This one cadet... in my wing

[Cmdbuddy]

There's this one cadet that I have all kinds of stories about.  Here's just a few of my personal favorites:

- On my (and his) first SAREX, he tried to lift up a welded shut drain to look for an ELT.  He also proceded to crawl underneath the USS Kidd (the battleship docked for tours in Baton Rouge, LA). 

- LAWG has a mobile command station that we like to call "The Beast."  I show up to a SAREX one time and he's ontop of The Beast setting up antennas.  He's wearing an orange vest, with rope attached to several $1 keychain carabiners.  The other end of the rope was attached to the top of The Beast.  I guess this was his "Safety gear."  The only problem was, there was about 30 ft of rope, and The Beast is about 15 feet tall. 

- At a LAWG Encampment, he was late for formation (during his first year.)  The flight commander ran into the barracks to get him, and he was spraying Febreeze on his bare skin.  He said it was his deoderant.

- Instead of using boot blousers, he ducttapes his BDU pants to his leg. 

- He was flying as observer one day at a SAREX, and wanted to look cool like the rest of the crew.  Since he didn't have a lapboard, he ducttaped a notepad to his leg and walked around with it flopping around all day. 

[Pace]

This same person also came to a Scanner/Observer course on a CAPFlight.  Since he didn't like flying over water, he showed up with a flotation device around his neck and left it on there for a few hours.

BTW, he still duct tapes his BDU pants.

[Cmdbuddy]

That's great...

By the way, this thread isn't just about this one person.  This is open to other peple who want to talk about the goofier people of CAP.

[Greg]

That's great...

By the way, this thread isn't just about this one person.  This is open to other peple who want to talk about the goofier people of CAP.

I know this one C/Lt Col who goes to Auburn.....

[Pylon]

I know this one C/Lt Col who goes to Auburn.....

Oh, Oh!  I've heard of this person!  Man... those stories are something else...   

[Schmidty06]

There's this cadet in my squadron who will not shut up.  Two four hour drives to Great Falls and back (four hours there, four hours back) in the van were horrible.  Even after we all started ignoring him (trying to see if he'd shut up) he just kept on talking to himself.

[Pace]

There's this cadet in my squadron who will not shut up.  Two four hour drives to Great Falls and back (four hours there, four hours back) in the van were horrible.  Even after we all started ignoring him (trying to see if he'd shut up) he just kept on talking to himself.

Duct tape is a wonderful thing...

[Xeno]

There's this cadet in my squadron who will not shut up.  Two four hour drives to Great Falls and back (four hours there, four hours back) in the van were horrible.  Even after we all started ignoring him (trying to see if he'd shut up) he just kept on talking to himself.

I had a similar situation once, only instead of one cadet, it was three. After two hours in the van with them argueing and being annoying, I had to order them to be quiet, they were driving our driver and myself nuts. One of them had a cell phone which he used to repeatedly call my cell phone and then hang up. Needless to say, by the end of the trip I had three cellphones in the front-seat with me.

[Schmidty06]

We started playing "Sergeant Schmidt Says"  and Sergeant Schmidt said, "Shut up!!!"

[Horn229]

In 1999 at Leadership Academy, this one cadet didn't use a rag or cotton ball to shine his shoes/boots. No, he used his Blues Flight Cap.

[whatevah]

man... I remember that little kid.  he actually wore the same hat, at the end of the week when we were in blues.

[Major_Chuck]

I know this 'older' (70ish) senior member who was into gadgets.  Purchased a personal combination flashing red light and backup alarm.  He wore it strapped to his sleeve.

He also painted his tactical call sign on top of his camper shell.

-CC

[Major_Chuck]

We also have a senior member that wears a bicycle helmet...while driving his early 1980's Chevette.

-CC

[Jerry]

There's always "this one cadet" in every Wing. We had 'em in 1964 and we got 'em now! Very little changes. There's always the prankster, always the shy one, always the "stinkbug"--if you know what I mean!   Then there's the one that snores at 8 on the Richter scale at encampment, the one that will eat us out of house and home. There's the one we called "donut" and we used to sing their commercial at her. (I'm a donut nut, I'm a donut nut, I'm a nut for Krispy Kreme!")  It's what makes life interesting, I suppose.


Jerry

[MustangCadet]

yhis new cadet in my squadron well lets just say shes not the brightest bulb in the bunch. We call her "the beast" cause she has a nose like an elephant with a cold. She also asked me what the "Big Apple" was. I mean come on the "Big Apple" EVERYONE knows the "Big Apple", well obviouly not. But anyway she continues to make a fool of her self asking stupid questions and not being able to stand at an even close to descent attention.

[Chris Jacobs]

ok this is not a CAP cadet but i do know this one person that made the bigest fool out of her self when she tried to read the word "island" on the chalk board.  after sitting in the class for a while she asked "where is " Ish Land" "  trying to read the word island.  every one looked at her for a while and then just laughed at her when we figured out what she was trying to pronounce.

[shorning]

I mean come on the "Big Apple" EVERYONE knows the "Big Apple"

A very large piece of fruit? 


