Day Six - July 31, 2008

Overnight showers brought in cooler weather but also heavy fog that slowly cleared throughout the morning. Today was going to be a full day for the cadets with rappelling in the morning and the formal barracks inspection by the Commandant of Cadets in the afternoon. Excitement was running high for all of the cadets!

However, the weather presented a possible problem with rappelling. It wasn’t the fog (which was lifting) but the moisture on the forty-foot rappelling tower that could be a safety issue. But before long word was received from the rappelling instructors that the morning was a “go”!

The rappelling instructors were Ron Gilbert and Bryce Langley from the Neosho High School JROTC program, Rob Griffiths from the McDonald County High School Army JROTC program, and Spencer Kelso, former US Army. Several of these instructors assisted with rappelling during last year’s summer encampment, the first to be held at Camp Crowder.

First up were the cadets of First Squadron: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie Flights. After a humorous demonstration on the rappelling wall by 2nd Lt. Don Cochran on the safety of rappelling and how belaying (a belayer controls the ropes from below) can “lock up” a rappeller and keep them from falling (he tried to fall but couldn’t), each Flight received individual instruction on how to put on the rappelling harness properly and how to rappel. Helmets were distributed and fitted properly and then it was up the steps of the tower to the top. Once at the top, each cadet received further instruction and then the moment of truth – stepping out on the edge of the tower forty feet up with nothing but two ropes to hold you!

As the day continued to clear, the view from the top of the rappelling tower was exceptional. The entire encampment compound was visible: both barracks, the dining facility and the headquarters building. You could also see nearby Crowder College.

Stepping off the edge of the tower, cadets braced their feet flat against the tower’s wooden wall and took a leap of faith. Slowly walking down the wall for a few feet, each cadet stopped to release the ropes with one hand to demonstrate to their instructors (and to themselves) that they were safely belayed and would not fall – none did. From there the fun continued as they rappelled down the rest of the tower (some faster than others). “It looks easier in the movies,” said one cadet with a big grin.

Besides rappelling, the tower also offered a “zip line” simulating a fast descent from the skid of a helicopter where cadets in harness stepped off into nothing to hang briefly before quickly descended down two ropes to the ground forty feet below. Fast and exciting, this was just as popular as the traditional rappelling method. “It’s easy, all you do is just fall,” one cadet was overheard shouting encouragement to his hesitant flight buddy above.

After completing the tower, First Squadron formed up and moved on to the next event on the day’s schedule. Second Squadron soon arrived and the cadets of Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot Flights repeated the same process. All cadets got a chance to rappel, some more than once.

When Second Squadron had finished, several of the senior staff took their turns going down the rappelling wall, including the two Spaatz winners Cadet Colonel Nathan Scalia and Major Julie Oldham.

In addition to rappelling, Lieutenant Colonel O’Neill introduced the cadets to model rocketry. Several rockets were launched and recovered to the enjoyment of all.

After an exciting morning, it was all “spit and polish” for the afternoon formal barracks inspections by Major Oldham. The preliminary inspection by the Cadet Executive Officer the day before prepared all cadets for what was expected and required, and much time was devoted by each Flight to make sure they were ready. Points from the barracks inspection count towards the final encampment Honor Flight award.

Ending the day was a character development presentation by Chaplain (Major) Cook, a member of the Ft. Leonard Wood Composite Squadron.

Today’s Honor Flight was Alpha Flight under the command of Cadet Senior Master Sergeant Victoria Meister and Flight Sergeant Cadet Master Sergeant Austin Hooper.

Major Troy Greenbank serves as the Encampment Executive Officer. In that capacity, he oversees all senior support staff, including: Administration, Chaplain, Communications, Finance, Logistics, Medical, Public Affairs, Safety, Transportation, and Mess Sergeant. A former cadet, he has been a member of CAP for thirteen years and currently serves as the Professional Development Officer, Assistant Emergency Services Officer, and Assistant Aerospace Education of the Springfield Regional Composite Squadron in Springfield, Missouri. Major Greenbank is also the Group V Emergency Services Officer and former Group V Deputy Commander. He has completed the CAP senior member professional development program and has received the Gill Robb Wilson Award. A former marine and army reservist, he works as a dispatcher for Missouri State University in Springfield, where he is also in graduate school working on his second master’s degree in criminology (his first master’s degree was in administrative studies).

Tomorrow: Huey helicopter orientation flights and the Banquet!

Today’s photographs can be found at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mocappix/MOWGEncampmentSixthDay73108?authkey=nBoCJUF7eDE