Your CBT Cadre -- AMA*

prospective2019

USMA 2023
5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
782
Good morning,

I am a rising Firstie and will be Cadre for Cadet Basic Training this summer. I will have a good number of you in my formation. I figure there are probably some questions out there about training, administrative, etc that the underclass on here cannot answer. Feel free to pick my brain, within reason (some things you must experience firsthand). This is a busy time of year as a cadet so please limit questions to things you could not first find in the search bar!

- USMA '23
 
Good morning,

I am a rising Firstie and will be Cadre for Cadet Basic Training this summer. I will have a good number of you in my formation. I figure there are probably some questions out there about training, administrative, etc that the underclass on here cannot answer. Feel free to pick my brain, within reason (some things you must experience firsthand). This is a busy time of year as a cadet so please limit questions to things you could not first find in the search bar!

- USMA '23
what can I do to make sure I don’t stand out, so I don‘t get yelled at by you and the cadre
 
Good morning,

I am a rising Firstie and will be Cadre for Cadet Basic Training this summer. I will have a good number of you in my formation. I figure there are probably some questions out there about training, administrative, etc that the underclass on here cannot answer. Feel free to pick my brain, within reason (some things you must experience firsthand). This is a busy time of year as a cadet so please limit questions to things you could not first find in the search bar!

- USMA '23
How’s the running during beast?
 
what can I do to make sure I don’t stand out, so I don‘t get yelled at by you and the cadre
There are some things you can avoid and some things you can't. Be a good teammate, be respectful, check off your buddies' uniforms and have them check you off before you leave your room, and try to be diligent about following rules. You will have some slip-ups and learning curves, but it's part of it as you learn how to manage stress. You'll learn how to take corrections and remember that we are learning how to make them as well.
 
Regarding the STAP periods over the summer how many classes can you take at a time? And what are the type of courses that are available to voluntary take over the summer?

Do you have less opportunities to do MIADS/AIADS after your plebe - yuk summer? I heard that the length of mandatory training time increases the more you become an upperclassmen.

And what is your major and how many credit hours have you taken total these last 3 years? How did you divide them up in the last 6 semesters?
 
Did you have the choice to become cadre, or was being cadre something assigned to you without any of your input?
 
Regarding the STAP periods over the summer how many classes can you take at a time? And what are the type of courses that are available to voluntary take over the summer?

Do you have less opportunities to do MIADS/AIADS after your plebe - yuk summer? I heard that the length of mandatory training time increases the more you become an upperclassmen.

And what is your major and how many credit hours have you taken total these last 3 years? How did you divide them up in the last 6 semesters?
1) One academic and one DPE class at a time. The classes are all common core, nothing for your major.

2) Yes, the primary window is after plebe/yuk year. However, it's not uncommon to go later. I'm going to Air Assault before CBT this year.

3) To avoid doxxing myself... an engineering major with an unrelated minor. I have averaged about 20.5, 21 these last few semesters. 125 total, Plebe-Cow year. I also validated a couple courses and did a bunch of STAP. I am not the normal case with credits but if you PM me we can talk about what you specifically have in mind.
 
Did you have the choice to become cadre, or was being cadre something assigned to you without any of your input?
You can put in a wishlist to your company TAC officer. You generally don't get much say. I asked to do CBT and got the exact role I wanted. It depends on your military GPA and how your TAC runs things. YMMV. Everyone does a leadership detail before you graduate.

I personally wanted the experience of developing your class. Most of what you do here is peer-leadership, being Cadre for CBT is a chance to practice leadership on impressionable subordinates more like a real unit.
 
Do you recommend memorizing information before Beast commences? I was given a book by a graduate that contains songs, poems, ranks, patches, alphabet, etc. Do we need to know all of this by A Day?
 
Do you recommend memorizing information before Beast commences? I was given a book by a graduate that contains songs, poems, ranks, patches, alphabet, etc. Do we need to know all of this by A Day?
That would be a knowledge book. You will have plenty of time during CBT to memorize it--don't waste your precious time left home looking at it. The only thing I would recommend knowing that will make your life easier are the actual Army ranks and how you address cadet ranks --

- two bars (ACU or on epaulets) = "sergeant"
- three bars = "LT" "Sir/Ma'am"
- four bars and up = "CPT" "Sir/Ma'am"

That will save you a few pushups if you're well-acquainted with that. I believe you are still required to memorize the Cadet Creed before R-Day, definitely do that if they have told you you must do so.
 
That would be a knowledge book. You will have plenty of time during CBT to memorize it--don't waste your precious time left home looking at it. The only thing I would recommend knowing that will make your life easier are the actual Army ranks and how you address cadet ranks --

- two bars (ACU or on epaulets) = "sergeant"
- three bars = "LT" "Sir/Ma'am"
- four bars and up = "CPT" "Sir/Ma'am"

That will save you a few pushups if you're well-acquainted with that. I believe you are still required to memorize the Cadet Creed before R-Day, definitely do that if they have told you you must do so.
how many bars do you have if you dont mind me asking?
 
I must sound very nosey my apologies, are you interested in leadership positions within the brigade?
I declined a BDE position to stay a bit lower on the totem pole--I do not believe you personally get as much out of the highest level leadership positions here as you do the opportunities for lower-level commands & chances to mentor underclassmen. That is my personal opinion of which many disagree.
 
Good morning,

I am a rising Firstie and will be Cadre for Cadet Basic Training this summer. I will have a good number of you in my formation. I figure there are probably some questions out there about training, administrative, etc that the underclass on here cannot answer. Feel free to pick my brain, within reason (some things you must experience firsthand). This is a busy time of year as a cadet so please limit questions to things you could not first find in the search bar!

- USMA '23
Where do most people fail during BEAST?
 
I declined a BDE position to stay a bit lower on the totem pole--I do not believe you personally get as much out of the highest level leadership positions here as you do the opportunities for lower-level commands & chances to mentor underclassmen. That is my personal opinion of which many disagree.
thank you for taking the time to answer
 
Where do most people fail during BEAST?
No one fails Beast in its entirety. Where I've seen folks struggle is when it comes to learning how to put others above yourself--everyone comes in here from the top of the stack and to get there you've had to have been a little selfish or self-important. CBT is about team dynamics; you can see quite the transition in group cohesion from start to finish.

None of it is incredibly hard. You are taught everything tactically ad nauseum, and even I coming into CBT pretty out of shape could handle most of the physical events fine. You have plenty of time left to train some solid muscular endurance in your lower body and some aerobic endurance. I recommend focusing on those over anything else; it will help with the running/rucking/standing for hours.
 
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