Warrior Forge 2012 has come to an end. In this video Cadets and cadre share advice in order to aid future Cadets in excelling while at the Leader Development and Assessment Course. Congratulations for those who graduated and good luck!

Compilation video of all that Cadets endure while completing the Leader Development and Assessment Course at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Justin Trujillo a member of the 2011 Public Affaris office stands next to one of the legendary Ant hills at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. This ant hill topped out just under Five feet tall and Six feet wide. U.S. Army photo by Jesse Beals

By: Hannah Van Ree
U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

The forest floor of Joint Base Lewis-McChord is alive, alive with ants. Cadets see for themselves the true power of nature as they maneuver around the mini highways of moving sticks and pine needles during their base-wide training. The Squad Situational Training exercises (SSTX) and patrol (PSTX) lanes are where Cadets get an up-close encounter with the six-legged legends of the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC).

If Cadets hadn’t been briefed on the enormous ant hills prevalent in the tactics training area, they might have been concerned.

All Cadets are briefed before they conduct a mission about the possible environmental hazards, and the ants are one of them, said Maj. John Brauneis, the tactics safety Officer.

Regarding the ants, Brauneis said “We tell the Cadets what they are, why they are there and that they are protected so they should stay away from them.”

Any Cadet that has been through LDAC can tell you that the ant hill myth is no myth at all, with some reaching heights up to 5 feet tall.

The scavenger ants were introduced to ensure the safety of the forested areas that make up much of the Northwest Washington base, said Steven Lopez, the tactical operations officer for the tactics committee.

“They gather up all the evergreen needles and form these big piles so that if lightning strikes a tree and it starts a fire, for example, the ant hill will burn but the fire theoretically won’t spread throughout the forest floor,” said Lopez. “It’s supposed to be self-contained in that needle stacks that the ants have created.”

“They are everywhere, and I mean everywhere,” said Mr. Gutherey, deputy safety chief at the Leader Development and Assessment Course.

Brauneis said the Cadets have not had any bad safety situations involving the ants and have effectively stayed away from the ants during their training.

“They don’t bother you unless you bother them. But if you look at them funny then a bunch of them will round up like a gang and start following after you,” joked Cadet Kewan Holder from St. Augustine College.

“When pulling security, if they wanted me to lay in an area with an ant nest I moved a tree over.
There are so many of them, I can’t believe it,” said Cadet Ben Horvath from Kent State University.

We get bit by a lot of mosquitoes out here, explained Horvath, but those are nothing compared to an ant bite.

The ants are something that Cadets at LDAC will never forget.

One previous LDAC graduate, Iuliana Petre, spent five months dealing with the ants at base and still remembers them.

Petre, a retired military Officer, also a contributing writer for the Killeen Daily Herald, once blogged her experience with the infamous LDAC ants.

Petre once wrote, if military bases had mascots, an ant would surely be the mascot of Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As Cadets come and go, the legend of the LDAC ants continues to thrive. 

Choosing to join the U.S. Army is a big decision. Some Cadets know from a young age that they want to join the military, while others decide in college. For Cadet Paul Klotz a somber day two years ago defined his future and caused him to make the commitment.

“I don’t know, it’s just that funny feeling you get where you want to do something that matters for yourself and for others, and the motivating factor for me to actually join was him,” said Klotz, from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Cadet Paul Klotz from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point chose to join the Army in memory of his late mentor, Green Beret Sgt. Todd Pruett. Klotz graduates from LDAC on Friday, August 3rd at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. U.S. Army photo by Jesse Beals.

The “him” Klotz refers to is the late Green Beret Sgt. Todd Pruett.

Pruett had served in the U.S. Army Special Forces for many years until his honorable discharge. He then rejoined his family floor covering business and coached sports in his West Bend, Wis. community.

“Todd was my friend and mentor. I grew up with his kids and he was my coach growing up,” said Klotz.

Pruett passed away after a courageous battle with acute leukemia. The community had embraced the Soldier, holding bone marrow drives and wearing shirts with the slogan “Do it for Pruett” throughout town.

One of the drives was held at Klotz’s parent’s grocery store, ‘Klotz Piggly Wiggly’ in their hometown.

The retired Soldier passed away on July 4, 2010, a day that changed Klotz’s life.

Klotz, still in college, decided to join the Army ROTC program and become an Officer.

Klotz’s plan is to complete the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) and graduate college next year with his social science degree, after which he will join the infantry.

He said that his parents understood this was something that he had to do.

“Both my parents supported my decision. My mom cried a lot, but said she was still really supportive,” said Klotz.

Klotz said he enjoyed LDAC, and is glad he chose the route he did in memory of Pruett.

“LDAC was really eye-opening. To meet a lot of different people, like myself, that are trying to become Officers,” said Klotz. “Having that in common was a really good motivating factor.”

Klotz said the biggest skills he gained from LDAC were ways to communicate.

“Here you are forced to be actively social and be around people you wouldn’t normally be around and talk to. It’s about being open to everybody and never judging a book by its cover, as cliché as that sounds,” said Klotz.

