Graduation is This Saturday!

Over 200 U.S. Army Cadet Corps personnel will participate in graduation ceremonies on Saturday, 23 Jul 11, at 10 am at the National Cadet Training Center in Millersburg, Kentucky.

Young people from as far away as California, Florida, New York, as well as India, Ireland, Saudi Arabia and the People's Republic of China, will stand side-by-side during this time-honored military event.

We sincerely hope you will join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of these fine young adults. The public is invited. Please go to http://goarmycadets.com/for-parents.php for more information .

Please pass this link to other interested parties.

ACES IS THE PLACE WITH THE BEST “HARDWARE”

Friends,

I wanted to blog about ACES, the Army Cadet Exchange Service.

ACES is basically our version of the Post Exchange. Here USAC personnel and friends can buy such items as uniforms, insignia, novelty items, Airsoft weapons, associated gear and so much more. Oh and I forgot about the snacks and drinks for Cadets during Canteen.

The storefront looks just like any Army Military Clothing Sales Store here in the country. However, just a few short months ago the current location for ACES (it was previously in the basement of the Dining Facility) was an indoor rifle marksmanship range. It was filled with junk and had to be completely gutted so the space could become a retail store.

ACES is the only commercial operation specifically designed to meet the needs of Army Cadets, their officers/non-commissioned officers and their units in the United States.

They also carry a line of Army Combat Uniform (ACU) and Multi-Cam field (web/snivel) gear as well as boots, Physical Training (PT) gear, knives, martial arts items/DVD’s, sundries (soap, razors, deodorant) and did I mention Airsoft items.

This operation is unique in that most of the insignia, t-shirts and supporting items like patches, guidons and embroidered insignia are produced on-site.

The back room of ACES (also known as the “sweat shop”) is where much of the magic happens. Here embroidery machines produce name and branch tapes, embroidered rank insignia and other cloth uniform items. A machine stamps out dog tags. A hot press churns out PT shirts and specialty wear. This is also where the beautiful USAC guidons are hand produced.

ACES is also unique in that it uses a debit system for most Cadet transactions. When a USAC Cadet signs in to an activity here at the National Cadet Training Center an account is created in ACES where they or their parents deposit monies and the Cadet can make purchases against monies in their account.

This creates an environment where our Cadets carry no monies and if they need something from ACES they can just swipe their Cadet ID Card for it, provided there is money in the account.

The store is managed and operated by Lt. Col. Joe Gorman and his fiancé Lillian Sanders.

For more information about ACES please visit their website at http://www.acesstore.com/catalog/

Have a great Army Cadet Day!
--
AL PABON
Civilian Executive, USAC
Annual Training Battalion
Public Affairs Officer/ Deputy G1
Headquarters, U.S. Army Cadet Corps
"ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!"

New Beginings - BCT, BLC and CRS

On Sunday, July 10th we started the Basic Leader Course (BLC), the second iteration of Basic Cadet Training (BCT-2) and the Cadet Ranger School (CRS) began.

Cadet Ranger School

Seven of our Challenge Cadets met the challenge and have moved into the Cadet Ranger School (CRS.) They have been joined by three past graduates of the Challenge; C/SGT Adam Clifford & C/SGT Alan Royce of the Headquarters Company here in Millersburg and Cadet Kyle Wittcoff, of the Individual Training Company (ITC).

For the next three weeks, the CRC Cadets will participate in a program that focuses on skills learned during the Cadet Ranger Challenge and the patrolling and field skills curriculum taught during U.S. Army Ranger School. The CRS Cadets are highly motivated and are in excellent physical shape.

CRS Cadets will face a week of evaluation where they will be evaluated on their leadership, teamwork and physical fitness. Cadets must achieve the USAC Advanced Physical Fitness Standard on the ACPFT in order to remain with CRS after the first week.

Those cadets who are not allowed to continue in the CRS will transfer to the field skills portion of BLC and continue with the TACMAP program after BLC concludes. Cadets must have satisfactorily completed the CRC to be eligible to attend this course. They have a very exciting week planned including Airsoft engagements, the ropes course, rappelling and Rifle/Pistol Marksmanship.

