Texas Wing Encampment DAY by DAY- Reporting from the FIELD

Started by Major Carrales, December 29, 2007, 06:58:00 PM

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Major Carrales

Texas Wing Encampment DAY by DAY- Reporting from the FIELD
Relayed via Major P. Sutton

Greetings all, this will be the thread for 2007 TEXAS WING WINTER ENCAMPMENT news.  Below, the threads will demonstrate field reporting and will be posted as NEWS arrives and develops.

(note to moderators- This thread differs greatly from the other TEXAS WING ENCAMPMENT THREAD in that is it news rather than commentary.)
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

Major Carrales

Texas Wing Winter Encampment, Day One
By C/2d Lt BrandiiRe'Ann Davis, Cadet Public Affairs


CAMP SWIFT, TX (December 26, 2007) -- Encampment started as the cadet staff arrived between 0800 and 1200 at Camp Swift on Wednesday, 26 December. We were briefed and assigned duties. Directing traffic, taking pictures, posting signs on doors, and helping other cadets with material items are only a small list of all the things we had to do. In short, we had to prepare the place for the cadet basics to arrive.

They came later that day beginning at 1300 hours, creating a long line of uniformed young persons, each flanked by a bundle of belongings. They had brought everything they would need for the week: bedding, uniform items, compasses, personal toiletries and shoeshine kits. First thing after saying their goodbyes, they piled all their luggage to stand in line as they waited to sign in. When it was their turn at the reception desk, they presented their personal paperwork, then went on to their assigned flights station to receive a T-Shirt of the right color for their flight. As they returned outside and retrieved their baggage, they started looking for their barracks building, which at times was difficult in the confusion of the moment. Soon, to their great relief, they would find the right place where they would live for the next five days, and identified the bunks they would sleep in.

Cadets got right to it, unpacking and making their bunks using the white twin-size sheets they had brought along. Not long afterwards, the flight sergeants rounded up their cadets in formation and took them to Encampment Introduction. There they were introduced to the staff members and were told what was expected of them. To quote Col Frank Eldridge, Encampment Commander, "You do your best and we will help with the rest."

When everything was said and done, members of the Standards Evaluation Team (SET) showed the cadets the proper way to wear the uniform, followed by the prescribed way to make their bunk. This was very important because they would be graded on how they did it.

Afterwards, the flight sergeants and commanders collected their cadets and marched them onto the grassy field for Group Formation. When that was done, cadets fell in for PT. Push-ups, situps, stretches and runs were the drill for this activity. They would do this every day, since they would need it pass their next physical fitness achievement test. At evening formation, immediately following PT, Cadet Maj Rojas, Cadet Commander, disclosed the order in which the flights would eat their dinner. Dinner, finally! After a long day of settling in, the cadets enjoyed their lasagna, broccoli, French bread, salad and minuscule piece of cake. Even though they were not allowed to talk to each other, the meal tasted just fine.

But the day had not ended yet. The cadets would still have Firearm training, followed by an aerospace education class. As with every course of instruction, safety was a major concern and every precaution was taken to prevent accidental injury. The cadets finally got personal time. For those who wanted it, Chaplain (Maj.) Ron Whitt conducted a fifteen minute devotional at 21:15 in the Mess Hall.

Mercifully, at 2300 hours, Staff called lights out for all personnel, bringing the successful first day of encampment to an end. A good night sleep would do wonders for their ability to perform during day two.
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

Major Carrales

Texas Wing Winter Encampment 2007 - Day 2

CAMP SWIFT TX, (December 27, 2007) – Day two has come too early. Some of us wanted to sleep in, but knew that wasn't going to happen. Reveille awoke basic cadets at 0500 hours, whereas ATS students had awakened at 0430 hours. The drowsy cadets awoke early but, nonetheless, many were still rushing to get all their PT gear together before their flight sergeants would come back for them. When the cadet commanders and sergeants returned, they ordered the flight to fall in outside. Then we marched off to the field for morning formation and PT.