Outside of ROTC, Klotz’s hobbies are sports, just like his mentor, Sgt. Pruett. Pruett served as a leader and role model to the youth of the community by coaching baseball, football and wrestling. Klotz hopes to lead his troops with the same kind of passion that the late Pruett did.

“I think about him all the time,” said Klotz. “He’s my mentor for the military aspect of my life”.

Klotz succeeded in honoring the town-wide slogan “Do it for Pruett”.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Following the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) a world of opportunities within the Army opens up to Cadets.

At Branch Orientation, Cadets visit large Army tents set up in the middle of the regimental areas, rotating every 45 minutes at the sound of an air horn to explore four of their top branch choices. They listen to speakers, watch videos and read about what may lie ahead of them in the next few months should they be chosen for active duty.

Cadets of 5th and 6th Regiments learn about the Transportation Corps at Branch Orientation as part of their experience at the Leader Development and Assessment Course at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash. U.S. Army photo by Jesse Beals

While many Cadets may not be assigned to their first few choices, it is still important that they learn about multiple branches.

“Not any one is guaranteed,” said Master Sgt. Michael Rosenberger of 12th Regiment. “It’s all about information and how they can set themselves up for success.”

Inside the tents are experienced Soldiers and cadre who are tasked as branch representatives to educate Cadets about specifics of the branch assignments. Staff Sgt. Chris Hall of the 57th Sapper Company, Fort Bragg, North Carolina was flown in three times throughout Warrior Forge to talk about his branch and recruit talent for the Corps of Engineers.

“There are 86 of us in the unit, and there are only four Officers,” Hall said to an interested group of Cadets. “So, that makes it pretty easy to get in once you’re an Officer.”

Other Soldiers were there more to inform rather than recruit Cadets. Within the Corps of Engineers are several different jobs including Vertical and Horizontal Construction, Combat, Sapper, Route Clearance, Bridge, Geospatial, Mobility Augmentation and Prime Power Companies. Officers can’t necessarily perform every duty. For example, only enlisted personnel can be Geospatial Engineers.

“They can’t be geospatial officers,” said Staff Sgt. Jordan Ratliff of Fort Jackson, South Carolina. “We’re kind of here to tell them that this is an asset. Even though we’re in the engineer regiment, when you’re an infantry officer or you’re an ordinance officer, you’re always going to have that geospatial asset.”

The 16 possible branches Cadets may be assigned to are broken into three different subdivisions: Maneuver, Fires and Effects (MFE), Operations Support Division (OSD) and Force Sustainment Division (FSD).  MFE includes a few of the most sought-after branches such as Infantry, Engineering and Aviation.  OSD includes Military Intelligence and Signal, both highly sought-after branches, as well. Finally, FSD includes the largest branches such as Ordinance and Transportation.

For some Cadets, like 12th Regiment Cadet Corey Kibwe of Georgia State University, the decision was clear.

“I decided to branch Medical Corp as soon as I started ROTC,” said Kibwe. “I always knew I wanted to be a doctor.”

12th Regiment Cadet Grant Cook of University of Tennessee at Knoxville has a top choice in mind, and believes his performance at LDAC should help him. Cadets who score high on their Army Physical Fitness Test, maintain high grade point averages and earn ‘E’ scores for ‘excellent performance’  while at LDAC are also placed higher on the order of merit list (OML). The higher a Cadet places on the OML, the more likely they are to be assigned to the chosen branch they want in the Army.

“I want to do Aviation real bad,” Cook said. “I got an ‘E’ overall, so hopefully that puts me over the edge to get what I want.”

Though more than 6,000 Cadets will graduate from LDAC, about half will be competing for the top branch choices. Cadets not going active duty are chosen to go in to the Army Reserves or National Guard.

Among the most populated tents at branch orientation are Chemical, Engineering, Military Police, Ordinance and Infantry. The Chaplain tent hosted about six Cadets at a time. The purpose of branch orientation is for Cadets to explore many opportunities and hear the personal stories of experienced Soldiers.

“You may think that you want to fly helicopters, but after the briefing you decide you don’t want to anymore,” said Rosenberger. “They have a chance to go back to their universities after they leave here and change their options before that accession process starts.”

11th Regiment Cadet Caleb Perkins of Temple University was torn between branching Ordnance and Signal. He said Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) within Ordnance interested him, while Signal interested him because of the opportunities in the civilian job world.

“I don’t want to just plan for the immediate future,“ Perkins said.

It is difficult to place every Soldier where they want to be, but with the OML, the most deserving Soldiers will have earned their desired place in the Army.

“You get more productivity from an individual if they are happy in their job,” Rosenberger said.

First Lt. Jordan List oversees nursing Cadet Megan King putting in an IV for a patient. U.S. Army photo by Alexandra Kocik

By Alexandra Kocik
U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – While typical Cadets run, jump and work together through LDAC courses, ROTC nursing students put in IVs, give medication and work late-nights in the ER inside Madigan Army Medical Center on the other side of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Many of these interns already completed LDAC or will do so after their time at the hospital.

