Kentucky – EWU Army ROTC

The U.S. Army Officially Cancels 2020 Cadet Summer Training at Ft. Knox

05/12/2020 by jstafford3

Today the U.S. Army Cadet Command (USACC) announced that both Advanced and Basic Camp held at Ft. Knox, Kentucky each summer has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was announced by video by Major General John Evans the Commanding General of USACC. Click image below to watch the video:

Advanced Camp

An important fact to take from this decision is that even though Advanced and Basic Camp are cancelled this year, this doesn’t mean the Cadets that were scheduled to attend will not conduct training. Instead all the ROTC battalions across the country will train their Cadets on the required training tasks during on campus training and two 96 hour Field Training Exercises (FTX) in the fall and spring quarters.

In anticipation of a possible decision like this, the leadership from both EWU and Gonzaga Army ROTC battalions have already developed a joint training plan for next year. The combined units are called Taskforce Spokane and the battalions will train together to ensure all Advanced Camp tasks are completed. EWU Cadets will be briefed on the plan during our Thursday training meeting. All efforts are being made to conduct Taskforce Spokane training responsibly and safely to keep our MS-III Cadets effected by this decision healthy and on-track to commission on time.

Additionally the Cadets that commission in academic year 2021 will conduct supplemental training as part of their Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC). The supplemental training will be 2-weeks long and include training tasks such as a live hand grenade throw, a night infiltration course, and a buddy team live fire.

Basic Camp

For our EWU Basic Camp Cadets, they will be trained on their required skills locally in September by our EWU Army ROTC Cadre. The completion of the local Basic Camp training will still allow those Cadets to move forward towards contracting. Each Cadet will be briefed on the details of the training plan later this week.

Additional Cancelled Training

The cancellation of Basic and Advanced Camp comes in addition to the previously announced cancellations of internships, the Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP), advanced military training schools such as Airborne and Air Assault school, and Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT). EWU Army ROTC will continue to maintain close communication with our Cadets to keep them informed of Cadet Summer Training developments. If anyone has any questions feel free to reach out to your Military Science instructor or leave a comment.

Go Fighting Eags!

Final Eastern Washington University Cadets Graduate From Advanced Camp 2019

08/29/2019 by jstafford3

Our final two Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets completed Advanced Camp earlier this month at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Cadets Marcos Sanchez and Collin Galbreath graduated from Advanced Camp’s 11th Regiment on August 18th.

From left: Cadet Collin Galbreath, 2nd Lieutenant Kyle Isaacson, and Cadet Marcos Sanchez

Advanced Camp is Cadet Command’s premier annual training event that assesses Cadets on their ability to conduct basic officer leadership tasks. Cadets usually attend Advanced Camp during the summer between their junior and senior years of college. Passing Advanced Camp is a mandatory requirement for all Cadets who want to commission as an officer in the U.S. Army after graduation. With the successful completion of Advanced Camp, Cadets Sanchez and Galbreath are one step closer to commissioning as Second Lieutenants after graduating from Eastern.

One of our 2019 Fighting Eagles Battalion alums, Second Lieutenant Kyle Isaacson was assigned to support Advanced Camp 2019 this summer after graduating from Eastern this past June. During Advanced Camp he had the opportunity to meet with Cadets Galbreath and Sanchez. After Advanced Camp 2nd Lieutenant Isaacson will attend the Field Artillery Basic Officer Leadership Course at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.

Congratulations to Cadets Galbreath and Sanchez for completing Advanced Camp and we wish all the best to 2nd Lieutenant Isaacson as he conducts his basic officer training to become a Field Artilleryman.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Five More “Fighting Eagles” Battalion Cadets Graduate from ROTC Advanced Camp

08/27/2019 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) recently had 5 more Cadets graduate from Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadets Ian House, Joseph Jordan, Jazmin Castrejon, Coy Odiorne, and Melinda Leen all graduated as part of Advanced Camp’s 9th Regiment on August 8th.