It didn't last long, but the freezing cold and wind made it seem like an eternity. The entire encampment, including staff, did a great variety of exercises and stretches. We jogged in place, did push-ups, cherry pickers, arm and leg stretches, and many more conditioning and limbering routines.

Personal hygiene came next, in what promised to be a long day. Like PT, it was brief, giving us just enough time to brush our teeth and hair, and to quickly change into our Battle Dress Uniforms (BDU's). It also gave everyone a chance to warm up in the heated barracks.

It was finally breakfast time, Hoo-Ah! There is nothing like a good meal to start off the day. We were treated to eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, bananas, oranges, apples, cereal, yoghurt, muffins, orange juice, white milk and chocolate milk. As you walked into the the Mess Hall, the wonderful smell of breakfast food hit your nose with fantastic sensations, which in turn made us all the hungrier. It felt so good to finally eat and calm our stomachs after the cold and emptiness since last dinner. However, getting through the line wasn't so easy. The cadet basics waited patiently in line at parade rest, arms horizontal to the ground holding the Standing Operating Instructions (SOI's), which they read attentively. We, the cadet staff, asked the cadets several questions from the SOI, calculating their current level of knowledge. Each would immediately snap to attention and answer the question to the best of his/her ability. The Mess Hall could hold three flights at the same time, while the rest stayed outside in the cold, practicing drill.

After breakfast, the cadets eagerly attended their first classes which covered a variety of topics, including the many career opportunities in the Air Force. Although the classes were interesting, it was hard to stay awake during them, since the previous night had been too short on sleep. Instruction seemed to last forever as the cadets fought to stay awake. The last class taught the cadets how to properly care for their uniforms.

Immediately after, the cadets marched to their barracks to prepare for the Standards and Evaluations Team (SET) inspection. As they waited for the inspectors to arrive, the cadets hurriedly readjust their uniforms, paying attention to the smallest detail. Each one felt that the honor of their flight depended on him or her. A belt buckle out of place, or the tiniest string hanging off a cadet's uniform can lower the flight's score. The cadets stood at attention as the SET slowly critiqued their uniforms and offered advice for improvement. The inspection lasted quite a while, but as soon as the cadets were inspected, they headed back outside to practice for Pass-In-Review; also known as the graduation parade – just four days away. Next was one of the best events of the day: lunchtime.

The hungry cadets stood in line as they eagerly awaited their hot lunch of burgers straight off the grill. Along with the burgers, cadets were offered leftover chocolate and white milk from breakfast, baked beans, apples, oranges, bananas, and fruit salad.

Right after lunch, flight sergeants ordered their cadets outside. When the CAP vans drove up, the flights took off to the firing range. Cadets will cherish this experience forever. "It was awesome!" said C/A1C Samek. We were allowed the privilege of shooting caliber .22 rifles. We aimed for the target, held our breath, and slowly squeezed the trigger. The paper targets, about 10 yards away, were the score sheet, as they held a permanent count of the points for each shot. Adding the scores together would tell us if we had shot our way to the next level. After a practice run, we attempted to shoot our way to the next level (25 yards). It was a fantastic experience. Not only was it fun, but if you got enough points you would qualify for a medal you can be worn on the Class B Blues. "Pretty nice, I hope to get an award" stated C/Amn Jenkins.

After shooting, as soon as the cadets returned to their barracks, the flights were given what is called "flight time". At this time, the flights work on different issues that arose in the flight during the day. Today, they were working on their uniforms and drill.

Closing formation was conducted promptly at 1745, followed by dinner. The flights were ordered in the chow line according to the points they had earned during the day's activities: the flight with the most points eats first. Points are earned for categories such as customs and courtesies, uniform preparation, and barracks orderliness and cleanliness.

The day is ending after a quick class on civilian careers in aviation and a squadron leadership project. The cadets have looked forward to this moment all day: bedtime!
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

Major Carrales

Texas Wing Winter Encampment 2007 - Day 3
By Cadet Second Lieutenant Raphael Erie and Cadet Second Lieutenant Stephen Miller

CAMP SWIFT, TX – Today, Reveille came at 0445 instead of the usual 0500, with the lethargic cadets moving out of their warm barracks into the cold harsh world of the dreaded PT. Luckily, the morning was warm enough to keep the ground from freezing, allowing for additional exercises that involve more contact with the ground (yesterday it had been too cold so the ground was hard).. Push-ups, sit-ups, flutter kicks and various other workouts were common exercises seen
throughout the squadrons.

