When the United States entered the war, the Army set up training camps for officers across the country, including one at Fort Snelling. At the camp, officer trainees spent three months learning various military skills, including how to fight in trench warfare. At the end of the training, all trainees participated in a mock battle. Fort Snelling's grounds were transformed into a replica battlefield, with trenches cutting deep lines across the landscape.

More than 2,500 officers graduated from the Fort Snelling camps, which took place May-August, 1917 and August-November, 1917.