FORT KNOX, Ky. – As the 2023 Cadet Summer Training program is starting up, the 581st Area Support Medical Company (ASMC), 61st Multi-functional Medical Battalion, 1st Medical Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) from Fort Cavazos, Texas, are operating a role II field hospital support at Fort Knox. Located at Logistic Support Area Baker, the role II field hospital is set up to provide medical treatment and exercises for the Cadets that are training. The groups from Fort Cavazos began to prepare for their visit to Fort Knox for the mass casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) exercise by perfecting their role II operations and […]

The final event hosted for Cadet Summer Training 2022 was just getting started when the day was ending.  Cadets of 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp began their final event to check-off for CST: the 12-mile foot march.  “We left Densberger and got ready for step-off around 2030, formed up, and right at 2100 we stepped off for the 12-mile foot march,” said Cadet Leo Ras, Austin Peay State University. Through the thick brush around them and gravel paths, Cadets marched through the darkness of the night. Along the way, some checkpoints provided arm immersion tanks to cool down. Once Cadets arrived back […]

A freshly tabbed Ranger enters the final regiment of Cadet Summer Training 2022. From April 1st to now, Cadet Daniel Walters, University of South Carolina, has had less than a week of rest due to back-to-back training including RTAC (Ranger Training Assessment Course), Ranger School, Airborne School, and now Cadet Summer Training.  Walters enlisted into the South Carolina National Guard in 2018 as a 88M, Motor Transport Operator. Early into this career he started seeing success as he graduated with a leadership award from Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Eager for more leadership experience, Walters found ROTC to be a solid path […]

One Cadet started the mission, another Cadet had to finish it. 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets began their movement to contact mission with the vision of 3-4 opposing forces near their objective. Minutes after contact with the opposing forces (OPFOR), the platoon scrambled – only to find themselves being surrounded from behind by more opfor.  Opfor were multiplying and appearing in all directions, but platoon leader Erika Zachary, St. Mary’s University – San Antonio, rallied everyone to gather in one area… but the forces were too strong as Zachary was taken down before it happened. Michael Numa, Virginia Military Institute, realized […]

Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) at Cadet Summer Training is not a timed event but remains a test for Cadets if they can quickly respond to care under fire.  Cadets are assessed on knowing the different steps of evaluating a casualty and how to utilize the different items in an individual first aid kit (IFAK) during the TCCC lane.  Ssg. Mark Bartruff, a lane NCOIC for TCCC helped to ensure Cadets know how important medical care is to learn as a future army leader. “Not everybody has a medical background,” said Bartruff. “But we give them just some of the basics […]

Cadet Sage Brooks, North Carolina State University, marched his platoon to the Rappel Tower to take on their next challenge at Cadet Summer Training. As they arrived, a lieutenant mentioned to them that a brigadier general was waiting for them in front of the tower and wanted to give a few words of advice. “The lieutenant mentioned there was a one-star up there, and to be respectful and make sure to salute her,” said Brooks. “I was thinking in my head – alright, all the customs and courtesies. And then I saw my step dad’s truck and was like ‘oh, my […]

“I told them if they hit the target, I’d be going in there just like they were,” said 2nd Lt. Jeanluc Pos.  After realizing their Platoon Training Officer was in on the muddy action if they hit their target, Cadets of 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp locked down their aim in an attempt to hit the 35 meter target during grenade training. Cadet Virginia Larsen, University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign, cheered as her peers attempted to hit the target so their Cadre would join in on throwing practice grenades.  As a Psychology major that is interested in branching Medical Services, the […]

M4 carbine sights may have been fogged up as 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp, went out to the Handiboe Range to group and zero their M4 Carbines, but the conditions taught Cadets that not everyday will be sunny and clear skies.  “It was a combination of fogginess and raindrops all over,” said Cadet Taylor Rice, Virginia Commonwealth University. “It started pouring so much that it got into both my prescriptions and into my eye pro.”  Rice along with her peers had to wipe off their eye protection or glasses in between firing iterations due to the intense downpour. While trying to clear […]

“When I was dangling in the air for the first five seconds, I was like, ‘oh my gosh, oh my gosh… I can’t do this,” said Cadet John Conrad, Texas Tech University.  In the hot July sun, Cadets conquered the 64ft. Rappel Tower and proved they had what it takes to trust others with their safety. “The scariest thing about going down the rappel tower was the initial part of having to trust everything,” said Conrad. “Myself, I like to be in control. There’s parts of life where you just have to trust in others.” While rappelling sounds like a one-man […]

