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 […]

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 […]

Army Marksmanship Unit Trains Cadre for Advanced Camp’s Basic Rifle Marksmanship Training Fort Knox, KY – Basic Rifle Marksmanship standards have changed within the past year, which will now affect the incoming Advanced Camp Cadets this summer.  Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) instructors came to Fort Knox, KY to train the Cadre on the updated standards so that those Cadre could later train the Advanced Camp Cadets.  Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) covers the basics on how to shoot with a rifle. It covers learning how to position, how to find and hit a target, and how to be accurate.  With previous standards, […]

Cadets from Alpha and Bravo Companies in 1st Regiment got to experience two exercises on May 28 during Advanced Camp’s Warrior Skills at Fort Knox, KY: First Aid and Call for Fire.  First Aid helps train Cadets on what to do in emergency situations on the field, along with teaching them about some of the tools needed. Call for Fire is calling for support from field artillery units to suppress an enemy with cannon fire by giving target location and description.  “It’s like finding a piece of a puzzle,” said Cadet Aaron Wagner, Bravo Company, 1st Regiment, from University of California […]

“Cadet Summer Training is the largest exercise and leadership development event every year – it is a big deal. The way you truly know that this is a big deal is by the presence of an Army band,” said U.S. Army Cadet Command, Deputy Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Antonio Munera. Close to 50 members from the 100th, 313th, and 208th Army Bands supported Cadet Command and Fort Knox with over 50 ceremonies this summer through tradition and pageantry. Some of these events include Basic and Advanced Camp graduations, where nearly 10,000 people were in attendance and 30,000 watched online via live […]

  FORT KNOX, Ky. – 6th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets examined their potential future career paths during Branch Orientation at Keyes Park August 14, 2019, during Cadet Summer Training. “We’re going around to all of the various branches, 17 in total, of the Army and we’re just seeing which ones we might be interested in, learning more, and, for me especially, I know very little about the Army and what the branches do. So, I’m just taking this as an opportunity to dive into a bunch of them and learn a bunch of stuff,” explained Cadet Reiss Becker, a student at […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – After a year of planning and three months of execution, Cadet Summer Training (CST) 2019 has come to a close. The single largest training operation in the entire United States Army, CST trains over 10,000 Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets from universities across the nation in 100 days to prepare them for their future careers as Army Officers.  One of the CST core planners Maj. Juan Renaud explained how planning for CST is a process which begins nearly a year in advance for each summer.  “This allows task force leaders, commanders and other planners time to […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. -While Cadets are at Cadet Summer Training (CST), they are completely focused on their training. They have limited contact with their friends and family, they don’t have the regular comforts of home and they must complete grueling tasks throughout the 37-day training period. One of those grueling tasks is the 12-mile foot march, which 11th Regiment Advanced Cadets completed early this morning. The movement, from Tactical Assembly Area Densberger back to the Disney Training Complex on Fort Knox, ended the regiment’s 12-day field problem and put them one-step closer to graduation day. These Cadets will soon return to […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp graduated and parted ways this morning, August 8. Advanced Camp is a long, tasking 37 days long; challenges present themselves at every corner and Cadets are expected to address and overcome them. Their graduation ceremony is a very welcome event, reuniting them with their family and friends and sending them on their way home. Knowledge that Sticks Out of all they learn at Advanced Camp, many Cadets have something in particular that sticks with them. “The most important thing I’ve learned is just to listen to others and not be […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — One thing that distinguishes Basic Camp from other levels of Army training is the number of Cadre who oversee the training. A lot of the basic camp instruction is given by drill sergeants and newly commissioned officers, but there is another group helping with the basic camp regiments: MSIII trainers. MSIII stands for Military Science 300, and it is made up of ROTC Cadets in college who have completed their junior year of school and graduated advanced camp this summer. After graduating, some opted to stick around in Fort Knox for basic camp and work as mentors […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 5th Regiment, Basic Camp, competed in a drill and ceremony (D&C) competition today to test their marching and military bearing skills. The competition tested the basic foundations of D&C on how you march and conduct yourself in a formation. For the first portion of the competition, each platoon in the regiment created a routine that included numerous required elements and commands. Cadre graded Cadets on how well they conducted their platoon D&C routines and how well they maintained their military bearing. Maintaining a strong military bearing is holding and conducting yourself in a well-disciplined manner. […]

