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Favorite Cadet Quotes

Started by Stonewall, March 16, 2013, 01:24:43 AM

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GTCommando

Heard during a uniform inspection at encampment staff selections a few ions years back:

C/Maj X: Who was the first person to orbit the Earth?

Chief Y: Yuri Gagarin, Ma'am.

C/Maj X: Excellent! And when did he orbit the Earth?

Chief Y: Before I was born, Ma'am.
C/Maj, CAP                 
Alpha Flight Commander                     
Pathfinder Composite squadron
Earhart #15889

"For the partisan, when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of the question, but is anxious only to convince his hearers." -- Socrates

AACS Cadet21

During bearing busters in KSWG the HG XO/Armorer would wheel through the ranks in an office chair. He'd slouch, burp, make stupid faces, and just sit in front of a cadet until they broke. We did BBs with the encampment XO, Capt. G, man was that fun. He came up to a cadet during BBs and they had the following conversation:

G: What did you have for breakfast cadet? (when he asked me this I said, "the same tihing as you Sir!" anyways,)

cadet: Eggs Sir.

G: Did you like them cadet? (nobody ever ate the eggs, they were awful  :o )

cadet: No Sir.

G: Would you rather have been eating kittens cadet?!

cadet: I prefer puppies Sir.
the cadet never did break.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

this next quote is a conversation me and my battle buddy/wingman had one night during basic in COWG. To set the scene we'd been complaining about being tired, hungry, sore, etc.

BB: "...Well, you know what they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Me: "But then you don't know what makes you stronger until you're already dead..."
We were laughing for the rest of personal time  ;D ;D ;D :clap: :clap: :clap: ;D ;D ;D

AACS Cadet21

I have a knack for being a smart-as* when it comes to bearing busters  ;)

PHall

And "Bearing Busters" accomplish what? ???

Sounds like cadet staff wasting everybodys time. Time that could be used to do the stuff that is required to graduate from encampment.

AACS Cadet21

We were the Honor Guard ATF, we had time for BBs  ;)

Mitchell 1969

Quote from: AACS Cadet21 on February 02, 2014, 03:57:13 PM
We were the Honor Guard ATF, we had time for BBs  ;)

But, to what end?  As in, what's the point? What learning objectives did you meet? How was your education and training rapidly advanced by that?

You probably had time for all sorts of things - armpit noises, nose picking, patty-cake - but the same questions would have to apply.
_________________
Bernard J. Wilson, Major, CAP

Mitchell 1969; Earhart 1971; Eaker 1973. Cadet Flying Encampment, License, 1970. IACE New Zealand 1971; IACE Korea 1973.

CAP has been bery, bery good to me.

AACS Cadet21

Quote from: Mitchell 1969 on February 02, 2014, 06:43:12 PM
Quote from: AACS Cadet21 on February 02, 2014, 03:57:13 PM
We were the Honor Guard ATF, we had time for BBs  ;)

But, to what end?  As in, what's the point? What learning objectives did you meet? How was your education and training rapidly advanced by that?

You probably had time for all sorts of things - armpit noises, nose picking, patty-cake - but the same questions would have to apply.


We improved our military bearing and disapline, and had fun doing it.

NIN

Wow. And all those years in the military, you know, never had a drill sergeant or a first sergeant waste his time trying to get me to "break my bearing."

Whatever that means.

Darin Ninness, Col, CAP
Wing Dude, National Bubba
I like to have Difficult Adult Conversations™
The contents of this post are Copyright © 2007-2024 by NIN. All rights are reserved. Specific permission is given to quote this post here on CAP-Talk only.

AACS Cadet21

Quote from: NIN on February 02, 2014, 07:58:41 PM
Wow. And all those years in the military, you know, never had a drill sergeant or a first sergeant waste his time trying to get me to "break my bearing."

Whatever that means.

I think you guys are missing the point.

MSG Mac

Quote from: AACS Cadet21 on February 02, 2014, 08:22:41 PM
Quote from: NIN on February 02, 2014, 07:58:41 PM
Wow. And all those years in the military, you know, never had a drill sergeant or a first sergeant waste his time trying to get me to "break my bearing."

Whatever that means.

I think you guys are missing the point.

The question is why play silly A** games and try to pass it off as training?
Michael P. McEleney
Lt Col CAP
MSG USA (Retired)
50 Year Member

HGjunkie

#70
USAF Honor Guard - Rubber Chicken Bearing Test

It's a legitimate practice (in the AF at least), and a time honored CAP tradition to get cadets to fall out of formation in bearing tests.
••• retired
2d Lt USAF

PHall

Quote from: AACS Cadet21 on February 02, 2014, 08:22:41 PM
Quote from: NIN on February 02, 2014, 07:58:41 PM
Wow. And all those years in the military, you know, never had a drill sergeant or a first sergeant waste his time trying to get me to "break my bearing."

