Students joining ROTC at the end of their sophomore year, or with two years left towards an advanced degree, attend a four-week basic leadership course during the summer before their junior year. Cadet Basic Camp is a 30 day course taught at Fort Knox, Kentucky. CIET is a fully paid program that is designed to teach the basic skills required of leaders. This course takes the place of the basic course (First two years of ROTC).

Basic Camp is divided into four phases of training:

Phase One: This is a Basic "introduction to the Army" to teach cadets skills and knowledge necessary to successfully participate in the next three phases. Cadets have described this phase as "teaching them what right looks like". Specifically, cadets learn military customs and courtesies such as saluting, how to wear the uniform and how to march.

Phase Two: This part of their training covers adventure training, which builds both cadet self confidence and unit esprit-de-corps. Focus is on individual skills as a precursor to learning group dynamics. Cadets learn basic military skills in order to function as a small group member.

Phase Three: This phase is the course's "Capstone Exercise". Cadets are exposed to squad level operations where cadre assesses the cadet's leadership ability in a field environment. The Field Training Exercise is intentionally tough and introduces the element of stress. Throughout the exercise cadets encounter physical and mental obstacles that challenge them as a person, cadet and leader.

Phase Four: This portion of the cadet's training introduces them to the social aspect of the Army. Final briefings are conducted as well as a Family Day in conjunction with a cadet run graduation ceremony.