Directly after PT, the cadets had some time allotted for personal hygiene and to change into their Battle Dress Uniforms (BDUs). With empty stomachs, everyone went to the chow hall for breakfast, in hopes that the pancakes and sausage would fuel them to start the long day ahead.

Following breakfast, the basic cadets attended an air powered mechanics class taught by U.S. Air Force representatives, while the Standards Evaluation Team (SET) inspected their barracks and the Advanced Training School (ATS) students stood by for inspection. This last one was a handson exercise that would teach the ATS cadets the SET duties and responsibilities – since the next step in their own progression will be teaching cadet basics at future encampments.

When asked how he felt about the experience, Cadet Senior Airman Moellendof replied, "I liked the class because of all the information I received. I also liked being able to learn from people's different point of views in the open discussions". Immediately following, the ATS students had a block of instruction on the Civil Air Patrol's Cadet Programs.

Once the classes were over, the basics practiced their Pass-In-Review skills, as the ATS cadets were finishing their Leader Lab class. After a very long morning, packed full of activity, lunch time finally came around. Cheese pizza, salad, fruit, tea and both chocolate and white milk were served to the hungry cadets. They ate quickly and, as they came back out, some were guided to the CAP vans.

After a short ride, the 47th Squadron cadets (about half of all basic cadets at encampment) found themselves at Camp Swift's rifle range. There, caliber .22 rifles awaited each cadet. Before the cadets got to shoot the rifles, they got a safety briefing from Major Mike Cobb, a qualified instructor who manages the National Rifle Association weapons course. As soon as the safety briefing was concluded, the cadets got their rifles, took their place at the firing line, and locked and loaded as instructed. When given the command, they excitedly opened fire, each aiming at
the small figures on the target in front.

C/A1C Julia Gardner said, "Shooting was a great experience. It was good fun, and I hope I get a medal." A C/Amn who did not want his name mentioned, excitedly proclaimed that, "It was good! We were just shooting at targets and having fun." Two hours later, the 47 th Squadron cadets were taken back to the mess hall, where yet another class on the history of the Civil Air Patrol awaited them.

Immediately following the history lesson, the entire cadet encampment rushed outside and quickly formed for mass inspection. The SET members meticulously scrutinized the uniforms of the entire encampment, including flight staff, for what seemed like an eternity. They examined every small detail of each cadet's uniform, looking for mistakes as small as a piece of lint or fuzz where none should have been.

The inspection concluded, the cadets were subjected to even more classes about the United States Air Force. Shortly after that, the encampment attended closing formation and learned which would be the honor flight of the day, the uniform of the day for the following day, and a brief recap covering the day's activities.

The next item on the agenda was the best gift a tired and hungry cadet could possibly receive – Dinner! Cadets got a bowl of tasty chicken and dumpling soup, another bowl with fruit salad, a plate with carrots, green beans, green salad, and chocolate cake.

Dinner gave way to an activity called Spirit Time. This is when all the basic cadets meet in the mess hall and get motivated and excited about the rest of encampment. Today is Day Three, and the cadets are just about at the halfway point, eagerly looking forward to Spirit Time, which is a noisy round of friendly venting. (Some of them will have lost their voice by tomorrow, Day Four,
but should have it back by graduation on Day Six.)

The loud and energized Spirit Time led into a quiet but very interesting class. This time, the cadets learned about the many civilian careers in aviation that are open to them. The cadets had an easy time keeping awake for this class, after the mass rally of Spirit Time!

The day has been so full of activity that the schedule wound up advancing at a different pace for most of the flights. The optional evening devotional, therefore, turned into a relay of fellowship and blessings, with small groups arriving as time permitted, to leave after a 15-minute pause of peace and relaxation. Those who chose to attend felt better as they found their way back to their noisy billets.