The 29-day Army Nurse Summer Training Program was once a mandatory activity for all ROTC nursing students, but is now optional and competitively selected. Nursing students apply for their top three choices of Army hospitals to work in. The two most requested locations are Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, which accepts the top 10 applicants, and the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, with room for three interns.

Applicants’ Army Physical Fitness Test scores and grade-point average account for 40 percent of their application score during the review process. Only those with the highest scores in these two areas will be given their top choice.

“This whole program is to let you learn how it is to be an Army nurse,” Lt. Col. David Cassella, deputy chief nurse said. “It’s a lot like other nursing programs except, our interns get hands-on experience by following an Army nurse.”

The one-on-one relationship between interns and nurses allows students to do things such as attach IVs and give medication under the supervision of someone responsible for the students. This differs greatly from civilian nursing programs, where one nursing teacher is in charge of many students and cannot always give them individual attention, Cassella said.

“A lot of nursing schools just teach you how to put in IVs, but here we show them and then the intern does it,” he said. “Here they can make mistakes in a stress-free environment because someone is always with them.”

Interns are rotated to different sections of the hospital they are interested in, including working with specialists such as an on-site allergist or cardiologist, to gain more knowledge of every level of medical care.

For student nurses, such as Cadet Mailee Wilson from Gonzaga University, the hands-on experience is what drew her to Madigan for the summer.

“I am able to get a good idea of other areas of the hospital such as the intensive care unit and emergency room, which has been a really great experience,” Wilson said. “I wouldn’t be able to do that in other programs.”

Captain Penny Los gives directions for the day to nursing Cadet Mailee Wilson. U.S. Army photo by Alexandra Kocik

Army nurses who want to teach an intern must pass special training before the nursing student arrives. This involves learning advanced nursing concepts RNs may not be familiar with, such as information on the nervous system, the pros and cons of IVs and what’s involved with ultrasound.

This program is not just for those who want a military career. It also fulfills the requirements for experience needed to enter a civilian hospital position.

Amanda Jennings from Texas Christian College plans to use this internship to get a civilian nurse job at another hospital.

“A lot of nursing students are given the chance to intern at a military hospital,” Jennings said. “I’m so glad I did this since it’s an optional thing now.”

While civilian nurses compete for attention in a classroom and read about techniques in huge books, Army nurses learn how to help patients by participating in hospital activities over a month-long period.

A Cadet crosses the Log Walk at the water confidence course as the rest of their regiment watches. U.S. Army photo by Al Zdarsky

By Alexandra Kocik
U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Thirty-five feet above the dark lake, a Cadet balances precariously on a 6-inch-wide beam by holding her arms out from her sides. As she steps gingerly down from a small block set in the center of the beam, she stumbles forward, falling to one knee. Her comrades below gasp as she grabs the ladder on the opposite side of the beam to avoid falling further. The Cadet bows her head and makes the sign of a cross before flashing a smile to the cheering crowd below. Slowly she ascends the ladder to the next challenge.

The water confidence course at the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) marks the final test before Cadets graduate. Retired 1^st Sgt. Jorge Rivera is a member of the cadre overseeing this site, which has one important goal.

“The purpose of this course is to test Cadets’ personal courage and ability to overcome their fear of water, heights or both,” Rivera said. “Two of the activities here must be passed to graduate from LDAC, so a small percentage finds this site stressful because of their fears.

The Log Walk is a balance beam suspended over water by two tall poles. A small block lies in the center of the board that Cadets must step onto and then over. The first ladder leads Cadets from the ground up to the beam and the second directs them even higher to the Rope Drop. After shimmying to the middle of the horizontal rope, Cadets must hang from it long enough to state where they are from before letting go to fall into the water below. Cadets must pass this portion of the site in order to graduate.

This was a challenge to Cadet Jennifer Anderson, who said she is afraid of both water and heights.

“I was scared at first but since I’m not wearing my glasses, it made it easier to go across without actually seeing how far up I was,” Anderson said with a smile.

The second portion of the site, called the Slide For Life, also involves water and altitude. Cadets hang from a pulley to descend down a zipline four stories high. This is often difficult for those with slick hands from the LogWalk/Rope Drop. Cadet Alex Marquez was most worried about losing his grip on the Slide For Life and opted to start with this activity.

“Climbing up the ladder to that platform was the worst part, but it was easy once I stepped off,” Marquez said.

The third challenge for Cadets at the water confidence course is the Zodiac Assault Course. For this event, Cadets work in teams of 9 to 13 people on a Zodiac assault raft and navigate obstacles through a timed course.

“The goal for this course is to move the fastest with no penalties, not compete against each other,” Rivera said. “It’s really to test their ability to work as a team, which is important.”

Cadre who are licensed lifeguards wear bright white shirts and carefully watch Cadets from the moment they arrive to the time they walk soaking wet onto shore. They are available in case any emergency arises, such as an unprepared Cadet losing their footing or a life vest making it difficult to get back on dry land.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Fortunato is another cadre member who oversees the water confidence course and said safety is at the forefront of this exercise.

