“I told them if they hit the target, I’d be going in there just like they were,” said 2nd Lt. Jeanluc Pos.  After realizing their Platoon Training Officer was in on the muddy action if they hit their target, Cadets of 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp locked down their aim in an attempt to hit the 35 meter target during grenade training. Cadet Virginia Larsen, University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign, cheered as her peers attempted to hit the target so their Cadre would join in on throwing practice grenades.  As a Psychology major that is interested in branching Medical Services, the […]

“Camp has been awesome. We are learning different things every single day. It’s amazing to close it out like this, and we’re just ready to go,” Cadet Oluwasegun Olatunji from Sam Houston State University said.  11th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets were the final regiment to complete the Rappel Tower and the Confidence Course during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky.  While some Cadets had a fear of heights and were dreading the tower, Olatunji was filled with excitement.  “I wasn’t nervous. I had trust in my cadre, they basically gave us all the information we needed and made sure we […]

“The grenades are definitely a lot heavier than a softball or baseball, so you have to put a little bit more muscle into it, but it definitely helps with the mechanics,” Cadet Brianna Gowans from Texas A&M University, Central Texas said.  11th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets learned how to properly throw hand grenades during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky. Each Cadet had the opportunity to throw a total of six grenades, the first two being dummies followed by four simulated hand grenades. Before joining the army, Gowans played softball for most of her life.  “All throughout elementary school and […]

There was excitement in the air as Cadets of 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, fired off their final rounds and completed one last tactical mission during their concluding iteration of Field Training Exercises (FTX).   The morale was incredibly high as these Cadets looked back on their time in the field and recognized the very important, yet very different perspectives they had on the experience.   “If we’re not training, we’re out there in the actual, real fight,” Cadet John Halo, from Fayetteville State University, said. “It’s good to have that increased stress, it adds value to the training, so it makes the leaders […]

Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence Award This award is presented to the top Cadet in each Regiment, as determined by Regimental cadre board. Cadet Christopher Jennings, Western Oregon University First Command Financial Services Award This award is presented to the Cadet who best demonstrates the leadership traits necessary to encourage teamwork, improve unit cohesion, and reinforce mission accomplishment. Cadet Sabrina Fradette, University of South Florida USAA Warrior Ethos Award This award is presented to the Cadet who best demonstrates the Army Profession, Ethics, and Officership while best exemplifying the warrior spirit. Cadet David Broadhead, Utah Valley University Armed Forces Bank […]

Three Cadets, Vittorio Divalentin (left) from Virginia Tech, Annika Smylie (center) from Idaho State University, and Kyla McKim (right) from Drexel University, assigned to 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp of Cadet Summer Training discuss different aspects of Field Training Exercise (FTX) and offer some advice to future Cadets during their FTX at Fort Knox, Ky.

Nervous, excited, and thrilled were all words used by Cadets of 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp, to describe their emotions before crawling directly under and toward live M240 machine gun fire.  The Cadets embraced this challenge at the Night Infiltration Course (NIC), a training event at Cadet Summer Training (CST) designed to test physical and mental toughness through the simulation of a combat scenario.  “If you’re in a combat situation and you’re given a mission, you have to complete that mission, otherwise there will be rippling effects through neighboring units,” 2nd Lt. Christian Henderson, commissioned officer from Ball State University, said. “We’ll […]

Special Awards Recipients Military Order of the Purple Heart Badge of MeritCadet Itxel Martin-Huesca, Benedictine College Military Order of the World Wars AwardCadet Anneliese Cowles, Seattle University Military Officer’s Association of America AwardCadet Emme Jennings, University of Houston- Downtown AUSA Warrior Ethos AwardCadet Zachary Ninneman, University of New Mexico First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Sarah Baumann, Pennsylvania State University- University Park Armed Forces Bank Performance AwardCadet Jessielyn Reyes, University of Illinois- Chicago Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Serena Dingman, University of Texas- San Antonio Society of American Military Engineers AwardCadet Phillip Zombro, University of Alabama- Birmingham Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Israel […]

