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SO IT BEGINS!

The email that just sent my happy meter through the roof: [!!!]

Lt Richardson,

We are in the process of finalizing the school agreement; we are already in the building cleaning and organizing. Your help would be appreciated. School session begins on Sept 28th, and Wing Diamond Orientation begins on the 18th, at 4:30p.m. So we have made boarding accomodations for you, and I believe we are at the last hurdle.... [etc]

Let me know your plans and thoughts.

Lt Starke

AHHHHH! Wisconsin Air Academy is going to happen!!!

Sister Love <3

So I have to be vague with this story, for certain reasons, but the main idea is that I officially love my sister. Always have, of course, but she just stood up for me in a way she never has before.

Maybe all the years of being the big older sis paid off? Haha I don't know. But if you've ever watched "Pride and Prejudice," think Jane and Lizzie. It was one of those moments.

She went after somebody like a bulldog and I didn't even know about it until the aftermath, but wow. I thought it was incredibly mean, and harsh, but yikes...... the point is that she stood up for me and didn't even tell me about it.

How she did it is beside the point, for now; whether or not she was right is beside the point too... what happened is the point, lol. Even if she'd been dead wrong I would be impressed. She really showed that she cares. She defended me and I didn't even complain to her about anything!

It was like one of those "Whose a$$ am I kicking, babe?" things, except it was my sister who went and messed someone up (verbally), not a boyfriend. Wow.

Basically, I'm in shock, and you would be too if you knew the whole story.

Regardless, she let that good old Janelle temper flare up for old time's sake. It was a beautiful thing.

GOSH I love my sister.

Falling Back In Love With Him...

I'm falling back in love with God again... a personal little revival.

It's not that things are suddenly going great, and therefore I feel like praising God. In fact, the song "Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns would more accurately depict how life is at the moment. (Even more so for a good friend of mine than for myself.)

The difference in me is that I have returned to my first love... God... and am re-learning to put things in His hands. To stop stressing and worrying, because while I do need to work hard, there are things I cannot change. Those I leave up to Him.

I also think God is teaching me a lesson about humility. It's too easy to let things go to our heads. I'm not saying I have, but... no, I probably have. I know that at times I have. No more. And it's not something I can think about and then forget... you've got to work at it.

Humility isn't slavery or self-degradation, and it's not at all marked by a lack of self-confidence. The disciples were as humble as was possible, yet Jesus told them people would know them by their boldness and their courage. Oxymoronic? No.

When I remember that God is in control of all things - whether or not it's His will that they happen, he is still in charge - I am happier. It's letting go of being the boss of my own life. Taking charge where I need to, but ultimately leaving it to Him. Praise God.


Who are we
That You would be mindful of us
What do You see
That’s worth looking our way

We are free
In ways that we never should be
Sweet release
From the grip of these chains

Like hinges straining from the weight
My heart no longer can keep from singing

All that is within me cries
For You alone be glorified
Emmanuel
God with us

My heart sings a brand new song
The debt is paid, these chains are gone
Emmanuel
God with us

Lord You know
Our hearts don’t deserve
Your glory
Still You show
A love we cannot afford

Like hinges straining from the weight
My heart no longer can keep from singing...

Such a tiny offering compared to Calvary
Nevertheless we lay it at Your feet

Off To National Blue Beret!

Well well, approximately a thousand things have happened since I last had the time to blog... and shame on me for not documenting any of them. Notable activities would be things like staffing GLR Cadet Competition, and then also NCC, or me now being my squadron's new Cadet Commander.

But all that aside... I got back into National Blue Beret! As you will recall, I had to turn down my Primary slot for NBB in order to commit to staffing the summer session of a military youth academy/boarding school: Wisconsin Air Academy. When the summer session was cancelled, NBB was just one of the many activities (Hawk, two encampments, etc) that I added to the list of casualties.

Now just a little more time and a few phone calls and emails later, apparently the Wing XO coordinated with Col Aye, who is in charge of NBB, to get me my slot back. I figured that the chances were slim to none, and did not find out until the wee hours of Sunday (yesterday) morning that I was, indeed, re-slotted!

Since then I have been in a last-minute frenzy to get ready, as I couldn't be sure if I was even going until a day ago.

