By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – After 31 days of training, 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, Cadets completed Advanced Camp at Cadet Summer Training, graduating at Brooks Field at Fort Knox, June 30. “This ceremony marks the culmination of 31 days of rigorous and intensive training for these young men and women. For them, Advanced Camp served as a test of their leadership abilities and potential to be an officer. They have emerged from this challenge, confident in their ability to assume the tremendous responsibilities of being an Army officer,” said 2nd Lt. Nathan Daws, commonly called ‘Pipes’, the narrator for [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, arrived at Harmon Hall, the Central Issuing Facility, June 28, to return equipment and gear used during Cadet Summer Training. If gear was not issued to Cadets by their host program, the CIF issued gear and equipment so Cadets could obtain the most experience during CST. “Today, we’re basically just doing gear turn in. So, stuff that we didn’t have, they were nice enough to issue it here. Then, we have to work really hard to make sure it’s clean because, if it’s not, they will make us clean it [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, arrived at Smith Gym, June 22, for Platoon photos. Cadet Summer Training is centered around the Cadets and creation of future leaders by making graduates into 2nd lieutenants. With their training almost complete, there are very few things left for them to complete. There is one thing, however, that was done that was centered around  helping others; the donation of blood. The Armed Services Blood Program held the first CST blood drive, June 22. The ASBP set up everything required in Smith Gym including chairs, interview stations, recovery stations and [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Rappel Tower and Confidence Course at Fort Knox, June 26, for Cadet Summer Training. The Rappel Tower is a 64-foot tower that challenges Cadets through heights as well as rappelling skills and tying the Swiss seat. The Confidence Course is a set of obstacles for Cadets to push themselves to their limits. “Today, we are Rappelling and doing the Confidence course which is like an obstacle course where there’s different challenges and obstacles that you have to get over. There’s a lot of physically challenging stuff from climbing [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed weapons qualification at the Pells/George Blair Range, June 21, at Fort Knox during Cadet Summer Training. Weapons qualification is training where Cadets shoot live ammunition on a range at pop-up targets. “Yesterday, they did their grouping and zeroing to get their shot group closer and closer to the center of the target. Today, they’re going out onto the range and they shoot their targets and qualify,” said 2nd Lt. Michaela Bauman. Before going out to qualify their M4 Carbine Rifle, Cadets must go through several steps. “To get ready [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Advanced Camp 1st Regiment took a leap of faith and descended down a 64-foot rappel tower, June 21, as they have four days left of their Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky. Cadets are required to rappel down both sides, wall and no wall, to graduate. The rappel tower is the first half of the confidence mission; the other half is the obstacle course. “It’s designed to have the Cadets overcome their fear of heights,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Yocom. The rappel tower is all about trust, “we are going to properly rig them up into [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, participated in weapons zeroing and weapons qualification June 12 at Canby Hill Range at Fort Knox, Kentucky during Cadet Summer Training. This training is for Cadets to better understand their weapon in terms of safety and proper use. “Right now, they’re getting qualified on the M16. They are getting confidence in grouping, zeroing and basic familiarization at this point. Some of them have never shot a weapon before and so that’s the experience that they’re getting,” said 2nd Lt. Aurora Alejos. Cadet Patrick Spencer, Texas Christian University, Indianapolis, Indiana, explained [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 2nd Regiment, Basic Camp, performed Individual Task Testing (ITT), June 16, during Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Ky. ITT is testing for Cadets which evaluates the skills they have learned up to this point in their training. “Today, we’re getting tested on everything we’ve learned up to this point. We’re making sure we know how to load a weapons system, do system checks on it and, if there’s a misfire, how to take care of it. We’re also being tested on first aid as well as different carries and how to treat [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp Regiment 4 received their MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems) gear at Assembly Area Baker at Fort Knox, Ky. on June 15 during Cadet Summer Training (CST). MILES gear is a three-part system consisting of a sensor vest, a helmet sensor called a halo and a laser system for rifles. “There are sensors that detect lasers that are shot from the rifles and also a laser system that is attached to their rifle or the machine gun. When a blank round is fired from the weapon, it shoots a laser out,” said [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky.