CST 2026

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FORT KNOX, Ky –  In order to remain prepared in any environment, Cadets from the 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, traversed the woods of Fort Knox on June 10, 2026 –  not only by relying on analog methods, but also trusting themselves as well.   As a part of Cadet Summer Training, the Land Navigation exercise asks Cadets to find several sets of coordinates without using modern GPS. Instead, they must understand how to use a compass and protractor in conjunction with a traditional map in order to succeed in  navigating the fields and foliage of the training area.   “It’s a lot of [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — For Cadet Lydia Biruk, stepping into the unknown has become a way of life. As a first-generation American, the senior biology major at Tuskegee University has spent most of her life navigating without a roadmap. Whether helping her family bridge language barriers, adjusting to college life, balancing Army ROTC with a demanding academic schedule, or preparing for her future in medicine, Biruk has learned to move forward even when the path ahead is uncertain. “Being first gen, it’s honestly very hard because you’re navigating uncharted territory,” Biurk said. That willingness to push beyond her comfort zone has [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Cadets have been preparing for advanced camp for several years, but now it is time to show their true leadership. Some lead by strategy and logic, some lead with compassion and vulnerability and some lead by the example that was set by their loved ones.  Cadet Taylor Peterson, Ohio State University, has always been interested in her family’s tradition of service. Her dad, retired Maj. Terence Peterson, served for 20 years, but passed away last year from a service-related heart attack after going into cardiac arrest three times.  “It gives me peace of mind that he didn’t [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky – Choosing a career can be daunting, but for Cadet Elisabeth Rich, Coastal Carolina University and Cadet Carson Clayton, the University of Texas Arlington, joining the army was always the first choice. At the engagement skills trainer (EST) during Cadet Summer Training, Clayton and Rich explain why they joined Army ROTC.  “I think It was just always embedded in me to serve,” Rich said. Growing up in a household with her drill sergeant sister and her enlisted dad she says, “It’s kind of just been a family business.”  Encouraged by her family, she plans to commission and wants [...]

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By Marc Balbarin, Anna Evilsizor, Jayden Vaughn FORT KNOX, Ky – From weightlifting and sprinting to push-ups and planks, Cadets assigned to the 1st Regiment Advance Camp are evaluated intensely by the Cadre as they test their physical and combat prowess at Fort Knox on Friday, June 5, 2026.     The Army Fitness Test (AFT) is the first event that incoming Cadets participate in for Cadet Summer Training (CST), and it is designed to reflect and support battlefield fitness. Cadets wake up hours before dawn in order to complete the five components of the exam. Since coming to Fort Knox, many [...]