5th Regiment Cadets had the opportunity to learn about their rifles and shooting during Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI) at Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp in Fort Knox, Ky on June 23, 2021. At PMI, Cadets learned shooting positions, how to care for their rifles, fundamentals of shooting and even how math plays a role in their accuracy. One lesson in particular focused on the fundamentals of shooting, such as breath control and trigger squeeze.  “When you’re shooting, breathing is important because whether you either inhale or exhale, it will affect where the rifle is,” said Cadet Kalley Magel, from University of […]

Unlike most college students on summer break who likely sleep in, Cadet Erin Gustafson from Texas A&M University finished her Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) at 5:30 a.m on June 21. Gustafson, who is part of Alpha Company, 4th Regiment, is currently attending Advanced Camp, which is part of Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky.  The ACFT is the newest physical test for the Army, replacing the previous Army Physical Fitness Test. The new test revolves around combat-related stresses, such as being able to jump over obstacles, reacting quickly to fire, or pushing a disabled vehicle. Most Cadets are training […]

By: Anna Pray 4th Regiment Cadets were taught how to disassemble and reassemble their weapons by Cadre on June 17, 2021 during their Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction at Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp in Fort Knox, Ky. Some Cadets, whether they had previous experience with weapons or no experience at all, enjoyed the lesson on how to take apart, clean, and put back together their weapon.  “Learning the insides of it, how it functions, and why it functions that way is pretty cool,” said Cadet Cimiya Duffin, from Morgan State University in Maryland.  “It’s almost like Lego pieces,” said Cadet Tyler Rowe, […]

By: Anna Pray Day Land Navigation did not start off well on the morning of June 16, 2021, but that did not stop 3rd Regiment Charlie Company 4th Platoon from finding an interesting way around that during their Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp in Fort Knox, Ky. After their safety briefing, the Cadre needed to find a tracking device that was given to one of the Cadets that no longer worked. This process ended up taking over an hour. Rather than letting the anticipation of starting Land Navigation and the frustration of waiting ruin their day, one Cadet in particular decided […]

Packing their bags and moving to Fort Knox alone, Cadets almost have no choice but to become good friends with one another before Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp ends. After all, they do everything and spend nearly every minute together during camp at Fort Knox, Ky.  During a hand grenades exercise and test on June 9, 2021, the closeness between the Cadets in 3rd Regiment, Charlie Company, was obvious.  When Cadets were lined up in the testing lanes to throw the practice hand grenades, there were cheers coming from behind them by others in the platoon who were watching and waiting […]

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 […]

  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. – 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 […]

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=oqwSxGOyQsw[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their first ambush this morning, July 31, in the AO Wolverine FTX. AO Wolverine presents Cadets with the “crawl” portion of their time in the field; Panther will be their “walk” stage, Grizzly, their “run.” Each stage gives Cadets different benefits, honing skills they previously had and gaining new skills in the process. The crawl portion grants Cadets the most help from their Cadre. Crawling is a Necessity “Today, we’re doing the crawl phase of the crawl, walk, run method of teaching,” Cadet Anthony Burgess, a Richmond, […]

  FORT KNOX, Ky. — 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets attended Branch Orientation at Keyes Park July 30 during Cadet Summer Training. “We are at Branch Day. So, we are getting an opportunity to visit with representatives from each of the basic branches that we may choose or put on our lists after we commission,” said Cadet Karen Yurek, Queens University of Charlotte. Master Sgt. Christopher Parker, Senior Military Instructor at Florida International University, explained that Cadets have a certain number of branches they must visit. “They’ll have nine rotations in which two of the rotations they must visit the Reserve […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed squad battle drill training today, to prepare for their Field Training Exercise (FTX) that begins tomorrow. Squad battle drills are the first time Cadets conduct platoon-level tactics together as one unit. It gives them the chance to iron out issues, develop their platoon identity and establish standard operating procedures (SOPs). Missouri State University Cadet Sierra Goslee, and her platoon, struggled during the training. “It was rough because it was our first time working all together as a platoon to actually do a platoon attack,” Goslee said. They have only been […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89gs6l6cV64[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — On July 29, another regiment entered their final stage of the lengthy Field Training Exercises (FTX). 9th Regiment completed their first lane of AO Grizzly, which is the most challenging phase of the FTX due to the lack of Cadre assistance. However, this doesn’t mean the Cadre were just standing around. They were filling out Blue Cards, which is the Army’s way of evaluating Cadets. “Today we are watching key leadership, which is Platoon Leader (PL) and Platoon Sergeant (PSG),” 2nd Lt. Zane Knight, a Cadre member out of Campbell University, said. “Mainly, we are […]

With a plane full of anxious Cadets flying towards their connection in Amsterdam, with a final destination of Hungary for the Cadet Coalition Warfighter Program (CCWP), no one expected a flight attendant to ask for medical personnel over the intercom. However, for Cadet Jerrod Fedorchik from South Dakota State University, this call brought him to his feet, and without hesitation, he ran towards the back of the plane. They were twenty minutes from landing, and Fedorchik discovered the reason for the urgent announcement – a nineteen-year-old girl had collapsed in the plane’s bathroom. “She was starting to come back to, but […]