At Fort Knox, Ky., future U.S Army officers are required to go through a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) exercise during their time at Cadet Summer Training (CST). “CBRN training consists of eight tasks,” said Lt. Col. Janice Vogan, the officer in charge of warrior skills. A few of the skills learned from performing the required tasks include maintaining their protective mask, protecting themselves from CBRN related injuries, and how to react to various CBRN attacks. “The ninth (task) is they’re going to go into the gas chamber, the NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) chamber,” said Vogan. Once in the chamber, [...]

‘Slow is smooth and smooth is fast’, is the common mantra heard at the Field Leader Reaction Course (FLRC) during the first Cadet run-through of the summer. On June 3, 2022, 1st Regiment Cadets from the Charlie and Delta companies rotated by squad through 16 creative obstacles that challenge the Cadets’ problem solving and leadership skills. The courses require planning and a quick execution. They have five minutes to plan and 15 minutes to complete each one. Before they start, the cadre brief the Cadets by reading the mission details and limitations. Once time has run out they debrief to see [...]

When Cadets arrive to Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Ky., many undergo a rapid learning curve on their path to become effective leaders for the U.S. Army. “I fumbled a lot on Land Navigation and my platoon really rallied around me,” said Paulakae Gordon. “There was not one person that wasn’t taking the time to teach me on things that I needed to know.” Nobody is truly alone with their struggles at CST, as teams work together to overcome the obstacles they face. Gordon encountered an uphill battle at land navigation, but the support of her teammates helped push [...]