The Basic Leader Course:

BLC is our intense three-week program for graduates of Basic Cadet Training. BCT trains our Cadets in the “basics” of being a USAC Cadet (hence the name Basic Cadet Training) but there is so much more. Being a good Cadet means that you are always learning and growing. BLC provides an advanced orientation in basic leadership, field training, marksmanship, self-defense and team-building activities. This course is a requirement for Cadets to earn their Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) and be eligible for promotion to Cadet Sergeant. Most of our newly minted Cadets have elected to stay on with us and participate in this year’s BLC. It should be an interesting week.

Basic Cadet Training:

It’s not quite Ground Hog Day but its close. ;) 61 new recruits began this session of BCT on July 10th. This time they are organized into a single platoon based at McIntye Hall as BLC has almost completely taken over Miller Hall.

This platoon is being led by C/Sergeant Alex Metta who is assigned to the Army Cadets of Selfridge (MI.) He is being assisted by C/PFC Nina Garrido of the Army Cadets of the National Capital Region and C/PFC Jacqueline Riley of the Army Cadets of Selfridge. This group of Recruits will participate in most of the same activities that the earlier class did.

On initial observation it seems like this BCT class is “getting it” earlier than the last. I chalk that up to experienced leadership in the form of C/SGT Metta, his team and Drill Sergeant Nordan.
New Team Members

We are fortunate that we have some additional help for the BLC.

First we have Sergeant John Cleary. He joins us (with his daughter for BCT) as a Tactical NCO for the BLC. SGT Cleary is also helping by supplying many of the pictures that you see posted on Facebook.

Next we have Army Sergeant First Class Fred Gibson and his wife Tina. He is an active duty Army Recruiter and Tina is a Special Education Teacher. SFC Gibson is also helping with the BLC and Tina is helping with medical and other support duties.

Thanks and welcome to the team!

Please check our Facebook for the latest pictures and video from Annual Training

Link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/National-Cadet-Training-Center-Official/350329073135

Thanks and have a great Army Cadet day!

AL PABON
Civilian Executive, USAC
Annual Training Battalion
Public Affairs Officer
Headquarters, U.S. Army Cadet Corps
"ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!"

Dear Friends,

It has been about 15 days since I last blogged with you. They have been very busy and productive.

Please let me try to bring you up to date.

On Friday July 8th in a special night-time ceremony outside of Allen House, the following officers were recognized for their outstanding service to the USAC with promotions as indicated.

Andrew Chen to Lt. Col., James Pease to Major, Clay Hammer to Captain, Beth Szydzik to Captain, Paul Cutter to 1st Lt., William Smith to Chief Warrant Officer 2 and David Puryear to Warrant Officer 1.

Each of these officers represents the very best the USAC has to offer. Whether you are a technical specialist, a senior staff officer or a commander of a local Company the USAC appreciates and recognizes service with incentives like promotions and awards.

During the day our Cadets took their written and physical exams.

The written test is a 90-question test of the materials presented to the recruits including, drill and ceremonies, rank recognition, customs and courtesies, USAC history and organization and general military subjects.

The physical test is the Army Cadet Physical Fitness test (ACPFT). It has three events, push-ups, sit-ups and a 2 mile run. These Recruits earned the maximum score of 300 points on the test:

Osei Avril, Benjamin Clarke, Tobias Dublin, Samson Finch, Luke Fleck, Jonathan Jimenez, Jacob McDonald and Jordan Okdie

On July 9th 100 Recruits became Cadets at a graduation ceremony. This ceremony marked the graduation of our first Basic Cadet Training Course and of the Cadet Ranger Challenge.

The Cadet Company led by Major Campbell formed in front of Allen House (USAC Headquarters), before Brig. Gen. Tornow and his distinguished visitors including retired US Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Charles Hanrahan, and Chairman of the USAC Board of Directors, Brig. Gen. Santiago Sanchis.

During the ceremony the recruits took the Cadet Oath and officially became “Army Cadets.”
"I do solemnly promise to give true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; to be faithful and loyal to the Corps of Cadets; to obey the orders of the Officers appointed over me; and to conduct myself so as to be a credit to my Unit, the U.S. Army Cadet Corps, the Armed Forces and my Country."

Over the last 2 weeks I have observed that our new Cadets have changed. This change is more than the superficial (uniforms, haircuts), I think that they are different people. They have that confident stride and eager look that marks a person who has completed a challenge and is ready for much more.

Today they became Cadets.

