FORT KNOX, Ky. – As the rays of light from the morning sun shone through the trees, Cadets assigned to 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, practiced their leadership skills when they completed the Field Leadership Reaction Course on Fort Knox, Ky., July 2, 2025.

The FLRC is a timed course consisting of many challenging obstacles and scenarios that test Cadet’s physical and mental fortitude. It helps Cadets develop teamwork and critical thinking skills while enhancing leadership tactics that they will need as future officers.

Cadet Clayton Roach, University of Rhode Island, says the FLRC teaches cadets to think like leaders, teaching them that each individual is only as strong as the weakest link.

“You’re only as strong as your weakest link in this obstacle course,” said Roach. “There’s a lot of attention to detail and a lot of working together, finding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Cadet Joseph Waguespack, Louisiana Tech University, emphasized how the FLRC builds trust between Cadets while pushing them to think as leaders.

“It pushed a lot of us to really think outside the box,” said Waguespack. “We had to rely on our teammates to take care of us, as well as trusting our teammates to do the job when it needed to get done.”

Waguespack, a prior enlisted interior electrician with the Louisiana National Guard, said that the FLRC helps Cadets grow in a multitude of ways, not only as a Soldier and a leader, but as a person in general.

“A complex course like this, really gives you the opportunity to become a better thinker, soldier, friend and battle buddy for the people around you,” said Waguespack. “You get to test your fears and think outside the box; it’s really good training.”

Cadet Waguespack says he is inspired to do bigger and better things when seeing other Cadets overcome their fears.

“I’m encouraged by other Cadets when I see them do things that scare them,” said Waguespack. “When I see people that go out there and get out of their comfort zone, it really inspires me to achieve bigger goals and do bigger things for myself and people around me.”

While Cadets are not expected to complete every obstacle on the FLRC, they are expected to learn and grow, becoming better leaders from their experiences on the course and from their experiences during their time at Cadet Summer Training.

“(It was) a lot of fun leadership experience,” said Waguespack. “We might have had setbacks, but we tried to grow from our deficiencies.”