FORT KNOX, KY. – Out in the woods, Cadets gathered around Cadre, listening to their instructions for medical lanes. The events at the lanes that Cadets assigned to 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp had to pass were, stop the bleeding, check for breathing, transport a casualty and call a nine-line. The Cadre, most of whom are part of the 1st Cavalry Division out of Ft. Hood, Texas; were a key part in Cadets mastering the stations. 

Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey, arrived at Ft. Knox the day prior to observe what his Soldiers were doing in support of CST. 

“It’s kind of a two-fold mission,” he said. “It’s to visit all of our Soldiers that are supporting the Cadet Summer Training and also an opportunity for me to come back and see Advanced Camp 33 years after I went.”

Feltey shared the expectations he had for his Soldiers supporting CST. He counts on them to uphold the Army standard and show Cadets what it looks like. 

“There’s only one standard, whether they’re Cadets in various schools and programs across the country or they’re Soldiers in the 1st Cav division, there’s only one standard.”

For many Cadets, this is also the longest time they have been a Soldier. While at school they are Soldiers a lot, but at the end of the day, they go home and resume their civilian life. Here, that is not an option. Feltey hopes that his Soldiers are exemplifying what a full-time Soldier looks like.

“I’m hoping and confident that our Soldiers are showing exactly what a professional Soldier is,” he said, “and teaching them the exact standards that we have to adhere ourselves to.”

On his first full day on Ft. Knox, Feltey visited the medical lanes. He was impressed with the work both his Soldiers and all the Cadets were doing. 

“I can just see that this training is absolutely on par with everything our Soldiers are getting across the Army,” he said. 

Cadets Zach Kmeic, Liberty University, and Jessica Barb, Penn State, felt that Feltey’s Soldiers were doing everything he expected of them. They were learning many medical skills from them.

“They teach you exactly what to do,” Kmeic said.  

“We got to learn about how to save a casualty on the battlefield,” Barb said. 

Besides teaching them medical skills, the Cadre offered Cadets support. They gave them guidance and tips for how to do better on the lanes, something that Barb found necessary.

“You need to have definitely support and definitely just guidance from others to help you,” she said. 

With his Soldiers guiding the Cadets through CST, Feltey is sure that the Cadets will be set up to succeed when they commission. 

“I’m certain that the training here is going to make them all better Officers,” he said.