Secretary of US Army visits Fort Knox to observe cadet summer training

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Cadets at Fort Knox got a special visit on Thursday.

Hon. Christine Wormuth, the Secretary of the U.S. Army, arrived on the post to observe summer training and speak with those working to become officers.

"For me this is an opportunity to see exactly how we are training our future officers who are going to be commissioned in just a year or two, and an opportunity to see and make sure we're doing that well and to get feedback from our cadets," said Wormuth.

We’re at FORT KNOX this morning where Hon. Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the U.S. Army, is observing cadet training. Officials here tell me Fort Knox trains around 10,000 cadets every summer. @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/PbJ1tGTlji
— Darby Beane (@DarbyBeane) July 21, 2022

During the day, several cadets trained on operating in an environment affected by chemical weapons. Those exercises were meant to build confidence in equipment and trust among the cadets while engaging with difficult situations.

A separate group of cadets trained on obstacle courses meant to assess leadership and focus on team building.

The Hon. Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the U.S. Army, visits Fort Knox on Thursday, July 21, 2022. — Cadet training at Fort Knox, Thursday, July 21, 2022.

Throughout the day, Wormuth talked with cadets, explaining her role and giving them an opportunity to ask questions.

"The Secretary of the Army is the civilian leader of the Army," she said. "One of the main jobs of the Secretary of the Army is to make sure that it is organized, trained, and equipped, so I make sure we have the best and biggest possible budget the Army can have and figure out how to allocate that money whether it's to weapons systems or to soldiers or to taking care of our families."

Samuel Mosby, one of the cadets training at Fort Knox said it was "surreal," being able to ask Wormuth a question.

"It really kind of showed how much of a family the Army really is. She just approached us as cadets, we're not even fully officers yet, and she still gave us the time of day. She took the time to come out and talk to us. It means a lot to us. It really does," he said.

The exercises took place in extreme heat. Cadets took turns placing their arms in coolers filled with ice water to cool down.

Alexis Ibarra-Bautista participated in the training last year. This time around, she's a second lieutenant in the Army helping others go through cadet training.

"Now for me to be on the other side of the training is surreal and it's humbling," said Ibarra-Bautista.

Wormuth is the 25th Secretary of the Army and is the first woman to be appointed to the position.

"I think it's an opportunity really to try to be a role model. I know other women that I work with who could've been the first (female) Secretary of the Army so there's not anything that special about me, but I do think it shows other women in the Army that they can aspire to really senior leadership roles," said Wormuth.

Prior to confirmation, Wormuth was the Director of the International Defense and Security Center at the RAND Corporation where she was a frequent writer and speaker on foreign policy, national security, and homeland security issues.

The Hon. Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the U.S. Army, visits Fort Knox on Thursday, July 21, 2022.

She said 83% of those in the U.S. Army come from military families and she's trying to reach more people in the country to show them what the Army has to offer.

"We have to have an Army that can protect our country and we need to make sure that it is filled with talented soldiers, filled with talented officers, so we definitely want to make sure that everybody in the country knows all the skills that we can offer to young Americans, all of the leadership opportunities that the Army provides, and a lot of the great benefits frankly that the Army provides, whether it's tuition assistance or healthcare or terrific retirement plans," she said.

The cadets who got their questions answered from Wormuth said they were thankful for the opportunity.

"If you want to be part of something bigger than yourself and to be part of a different type of family, the Army is for you," said Chelsea Guillermo, a cadet.

For a direct link to information about careers in the Army, click here.