Fort Knox — Through the gaps in the leaves, sunlight beamed down on Cadets assigned to Delta Company, 1st Regiment, Basic Camp, as they tested their speed, strength and skills on Cadet Summer Training’s Beaudoin Team Development Course, July 10, 2025.

The Beaudoin Team Development Course offers various obstacles meant to challenge Cadets physical prowess. One obstacle in particular, the horizontal ladder, pushes Cadets beyond their limits. The obstacle consists of 14 evenly spaced rotating bars that Cadets must swing between. It requires a strong grip and weight control to not slip off.

Cadet Daniella Oduro, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, spoke on her squads secret to success – each other. 

“They encouraged me to keep on going, even though I was feeling pain, and that’s something that made me feel like I can (do it),” Oduro said. “I can trust in them, because they have courage in me to finish strong.”

This synergy between Oduro’s squad was an echoed sentiment. As everyone in her squad took their turn running the obstacle, you could find the remaining members on the sidelines cheering. 

Cadet Noah Fendel, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, a member of Oduro’s squad, is an embodiment of this support. Standing right behind his fellow Cadets, Fendel’s cheers rang the loudest.

“Our squad is very encouraging and supportive. And if they can, they’re very quick to help,” Fendel explained. “We’re all wearing the same uniform. We aren’t just any individual anymore, We’re all the one big team. If one of us can’t do it, we all aren’t doing it.”

While his energy is infectious, Fendel understands that some cadets may not have the same extroverted nature. He believes that no matter what, your doubts are something you can learn from, and build a stronger team.

“it’s important to keep in mind that you’re not the only one who’s scared or has anxiety about something. I mean, we’re all in this together,” Fendel said. “Some have more experience than others, but nobody is better than anybody. We all have our own flaws or our own strengths, if you’re anxious or scared, just lean on those all around you.”

The Beaudoin Team Development Course is made to challenge individuals based on performance. For the members of Delta Company however, the course challenged them as a team.