FORT KNOX, KY. – Trust in yourself, trust in the equipment and trust the process. The three things that Maj. Derek Rondeau, the officer in charge of the rappel tower and confidence course, emphasized to Cadets assigned to 2nd Regiment, Advanced Camp, as he gave the safety briefing before Cadets began rappelling on Fort Knox, Ky., June 19, 2025.

The rappel tower and confidence course are key components of Cadet Summer Training, used to build Cadet’s confidence and trust in themselves, their equipment and their Cadre.

Cadet Elijah Page, University of Tennessee, overcame his fear of heights at the top of the 64-foot tower through Cadre helping him build trust in them and himself.

“I am terrified of heights,” said Page. “When it’s your biggest fear and you’re relying on something else to control it and you get it done, it builds your confidence in the people around you and the equipment.”

Page was able to rappel down the tower and completed the confidence climb with the trust built in the equipment and a “don’t think, just go” mindset. Without this mindset, Page said he would have just frozen on the ledge. The support from Cadre was the main factor in him being able to complete the events.

Similarly to Page, Cadet Ellejoi Robinson, University of South Florida, was very nervous about rappelling, even crying at some points. But with the trust that was built between Robinson and her Cadre, and her Cadre helping her build trust in her equipment, she was able to complete her rappel.

“I cried like twice (on the tower), and on the practice wall too,” said Robinson. “The Cadre and the support system that were here got me off the tower.”

After completing both the wall side and the open side of the tower, Robinson was relieved to be back, firmly on the ground.

“I feel refreshed,” said Robinson. “I do want to cry again, but at the same time its not the same type of crying—a happy cry now.”

After the Cadets completed both sides of the tower, they moved to the confidence course. The course consisted of nine obstacles, challenging Cadet’s physical prowess and mental fortitude.

While the confidence course is a “solo event” where Cadets complete each obstacle individually, Cadets rely on support and encouragement from their squad to help push them through the event.

“For me, I’m encouraged by other Cadets pushing to do their best,” said Cadet Edward Danneker, Louisiana State University. “There’s some hard times we face and having each other also going through the same things, lifting each other up as we go, is very beneficial.”

For Cadet Robinson, trust built in herself as well as the trust built between her fellow Cadets and her Cadre in the short time they have been together, kept her pushing through the confidence course and the other events of CST confidently.

“I feel like I usually don’t trust myself, but now I am trusting myself more,” said Robinson. “I have trust in the people that care about me like my Cadre, even though I have only known them for a few days, I know that they’re not going to let me fail, and the (Cadets) around me are not going to let me fail.”