FORT KNOX, Ky. — As Cadets from the 1st Regiment, Advanced Camp, climbed Fort Knox’s infamous three hills during the Battle March and Shoot (BMS) on June 13, 2026, each step tested more than their physical endurance. The grueling event challenged the mental toughness and perseverance that many Cadets hope to carry into their future roles as Army officers. Designed to push Cadets beyond their comfort zones, the Battle March and Shoot combines a six-mile uphill ruck march with an accuracy-based marksmanship course, demanding focus under fatigue. The event forces participants to rely on the same resilience and discipline they say [...]
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 [...]