At last, it is lights out at Camp Swift, and the cadets are in bed. Some of them have managed to fall asleep already, exhausted from the day. On the following day, the fourth day of non-stop action, they will wake up before the crack of dawn for yet another day of classes, activities, and – yes, believe it or not – fun.
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

Major Carrales

Texas Wing Winter Encampment 2007 - Day 4
By Cadet Second Lieutenant Steve Miller *All photos by C/2d Lt Raphael Erie

CAMP SWIFT, TEXAS— Reveille sounded as usual at 0445. The cadets groggily got out of bed and marched to the parade field for yet another day of opening formation and PT in the cold. Although the cadets were cold and tired, they still did magnificently on their PT. The intense motivation of the basic and ATS flights could be felt throughout the whole area. Every cadet was still "pumped up" from the previous night's Spirit Time. For safety purposes, with the 33-degree temperature, cadets were not supposed to do PT exercises that required contact with the ground. With PT over, every cadet got some time for personal hygiene and to dress in the uniform of the day – BDUs. 

   Next, the basics had two other classes about the U.S. Air Force, learning about Air Power. Cadet Airman First Class Spanial said, "I enjoyed learning about the different airplanes, like the F-22 Raptor." Cadet Airman Peltier added, "I learned about the daily routine of an Air Force pilot, and the capabilities of planes like the C-130. Cool." The long week is taking its toll on the cadets, and staying awake during classes is getting harder and harder.

   Meanwhile, the Advanced Training Squadron (ATS) had a stand-by inspection. Afterwards, cadets participated in a class on goals and objectives. Their next task may have been the highlight of the day for ATS. First they went over what the Standards Evaluation Teams (SET) was going to be doing during the day. The cadets were then split into teams that would follow a SET member in order to observe how the job was done.

   Following their classes, the SET members conducted the basic cadets' flight inspections, and immediately after the basic cadets participated in an activity called "fun in the sun." This was designed to make up for the PT they had lost because of the earlier cold weather. The Cadet Staff worried that that some cadets might be offended if they did not get a chance to do some pushups, so the entire basic encampment participated in the afternoon PT. Needless to say, when "fun in the sun" was over, the cadets were highly motivated.

   The 48th squadron was the last one to go to the firing range for a chance to earn the National Rifle Association (NRA) marksmanship award. All cadets shot as best they could, and will learn their results at the end of encampment. Hopefully, the cadets will receive one of four awards; pro-marksman, marksman, marksman first-class or sharpshooter.

   For lunch, everyone had a tasty lunch of chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese, with the usual salad, fruit, cookies and milk or water. The ravished cadets and staff made it in and out of the dining hall in record time, eager to attend their next activity. They know that encampment is quickly coming to an end.

Both the basic and ATS cadets attended Pass In Review (PIR) practice. PIR is a graduation requirement, and they'll be doing it in just two days – and neither the cadets nor the cadet staff members want anything to go wrong. They spent about an hour making sure that every movement was just right.

Several more classes were held in the remaining hours, until Evening Formation. A class that explained everything about CAP's emergency service opportunities had held the cadets' attention for quite a while, since it was very interesting. Another class was held on airport fire and safety. This one was a little less interesting but necessary, so the cadets held on!

   Evening formation was held at the Parade Field across the road, with the cadets weary and exhausted from the day. The Flight that earned the most points for the day gets to eat first, and today it will be Foxtrot. Tired as the cadets were, they were happy enough to march to the Mess Hall for a dinner of Salisbury steak and fried potatoes. Immediately following dinner, in a class taught by C/Lt. Col. Cilino, C/1 st Lt. Flores, and C/Lt. Col. Rojas, the basics learned about National Cadet Special Activities such as the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE). Finally, at 2115 came the moment everyone has been waiting for: personal time.
   
   Some of the cadets chose to attend a short devotional. On the first night, ten cadets had attended this optional activity, with their numbers increasing gradually. On this evening, 54 cadets gathered in the small room, both males and females. They got to know each other better, enjoyed the feeling of fellowship and belonging, and left ready for a good night's sleep and their last day of training. Lights out came suddenly at 2215.

