What are you doing at encampment this year?

[Major Carrales]

Maj Dennis Nall Jr Alpha Flight TAC Officer, Texas Wing Encampment

Could this be our DNALL?

Kudos, fill us in when it's done.

[Major Carrales]

Could this be our DNALL?

Kudos, fill us in when it's done.

Y'all do know this was more about the man than the encampment...Right?

[pixelwonk]

ok then.
umm, are we missing something?

[Major Carrales]

ok then.
umm, are we missing something?

Yes, this was moved from the "Lobby," where DNALL and others wishing to extend Kudos could do so; to here Where it will only appear on the five last replied topics.

This was not an encampment topic, but rather one that was supposed to give a "shout out" to a CAPTALK threadster of note.

[MIKE]

It has the words Encampment and TAC Officer in the title. 

[Major Carrales]

It has the words Encampment and TAC Officer in the title. 

So be it!!!

[pixelwonk]

I don't think Dennis is pretentious enough (correct me if I'm wrong, Maj Nall) to wish for an entire thread about him simply because he chose to be a TAC this year.

before this thread goes terminal, I'm changing the subject to "What are you doing at encampment this year?"

[stillamarine]

Well I hope to make it to the MS/AL Joint Encampment, bringing a bunch of my cadets. Hope to serve as a TACO or I suppose I could help in the PA dept. Where ever I am needed. Will be my first encampment since 1990!

[Slim]

Running it! 

[SJFedor]

Giving the cadinks o-flights, and sleeping in my own bed, at home, at night.

[mikeylikey]

Giving the cadinks o-flights, and sleeping in my own bed, at home, at night.

Just like an Air Force Officer showing up at 0730 each morning for a bombing run and being back home with his wife by dinner each night.  Freaking Officers!

[AlphaSigOU]

Just got back from the Texas Wing Winter Encampment, where CAPTalk's own DNall was a TAC.

I was the administration mentor (aka chief paper pusher).

[Major Carrales]

I don't think Dennis is pretentious enough (correct me if I'm wrong, Maj Nall) to wish for an entire thread about him simply because he chose to be a TAC this year.

before this thread goes terminal, I'm changing the subject to "What are you doing at encampment this year?"

Many CAPTALKERs like to celebrate each other's accomplishments and projects.  I happen to be one of them that likes to do so.  DNALL did a great service to my unit when it needed it most, this was to honor him.

[smitjud]

Well I hope to make it to the MS/AL Joint Encampment, bringing a bunch of my cadets. Hope to serve as a TACO or I suppose I could help in the PA dept. Where ever I am needed. Will be my first encampment since 1990!

We look forward to seeing ya'll there.  Have you been in touch in Maj. Diaz in regards to application procedures?

Should be able to find everything on www.almsencampment.com

[Tubacap]

Training Officer

[mikeylikey]

^ PAWG ENC downright sucks.  At least it has for the past three years.  Perhaps with you at TO, it will be half way decent.  The cost is outrageous, the Cadets are not supervised, and it is commanded by that Philadelphia Squadron I won't name.  PLUS, ice cream socials everynight is ridiculous.  The Medical Officers and select cadet staff  throwing pizza parties each night is ridiculous.  I couldn't stand how it was run, I couldn't stand the "I am better than you attitude" and I basically couldn't stand how "nonmilitary" it was.  Then you have the HAWK MTN Cadet Staff always as the Cadet Staff for ENC, and they bring that "Ranger" attitude with them from the mountain.

I don't know whether to congratulate you or pray for you.  I along with many other Western SQD's are sending our Cadets to either West Virginia or Ohio Wing Encampments because the cost is cheaper, the experience is better and they don't have to deal with the "Eastern Side Mentality"   

[Tubacap]

This will be the fifth PAWG ENC that I have staffed.  We definitely have our problems, but overall I think present a great opportunity for our cadets.  Previously I have always served as a TAC Officer.  I took last year off because I have a new kid, he's a lot of fun, and my wife may have killed me if I went away for a week and a half last summer. 

The cost is a little odd, but I think the problems that you talk about otherwise are going away because of the conserted effort of some the senior staff and some outstanding cadets that have just recently turned Senior.

[DNall]

I don't think Dennis is pretentious enough (correct me if I'm wrong, Maj Nall) to wish for an entire thread about him simply because he chose to be a TAC this year.

before this thread goes terminal, I'm changing the subject to "What are you doing at encampment this year?"

Wow I guess I appreciate the kudos & stuff. Thread gets started about me six months ago & I finally get around to it. That should say something about how busy I am.

Last encampment was okay. The cadet leadership team in my Sq needed the first few days to get their individual crap together & figure out their jobs. It then took a couple more days for them to gel together with the rest of the cadet Sq leadership. By the time they were in a position to effect positive training on the basics, we were into the last day & a half focused on getting ready for PIR. That's just not a way to do business. I thought the team of cadets I worked with progressed really well over the course of that week, but I don't think the basics got much out of it.

TACs in general I think need to be MUCH better qualified & trained. I know what I'm doing pretty well & it took a decent amount of my effort to get cadet officers & NCOs to figure out their crap. Some other TACs didn't do that for a number of reasons. mostly they don't have the training to even know the standards, much less mentor the leadership to them. I was pretty dang relaxed most of the time. I had time & could have worked with the cadet leaders like I did & also do remedial work with the basics, but I chose not to. I was very hands on with my cadet leaders, & mostly hands off with my basics. Due to some issues, I was often covering for the Sq TAC while he was covering for chief.

Really overall it wasn't too bad, I just don't think we accomplished much at all, and that's unfortunate. I can really see why encampments used to be 2wks long.

As far as this year... I'm not going to be doing any. I'm headed to Alabama on 13 June to finish up OCS all summer (life will suck). Then I should be headed right back to flight training after that. When I get back from all that we're supposed to be starting to prep for deployment. Like I said back before encampment, I really wanted to get that one in cause it might be a while before I can do another one.

[0]

I'm skipping the MAWG Encampment this year as I'm must going to be coming back from NESA.  I will however be there for graduation.

[Chappie]

 

Will be my 10th encampment serving on the "God Squad".