FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from the 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp, rehearse running a raid during Situational Training Exercises at Fort Knox, Ky., July 17, 2023.

Cadets completed the Wolverine, the first day of STX. This is the first phase where Cadets are evaluated before advancing to the next two phases, Panther and Grizzly.

Cadet Pherilen Boyd from Georgia Southern University shares her experience from the STX.

“STX was good today, even though it is raining on us a little bit,” Boyd said. “We are all learning a lot that we didn’t know before despite being from different universities. It’s really helping us come together as a team.”

Each mission there is a designated Squad Leader, today Cadet Boyd was the leader in her STX lane. Boyd explains what being a designated leader is like.

“So as a regular joe in a platoon you basically just follow rules and regulations from the person who is in charge but transitioning from that to a squad leader is very different,” Boyd stated. “You are responsible for yourself and what you have to do but now other people as well.”

As a squad leader, Boyd faced different adversities compared to some of her fellow Cadets.

“We are all going through these different environments and things we haven’t necessarily experienced,” Boyd said. “You basically have to step up and put your own feelings aside in order to help the people around you succeed and just have a better outcome for this experience.”

Boyd wasn’t the only one who sees the importance of leadership, Cadet George Anderson from Wofford College shared similar views.

“[Squad leaders] are very important because if you don’t have someone in a leadership position, then everyone’s going to do what they were taught at their school, whereas right now we need to be unified,” Anderson said. “If we are not unified then we are going to be weak and easily taken over.”

As the Cadets continue to grow closer after only completing one night in the field, they have two more nights as part of their STX.

“Yesterday was day zero, that’s when we set up the patrol base and slept under the stars last night,” Anderson said. “We have two more nights and then we rock on the third night.”

Cadets have been through a lot and are reflecting on their experiences now that they are halfway done. Boyd left off on her favorite part of CST so far.

“I would say the growth that I’ve experienced this summer so far made me change how I represent myself as a leader,” Boyd said. “It’s made me want to do better and become better just seeing them perform. Switching little things like here and there, makes you just want to become better as a person.”