National Blue Beret

Schmidty06 · February 15, 2005, 05:26:58 AM

Yes, that's right. I am rehashing my CS NCSA post from CS in this forum. The thread on CS kind of got hijacked in the end, anyway. So, any and all Blue Berets (for this thread, only, please?) that want to share stories of good times had, bad times had, and any hints and tips about how to get a better experience out of NBB for new and returning Berets? We'll make a little NBB support group of it, that we will, lol.

Nathan · February 15, 2005, 10:07:58 PM

It wasn't hijacked, as far as I know.

Anywho, uh, it's a good activity. I'm not so good at starting these things up. It's fun. There.

CAPSGT · February 15, 2005, 11:25:52 PM

NBB, sweet activity, been there 3 times (twice on staff), 'nuff said.

Schmidty06 · February 16, 2005, 01:29:19 AM

I think that it turned into a berets are Good/berets are Bad arguement a ways into it instead of about the activity.

CAPSGT · February 16, 2005, 04:20:08 AM

this time of year it always turns into "how hard is it to get into NBB?" I think the debate over the "what's the big deal?" was actually one of the best discussions that has ever gone on in the NBB section. It tends to go in phases throughout the year (Late spring-early summer: "here's whats goin on this year" from somebody on the inside", mid-summer-late fall: "Hey! I know you from NBB this summer! Remember this?", Late fall-Late Spring: "How hard is it to get in? Should I apply? When do I find out if I got in?")

dark_side#2 · February 18, 2005, 03:01:46 AM

Hard to get in?? I was excepted 3 times and turned them down twice, as far as what I think about the activity in general; It was ok, I hated the fact it turned into a summer camp with NO discipline after about 8:00pm. If you LOVE airplanes, most of the crap that goes on can be overlooked, especially if you don't know about it. (which was not my case) I don't want to discourage anybody but I don't plan to return, at least until I turn Sr.

Cmdbuddy · February 18, 2005, 03:39:10 PM

Quote from: dark_side#2 on February 18, 2005, 03:01:46 AM
Hard to get in?? I was excepted 3 times and turned them down twice, as far as what I think about the activity in general; It was ok, I hated the fact it turned into a summer camp with NO discipline after about 8:00pm. If you LOVE airplanes, most of the crap that goes on can be overlooked, especially if you don't know about it. (which was not my case) I don't want to discourage anybody but I don't plan to return, at least until I turn Sr.

Well I'm glad you didn't have to write a grammar essay to be "excepted" into National Blue Beret. I was accepted twice, but had to turn one down because of IACE.

dark_side#2 · February 18, 2005, 03:52:36 PM

Hay, I'm not winning a spelling B but I got my point across

Cmdbuddy · February 18, 2005, 05:23:55 PM

Quote from: dark_side#2 on February 18, 2005, 03:52:36 PM
Hay, I'm not winning a spelling B but I got my point across

What year did you attend NBB?

whatevah · February 18, 2005, 05:29:48 PM

proper spelling goes a long way to keeping the moderators happy.

dark_side#2 · February 18, 2005, 08:01:10 PM

I attended NBB last summer, 04

[mod edit: removed attempt at humor ~JH]

dark_side#2 · February 18, 2005, 10:59:20 PM

Come on, what's the deal?

I didn't break any of your rules, If you don't like my "attempt at humor" just say so. $:-\$ Why don't you save your god powers for a post that needs it?

SarDragon · February 18, 2005, 11:31:36 PM

While it appears that you are a senior member, your attitude, including your sig, comes across as that of a spoiled 13 year old [apologies to the unspoiled 13 year olds].

If you have something to contribute, do so. If you want to do a little humour, in good taste, go for it. This forum is here to inform, exchange information, and have a little fun, too. It is not a bully pulpit.

The quality of your post tells us a lot about your character. If you don't pay attention to detail when typing a post, especially to the extent that your error changes the meaning, how might we know that you will not have any better attention to detail in an ES situation?

On top of that, your castigation of the person who corrected your spelling was exactly the wrong way to approach the situation. Thank him/her, move on, and work a little harder on your grammar and spelling next time.

As for the "god powers" thing, it appears that you see yourself above the rules, in your own godhood.

Now, folks, let's take this back on track, talking about NBB.

dark_side#2 · February 19, 2005, 12:00:39 AM

yes sir

CAPSGT · February 19, 2005, 08:41:11 AM

wow, I missed a bunch here in my neverending day. As for the comment about NBB turning into "Summer Camp" after 8.....would you rather be treated like you are Joe Cadet Airman at your basic encampment the whole time? I've been 3 times. Once as a basic, once as a flight commander, once as cadet commander.

When I was a basic, my flight commander tried to run it like a basic encampment. As a C/Capt at the time, I didn't particularly care for being treated like Joe Cadet Airman.

When I was a flight commander, I decided that I was not going to run my flight like my flight commander the year before did. I looked at the cadets I had in my flight. The most junior cadet was a fairly mature C/SSgt. I only had one or two other NCOs in the flight. As a result, I treated my flight like they were at the level of training and maturity that they were; Primarily phase 3 and 4 cadets who were between 16 and 18 years old.

When I was cadet commander, I let the flight commanders run their flights how they wanted, but I tried to throw some fun in there. The cadets did a lot of work during the day (more than I did at my mostly manual labor summer job), and deserved some time to relax and unwind. It also provided them an opportunity to get to know people outside their own flights so that hopefully they would get to know cadets whom they would otherwise never get to know without attending an NCSA. Networking is an invaluable skill that is not really talked about within the cadet program, but is nonetheless important.

YMMV

-Mike Crockett
NBB'00
NBB'01-Bravo Flight Commander
NBB'03-Cadet Commander

Schmidty06 · February 19, 2005, 06:30:29 PM

I think that in many ways, NBB is the closest that CAP is ever going to get to having an active duty component.

Greg · February 19, 2005, 06:34:42 PM

Quote from: Schmidty06 on February 19, 2005, 06:30:29 PM
I think that in many ways, NBB is the closest that CAP is ever going to get to having an active duty component.

In what way is NBB at all related to active duty?

Schmidty06 · February 19, 2005, 06:44:09 PM

In no way at all, but it is closer to having something in common to active duty than the rest of CAP.

To my knowledge, it is the only planned operational CAP activity in existance. Its kind of the way that people relate basic encampment to military basic training, but on the oposite side of the spectrum.

Greg · February 19, 2005, 06:48:05 PM

Quote from: Schmidty06 on February 19, 2005, 06:44:09 PM
In no way at all, but it is closer to having something in common to active duty than the rest of CAP.

To my knowledge, it is the only planned operational CAP activity in existance. Its kind of the way that people relate basic encampment to military basic training, but on the oposite side of the spectrum.

Ohhhhh, ok. I thought you were trying to say that going to NBB was almost like being active duty for a week.

Schmidty06 · February 19, 2005, 06:56:12 PM

Yeah, like I'd try to bring more bad feelings down on NBB? lol. Oh well.

On the "After 8 Summer Camp" bit, do you honestly think that you can throw 120 young men into the middle of about 1 million people (of which, maybe half are females) and expect them to NOT want to off compound after the work day is done? Heh. Plus, there are the nightly events at the theater in the woods where aviation gurus just sit back and chat, and the occasional hour of free time to go and watch/participate in some of the events in the forums. And then there's the War Birds girls to go and talk to, and the drunken women to creatively avoid (there's a true story behind that one), and visiting girl friends to visit and the like.