“We ensure Cadets are inspected after every course to avoid any injuries, so they see medics at least three times while out here” Fortunato said. “That way we catch old and new injuries to ensure Cadets can graduate.”

Cadets walk onto the parade field for graduation only after overcoming their fears of water and heights.

Cadets of the 9th Regiment complete their 10k foot march. U.S. Army photo by Jesse Beals

By: Hannah Van Ree
U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – The sun plays peek-a-boo over the horizon as Cadets gear up at the regimental assembly area for the culminating event of their tactics training, the 10k foot march.

Prepared and ready to go, anxious Cadets get a head start on their 5:30 start time and step off at 5:20 a.m.

Company Tactical Officer, Lt. Col. Stacy Seaworth, who will lead the company of Cadets from beginning to end, directs Alpha Company off the line first.

Though the march is not a timed event, most regiments finish in under two hours, said Mr. Steven Lopez, the tactics committee operations officer in charge of the march.

As Cadets step off the grass, their well-worn boots crush the gravel, the rocks popping and crackling beneath their feet.

It’s early, but the determined looks on Cadet’s faces show a ‘just another day’ mentality mixed with the joy of being almost done with tactics training.

Leading up to the march Cadets have completed three other parts of tactics training, consisting of tactical training base operations, squad situations exercises (STX) and patrolling.

“It is a team building event and it’s physically challenging, particularly after two days of patrolling in which they have spent one night in a patrol base,” said Lopez.

All of their tactics training has taken place in a fictional country called “Atropia” on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The primary spoken language of Atropia is Spanish and the culture mimics that of the Middle East and South Asian countries.

Atropia is populated by Atropian civilians and by the South Atropian People’s Army (SAPA), who cause terror in the region. The SAPA forces are the Cadets’ notional enemy.

During STX lanes and patrolling, Cadets conduct missions deep within a forest full of SAPA forces. The concluding foot march is no different.

“It’s a culminating event of operations in Atropia. It moves them to the vehicles that will take them out of country,” said Lopez.

The 10k foot march isn’t just a matter of marching along dirt roads; it’s one last mission.

Lopez said the Cadets mission is to conduct “a 10 kilometer march along a route secured by the Atropian Defense forces to a transportation staging area where they are met by buses and tactical vehicles.”

The reason that Cadets must take this route is because SAPA forces have restricted the flow of traffic by creating illegal checkpoints and roadblocks. This route is the only one that has been secured for transportation purposes, said Lopez.

“They have completed stability operations that have rendered the SAPA almost combat ineffective, yet there are still pockets of two to three SAPA Soldiers that continue to harass NATO forces,” said Lopez, explaining why Cadets need to stay alert along their winding journey.

Traffic control points are manned along the route for both safety and security, said Lopez.

First aid vehicles are stationed at every checkpoint in the event that someone’s ankle takes a wrong twist.

Before the first checkpoint, Cadets march with a bounce in their step, boots raised high with each stride. Their faces look fresh; some are painted in camouflage and others have fern leaves stuck in their helmets like crowns. Decorating their faces and helmets lets each Cadet’s individuality shine, while also serving the functional purpose of making them appear less noticeable to the enemy.

Cadets carry a ruck sack (backpack) holding approximately 35 pounds of gear with them during their march. The packs contain supplies such as extra food, a poncho, wet weather tops and bottoms, four extra t-shirts, under clothes and a sleeping bag. They also carry a weapon and are decked out in full combat uniform including helmet and load-bearing vest, also known as their “Battle-Rattle”.

“The center of my back hurt the most, being hunched over with all the gear,” said Cadet Sabrina Sanchez from University of Texas – Pan American.

Cadets of the 9th Regiment during the 10k foot march. U.S. Army photo by Jesse Beals.

“The road march provides us the only collective physical fitness training event we have at Operation Warrior Forge. The APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) is an individual event. This is a squad, platoon, and a regiment collective event,” said Lopez.

As Cadets pass checkpoint two on the oak tree-lined road, they are halfway through their mission.

Cadre encourage their Cadets, yelling out “You’re halfway done, get motivated!” and “Only 7,000 meters to go!”

Cadet Collin Cook from Colorado University said that his height helped him complete the march because he could take bigger strides.

“It’s easy because I’m 6’4” and I’m built to ruck march compared to other people. But I was just worried about helping them get through,” said Cook.

“There was a lot of motivation. We were determined to finish the way we started,” said Sanchez.

As time passes some Cadet’s paces are in synch with others, while some have to double-time to keep up with their taller comrades.

By 6:30 a.m. the morning haze is wearing off, and the roads get dirtier. Some of the Cadet’s bounding steps become slower in the grimy terrain. The crisp strides seemed to fade with the morning fog.

The sunrise smolders away as the Cadets’ route brings them onto a dirt path parallel to a main road. The grass between the worn out foot trails is so dusty that is has turned from vibrant green to burnt yellow, like a median on the highway.

The specks of dust kicked up on the dirt trail create a dreamlike atmosphere. Dust sticks to the Cadet’s sweat and patches of dirt collect on their faces.