A nine-line and time was all 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets needed to get through their mission successfully – but time was not on their side.  “And in that moment, we only had five minutes and we had prepped the nine-line as much as we could,” said Cadet Nathaniel Sanders, American University. “But five minutes to get the nine-line out, especially with the casualties that I haven’t assessed yet, was stressful, to say the least.”  Sanders was the platoon sergeant (PSG) for the Field Training Exercise (FTX) during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Along with Sanders was another member […]

“When you’re crawling, it felt like forever,” said Cadet Thomas Damsgard, University of Alabama. “I felt like I was crawling for a mile.”  An obstacle that is approximately 100 meters long stands between Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, and Cadet Summer Training graduation.  The Night Infiltration Course fires live rounds above Cadets while they low crawl the distance under and over obstacles to include logs. Sand makes it into every crevice of their uniform as they drag themselves, as well as the additional weight of a plated vest and helmet through the course.  The extra weight makes it physically exhausting, […]

A platoon sergeant patch was clinging onto Cadet Christian Lopez’s uniform while he was out at the grenade course during Cadet Summer Training.  Lopez practiced throwing grenades with everyone in his platoon, but he also had the leadership role of platoon sergeant that day. He had the weight of not only getting a GO on the lane – he was also being evaluated as a leader in that moment. Cadets are selected at random to take on leadership roles to include platoon sergeant, platoon leader, and squad leader at Advanced Camp with the roles changing daily. Lopez found that wearing a […]

Basic Camp Cadets packed their rucks and went out to their Field Training Exercise (FTX) during Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Ky., July 17, 2022.  FTX is done at a smaller scale when compared to Advanced Camp, because for some Cadets this could be a new experience being out in the field. Missions for the Basic Camp Cadets include ambush, attack, and movement to contact.  2nd Lt. Cole Arbaugh, Task Force Badger Cadre, went through CST last summer and returns as Cadre for Basic Camp Cadets. As a future Military Intelligence officer with a branch detail Infantry, the lieutenant […]

Cadets trickled into the check-in table at the Land Navigation Course during Cadet Summer Training. Some finished the course within an hour and a half, including Cadet Alec Brinkman, a prior service Infantryman that has walked more than a mile on a few Land Navigation courses himself.  Brinkman, a Green-to-Gold Cadet, served as a Non-Commissioned Officer and contracted with Texas A&M University-Central Texas. After serving 12 years active duty, he has been stationed around the world to include Germany, Washington, Texas, and also found himself in Afghanistan nine months after graduating Basic Training in 2011.  Now in 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, […]

Drill Sergeants and newly commissioned Second Lieutenants helped to direct 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets through the Rugger’s Rope Course during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 15, 2022. In the mix of these senior leaders were a group of Cadets that have been at CST 2022 longer than most of the Cadre this summer. This group of Cadets recently graduated from CST less than a month ago and now serve as MSIII mentors for Basic Camp.  Prior to graduating from Advanced Camp, senior Army ROTC Cadets have the opportunity to serve as MSIII mentors for Basic Camp regiments […]

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Elizabeth Walton, Western Illinois University Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Thomas Haas, Austin Peay State University Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Raquel Piercey, University of Texas at El Paso Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Ethan Lacy, University of Michigan Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Alexis Sims, Dillard University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Jacob Jenkins, Mercer University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Joseph Mass, Newberry College Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Charmae Lubay, Western Oregon University Armed Forces Services Corporation AwardCadet Thomas Miscia, University of PittsburghCadet Celena Quirk, University of Northern Iowa National […]

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Warrior Ethos AwardCadet Turner White, Cedarville University Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Seneca Tsang, University of Richmond Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Nicholas Hanke, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay Reserve Officers Association AwardCadet Blake Maloblocki, University of Utah American Legion Commander’s AwardCadet Samson Ko, Arizona State University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Christian Hess, Misericordia University Armed Forces Bank Performance AwardCadet Jacob Mendiola, Marion Military Institute Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Cassandra Pichardo, Olivet Nazarene University Society of American Military Engineers AwardCadet Luijay Lagasca, Valley Forge Military College USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Gabrielle […]