The Army FTX Experience

US Army Cadets made their yearly trip to Goshen for the Spring field training exercise (FTX). As always, the Cadets were rained on before they could even leave post, but FTX wouldn't be FTX without the rain. When it rains, it pours, the Virginia National Guard had scheduled 5 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for movement to Goshen, but they were cancelled due to inclement weather. In classic army fashion, Cadets frontloaded rucks and took school buses to Goshen, quite the spacious ride. Upon arrival, Cadets rucked to their patrol base locations and bundled up for the cold night ahead. MSIIIs (2nd Classmen) began day 2 with 6 hours of day land navigation. The course spread over steep spurs and draws, over a large course. The final 3-hour iteration of "land nav" stepped off at 2030, and tested Cadets' ability to find points during the night. The utilization of various attack points spread half a mile apart helped over the large course. Throughout the whole land navigation, I traveled 23 miles. A large course has its benefits; a large area allows for spaced-out points and avoids the need to navigate the same area repeatedly. The course ended at 2330, and after strict accountability and movement, Cadets bedded down for the night around 0100, and got the best 4 hours of sleep before the next day's activities. A crisp 27-degree wakeup call started day 3 off. Luckily, a small group of Cadets built a fire for the rest of the company to use. Each platoon took turns rotating by the fire to stay warm. During the morning, the entire battalion integrated MSI, II, and III to conduct lanes. The MSIs/IIs (4th and 3rd classmen) were "regular joes", and the MSIIIs were in leadership positions (Squad-level NCOs, Platoon Leaders, Platoon Sergeants, etc.). This organization benefited all involved. For the MSIIIs, running lanes with underclassmen allows them to teach and lead less knowledgeable peers. A leader cannot just tell their followers what to do; they must guide, teach, and lead them effectively. This skill is crucial not only for advanced camp but also for becoming a leader anywhere else in the world. The MSI/IIs also learned about leading, military skills, and operations. Working with experienced upperclassmen gave underclassmen a full-speed opportunity to learn and practice army skills, doctrine, and operations. Lanes included raids, attacks, and other base operations. All cadets are trained with blank ammunition, giving the training the most realistic feel. Most Cadets carried an M4 rifle, with some 3rd-class cadets running M249s and M240s, which provided heavy automatic fire. The army department provided plenty of blank ammunition to use, with the M240s burning through 200-round belts. Day 4 ran the same way as day 3, but with OPFOR (Opposing Forces) getting creative in defending against the Army Cadets. This was the best day for leadership under varying conditions, as the real army is, and was quite a bit of fun at the same time. Instead of the lane going to plan, OPFOR would switch locations, sneak up behind friendly lines, or use any other tactic to catch friendly forces off guard. On day 5, MSIIIs conducted a 4-mile movement to the pick-up area. During this time, The Cadet spoke with many cadets about their experiences, and every person said this is by far the best FTX and training value they have received. Looking around, spirits were high, despite the physical and mental demands that were required to complete the training. VMI currently hosts international Cadets, some of whom are from Lithuania, Korea, and Poland. Lithuanian Cadet Kristupas Juras reflected on his experience, stating: FTX provided an opportunity to work with the different military and to understand how other countries work and make tactical decisions. This year's international students were the first to participate in such exercises, and I am happy about that. The favorite part was Land NAV, which required adapting to new terrain and made it much more interesting and challenging. Lanes were interesting too, especially conducting raids and attacks. I liked learning as much as possible and also teaching some things. It's a pleasure to work with good and motivated people, it will be an invaluable experience. Once the ruck was completed and Cadets finished a hot-chow breakfast, the buses arrived, and they traveled back to the post. Upon arrival at VMI, there was about an hour of rifle cleaning and another two of rifle turn-in. To culminate FTX, the entire battalion fell in around the Marshall Statue, to support two Army Cadets who took the Oath of Enlistment to contract into the Army. Then, a select group of cadets was awarded challenge coins for their standout leadership and contributions during the training. Please consider supporting our work at www.cadetnewspaper.com. The Cadet is 100% dependant on donations and advertising.