Fort Knox, Ky., – As grenades soar through the air, boots pound against the ground and Cadre yell out instructions, Cadets navigate the hand grenade assault course, July 17, 2025. The hand grenade assault course reinforces movement training while introducing grenades to their skillset.

Cadet Ty Rouse, East Carolina University, assigned to 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, tackled the course, finding that it was a lot more difficult than expected.

“You’ve got to fix your mistakes if you want to be successful in it,” Rouse said.

The course is physically demanding, requiring Cadets to sprint from obstacle to obstacle, throw practice grenades and low crawl through the dirt.

On his high school soccer team, Rouse felt that there was a similarity between his training in ROTC and the soccer conditioning he experienced in the past.

He was encouraged by his coaches to push his limits and learn as much as possible along the way.

“It’s the same with our Cadre here,” Rouse said. “They’re all about discipline and making us get out of our comfort zone.”

Cadre doesn’t only push Cadets individually; they push platoons as a whole. While in high school, Rouse had four years of time to build relationships with his soccer teammates, during Cadet summer training, the timeline is a lot shorter.

“The similarity is the trials and tribulations,” he said. “It pulls us closer together. We all work together to accomplish our goals.”

Between the weather, constant challenges and an altered sleep schedule, Cadets are tested on multiple avenues. The bonds made through advanced camp develop at a rapid pace due to these hardships, resulting in long-lasting relationships and stories to be told.

Rouse feels that these experiences are a huge takeaway from the Army, in being one of the primary reasons he joined in the first place.

“I come from a military culture growing up,” he said. “I heard a lot of stories from my dad and how he traveled.”

Rouse is the third generation of his family that has been in the Army; this gave him a deeper understanding of Army values and the importance of legacy.

Hearing stories from the relatives before him, he also gained a desire to explore the world with the time he’s been given, hoping to deploy and see somewhere new.

Before he can deploy, he must continue to put his effort into CST, building essential skills and proving his character.

“Discipline, becoming a better man, being all I can be,” Rouse said. “That’s really what pushes me because I know at the end of the day, this institution will look out for you.”