One Cadet asks the Cadet behind him if he can find the spout to his camelback as he lets out a cough.

As they spill out onto another gravel road, their silhouettes fade into the dust cloud and they return to the forest once again.

Cadre continue to yell out “Breathe in the nose, out the mouth!” and “I know no one is trying to drop out of this thing!” to keep their Soldiers on a steady pace to the finish line.

After one last bend in the gravel road, Cadets see a white Titan Nissan 4×4 truck ahead, blocking their path.

Is it a SAPA roadblock, or the finish line? Cadet’s are pleased to learn it is the latter. The first wave of tired Cadets cross the finish line at 7:03 a.m., satisfied with their achievement.

Waiting by the truck stands regimental cadre Chris Chisholm, waving in and congratulating his Cadets.

“It’s a good day to be almost graduated, Hooah!” yelled Chisholm to the panting Cadets.

Chisholm even jokes with some and gets them to smile by saying “You made it to the turnaround point, good job!”

Amidst the cloud of dust swirling around the finish line, heavy breathing, laughter and cheers rise as more Cadets finish the march.

One Cadet turns to his group and yells “Outstanding. It’s incredible what your mind can do!” as he takes the last dusty breaths over the finish line.

As Alpha Company finishes, Bravo Company falls in right behind them. The companies split into separate formations, making sure every Cadet is accounted for. The Cadets have a brief break before they are bused back to their regimental barracks on the other side of base.

“It was ok. I’m 31, so it was kind of tough keeping up with the younger ones but I did it. I stayed right in the middle,” said Cadet James Gantt from Georgia Southern University.

“Although it’s not timed, it’s meant that everyone that begins finishes. It’s a team building event in that you start together and you finish together,” said Lopez.

“It was a little rough. I started off in the front and I ended in the front, that was my goal. Being 4’10 ½” it can be a little difficult but team work was what got me through it,” said Sanchez.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Stress is a part of life but in the Army Soldiers are expected to perform to standard in spite of it.

A 12th Regiment Cadet climbs the rope on “The Tough One” as part of the Land Confidence course at Joint Base Lewis McChord. U.S. Army photo by Noelle Wiehe

As Cadets, the most stressful situation they face is the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) held at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

By the time Cadets reach the Land Confidence course in their second week, they’ve already completed the Land Navigation test as well as the Army Physical Fitness Test – tell-tale signs that they are prepared enough to complete LDAC. Cadets must shrug off the stress they’ve faced thus far and power through intimidating obstacles to complete the Land Confidence portion of LDAC.

At Land Confidence Cadets negotiate an obstacle course, a confidence course and a rappelling wall. In the mud pits of the obstacle and confidence courses they squirm through the dirt in their ACU’s with barbed wire inches from their face. At the rappel wall they firmly plant their combat boots perpendicular to the ground in order to scale down 37 feet to level ground. All this is done to assure they have the capability to complete such extreme tasks should they confront them in combat.

“It is a confidence course; it is designed to make them feel like they are invincible—like they can conquer the world,” said Master Sgt. Trey Chislom of 12th Regiment from the University of New Mexico.

The confidence course is comprised of over a dozen different stations where Cadets must overcome their fears as they shimmy up vertical ropes, slide inverted while hanging from horizontal ropes, walk across 30-foot-high wooden beams and hurdle over logs. These tasks are done individually, but squad members remain at each site before moving to the next obstacle to cheer on their fellow Cadets.

At one site, appropriately designated “The Tough One,” Cadets vault over a log to then attempt to ‘j-hook’ themselves up a rope to a wooden fixture. The ‘j-hook’ requires Cadets to weave the rope between their boots, allowing them to launch their body to the first level a few feet at a time. Cadets find this initial rope-climb to be the most difficult. Next, they walk across beams spaced a foot apart to a ladder where, once up, they climb back down a rope wall.

Twelfth Regiment Cadet Piper Newman from Auburn University admitted that she was scared getting to the top, but was able to successfully complete every portion of “The Tough One.”

“It’s nice once you accomplish it,” Newman said.

Cadre shout words of encouragement as they watch the many methods these future leaders have developed to get themselves up the 15-foot rope. “Don’t stop, you’re almost there!”

Squads fuse together to race through the obstacle course. On various parts of the course they crawl under barbed-wire, zig-zag through a wooden maze and jump over an open pit. The event is timed, but Cadets are assessed based on their leadership and team skills rather than their agility. No matter how quickly a Cadet can complete the lane, they still have to wait for their entire squad to cross the finish line before the clock will stop. As Officers who may soon be leading Soldiers in combat and be responsible for more than just scores at a training site, the Cadets realize how important it is to have squad cohesion throughout this obstacle course.

“In a week’s time they went from being terrified of what they do to becoming a close-knit group,” Chislom said. “They grow as a team and they help reinforce each other’s confidence.”

As physically draining as the course may be, it is through these challenging situations that the Cadets’ confidence is built and their mental strength, a critical Soldier trait, is sharpened.

See our video on the Confidence Course here!

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Infiltrating the enemy and obtaining intel are just two skills that Cadets master during tactics training at the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC).

In the days leading up to training, Cadets spend hours learning how to interact with the people of Atropia during their Cultural Awareness training. Atropia is a fictitious country, primarily Spanish speaking, that is meant to resemble culture in the Middle East and Southwest Asian countries.

Seventh Regiment Cadets capture Col. Manuel Dehoya, played by Sgt. Jeff Berger, during patrolling (PTRL) training on Lane 98 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. U.S. Army photo by Jesse Beals.

Understanding the kinds of environments they will be introduced to overseas helps Cadets to succeed while operating in those circumstances at LDAC.

The land of Atropia is populated by Atropian civilians as well as the South Atropian People’s Army, SAPA, also known to Cadets as “the bad guys”.

Cadets are taught how to complete their mission and extract the SAPA forces with the least amount of civilian disturbance as possible. This can be hard at times since SAPA forces can lay low and disguise themselves as civilians. Telling friendly civilians apart from enemy forces can at times be almost impossible.
Tactics training is composed of four different parts: living at the tactical training base (TTB), conducting squad situational exercises (STX), patrolling and the culminating 10k foot march.

This training starts individually with each Cadet learning about the enemy and then progresses to collective training, where Cadets learn to accomplish their assigned mission.

“The mission of the tactics committee is to conduct maneuver training which is small unit tactics, fire team and squad, building up to two section size elements,” said retired Lt. Col. Steve Lopez, the tactics committee operations officer. “The Cadets go on four days of squad situational training exercises, followed by two days of patrolling operations.”

Cadets either arrive at TTB East or TTB West to begin their tactics training and assessments. Prior to occupying the TTB the regiment must coordinate with the bases cadre.

“They send an advon -or advanced party- to the TTB where they will receive an intelligence briefing and an overview of TTB operations and layout and then they will guide the main body of the regiment into the TTB,” said Lopez.

This process is similar to what actually Army units do prior to entering a combat zone overseas.

The TTB’s purpose is to imitate conditions that Soldiers on the front line live under. The TTB is designed to replicate a Forward Operating Base (FOB) on the modern battlefield. The cadre running the base are Soldiers with a mix of valuable experience who provide authentic scenarios for Cadets.

“We are here to provide the best conditions for the Cadets to be successful,” said Maj. Carl Meredith, mayor of TTB West. “If they can come here and not worry about food, water, hygiene and other life support things, then they can focus on executing their training.”

The TTBs are situated in the middle of a large open field surrounded by dense trees and dusty roads. A high fence encloses the training base and rows of large green tents make up its interior.

At the TTB Cadets will conduct entry control, vehicle and personnel inspections, tower operations, quick reaction force operations and guard mount. They will be issued special equipment to use throughout their patrol. They will then conduct squad training where they will learn how to use hand grenades, claymore mines, and AT-4s (anti-tank weapons).

Cadet Paul Sprinkle from the New Mexico Military Institute said during his experience at the TTB he had already experienced simulations varying from sniper attacks to bombings where Cadets had to quickly throw on their gear and help their comrades during the attack.

“As far as being out here, it has opened my eyes to how operations should go. We train for 12 hours a day, come back here and do TTB operations following Standard Operating Procedures,” said Cadet Kewan Holder from St. Augustine College.

They also go over “what we need to do for the next mission, what we did wrong and what we did right,” said Holder.

“We have chow, sit amongst each other and give each other tips because some of us have weak points and strong points,” said Holder.

Once Cadets are settled in, Squad Situational Exercises (STX) and patrol lanes begin. Each “lane” is an exercise made to train and assess Cadet’s field reaction and leadership skills. There are a total of 80 STX lanes and 20 patrol lanes at Operation Warrior Forge. The first four days of STX will be composed of two-hour squad training exercises six times a day where Cadets will have to either conduct an attack, ambush or a reconnaissance mission.

“The average distance of a lane in STX is about 300-350 meters in length from line of departure to actions on the objective,” said Lopez.

Each Cadet will get an evaluation from two different cadre evaluators during these missions before their “refit” day, where they will reorganize into patrol size sections, said Lopez.

At this phase of LDAC Cadets must apply most skills they have obtained over the course and complete difficult mock-combat missions.

As they prepare during “refit” for the excitement of the upcoming patrolling lanes, the section will be issued a machine gun and four radios, one for the patrol leader, assistant patrol leader, and two squad leaders, said Lopez.

The following morning Cadets mobilize to begin patrols and leave the TTB for good, starting a schedule of four-hour patrol missions three times a day. The Cadets missions could either be reconnaissance, ambush, raid or cordon and search.

“The average is 800-1,000 meters in patrolling, hence they get twice the amount of time to conduct a patrolling lane,” said Lopez.

Once the lane begins, the team leaders give the mission brief and plan of execution. After maneuvering through the woods, hours after they have left their starting points, Cadets reach their objective.