Just because you're familiar with the phrase doesn't mean everyone is.

[footballrun21]

This one cadet in my squadron is from England.  His family moved here not too long ago.  Whenever he salutes, such as reporting, he does the funky british salute with the plam facing out.  He's lowered his hand a little, but everytime I see it I start laughing.

[Matt]

Assumingly he was a Royal Air Cadet and is no longer, perhaps you should train him the proper saluting technique we use?  However, if he was a RAC, then it may take some re-training.

We had Royal Canadian Air Cadets for our RCLS (Wisconsin Cadet Academy) two years ago, and they had no problems with our drill and courtesies after about one day.  Just sit with him and train him, he'll most likely be more than willing to learn.

Matt

[thefischNX01]

If this is the same cadet I'm thinking of, the good Cadet has tried to re-train him, to little avail. 

[Matt]

when all else fails, make him salute about 1000 times... he'll gain muscle memory...  (ok, not 1000, that's hazing, but still, just make him practice, the muscle memory will kick in eventually)

[footballrun21]

If this is the same cadet I'm thinking of, the good Cadet has tried to re-train him, to little avail. 

Yea, we tried, but I guess he just really didn't care.  He hasn't been active in CAP for about 2-3 months now.

[WICAPMOM]

Try to keep patient.  Eventually the training and practice will work.   

The only other thing I can think may hinder the process is if perhaps the cadet does not want to be here or is having some difficulty adjusting.  In his heart maybe he is still in England.

It is a tough thing to move away from your home but to make the new home in a new country... this is a very big adjustment for him.   

Remember the Salute he is giving is not "funky" to him.  The salute even though it is different is still a sign of respect.  What do you think the people of England think of our salute?

The art of the salute originated in his homeland of England.  Back during the time of kings and knights and formal courtly manners, the chivalry age . The etiquette of the day dictated that, should two knights who were friendly met, each would raise their visor of their helmets, and show their faces.  Thus paying the proper respect to one another.

Remember this is probably not an easy change, make some allowances; most of all do your best to be patient!

If this is the same cadet I'm thinking of, the good Cadet has tried to re-train him, to little avail. 

Yea, we tried, but I guess he just really didn't care.  He hasn't been active in CAP for about 2-3 months now.

Sorry to hear this, but please don't give up on him.  Try to put yourself in his shoes.  I see a lot of potential to learn from some one who was born in another country.

[MIKE]

We had Royal Canadian Air Cadets for our RCLS (Wisconsin Cadet Academy) two years ago, and they had no problems with our drill and courtesies after about one day.  Just sit with him and train him, he'll most likely be more than willing to learn.

You made the RCAC cadets drill and salute American Style?  It's one thing if you are showing them how we do things a bit differently... But IMO it would be improper to require RCAC personnel to drill and perform customs and courtesies per AFMAN 36-2203 when they are participating in an activity in their countries uniform.  It's just not cricket.

[shorning]

We had Royal Canadian Air Cadets for our RCLS (Wisconsin Cadet Academy) two years ago, and they had no problems with our drill and courtesies after about one day.  Just sit with him and train him, he'll most likely be more than willing to learn.

You made the RCAC cadets drill and salute American Style?  It's one thing if you are showing them how we do things a bit differently... But IMO it would be improper to require RCAC personnel to drill and perform customs and courtesies per AFMAN 36-2203 when they are participating in an activity in their countries uniform.  It's just not cricket.

It does make for a bit of a sticky wicket, doesn't it old chap. 

[Pylon]

We had Royal Canadian Air Cadets for our RCLS (Wisconsin Cadet Academy) two years ago, and they had no problems with our drill and courtesies after about one day.  Just sit with him and train him, he'll most likely be more than willing to learn.

You made the RCAC cadets drill and salute American Style?  It's one thing if you are showing them how we do things a bit differently... But IMO it would be improper to require RCAC personnel to drill and perform customs and courtesies per AFMAN 36-2203 when they are participating in an activity in their countries uniform.  It's just not cricket.

Eh, when I was on IACE in the UK, we attended some cadet functions and stood in some formations and some sort of official review parade and we were taught how to properly execute British drill.  We learned the whole snapping to attention and stomping your feet around and the funny saluting and everything else -- we complied and enjoyed it. When you're in a host country, you use their customs and courtesies -- just as you would as a civilian business traveller in another culture.  I think it's fine -- heck, I enjoyed the British drill, a weird as it seemed to us. 

[airforcecolors]

We had Royal Canadian Air Cadets for our RCLS (Wisconsin Cadet Academy) two years ago, and they had no problems with our drill and courtesies after about one day.  Just sit with him and train him, he'll most likely be more than willing to learn.

You made the RCAC cadets drill and salute American Style?  It's one thing if you are showing them how we do things a bit differently... But IMO it would be improper to require RCAC personnel to drill and perform customs and courtesies per AFMAN 36-2203 when they are participating in an activity in their countries uniform.  It's just not cricket.

It does make for a bit of a sticky wicket, doesn't it old chap. 

