The sound of rhythmic marching echoes through the still, quiet morning air as Cadets from 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp started their six-mile ruck towards the range to complete Battle March and Shoot training on Fort Knox, Ky., June 12, 2025.

The BMS event is a ruck march immediately followed by a range session. It is designed to simulate a high stress environment in which shooting accurately becomes much more difficult.

Cadet Samuel Vance, Marshall University, has made new friends through Advanced Camp that helped him complete the march.

“People (are) always the best part of the military,” said Vance. “Meeting the other guys (from) across the country and meeting other people I probably would have never had the opportunity to talk to if it wasn’t for CST.”

Vance continued saying, “I stayed with the team, and we were able to talk to each other and just enjoy it.”

Similarly to Vance, Cadet Sam Buchholz, South Dakota State University, relied on his fellow Cadets to help him finish the march.

“What kept me going was the snacks and the guys I was walking with,” said Buchholz.

Cadet Kalvin Alexander, University of Louisiana at Monroe, is focused on the short-term goals, taking things one step at a time as he makes his way through Advanced Camp.

“Right now, my goal is to get through one event at a time,” said Alexander. “Today the goal was to just finish the six miles, that’s a milestone.”

Alexander says he is looking forward to being out in the field, completing the various stages of the field training exercise.

“Now its time to (look at) next week,” said Alexander, “I’m ready to get in the field, that’s what I’ve been looking forward to.”

Events like the BMS and the field training exercise are essential components of Cadet Summer Training that help build a solid foundation for the Army’s next leaders, one step at a time.

“CST is here to build your character and build up your leadership skills,” said Alexander. “As long as you work with each other, you care about what you’re doing and you’re actually doing it for a certain reason, anyone could come through CST and be successful.”