Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Forging warriors: more than 8,000 cadets converge on Fort Lewis
TRADOC News Service ^ | Aug 5, 2005 | Bob Rosenburgh

Posted on 08/05/2005 4:16:57 PM PDT by SandRat

FORT LEWIS, Wash. (TRADOC News Service, Aug. 4. 2005) – The population of Fort Lewis grew by more than 8,000 people this summer as Army ROTC cadets, Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers, and ROTC college staff members are participating in Operation Warrior Forge, also referred to as the Leader Development and Assessment Course.

Every year, Warrior Forge helps the U.S. Army Cadet Command provide more than two-thirds of the Army’s new officers, invigorates the local economy – both on post and off – and provides added training for active-duty Army and Reserve units.

More than 4,500 cadets from all 50 states and two U.S. territories – and about 380 Army National Guard officer candidates – are scheduled for the training, organized into 13 ROTC regiments and two OCS regiments.

Another 1,500 Fort Lewis Soldiers and civilians are supporting the event, which began June 1 and runs through Aug. 19. Each LDAC is 33 days, so the first set of cadets graduated July 4.

LDAC training is a series of progressive exercises and evaluation procedures that challenge each cadet individually and each platoon and regiment as a group. Designed to develop leadership, teamwork and military skills and knowledge, LDAC is based on 23 leadership dimensions developed by Cadet Command. Among them are the seven core Army Values outlined in 1998 by the Army.

Warrior Forge is the single most important training event for Army ROTC cadets or National Guard officer candidates. The operation incorporates a wide range of disciplines, such as physical fitness, weapons, security operations, first aid, communication, land navigation and combat patrolling – each designed to develop and evaluate leadership ability.

The trials are rigorous and demanding – both mentally and physically – to ensure these future Army officers are prepared to lead America’s sons and daughters.

Besides the important business of developing the next generation of Army officers, Warrior Forge also has a significant economic impact on Fort Lewis and in surrounding communities. Millions of dollars have been spent upgrading the facilities and ranges used for LDAC training, and millions more have been spent on housing, meals, cleaning and maintenance, summer-hire employment, plus laundry and travel services.

Also, LDAC enhances the training of other military organizations, offering them opportunities to train their own Soldiers in support operations and gain more training with ammunition, artillery rounds and other expendable mission components beyond their own annual unit allocations.

Fort Lewis has been the only site for LDAC since 1997. LDAC brings together cadets from all 272 college ROTC programs within Cadet Command’s national organization. LDAC is the largest annual training exercise conducted by Training and Doctrine Command.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: 8000cadets; cadets; forging; fortlewis; rotc; warriors
See related story, “Summer training forges leaders”

Photos at source

1 posted on 08/05/2005 4:16:59 PM PDT by SandRat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; Kathy in Alaska; Fawnn; HiJinx; Radix; Spotsy; Diva Betsy Ross; ...

Make a new batch of Army 2LTs.


2 posted on 08/05/2005 4:17:33 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SandRat

"Make a new batch of Army 2LTs."

I can remember when I was a 2LT (((((shudder)))))


3 posted on 08/05/2005 4:20:42 PM PDT by roaddog727 (The marginal propensity to save is 1 minus the marginal propensity to consume.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson