2011 HMRS

[GTCommando]

Well, the results are out, and I'm going to Hawk this year!  Anybody else going this year? Cadet or Officer Basic, or an advanced course? Which one?

     -GTCommando

[GroundHawg]

We have quite a few from my squadron going, one on staff, and Im considering a return after a 15 year hiatus.

[GTCommando]

Bump. Anyone going?

[BillB]

Several Florida Cadets I've talked to said that much of Hawk is useless training. No mountains to rappel down unless you want to rappel down an I-95 overpass. They would much rather see a Regional Special Activity designed for ground teams without all the bling Winter Hawk has no relationship to southern and west coast Wings. Hawk applies mainly to the northern tier of Wings and Rocky Mountain Region.
A Regional activity would be designed for the geography of the region and the goal of training groud teams and leaders. I wrote an ops plan for a Regional SAR activity years ago and also one specifically for Florida. A Hawk graduate would be totally lost when put into the Everglades since Hawk has no training for that situation. At one time there were two "ranger" programs in Florida, one for males and one for females. Both were very successful.

[JC004]

You may have better luck on CadetStuff for that kind of thing.  I hear attendance has been low anyway, so maybe over there.  It's mostly cadets anyway, so maybe CS.

[Eclipse]

Tonight on Discovery "Dual Survival II: HMRS VS. NESA"...

[davidsinn]

Tonight on Discovery "Dual Survival II: HMRS VS. NESA"...

I would pay money to see that...

[Spaceman3750]

Tonight on Discovery "Dual Survival II: HMRS VS. NESA"...

I would pay money to see that...

Me too.

NESA is way less about "survival training" and more about completing the already established GT curriculum. The only survival training I got at NESA was throwing a tarp over some paracord...

[sarmed1]

Several Florida Cadets I've talked to said that much of Hawk is useless training. No mountains to rappel down unless you want to rappel down an I-95 overpass. They would much rather see a Regional Special Activity designed for ground teams without all the bling Winter Hawk has no relationship to southern and west coast Wings. Hawk applies mainly to the northern tier of Wings and Rocky Mountain Region.
A Regional activity would be designed for the geography of the region and the goal of training groud teams and leaders. I wrote an ops plan for a Regional SAR activity years ago and also one specifically for Florida. A Hawk graduate would be totally lost when put into the Everglades since Hawk has no training for that situation. At one time there were two "ranger" programs in Florida, one for males and one for females. Both were very successful.

I think you perception in regards to relevance is somewhat skewed:
No but there are holes, ditches and ravines.... all of which the knowedge you would gain more from building hauling and lowering systems (steep terrain evacuation vs high angle) to move team memeber, equipment or personnel on something steeper than you can safely walk (imagine damp Florida ground after a dozen people try to crab walk it up and down)...

There was a personal mission by memebrs of HMRS to go to California to search for a former member who disapeared while paragliding....they woke up to abaout a foot of snow and well below freezing temps (I think it had been 60's the day before) I have been on missing person searches in the mountains around Tucson, Az in the snow.....

No HMRS doesnt have gators (at least not the reptile kind) but the base camp itself sits on PINE SWAMP RD.....given nowhere as intensive as the everglades, but its easily as disorientening off the mountain proper as any area....constantly damp, swampy, creeks, ponds, dense trees, things that bite, sting and roar....and all of the training except the 3 day problem takes place down in the swamp....

There was a program developed under Pineda that would have done basically what you proposed:  Regional Ranger Schools, with the emphesis on the regional georgraphic specifics (if differant from HMRS area) so SER would have been more emphesis on desert survival, SWR swamp/wet lands etc etc. 

Agreed that the whole program could do with out the excessive blingage......

mk

[thatonekid]

Im going, hope to see you there. 

[airdale12]

Ill be there too!

[GTCommando]

I look forward to seeing you both there. Just look for the Chief from OHWG with GTM2 and mirror-shined boots and there I am!  Just a side note, are the white boot laces I've seen required for graduation? 

[airdale12]

From what I read the white laces have faded out a couple of years back.

[NCRblues]

From what I read the white laces have faded out a couple of years back.

You mean to tell me HAWK let SOME of the bling fade away???