"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

Major Carrales

Texas Wing Winter Encampment, Day Five
By Cadet 2d Lt Raphael Erie and Cadet 2d Lt Brandii Re'Ann Davis, Cadet Public Affairs
Photos by C/2d Lt Raphael Erie

Camp Swift, Texas—The last full day of encampment has arrived and everyone has mixed feelings about it. Some cadets are excited that encampment is nearly over, since a little home sickness is not uncommon, while others feel a bit sad that they are leaving their CAP family behind.

   The last day starts out with reveille at 0445, but there was neither morning formation nor PT. The staff wanted to give all cadets a chance to get their Blues uniform in perfect shape for the upcoming inspection and for the Dining In at the end of the day. Within the two hours they were given, the cadets worked hard on their Blues, making sure that their uniform was neat and looked just right.

   With their uniforms ready for the day, the cadets headed to the chow hall to get some breakfast. It was delicious. The French toast, potatoes, sausage patties, milk and juice were just what they needed. The cadets gobbled down the food and returned to their barracks to make sure they hadn't forgotten any detail before the inspection. If they wanted to, they all had a chance to go to a religious service conducted by the Wing Chaplain, Major Ron Whitt.

   The SET members finally arrived and inspected the cadets for the last time. After a very brief inspection, the fun started. At the end of every encampment, the basic flights participate in a series of team competitions. They are friendly but fiercely contested.

   First came the Knowledge Bowl, where they were tested on Air Force and Civil Air Patrol knowledge. Three tables were set up with two bells sitting on each one. Two SET members sat at the far end of the tables, with four basic cadets sitting at the side. One SET member asked the cadets a series of questions, while the other marked down points. The team that won the most points won the round. Seems simple enough, but for every question a cadet got wrong, it counted against that team's score. The teams battled against each other fiercely, ending with India flight taking home first place, Charlie flight earned second and last but not least Delta flight brought up the rear. Congratulations to India and all the other flights for their hard work and diligence. Everyone has improved greatly over the past week, and they can rightly be proud of it.

   Next was the Drill competition. Each flight, starting with Alpha and ending with India, entered a squared-off area marked by small orange cones and performed in front of C/Maj Vaughan and C/Capt Joel Buchman. The flight sergeants led the flights and marched them around the area.

They were given a list of the drill movements they needed to perform, and the flight was graded on how well they executed each maneuver.

   Following the drill competition, the cadets had Pass in Review practice. They have really improved over the week, and their parents will definitely be proud of them when they see the final parade as they Pass in Review in front of the Wing Commander, Col Joe R. Smith.
Lunch came about noon, and the hungry cadets went into the mess hall and stood in line for their lunch of sub sandwiches, cookies, fruit, and milk or juice. The cadets ate quickly, knowing that they didn't have much time until the next event.

   The last competition of the day was PT, and all cadets – basic and staff – performed marvelously. Picking the best flight was extremely hard.

   Probably the most fun activity today was Flight Sports. Each flight competed against each other in different sports such as Ultimate Frisbee, Tug-of-war and Kick Ball. We all had a lot of fun, and eventually the cadet staff joined in on it too.

   But the best was yet to come. The mess hall in our training area was too small, so we couldn't all fit in. Luckily, they let us borrow a larger mess hall, and that was fine. All cadets got taken in vans some three miles away, and got a chance to chat some until they could enter the mess hall. The meal was delicious, and the Dining In was fun. The Grog Table was where you took your punishment if you had said or done something wrong, or if someone just wanted to be mean to you. The punished were mostly cadet staff.

   The Encampment Commander, Col Frank Eldridge told the cadets how well they had done. Then the Wing Commander, Col Joe R. Smith asked them three questions, "Did you learn something? Did you like the food? Did you have fun?" All cadets replied "Yes Sir!" loudly to each one. Then Col Smith added, "I hope you'll go back to your squadrons and share those thoughts with everyone there. Tell them what you liked, and show them how much you learned. Then we'll get more of you for our next encampment."

