Extra stuff to bring and tips for a Flight Sergeant on VAWG Encampment staff

[PilotDiver17]

Hey guys, just wondering if you have any tips or gear suggestions for me. I'm a flight sergeant at VAWG ENC.

[a2capt]

Whatever is on the packing list.
Seriously.

You're going to be doing pretty much the same thing as the flight. You don't have time for it.

[PilotDiver17]

Ok thanks, but what about stuff like duck tape, sharpies, gatorade powder, iron, and halls. Should I bring or ditch them?

[a2capt]

That's executive staff's problem. 
An iron.. perhaps.. otherwise.. let others worry about it.

[PilotDiver17]

Got it Thanks!

[dwb]

Hey guys, just wondering if you have any tips or gear suggestions for me. I'm a flight sergeant at VAWG ENC.

Congratulations! Flight sergeant was one of my favorite staff positions at encampment. You get to know the members of your flight well, and it's a great hands-on way to exercise all of your small team leadership skills.

Plus, you get to keep tabs on your cadets over the years to see where they end up. For instance, one of the cadets from my flight is now the VAWG encampment commander. 

[PilotDiver17]

Is it Lt. Hancock?

[dwb]

Think older. Maj Ciesla.

[Danger]

Cough drops, lemon juice, and a clipboard or binder. Lemon juice helps keep from losing your voice. And definitely a camelback- you have to be with your troops instead of constantly running to refill your canteen.

[lordmonar]

Hey guys, just wondering if you have any tips or gear suggestions for me. I'm a flight sergeant at VAWG ENC.

Same thing as the students......everything on your packing list and nothing else.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. 

[Eclipse]

Cough drops, lemon juice, and a clipboard or binder. Lemon juice helps keep from losing your voice. And definitely a camelback- you have to be with your troops instead of constantly running to refill your canteen.

Lemon juice would likely be confiscated coming in, some encampments do not allow pacifiers hydration packs.
The cough drops are a toss-up depending on the activity.

Bring only what is on the packing list.  If staff have been authorized anything special, bring only that and nothing else.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I've yet to meet a flight staff member who needed anything outside of what their charges needed.

[Danger]

BRING A WATCH . YOU WILL DEFINITELY NEED A WATCH AS A FLIGHT SERGEANT.

Here in MNWG, watches are contraband for cadets. I don't know if this is the same for other wings, but you will definitely need one, as it is a job of the flight sergeant to get where you need to go on time.

[Cap'n]

A watch. (If you have two, bring both of them!)
Clipboard/binder.
Throat lozenges. (If you use your voice right, you shouldn't need these.)
LE/AERO textbooks, 1-2 volumes, and modules 1-6 only. (It doesn't hurt, and if you need some material for down time you can always look there.)


Also, regardless if you're staff or a basic: if you wear contacts, BRING AN EXTRA PAIR, along with your glasses. I'm the kind of person that will lose my contacts just because I forget to take them out in the shower, so if you're prone to tearing or losing them, bring extras.

[Eclipse]

I'm the kind of person that will lose my contacts just because I forget to take them out in the shower, so if you're prone to tearing or losing them, bring extras.

Do your eyeballs fall out or dissolve? 

If you forget to take the out in the shower, how do you lose them?  I swim with mine with no issues, though admittedly I don't
stand under a hot shower head with my eyes wide open...

[Майор Хаткевич]

I'm the kind of person that will lose my contacts just because I forget to take them out in the shower, so if you're prone to tearing or losing them, bring extras.

Do your eyeballs fall out or dissolve? 

If you forget to take the out in the shower, how do you lose them?  I swim with mine with no issues, though admittedly I don't
stand under a hot shower head with my eyes wide open...

Near sighted or far sighted? If Near, I'm surprised you haven't had Lasik.

[Eclipse]

Near sighted or far sighted? If Near, I'm surprised you haven't had Lasik.

Near sighted - I prefer not being blind, or having irreversible blurring and starred vision at night.
I envy the people who have had it with good results, the ORM is too high for my taste.  I recently got
multi-focal contacts which are excellent and am going to stick with them until Retinax V gets through clinicals.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Near sighted or far sighted? If Near, I'm surprised you haven't had Lasik.

Near sighted - I prefer not being blind, or having irreversible blurring and starred vision at night.
I envy the people who have had it with good results, the ORM is too high for my taste.  I recently got
multi-focal contacts which are excellent and am going to stick with them until Retinax V gets through clinicals.

Both my parents had it done in the last year or so. I'm quite jealous, but with life having other priorities, I just don't have the $3500 right now.

[Eclipse]

Near sighted or far sighted? If Near, I'm surprised you haven't had Lasik.

Near sighted - I prefer not being blind, or having irreversible blurring and starred vision at night.
I envy the people who have had it with good results, the ORM is too high for my taste.  I recently got
multi-focal contacts which are excellent and am going to stick with them until Retinax V gets through clinicals.

Both my parents had it done in the last year or so. I'm quite jealous, but with life having other priorities, I just don't have the $3500 right now.

The cost is also nothing to sneeze at.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yep.

That's a car down payment. Or a used Bike!

[Eclipse]

I still want to know how you lose contacts in the shower.