Whatever that means.

I think you guys are missing the point.


No, I think you have missed the point.  All three of us who are questioning this have been in the military.
And none of us ever did anything like this. Not even in Basic Training.

So tell us again how we're missing the point.

You guys were playing. Call it what you want, but you were playing.

NIN

Quote from: HGjunkie on February 02, 2014, 08:52:39 PM
USAF Honor Guard - Rubber Chicken Bearing Test

It's a legitimate practice (in the AF at least), and a time honored CAP tradition to get cadets to fall out of formation in bearing tests.

Let me make this nice and clear: Honor Guards in CAP are not the USAF Honor Guard.  They're not the Old Guard. They're not the USMC silent drill team.

Just because the USAF honor guard does something is pretty much absolutely no reason for CAP honor guards to do it.

Its not a "time honored tradition." Its stupid.  Its idiotic. Its dumb.

There, I said it.

I had a discussion with a C/CMSgt a couple weeks ago about this thing where the cadets doing PT went from a standing position to sitting on their butts in basically an uncontrolled freefall to the ground. Did I mention it was a concrete floor?  Yeah, when told that this sort of thing needed to end lest someone break their tailbone in the process, I was told "But sir, its tradition."

Doing something that stupid for no apparent reason is NOT a "tradition." 

Someone acts the fool in front of others to get them to laugh. That's a "tradition?"  Sounds like someone else may have lost his or her military bearing in the process.





Darin Ninness, Col, CAP
Wing Dude, National Bubba
I like to have Difficult Adult Conversations™
The contents of this post are Copyright © 2007-2024 by NIN. All rights are reserved. Specific permission is given to quote this post here on CAP-Talk only.

Luis R. Ramos

Senior Members, relax!

Let those cadets have their fun. They were playing, we know. Do not chastise them for their fun... Drill by adults is a very serious business. Another difference is the yelling. Did you hear your Drill Instructors go FLIGHT ATTENTION! at the top of their lungs sounding like they are using a loudspeaker? Nein, nyet, no! But you do hear cadets all the time yelling as if they are using an amplifier when there is no other thing going on...

Flyer
Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

NIN

Quote from: flyer333555 on February 02, 2014, 09:19:21 PM
Senior Members, relax!

Let those cadets have their fun. They were playing, we know. Do not chastise them for their fun... Drill by adults is a very serious business. Another difference is the yelling. Did you hear your Drill Instructors go FLIGHT ATTENTION! at the top of their lungs sounding like they are using a loudspeaker? Nein, nyet, no! But you do hear cadets all the time yelling as if they are using an amplifier when there is no other thing going on...

I don't disagree with what you're saying.  My experience with this, however, tends to be that "traditions" (especially based on RealMilitary™ activities that are really in no way, shape or form even remotely related or associated with our day-to-day operations) get blown way, way, way out of proportion in the re-interpretation.

One example I use when I teach TLC classes on these subjects:

Years ago, we had an encampment where someone mis-scheduled the day's activities and some people mis-interpreted the intent behind the schedule and it was somehow understood that the cadets had 30 minutes (only) in which they could shower.  An enterprising flight commander, wanting to maximized his barracks prep time and minimize the time spent fiddling with something as mundane as showers assigned his flight sergeant to stand in the doorway of the latrine and to ensure that the 15 cadets in his flight all only took 2 minute long showers so he could get everybody thru the showers in the allotted 30 minutes.  The flight sergeant dutifully stood there barking "30 seconds!  .... Fifteen seconds... 10, 9, 8..." and then "SWITCH!"  Showers were clearly getting accomplished in what the flight commander felt was an orderly, proficient, military manner.  His flight sergeant gets kudos.

The next year, Cadet Jones, who was a basic in this flight the year before, is now a flight sergeant, and he's duty bound to uphold what he suddenly perceives as an "encampment tradition" of 2 minute showers. Except, you know, he's WAY more hardcore and on the ball than his forebearers from the year before, so he's going to show them that he can do it EVEN BETTER. Now its ONE minute showers, so they can use the extra time for barracks prep, as this is clearly important. So he stands in the doorway with his G-shock watch, barking "15 seconds!  10.. 9...8.." and "SWITCH!" And he gets on his guys for not being all hardcore and clean like he was last year.

Cadet Smith in Cadet Jones' flight this year, thinks this "encampment tradition" is awesome, cuz he can really crank thru the shower, unlike half the other slackers in his flight.  Next year, Smith is selected for flight sergeant, and he's utterly convinced that half of his ability to show that he's a super-duper hardcore NCO hinges on his ability to uphold the "encampment tradition" of 1 minute showers that he learned last year. Except, in Smith's way of thinking, why do 1 minute showers when you KNOW that everybody can get clean as a whistle in 30 seconds?

So now Smith is barking at his flight, telling them they have 30 seconds to get wet and soapy, rinse off and get out to keep up with the "tradition" of 30 second showers...  He's pushing 15 cadets in his flight thru the showers in less than 8 minutes. He's so cool that the remaining 22 minutes of the 30 minute personal time can be used as extra barracks prep, because everbody knows that his flight is a shoe in for honor flight based on the amount of barracks prep time they're using...

How did we get from someone thinking "Well to efficiently use my 30 minutes of personal time, with one shower stall and 15 cadets, I need to make sure they're not fooling around and they adhere to quick 2 minute long showers.." to "GET OUT! GET OUT GET OUT! You're making me look bad! Next cadet, get into that shower! Move!"? 

Tradition.

When it really isn't anything of the sort.

Darin Ninness, Col, CAP
Wing Dude, National Bubba
I like to have Difficult Adult Conversations™
The contents of this post are Copyright © 2007-2024 by NIN. All rights are reserved. Specific permission is given to quote this post here on CAP-Talk only.

Luis R. Ramos

You are right in your example. Also in this example there is a safety risk. As they rush into and out of the showers they can slip on a wet floor...

Didn't you post this before on a different thread? I think I remember reading about it before...

So we can always state something about carrying the concept of "Tradition" too far...

Flyer
Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

NIN

30-second showers have been an "example" of mine for years.

I'm sure I've alluded to this before.

Darin Ninness, Col, CAP
Wing Dude, National Bubba
I like to have Difficult Adult Conversations™
The contents of this post are Copyright © 2007-2024 by NIN. All rights are reserved. Specific permission is given to quote this post here on CAP-Talk only.

ol'fido

There's things that are "tradition" at encampments and there is the cadet staff mentality of "It was done to me, so I'm going to do it to them even though I despised it". The first needs to be evaluated every so often to make sure that the "tradition" is still in line with the times and CAP regulations. Doing something just because it was done to you is not really a very smart idea for a leader especially if they despised it when they were a cadet in the ranks. Now, some traditions that the cadets despise are probably never going to go away. Getting up at "oh dark thirty" and eating the occasionally crappy chow hall meal are not likely to disappear anytime soon.

Leadership need to take a look at everything the cadets do every now and then to decide whether it is still needed, relevant, or even allowed by regulations. Those things that don't meet any of those criteria need to go away. If you train your cadet staff right, they will see this on their own. OTOH, not every activity at the encampment needs to be directed toward accomplishing training goals. Our cadets are young and hopefully, our seniors are young at heart. Every so often, a commander needs to let their people blow off some steam, let their hair down, and just have fun. The trick is to direct these activities so that they are safe, good spirited, and inclusive of all.
Lt. Col. Randy L. Mitchell
Historian, Group 1, IL-006

SarDragon

Quote from: AACS Cadet21 on February 02, 2014, 07:03:54 PM
We improved our military bearing and disapline discipline, and had fun doing it.

FTFY. Use your spell checker next time.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Mitchell 1969

Quote from: flyer333555 on February 02, 2014, 10:24:07 PM
You are right in your example. Also in this example there is a safety risk. As they rush into and out of the showers they can slip on a wet floor...

Didn't you post this before on a different thread? I think I remember reading about it before...

So we can always state something about carrying the concept of "Tradition" too far...

Flyer

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard someone claim that something is a "time honored tradition" when that was the first time I had heard about it. Especially when it comes to "time honored encampment traditions." I carefully count the number of years going back to 1967, then count the various bronze and silver clasps that I can not fit onto only one Encampment Ribbon and silently ask myself "Gosh, am I getting Alzheimer's? Because I can't remember this 'time honored tradition.'" Then I quickly come to my senses and realize that it's happened again - a one time "thing" has been repeated, becoming therefore a "practice." But such does not a "tradition" make.

The worst part about these "non-traditions" is when somebody like me, or NIN or PHall comes along and tries to undo them after recognizing them for the Tom-Foolery that they are. The reaction is almost always along the lines of "But SIR! It's TRADITION!"

Even when it can be clearly illustrated that the "tradition" only goes back as far as last June, there is resentment when the ill-founded "practice" is sent packing.

Save the resentment and the stink-eye for somebody else, please. Starting, perhaps, with the guy who started the aberrant practice.
_________________
Bernard J. Wilson, Major, CAP

Mitchell 1969; Earhart 1971; Eaker 1973. Cadet Flying Encampment, License, 1970. IACE New Zealand 1971; IACE Korea 1973.

CAP has been bery, bery good to me.