   This year, the slide show at the end of the meal had great songs for the sound track, and the slides had some video clips mixed in with them. They showed all the things that the cadets had done until that very afternoon, and it was wonderful to see. The five Cadet PAOs had taken all the photos, and they decided which to use, and picked the music too. All cadets gave the PAO Team a long and loud round of applause.

   Now, all that is left is cleaning up the billets, packing, and passing in review. That will be tomorrow, the sixth day. It hardly seems possible.
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

addo1

  I though I would fill in on a few details from the encampment on day 6.

Honor Flight- India
Honor Cadet- C/CMSgt Lowe
Academic Flight- India


Not sure of all the stats... Feel free to post here with the rest.

P.S.  Don't forget about the Jolliest Flight award to November flight, lol...
Addison Jaynes, SFO, CAP
Coordinator, Texas Wing International Air Cadet Exchange


National Cadet Advisory Council 2010

Major Carrales

Texas Wing Winter Encampment, Final Day
By the Cadet Public Affairs Team

Camp Swift, Texas—Last night we packed our bags and finally got to believe that encampment would be over on New Year's Eve. We were told that all buildings had to be clean, so we spent a lot of time dusting, sweeping and mopping. Then we got the best news. We would have no PT in the morning!
   On this, our last day at Camp Swift, we were allowed to sleep in until 0600. We had forgotten how good it was to get up when the sun is starting to rise, and it seemed like the day would be mild. It wasn't as cold as it had been, and we were sure that it would warm up by the time we had to pass in review, dressed in our short sleeve uniforms.

   This was the big-ticket item on the agenda for the basic cadets, the Advanced Training Squadron (ATS), and most of the cadet support staff. The Public Affairs (PA) Team didn't have to march because we had to take the photos and write the story.

   Everybody knew we would have no lunch, so we made the best of the breakfast burritos, fruit and milk offered to us. Soon we would be home and would be able to eat a wonderful dinner, and sleep as late as we wanted on New Year's Day. There would be no classes today. Instead, the encampment would pass in review.

   After cleanup and dressing in short-sleeve blues, the parade was formed. There were nine flights of basic cadets, one flight of cadet support personnel, and one small Advanced Training Squadron. For passing in review, the basic cadets formed in three squadrons, three flights to the squadron. A fourth squadron was composed of the cadet support flight and the ATS.

   The morning was very bright, without a cloud in the sky, so it was warmer by 1000. But it was quite windy, too. We would have two hours to practice until we passed in review in front of the Wing Commander, Col. Joe R. Smith, at noon.

   For the last time, we practiced forming and re-forming, saluting, and reporting to the cadet commander. The guidons waved in the wind as they were raised and then swung over until they were parallel to the ground. That is how guidon bearers salute when they are in a formation. It looked so nice to see the flights making the moves, all at the same time, under the bright sun. From the reviewing stand, the dark green trees behind the cadets set off the light blue of their short sleeve shirts. Everyone looked sharp.

   We were getting excited about passing in review, but we were also looking forward to going home.

              And we were starting to be sorry that we would have to leave our new friends behind. We had met cadets from other squadrons all over Texas and some from other wings, too. There were cadets from Colorado, Vermont, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Louisiana. They were just like us and it was easy to make friends with them. We all worked together well.

   At 1115 we marched away from the parade field and got under the shade. Many tall pine trees protected us from the sun that now was getting hot. We also had some cool water, and that tasted awfully good. Then it was time to re-form and march back to the parade field. Everybody thought, "OK, now. This is it!"

   We knew the Wing Commander was watching, so we wanted to look smart. We got into position, formed in a long line facing the Wing Commander across the field. We felt confident that we would do it right. We just had to do what we had practiced earlier, only this time we would actually march and pass by the Wing Commander. As we did, the command of, "Eyes, right!" would be given.