Sooo... I'm off to Blueberry Mountain! I suppose I can't make those jokes anymore...darn.... heheh.

I would like to say that I am most incredibly grateful to Lt Col Ochowski and Col Aye for putting in the effort to slot another random/unimportant cadet officer. I appreciate it immensely and hope to make them glad they did!

I memorized the Blue Beret Creed over the few hours we spent on the lake with the family, on the houseboat. And just to prove it to y'all... here it is.

* * * * * * * * * *

THE BLUE BERET CREED

I am a Blue Beret.

I am what my country and Civil Air Patrol expect me to be: the best of American youth, and an example of leadership for today and the future.

Never will I fail that trust.

Therefore, I pledge to perform with the highest degree of professionalism.

My dedication to the service of others, rendered with respect and humility, will be the outward sign of this pledge.

I am a leader who exhibits the highest level of integrity, and is committed to the wellbeing of my comrades and community.

I understand that to wear the Blue Beret is a great honor.

Therefore, I forsake not my country, my mission, my comrades, my duty.

I am a Blue Beret... follow me.

* * * * * * * * * *

Well there you have it! I am a little too psyched for Beret at this point, and am trying to get squadron, CAC and encampment-related duties out of the way before leaving tomorrow morning.

I realize NBB is not one of the tougher or more elite NCSAs CAP has to offer, but ever since I joined (cheesy as it may sound), it has been a dream of mine to attend. Why? Well guess who were the first CAP cadets I ever saw....? A bunch of blueberries at EAA AirVenture 2005. :)

I doubt if I will have much internet access at all, but if the opportunity arises, I hope to blog a few blurbs about the activity.

Semper Vigilans!

Encampment, Part II

Conferring with my Flight Commander... no, the basics are not supposed to be looking at me! They're at Parade Rest! [sigh]

Okay, so I *did* say "TO BE CONTINUED" at the end of my last blog entry... therefore I must continue.

To briefly sum things up, I think things went better the second weekend. During the week in between, I debated with myself over the best course of action for the rest of encampment. Part of me wanted to say that the first weekend had been the "tearing down" phase, and that the second weekend was time to start building back up. If you simply tear down your cadets and don't build them back up, you end up with a miserable, depressed, and generally absolutely lame situation where morale does not exist in the slightest.

Problem is, one weekend isn't enough time for the tear-down process. It just isn't. In the end, I decided to see how things were going; observe the atmosphere and environment. Then I'd decide, on the go, what was necessary.

In between weekends I picked element leaders, as my FC told me to, and then called him with my recommendations. He was fine with my choices. We then both called the element leaders and explained to each of them that they were each one of our best cadets... we explained why they had been chosen for the position of element leader, and what we expected from them in that role.

Anyhoo, encampment started up again, and I instinctively pitched my "nice guy routine" ideas out the window. They weren't ready for it. Cadet M was still a smart-alec. Most of them could not drill satisfactorily... or even keep in step. It was obvious to me that while encouraging them would be a great step towards building morale, it would be hollow for me to tell them all they were swell when we all knew they truly sucked.

Therefore I resumed my Flight Sergeant routine... and it was worse than the first weekend. I was much more demanding, more harsh, more snappy.. and less patient, refusing excuses and leaving absolutely no option for failure. I demanded more of them. I made it clear that I expected excellence; that it wasn't a "take it or leave it" thing.

Other than constant smaller issues, which we worked through and moved on, they responded well. My four mentally challenged cadets did not... they continued to be a huge burden until the very last, and certainly didn't contribute to the flight at all. But this was the hand that my Flight Commander and I had been dealt, and we worked with it.

Many stories could be shared, but sadly I do not have time. The end result was I ended encampment fairly confident that Echo's cadets had learned much and improved just a tad, but all this time I had not had my eye on Honor Flight. Or Honor anything. If you'd asked me if we had the slightest shot at Honor Flight, I would have laughed for a little while and then said, "NO."

I'd kept my eye focused on being better, always. Not, "Oh, we've shaped up amazingly here! Let's give ourselves a pat on the back now!" Noooo. Never. I was constantly nitpicking; good was never good enough. And because I was always focusing on our faults, and always seeing only how we could have been better, I think I failed to see how far we'd come (not saying much, of course).

