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Officer candidates from the New Jersey Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School, part of the 1-254th Regional Training Institute in Sea Girt, N.J., traveled to Camp Nett in Niantic, Conn., this week to begin Phase One of their officer commissioning process.
Candidates from seven states converged at Connecticut’s 169th Regional Training Institute for the physically demanding portion of the program. Phase One includes rigorous physical training, a six-mile ruck march, and both day and night land navigation—much of it conducted under the sweltering July heat.
“This truly is a regional effort,” said U.S. Army Col. Alan Gilman, regimental commander of the 169th RTI. “Without help from states like Vermont providing land-navigation support and New Jersey providing a tremendous medical team, we wouldn’t be functioning on this level.”
In addition to physical challenges, the training includes drill and ceremony instruction, warrior task battle drills, and leadership evaluations. While leadership development remains the program’s primary objective, Gilman emphasized that candidate safety is also a central focus.
Among the 14 New Jersey candidates are a mix of prior-enlisted Soldiers and new recruits entering the National Guard as officer candidates. Prior to Phase One, they completed Phase Zero at both Sea Girt and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
“Without the training we experienced and the group support from Phase Zero, I don’t think I would have been as prepared as I am right now,” said Officer Candidate Andrew Escobar, a fire control specialist with the 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery Regiment. “Now that we’re over this hill and into this phase, just have to remind ourselves to keep pushing forward, picture that gold bar, and remember your reason why.”
| Date Taken: | 07.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2025 15:22 |
| Story ID: | 543215 |
| Location: | EAST LYME, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 8 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NJ National Guard Officer Candidates Begin Phase One at Camp Nett, by SSG Bruce Daddis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