[spaatzmom]

Several Florida Cadets I've talked to said that much of Hawk is useless training. No mountains to rappel down unless you want to rappel down an I-95 overpass. They would much rather see a Regional Special Activity designed for ground teams without all the bling Winter Hawk has no relationship to southern and west coast Wings. Hawk applies mainly to the northern tier of Wings and Rocky Mountain Region.
A Regional activity would be designed for the geography of the region and the goal of training groud teams and leaders. I wrote an ops plan for a Regional SAR activity years ago and also one specifically for Florida. A Hawk graduate would be totally lost when put into the Everglades since Hawk has no training for that situation. At one time there were two "ranger" programs in Florida, one for males and one for females. Both were very successful.

I think you perception in regards to relevance is somewhat skewed:
No but there are holes, ditches and ravines.... all of which the knowedge you would gain more from building hauling and lowering systems (steep terrain evacuation vs high angle) to move team memeber, equipment or personnel on something steeper than you can safely walk (imagine damp Florida ground after a dozen people try to crab walk it up and down)...

There was a personal mission by memebrs of HMRS to go to California to search for a former member who disapeared while paragliding....they woke up to abaout a foot of snow and well below freezing temps (I think it had been 60's the day before) I have been on missing person searches in the mountains around Tucson, Az in the snow.....

No HMRS doesnt have gators (at least not the reptile kind) but the base camp itself sits on PINE SWAMP RD.....given nowhere as intensive as the everglades, but its easily as disorientening off the mountain proper as any area....constantly damp, swampy, creeks, ponds, dense trees, things that bite, sting and roar....and all of the training except the 3 day problem takes place down in the swamp....

There was a program developed under Pineda that would have done basically what you proposed:  Regional Ranger Schools, with the emphesis on the regional georgraphic specifics (if differant from HMRS area) so SER would have been more emphesis on desert survival, SWR swamp/wet lands etc etc. 

Agreed that the whole program could do with out the excessive blingage......

mk

Just to let you know, the only "mountains" we have in Florida are man-made and reside on Disney properties; Space, Big Thunder, Splash, and Everest.  Most of the state is at or slightly above sea level so steep terrain evacuation vs high angle just does not apply here.

[airdale12]

You know it really gets annoying, people say that rangers are so full of it...when they have just as much attitude against Hawk as we do for Hawk!

Please if you come here its not to talk bad about the school, I think we would all really appreciate it.

[GTCommando]

From what I read the white laces have faded out a couple of years back.

Hallelujah! I was hoping I wouldn't have to wear those things.  :clap:

[spaatzmom]

You know it really gets annoying, people say that rangers are so full of it...when they have just as much attitude against Hawk as we do for Hawk!

Please if you come here its not to talk bad about the school, I think we would all really appreciate it.

Really???   Seriously?  When you have been around CAP and this forum for much longer and can gain more perspective, then credibility will rise.  Until then, well it is just whining.  Unfortunately, Hawk has earned its reputation good and bad.

[sarmed1]

Just to let you know, the only "mountains" we have in Florida are man-made and reside on Disney properties; Space, Big Thunder, Splash, and Everest.  Most of the state is at or slightly above sea level so steep terrain evacuation vs high angle just does not apply here.

....yeah I know; I lived there for 3 years...just south of one of the states highest points..... Laurel Hill, like 389 feet (the highest is like 500)
As a firefighter paramedic there, you would be suprised at the number of places I have had to use the principles of steep terrain evac.......

mk

[spaatzmom]

Just to let you know, the only "mountains" we have in Florida are man-made and reside on Disney properties; Space, Big Thunder, Splash, and Everest.  Most of the state is at or slightly above sea level so steep terrain evacuation vs high angle just does not apply here.

....yeah I know; I lived there for 3 years...just south of one of the states highest points..... Laurel Hill, like 389 feet (the highest is like 500)
As a firefighter paramedic there, you would be suprised at the number of places I have had to use the principles of steep terrain evac.......

mk

Britton Hill is the highest natural point in the state of Florida, USA, with a summit elevation of 345 feet (106 meters) above mean sea level

Laurel Hill   177ft   Northern Florida Highlands   Walton County