By Spc. Patrick Connery
III Armored Corps Public Affairs
FORT HOOD, Texas – Students from six area schools near central Texas received a firsthand look at Army life during the U.S. Army Basic Training Experience event held March 25 on Sadowski Field in front of III Armored Corps headquarters.
The event, led by former Army drill sergeants, introduced participants to a series of physically and mentally demanding drills modeled after Army basic training. Students arrived by bus and were immediately directed into formation by drill sergeants, replicating the structure and intensity of an actual Army basic training environment.
Throughout the day, the students rotated through multiple stations, including rope climbing, wall vaults, cargo net obstacles, over-and-under log drills and the Army Fitness Test’s sprint-drag-carry event. Teams also completed a group exercise performing sit-ups with their arms interlocked, emphasizing teamwork and communication.
Staff Sgt. Dimitri Cooper, assigned to 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command, a former drill sergeant in charge of the event, oversaw the coordination and movement of drill sergeants and schools across the obstacle course. Cooper, who previously served as a drill sergeant at Fort Sill from 2018 to 2021, said the event has grown significantly since last year.
“The biggest improvement from last year is the organization and participation,” Cooper said. “It’s bigger, there are more people, more agencies and more drill sergeants. You can really see this thing coming to life right in front of you.”
The experience was designed to immerse students in the discipline, structure and competitive environment Soldiers face during initial entry training. According to Cooper, placing students in a team-based, high-energy setting encourages both camaraderie and a strong desire to succeed.
“When you put them in that environment, they naturally want to outdo one another, but they also start working together,” he said. “It shows them they’re capable of more than they think.”
Organizers said the event not only showcased Army training but also highlighted the Army Values, which were incorporated into each station through brief leadership discussions and guided instruction.
Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood commanding general, gave a speech to the students before they participated in the events.
“It is important that we bring in new young Americans every day to be able to serve our nation,” Admiral said. “Just like you do in school every day, commitment and dedication, and that’s going to be challenged today.”
Simultaneously, students visited the Career Expo on the other side of Sadowski Field, featuring stations that highlighted different military occupational specialties, including aviation, tanker, dentist and combat medic. Some stations also had science, technology, engineering and mathematics and college, career and military readiness activities.
“The expo was a great opportunity to engage with the future of not only our military but the community we live in,” said Spc. Josefina Garcia, mass communication specialist assigned to 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. “Being able to talk and interact with young adults allowed us to inspire the future generations.”
The Basic Training Challenge will continue until March 26 and the Career Expo will run through March 27.
2026 U.S. Army Experience interviews
2026 U.S. Army Experience B-roll
