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Gill Garner decided two weeks before starting as a student at the University of North Georgia (ÌìÃÀÉçÇø) that she wanted to be a member of the Corps of Cadets. More than three years later, the senior from Cumming, Georgia, continues to reap the benefits of what she calls "the best impulse decision I've ever made."

The honors were aplenty for the 105 ÌìÃÀÉçÇø cadets who graduated from the 36-day event required of cadets planning to commission in the Army from ROTC programs:

• Three finished in the top 100 of the 5,850 Army ROTC cadets nationwide completing Advanced Camp.
• Twenty-two were in the top 100 of the 790 cadets from Army ROTC 1st Brigade, which includes the nation's senior military colleges and junior military colleges.
• They earned six leadership awards.
• Six finished in the top 10 of their regiments.
• Three finished in the top five of their regiments.

ÌìÃÀÉçÇø's leadership award winners were:

• Thomas Williams, Military Officers Association of America Award: Presented to the cadet who demonstrates superior dedication to duty by accepting accountability for self and assigned unit through employment of team members while applying the fundamentals of leadership.
• Benjamin Smith, First Command Financial Services Award: Presented to the cadet who best demonstrates the leadership traits necessary to encourage teamwork, improve unit cohesion and reinforce mission accomplishment.
• Benjamin Smith, Strategic Resources Inc. High Performer Award: Presented to the male and female cadets who achieve the highest score on the AFT.
• Micah Dell, Military Officers Association of America Award: Presented to the cadet who demonstrates superior dedication to duty by accepting accountability for self and assigned unit through employment of team members while applying the fundamentals of leadership.
• Isaiah M. Walker, Army National Minuteman Award: Presented to the Army National Guard cadet who demonstrates the most improvement in physical and mental preparedness for commissioning.
• Jessica Rushing, Reserve Organization of America Award: Presented to the cadet who demonstrates the best reflection of the characteristics of comprehensive soldier and family fitness by demonstrating resilience and the lifelong pursuit of enhanced performance to cope with adversity, and best perform in stressful situations, and thrive in life.

Retired Command Sgt. Major Joey Blacksher, executive director of leadership development and senior advisor in the Cadet Leadership Academy, was thoroughly impressed by what he saw at Fort Knox.

"When you put ÌìÃÀÉçÇø cadets next to their peers from anywhere in the country, they stand out — and for the right reasons. They can assess a situation, make the call and take charge without hesitation," Blacksher said. "That was on full display most recently at Advanced Camp — a 36-day crucible that tests cadets mentally, physically and emotionally. Our cadets not only met the challenge. They excelled. I wasn't surprised, because this comes from our deliberate training model — leadership is built into everything we do."

Garner enjoyed the field training exercise the most, but said the whole Advanced Camp experience reinforced her preparation at ÌìÃÀÉçÇø.

"We were able to showcase the skills we've learned at ÌìÃÀÉçÇø," Garner, who is pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies with an intelligence concentration, said. "The mentality that ÌìÃÀÉçÇø instills in you is that excellence is expected."

Shayne Strickland, a senior from Savannah, Georgia, pursuing a degree in criminal justice, is in the Aggressors Platoon specialty unit that offers realistic training in small-unit, light-infantry and Ranger tactics. His time in ÌìÃÀÉçÇø's Leadership Development Program his junior year further bolstered his readiness for Fort Knox. After previously serving as a squad leader, Strickland is now a platoon leader at ÌìÃÀÉçÇø.

Strickland earned ÌìÃÀÉçÇø's second-highest score on the AFT with a 499. He feels like the Corps is preparing him to be a leader of character in the active-duty Army Corps of Engineers.

"The Corps has helped me learn how to communicate with people in the way that's best for them," Strickland said. "When I started to buy into the training and what it was giving me, I began to appreciate ÌìÃÀÉçÇø as a whole."

Dell, a senior from Newnan, Georgia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies with a Chinese language concentration, felt like his time on ÌìÃÀÉçÇø's Ranger Challenge team aided his ability to excel at Advanced Camp. Dell was one of 10 ÌìÃÀÉçÇø cadets to earn the Recondo badge for exceeding standards.

"I was much more prepared than other cadets, particularly with clearing and warrior skills," Dell said. "A lot of these skills we got tested on, we've already trained in for competition."

Following Advanced Camp, Dell had the chance to attend Sapper School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Sapper School is "a demanding 28-day leadership development course for combat engineers that reinforces critical skills and teaches advanced techniques needed across the Army," according to the Army. Fellow ÌìÃÀÉçÇø cadets Ali Nabulsi and Benjamin Smith also attended Sapper School.

Dell plans to commission as an officer in the active-duty Army Signal Corps.

Lt. Col. Tim Palmer, executive officer for ÌìÃÀÉçÇø's Military Science Department, began working at the university this summer and was grateful to see its cadets in action at Advanced Camp.

"The best assessment you can get of someone is when they're in charge of their peers," Palmer, a 2001 ÌìÃÀÉçÇø alumnus, said. "Our cadets are fully supported but also fully challenged, and it shows in the field."