What to bring on an encampment?

[MIKE]

Even if they have laundry facilities... 1 set seems light to me.  What if you rip a pair of trousers on the obstacle course or LRC?  Particularly if you are wearing those cheap 100% cotton BDUs that you put too much starch in and weakened the fabric.  I used to being 3 sets for MAWG encampment to include like 8 t-shirts and 8 pairs of boot socks so I didn't have to do laundry.

[Eclipse]

I wouldn't disagree, however part of the issue is that we can't actually require cadets to have anything but the FCU, and 3-sets of BDU's for a growing kid is going to be expensive.

If the activity allows for it, by all means, on the flipside, we've told cadets "stick to the list" and they bring full 24, a sleeping bag, and service jackets.

[Eagle]

I bring 2 complete sets of BDU's when I attend personally. Three pair is just expensive, and difficult to pack with your blues and PT uniform.

[abdsp51]

A couple extra pairs of socks, underwear, and shirts shouldn't be a huge deal.  An over abundance is overkill.

[MSG Mac]

Bottom line is follow the packing list! With a particular emphasis on not bringing any banned items (Electronics, food, games, etc).  If you have a question contact the encampment staff. I'm sure that extra socks, skivvies, or an additional set of BDU's won't be a problem, but ask anyways.

[bflynn]

A couple extra pairs of socks, underwear, and shirts shouldn't be a huge deal.  An over abundance is overkill.

Apparently it is.  What I was told is that part of encampment is about following directions.  My earlier suggestion was to pack extra socks and I was lamblasted for leading cadets astray.

Of course that's a lot of people who don't take the time to stop and say "what do you mean".  So maybe you're right and I was wrong early.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I thought you were done here?

[bflynn]

So did I - but just trying to help out someone else...

[Майор Хаткевич]

bring extra socks.  Seriously.  I've never been camping anywhere that I didn't run out of socks.  If you're going to be walking a lot, especially in boots through the woods and streams, you will want to change socks more than once a day.

In case you are STILL wondering, THIS is the post that had people coming down on you. You clearly had no idea what the cadet was talking about, and brought up something that was completely unrelated.

The advice of NOT bringing extra items is sound. The advice to bring extra socks to encampment because of walking through woods and streams...not so much.

[CamoMan]

When I went to my doolie encampment I was also there for the staff training & I had to bring extra underwear & socks.

[bflynn]

bring extra socks.  Seriously.  I've never been camping anywhere that I didn't run out of socks.  If you're going to be walking a lot, especially in boots through the woods and streams, you will want to change socks more than once a day.

In case you are STILL wondering, THIS is the post that had people coming down on you. You clearly had no idea what the cadet was talking about, and brought up something that was completely unrelated.

The advice of NOT bringing extra items is sound. The advice to bring extra socks to encampment because of walking through woods and streams...not so much.

No, not wondering at all.  I know what it was.  Yes, I was thinking of my camping at the time, which is not what encampment is about.

I found it surprising that people would give me grief for suggesting extra socks because I've always needed them - I like dry feet.  Eclipse even went so far as to say - bring exactly what is on the packing list because following instructions is part of the exercise.

So I'm surprised not nobody commented to the poster above suggesting bringing more than what is on the packing list.

I also see that nobody understood my comparison to boot camp - there's more yelling and more strenous and constant PT in military boot camp.  Nevertheless boot and encampment, especially indoc, are surprisingly similar despite everyone's exhortion that it isn't.  Later in boot camp, there's even mostly instruction and just morning PT, so that's almost just like encampment.  But nobody bothered to stop and ask, they just reacted and jumped.

It's ok, I'm a big boy.  I know that I don't always come across clearly in first-pass writing, but I've got a lot going on so first pass is all you get.

[titanII]

Yeah, I am a cadet. I was distracted because I was adding ribbons to my rack.

What? I'm sorry, I was too busy filling out a CAPF 2A 

Even if they have laundry facilities... 1 set seems light to me.  What if you rip a pair of trousers on the obstacle course or LRC?  Particularly if you are wearing those cheap 100% cotton BDUs that you put too much starch in and weakened the fabric.  I used to being 3 sets for MAWG encampment to include like 8 t-shirts and 8 pairs of boot socks so I didn't have to do laundry.