One mission for example, requires Cadets to find Col. Manuel Dehoya, who is hiding in a heavily forested area on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Dehoya is actually Sgt. Jeff Berger, who is acting as an Atropian villager by day and SAPA forces leader by night. Dehoya is a vital intelligence source living among a town of Atropian civilians and SAPA forces, making it hard to detect the enemy in a sea of innocent bystanders.

During this exercise, Cadets must find, identify and capture Dehoya to obtain his useful information. Dehoya, however, does not want to comply with American forces.

Each section of Cadets conducts the lanes differently. For instance, those after Col. Manuel Dehoya -when they are almost out of time- assault straight through the objective during their raid mission, sacrificing subtlety for shock. This is not unusual.

The vast forests of Join Base Lewis McChord can be disorienting to Cadets, causing them to reach their objective later than planned. Using up valuable time to get back on track creates more of a hurried pace when assaulting the target.

“This training teaches them how to make a quick decision on the fly, and that it’s better to make a decision, even if it’s the wrong one. Be confident in that decision so people follow you,” said Berger.

Before the Cadets are visible, blasts from their M-4 carbines can be heard coming from the tree line surrounding the encampment. Blank shots are exchanged between Cadets and SAPA forces (cadre) as the Cadets infiltrate through the trees like a pack of wolves. They immediately surround the buildings on their hunt for Dehoya.

The Cadets yell back and forth while laying down fire, “‘Has anyone found him?’ ‘Is that him?’ ‘I think that’s him!’ ‘Get him!’”

With minimal prior intel on Dehoya’s description, Cadets must try and spot him as they arrive on scene.

Cadets try to contain the SAPA forces as the Dehoya character runs away from the city. Cadets must pursue and capture him before searching his credentials to see if he is the man they want.

Sgt. Berger –who has played the role of Dehoya for over a month- said that one of his most memorable moments was when Cadets tackled him in mid-air.

“I don’t mind if they are rough, at least they are doing what they are trained to,” said Berger.

Once they have identified Dehoya and the other SAPA forces are killed, the Cadets take the captive away and the mission is over.

Eight lanes down Cadets take a different approach to their raid mission, ending in a more successful operation time-wise.

The cadre, acting as SAPA forces, know that Cadets will be arriving on site as soon as they hear the rustle of leaves and the swish of combat uniforms skimming the brush. A radio antenna attached to the backpack of a Cadet sticks out behind a log, swaying back and forth as the Cadet crawls forward. Helmets, like big turtle shells, bob up and down behind the bushes.

Seeing more Cadet silhouettes than he expected, a cadre yells out “this isn’t a recon, they are coming!”

Immediately, the radio antenna and helmets vanish, like they were never there.

Moving tactically, the Cadets have become deadly quiet, and the cadre lose them in the dense woods.

Once the Cadets get close to the encampment, the raid begins and they charge.

One Cadet is told by an evaluator that he has been “shot” in the leg, so he pretends to be wounded and is carried to the rear by his comrades.

Chaos ensues while Cadets and SAPA forces exchange heavy fire. In just moments, the enemy is defeated and the Cadets capture their high-valued target. The patrol leader gets on the radio to call for medical support for the “injured” and to report a successful capture of the enemy.

Then as quickly as they arrive, Cadets leave, moving their target and their wounded Soldier safely out of the city. Once the mission is complete, the timer stops and Cadets are brought back for an After Action Review (AAR), in which evaluators review with Cadets some sustains and improves for their mission. The AAR is perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of tactics training.

After patrolling is completed, the 20 patrols return to their regimental assembly area, where they turn in equipment and all unexpended ammo. Later that evening Cadets are given their final orders for the culminating 10k foot march, said Lopez.

After the foot march, Cadets have officially completed their tactics training and return from the field feeling more confident in fast-paced situations.

“Every Cadet comes out of tactics with three evaluations but ultimately it’s a leadership improvement course,” said Lopez.

“This is a collective training event. Although there are individuals that are getting evaluated, we say that everyone is a leader supporting another leader that is getting evaluated,” said Lopez.

“The biggest thing I’m getting out of this is learning how to lead people by learning how to follow. I get to learn both sides of the whole army experience,” said Sprinkle.

Cadets of 6th Regiment train at the Cultural Awareness course alongside second lieutenant actors who play the roles of Atropian-natives on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. U.S. Army photo by Al Zdarsky

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Practical training in the U.S. Army is crucial. The situations within the training may be extreme, but at the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), preparedness is one of the most important aspects of Soldier combat-readiness.

“In today’s world, in order to do our mission, we have to understand and be aware of the cultures that we’re going to be working with,” said Lt. Col. Jon Negin, officer in charge of the Cultural Awareness training. “Culture is all around us as we conduct our operations these days.”

Cadets attending LDAC are subjected to a made-up Atropian culture. This culture is meant to resemble, but not mirror, a culture they are likely to encounter in Middle Eastern and Southwest Asian countries. Through several different stations which make up the Cultural Awareness training site, Cadets build confidence in their ability to communicate with foreigners and in their ability to operate as a squad.
The Cultural Awareness training puts Cadets into a situation where they often face stubborn Atropian-natives who have little patience for U.S. Army officers.

