Day Three - July 28, 2008

It is a long day, every day, for cadet Basics at encampment; however, it is a full day of exciting opportunities. What follows is a typical day.

The day begins with reveille at 0530 hours (5:30 am). Sleepy Basics are slow at first but quickly form up in their Flights in their PT (physical training) uniform of t-shirt, shorts, and running shoes. Morning PT is every day and consists of stretching first, calisthenics, and then a short run. This is followed by personal time where Basics can shower, straighten their bunks, clean and iron their uniforms, and generally prepare for the day as best they can.

Flights then form up and march to the dining facility for breakfast. They line up in the serving line as a Flight, they sit as a Flight, they eat as a Flight, and they leave as a Flight. All of this occurs with little to no talking while often reading their standard operating procedure (SOP) pamphlet (especially whenever they are standing in line, which is often). This same procedure is followed for all meals.

Activities throughout the day include classroom instruction on a variety of subjects including the history of flight, CAP National Cadet Special Activity program opportunities, the Missouri Wing cadet program, the role of the NCO, career opportunities in the U.S. Air Force, as well as many other exiting topics in leadership and aerospace education. Activities outside of the classroom and in the field include drill (lots of drill, including complicated and coordinated movements), a compass course, static displays of aircraft on the ground, a forty foot rappelling tower, and (hopefully if the weather cooperates) helicopter orientation flights.

Typically, each day’s schedule also includes “Flight Time” when individual Flights can work on team building skills, drill, unique chants when marching, or any other areas the flight commanders feel their Flights need to improve. “Barracks Time” is time set aside for Flights to prepare for an inspection of their barracks. Finally, “Retreat” is the last formation of the day when the entire encampment cadet cadre falls in by Flights and marches back to the cadet barracks.

After an additional period for personal time, the Basic’s day ends typically at 2130 hours (9:30 pm) with lights out. Lights out is later for flight sergeants and flight commanders, and even later for senior cadet staff. Reveille the next morning at 0530 hours comes too early for many Basics!

Like the cadet flight staff, the cadet support staff also puts in long hours with equally important responsibilities for the success of the encampment but often with little recognition. Cadet First Lieutenant Shane Conaty serves as the Cadet Duty (or Training) Officer responsible for classroom setups, the availability of any needed projectors, and any special projects. Cadet Master Sergeant Robert Varwig serves as the Cadet Communications Officer responsible for issuing radios and maintaining the radio net. Finally, Cadet Master Sergeant Nicholas Smith serves as the Cadet Logistics Officer responsible for supply, janitorial services, and making sure all have what they need. These three cadets also help out in the mess hall when needed. The summer encampment would not be a success without the behind-the-scenes hard work of these three cadets.

More Camp Crowder facts: The size of Camp Crowder during World War II is almost mind boggling, especially now sixty plus years later when little remains. The few buildings remaining on base do not give a proper impression of its former glory. 352 buildings had to be build initially with more over the next several years. The Camp had a Post Exchange (similar to a general store or department store) with twenty-two branches; three beauty parlors; two cafeterias for civilian workers in addition to numerous mess halls; a post newspaper with a circulation of 15,000; four service clubs (similar to civilian social clubs but separate for officers and enlisted personnel); six movie theaters; sixteen chapels with chaplains for each denomination; a large hospital with 15 infirmaries throughout the camp and three dental clinics; and a field house for athletic events that could seat 5,000. The Camp also housed 2,000 Axis powers prisoners-of-war.

Commandant of Cadets, Major Julie Oldham, has participated in seven encampments as both a cadet and senior member. Most recently, she served as the Commandant of Cadets for the 2006 Missouri Wing Summer Encampment held at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri. Like Encampment Commander Lt Col O’Neill, Maj Oldham also completed the CAP cadet program as a youth and attained the General Carl A. Spaatz Award. She is the former Missouri Wing Director of Cadet Programs. Currently, she serves as the Public Affairs Officer, Finance Officer, and Assistant Leadership Officer for the Springfield Regional Composite Squadron in Springfield, Missouri. Maj Oldham works as an engineer for FedEx. She enjoys the company of her dog “Starbuck”.

Tomorrow: Apache Helicopter!, plus spotlight on the Cadet Commander, C/Col Nathan Scalia.

Today’s photographs can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/mocappix/MOWGEncampmentThirdDay72808?authkey=l5Oz3iko_TI