Fort Knox, Ky.– Cadet Summer Training has officially begun as 1st Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets arrived yesterday and inprocessed today. Cadets and Cadre members alike are excited for the coming days ahead. “I am the most excited for the hand grenade range,” said Cadet Jacob Ratton, from Northern Michigan University. “I have never thrown a hand grenade before so it should be a good first experience.” Live hand grenade training is being added to Advanced Camp for the first time ever this summer. The training was added so that Cadets will have the same training as the enlisted Soldiers they will […]

Radcliff, Ky. — Fort Knox and the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs partnered to host a Memorial Day Ceremony at the Kentucky Veteran’s Cemetery in Radcliff, Kentucky at 11:30a.m. on Monday, May 27th.  Hundreds of civilians, veterans, and families gathered together to partake in the events at the Veteran’s Cemetery. The ceremony opened with music from the Ladies of Liberty, followed by The Star Spangled Banner by the 100th Army Band (USAR).  Chaplain Maj. Jonathan Lee gave a short invocation before Maj. Gen. Frank Muth spoke the publics. “Memorial Day is a time-honored commitment to never forget those who served and […]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA90w2YDKmk[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – This summer there will be several special events and ceremonies taking place at Fort Knox highlighting the success of thousands of U.S. Army Cadets. Cadets will reunite with family members on Family Day, discover the 17 different branches of the Army during Branch Orientation and proudly graduate on Graduation Day. Previously, Fort Knox hosted a commissioning ceremony for the Cadets. This year, the commissioning ceremonies are taking place at their universities instead. Each of these ceremonies are rooted in years of tradition. Darrell Olson, Cadet Summer Training (CST) special events planner, said tradition is a […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – For the majority of Cadets that come through Fort Knox for Cadet Summer Training, both Basic and Advanced Camp serve as their first real look at what to expect as an Army Officer. For two cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, however, the journey to commissioning has been seven, even 12 years in the making. While the average age for a commissioned 2nd Lt. ranges between 21 and 23, these two Cadets are redefining what it means to be young commissioned officers. With two days left before 10th Regiment bids farewell to Fort Knox, Cadet Darren Fossett, Shippensburg University, reflected […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets wander from tent to tent in Keyes Park hunting for the perfect branch, as graduation and commissioning ceremonies are in the next few days. 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets spend a cloudy and rainy morning exploring job opportunities, equipment, and military vehicles related to their top branch choices. For some, like Cadet Jacob Van Dyke, Virginia Military Institute, this is a time to learn about branches they have not considered before. “I haven’t really considered the armor branch,” Cadet Van Dyke said. “Just now I had a brief orientation to it, and it seems like something I’d […]

Standing in formation,  I wait. My heart, racing as I stare. Double doors open like flood gates,  I am hit. A tidal wave of emotion. I see you, the sea of people. Your smiling face, my beacon. Guiding me to your warm embrace, A tight, loving hug, A tender kiss. You choke back tears in your eyes And tell me how proud you are. I am exuberant in the moment. Free.          

Fort Knox, Ky.– As Cadets from 8th Regiment, Basic Camp filed into Smith Gym to take Platoon pictures, many of them opted for a cause that is rewarding in itself. The Armed Service Blood Program [ASBP] is an internal organization with the Department of Defense that takes blood donations and distributes it to those in need within the Armed Forces community. While seats were filled with many Cadets volunteering to have their blood drawn, there was a special guest that caught their attention. Major General John Evans Jr., Commanding General, U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox decided to share a […]

FORT KNOX, Ky – Cadet Summer Training is a pinnacle moment in a Cadet’s life as they take a step towards a career with the Army and face new expectations. With emotions high and the pressure on, it is a critical time when religion has a chance to take hold. For 4th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadet Eric Quirk, from New Mexico Military Institute, his life was transformed by attending chapel services and reading his scriptures at night, allowing him to explore and develop a deep seated connection to a faith in Jesus Christ. The religious journey he began at camp encouraged […]

