YOUR COMPLETE INTRODUCTION TO XMC
Explore the program with your family, choose the right course and understand the commitment before enrolling. Everything you need to make that decision is here on the website.
Challenger is the collective term for both Recruits and Cadets. Participants are Recruits until they successfully complete Cadet Basic Training and earn the title of Cadet.
Camp Liberty · Battleground, Alabama · Cullman County, North Alabama
Already enrolled? Open the Parent Portal ↗
XMC serves motivated young men and women ages 13–18 who want a demanding, military-style leadership and career-exploration experience.
Participants must choose to attend. We do not provide delinquency, juvenile justice, rehabilitation or court-ordered placement programs. Forced placements are not accepted. Families should discuss the daily routine, physical effort and expectations together.
We are an independent, civilian-operated program run by Liberty Communications, LLC. It is not part of the U.S. Armed Forces, ROTC or JROTC, and participation creates no obligation to enlist.
Understand the Challenge and Expectations ↗Cadet Basic Training is the two-week foundation for first-year Recruits. The one-week Fitness Challenge is an add-on to another course. Our most popular option combines Basic Training and Field Leader training for four consecutive weeks.
Compare First-year Packages ↗Eligible graduates can continue into leadership, medicine, engineering, military police, search and rescue, Ranger, Service Support and selected seasonal programs. Age, prior training, fitness, selection and course-specific requirements apply.
Plan Your Next Course ↗First-year Recruits continuing directly from Cadet Basic Training into Cadet Ranger School must be at least 16; no age waivers apply to this first-year pathway. Returning Ranger candidates must be at least 15 and have completed CBT. The separate Cadet Ranger Leadership Course requires Cadet Ranger School, at least one other advanced course and acceptance by the Course Director.
Explore All Courses and Entry Requirements ↗COL Joseph M. Land, Sr., XMC, leads the program. The senior team brings more than 100 combined years of military youth-program experience. Military and civilian Cadre contribute the qualifications needed for their assigned roles, supported by screening and youth-protection training.
Read about activity qualifications, supervision, on-site medical support, physician telehealth access and insurance information before enrolling. All medications require advance screening. Medical administration surcharges and special meal options, including vegan and kosher choices, are shown in CampMinder during enrollment.
Our Camp Liberty campus is in Battleground, Alabama, in Cullman County. Training areas, air-conditioned barracks, classrooms, the Dining Facility and the Medical Aid Station support full days of instruction, practical challenges and shared responsibility.
Male and female Challengers live in separate buildings. Accommodation and privacy arrangements, meals, inspections, communications and overnight duties are explained on the linked pages. Some activities use partner or off-site venues.
The separate marksmanship range has eight lanes spanning 5–100 meters and supports approved live-fire activities under qualified supervision. The 4,200-square-foot, two-story CQB Shoot House has 21 distinct training spaces and a 70-foot observation catwalk. It supports non-live-fire scenario training only; live fire is not permitted inside. Activities depend on the course and instructor direction.
Payment plans are available. An initial payment reserves a place, with the remaining balance divided into equal monthly installments. CampMinder shows your selected course, options, scheduled charges and enrollment agreement.
Course pages explain tuition and inclusions. Review personal packing needs and the exclusions for home-to-camp travel, medical fees, photos and subsequent haircuts. Winter uniform issue differs from Basic Training. All payments are nonrefundable; read the published credit/transfer provisions and discount rules before paying.
Use Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM). Transfers serve enrolled Challengers only; parents arrange their own transportation. Flight Windows, Fees & Transfer Instructions ↗
Watch the existing facility and program video, read authentic family accounts and explore the achievements of former Challengers. Individual experiences and outcomes vary; current course requirements govern every participant's progression.
XMC PROGRAM INFORMATION
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Recruit (RCT) | A participant who has not yet successfully completed XMC Cadet Basic Training. |
| Cadet | A graduate of XMC Cadet Basic Training. Once earned, the title of Cadet remains with the graduate. |
| Trainee | A participant from another cadet program who has not completed Cadet Basic Training to XMC standards. A Cadet title in another organization does not itself confer the XMC title. |
| Challenger | The collective term used for XMC Recruits and Cadets. |