14 June 2008
BIG SANDY, Texas – Training Day Zero began at 1300 on 14 June when basic and advanced training squadron (ATS) cadets started to arrive. One by one, cadets braved the pouring rain to unload their belongings and say quick goodbyes to their families. Cadet staff helped the basics carry their luggage through the open doors of the gymnasium until they reached the in-processing. The long in-processing line wound through stations for finance, administration and medical. At the end of the line cadets marched to their flight’s table, where they met their flight staff for the first time and received their SOI handbooks. The SOI or Standard Operating Instructions handbook is a small booklet of knowledge cadets are expected to study and memorize during encampment. Facts such as the encampment chain of command and how to recognize ranks are included among the important material they must know. Cadets study the SOIs during downtime before classes, while waiting in line and any other time the flight commander deems necessary.

After in processing, the cadets were dropped off at their barracks. They explored their rooms and their facilities for 10-30 minutes before marching into the auditorium. Once in the auditorium, the Cadet Commander welcomed everyone to encampment and introduced all the cadet staff.

Soon after the introductions, the cadets headed to dinner, the best time of a very long and stressful day. Dinner consisted of lasagna, salad, bread, vegetables and water home cooked for CAP by the ALERT kitchen staff. The cadets ate their meals quickly, and then cleaned their tables. Afterwards, they were marched to their barracks where they learned the standards they must keep their bunks to for the rest of the week. Each day, the standards and evaluation team (or SET as they are more popularly known) will inspect the cadets and grade them based on these standards. Eventually, those points and others earned throughout the encampment will go toward determining the overall warrior flight of encampment.

After instruction was given, cadets were allowed a few precious moments of personal time to prepare their uniforms for the next day. It was the beginning for some of a very long and challenging week.

Article and photos submitted by The Encampment PAO Staff