FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed Battle March and Shoot training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 19, 2023. The battle, march, and shoot event, or BMS, is an event where Cadets are pressured to see if they possess qualities fit to become adequate marksmen and future US Army leaders. Cadet Neanco Collins from the University of Illinois, Chicago, shares his experience at BMS. “I believe I did pretty good because I have been practicing, and I’ve been able to grasp a good skill set during qualification,” Collins said. “On table six with the position changing, I [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 5th Regiment, Advanced Camp complete their Cadet Summer Training journey by setting out on a 12-mile ruck at Fort Knox, Ky., July 18, 2023. The 12-mile ruck is the last event Cadets must finish before they graduate from Advanced Camp. It allows Cadets a time to reflect on their experiences at CST, the lessons they learned, and the connections they have made along the way. “The 12-mile ruck is basically a battle march from our last phase of the field, the Grizzly phase,” said Cadet Meghan Shelatz, Liberty University. “We walk as a whole entire [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Advanced Camp Cadet Gabrielle Frankenfield from West Virginia University, 7th Regiment, led her squad deep into the woods during their situational training exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., July 19, 2023. The STX gives Advanced Camp Cadets extra time to work on their tactical skills. Cadets must build cohesion within their platoons during the first phase of Cadet Summer Training, so they can avoid mistakes when they are graded on their performance later on.   Frankenfield described the challenges she faced as squad leader. “This was a rough lane,” Frankenfield said. “I always want to make sure my [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp, performed a series of exercises during the Army Combat Fitness Test at Fort Knox, Ky. on July 19, 2023.   The ACFT measures Cadets’ physical fitness and endurance through a series of exercises, such as hand-release push-ups, planks and the deadlift. Cadet Cheyenne Dean from Auburn University is familiar with the ACFT as she has conducted the test previously and also comes from a military family. “I joined ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps), because I knew early on that I wanted to be an officer,” Dean said. “My dad was a [...]

FORT KNOX Ky. – Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed their Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction at Fort Knox, Ky., July 15, 2023. Preliminary Marksmanship Instruction is an event where Cadets must qualify at several stations in order to become one step closer to becoming a future Army Officer. During this training, Cadets learn the fundamentals of weapon safety and proper aiming techniques from different angles. Cadet Gill Tanvir, Sacramento State University, shares her experience during PMI. “For the most part, I didn’t need to brush up on a lot of things, because the last time I qualified,” Tanvir said. “Working in [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Field Leader Reaction Course on Fort Knox, Ky., July 17, 2023.   FLRC is a teamwork-based course in which Cadets complete challenging scenarios with the purpose of growing leadership and team-building skills. “We’re given challenges and obstacles to get across,” said Cadet Katrina Thoms, Stephen F. Austin State University. “Some are impossible, some just take a lot of planning, but as a team, we work together to accomplish the task at hand.” In preparation for the various obstacles, Cadets are given a scenario as well as a series of [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from the 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp, rehearse running a raid during Situational Training Exercises at Fort Knox, Ky., July 17, 2023.   Cadets completed the Wolverine, the first day of STX. This is the first phase where Cadets are evaluated before advancing to the next two phases, Panther and Grizzly. Cadet Pherilen Boyd from Georgia Southern University shares her experience from the STX. “STX was good today, even though it is raining on us a little bit,” Boyd said. “We are all learning a lot that we didn’t know before despite being from different universities. It’s [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Basic Camp Cadets from 1st Regiment, were issued their safety vests after they arrived at the Night Infiltration Course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 16, 2023. Staff Sgt. Kevin Davelaar, one of the Cadre members who helps run the course, described what the Cadets were about to experience as they waited for further instruction at the bleachers. “In pure darkness, the Cadets have live machine gunfire over their heads,” Davelaar said. “This is about as close as you can get to what you would actually experience in combat.”   Davelaar said NIC was designed to be a [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – During Cadet Summer Training, the U.S. Army Cadet Command partners with universities to train, educate, develop, and inspire Cadets to commission as officers. These Cadets come from around the world, to the same organizations to reach the same goal – learning how to help others.   Similarly, while Cadet Zyra Brigette Dew, Carson-Newman University, and Cadet Jeremy Acheampong, Capital University, may both belong to the 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, they entered CST having experienced different journeys, holding differing cultural influences. “I was originally born in the Philippines, but then we moved,” Dew said. “My family and I [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, practiced shooting during the Group and Zero training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 17, 2023. Group and Zero prepares Cadets for weapons qualification by ensuring their Close Combat Optic (CCO) is on point. Cadet Dabin Kim from Drexel University, was confident going into the training despite not having a lot of experience with shooting. “I, myself don’t have much experience,” Kim said. “I’ve only shot an M4 [carbine rifle] once, but I’m confident that I’ll do fine based off of what I’ve learned from some of the other non-commissioned officers (NCOs) [...]