[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw7AaXFOYXc[/embedyt] Fourth Regiment, Advanced Camp, Cadets conducted an attack on a group of Opposing Force (OPFOR) at approximately 8:15 a.m. today. “Today, they were focused on the first mission, which was an attack. An attack to defense,” Clarkson University Instructor, Master Sgt. James Prescott said. The attack was the first lane 4th Regiment was scheduled to complete for the Field Training Exercise I (FTX I), but the lane did not go as planned. The Cadets ended up defending their position after an ambush from the OPFOR team. Trouble stirred when information was not communicated correctly and the platoon got off [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – A desolate confidence course is abruptly rushed by 5th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets ready to train, June 27. The confidence course involves a series of obstacles Cadets complete with their battle buddies prior to braving the rappel tower. “They are tested on three primary competencies: confidence, courage, and teamwork,” said Capt. Patrick O’Neil, from Central Michigan University. “It’s about maintaining squad integrity and encouraging each other.” 5th Regiment Cadets were by no means short on encouragement. While they waited for their turn to attempt each obstacle, Cadets cheered for their battle buddies who were completing their attempts. “It’s pretty [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Fifth Regiment, Advanced Camp Cadets completed rappel tower training today to push themselves to tackle fears and improve personal courage. Cadets were required to complete three variations of the rappel tower; the slight incline, the wall and the open face rappel. They were meant to not only teach the Cadets but test them as well. “Each one is building up off of what we previously did,” Cadet John Manning, from Overland Park, Kansas, and attending Marquette University, said. “The slant tower is to make sure we know the basic skills. The wall side is so we can [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yMPg0P6lRw[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — Basic Camp Cadets begin their first steps in their training in the classroom to gain helpful tips in overcoming the ahead. Jon Walker is the Lead Performance Expert at Fort Knox and one of the leaders from the R2, Ready and Resilient, Performance Center running the 1st Regiment Basic Camp Cadets’ Performance Training. Described by Walker as, “PT for the mind,” this training focuses on five mental toughening skills to help the Cadets prepare for their month here at basic camp. Confidence, concentration, composure, goal setting/motivation and integrated imagery are all things the Cadets are [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knk13datG2o[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 4th Regiment took their personal fears and tossed them away to an explosive end at a new event on the Cadet Summer Training (CST) schedule. While throwing dummy and an assortment of different tactical grenades is not something new to CST at Fort Knox, throwing live frag grenades is. Just like with Buddy Team Live Fire, Cadre go out of their way to make sure that the Cadets are safe throughout it all. Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Van Houten, of the 1-41 4thID, was the Range Safety Officer, making made sure the Cadets knew exactly [...]

Perspective.  A term that Cadets Teata Gutierrez, Michael Bock, Kendra Curtice and Calvin Dally used often when reflecting on their trip to Latvia through the Cadet Coalition Warfighter Program (CCWP); previously known as the Cultural Understanding and Leadership Program (CULP).  Gutierrez, Bock, Curtice, Dally and thirty-nine other Cadets travelled to Latvia as part of the CCWP. There, they immersed themselves into Latvia’s military infrastructure, European history and culture. Military to Military U.S. Cadets interacted with Latvian military personnel at Camp Adazi and the NCO Academy.  At the academy, U.S. and Latvian Cadets were grouped together and given a mind or strength [...]

When most people think of Peru, they think of the Amazon Rainforest, Machu Picchu or the Andes Mountains.  Cadets who were accepted into the Cadet Coalition Warfighter Program (CCWP) had a different experience on their trip to this South American country. Cadets stayed at the Escuela Militar de Chorrillos, the Peruvian Military Academy, where they spent their weeks training with the Peruvian military and their weekends exploring the diverse city of Lima.  Although Cadet Daniel Perez, from the University of Texas El Paso, found their training similar to that of the United States, he believed that the Peruvian training was more [...]

