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!"