   The Cadet Vice-commander stepped forward and gave the first command. It was like a slinky going down the stairs, one step at a time. One thing led to the next, and the complicated moves got ordered and executed. The squadron commanders with their guidons formed together and marched up towards the Cadet Commander and his staff. They halted and reported to the cadet vice-commander, who exchanged salutes and ordered them to return to the formation. When they were back in place, the cadet vice-commander gave the long and loud command we had eagerly expected, "Pa-a-a-a-a-a-ss in review-w-w-w-w!"

   Now it was out turn. Everyone knew that this was not a practice run but the real thing. So everyone marched keeping step and obeying the commands. And, yes, it went off just right. Hoo-ah!
   When the parade was over, the basic cadets got out-processed and were released. They were free to go home! Some were picked up by their parents. Others went back in CAP vans, the same as they had arrived. Those from far away got a ride to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport so they could take a flight home.

   But the support staff couldn't leave yet. First the National Guard had to check that the buildings were clean and neat. This took some time, but it was finally over and by 1500 we were free to go ourselves. The Encampment Commander and the Wing Commander thanked us for our work, and that made us feel good.

   The cadet PA staff didn't pass in review, but we probably walked and ran more than any of them. We did plenty of legwork taking the photos and putting this article together. The best part is that we learned a lot, and now we'll be better at doing our jobs at our own squadrons.
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

Gunner C

Wow!  Great write-ups and a great encampment!  It takes me back to my days as a cadet.  You TXWG guys know how to do it up right!  ;D

How many cadets attended/graduated?

AlphaSigOU

Quote from: Gunner C on January 01, 2008, 09:20:45 PM
Wow!  Great write-ups and a great encampment!  It takes me back to my days as a cadet.  You TXWG guys know how to do it up right!  ;D

How many cadets attended/graduated?

Working the after action report and paperwork for the encampment as we speak... we had 236 cadets and seniors attend, only two cadinks dropped out.
Lt Col Charles E. (Chuck) Corway, CAP
Gill Robb Wilson Award (#2901 - 2011)
Amelia Earhart Award (#1257 - 1982) - C/Major (retired)
Billy Mitchell Award (#2375 - 1981)
Administrative/Personnel/Professional Development Officer
Nellis Composite Squadron (PCR-NV-069)
KJ6GHO - NAR 45040

CASH172

Sounds like another great encampment.  Now what's up with some rumors I heard about some cadets getting injured.  Prob nothing. 

DNall

Couple injuries, no big deal, about par for the course. All on our crappy PIR field. lot of twisted ankles during 0500 PT. mitigated well with little effect. Only othe rthing we could have done was early classes in PTs then move to work out after the sun came up, but scheduling decisions were above my paygrade, and we had several ankles a day during daylight too.

Only two that required transport for X-rays. On either end of a broke tug-of-war rope in braod daylight. I was about 30 yards away with my back to it, just involved in the clean up. One flt sgt with a potential broke hand, one girl on the other side went down hard on an ankle & maybe whacked her head a little. Dealt with it very efficiently.

Very well staffed medically. Fire Rescue paramedic instructor as lead medical officer (as always), four other EMTs & a couple CLS btwn med & TAC staff, so medical presence around cadets at all times.

Always unfortunate when people get hurt, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a normal civilian summer camp. Given some of the more serious safety concerns we dealt with, I'm pretty happy with how thigns turned out in that area.

iniedrauer

This was deff a great Encampment.  Besides a few difficult people in my staff, it was very well put on and I know my basics got a lot out of it.

- Golf Flt Sgt

addo1

Quote from: DNall on January 08, 2008, 09:04:34 AM

....... On either end of a broke tug-of-war rope in braod daylight. I was about 30 yards away with my back to it, just involved in the clean up. One flt sgt with a potential broke hand, one girl on the other side went down hard on an ankle & maybe whacked her head a little. Dealt with it very efficiently.


  Won't forget that one.  Was a good tug-of-war game though, lol.  I think I landed on a couple of people.  :D

Was A great encampment regardless.. ;D
Addison Jaynes, SFO, CAP
Coordinator, Texas Wing International Air Cadet Exchange


National Cadet Advisory Council 2010