I can understand that it may seem out of line to teach them American Drill, but how would it look to have a flight of Air Cadets and CAP cadets using different drill manuals? How would you get from one place to another by using both types of drill? You would need two commands - it would be really hectic.

[Matt]

nah, commands are mostly the same with the exception of fancier drill.  It just would have been interesting with their kicks in their turns. *ducks*

[Yoda]

This isn't a cadet, but I did have a guy in my class the other day inform us that Thanksgiving was really just when we killed the Pilgrims.   

[MustangCadet]

no thanksgiving is when one day a year we come together and celebrate the people who we killed and stole land from. ([JOKE]<=but true)

[WICAPMOM]

  Cute but wrong.  Thanksgiving really has very little to due with the Indians or the pilgrims.  This is just the story that we relate to being the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated in the new world.

The Thanksgiving that we now know as the first thanksgiving was a religious gathering, known as the harvest feast, to feast and give prayers of thanks to the lord after the harvest.  It lasted for three days.  It was the only type of celebration allowed by the pilgrim's faith.  The pilgrims' actual day of "Thanksgiving" was a variety of days where they went to church to... get this... give thanks to the lord. 

The first proclamation for the US holiday now known as Thanksgiving was created in the State of New-Hampshire on November 1, 1782.  As a day to... get this... give thanks to the lord.  For anything you felt thankful for.

George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789.  And later, President Thomas Jefferson dissolved the idea of having a National Day of Thanksgiving.  In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.  In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

[BillB]

Does that mean that the 4th Friday in November is when turkeys celebrate Thanksgiving?

[MustangCadet]

wicapmom they way i know of it is that our harvests were not doing so well and we need help from the indians to help us grow food so we could survive. The indians helped us and we gathered in 3 days with the indians and we (the pilgrims) and the indians partyed like it was 1799 for 3 days and we had thanksgiving to celebrate the harvests with the indians.

[MIKE]

 

[WICAPMOM]

wicapmom they way i know of it is that our harvests were not doing so well and we need help from the Indians to help us grow food so we could survive. The Indians helped us and we gathered in 3 days with the Indians and we (the pilgrims) and the Indians partied like it was 1799 for 3 days and we had thanksgiving to celebrate the harvests with the Indians.

That is partially true, the Pilgrims actually called the gathering they celebrated the  "harvest feast."  Which we now know as the first Thanksgiving.  But it was not really the first for the Native Americans or the Pilgrims.  The Native Americans gave thanks, to the creator of all things, daily.  And for the Pilgrims, it was a very common practice in Europe for a yearly "Harvest Feast" and many days of "Thanksgiving" which were solemn and holy days for the lord.  Granted the Pilgrims did have more to be thankful for at this time because they had survived the winter and they had found friends in the new world.  Harvest feasts and days of Thanksgiving were also celebrated by many other peoples.  It wasn't even the first one celebrated in the new world.

Here are a couple of web sites for you to check out:

History of the "first thanksgiving"
** http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/thanksgiving.htm
** http://www.plimoth.org/visit/what/exhibits/thanksgiving.asp

President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation:
http://members.aol.com/calebj/proclamation.html


I suggest that you read Lincoln's proclamation it has the intended meaning and purpose of Thanksgiving.

[Cadet Bonnett]

There's this cadet in my squadron who will not shut up.  Two four hour drives to Great Falls and back (four hours there, four hours back) in the van were horrible.  Even after we all started ignoring him (trying to see if he'd shut up) he just kept on talking to himself.

thats me

[Cadet Bonnett]

At encampment last year we had a cadet staff that was obsessed with ceral and would the ones with little jumping beans in it. She gave mike (as in the Mopnsters inc green monster with one eye) to Squadron 14 and they made it thier mascot. A couple days later Squadron13 had Mickey and Duct Tape. .... WE KILLED MIKE.

On my Sarex last weekend,  there was one cadet that wouldn't get ff the phone with his gf and he would just go on and on. It was kinda annoying i tell ya. Not only that.... but he jsut wouldn't shut up.

I wouldn't either but still.

[Heather]

"There are three kinds of people in this world...people that get things, people that watch others get things done, and people that wonder what just happened...WHICH ONE ARE YOU?"

A LOT OF TIMES I'M THE ONE THAT WONDERS WHAT JUST HAPPENED! Other wise I'm the one that gets things...

[Matt]

"There are three kinds of people in this world...people that get things, people that watch others get things done, and people that wonder what just happened...WHICH ONE ARE YOU?"

A LOT OF TIMES I'M THE ONE THAT WONDERS WHAT JUST HAPPENED! Other wise I'm the one that gets things...

There are three kinds of people in this world: those who can count and those who can't. 

[Becks]

"There are three kinds of people in this world...people that get things, people that watch others get things done, and people that wonder what just happened...WHICH ONE ARE YOU?"

A LOT OF TIMES I'M THE ONE THAT WONDERS WHAT JUST HAPPENED! Other wise I'm the one that gets things...

There are three kinds of people in this world: those who can count and those who can't. 

But dont worry Matt, youre unique, just like everybody else. 

[Heather]

thats real good...