By Maj. Brian Harris, III Armored Corps Public Affairs

DESOTO, Texas — Fort Hood Soldiers conducted a team-building training session with the DeSoto High School football team at DeSoto Eagles Stadium July 30. The event focused on reinforcing the Army values—loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage—and demonstrating how these principles translate to success both on and off the field.

“This is more than just physical training—it’s about mindset, commitment and character,” said Claude Mathis, head football coach of the DeSoto Eagles. “The Army values mirror what we instill in our athletes every day. This experience gives them an opportunity to grow as leaders, teammates and individuals. It’s exactly the kind of development we strive for in DeSoto ISD.”

The training involved a series of collaborative exercises designed to enhance communication, trust and leadership skills among the student-athletes. Soldiers led the players through scenarios emphasizing problem-solving under pressure and the importance of unified effort.

“As we were preparing for this session, I calculated that there are 148 days until the state championship game,” said Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Betts, III Armored Corps Public Affairs operations noncommissioned officer and the organizer of the training session. “That became a theme for today’s activities because these young men have only a few short months to truly come together if they want to play in that game.”

The day started with activities meant to introduce the players to basic Soldier tasks like standing in formation properly. As students made errors, the Soldiers used each as a learning opportunity.

“The point of this isn’t to just yell at the players or make them feel bad about making a mistake,” said Betts. “It’s about teaching them that attention to detail and teamwork aren’t just words. At the end of the day, just like we can’t be successful on a battlefield without these things, they can’t run a successful offense or defense without them either.”

When a player used profanity towards another player near the end of the event, Betts stopped everything to correct him. With the team looking on, he explained that there is no place for that kind of behavior on a team that wants to be successful.

“This isn’t an act. All this matters to me,” said Betts. “If we can come out here and help even one of these young men pause for a second to think about how he can be a better player, student or son, then I can really feel like we did something good.”

The coaching staff helped reinforce that the event was about more than just football. When corrections were needed, their words mirrored those of the Soldiers.

“Whether our students are leading on the football field, performing in the arts or excelling in academics, experiences like this help shape their character and future,” said Mathis. “We’re proud to partner with the U.S. Army to bring this level of training and exposure to our young men.”

The event served as a preview to the U.S. Army Basic Training Experience (USABTE), a larger initiative planned for March 25-26, 2026, at Fort Hood. The USABTE is expected to draw over 4,000 student-athletes from across Texas, offering them a firsthand look at the challenges and teamwork inherent in Army Basic Combat Training. This year’s event marks the first time the USABTE will be open to high schools statewide.

“The USABTE has become a cornerstone of how Fort Hood connects with the communities we serve,” Betts said. “We aim to showcase the discipline, teamwork and leadership skills developed

in the Army, and to inspire the next generation.”

Alongside the USABTE, the III Armored Corps and Fort Hood will host a Career Expo from March 25-27, 2026. The expo will provide thousands of high school students with the opportunity to explore career paths within the Army, interact with Soldiers and experience Army equipment firsthand, including the Abrams Main Battle Tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Fort Hood officials said that high schools interested in attending the USABTE should register using this form as soon as possible. The event is open to male and female student-athletes from all sports. Due to limited capacity for this event, they anticipate all slots will be filled soon.

High schools interested in attending the Career Expo should register using this form. The event is open to all high school students.

Additional questions can be directed to the Fort Hood Media Center.

For B-Roll: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/972207/iii-armored-corps-hosts-basic-training-experience-desoto-high-school

For Additional Photos: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9228415/desoto-high-school-football-team-building