THE STORY OF THE FIRST ORTHODOX JEW AT ADVANCED CAMP AT FT KNOX FORT KNOX, Ky.— Cadet Michael (Aryeh) Urist from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, carries more than the standard weight in his rucksack during his time at Cadet Summer Training. Urist carries a week’s worth of MRE’s and the pressure of maintaining his religion in the field. Urist is an Orthodox Jew, meaning he adheres to the Torah. He follows strict jewish law on Shabbos, the Jewish Sabbath. He is the first Orthodox Jew to complete Advanced Camp since camp has been hosted at Fort Knox. He eats a kosher […]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp role-played as the Opposing Forces, also known as OPFOR, during Field Training Exercises, FTX, Aug. 5 at Area of Operation Panther. The OPFOR Cadets were conducting a defense mission against American forces that are trying to take the mortar tubes they have at the OPFOR patrol base. This helps the Cadets who are the American forces learn how to properly carry out and complete an objective and mission. Also, it teaches the OPFOR cadets proper defense techniques when they are in the offensive side. Prior enlisted Cadet Mike Powell, from University of […]

Fort Knox, Ky.- For many Cadets, Camp may be the first time that they have had exposure to any type of Military training. However, for others, they have acquired skills from special schools that set them apart from their peers. Cadets from 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp are proud to talk about their prior work within the Military. Cadet Hannah Gillan, Virginia Military Institute, explained SERE [Survive Evade Resist Escape] school and how it felt  being a Cadet attending such a tough program. “I didn’t know what to expect the entire time,” started Gillan, “easily the most rewarding […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Delta Company, bound forward! Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp navigated their way through FTX this morning August 6, 2018. In order to have a successful Field Training Exercise, Cadets must communicate well with each other and correctly prepare for their mission. Whether the mission is an assault, a retreat or a defense. Cadets from Delta Company faced the Opposing Forces while planning an attack on the objective, Olympia. What was originally planned as a deliberate attack, but due to making contact during the leader’s recon, it turned into a hasty attack. Cadet Matt Wilder, The Citadel, was […]

Fort Knox, Ky.- Up before the sun, the Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, prepared for their final graduation task. The long awaited, 12 mile ruck march. Throughout Fort Knox, sights of mile markers and chem lights crowded the roads. As Cadets were stepping it out for the final stretch of the ruck march, a couple of Cadets were in their Company area waiting for their battle buddies. The 12 miler is an event that should be completed in under 4 hours, however there were a handful cadets who finished before the 2 hour and 50 minute mark. Cadet Dylan Gadille, University […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Out of all the experiences Cadets have gone through while at Basic Camp, there is always one experience that a Cadet can’t wait to tell their family and friends about when they get the chance. Saturday morning, Cadets from 7thRegiment, Basic Camp got that chance, as they were greeted by the familiar faces of family and friends outside of Waybur Theater for Family Day. For Cadet John Hupka, John Carroll University, the gas chamber portion of his Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) training was the first story he would tell his family. “Just going through it [and] […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 7th Regiment, Basic Camp participated in a Drill & Ceremony competition on August 2. D&C consists of the proper way to move and hold oneself while in formation. The competition is a new addition to Cadet Summer Training this year. Cadet Jamie Bridenstine, who completed Advanced Camp this summer, is working as a Military Science III trainer at Basic Camp. Bridenstine, a student at the University of Wyoming, stated that D&C builds discipline and helps people work as a team. She went through Basic Camp in 2016. “We focused on D&C but it wasn’t to […]

Fort Knox, Ky. — 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets graduate from Cadet Summer Training at Brooks Field August 4, 2018. When the band plays the National Anthem, every military member stands and salutes; while others not in the uniform stand up and face the American Flag. The graduation ceremony starts with the formation of troops. Cadets are organized and lined up in coordination with their fellow teammate in the middle of the field, then demonstrate precision movements and marching skills to their family and friends. The ceremony marks the culmination of 31 days of rigorous and intensive training, signifying the completion […]

