BCT2 - Photoset #2

The Recruits had a great time on the Obstacle Course, and actually was the best group I've seen run the course this summer. Very motivated and all really tried their hardest, and exhibited great teamwork and camaraderie throughout the course. This was a real challenge for some, but one that they overcame.

Tomorrow is the firing range, and like the obstacle course I'll be one of the onsite supervisors and will be sure to snap plenty more photos.


Respectfully,

2LT Land

CRC - Rangers Lead the Way!

1 hour, 4 miles, Full Rucksacks. Every single Ranger Challenge student passed the test. Hooah!

More Ranger Challenge photos will be uploaded as soon as I can wrestle away some of the personal staffmember's cameras.


Respectfully,

2LT Land

BLC - FTX and Graduation

Pictures include the FTX and the Graduation Ceremony for the Basic Leader Course. If you are looking for photos of the current BCT session you'll find pics of them standing in formation during the graduation ceremony, and a photoset will be up shortly of just the BCT-2 group.

Below are some videos taken during the ceremony. If you have any pictures or videos from that day that you would like to share please e-mail me at joseph.m.landjr@armycadets.org .


Respectfully,

2LT Land

BCT2 - Photoset #1

July 15-18

BLC/CRS - July 13-14 Random Shots and O-Course

The first part of this set was taken by some of our senior Cadets.

The rest was taken from the Obstacle Course, the CRS students are the ones running it with their dummy rifles.

More pics from the last few days will be up soon.

2LT Land

July 11 - BLC/CRS Dining Out

Dining Outs are traditional military dinners with a number of time-honored traditions. What you'll see in the photo set is more like a military Dining In which is a dinner with just the members of a particular unit dining together, normally a less formal affair. But because of a couple of guests and the fact that both BLC and CRS participated this affair technically became a Dining Out.

Dining Outs are normally formal events, which as you can see from the pictures this was not. Make-shift obstacle course, kiddie-pool sized grog, pugil sticks, and food fights led to a very fun evening.

The horrible combination of this and that which you'll see the two officers adding to that kiddie pool is what is called "the grog". Each ingredient represents something significant. When someone breaks a rule of the mess (many and varied) they can be called out by someone and if the MC of the dinner (Mr. Vice) deems it necessary they will have to take a drink from the grog. Oh, the losers of the pugil stick matches also had to drink from the grog, the perfect motivation for victory.

The dinner went a long way to building camaraderie as well as some competition between the BLC students and the Cadet Ranger School trainees.


Respectfully,

2LT

JUL 10 - BCT-1 Graduation Day

Earning the title of Cadet is something that these young people worked for over the course of two weeks. Many excelled and some struggled. The past two weeks were not easy, they were never supposed to be. There is little pride in obtaining something that is easily won.

We are all very proud of these newly graduated Cadets. You should be too.


If anyone has any particularly great photos or any videos from graduation please send them to me at camp@armycadets.org


Respectfully,

2LT Land

Jul 8 - Rappel Tower

The rappel tower represents the last major obstacle during Basic Cadet Training and it can be a true challenge for a young person to have the courage to start the descent from 50 feet up.


Respectfully,

2LT Land

Jul 7 - Obstacle Course

The obstacle course is a great way for Recruits to test themselves, both in ability and in time.

More photos from BCT soon, BLC/CRS students can be seen in some picture sets as well.

Information for Military Adventure Camp attendees is on militaryadventurecamp.blogspot.com , please go there for updates.


Respectfully,

2LT Land

Jul 6 - Rifle Range

Before ever setting foot on the rifle range, and certainly before firing a weapon, every recruit goes through safety training. This way we know we can trust them on the range, and that the seriousness of firing a weapon is taught to them.

We look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow night at 7pm.


Respectfully,

OC Land

July 2-5

This photo-set will really show you the progression in the martial arts training, which only gets more in-depth as the programs go on.

Before they can start learning tosses they must learn how to fall correctly to avoid injury, they then practice those falling techniques before every training session.