Thus I was truly shocked out of my mind when Honor Flight was announced... and it was us. Echo Flight. I wanted to do a cartwheel then and there. I think I was grinning from ear to ear. It was just like, "You know what, my work here is done.. this can't get better. Hooah, Echo Flight."

But I was even more surprised, and in fact, disbelieving, when my name was called for Honor Cadet Staff Member. I didn't go up right away; I was pretty sure they'd made a mistake. I didn't think I deserved it, either... but yikes! What a surprise.

...And then we proceeded to take everything. Honor TAC; Honor Basic Cadet. It's not as though we were that outstanding, but apparently we did at least one thing right... probably not even right; just decent. Haha.

So that was a sweet end to encampment, for sure. As awards go, it couldn't have gotten better... I do wish my flight had been more highspeed, but we did what we could with what we had. And dang, that was fun!

A Flight Sergeant's work is never done!

I don't recall what my FC was telling me...

This.. cadet.. shall remain nameless... [cringe]

Apparently I'm backhanding DeMark [not for real, of course..]

Well I guess it's.. me! And our amazing encampment commander.

"Echo Flight, Hooah!"

Encampment! Ahhhh... my pride and joy. I firmly believe that Civil Air Patrol encampments are good for the soul. ES will always be there, even once one turns to the Dark Side, but encampments... encampments make this life worth living.

I happen to be head-over-heels in love with the position of Flight Sergeant. For whatever reason, I just love being in the "right hand man" role, and that's what the FS is. My Flight Commander is C/1st Lt Thomas. When a few other cadets on line staff found out, they told me they were sorry for me. I honest to goodness don't know what they're talking about, though; working with him has been swell.

For some reason, we tend to work well together. He gives the orders, and I carry them out with a whole bunch of cheerfullness, oorah and gumph. It's that simple. Ohh annnd yell at the basics.. and be hyper energetic, because that's how I roll.. and be obsessively organized, which he appreciates.. and get swollen fingers from making bunks for these mentally challenged cadets...... but that's beside the point.

Anyhoo, to sum this encampent up, it's been both great and disappointing.

Disappointing because it's just two lame weekends, it is not what I would define as highspeed or hardcore, and no one knows the meaning of PT, for Chesty Puller's sake!

Great because it is still an encampment; and not stressful because after WCA, it's a cakewalk.

Sure, it has its challenges. I have four cadets who are literally mentally challenged/retarded/suffer from some sort of mental illness. Can you say lost covers and OIs!? Yelling at them does not work, because if they don't understand what I'm saying, it doesn't matter how loud I say it. It has taken much patience and understanding to keep them in line... even when I really do want to just whip out a big stick!

However, none of the multiple challenges I've run into have been impossible, and that is what matters. I take everything with a healthy dose of positive attitude and infectious energy, and I honestly feel like I can't be stopped! lol. No matter how frustrating things get at times, I wouldn't ever call myself "stressed."

Okay, let's cut to the chase. I'd love to do a minute-by-minute commentary.. a great dramatization of a story, because there are truly too many amazing tales... but that would take, oh, days. So. Issues so far:

1.) The Fab Four. Let's call them Cadet V, Cadet T, Cadet R, and Cadet G, respectively. I cannot count how many times I've made these little guys' bunks. No matter how many times I demonstrate the simple act of using boot blousers, Cadets V and G simply don't get it. Cadet G is soooo short that he CANNOT physically keep up AND stay in step while marching. It just isn't possible. He also has a horrid OD green blues belt (do they even make those!?) as a web belt. Kill me now. Why doesn't Cadet T have his OI!?!? "Someone must have taken it, ma'am!" I suppose I should be grateful... at least he answered me. Apparently his vocal cords are working today. WOOT. Nevermind that there is no way an OI can simply "fall" out of any cadet's cargo pocket. Puhleez.

