The Clemson Army ROTC program recently achieved national recognition, securing the top ranking among large ROTC programs and placing second overall among 227 programs nationwide at Cadet Summer Training. This distinction was awarded during the final major training experience for Army ROTC cadets before their commissioning, which concluded on August 28, 2026.
Cadet Summer Training, hosted by the U.S. Army Cadet Command in Fort Knox, Kentucky, gathers approximately 5,700 rising senior cadets from across the nation for over 30 days of intensive physical and mental training. Performance during this training influences merit-based branch assignments for cadets, including roles in infantry, armor, engineering, military intelligence, and logistics across all three Army components.
Cadets are evaluated in both individual and collective events, such as the Army Fitness Test, marksmanship, land navigation, grenade assault course, and small-unit maneuvers during Field Training Exercises. The challenges culminate in a 12-mile tactical road march, where cadets traverse varied terrain carrying 45 pounds of equipment in under four hours.
Clemson Army ROTC’s strong showing resulted in several collective and individual accolades. The program achieved the highest collective Army Fitness Test average in the nation. Two Clemson University cadets, Tyler Ruiz and Braden Wiley, ranked among the top 10 nationally out of 5,778 cadets, placing fourth and sixth respectively.
Individual honors included Cadet Noah Callahan, Cadet Jack Baylouny, Cadet Zach Hastings, and Cadet Elizabeth Lawrence, who each achieved a perfect 500 score on the Army Fitness Test. Cadets Henry Keating, Tyler Ruiz, and Braden Wiley earned the Reconnaissance and Commando Badge, known as RECONDO, an award given to less than 2% of cadets nationally for near-perfect scores across graded metrics during the training. A perfect 500 on the Army Fitness Test is considered exceptionally rare, reserved for elite cadets demonstrating the highest physical performance across five events testing strength, power, stability, agility, and endurance.
Lieutenant Colonel Vance, chair of the military leadership department, stated that the performance at Cadet Summer Training reflects the dedication, discipline, and leadership of the cadets, as well as the commitment of the military leadership instructors. The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business at Clemson University expressed pride in the Class of 2027 Army ROTC cadets and their instructors, viewing their success as a testament to the program’s strength and the university’s commitment to developing leaders for national service.