USAC is unique in that youth that join us do not automatically become Cadets. We have a long tradition in that the title of “Cadet” must be earned thru training and orientation. This is currently accomplished by having all recruits completing Basic Cadet Training here at the NCTC.
In addition to becoming Cadets several members of the BCT Class and the CRC were recognized as honor cadets and granted a meritorious promotion as indicated:

Battalion Honor Graduate: RCT Dewayne Patterson, promoted to C/PFC
1st Platoon Honor Graduate: RCT Olivia Golden
2nd Platoon Honor Graduate: RCT Richard Liao
3rd Platoon Honor Graduate: RCT Natalia Correa
Cadet Ranger Challenge Honor Graduate: C/PFC Michael Long, promoted to Cadet Corporal

In addition to this recognition the Battalion Commander has the authority to grant meritorious promotion to up to ten percent of each BCT platoon and the CRC. The following Cadets were promoted to Cadet Private. (PV2)

1st Platoon RCT William Johnson and RCT Jacob Schwager
2nd Platoon RCT Copeland Whitney and RCT Sarah Winger
3rd Platoon RCT Richard Gray and RCT William Moses

C/PV2 Lee Anderson of the Cadet Ranger Challenge was promoted to C/PFC.

The ceremony was well attended by many of the Cadets family members and USAC supporters from the local community.

After graduation we said good bye to about 50 of our new Cadets and CRC Cadets and spent the rest of the day getting ready for over 50 new BCT and Cadet Ranger School participants!

Many pictures of the ceremony were taken by 2nd Lt. Joseph Land and Warrant Officer Steve Biggers.

These are available on the National Cadet Training Center’s Facebook. Please check our Facebook for the latest pictures and video from Annual Training

Link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/National-Cadet-Training-Center-Official/350329073135

Thanks and have a great Army Cadet day!


AL PABON
Civilian Executive, USAC
Annual Training Battalion
Public Affairs Officer
Headquarters, U.S. Army Cadet Corps
"ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!"

Nearly 200 U.S. Army Cadet Corps personnel will participate in graduation ceremonies this Saturday at 10 am at the National Cadet Training Center.

Young people from as far away as California, Florida, New York, as well as India, Ireland and the People's Republic of China, will stand side-by-side during this time-honored military event.

We sincerely hope you will join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of these fine young adults. The public is invited. Please review this link for details.

The USAC Cadet Ranger Program

The U.S. Army Cadet Corps (USAC) Cadet Ranger Course started in 2010 as a way to give USAC Cadets a high adventure experience modeled on the training and operations of the US Army Rangers.

Rangers have been part of the army since its foundation and have served proudly in all of the nation’s armed conflicts. They have evolved from a rag-tag group of frontiersmen to respected members of the special operations community who have served gallantly and with distinction.

USAC uses the Ranger model to expose Cadets to the concepts of small unit leadership, teamwork and excellence.

The USAC Cadet Ranger program currently has two components:

The Cadet Ranger Challenge (CRC), which we are currently conducting is an intense three-week program based on the U.S. Army’s Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP). CRC is designed to introduce Cadets to High Adventure lifestyle and includes challenges of both personal trials and team environments. Successful completion of CRC is required in order to be eligible for Cadet Ranger School (CRS).

To pass the CRC excellent conditioning and motivation is required while maintaining the ability to work as part of a team. Note: Cadets must achieve the USAC Advanced Physical Fitness Standard on the ACPFT in order to remain with CRC after the first week.

The next piece is the Cadet Ranger School (CRS).

CRS is an intense three-week program that focuses on the patrolling and field skills curriculum taught during U.S. Army Ranger School. Cadets attending this program must be highly motivated and in excellent physical shape when arriving.

The first week of CRS is an evaluation period to determine if the Cadet can complete the course. Those not allowed to continue will transfer to the field skills portion of the Basic Leader Course (BLC) and continue with the Army Cadet Martial Arts Program (TACMAP) program after BLC concludes.

Cadets must have satisfactorily completed CRC to be eligible to attend this course. Note: Cadets must achieve the USAC Advanced Physical Fitness Standard on the ACPFT in order to remain with CRS after the first week.

Cadets will be starting the last week of CRC on Sunday July 3rd and this week will determine who moves on to the Cadet Ranger School. Please watch this Blog and the NCTC Facebook for more information.

As the CRS begins we will have an in depth blog about the training program and talk to one of this year’s CRC graduates.

