On the early morning on July 29, 2021, when the moon was still high in the sky above Fort Knox, Ky., the Cadets of 11th Regiment, Advanced Camp donned their rifles and rucksacks, strapped bright red safety lights to their heads and took to the vacant streets to complete a six-mile march of endurance. “This is a ruck march, this is to test their endurance, and to just make sure that they’re prepared to move themselves and their equipment across the battlefield if they have to,” said Capt. Harrison Coch, of the University of Wisconsin, Steven’s point. “They can expect to [...]

Five, four, three, two, one, Cadets can be heard joining in on the countdown for the six-mile ruck. Some out of fear, some out of anticipation but all with the drive to pass. GO! 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets had an early start the morning of June 9th, as they faced the six-mile ruck march. A must pass event for the Cadets, they have two hours to carry 35 lbs. of gear on their backs if they want to continue on to graduation. Cadet Mary Coverdale, from Norwich University, gave her thoughts as she pushed forward one foot at a time. [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. -While Cadets are at Cadet Summer Training (CST), they are completely focused on their training. They have limited contact with their friends and family, they don’t have the regular comforts of home and they must complete grueling tasks throughout the 37-day training period. One of those grueling tasks is the 12-mile foot march, which 11th Regiment Advanced Cadets completed early this morning. The movement, from Tactical Assembly Area Densberger back to the Disney Training Complex on Fort Knox, ended the regiment’s 12-day field problem and put them one-step closer to graduation day. These Cadets will soon return to [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmJ_fCjJOg[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, KY. – It was a perfect morning for 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets to march 12-miles back to base to prepare for graduation in a few days. Cadets woke up around 1 a.m., they grabbed their 35 pounds, or more, rucksacks and got into formation. Noise was at a minimum. “The silence was a challenge, not being able to talk and motivate each other through the ruck was rough,” said Cadet Cameron McNeil, from Virginia Military Institute. McNeil wasn’t the only one who found it hard to stay silent. Cadet Alex Garner, from Sacramento State University, and his [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets of the 11th Regiment of Advanced Camp completed their 8-mile ruck march this morning, August 3. Between release-ruck marches and formation-ruck marches, each Cadet has their preferences; most prefer the release as they can go at their own speed, do their own thing. A formation-ruck march keeps Cadets orderly, a tactical move that ensures they hone their field skills while they march. Cadets are told to keep silent, save the sound of their boots hitting the ground. While the ruck march may seem to drudge on slowly, Cadets find ways to keep themselves entertained. A Rucking [...]

FORT KNOX, KY.— “Twelve miles is a distance that most people do not normally do every day so being able to accomplish something like that is pretty rewarding,” said Cadet Hayden Martinez, from Oregon State University. Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, had this satisfaction when they completed their 12-mile road march here early in the morning on Aug. 2. Cadets stepped off the start line from Tactical Assembly Area Densberger.  They spent yesterday at TAA Densberger following their final phase of the Field Training Exercises. Martinez said that the rucks [the pack they carried with their clothing and equipment] this [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtJ5chAPwDY[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. – With 35 pounds on their back, camouflage on their faces and the dark morning sky above them, 10th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets foot marched eight miles to TAA Densberger to prepare for their next field training exercise (FTX) lane.  On this particular movement, Cadets silently marched in two columns in what is known as a tactical formation to prepare them for combat situations after they commission.  “During a tactical formation, we avoid enemy detection by remaining silent,” said Cadet Brandon Piccinini, attending Auburn University. “We also don’t wear lights so that we can maintain stealth [...]

Cadets of the 10th Regiment of Advanced Camp completed the six-mile ruck march in the early hours of this morning, July 14. Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” ringing through their ears, Cadets were able to find some pretty interesting ways to stay motivated. Some may even call them quirky. What’s Your Quirk? “For both my rucks and the two-mile run I sing ’99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,’” Cadet Josh Hopingardner, from Yorktown, Virginia, said. “I sing all the way down to one and then I work my way back up.” Hopingardner, attending University of Montana, said singing helps to keep his [...]

Fort Knox, Ky. – The stars were out; the crickets were chirping and 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets were rucking. At 4 a.m. the Cadets were lined up and began the six-mile ruck march. “It is good to be out here with all of my buddies, I have made some really good friendships thus far and I love a really good (physical training) session,” Cadet Dylan Vansickell from Little Silver, New Jersey, and a student at Stevens Institute of Technology said. “A six-mile ruck to start the morning [makes for] a good day.” The Cadets used this time in a variety [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

Fort Knox, Ky. — The sunlight was waning and so was the energy of the Cadets as they completed the 12-mile ruck march. The march began at 7 p.m. and took around 4 hours to complete. The march was conducted in a tactical manner meaning the entire regiment moved in formation for the duration of the march. At the 11th mile checkpoint, Cadets regrouped, fixed their formations and rucked the last mile together. “The ruck is good,” Cadet Serene Farj, from Somerville, New Jersey, a student at the University of Virginia, said. “The morale is high. It is our ruck to [...]

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 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. – It was a little past 11 o’clock at night when Cadet Mercedes Hayes of New Mexico Military Institute reminded herself that she was over halfway done. There were only 3.2 miles remaining. “I came up with a little mantra to tell myself – that I’m a strong person, everyone else is doing the same thing I am, and no matter what, it’s just about finishing,” she said as she sat to take a water break with the other Cadets of 5th Regiment, Basic Camp. “I feel like I want to sleep, honestly. But I feel that I [...]