FORT KNOX, Ky.- Soldiers from all different parts of the Army come to Fort Knox, Ky., to support Cadet Summer Training. Staff Sgt. Lidia Zavalza came to Fort Knox from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington to cook in one of the mobile kitchen trailers, making food for Cadre while they are on the job.  Zavalza joined the Army 10 years ago as a 92G, also known as a Culinary Specialist.  “I joined the Army because I grew up with my dad’s side of the family all being in the military, and I wanted to try it too,” Zavalza said. “My grandmother, she [...]

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 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their preliminary marksmanship instruction in preparation for their weapons qualification during Cadet Summer Training, Fort Knox, Ky., June 30, 2023.  Cadets spend a few days working through PMI, the engagement skills trainer, and zeroing before they must qualify with their M4 carbines.  For some Cadets, such as Cadet Dynasty Esposito, City College of New York, CST is their first exposure to the Army’s weapons training. “I’m a little nervous since this is my first weapon qual[ification],” Esposito said. “Hopefully, I get a 40 out of 40, which I’m pretty confident [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky., – Cadet Agnelo Lopes, Columbia State University, from 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp, decided at a young age that he was going to serve in the Army. At around 7 years old, Lopes had traveled two miles from Jersey City, New Jersey, for a school field trip to the Statue of Liberty. The day of this field trip was September 11, 2001 — a day that changed Lopes’ life trajectory as well as the United States.  “I was actually on a field trip to the Statue of Liberty when the twin towers went down,” Lopes said. “I always wanted [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Cadet Jon Waldon, 5th Regiment Advanced Camp, implemented his prior experience as a staff sergeant to help guide him through Cadet Summer Training, Fort Knox, Ky., June 28, 2023. During engagement skills trainer, Waldon worked with fellow Cadets, rotating through the stations that are designed to improve their marksmanship skills. “My experience today was good, I think that the Cadre have done a really good job with this training,” Waldon said. “I’ve been in the military for six years. I haven’t ever seen such attention to detail focused on the foundations.” Waldon worked as an eye specialist in [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 5th Regiment Advanced camp tackled the weapons qualification on the Pells Range at Fort Knox, Ky., June 28, 2023. The weapons qualification challenged Cadets to use the knowledge and training they have received over the last few days to show off their shooting abilities to hit targets at various distances.Cadet Terrence Bryant, Florida A&M University, shared his experience during weapons qualification. “I’m not a stranger behind a gun; I’ve definitely been practicing on my shooting,” Bryant said.“I know I made a few mistakes, but I was able to come on top of it and I’m [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky., – Cadets from 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Army Combat Fitness Test at Fort Knox, Ky., June 28, 2023. The ACFT consists of six events: the max deadlift, the standing power throw, hand-release pushups, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and two-mile run. “I definitely did better than I was expecting,” said Cadet McKinley Rainey, University of Hawaii at Manoa. “I think I did good because it’s a really positive environment, everybody is cheering each other on.” The ACFT is the first training event that Cadets must participate in after their arrival to camp. The ACFT tests Cadets’ physical and mental [...]

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 [...]

Cadets Nina Huff, Loyola University Maryland, and Antonia Adipietro, Norwich University, from 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp, compared their experience with the 64-foot rappel tower to their expectations for air assault school after camp at Fort Knox, Ky., June 28, 2023.

FORT KNOX, Ky., – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, spent the day planning and executing field training exercises during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., June 26, 2023. Cadets will spend a total of 12 days in the field where they will sleep in the woods, test their leadership abilities and run missions like ambushes, raids, attacks, defense, reconnaissance and movement to contact. Cadet Madeline Bryan, Loyola University Chicago, and her platoon executed an attack on an objective. “Everybody communicated with me effectively,” Bryan said. “I got on the objective, I knew I had to shoot, I posted the [...]

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 [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky.,- Cadets from 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their land navigation test for Cadet Summer Training, Fort Knox, Ky., June 26, 2023.  For the day test, Cadets must find at least three points out of four within the four hour time limit.  Cadet Brooke Hawkins, University of Denver, said she felt confident going into her test.  “My program really prepared me,” Hawkins said. “There’s also a lot of gravel trails out here, which is nice, so you don’t have to dead ruck the entire thing. It’s so pretty out here, so it’s also a plus when you’re doing land [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp learned about teamwork and leadership while completing their field leader reaction course training, Fort Knox, Ky., June 25, 2023. Cadets train on the FLRC, working together to solve problems and complete simulated missions on various obstacles.  Maj. Brian Alexander, professor of military science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, said the course helps Cadets learn to delegate tasks and trust their teammates, as a leader.  “The field leader reaction course is important because it introduces complex problem sets to these small unit teams, and it requires these Cadets to kind of think outside [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Lt. Col. Gary Goodman, Cadre member from the University of Delaware, watches over 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets at the engagement skills training event at Fort Knox, Ky., June 26, 2023. Goodman explained that EST is an important event to hold at the beginning of Advanced Camp because it prepares Cadets for the qualifications test that occurs later on. The 5th Regiment’s Cadets all have had prior experience shooting, but during Cadet Summer Training, every Advanced Camp Cadet must go back to the basics of marksmanship. At EST, Cadets learn about proper shooting positions, weapons manipulation, and [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – After a thunderstorm rolled through Fort Knox, Ky., June 25, 2023, 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets braced themselves for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear training. During CBRN training, Cadets are required to take off their protective gas masks in the confidence chamber. Since completing Advanced Camp last summer, 2nd Lt. Ethan Miles, a recent graduate from the Virginia Military Institute, is now in charge of masking accountability and distribution during CBRN training for the entirety of Cadet Summer Training. Miles has witnessed Advanced Camp Cadets from every regiment make their way through the confidence chamber since the [...]

FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, engage in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear training in Fort Knox, Ky., June 24, 2023. The CBRN chamber is a concrete, enclosed building that creates a simulation for the Cadets to experience using their gas masks against tear gas. The production of the gas is made by burning two chemical filled capsules inside the chamber. Prior to entering the gas filled room, Cadets take in-depth classes learning about the equipment and how to properly apply it. The Cadre also ensure a proper seal of their masks beforehand. Cadre member 2nd Lt. [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadet Emily Jackson from 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, plans to commission as an active duty nurse for the Army. While at Cadet Summer Training, she shared that her experience in the National Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps furthered her passion towards caring for others at Fort Knox, Ky., June 22, 2023. “I’ve always been super interested in the medical field, and I’m also really passionate about kids and babies,” said Jackson. “So while doing research about [the medical field], I got super interested in labor and delivery and just the whole delivery process itself.” Jackson is from [...]

The 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets prepare for Wolverine, the first phase of the field training exercises, by going through a series of stations at the warrior skills training event at Fort Knox, Ky., June 24, 2023.

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Squads of Bravo Company’s 1st Platoon Cadets from 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, took turns playing the role of either medic or radio personnel during Tactical Combat Casualty Care training at Fort Knox, Ky., June 24, 2023. Within their squads, Cadets practiced the standard procedures they would use to check over a casualty in the event of a real-life emergency. Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Seys from California State University Fullerton explained that this training event is designed to encourage Cadets to learn ‘the building blocks’ of first aid without applying too much pressure on them. “The Army has [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the situation training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., June 23, 2023. During the situation training exercise, Cadets did a deliberate attack. A deliberate attack is when Cadets destroy or defeat enemy forces, seizes, and secures terrain. Two Cadets talked about their experience during the situation training exercise.  Cadet Cleveland Williams from Texas A&M University Central Texas has been an active duty member of the U.S. Army for four and a half years. His military occupational specialty was an 88M. An 88M is a transport operator. He said that he joined [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. –  On June 23, 2023., Cadets from 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, engage in situational training exercises (STX) starting off at the Wolverine phase as part of Cadet Summer Training. They will move though three phases, Wolverine, Panther, and Grizzly. The STX are meant to put the Cadets in a fast-paced environment where they plan and communicate as a team to successfully complete the mission at hand. Cadets camp out in the woods for three days. STX prepares the Cadets for a bigger event called the field training exercise (FTX). Cadet Zoe Routh, University of Oklahoma, is following the [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets completed their training on the engagement skills trainer for Cadet Summer Training, Fort Knox, Ky., June 23, 2023.  This training allows Cadets to learn how to handle their weapons properly before they move onto their group and zero training, weapons qualification, and their battle march and shoot.  “Well, today we’re doing EST, the electric range, so we went out there and we practiced ‘dot 40,’ we did stage five and stage six, and we’re qualifying,” said Cadet Joel Frederickson from Missouri University of Science and Technology. “We’re getting ready for grouping and zeroing [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – While absorbed in lively conversation, 2nd Regiment Cadets’ Noah Scott from Norwich University, Kyle Sopplar from Clarkson University, and Hannah Yun from Loyola University of Chicago put on their camouflage in attempt to blend in with the rest of the forest during their situational training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., June 23, 2023. Yun said she is ‘shocked’ by how close she has gotten with her fellow ‘teammates’ in such a short period of time. “We’ve all met each other two weeks ago, and I think I’m just surprised by how easy it was for us to [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky., – Cadets from 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, tested their leadership abilities at the Field Leader Reaction Course, Fort Knox, Ky., June 22, 2023.  Cadets go through five of the 16 obstacles at the FLRC choosing a new squad leader each time. This gives the ability for more Cadets to practice being leaders. Cadet Evan Harper, University of San Francisco, described the FLRC as a team building event. “We’re doing these events and different challenges together, seeing how we work as a team, and also, how we react to challenges and adversity,” Harper said. “It really shows how well [...]