Seven-hundred Cadets. Each from their own school. Their own hometown. Their own story.  These seven-hundred Cadets make up 7th Regiment Advanced Camp, who began Cadet Summer Training (CST) yesterday at Fort Knox. “It’s an amazing opportunity. After I joined, I think I became a better man.  Discipline, order, cleanliness, patience and just being comfortable with being uncomfortable are all traits I acquired,” said Gilyard, who completed Basic Camp at Fort Knox last year. Something Gilyard struggled with at Basic Camp was completing land navigation and climbing the rope on the confidence course.  Like most Cadets, the fear of not passing an [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Nearly three hundred Cadets arrived at Fort Knox yesterday for Basic Camp. Over the course of the next thirty-one days, 1st Regiment Basic Camp Cadets will be tested on various activities such as going off the rappel tower, experiencing Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defense (CBRN), and getting familiar with weapon systems. Most Cadets were anxious to arrive at training, as they are taking their first steps in becoming an Army Officer. Cadet Taylor Richardson explains, “There are a lot of emotions going through my head. First day of summer, first time on a plane, first day ever [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Six miles, two aching feet, 35 plus pounds, and Cadets of 5th Regiment only needed one thing to push them forward, each other. The six-mile road march is the first of three different marches the Cadets will be tasked with over the course of Cadet Summer training. The time limit to complete the event was two hours. For those aiming for Recondo the time to beat was 1 hour and 30 minutes. Lt. Col. Jack Toohey from Ohio State University was one of the Cadre who rucked with the Cadets, but he had an added task. He [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from Advanced Camp, 3rd Regiment, worked as a team to complete the confidence course obstacles, June 17, to build certainty in themselves. The course consisted of nine obstacles the Cadets must overcome. The Tough One, the Incline Wall, Low Belly Over, the Confidence Ladder, Six Vault, Swing-Stop-and-Jump, Low Wire, High Stop Over and the Weaver. Between the Tough One and the Weaver, Cadets have the hardest time overcoming these obstacles. During today’s session, the Tough One was out of service due to weather. The Weaver still held up its reputation and challenged the Cadets physically. A University [...]

Rain. Lightening.  A broken LOMAH system. None of these events stopped Cadets from the 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp from fine tuning their marksmanship skills this morning.  Cadets were scheduled to practice these skills before their weapons qualification tomorrow. The Rain.  Cadets arrived at George Blair Range as a thunderstorm hovered over them.  Although the rain was uncomfortable, causing some puddles and heavy ponchos, training was scheduled to begin on time; that is until a lightning bolt struck a tree near the Cadets. The Lightening. “We were lined up for chow and then there was a big lightning strike and we took [...]

“The range is hot,” yelled different Cadre as the Cadets began firing their rifles.  Last week, 4th Regiment completed Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI) training where they familiarized themselves with their M4 Carbines.  Today, they gathered at Canby Hill Range to zero their rifles. For some Cadets, zeroing their weapon is an unfamiliar skill they have yet to practice, but many Cadets from the 4th Regiment have had a wide-range of experience with rifles.  Today allowed each Cadet to make adjustments to zero their weapon, based on the shots they fired at a target. Cadet Sinai Erazo arrived at Fort Knox around [...]

