into contact with. After Cadets plan, Cadre then lead them to where the enemy should be. The Cadre within the Regiment then plays the enemy. Cadets are told how to walk in formation, having the Squad Leaders lead […]

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 […]

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. – Cadets from First Regiment Basic Camp trudged through murky terrain and put their leadership and communication skills to the test at the field training exercise lanes (FTX) on June 16. With three weeks of Cadet Summer Training under their belts, Cadets were able to apply the various skills they’ve leaned through different exercises, such as the team development course (TDC) and the field leader reaction course (FLRC) in an interactive training environment. “Cadets are given a mission, they’re assigned leadership positions within their squad and they then have to react to different scenarios that we’ve been coaching […]

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 […]

by: Mattie Cook Fort Knox, Ky.- Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp battled the feats of Beaudoin Obstacle Course on Fort Knox, Ky., June 15 as part of their Cadet Summer Training (CST). The obstacle course is designed to challenge those who brave it’s stations, but Cadets say working together as a team is key. Cadet Joel Mock, University of Central Florida, Fla., agreed teamwork was the best part of the course. “The bars were definitely the hardest part for each platoon so just cheering each other on was a really good experience, really motivated and I enjoyed it,” said Mock. […]

By: Mattie Cook Fort Knox, Ky.- Cadets of 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp put their exploration skills to the test during day land navigation on Fort Knox, June 15. During land navigation, Cadets are expected to find plotted points. Cadet Tyler Derr, Shippensburg University, Pa., explains that process. “You plot your points on a map and find the direction of the points that you want to go to next; find how far it takes you to get there and just travel,” Derr said. “It was awesome because it was my first time doing land navigation. It was a success because we both […]