­­­FORT KNOX, Ky. – After sleeping outside in the early morning hours, Cadets from 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp, participated in the field training exercises during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., August 8, 2023. The FTX lanes simulate real-life tactical scenarios that allow Cadets to improve their skills and gain more practical field experience. The three lanes they enact are squad ambush, squad attack and movement to contact. Cadet Racquel Wilson from Florida Atlantic University said that the purpose of these exercises is for Cadets to take what they learned in the classroom and physically put it to the test [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky., — Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, entered the second stage of their Field Training Exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., July 26, 2023.  Spending a total of 12 days in the field, Cadets complete groups of exercises, which are divided into 3 parts: Wolverine, Panther, and Grizzly. The Cadets are challenged mentally and physically before their skills are graded on the last day.  “We’re on our second mission, on the first day of Panther, and we’re completing an area defense,” said Cadet Phillip Jones, Alabama A&M. “Leadership is still processing the last few parts of our plan to [...]

FORT KNOX Ky. — During Cadet Summer Training, the U.S. Army Cadet Command partners with universities to train, educate, develop, and inspire Cadets to commission as officers. These Cadets come from around the world, to the same organizations to reach the same goal – learning how to help others. Similarly, while Cadet Zyra Brigette Dew, Carson-Newman University, and Cadet Jeremy Acheampong, Capital University, may both belong to the 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, they entered CST having experienced different journeys, holding differing cultural influences. “I was originally born in the Philippines, but then we moved,” Dew said. “My family and I moved [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Field Training Exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., July 12, 2023. During the FTX, Cadets first start the training mission at the objective rally point, where they plan for the attack using the troop-leading procedures in order to destroy or defeat the opposing forces, and seize, and secure terrain. Cadet Cassandra Pichardo from Olivet Nazarene University mentioned her role during the attack. “My role was alpha team leader,” Pichardo said. “I was taking care of my people, and making sure that they were all ready to go.” Cadets take 2-3 [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – A dark cloud storms its way across the training area where Cadets from 3rd Regiment Advanced Camp were planning to work on their field training exercises on July 1, 2023.  Due to the frequent lightning strikes, overheard thunder, and heavy rain, the training was brought to a halt. While the Cadets were waiting underneath their soon-to-be soaking wet ponchos, they had some down time to speak on FTX and their future aspirations.  “The field training event prepares us for future leadership events and tests how we perform under distress in adverse conditions,” said Cadet Alexander Grieves, Central [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the field training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., June 30, 2023. During the FTX, Cadets conducted a raid, a surprise attack where Cadets destroy or capture the opposing forces. One Cadet talked about their experience during the raid. Cadet Sam Barnhart from Virginia Tech said that he joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps because of his family. He was able to date his family’s history all the way back to the Revolutionary War. “Having that lineage of the military, it’s just in the blood, and I knew I was going [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the field training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., June 28, 2023. The FTX trained Cadets on how to be a leader and tactically lead a platoon of forty-four Cadets in various missions. During the FTX, Cadets conducted a raid, a surprise attack where Cadets destroy or capture the opposing forces. One Cadet talked about a unique story along with his experience during the raid. Cadet Ernes Selimovic from St. John’s University New York, joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps because of his parents. He said that his parents came to [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the field training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., June 26, 2023. During FTX, Cadets conducted a platoon ambush; a platoon ambush is a surprise attack from a concealed position on a moving target.  Cadets applied an excess amount of face paint on and marched their way in the hot sun through the thick terrain and in the mud to the location of the platoon ambush. One Cadet talked about their experience during FTX. Cadet Caroline Courtney from Gannon University joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps because of her brother. She [...]

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 [...]

As Cadets of 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, advanced their way through Cadet Summer Training (CST), they quickly realized the importance of teamwork, focus, and utilizing tools around you during the Field Training Exercises (FTX) I: Panther. “At least in Wolverine phase, we had a lot of issues with us not using individual movement techniques, not using face paint or using foliage,” Cadet David Jeffe, from the University of Chicago, noted as the reasoning behind his platoon being spotted by the enemy. “So, it’s important to be camouflaged so that the enemy doesn’t detect you. We have all of our foliage in. [...]

The Field training exercises (FTX) that take place at Fort Knox pit Cadets against a multitude of challenges meant to test their planning, coordination, and teamwork in a field environment. The pressures inherent in these exercises force the Cadets to work on their leadership roles as well, with the leadership roles rotating among Cadets throughout the FTX.  4th Regiment Cadet Abigail Lanz from the University of Notre Dame is on her second day going through FTX Panther, where her platoon was responsible for defending a point against simulated enemies. Before going into the exercise, Lanz recalled how her platoon performed in [...]

On June 19th, 2nd Regiment Cadets participated in their first Field Training Exercise (FTX) at Advanced Camp 2021. The FTX’s are separated into different stages: Wolverine, Panther and Grizzly. Cadets have to attend the three stages before leaving Fort Knox.  Cadets are using the “crawl, walk, run” method of training, which guarantees that every stage is more difficult and complex than the one before.  The 2nd Regiment is in the Wolverine stage. During the FTX, Cadets perform various Situational Training Exercise (STX) lanes, which are simulated combat scenarios. They have the chance to use the information and techniques they have learned [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp conducted an attack to destroy mission during their field training exercise (FTX), August 8. “An attack to destroy mission involves taking an objective by surprise and destroying where the enemy was placed so they can’t return and use it as a stronghold,” explained Cadet Layton Shorus, attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville. As they approached the opposing force’s base, 11th Regiment Cadets opened fire and quickly made their way toward the objective using individual movement techniques. During their assault, Cadets sought cover while communicating with each other over the sound [...]

