ARMY ROTC LEADER DEVELOPMENT
WHAT IS BASIC CAMP?
There are scholars among you who aspire to achieve something greater than a college degree. They aspire to be leaders. They are Army ROTC Cadets and you can join them by attending Basic Camp (formerly Leader's Training Course) at Fort Knox, KY.
Basic Camp is a 31-day training event designed to introduce Cadets to the Army. The objective is to develop Cadet leadership skills and train them on individual and junior leader tasks to develop and reinforce Warrior Ethos and our Army Values. Basic Camp provides the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in ROTC and ultimately the Army. Basic Camp Cadets graduate the course prepared to lead at the Team (3-4 Cadets) and Squad (9-13 Cadets) level.
Basic Camp's primary target audience is the Lateral Entry Cadet and the freshman Cadet. Lateral Entry Cadets typically decide to join ROTC in their sophomore year of college, thus require Basic Camp to learn what normal-progression Cadets have learned in their first two years of military science classes. As an ancillary target, Basic Camp allows second- year (MS II) Cadets to gain squad leader experience, which provides opportunities for some MS III Cadets to fulfill roles as platoon-level leaders. Basic Camp consists of eight Cadet Regiments, nearly 3,000 Cadets from around the country.
Cadets are taught how to conduct troop leading procedures (TLPs) to plan and execute tactical missions at the squad level in a platoon construct/setting. As Cadets gain experience and confidence through the training, they apply lessons learned from the After Action Reviews (AAR) process. Basic Camp is open to all students with no obligation for future military service.
WHAT IS ADVANCED CAMP?
Advanced Camp is a 31- day training event that is designated to assess a Cadet's ability to demonstrate proficiency in basic officer leadership tasks. Cadets are evaluated on their ability to lead at the Squad and Platoon levels, both in garrison and tactical environments. Cadets are mentally and physically tested during a 12-day consequence driven field exercise that replicates a combat training center rotation. Successful completion of the Advanced Camp is a prerequisite for commissioning.
The mission of Advanced camp is to assess a Cadet's potential to serve as a commissioned officer. It is the most significant training and evaluation event in ROTC. Training is complex, challenging, and rigorous and is conducted in a stressful training environment. Cadets reinforce basic skills through Squad (9-13 Cadets) level leader development exercises and transition to Platoon (40-50 Cadets) level operations in a company construct. Prior to attending Advanced Camp, Cadets receive intelligence updates, preparing them for the geo-political environment to which they will deploy and operate.