Brittany E. Peters, an Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, has graduated from the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadet Initial Entry Training (CIET) at Fort Knox, Ky.

CIET is a 30-day outcome-driven event that trains and educates cadets on basic military tasks, and builds a foundation to establish the critical thinking skills necessary to become a U.S. Army officer. Cadets are observed and evaluated during classroom and field training exercises to determine their officer potential in leadership abilities and skills. The cadets are trained to have a sound understanding of traditional leadership values during the challenging, motivating “hands-on” training. The training develops well-disciplined, highly motivated, physically conditioned students, and helps improve the cadets’ self-confidence, initiative, leadership potential, decision making and collective team cohesion.

The cadets receive training in fundamental military skills, Army values, ethics, Warrior ethos, basic rifle marksmanship, small arms tactics, weapons training, drill and ceremony, communications, combat water survival training, rappelling, land navigation and squad-level operations field training.

Peters also graduated from the three-week airborne training course, also known as “jump school,” at the U.S. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga.

The airborne school allows the cadets attending host colleges and universities to earn their jump wings. After completing the course as qualified paratroopers, cadets return to their college or university ROTC program to pursue a commission as second lieutenants in the Army.

During the first or “ground week” of training, students undergo a rigorous, progressive physical training program and receive instruction in the theory of parachute jumping, safe landing falls, mock door exiting and wearing a parachute harness and lateral drift apparatus.

The second or “tower week” of training includes jumping from a 34-foot tower, practical use of the swing landing trainer, suspended harness apparatus, mock door mass exiting procedures and the 250-foot free tower jump. In the final or “jump week,” students complete five static-line parachute jumps which includes one day and one night jump off of a C-130 and C-141 transport aircraft.

The daughter of Cynthia H. Hurst of Landis and Bret P. Peters of Concord, Peters is a 2013 graduate of Jay M. Robinson High School in Concord.

 

• Andrew M. Mekebak

Army Pvt. Andrew M. Mekebak has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.

He is a 2014 graduate of Jesse C. Carson High School.