Texas State! Hampton! V.M.I. ! One by one Cadets lined up and shouted their University name before completing the hand grenade qualification course at Christensen Range.  After 3rd Regiment threw their two live grenades, they returned to the practice grenades to execute a simulation on a course with six different stations. For most of these Cadets, today was the first time they handled grenades. This is true for Tazman Briganti.  The Cadet from Virginia Military Institute has never thrown a grenade before this training.  His brother, father, two uncles, and grandfather all have military careers in the Navy, but Briganti is [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuUvbaZKYzQ[/embedyt] FORT KNOX, Ky. — With Buddy Team Live Fire finished, the Cadets of 2nd Regiment, Charlie and Delta Company, prepare for their final task of Cadet Summer Training (CST), the FTX. Buddy Team Live Fire tasked each Cadet to trust their battle buddies as they moved down a lane towards a goal. And with it now completed they get a chance to reflect on all their training and time here at CST before they leave the comfort of their barracks and head to the woods for FTX. Kyle Delaney, an Elon University Cadet, is one of the many Cadets [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 2nd Regiment Charlie and Delta Company took part in training that was brand new to the Cadet Summer Training (CST) here at Fort Knox. While Buddy Team Live Fire is a new addition to CST, it is a basic tenant to be a Soldier and officer in the Army. Two Cadets, or Battle Buddies, take turns moving down a lane and firing at pop up targets before tossing a dummy grenade at an objective. The training is broken up into two different phases: blank firing and live ammunition. Today was the blank firing phase. The [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Before any Cadet walks onto a range at Cadet Summer Training (CST), they must first attend PMI or preliminary marksmanship instruction.  For some Cadets from the 4th Regiment, today might have been the first time they have held a weapon, specially an M4 Carbine rifle. Master Sgt. Jose Trevino, an ROTC instructor at the University of Texas at Brownsville, led one squad’s training.  “There’s a lot of things that go with this. The first thing is safety. You always have to make sure they’re safe because most of them have never fired a weapon or a weapon [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Throughout Cadet Summer Training, there are many events that Cadets are fearful of or struggle to complete.  It may be getting lost during land navigation, rappelling off a 64-foot tower, or shooting a rifle, but for many, this fear comes out at the live hand grenade range. That fear surfaced for 2nd Advanced Camp Regiment Cadets this morning at Christensen Range.  Each Cadet has their own way of facing their fears.  Cadets David Hall and Kenneth Walker handle their fears by focusing on their families and the sacrifices made to get them where they are today. The [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky – There was a break in the rain at Fort Knox when Advanced Camp 3rd Regiment began its Land Navigation testing. Although it was cloudy, muddy and 7 a.m., Cadets wore a smile on their face and were excited to start the day. Just like the 1st and 2nd Regiment, Cadets received a map, points to plot, and then tasked with finding these given points within a four-hour period. Cadets must locate three points to pass the event, but to stay in the running for RECONDO, they must find all four of their points. Within the four hours, [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky – George Blair Range was in full use around 7 a.m. today as the 1st Regiment conducted their weapon qualification.  Cadets had spent the previous two days honing in on their marksman skills to prepare for this morning’s qualification. “We spent the last 48 hours detailing, zeroing and adjusting the clicks, knobs and turns so that we could come out here and qualify,” said Eric Jones, a Cadet from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  Zeroing in a weapon involves aligning sights in a sight picture and then aligning aiming points at a target.  Jones explained, “You spend [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from the 2nd Regiment Advanced Camp overcame their insecurities and became more self-assured at the Rappel Tower and Confidence Course today.  In order to complete their training at Fort Knox, Cadets must complete these two events. While Company C began learning how to tie a Swiss seat harness for the Rappel Tower, Company D began its day at the Confidence Course.  Through each of the nine obstacles on the Confidence Course, Cadets tested not only their mental endurance, but also used their upper-body and core strength. Some obstacles included The Weaver, where one has to maneuver [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Alpha and Bravo Company Cadets from the 2nd Regiment completed their Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) before sunrise this morning.  Passing their APFT is just one of several must-pass events for all Cadets at Advanced Camp. “It’s a huge event. It counts a lot to your overall score in the platoon. So, you definitely want to make sure you’re physically fit before you come to camp,” said Cadet Trevor Stinson, an ROTC student at Boston University. Preparing for the APFT sometimes called for multiple workouts in a day, and many Cadets, such as Angela Liu, took their [...]

Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadre gathered at George Blair Range Wednesday morning to further prepare for the arrival of Cadets later this week for Cadet Summer Training (CST). Their mission was to not only review their basic marksmanship fundamentals, but also understand how to teach and appropriately evaluate the incoming Cadets. Cadre practiced zeroing in on their target at the Location of Miss and Hit, or LOMAH, Range. Groups of two to four Cadre spread out across the range and began to prepare their weapons to shoot at different target meters. Some took position to practice zeroing in their weapons while [...]

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMek7uvk0yg[/embedyt] Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets from the 1st Regiment filed into formation behind the Copple Center today for Cadet Summer Training (CST) Advanced Camp inprocessing. Once inside the Copple Center, Cadets pass through seven different stations: including arrival at CST and CCIMS, listing special guests that might be coming to graduation, Cadet payment information and issues, verifying travel arrangements in Defense Travel System (DTS) after CST, confirming emergency data information, and a few other administrative stations. “We double check to make sure all their pay information is included, their scholarship payments, and if there’s any issues, they will be [...]

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] [...]