[Cap'n]

To be honest, I'm not sure. If I'm not careful and get water in my eyes, they'll come out on occasion. It's not a big concern because I have the disposable 2 week contacts, but it can be a pain.

The contact brand is called Acuvue Oasys, if that means anything.

[TexasCadet]

Cough drops, lemon juice, and a clipboard or binder. Lemon juice helps keep from losing your voice. And definitely a camelback- you have to be with your troops instead of constantly running to refill your canteen.

Bring cough drops and a CamelBak. Canteens are a pain, and if you don't bring cough drops, you'll be sorry!!!

[Майор Хаткевич]

Cough drops, lemon juice, and a clipboard or binder. Lemon juice helps keep from losing your voice. And definitely a camelback- you have to be with your troops instead of constantly running to refill your canteen.

Bring cough drops and a CamelBak. Canteens are a pain, and if you don't bring cough drops, you'll be sorry!!!

Some encampments do not allow camelbaks. Others treat cough drops as either meds or candy.

[Peeka]

Some encampments do not allow camelbaks...

What's the reasoning behind that?

[Eclipse]

Some encampments do not allow camelbaks...

What's the reasoning behind that?

Many cadets, and especially staff, use them as pacifiers and toys the whole time - distracting and unprofessional.

There's also the issue of the need - no CAP encampment is in an austere environment, and few are far from drinking fountains, bathrooms,
etc.  The vast majority of cadets and staff at an encampment would get along fine with a water bottle in their BDU pocket.

Hydration packs at encampment are unnecessary affectations.

[Sapper168]

Cough drops, lemon juice, and a clipboard or binder. Lemon juice helps keep from losing your voice. And definitely a camelback- you have to be with your troops instead of constantly running to refill your canteen.

If you need cough drops and lemon juice to keep from losing your voice, you are not using your voice correctly.

[TexasCadet]

Some encampments do not allow camelbaks...

What's the reasoning behind that?

Many cadets, and especially staff, use them as pacifiers and toys the whole time - distracting and unprofessional.

There's also the issue of the need - no CAP encampment is in an austere environment, and few are far from drinking fountains, bathrooms,
etc.  The vast majority of cadets and staff at an encampment would get along fine with a water bottle in their BDU pocket.

Hydration packs at encampment are unnecessary affectations.

In 108 degree Texas heat, you need a CamelBak. And what do you mean by "pacifier"?

[Eclipse]

In 108 degree Texas heat, you need a CamelBak. And what do you mean by "pacifier"?

And how is the water "different" in a hydration pack vs. a canteen or bottle in your pocket?
Is it extra "watery"?

The valves are either constantly in their mouths or being played with, just like a pacifier.

BTW - if you are outside for extended periods in 108° heat, someone needs to review ORM.

[lordmonar]

Some encampments do not allow camelbaks...

What's the reasoning behind that?

Standardization.

[Peeka]

In 108 degree Texas heat, you need a CamelBak. And what do you mean by "pacifier"?

Never heard of a pacifier?

[dwb]

no CAP encampment is in an austere environment

Perhaps, but some are more austere than others. Don't apply the experience of your encampments to all of CAP's encampment facilities.

I've used a CamelBak at every encampment I attended since 1998. I still have my original CamelBak (although I've replaced the bladder once or twice). It's more comfortable than a web belt (or a huge thing sloshing around in my cargo pocket), it holds more water so I need to fill up less often, etc.

My only concern with CamelBak is that people need to learn how to use them. With the straw right near your mouth, the temptation is there to over-drink and have to make trips to the head on 10-minute intervals. It just takes a little time to learn to moderate your consumption.

[Eclipse]

no CAP encampment is in an austere environment

Perhaps, but some are more austere than others. Don't apply the experience of your encampments to all of CAP's encampment facilities.

I'm not, but I stand by my statement.  The CAP encampment experience is not a wilderness survival activity or even involves camping.
We don't run them in austere environments, or at least we're not supposed to. 

Should cadets have access to water?  Of course.

Are hydration packs necessary for that?  No.
Do they work?  Sure, but in most cases they are an affectation and a pacifier.  BTDT far too much.

Do cadets in flight, or even most staff need ready access to both hands with water at a seconds reach? No.
In most cases cadets in flight, students if you will, are never supposed to be carrying anything, and many encampments
prohibit all but the highest levels of staff to be dragging stuff around, either, including the ubiquitous and ever-popular
"clipboard of destiny" which is generally used for knee-knocking and hiding behind.

As to comfort vs. a web belt, you're assuming they aren't wearing the web belt too, which some
try to do, or in the worst case, want to drag around a full 24-hour rig because "my hydro is built into it and I have no choice".

Military canteens are inexpensive and provide a uniform appearance and function for all.  They are still issued in BMT
and I can't imagine a scenario at a  properly run encampment where a liter of water isn't enough for the average
cadet to have at the ready, considering fill-up facilities (as well as off-load facilities),  should be readily available.

There's also the issue of trying to fill up some hydro-packs which require pulling the bladder out of the pack and result
in a cadet with a soaked pack and shirt back.

[lordmonar]

Eclipse......leave it be.

[Eclipse]

Eclipse......leave it be.

k

That'll do pig, that'll do (ending to Babe)