FORT KNOX – With enemy forces alerted, Cadets stopped in their tracks. The original plan fell through. Behind cover, Cadets of 1st Regiment found another way to complete their field training exercise, June 27, 2025.

The ‘Grizzly’ phase, following ‘Panther’ and ‘Wolverine’, is the most rigorous FTX. During Grizzly, Cadets are expected to lead their platoon and squad without any direction from Cadre.  Changing their approach, Cadets attempted to assault an ‘enemy’ position as time ticked down.

Cadet Aidan Shelton, The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, coordinated the weapon squad’s plan of attack. Adjusting their range of fire on high ground, he successfully provided support to the assault teams below.

“When we got into what we were doing, it just came naturally,” said Shelton. “Experience refines training.”

Just a semester before, his ROTC military instruction was dedicated to strikes and other tactical scenarios. Today, he puts his training to the test.

“I wanted to defend that, and I wanted to feel like I had a stake in my country.”

Serving as a leader alongside Shelton during the FTX, Cadet Andrew Snyder, University of Kansas, took command. He too walks the path of becoming an officer.

A former infantryman, Snyder’s shift to a corrections specialist awakened his need to lead the Army’s finest. Merging infantry work ethic with the demands of Leavenworth Penitentiary’s environment, his passion for overseeing the wellbeing of his soldiers grew.

“I knew going the officer route, my sphere of influence would be bigger,” said Snyder. “I could take care of my Soldiers better with my rank.”

Over the course of his service, Snyder has taken steps- and opportunities- to make it happen.

He became an applicant for the Green to Gold program. Soon after, he was nominated by his Brigade Commander at Leavenworth, Col. Kevin Payne for the Division Commander’s Hip Pocket Scholarship. Maj. Gen. Duane R. Miller awarded it to him.

As the rank of second lieutenant draws nearer for Shelton and Snyder, they spoke about the future. Hoping to branch into the military police, Snyder returns to Leavenworth.

“One of my first big goals is to take company command,” he said.

As for Shelton, he hopes to bring his experiences at CST to the Air Defense Artillery branch and reflect on them together with his family.

“I’m sad it’s coming to an end,” said Shelton. “But going back home and telling the stories across the dinner table is going to be a lot of fun, and it’s going to get a lot of laughs out of it.”