[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. – The Cadets of 7th Regiment Advanced Camp performed a simulated platoon attack during their field training exercise (FTX), July 17. The training Cadets received was part of the walk phase of FTX, meaning that they were assisted by cadre. The Cadets’ mission was to assault an objective held by an opposing force (OPFOR), establish security and assess casualties before proceeding to conduct an after-action review (AAR) The Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. James McConville was visiting Cadet Summer Training and observed the platoon’s assault and participated in the AAR.  Although his visit was brief, McConville spoke [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of 2nd Regiment Basic Camp started their first official day of FTX training this morning, July 18. They begin their training in the field with lecture style classes, Cadre explaining to them the tactics they’ll be using. From there, they move onto physically going through those mission and utilizing those tactics themselves. From crossing an LDA (Linear Danger Area) to proper flanking techniques, Cadets were taught it all. The Benefits of the FTX “We’ve been going over things like squad tactics, missions and learning how to do attacks and ambushes,” Cadet Katelyn Bolden, a student at [...]

FORT KNOX, KY.— “When they [Cadets] go to Advanced Camp they are going to be evaluated as an infantry officer, [and] as an officer, you are a chaos manager. We are trying to introduce them to that chaos so they become used to it and become good chaos managers,” said 2nd Lt. Michael Everett, who commissioned out of the College at Brockport State University of New York. On July 17, Cadets from the 2nd Regiment Basic Camp learned squad tactics for a Field Training Exercise (FTX). After listening to Cadre tell them about the different tactics, they practiced them in a [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — 1st Regiment, Basic Camp performed Field Training Exercises in their “run” phase July 14 during Cadet Summer Training. The “run” phase of an exercise consists of cadre taking a step back and providing feedback during the exercise when absolutely necessary to Cadets. The exercise Cadets from Alpha company, 3rd platoon, 3rd squad performed was an ambush. “We just conducted an ambush on the objective, which was a linear ambush on the road. We had two enemy and were a squad element. We were directed by our squad leader to form up and I was on Bravo Team, [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — 1st Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets completed a day of Field Training Exercises (FTXs) July 13 during Cadet Summer Training. For many Basic Camp Cadets, this FTX was one of their first experiences obtaining an objective in the field. “We just accomplished our first run through with an ambush. It was many of our first time, a few of our second or third time. Most of us, it was our first time going through an ambush and we were pretty successful I think,” said Cadet Abigail Newman, Northern Illinois University. “We had a lot of things to work [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrD-cflDsEA[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 6th Regiment of Advanced Camp entered into their third day in the field this morning, July 6. Spending their days in classes, these Cadets are preparing for their next FTX (Field Training Exercise) site where they will be leading ambushes and attacks. Field Work “It’s going. It’s hot, but it’s going,” Cadet Alexis Molina, from Schererville, Indiana, and attending Purdue University, said. “So far we’ve taken a bunch of classes, just refreshers before actually heading into our big FTXs where we get evaluated.” Molina’s platoon went through their first field mission today, [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgYYGbzCBIY[/embedyt] Third Regiment Cadets endured 29 days of high temperatures, monsoon rainstorms and nights in the woods during Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Through those 29 days of harsh conditions, Cadets from 3rd Platoon, B Company, 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, learned to persevere as a team. “A lot of the conditions for this summer have been horrendous rain and thunderstorms, so from start to finish, as a platoon, they learned to adapt and apply everything they learned [over] the last three years in adverse situations,” Capt. Jonathan Dieckman, an ROTC instructor at Bowling Green State University, said. Coming together [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TmwTXuMlbI[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets enhanced their tactical skills and defense strategies at their Field Training Exercise, FTX, June 30 during Cadet Summer Training. The first two objectives, including gathering intelligence and performing reconnaissance on the base as well as capturing the base from the opposing forces, were executed with precision, according to Capt. Talisa Dauz. “They knocked it out of the park. It’s probably one of the best missions we’ve done so far,” said Dauz. “Once they attacked the enemy, they were able to seize this terrain and the mission. They are currently on [...]

  For the first three weeks of Advanced Camp, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets of 1st Regiment established a trusting relationship with each other. They worked together to accomplish feats such as rappelling down a 64-foot tower and walking through a chamber filled with CS gas during Cadet Summer Training (CST). Then, 40 United States Military Academy (USMA) Cadets were suddenly integrated into several platoons of 1st regiment for the Field Training Exercise (FTX) portion of Advanced Camp. As part of an initiative to unite the two commissioning sources, USMA at West Point Cadets arrived at Fort Knox, Kentucky to [...]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Living out in the woods for several days brings out a whole new side of people. Cadets in the 3rd regiment are hoping the three-part training Field training Exercise (FTX) will showcase their leadership abilities. The FTX is broken up into three phases. The ‘crawl, walk, run’ model allows Cadets to learn and practice the tactical and leadership skills being assessed. The Panther Phase is the ‘walk’ phase of the training, during which Cadets are actively being evaluated. The exercises allow Cadets to fill various leadership roles as well as practice tactics, regardless of what the weather [...]

  Forty United States Military Academy (USMA) Cadets arrived at Fort Knox, Kentucky to join the hundreds of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets of 1st Regiment earlier this month. The West Point Cadets trudged through a heavy rainstorm upon arrival, adding to the apprehension of spending two weeks alongside 1st Regiment for the Field Training Exercise (FTX) portion of Advanced Camp. The ROTC Cadets had already spent over two weeks at Cadet Summer Training (CST) working and training together. For the first time in history, USMA at West Point Cadets were integrated with those ROTC Cadets during Advanced Camp. The [...]