FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets with 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, participate in a confirmed holdoff, July 17, 2024. A confirmed hold off is where Cadets practice their marksmanship skills with their M-4 Carbines before taking on their qualification testing as a part of Cadet Summer Training.
To be a successful leader it is often said that you shouldn’t lead people to do things that you wouldn’t do yourself. Cadet Ryan Kirk shares this sentiment and is one of the reasons he decided to attend the senior military college, University of North Georgia “in hopes of becoming the best Army officer possible,” he says.
The decision to take on an officer role was a simple one for Kirk, as he “knew he wanted to join the army since middle school,” he states. “My grandfather was in the Coast Guard, so I figured I too wanted to do something meaningful with my life. I knew I didn’t want to enlist because I thought taking charge and leading troops, directing the effort was an important thing to do,” says Kirk.
Kirk has a path and plans on sticking to it. The top three branches Kirk hopes to get after commissioning are the “Cyber Corps, Signal Corps, or Military Intelligence Corps,” he says. “I did an Army internship at Fort Eisenhower with the Cyber Protection Brigade. It was really illuminating, it made me really desire the Cyber Corps branch,” says Kirk.
Kirk is currently majoring in Cyber Security with an Intelligence minor in order to achieve his career goals. “I’m going to do my Active-Duty service contract but following that I might work as an Army Civilian. I got to see a lot of that with the Central Violations Bureau as they have a considerable amount of Army Civilians mixed with Soldiers and Officers, so I thought that’d be a good way to experience both sides”.
While Kirk has diligently pursued an education that allows multiple opportunities for him, CST allows him to “hit on those interpersonal skills,” he says. “I’m spending the next month of my life with other Cadets and in some unpleasant circumstances. Just last night we got caught in a storm and it can be hard to stay positive after that. So, I’m really trying to be the voice of morale and humor in the Squad,” says Kirk.
To succeed at CST, you will have to overcome adversity and go through challenges that most people wouldn’t. Kirk claims, “In the moment it can feel like a grind. But you have to remember your commitments, and that you could potentially serve for decades, and that in the scheme of things, 35 days are nothing”.
How a confirmed holdoff is a way for Cadets to practice their marksmanship and really refine the small details, the entirety of CST can be viewed in the same manner. “You’re going to get the best instruction and the best care possible. The Cadre have been very attentive to everyone’s needs. This is a great place to figure yourself out and prepare to be an Army officer,” says Kirk.
About the Author: Andrew Harmon
