Fort Knox, Ky. – Cadets assigned to Bravo Company, 3rd Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed warrior skills training at Cadet Summer Training, June 26, 2025.

The training assessed the Cadets’ weapon proficiency and individual movement techniques that will be vital for their field training exercise. They were tasked with quickly firing and clearing various weapons including the M4 carbine and deploying claymore mines.

Outside of CST, Cadet Ocean Tugagoen, University of Colorado Boulder, hasn’t practiced much with claymores. Unsure of his skill, he was still able to overcome the challenge by sticking to his training.

“You have to know how to follow the process,” Tugagoen said. “If you read any book about self-improvement, it’s all about following the process.”

Confidence is a cornerstone of his ability to face adversity head on. Setting up and detonating the mine was no different.

“Confidence is the key to doing anything—and the first step,” he said. “I can do all the steps here but if I’m not confident I’m losing.”

His parents have served a large role in the development of his confidence and his love for surfing. Years of facing large waves has instilled bravery in him.

“My Mom and Dad wanted to build my confidence before anything else,” Tugagoen said. “They had me do all the sports and made me try really hard in school.”

With both parents in the military, they wanted to ensure that Tugagoen was successful.

“Almost everything I do is a product of my parents,” he added.

His father was a quartermaster in the Army for 24 years. Being retired, he does his best to support Tugagoen as he pursues a life of leadership in the Army, hopefully as an Infantry officer.

CST is helping Tugagoen define his definition of leadership as he aims to step into this role.

“Everyone came here to be a leader, but that makes it hard to have a lot of good followers sometimes,” he said. “I’m learning that to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower.”

Along with this, he takes an empathetic approach to guiding others.

“The moment that people stop coming up to you about their problems is the moment that you stop being a leader,” Tugagoen said. “You have to solve problems that are both professional and personal.”

This value is evident to members of his squad like Cadet Donevan Brewer, Lindenwood University.

“We’ve known each other for 16 days, but it feels like I’ve known him forever,” Brewer said. “He analyzes how his people are looking, what the morale is looking like and he prioritizes his people over the mission, which, in my mind, is good leadership.”

Brewer values empathetic leaders.

“Making sure that your people are still on track and engaged develops morale,” he said. “If you have good morale, which is what he focuses on, the mission will go great.”

The Army’s future leaders are dedicating themselves not only to their own success, but the success of others on and off the field.