Fort Knox, Ky.– As tents were lined up side by side with basic branch Officers within them, Cadets of 7th Regiment, Basic Camp went touring for the many options that the Army has to offer. Within these tents, many Combat Arms including Field Artillery, Infantry and Engineers were beginning to fill up with young and ambitious female Cadets. January 2016 marked a day in history lifting since the ban on women joining combat branches. This achievement allowed female Soldiers to fight next to their male counterparts and equally participate in any event within the Army. “The Military is based on wars […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — The 8th Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets woke up early to process a 6-mile Ruck March, August 3, 2018, during Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox. Describing Ruck March is difficult for people who have never moved with a 50-pound backpack for many miles. We can explain it as simply walking with all of the military gear, loaded for bear, over uphills and downhills for a long time. Ruck March is part of the Cadets summer training; which is an excellent opportunity to go back over some of those skills necessary for a soldier and build Cadets up to […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp ambushed Opposing Forces, also known as OPFOR, during Field Training Exercises on August 1, at Area of Operation Grizzly. When the Cadets woke up that morning, described Cadet Olan Field, they knew that they were going to be conducting an ambush but weren’t exactly sure where. “We had to … go and find out information and then utilize that information that we received into our next mission,” stated Field. Platoon Sergeant Cadet Perry Patton, a student at Harding University, explained that a leader’s reconnaissance element met up with a defector who […]

FORT KNOX, Ky – As the beginning of their Field Training Exercises, Cadets from 8th Regiment, Basic Camp spent the day of August 1, 2018 split up by squad, running through various tactical operations. The Cadets started the planning phase of the mission after receiving an initial order. This is when the Cadet in charge, the squad leader, gives a detailed brief of who will be going where and how the operation will unfold, making sure everyone is on the same page. “We were given the op ord. [operation order] that we were going to do a deliberate attack,” Cadet Aaliyah […]

Advanced Camp Cadets endure mud for mission FORT KNOX, Ky.– On a rainy, late July morning, Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp slide through mud to conduct a platoon attack. During the first day of their field training exercise, the clouds left no mercy on Cadets preparing for their mission. Weighed down by rucks and wet uniforms, Cadets from Alpha Company trudge through the Kentucky woods in an area of operations known as Panther. This sector of the woods gives Cadets their first taste of field training exercises that are not led by Cadre. “We moved tactically to an ORP [objective rally […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – With only three days left until graduation, Cadets from 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp must begin asking themselves, “What’s next?” Lucky for them, Branch Orientation provides some answers. During Branch Orientation, Cadets rotate through various tents filled with information on each branch available to them. For some Cadets, selecting a branch is a walk in the park, but for others, selecting a branch will be the hardest decision they ever make. Cadet Anna Farmer from the University of Oregon has a decision to make. As of now, she has narrowed down her selections to Field Artillery, Military Intelligence and […]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp conducted a raid on July 30, during the third and final phase of Field Training Exercises: the Grizzly phase. During the Grizzly phase, also known as the run phase, the Cadets conduct the missions themselves as opposed to being guided through them by Cadre like in the Wolverine (crawl) and Panther (walk) phases. Cadet Marc Venditti, University of South Florida, the platoon leader for yesterday’s mission, explained that he utilizes the chain of command to communicate with his platoon. He gives information to his squad leaders, who pass it on to their […]

FORT KNOX, Ky – Cadets from 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp woke up in the early morning hours of July 30th, 2018 to step off for the 12-mile ruck march, the last critical event before graduation. “I’m about to knock out this 12-mile ruck march with 35 pounds on my back,” Cadet Jhory Miller, Norfolk State University, declared. For this ruck march, the Cadets carry a minimum of 35 pound of gear from the field. This prepares them for future combat situation where they will be carrying larger rucks for long periods of time. “Sometimes in warfare we have to live out […]

Fort Knox, Ky.- Today, the 6th Regiment, Alpha and Bravo Company Basic Camp Cadets graduate Cadet Summer Training 2018. Proud family members from all across the country gather together to witness the inspiring ceremony. These Cadets have all come a long way and yet this is only the beginning. Day in and day out they trained rigorously, overcame tremendous fears, and strengthened themselves to achieve their highest level of excellence. There has been outstanding growth from the day they first arrived. Throughout each exercise completed they acquired leadership characteristics, teamwork and accountability for one another, and the strength and stamina to conquer all tasks. Excitement is in the […]