Fort Knox, KY. – With the morning darkness slowly turning into a cloudy sunrise, Cadets, assigned to 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, move out from their patrol base during their field training exercise (FTX), grizzly phase, during Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox, Ky.

FTX gives cadets an opportunity to showcase all that they’ve learned throughout Advanced Camp, specifically Grizzly is the last phase of the training, meaning that the pressure is on them to perform with little to no cadre interference.

Cadet Paris Chan, University of California-Riverside, appreciates the freedom the Grizzly phase gives, allowing her to work together with her teammates to effectively navigate the mission at hand relying on their knowledge alone.

“The clock is pushing you to really accomplish the mission and make sure that everybody’s on the same page,” Chan explained, “It’s been my favorite phase so far, compared to Panther and Wolverine and I’m having a lot of fun here.”

With a tight schedule, cadets are required to come up with movement plans as well as keep on a tight schedule to ensure they are timely and effective, ultimately resulting in a successful mission.

While under that pressure, Chan feels that the relationships within her platoon benefit from the hardships of FTX, and mastering team dynamics makes them more effective soldiers.

“Keeping myself grounded in my team and really having a strong chemistry and cohesion with all the other cadets here is really what pushes us through. We’re [only] as fast as our slowest cadet,” Chan said.

Being the first generation of the Army within her family, Chan feels a strong pull to instill a love and respect for service with the people she cares about most.

Chan encouraged her brother to join the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) after she found a sense of purpose through the program. Today she is going into his first year at Westpoint.

In her own college journey, Chan is double majoring in Biochemistry and Global Health, while also pursuing a minor in Neuroscience. With the heavy workload she has, between her academics and her commitment in ROTC, Chan finds that her time in both has contributed to her work ethic and organization, leading her to be more effective with her time.

“With the Army, it’s really helped me learn how to be productive and block out my time,” Chan explained, “When I have a task in front of me, I fully focus on what I have centered.”

With Advanced Camp quickly ending, Chan hopes to commission at the end of the summer and pursue medical school, choosing to further challenge herself in and outside the Army.

“Navigating uncharted water is scary, but having that mentorship gives me the confidence to continue to push”