  FORT KNOX, Ky. – 4th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets graduated on Brooks Field August 6 after completing Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky. Cadets completed numerous exercises to build themselves not only as leaders and teammates, but also to build their confidence in themselves and each other. After graduating and officially completing their training, Cadets expressed their feelings after walking off of Brooks Field. One Cadet was excited to demonstrate their skills learned throughout camp. “Just feeling really excited to get out of here and learn with all this knowledge that I’ve learned since I’ve been here. This is […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — On Aug. 5, Cadets of the 10th Regiment had an early morning fighting the enemy during a defense mission at AO Grizzly. This is their last full day of the Field Training Exercises (FTX), with graduation just around the corner. Defense missions are pretty straightforward: the platoon is set up at a patrol base with borders and protection surrounding it. The Opposing Force (OPFOR) wants to take that base over, and plans to attack it. The Cadets have no knowledge of when the OPFOR are coming, but have to stay quick on their feet and maintain control […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — “COVER ME WHILE I MOVE!!!” “I GOT YOU COVERED!!!” These two phrases were a common consistency on Aug. 4 at Mill Creek Range, when 6th Regiment of Basic Camp went through the Fire Team Movement drill. Similar to the Buddy Team Live Fire exercise Advanced Camp Cadets undergo, the Fire Team Movement drill requires Cadets to take turns advancing along different points of cover, with their partners providing cover fire behind them. It is performed to grow Cadets’ communication skills, increase their confidence in advancing to cover, and progress the relationships of battle buddies. One group of […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — After 24 days at Basic Camp, 5th Regiment Cadets took on the 10k Foot March this morning to test their physical and mental endurance. Foot marches challenge Cadets with walking long distances at a fast pace with weight in their rucksacks. “It is mostly mental,” Cadet Mason Aldridge, from Birmingham, Alabama, and attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said. “Coming out here and doing this ruck march is to prove that you can go further than you think you can.” The Cadets began the march at 4 a.m. The purpose of this was to not only […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — On August 3, nearly 600 Cadets stood in formation as Lt. Gen. Bruce Crawford delivered some parting words to end their Advanced Camp journey. After 37 days of facing fears such as heights or hand grenades, pushing through mental challenges such as land navigation and map reading, and going survival-mode in the Field Training Exercises, the 8th Regiment has finally reached the end of their training at Fort Knox. One of the main reasons Cadets work to pass Advanced Camp is the gateway it provides to becoming a 2nd Lieutenant. This is why the Cadre constantly challenged […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 11th Regiment of Advanced Camp completed their 8-mile ruck march this morning, August 3. Between release-ruck marches and formation-ruck marches, each Cadet has their preferences; most prefer the release as they can go at their own speed, do their own thing. A formation-ruck march keeps Cadets orderly, a tactical move that ensures they hone their field skills while they march. Cadets are told to keep silent, save the sound of their boots hitting the ground. While the ruck march may seem to drudge on slowly, Cadets find ways to keep themselves entertained. A Rucking […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVrJrDR9tmQ[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — Fourth Regiment, Basic Camp, Cadets put their marching skills to the test today during the platoon and regimental drill and ceremony (D&C) competition. Cadets competed in two different competition; a platoon-level D&C competition, where the six platoons from 4th Regiment performed in front of Cadre who chose the wining platoon, and a regimental D&C competition, where Cadets are individually competing to win. Over the past 28 days, Cadets learned Army customs and courtesies, how to march and conduct themselves in a professional manner. “The purpose of this competition was to test the culmination of everything […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJCu3PLbSE[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the Delta Co., 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their third and final day in the AO Wolverine FTX this morning, August 2. Wolverine is the “crawl” phase of three field-training exercises (FTXs) the Cadets are put through, Panther and Grizzly being the other two. Panther being the “walk” and Grizzly being the “run” phases, the two are more difficult, forcing the Cadets to rely more on their own independent leadership. The next two phases also start evaluations for the Cadets, so Wolverine gives them time to prepare. A Little Room to Grow From […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG_zAZ_2GNE[/embedyt]   FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 6th Regiment, Basic Camp spent the day at the range to get the first-time experience of sighting and shooting their M4 rifles. This training may seem basic to many, but it reinforces the idea that no matter where the Cadets end up, they are a rifleman first. Eastern Washington University Cadet Justin Mebes, may not be new to shooting, but his take on the mantra, “Every Soldier, a rifleman,” drew an interesting comparison to another. “I want to be a Ranger,” Mebes said. “My dad was a Ranger, and they say that […]

FORT KNOX, KY.— “Twelve miles is a distance that most people do not normally do every day so being able to accomplish something like that is pretty rewarding,” said Cadet Hayden Martinez, from Oregon State University. Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, had this satisfaction when they completed their 12-mile road march here early in the morning on Aug. 2. Cadets stepped off the start line from Tactical Assembly Area Densberger.  They spent yesterday at TAA Densberger following their final phase of the Field Training Exercises. Martinez said that the rucks [the pack they carried with their clothing and equipment] this […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4uEox8Cw7c[/embedyt]   FORT KNOX, Ky. — Every Cadet comes to a point where they may not be able to push any further, but, as the Basic Camp Cadets learned, that’s when the motivation from those behind them can push them beyond their limits. The Obstacle Course 6th Regiment took on today was filled with challenges of varying difficulty, that tested the Cadets physical and mental abilities. After they completed all of the obstacles, Cadets took a moment to reflect on what they had faced and how they were able to push past those difficulties. Cadet Lacy Pemberton, from Virginia Wesleyan […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUV-GzOa37c[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 5th Regiment of Basic Camp were introduced to battle drills in preparation for their upcoming Field Training Exercise (FTX). Cadets started in a classroom setting, Cadre drawing battle drills on paper like plays on a whiteboard in a basketball game. They then moved out into the field, putting their newfound skills to the test; drill after drill after drill, the Cadets practiced flanking maneuvers and battle tactics. Cadre Strive to Help The Cadets are taught by a wide variety of people, enlisted and commissioned alike. “The lieutenants are super helpful,” Cadet Emily […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIDO7AiL–g[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, KY. – Tanks, a helicopter, a boat, light tactical vehicles and more, all filled Keyes Park for Branch Orientation. Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp prepared for commissioning next May by spending the day learning about the different Army branches and the opportunities they each provide. Along with insight from branch officers, Cadets were also given the opportunity to see and get hands-on with equipment. Throughout the Cadets found themselves surprised by all the branches and some of the opportunities they may have not been aware were open to them. “There are people like me who went […]