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Fall FTX 2025

Cadets gather to hear the instructions for the night land navigation portion of their FTX training.

From September 25th to 27th, the University of Colorado Boulder Army ROTC Golden Buffalo Battalion conducted its annual Fall Field Training Exercise (FTX) at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming.

This three-day exercise provided cadets with the opportunity to apply classroom and lab instruction in a realistic field environment. Cadets completed training across open grassland training areas and rotating through the core tasks that anchor our fall cycle. Cadets completed day and night land navigation, moved through warrior task stations on medical assessment and evacuation, range cards, radios and reporting, grenade throwing, IMTs, weapons assembly, and ran PMI plus EST to reinforce safe weapons handling. The event culminated in The Crucible with timed stations, and ended with squad VS squad paintball.

MSIs and MSIIs built confidence on individual soldier skills, MSIIIs took repeated leadership repetitions such as Squad Leader, Team Leader, Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Leader; executing Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs), while the MSIVs planned, coached, and mentored the underclassmen.

Cadets training to provide medical care to wounded soldiers or civilians in the field.

Cadets rucked into Crucible stations at first light, finished the Final Stage by early afternoon, then sanitized barracks, turned in gear, and closed with a short debrief before movement home. The end state matched intent: new cadets emboldened, returners competent on collective tasks, MSIIIs sharper on TLPs, and MSIVs refining SOPs for the next phase. Safe training, high effort, and a clear step forward for the Battalion. It was a full, disciplined field weekend with tight accountability and clean execution from first formation to final bus load.

Throughout the weekend, cadets demonstrated discipline, adaptability, and confidence in executing their missions. Despite challenging weather and long hours, they successfully completed all objectives and strengthened their readiness for future training, including Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox.

The Fall FTX continues to represent a cornerstone of leadership development within the Golden Buffalo Battalion, fostering the next generation of Army officers through hands-on experience and teamwork.

Cadets train with paintball guns during their fall field training exercise.