Agreed. At the most recent MAWG Encampment, the packing list was two sets of BDU's, 8 t-shirts for BDU's, and 8 pairs of boot socks. Worked out fine for me.

[ol'fido]

OK, going to jump in again here....

First off, let me give my encampment credentials. 17 total encampments both as a cadet and a senior. I have been a basic, OTS, squadron XO, and cadet commander. As a senior, I have been a TAC, OTS TAC, OTS Commandant, RCLS Commandant, Transportation Officer, COMM/SECURITY commander, and for the last few years Operations and Planning Section Chief.

As for my "boot" camp credentials, I have attended ROTC basic at Ft. Knox, Infantry OSUT at Ft. Benning, and for the last 19 years, I have worked at Illinois DOC prison boot camp for adult offenders.

Every encampment is different. One year you have 150 people and the next you have over 200 with seniors thrown in. Summer encampments are different than weekend encampments. Each has a different ops tempo. Each has different logistical challenges.  Each location is different from wing to wing. Within the same wing, we are now at the third location for our summer encampment in the last nine years. Every site has different capacities for laundry, storage, replacement of lost/damaged items, transportation. The only thing that they have in common is that they must provide the 40 hours of training as specified by 52-16.

The command staff at each encampment HAS to give a good deal of thought as to what they put on their packing lists based on all the things I have mentioned above. They try to balance the needs of the cadets with the realities of the experience. By and large, they usually do a pretty good job. Eclipse has commanded the spring weekend encampment here in IL and I work the summer encampment in the middle of July. He was at a Navy Basic Training Base and we are at the ILARNG OCS training school in Springfield. Our needs are much the same but in some cases very different. When we were at Volk Field in WI, the cadets did a LOT of marching during the week. Now we are mostly in one building with few exceptions all week.

Cadets will probably not need more than what's on the packing list. I say bring extra underwear because I know that if I say bring 10-12 pair, a cadet is more likely to make it there with the 7-10 pairs he needs. I have also seen cadets show up with items that BOG THE MIND. Flares, tennis raquets, survival kits, etc. Another factor for cadets to remember is that they are going to have to carry this stuff for a certain distance(No, we are not taking the cadets on a forced march for 10 miles with all their gear)and if you are a 13 or 14 year old cadet who is 4' something and weighs less than 100 lbs. toting around an 80 lbs. duffel bag with a bunch of crap you don't really need is a pain.

Bottom line...BRING WHAT'S ON THE PACKING LIST. A FEW EXTRA SOCKS OR UNDIES WILL NOT CAUSE A BIG PROBLEM BUT CERTAINLY DON'T BRING ANYTHING LESS THAN WHAT'S ON THE LIST. WE DON'T MAKE THEM UP JUST FOR GIGGLES.

[MilitaryGirlClair]

Make sure you have a shoe shining kit! When the flight commander comes, he/she will get you on your boots. Bring deoderant, not just for you but for the whole flight

[Extremepredjudice]

Sharing deoderant isn't sanitary. Don't do it!

If anything, bring perfume to share. My flight commander at encampment brought cologne. We were the best smelling flight at encampment

[SarDragon]

Folks, that's what showers are for. Using stinky stuff is being unacceptably lazy.

[CAPC/officer125]

Roger.  Question not directed at you.

Is this the Joint Dakota Leadership Encampment in July?

The website indicates a packing list was included with the application packet.

http://jdcle2012.eventsbot.com/

If you did not receive a packet, you should contact: Lt. Col B. T. Marking at  cap.rufrider@gmail.com

Yes, it is. I am the C/CC. 5-15 July to be exact (GAs report the 6th).
If you have not received the full application packet talk to your squadron commander. I was talk by Lt Col Marking that they have been sent out. Remember all forms need filled out and submitted by the deadline (which I don't remember off the top of my head). The packing list was included with the packet. Bring everything on the list that is mandatory and then everything else on the list based on money, space, and your opinion after talking to others who have been to encampment.
Look forward to meeting you and hope you enjoy yourself. It will be a stressful week, but you will do just fine.

C/LtCol Pat Temaat
2012 JDCLE Cadet Commander