M4 carbine sights may have been fogged up as 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp, went out to the Handiboe Range to group and zero their M4 Carbines, but the conditions taught Cadets that not everyday will be sunny and clear skies.  “It was a combination of fogginess and raindrops all over,” said Cadet Taylor Rice, Virginia Commonwealth University. “It started pouring so much that it got into both my prescriptions and into my eye pro.”  Rice along with her peers had to wipe off their eye protection or glasses in between firing iterations due to the intense downpour. While trying to clear […]

“Electric. I felt no muscle fatigue, nothing,” said Cadet Trevor Corso, from George Mason University.  This invigorating feeling stemmed from the encouragement he received as he raced against his peers of 3rd Regiment, Basic Camp, toward the final challenge of the Beaudoin Obstacle Course.  The course consisted of 13 events designed to test physical capability and boost morale.  “I was up there motivating everybody. I loved the energy coming back to me too,” Corso said. “Giving everybody high-fives on both sides coming through, because they knew I was the last one.”  Corso was the final member of his squad to attempt […]

“When I was dangling in the air for the first five seconds, I was like, ‘oh my gosh, oh my gosh… I can’t do this,” said Cadet John Conrad, Texas Tech University.  In the hot July sun, Cadets conquered the 64ft. Rappel Tower and proved they had what it takes to trust others with their safety. “The scariest thing about going down the rappel tower was the initial part of having to trust everything,” said Conrad. “Myself, I like to be in control. There’s parts of life where you just have to trust in others.” While rappelling sounds like a one-man […]

10th Regiment, Advanced Camp ROTC Cadets conducted movement to contact in their situational training exercise (STX) lane. Each Cadet was required to wear a vest equipped with a Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System, commonly referred to as MILES gear.  Upon being fired, the M4 carbine released a laser which was recognized by the sensors located on the vests of the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) if contact was made.  “But if the OPFOR shoots them, then they know that they need to work on like cover and concealment,” 2nd Lt. Jackson Graham from Auburn University said. “They need to be better at covering […]

Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence Award This award is presented to the top Cadet in each Regiment, as determined by Regimental cadre board. Cadet Garrett Lyons, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Magellan Federal High Performer Award This award is presented to the male and female Cadets who achieve the highest score on the Army Combat Fitness Test. Cadet Garrett Lyons, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityCadet Nicole Ansley, Norwich University First Command Financial Services Award This award is presented to the Cadet who best demonstrates the leadership traits necessary to encourage teamwork, improve unit cohesion, and reinforce mission accomplishment. […]

A nine-line and time was all 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets needed to get through their mission successfully – but time was not on their side.  “And in that moment, we only had five minutes and we had prepped the nine-line as much as we could,” said Cadet Nathaniel Sanders, American University. “But five minutes to get the nine-line out, especially with the casualties that I haven’t assessed yet, was stressful, to say the least.”  Sanders was the platoon sergeant (PSG) for the Field Training Exercise (FTX) during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Along with Sanders was another member […]

“I had everyone in my platoon help me train up until today, and I was very nervous especially on the line,” Cadet Blake Lisgar from University of Delaware said. After two previous days of shooting where Cadets had to group, zero their weapons and complete a zero confirmation, Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp test for marksmanship qualification at Pells Range.  In order to qualify, Cadets must shoot a minimum of 23 out of 40 targets. However, if a Cadet would like to qualify for the Recondo Badge, they must shoot 30 or more targets.  Although Lisgar has experience with shooting, […]

“When you’re crawling, it felt like forever,” said Cadet Thomas Damsgard, University of Alabama. “I felt like I was crawling for a mile.”  An obstacle that is approximately 100 meters long stands between Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, and Cadet Summer Training graduation.  The Night Infiltration Course fires live rounds above Cadets while they low crawl the distance under and over obstacles to include logs. Sand makes it into every crevice of their uniform as they drag themselves, as well as the additional weight of a plated vest and helmet through the course.  The extra weight makes it physically exhausting, […]