Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets can do a lot to prepare themselves prior to their arrival at Cadet Summer Training. From running and weight training to mission planning and tactical expertise, their ROTC programs train them to prevent surprises.

But what if they were tasked with overcoming an obstacle they haven’t seen before? This isn’t a hypothetical for some Cadets.

Those assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, entered the confidence course on June 11, 2025. This exercise takes place during phase II of Advanced Camp, challenging the physical and mental strength of Cadets.

Cadet Veronica Rodriguez, California State University, Sacramento, felt the pressure coming to the course with only a knowledge of rope climbing.

“I was absolutely terrified,” said Rodriguez. “We have tires, that’s about it. I’ve never done any of these.”

Cadets must complete seven out of the 10 obstacles to receive camp credit for the confidence course. For those coming in blind, Rodriguez attributes her success to mental strength and the Army’s personal influence.

“I watched people do it, I can try, and I’ll be better than I was before,” said Rodriguez. “It’s all about capability, being more capable and constantly getting yourself better.”

On her last challenge, ‘The Weaver’, one of the harder obstacles within the course requiring Cadets to ‘weave’ over and under wooden planks, Rodriguez struggled. Instead of letting go and falling to the mat below, she listened for the encouragement of her platoon and repeated a personal motto.

“Just one more,” said Rodriguez. “I just kept saying that in my head.”

Inspired by her Sergeant back home and ‘Hacksaw Ridge,’ a WWII film of bravery, Rodriguez uses these three words to motivate herself and successfully maneuver the obstacles, leaving the course with nine completed overall.

Similar to Rodriguez, Rebekah Young, Gannon University, credits personal confidence to everyone’s ability to finish the course.

Young arrived at the event with zero obstacle course experience. But this didn’t deter her goal of achieving recondo, awarded to Cadets who display superior skills at Advanced Camp. To earn recondo in the confidence course, Cadets must complete every obstacle.

“You have to come into it and have that idea in your head that ‘I’m going to go out there and crush it’,” said Young. “I think it (the confidence course) helps us get rid of our own voices in our head saying that we’re not capable of doing something.”

By researching YouTube videos online and talking amongst peers with obstacle experience, Young found comfort before the exercise.

“It’s easy talking to someone who looks like me and has the same build,” said Young. “‘I’m like, OK, if they can do it, I’m capable of doing it.’”

This notion of ‘following the leader’ guides new Cadets as well as the ‘old.’

Wemdimmi Ouedraogo, University of Houston, a former active duty Soldier who’s now in the Green to Gold program, which allows him time to attend college to become an Army officer, pointed his motivation to pride.

“I watch people, if I see somebody do something, I’m like I can do it too,” said Ouedraogo. “I might be very scared, but I’ll just try to find that mental fortitude and try to get over it. I live off of that.”

With years of experience and hundreds of obstacles now behind him, Ouedraogo gets excited for the opportunity to challenge himself and help guide his team through the obstacles which once scared him.

“Everybody’s got to do it, we’re going to help each other out and move together,” said Ouedraogo. “It’s one team, one fight.”