From left: Ian House, Joseph Jordan, Jazmin Castrejon, Coy Odiorne, and Melinda Leen pictured together following graduation from ROTC Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Advanced Camp is Cadet Command’s premier annual training event that assesses Cadets on their ability to conduct basic officer leadership tasks. Cadets usually attend Advanced Camp during the summer between their junior and senior years of college. Passing Advanced Camp is a mandatory requirement for all Cadets who want to commission as an officer in the U.S. Army after graduation. With the successful completion of Advanced Camp, Cadets House, Jordan, Castrejon, Odiorne, and Leen are one step closer to commissioning as Second Lieutenants after graduating from Eastern.

The completion of Advanced Camp however was not the end of summer training for some of these Cadets. After graduating from Advanced Camp three of the Cadets left to participate in Cadet Troop Leadership Training (CTLT). At CTLT a Cadet gets hands on experience with being an officer within an active duty U.S. Army unit. Cadet Odiorne is currently embedded with Taskforce Talon, a missile defense unit assigned to protect the island of Guam from ballistic missile attack. Cadet Castrejon and House both traveled to Ft. Hood, Texas to take part in a CTLT experience with transportation and chemical units.

Congratulations to all five Cadets for graduating from Advanced Camp and achieving one of the most important accomplishments of the ROTC program.

Three Eastern Washington University Cadets Graduate from ROTC Advanced Camp

08/13/2019 by jstafford3

Congratulations to Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” battalion Cadets Austin Bristow, Jacob Villasenor and Hunter Smith for graduating today from Advanced Camp’s, 10th Regiment at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

From left: Austin Bristow, Jacob Villasenor, and Hunter Smith take a picture together during the Field Training Exercise (FTX) portion of Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Eastern’s ROTC program sent 22 Cadets to Advanced Camp this year and our final two Cadets will graduate from Advanced Camp’s 11th Regiment on August 18th.

With the successful completion of Advanced Camp Cadets Bristow, Villasenor, and Smith are one step closer to commissioning as Second Lieutenants after graduating from Eastern. Congratulations to all three Cadets for achieving one of the benchmark accomplishments of the ROTC program.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Eastern Washington University Cadet Graduates from ROTC Basic Camp

08/11/2019 by jstafford3

Congratulations to Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet Andrew Gannon for graduating from Basic Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Here is a picture of Cadet Gannon’s unit, 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 5th Regiment:

Here is a closer look at Cadet Gannon seated right below the drill sergeant:

cadet gannon

Basic Camp is a four-week leadership training course designed for college students, typically between their sophomore and junior years to attend if they did not join ROTC during their freshman year of college. After completion of Basic Camp the Cadet is then eligible for entry as a third year Cadet in the four year ROTC program. The Cadet is also eligible to contract and receive scholarship and stipend benefits.

Once again congratulations to Cadet Gannon for graduating from Basic Camp!

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

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Two More Fighting Eagles Battalion Cadets Graduate from ROTC’s Advanced Camp

08/03/2019 by jstafford3

Congratulations to Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” battalion Cadets Samantha Knight and Cesar Guzman for graduating today from Advanced Camp’s, 8th Regiment at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Below is a picture of 8th Regiment’s, Delta Company, 4th Platoon that Cadet Knight was part of:

Cadet Knight is studying nursing and will begin attending the Washington State University College of Nursing in Spokane this year to complete her nursing degree. Cadet Knight was also a recipient this year of the Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship. Here is a closer look at Cadet Knight from here platoon picture:

Below is a picture of the 8th Regiment’s Delta Company, 2nd Platoon that Cadet Guzman was part of:

Cadet Guzman is an incoming senior studying biology at EWU. Here is a closer look at Cadet Guzman from the picture:

With the successful completion of Advanced Camp both Cadets Knight and Guzman are one stop closer to commissioning as Second Lieutenants after graduating from Eastern. Congratulations once again to these two talented, young Cadets.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Subscribe to EWU Army ROTC

We publish a lot of great content about our outstanding Cadets and never use it for spam purposes. Thank you for your interest in the EWU Army ROTC program and we hope you become a subscriber.