FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets in the 3rd Regiment closed out their training time at Advanced Camp with the 12-mile ruck march this morning, July 3. It was a victorious moment; cadences were shouted, hands were raised to the sky in triumph, smiles were plastered on every face. From Cadet to Cadet, words of encouragement were shared as they marched nearer and nearer to the “Mission Accomplished” banner that flew at their ending point. With “Eye of the Tiger” playing, the 3rd Regiment crossed the finish line. Rucks were plopped on the ground as Cadets fell to their knees in relief. [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Zw73W0L-M[/embedyt] Sun beaming down, heat category rising, Cadets from the 8th Regiment, Delta Co., of Advanced Camp were training for Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) nonetheless. Monday morning, July 1, brought 8th Regiment Cadets their first real day of Advanced Camp training. In-processing over with, it was time to get into the nitty gritty of the U.S. Army. TC3 brought them that grit. How to Save a Life “We do a scenario where they take fire and their battle buddy goes down,” Lt. Col. Danielle Rodondi, professor of military science at Augusta University and the Officer in Charge (OIC) for [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0hauZP5z1w[/embedyt] Basic Camp Cadets of the 1st Regiment, Bravo Co., completed the High Ropes Course at Forest Hills Climbing Complex this morning, June 30. The Climb With the sun beaming down, Cadets were divided out amongst three obstacles: the Rock Wall, the Alpine Tower and the Rudder’s High Ropes Course. Each obstacle presented its own challenges, and each Cadet overcame those challenges in their own way. From swinging a certain way to leaping off one section of an obstacle to a completely new section, Cadets tackled every single task. “It’s a mixture of, they’re learning about themselves, they’re obviously nervous, [...]

Basic Camp 1st Regiment Cadets participated in Map Reading to begin learning the basics of how to understand a map on June 29th 2019. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Evans, who oversees Bravo Company, explained what Map Reading is and why it is important to teach to the brand new Cadets. “Today’s objective is to start basic map reading, get them to understand the legends (tells you what the distance is for the scale of that map) and the parts of a map.” After that Evans said they go into terrain features, how to plot a point as well as how to [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihy-87vdX1o[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 5th Regiment, Alpha Co., Advanced Camp made their way to the Woods II Range this morning, June 25, for their first day of Buddy Team Live Fire training. A New Experience For many of these Cadets, this event is their first time moving while they fire. Most are accustomed to a pop-up range or unmoving paper targets. Both options allow the Cadets to be still on the lane. The first day consists of a run using blanks rather than live ammunition. “This was really something new for me,” Cadet Spencer Rapp from [...]

Cadets of the 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp made the eight-mile ruck march this morning, June 24. The March Foot marches are hard work, there’s no question about it; 35 pounds on your back, decked out in full battle attire, marching for eight miles straight. They’re hard work, indeed. “Every ruck has its challenges,” Cadet Connor Sloan, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and attending Michigan State University, said. These Cadets all train in different environments when they are back at their home university. From hills to flat land, training on a different type of land can increase the difficulty of that ruck, but that’s [...]

University and company representatives from all over the nation came to Fort Knox this week to catch a glimpse of Cadet life. The Purpose Centers of Influence (COIs) are universities and companies that the U.S. Army deems influential in the lives of the youth. These COIs are beneficial in reaching out to and drawing in potential Cadets. Inviting them out them out to Fort Knox each year, Cadet Command allows these deans of universities and heads of companies to learn about the ROTC program and become part of it, even if only for a few days. “These are educators, marketers, folks [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKpqAJ7qPEA[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from the Alpha Co., 4th Regiment were hand-grenade trained today, June 18, each of them booming with excitement. An Add On Handling and throwing live grenades is an entirely new addition to Advanced Camp. “It’s part of a series of events that are being brought in an attempt to replicate aspects from Basic Training,” Capt. Daniel Snow, assistant professor of military science for Kansas State University, said. The Commanding Gen. of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) has decided that all soldiers, enlisted and commissioned alike, should train in the same tasks, [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp partnered up today for a dry run of the buddy team live-fire range during Cadet Summer Training. Cadets navigated the course today using blank ammunition, working on their communication and movement techniques.  Tomorrow they’ll negotiate the same 100-meter lanes firing live rounds.  Throughout their run down the lane the Cadets engage targets while moving to cover provided by wooden walls and logs. Cadet Brian Driscoll from Wilks University explained how they run through the lanes in buddy pairs; they run individually while your partner covers you. They low crawled and high crawled [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnqIf5IOxvg[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp, 3rd Regiment Cadets aimed to pass their weapons qualification, June 14, at George Blair Range. Weapons Qualification is a must pass event for Cadet Summer Training. Basic Rifle Marksmanship training is a four-day process, starting with preliminary marksmanship instruction and culminating with weapon qualification. Over the course of the four-days Cadets built their confidence and skill with their assigned M4 Carbine. “The four-day progression model that we have starts very basic, PMI teaches them how to take it [the rifle] apart and how to handle it,” said Master Sgt. Don Oakes who is an [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp took a deep breath as they prepared their minds and bodies for the confidence chamber. The confidence chamber is also commonly referred to as the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) gas chamber. The purpose for CBRN is to prepare Cadets in case an adversary uses a toxic substance against them and their Soldiers.  “We learned how to put the gear on properly, the different types of gases and how to identify them,” said Tyler Hudson, from DePaul University. With that knowledge and practice, the Cadets are then taken to the [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – On this cool morning at Fort Knox, Ky., 4thRegiment, Advanced Camp Cadets seized the morning and took the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). The APFT is a mandatory event. There are three events within the APFT; sit-ups, push-ups and a two mile run. Cadets must do the number of repetitions of push-ups and sit-ups for their age and gender within two minutes. For the two-mile run, their passing time is also based on their age and gender. “I respect the work ethic more than the number,” said Maj. Timothy Patterson, a ROTC instructor at Alabama A&M. “It [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOXsyDM9aOs[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Through the rain and muddy terrain, Cadets from Advanced Camp, 1st Regiment swam their way through the buddy team live fire range this morning during Cadet Summer Training. Buddy team live fire training is a two-day event; the first day is a dry run through with their battle buddy. The second day is when they shoot real rounds. The overall goal of this training is for the Cadets to be able to work with their battle buddy and communicate with them while in a stressful environment. “The focus is to have full control of your movements [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp took the meaning “early bird gets the worm” to a different level this morning to take on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) at 4 a.m. The APFT is an evaluation for the Cadet to do as many push-ups and sit-ups they can do in 2 minutes while meeting the minimum requirement based on their age and gender. “Its important because it evaluates how physically in shape you are as a Cadet,” said John Owens, Virginia Tech University. After those events they run 2 miles. If the Cadets want to earn RECONDO [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NThCX7uNuIg[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp in-processed today at the Copple Center at the start of their Cadet Summer Training. In-processing is probably one of the longest and important days they have to go through. “It’s important because it facilitates that we are supposed to be here,” said Cadet Tyrique Green, Lincoln University of Missouri. The process to in-process is a long but important one. Cadets line up outside to receive their folders with the paperwork they will be filling out. If the Cadets are missing a document they will be given one to fill out. [...]