Please visit our Facebook for images from this year’s Cadet Ranger Challenge.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Cadet-Training-Center-Official/350329073135

V/R,

AL PABON
Civilian Executive, USAC
Annual Training Battalion
Deputy G1/Public Affairs Officer
Headquarters, U.S. Army Cadet Corps
"ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!"

Update for 30 June and 1 July

Over the past few days our Recruits have continued their training in basic cadet skills.

They are mastering their marching and other drill movements as well as other cadet skills.

On Thursday the recruits had a barracks inspection conducted by their commander, Major Campbell and Drill Sergeant Nordan.

Honestly, our recruits could have done better. :)

They did well in some areas but there is room for improvement in areas like bunk making and laying out their gear. Troop Handlers are working with them and they expect better results at the next inspection.

On Thursday evening, USAC was invited to participate in the annual Blackberry Festival Parade in Carlisle.

20 hand-picked recruits, led by Cadet Staff Sgt. Royce and a color guard consisting of four of our troop handlers marched in the two mile parade.

The Cadet Ranger Challenge Cadets traveled to the Winchester Fire and EMS Rappelling Tower. There they learned how to safely rappel. Lead by Lt. Col Gorman, 2nd. Lt. Land and Warrant Officer Smith, they spent a good part of the day learning and practicing both “Standard” and Australian style rappelling techniques.

Images from Thursday’s activity can be found at the NCTC Facebook:

General Images: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150365279518136.429137.350329073135

Blackberry Festival Parade:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150365343458136.429167.350329073135

Rappelling Tower:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150365597978136.429274.350329073135

Today (Friday) we started with a Physical Fitness test. Many of the test scores improved and two of our cadets received a perfect score of 300 points.

The Army Cadet Physical Fitness Test scores Cadets and Recruits on how many push-ups and sit-ups they can do as well as how fast they can run two miles.

Some of our highest scoring Recruits (RCT) were:

RCT Benjamin Clarke, 300 Points
RCT Tobias Dublin, 300 Points
RCT Samson Finch, 299 Points
RCT Jonathan Jimenez, 295 Points
RCT Vincent Abell, 292 Points

Tonight First Platoon is participating in “Pugil Sticks.” A pugil stick is a heavily padded pole-like training weapon used by military personnel for training in rifle and bayonet combat since the early 1940s. The pugil stick is similar to a quarterstaff or Japanese bo, and may be marked at one end to indicate which portion represents the bayonet proper and which the butt of the rifle.

Dr. Armond Seidler of the University of New Mexico invented the Pugil Stick training method during World War II. The training was initially adopted by the Marine Corps, but was later included in Army combat training as well. Dr. Seidler was given an award by the Marine Corps for his invention.

Pugil bouts are always conducted in the USAC with contact while wearing protective gear such as groin protectors, American football helmets, hockey gloves, and chest protectors or shin guards, such as worn by baseball catchers.

This training is conducted with maximum safety in mind, but the Recruits do have fun!
The Cadet Ranger Challenge participants traveled today to the Torrent Falls Rock Climbing Center at River Gore east of Lexington, Ky.

There the Cadets learned the basics of rock climbing and practiced those skills in climbing the various walls there.

Images from Friday’s activity can be found on the NCTC Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Cadet-Training-Center-Official/350329073135#!/media/set/?set=a.10150366058233136.429433.350329073135

This weekend we continue our training in preparation for several activities next week including the high ropes course, confidence course, water safety course and rifle marksmanship range.

On Sunday July 3rd we look forward to receiving participating Cadets for the Basic Leader Course. We will also receive several Officer Candidates who will receive classroom instruction and hands-on training to prepare them for appointment as USAC Officers.

This Monday is the 4th of July and while we will be training we will take time out to celebrate the 235th anniversary of our nation’s founding with a BBQ and some fun activities.

On a closing note I wanted to thank Cadet Private 1st Class Austin Strange of the Headquarters Company. He has been taking many of the excellent pictures that you see on the National Cadet Training Center Facebook. Thank you Cadet Strange. HOOAH!

Please take a moment to visit our Facebook (linked below) and check out some of the many images that have been posted there as well as the latest updates on our summer programs.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Cadet-Training-Center-Official/350329073135#!/

Enjoy your weekend.

AL PABON
Civilian Executive, USAC
Annual Training Battalion
Deputy G1/Public Affairs Officer
Headquarters, U.S. Army Cadet Corps
"ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!"