FORT KNOX, KY. – The sun had yet to rise, but Cadet Matthew Henson, Jacksonville State University, assigned to 4th Regiment, Advanced Camp, was feeling great as he crossed the finish line for the two-mile run, completing his Army Fitness Test. 

The grit and motivation it takes to be feeling good after completing a maximum deadlift, as many pushups as possible in two minutes, the sprint drag carry, a plank and then a two mile run, seems to be in Henson’s DNA. He has a long line of family that served in the military. 

Henson’s grandfather keeps a chest of effects their family brought back after fighting in World War II, including those of a relative taken as a prisoner of war by Germany during World War II. Henson’s great-grandmother initially collected and saved the things their family brought back from the war.

The lineage of veterans in Henson’s family continued with his grandfather, who Henson affectionately called his “Pawpaw.” Henson’s grandfather served in the Army and fought in the Vietnam War as an artillery crew member. He also kept lots of memorabilia and artillery shells from his time in the service. Today, he does reenactments of past wars.

“It is a part of his character,” Henson said.

Henson’s bloodline of service members that fought in major wars influenced his choice to join the military. 

“Telling me those stories and money he’s (Henson’s grandfather) collected from Germany, from France,” he said, “it was awesome.”

While intrigued by his family’s stories of travel abroad and the things they collected, that wasn’t the sole reason Henson decided to join. He was more so motivated by the chance to challenge himself and expedite his journey to becoming a nurse.

“It seemed like I could do the career I wanted to,” he said, “and it (ROTC) would propel me further in that career and I would get to do some things that I’d never get to in the civilian world as a nurse.”

When he decided to join ROTC, Henson was already familiar with the military, not just because of his family. He was in the Air Force National Guard for four years before switching to the Army and joining ROTC. He made the change after running into a recruiter while going to school for nursing.

“I just wanted to do something to challenge myself,” he said.

With its test of muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance, the AFT certainly provided a challenge for Henson. Strength and endurance were not the only challenges though. Henson, along with other Cadets, found the grading strict, especially on their pushups.

“I’d rep out some pushups,” Henson said, “and they’d (the graders) be like four, four, four, four, until you get it just perfect.”

Despite the tough grading he received on his pushups, the plank was most difficult for Henson. For him the event was more of a mental challenge than physical. 

“I think no matter how strong you are, everyone gets the shakes a little bit,” he said, “but what determines if you’re going to max it is if you’re in it, you’re going to grit through and you’re going to finish it.”

Henson thought it was the hardest event, yet he managed to hold it for the maximum time. After the plank, he prepared for the final event, his favorite, the two-mile run. Henson had been running on his own to train for the event before coming to CST. 

“When the standard is two miles,” he said, “you run three miles so when you get to two miles it’s easy.”

The run is Henson’s favorite because of its simplicity. 

“I feel like it is a very personal event where there’s not a perfect form,” he said. “Everyone runs a little bit differently, different speeds, everything, but as long as you’re pushing yourself to finish it, there’s no wrong way to do it.”

With the AFT completed, Henson looked forward to the next thing. 

“I’m just ready to eat some chow now,” he said.