Cadets do not go into the situations blind, however. Before Cadets enter the scenarios they have an opportunity to learn about Atropian culture by asking questions of the trained 2nd Lt. actors. In turn, the actors ask the Cadets about American culture in order to break down any cultural biases.

“There is no mission that we’re going to tackle by ourselves,” Negin said. “We’re going to be working with other nations, the local population, local security forces, other agencies within the U.S. government and non-government agencies. All these have their own cultures – even the Air Force and Navy.”

Once introduced to the “natives,” squad leaders must assign Cadets to assume roles such as public affairs officer and interpreter. Those Spanish courses in high school won’t help Cadets here, though. The Atropian forces are stubborn with Americans, especially in situations where a man is forced to dig his own grave or an Atropian Soldier hoards artillery munitions in his truck.

Experienced military leaders, such as Negin and Col. Dean Shultis, Commandant of Cadets at LDAC, say the training is practical and important for these soon-to-be Army Officers.

“The training that Cadets receive here is ultimately important because it sets the stage for the rest of their LDAC experience,” Shultis said. “Half of the situational training exercise lanes that they will encounter here while at LDAC have a cultural component , whether it is civilians on the battlefield, females on the battlefield or having to deal with a situation from a moral standpoint. “

Negin has seen thousands of Cadets make their way through his course. “It’s a very useful tool to help [Soldiers] get the mission done and enable them to get along with other people,” he said.

Sixth Regiment Cadets get briefed on the Atropian culture by the actors and cadre. U.S. Army photo by Al Zdarsky

Negin was an advisor to the Afghan National Army. Having seen such diverse cultures first-hand, he emphasized the

importance of understanding language, religion, history, politics and ethnic tension within another country’s culture, even if only a little bit.

Shultis spent all of his overseas time in the Middle East and took a semester of Arabic while at the National War College where he learned modern standard Arabic as well as important aspects of Arab culture. He has seen first-hand the importance of cultural awareness amongst Soldiers.

“For Cadets leaving here, the world is their classroom,” Shultis said.”They have the opportunity to go to one of 30 different countries and submerge themselves in those cultures. This prepares them to be commissioned Officers in a global Army of the 21st century.”

Watch our video on Cultural Awareness here!

Community educators and leaders work together to complete a task at the Field Leader’s Reaction Course. U.S. Army photo by Al Zdarsky

By Alexandra Kocik
U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – At the Field Leader’s Reaction Course (FLRC), Cadets encourage their squads to work together to cross obstacles. Portions of this course are marked off with red tape, which Cadets must avoid by going over and around using barrels, beams and other objects.

On an overcast day in the middle of a wooded area, a bright pink sweatshirt clashes with the green camouflage of a woman’s Kevlar as she helps several other brightly-dressed woman pick up a heavy wooden board. A grey-haired man stops rolling a barrel to rub the dull ache in his knee before he can continue.

Those in T-shirts and jeans are not the Cadets generally being evaluated on this course; they are leaders and educators from around the country who are given a two-day tour of the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), which Cadets must successfully negotiate before becoming Army officers. By gaining a glimpse into what Cadets go through to succeed in the military, these civilians gain a better understanding of what ROTC does to prepare their students for future leadership roles. These leaders and educators are encouraged to attempt any portion of the training – including the Water Confidence Course, First-Aid training and weapons familiarization.

“We’ve been learning a lot about what Cadets do here and the Army culture in general,” said Natalie Bullock Brown from Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C. “It will help me personally have a more informed opinion about the Army in general.”

Bullock Brown said this visit will be helpful the next time a student shows interest in ROTC. Now, with a glimpse into the training regimen, she said she sees how many different options ROTC students have besides infantry or active duty.

Many visitors push themselves to complete every activity offered to them. This includes Lynn Doyle, a professor from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. who came to the Community Leader and Educator Visit on behalf of the nursing program. Due to the many wounded warriors and veterans who use the medical facilities, Doyle said this is a great way to understand the military life her patients know so well.

Also amongst the visitors is Stephen Rodabaugh, the associate dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for Youngstown State University. A growing push for the recruitment of officers with STEM backgrounds is what prompted many of his coworkers to see what Army officer training is like.

“I’m impressed with the caliber of people on both sides, meaning Cadets and those training them,” he said. “I think this whole operation is very impressive, especially because of the difficulty.”

The Community Leader and Educator Visit also allows those who have no military connections, such as family or friends who have served, the chance to interact with Army leaders. Assistant provost for Winston-Salem State University, Leticia Cornish said she had no idea what the military is like.

“Now I will be able to go back to my school with an appreciation for what people do here,” Cornish said. “This is not just something these Cadets do, this is a lifestyle.”

For two days educators from around the country experience life as a Cadet in order to gain a better understanding of where some of their students are heading– toward a career in the Army.

Warrior Forge Commandant of Cadets, Col. Dean Shultis, talks about the seriousness of cultural awareness at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Warrior Forge Commandant of Cadets, Col. Dean Shultis, talks about managing risk and implementing safety during the Leader Development and Assessment Course at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.