- Advanced Camp 5th regiment collected items, June 15, from the Central Issue Facility that they will need for their annual Cadet Summer Training, Fort Knox, Ky. CIF is a warehouse that Cadets go to collect items that they were unable to bring from their home station It’s a quick and easy process, the Cadets first line up in alphabetical order, then by groups of five they enter the warehouse where there are stations for them to go through. “It’s hard to tell what they will need to use in the field, its important for them to have these [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp, 4th Regiment, arrived June 9 at Fort Knox, Kentucky for Cadet Summer Training (CST).  Cadet arrival is a hustle and bustle kind of day. Many things need to be accomplished upon arriving as a Cadet. Things like settling into the barracks and preparing for the training ahead. Other activities include packing and unpacking their belongings. Why? While waiting to go up to the barracks, one Cadet answered this question. “It’s just for inspection to make sure you have everything. Last thing you want, while you’re out in the field, is to not [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Blood can be a squeamish topic for most people. For others, it is a part of their every day life. Blood is essential to the human body and serves many purposes. It is also essential for military personnel. The military has a special program called the Armed Services Blood Program. The people who work for the Armed Services Blood Program work with blood and patients on a daily basis. The ASBP is an official provider of blood and blood products in the military as well as its branches such as the Army, Navy and [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets learned the fundamentals of Preliminary Marksmanship Instructions (PMI) June 8 during the annual Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadets learn the fundamentals of shooting the Army’s M4 Carbine Rifle. Three stations were set up for the Cadets to cycle through, teaching them basic rifle marksmanship skills. “The three stations we have set up for the Cadets are the fundamentals and positions, ballistics and trajectory and minute of angle (MOA), and the last station is maintenance,” said, Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Baeza, 4th Squadron, 3rd Calvary Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Ranger candidates completed the Combat Water Survival Assessments June 8 during Cadet Summer Training in preparation for Ranger School. CWSA, also called Combat Water Survival Test is comprised of three different tests which all must be passed to complete training. “We did a 15-meter swim test with keeping our rifle above the water. We did a 3-meter blind drop. So, we had a blindfold over us and we had to hold our rifle out and jump off of the high dive. Then we had an equipment ditch. So, we had our LBE (Load Bearing [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd and 4th Squad Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, were trained and tested on Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) environments June 7 during Cadet Summer Training (CST). This required training is to educate Cadets on CBRN environments should they arise during deployment. “It’s important because the current environment that we might be going into, we might face it one day. So, making sure that we’re properly prepared and ready for it is something that, I think, future officers should know when getting ready to lead their troops,” said Cadet Angel Rivas, University of [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – The Charlie and Delta Companies of First Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear, CBRN, training on June 4 during Cadet Summer Training, CST. This training helps educate the Cadets should they encounter a chemical environment. “Any kind of energy source that would cause a hazard, we have to be able to take care of it. Also, if you come upon an unknown substance, liquid or gas, it could cause a lot of harm. Since we don’t know everything that exists, we need to be able to prepare for it and test [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – Potential Ranger candidates gathered at Fort Knox, Kentucky on June 4 to complete a voluntary, preliminary Ranger Physical Fitness Test (RPFT) to see not only what they excel at, but also what needs improvement. There are several tasks that the candidates must complete. Candidates are tested on how many push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups they could do in two minutes. The candidates also had to complete a five-mile run in less than 40 minutes to qualify. “What we’re doing here to day is giving them a shot at trying it out, seeing how it goes [...]

By: Madison Thompson FORT KNOX, Ky. – The First Regiment Cadets, Advanced Camp, completed the Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear, CBRN, training on June 2 during Cadet Summer Training, CST. CBRN is training where the Cadets are exposed to Corson Stoughton, CS, gas. CS gas, commonly known as tear gas, causes certain symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes, some difficulty breathing and, in some extreme cases, vomiting. This training is required by all Soldiers of the Army. “The CS chamber is a basic level task that every Soldier has to conduct in the Army. It’s the same as taking a PT [...]