Record 153 cadets take part in Advanced Camp

August 13, 2021

A University of North Georgia (UNG) record 153 rising senior cadets participated in the Army's Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, this summer. A year earlier, the camp was canceled due to COVID-19 and converted into the yearlong Operation Agile Leader.

UNG's Corps of Cadets students were grateful to be part of the 38-day Advanced Camp where U.S. Army Cadet Command tested their military and leadership skills. This allowed Cadet Command to assess their proficiency as future officers. Camp is required for all cadets who seek a military officer commission.

A record 13 UNG cadets earned the Recondo badge, which is awarded to cadets who display superior skills by exceeding the standards in all camp activities.

Cadet Capt. Hayley Farmer, a Griffin, Georgia, resident pursuing a degree in criminal justice, received the USAA Warrior Ethos Award, which is given to a cadet in each of the 11 regiments at camp. 

After Advanced Camp, she helped mentor younger cadets at Basic Camp, also at Fort Knox. She said her time in the Corps of Cadets made the summer activities feel like "second nature."

"Camp reassured me that attending UNG was the best decision I've made for my career thus far," Farmer said.

Thanks to the Leadership Development Program (LDP) UNG cadets experienced throughout their junior year, they were ready for everything the Army presented them at Fort Knox.

"Our cadre are the best in the country," cadet Col. Ryan Jones said of UNG's military instructors. "They know how to work with cadets and give us the reality of what the Army is."

Jones, a senior from Richmond, Virginia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, is the 2021-22 brigade commander who leads the more than 700 members of the corps.

Cadet Lt. Col. Callie Regal, a senior from Dalton, Georgia, pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies, will command the second battalion of UNG's Corps of Cadets in the upcoming academic year. She appreciated the teamwork at Advanced Camp.

"Everybody has their own piece to offer," Regal said. "You can learn so much from the people you're around. You can always ask questions."

Maj. Joshua Larson, assistant professor of military science at UNG, said the pressure of Advanced Camp helped Army officers like him assess the leadership potential of future officers.

"Performance was being observed, but potential was where the cadre came in with their own knowledge and experience," Larson said. "Tactics were a way to increase or reduce intensity on cadets in leadership positions to get good observations."

The consistent approach through which the corps provides cadets opportunities to lead their own training and events proved beneficial once they reached the high-stakes environment.

Cadet Capt. Terrance Dorsey, a Jonesboro, Georgia, resident pursuing a degree in sociology, was excited to grow his skills and help others do the same.

"The time in the field helped me understand my leadership style," Dorsey said. "I saw how I operate when I'm under stress and how others operate when they're under stress."