Purpose of encampment?

Started by c/LTCOLorbust, August 01, 2006, 07:07:19 PM

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c/LTCOLorbust

A dumb question what is the purpose of encampment? Because in WAWG I think some of the cadets that are on staff at most encampments have it wrong. Some of our cadets see it like their own personal version of "Full metal jacket" and are there to break the cadet down.
1Lt. Joshua M. Bergland
Yakima Composite SQ.
WA Wing

MIKE

Mike Johnston

Eclipse

They are leadership, logistic, and training exercises designed to reinforce the training cadets should already be receiving and participating in at their home units.

When you read 52-16, you will see that the curriculum is very specific as to hours and content - what those hours contain are open to some local interpretation as agreed upon by the encampment Commander, Wing Commander, DCP, and state LO Officer.

They are NOT

NOT

NOT

NOT

NOT

BMT, mini-BMT, Seal School, SF School, or anything similar.

While the schedules tend to be aggressive, and generally move at a ops tempo significantly higher than normal life for most CAP people, if members
are exceeding their "breaking points", either physically or mentally, the leaders do no understand the basic concept.

"That Others May Zoom"

ZigZag911

Completion of the encampment as a requirement for the Mitchell is one reason the USAF offers advanced grade to Mitchell recipients upon enlisting & completing basic training.

Once upon a time, CAP cadets with Mitchells enlisting in USAF also bypassed part of their basic training, on the strength of completing the encampment program. I am not sure this is still true.

In any case, while encampmet is not intended to replace BMT, clearly the AF sees it as introducing cadets to some of the fundamental principles and procedures of military life (keeoing a schedule, taking care of personal appearance, proper uniform wear, care of quarters, and so forth)

shorning

Quote from: ZigZag911 on August 01, 2006, 10:00:51 PM
Once upon a time, CAP cadets with Mitchells enlisting in USAF also bypassed part of their basic training, on the strength of completing the encampment program. I am not sure this is still true.

Not since around 1992ish.  In 1991 they did.

c/LTCOLorbust

So the next question would be if the cadet staff did make it like BMT or such, who is at fault... The cadets or the senior members... or is it both and what actions should be taken against those partys of people? Even with the training before hand.
1Lt. Joshua M. Bergland
Yakima Composite SQ.
WA Wing

mawr

Ultimately, the encampment Commander is responsible, i.e. the senior members.  Cadets should be leading but only under the supervision of a senior member.
Rick Hasha, Lt Col CAP

ZigZag911

Quote from: c/LTCOLorbust on August 02, 2006, 12:13:01 AM
So the next question would be if the cadet staff did make it like BMT or such, who is at fault... The cadets or the senior members... or is it both and what actions should be taken against those partys of people? Even with the training before hand.

There is extensive guidance offered, including the required curriculum outline, in 52-16 (back in the 'olden days' there was a separate national manual for encampments!)

Required Staff Training (RST) for senior and cadet staff has been a mandatory element in pre-encampment preparation for at least the past five years or so.....it is EXTREMELY clear on boundaries and limitations...crossing the line on these issues MAY constitute a Cadet Protection violation; 52-10 describes how and to whom apparent/alleged violations should be reported.

If the matters under discussion are curriculum content (rather than staff methodology, attitudes, and so forth), then it is a matter to be raised in the post-encampment staff review....many wings hold a meeting in which the encampment staff, cadet and senior, do a 'lessons learned' type review, often with wing cadet programs personnel in attendance.


Eclipse

The Encampment Commander is ultimately responsible, and sets the tone.

If things are over-the-line, look there first.  Either that's the way the CC wants it, or he/she is completely clueless, in either case it's still the CC's fault.

YMMV, but generally the Commandant of Cadets is responsible for creating a curriculum and activity schedule which fits the particulars of the venue, the tone of the Commander, and most importantly, meets the requirements of 52-16 in the eyes of the State Director.

The cadet staff should have significant input, may act as instructors, and should be allowed to shape the event within reason, but at the core they are still cadets, and should be monitored and reigned in if necessary. I prefer to allow my cadets to be innovative and try new things, but there are limits and lines.

If cadets are over-the-line, its still the Enc/CC’s fault, either by action or omission.

By reg, all encampments which provide Mitchell credit are the responsibility of a respective Wing Commander.  (filter Region, and National events into this, of course)

Note: events like Hawk, NBB, NESA, etc., are not “encampments”, in that they do not
provide Mitchell credit to participants.


In states that have strong DCP’s, 52-16 encourages the DCP’s involvement in the planning of the event and in the choice of the Commander, but in many states the Encampment Commander is chosen directly by the Wing CC, with little to no input from anyone else.  In some cases, the mere fact that a particular person is willing to take on the 6-8 month responsibility of planning an event of this scale is enough to earn him or her the job. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best for the job.

Once appointed, the Enc/CC reports directly to the Wing Commander, and should have a working relationship with the State Director to insure whatever is planned will meet with his approval.

From that point forward, the hard reality is that Wing CC’s are busy people, and unless a respective encampment is one of their pet projects or they personally participate, there may be little-to-no visibility in terms of planning or execution.

And as long as no one complains, no one is seriously hurt, and no one bends an airplane, etc., things which are minor, or even blatant violations of 52-16, 52-10, other applicable regs, or even common sense can go on for years with no one intervening.

If you are aware of a situation which does not sit right with you, I would encourage you to bring it to the proper authority for consideration, and request both action and indication
of the result(s) of any investigation your messages may initiate.  If you feel that being a cadet you won’t get the necessary respect from the seniors required to push a problem up the chain, involve either seniors who are on the same page as you, or your parents, etc.

You might be surprised how quickly things can change when the light of day is shown on them.

No Commander, at any level, who is doing things properly, and only deviating with reasonable justification or authorization, will shy from inquiries like these.

"That Others May Zoom"