Only four hours into a new day, the Cadets from 4th Regiment are awake and ready to perform to the best of their abilities for the Army Combat Fitness Test. Located under a large turfed pavilion surrounded by a mile-long circular track, the ACFT aims to put a Cadet’s physical prowess to the test in a series of six back-to-back events. The six events are the deadlift, standing power throw, hand release push-ups, plank, and the sprint-drag-carry. These events all cumulate into the final challenge; a two-mile run. The ultimate goal of the ACFT is to score a perfect 600 points […]

‘Slow is smooth and smooth is fast’, is the common mantra heard at the Field Leader Reaction Course (FLRC) during the first Cadet run-through of the summer. On June 3, 2022, 1st Regiment Cadets from the Charlie and Delta companies rotated by squad through 16 creative obstacles that challenge the Cadets’ problem solving and leadership skills. The courses require planning and a quick execution. They have five minutes to plan and 15 minutes to complete each one. Before they start, the cadre brief the Cadets by reading the mission details and limitations. Once time has run out they debrief to see […]

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 Leadership Excellence AwardCadet Aaron Beaumont, Wichita State University Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Catherine Witte, Clemson University Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Brian Gerard, Bucknell University USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Hayley Farmer, University of North Georgia Armed Forces Bank AwardCadet Kawen Huang, San Jose State Reserve Organization of America Award Cadet Jabrilyn Chandler, Hampton University National Guard Association of the United State AwardCadet Kavan Naughton, University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Rose Perezsoto, University of Hawaii at Manoa First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Soyoung Pilcher , University of Central Oklahoma Armed […]

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 […]

DOWNLOAD Program Special Awards Recipients AUSA Warrior Ethos AwardCadet Joyce Nieves Lopez, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla Military Order of World Wars AwardCadet Darius Johnson, Fort Valley State University Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Katherine Flores Vazquez, Turabo University Reserve Officers Association AwardCadet Hugo Calderon, California State University – Los Angeles American Legion Commander’s AwardCadet Matthew Chang, Texas A&M University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Christina Diaz, Barry University Armed Forces Bank Performance AwardCadet Rudolf Muradov, City University of New York – City College Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Abigail Dodson, University of Tennessee at Knoxville Society of American […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Trudging through the mud and ducking under thick branches, the Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp spent the morning of July 18, 2021 in the forests of Fort Knox, Ky. doing their Buddy Team Land Navigation training. The purpose: teaching Basic Camp Cadets how to use maps, compasses, and other simple objects to find precise locations in rough, off-road terrain. Cadets were sent out in small teams with the objective of finding pre-placed posts hidden in the forest, marking the locations, and returning to base camp for evaluation within a limited time frame. 2nd Regiment took this training with a fair […]

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 […]

On an unpredictable battlefield, only nine seconds, and a good set of gear, can be the difference between mild irritation and suffocation. This was taught to Cadets of 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp through an uncomfortably hands-on method on July 7, 2021, during their Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear training, or CBRN, at Fort Knox, KY. After being given extensive lessons on their JSLIST (Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology) suits, a set of protective clothing to wear over their uniforms, as well as the M50 Protective Masks, Cadets formed lines and charged into a small, unventilated concrete building in the woods. […]

Only ten days into Basic Camp, and 1st Regiment is beginning to adapt to life in the Army. It’s tough, but they are not alone. On July 5, 2021, 1st Regiment took their introduction to the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT. The ACFT is the Army’s new physical fitness assessment to determine a person’s general readiness for combat. It consists of six parts: deadlifts, hand-release pushups, a sprint-drag-carry, power throws, leg tucks, and finally a two-mile run. This training created a stage to display a large part of life in the Army, which is the support and bonding from peers […]

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 […]

The moon was still bright in the sky on July 1st, 2021, when the Cadets of 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp were already gathering outside to put their bodies to the Army’s test. Not so much the crack of dawn, but rather in the middle of the night, platoons marched in perfect formation, flags flying, ready to give their all to the ACFT. The ACFT, or Army Combat Fitness Test, is the Army’s new test administered universally to Soldiers and Cadets alike to assess their general readiness for combat situations. The six assessments are deadlifts, power throws, hand-release pushups, a sprint-drag-carry, hanging […]