FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Fort Leonard Wood trainees with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Chemical Brigade, crushed the final hurdles of Yellow Phase as they pushed through Week 2 of U.S. Army Basic Combat Training.
This week, more than 100 recruits transitioned to the classroom to lock down lifesaving combat first aid, tactical communication and unmanned aerial systems capabilities.
Recruits executed three days of U.S. Army first aid training in tactical combat casualty care, commonly called TCCC, teaching them to manage hemorrhages, clear airways and coordinate tactical field care under fire.
“They practice the proper techniques on how to carry their battle buddies from danger, open airways and also how to properly apply tourniquets,” said Staff Sgt. Eber Pena, drill sergeant with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment.
During the Basic Military Communications course Oct. 2, 2026, recruits got hands on with the RT-1523 advanced system improvement program single channel ground and airborne radio system.
“The man-pack radio setup is the most basic form of short- to medium-range radio equipment that the average squad has for communications in any theater of operations or training environment,” said Sgt. Anthony Pisterzi Jr., Radio Communication instructor with the Combat Training Company. “All Soldiers learn how to use it because such a system is necessary for transmitting medical evacuations, indirect fire, spot reports and situation reports, as well as general battlefield coordination.”
Pisterzi emphasized that trainees must master this information because it is a fundamental task required of all Soldiers — broad proficiency reduces single points of failure and preserves unit communications capability if specialized communications personnel become unavailable.
Pena concurred and said Week 2 is an ideal time to reinforce effective communication as a foundational skill Soldiers must develop.
“Communication is key throughout BCT,” Pena added.
Pvt. Brandon Roca, who is slated to become a 12N Horizontal Construction Engineer, said he initially expected BCT to focus on physical conditioning and motivational training. Instead, he found himself challenged by the depth of academic investment required to master modern Soldiering skills.
“When people said basic combat training would be a mental game, I thought they meant staying emotionally strong. I had no idea I'd be spending this much time in a classroom,” Roca said.
He described the tactical radios as “walkie-talkies on steroids” admitting that he found himself taking detailed notes and genuinely enjoying the fast-paced class.
“I like to read my notes at the end of the day. It helps me understand and retain the information,” Roca said. “My goal is to leave this classroom knowing I can pick up this tactical radio and use it if I ever need it.”
Later that afternoon during UAS block of instruction, Pena said trainees were introduced to the critical role drones play on the modern battlefield, emphasizing how these technologies have fundamentally revolutionized warfare.
“They basically changed the whole battlefield and everything that we once thought we knew,” Pena said, and this course directly applies lessons learned from recent conflicts to prepare new Soldiers for the realities of modern warfare.
According to Staff Sgt. Casandra Moura, Company A drill sergeant, trainees were also introduced to the fundamental Army skill of land navigation this week.
“They learned how to plot points, shoot azimuths, and measure distance from one point to another, and plan their route of attack,” Moura said.
Outside the classroom, trainees tested their endurance through daily physical conditioning, completed a diagnostic fitness evaluation, and began translating discipline into action by learning drill and ceremony procedures.
Pena said physical readiness training in Week 2 concentrated on biomechanical form and technique, ensuring trainees maximize their athletic development while proactively mitigating training-related injuries.
“That way they don't injure themselves during high intensity training,” Pena said.
Moura agreed, noting her focus remains on encouraging trainees to break through psychological barriers and redefine their physical limitations.
“I remind them that they are here for a reason. And to keep that reason, their ‘why’ in the back of their head,” Moura said. “I remind them that their body can do amazing things they never expected it to do.”
This week recruits also conquered the obstacles of Fort Leonard Wood’s Physical Endurance Course, and took a critical step in Chemical, Biological, Radiologic and Nuclear defense, receiving their frontline shield against toxic threats — the M50 Joint Service General Purpose Mask.
More Week 2 photos are available to view on Fort Leonard Wood's Flickr.
Moving into Week 3, Red Phase, trainees will face some of Fort Leonard Wood’s most mentally and physically demanding milestones: navigating the collaborative Confidence Course, conquering the gas chamber and the high-altitude descent of Warrior Tower.
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