2.) Being hit on by six guys at once (so far). I mean, I'm flattered, guys... honestly. It's just that first off, this is encampment! We don't do that at freaking encampment! Second, I'm taken, and they know that... but continue their amorous overtures. I swear, the next time [name withheld] whispers "You are so sexy" into my ear while I am sweating my butt off making a bunk, I will break my clipboard over his head. Not even kidding. And besides, I don't even have the arrogance to assume I'm actually that hot. Haven't these guys heard of the 2-10-2 rule!? They're going to get home, away from the female-deprived environment, and realize that they actually weren't flirting with a 10 like they thought they were.

3.) Cadets who can't keep in step. It's sooooo easy, people! Drill movements may be challenging if you don't know them, but just staying in step while marching in a straight line? There is nothing else to focus on while marching! Listen to the dang cadence... "Left, left, left, right" is as blantantly simple as it gets! You may not be smart enough to figure out "Hutt, toop, threep, fourp," but come on. It's LEFT, and RIGHT. Get with the game. Do we need a pet rock, kiddies??

4.) The [unspecified] squadron. They are honestly ridiculous. They bring a billion people to encampment, which is great, but they also act as though they run the thing. They have mostly female senior members, who think they are still in charge of all of their squadron's cadets, and can therefore bypass the chain of command. Not at all cool. Case and point:

Saturday night, I got assigned to CQ duty. I was the only cadet on staff who had to do that.. apparently they were running short on females, and I got picked. Fine with me; I said nothing about it. The exec staff found out and (during the cadet staff meeting) told me to, at the very least, change the schedule so that I went on the last shift instead of the middle one. I did so.

I go hobbling back into the bay after our staff meeting, well past midnight, and get into my berth. The one of this squadron cadets summons me and lets me know that Major [unspecified] wants to see me right now. She's in her personal little office, still in her bunk. I stand at attention next to her bunk while she chews me out for changing the schedule. I politely and respectfully say that it was not my choice; that I was told to change it by the exec staff. She says, "I understand that you cadet staff people think you need your sleep, but this is not fair to us!"

"US!?" As though their squadon is this on entity. The nerve. She said this a hundred times before ending her long rant, and before I was allowed to slink back to my berth for the night... not even understanding, in the end, what the problem was. She was truly being nasty about it.

Well, the way they do things at GLE is that each CQ shift wakes up the next (obviously). The very last shift wakes up one of the cadet staff, who then wake up the rest of the cadet staff/senior members. Also, the Navy bays have motion sensors in them that regulate the heating system. If your firewatch falls asleep or stops moving, guess what.. the heat shuts off!

Apparently, I was in for some revenge. The shift ahead of me did not wake me up. In fact, they may not have had their shift at all. I recall waking up about ten minutes to 0400, which is when I was to be woken up, and then I went back to sleep. I was never called. I didn't recall hearing boots patrolling the area, either.

Consequently, we froze. That was a friggin' cold night/morning. Especially with ONE thin little Navy blanket apiece.

At about ten minutes to 0500, I woke up. God bless my internal clock. If I hadn't woken up right then (and certainly no one else did), we would have been in a terrible fix. With no one on CQ to wake us up, nobody would have gotten up until....... well, until the males realized that none of us were awake when they'd already be on their way to the grinder!

So, that's the [anonymous] squadron for ya. [/end rant]

Hmm, now for a story with a bit more humor.

I don't remember what day it was, but one morning after chow, I was hollering at my cadets outside the galley... yelling at them to double-time to formation; all that good stuff. C/1st Lt Marshall, who is on the S.E.T., called me aside to let me know that I "got a Navy recruit in big trouble this morning," and didn't even know it.

Apparently, he was "checking me out" while in line in the galley. I wonder what I was doing at the time! Hmm, either eating, or barking at cadets. Anyways, because of that he didn't see the line move forward. Then he was distracted again, and didn't see it stop. The end result was a bit of a crash, and him getting pulled out of line by a few RDCs who then promptly made his life a living [hot place].

I wasn't really sure what to say to Marshall; umm, "my bad!?" It's not my fault! It's not like I was dressing seductively... it's BDUs for crying out loud! It isn't as though there was anything I could do to prevent such an incident. Jeez. Hence my comment on the 2-10-2 rule... poor female-starved recruits. To quote Ethan, at basic a recruit becomes attractive if she simply "has girl parts." Hahahaha.


TO BE CONTINUED