There ended up being a problem with our main camera over a few of these days, so there are not as many photos as normal for these days. But, I am going to ask the staff to give me any photos they might have taken on these days, so I can give you more photos to look at.

The next days' photos will show the firing range, and obstacle course and the rappel tower.


Respectfully,

OC Land

Jul 1 - PUGIL STICKS!

The beginning of this picture set has some more martial arts training, which is extremely interesting, but honestly doesn't hold a candle to PUGIL STICKS!

We had some amazing bouts that day as I'm sure you'll be able to tell from the pictures, everyone had a real great time. This is an amazing team-building event as each fighter had all of his platoon cheering for him during the bout.

Each Recruit/Cadet is fitted out with the protective gear and told the rules: 3 body shots or 2 head shots win the match. Then amidst the cheers of their platoons they go at each other, some with lots of enthusiasm, some more calculating. All trying to bring in another win for their platoon.

Pugil Sticks are one of really exciting events during the program, but this week they also go on the rifle ranger, the rappel tower and the obstacle course. Very exciting!

Below you'll find a video of myself taking on three of the Troop Handlers, older Cadets that have been with us for at least three years each, in a pugil stick bout. I think I held my own.


Respectfully,

OC Land

JUN 30 - Inspection, Martial Arts and Mail Call

Hello again,


Today's photos show a barracks inspection, martial arts, and mail call.

Inspections go hand-in-hand with a military training environment. It forces teamwork as the Recruits prepare for the inspection and reinforces responsibility as each Recruit's area is inspected. Those that fail have to clean-up and go again, until they get it right. So, when the Recruits get home make sure they clean their room. Heck, get them to work on everyone else's too.

Each day's martial arts is a progression upon the last as MAJ Gorman works with the different platoons through the TACMAP (The Army Cadet Martial Arts Program) system. Those Recruits that are staying for the Basic Leaders Course and especially the TACMAP week will reach a very high skill-level and each day's training is built upon the last.

Mail call is a great part of Basic Cadet Training, as letter-writing is the main form of communication during the training. I'm sure you have started to get letters from your Recruits, and I'm also sure that plenty of those letters show signs of homesickness, at the very least. When I went through my own basic training my very first letter home was carefully crafted to show that I was toughing it through but that I really missed home and I purposefully made sure some fat tear drops hit the paper in the hope that my parents might come get me. By the end of the program I was the Honor Graduate and cried again when I had to leave my new friends. All in all the first week of these programs are tough, which is the point. Very soon they are going to start the really exciting training, and will be loathe to leave.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's photos and you'll see just how much fun they can have, all the while learning important lessons, and finding out what they are made of.


Respectfully,

OC Land

JUN 29 - PT Test and More...

Sorry for the delay folks, but here are a whole lot of pictures to look through, and another blog post will go up tomorrow with JUN 30th's pictures and info.

At the top of this post you'll see pictures from the first PT Test. Normally PT tests consist of a two-mile run, how many push-ups can be done in two minutes, and how many sit-ups can be done in two minutes. This first PT test was only half of that, so that the Recruits could get a hang of the rules and guidelines for each event.

Tuesday was an early day, as the PT Test started at 5am, so that everyone could get through the test before breakfast. You'll even see fog still on our PT Field as the run starts. In fact if you look around in the fog you might even find yours truly in some of the pictures of the PT test...

At the bottom of this post you'll find pictures from the rest of the day, including Drill and Ceremonies training, taking down of the Colors and calisthenics with DS Connelly.

*Graduation Information*

Graduations take place on the last day of each training session, and will begin at 10am. Everyone should be able to leave campus by 1am. Please dress in business casual, as this is supposed to be a special day for the Recruits/Cadets.

The nights before graduations the campus will be open to family and friends from 7-10pm. Please do not bring anything onto campus, as the Recruits/Cadets are still in our care at that time.


Respectfully,

OC Land