Wrapping The Semester Up...

The final Lab of the semester we had an awards ceremony, and a change of command ceremony. Many cadets received awards ranging from physical training to achievement awards. C/ Gruening handed over the wing to the new Det 440 wing commander, C/ Swartz. Both C/ Gruening, and C/ Swartz had words of wisdom for each particular class. The freshman were asked to keep it up, the FTP to keep training hard and prepare for field training, for the Juniors to keep learning, and for the seniors a hang in there and keep working hard, we're almost finished!

After the awards ceremony and change of command we had a squadron competition with sprinting, core workouts, and a fireman's carry. We had a lot of fun with this PT activity. We are all preparing for the upcoming finals week, and are looking forward to Christmas break and Spring semester.

Land Navigation...Easier Said Than Done...

Det 440 had quite an experience yesterday with AEF Capstone held at the Yates farm. We were all super excited for paintball, and were ready to use our land navigation, self aid buddy care, and small unit tactics training. The capstone had been planned for weeks, and the day finally came. Well...yesterday was cold, wet, and rainy! We were all decked out in our battle attire, and ready for war! Some of us were also nervous that it would be cancelled, because it was pretty gross outside. But then 1400 finally rolled around, and our capstone wasn't cancelled! We all armed ourselfs with CO2 and paintballs, and headed off into the woods for some fun. The FTP led the squadrons, and the POC were hiding in the woods waiting for the squadrons. The wing was able to use their prisoner detainment skills as well!

After a awhile, some of the squadrons had gotten lost, and were having trouble navigating their way to the checkpoints. Apparently land navigation is easier said than done when it comes to the middle of the woods with some rain, mud, and paintballs thrown in. But eventually all of the squadrons were on the right path. After awhile all the cadets were called in so we could do an all out war/ showdown!
The Op For (POC group) VS the Squadrons. The squadrons totally dominated the Op For when it came to numbers, but when it came to the actual fight...well lets just say OP For held their own. When we finally called it a day, the sun had gone down and we were all soaked and painted! After we turned in our weapons we all headed back to crowder to clean the paintball guns, and discuss how much fun we had, and what all we got to do!

Preparing for Vets Day!

Last week at Det 440 we learned some turning movements we will be using for the Veterans Day Parade. We also learned how to do an official Open Ranks Inspection (ORI). Today we used what we learned last week and had our first ORI of the semester. We wore our service dress, and the FTP led the squadrons in an ORI. We also practiced some more marching techniques on Stankowski field for Veterans Day. After practicing on Stankowski we ventured up to the front of crowder to form up for a Formal Retreat! FTP again, were in charge of the squadrons, and were really able to shine. We ran through the proper procedures within a matter of minutes, and when the time came to lower the flag we were able to do a proper retreat in respect to the flag!

I have to give some major props to the FTP cadets this semester! They are really stepping it up, and showing us they can lead. It is really important for them to start early, so when the end of the spring semester comes around (which it will before we know it) they are fully prepared for the challenges they will face at field training.

Career Day and AEF Training

Last week during Lead Lab the cadets had the privilege of listening to a variety of different Majors in the USAF and the officers each talked about the highlights of their particular career field. The cadets were able to both listen and learn from the experience of each officer that was present. The jobs of the officers present ranged from multiple pilots for different aircraft, navigation, civil engineering, and security forces. The cadets were able to get a broad idea of what day-to-day life in each career field entails.

Yesterday the cadets built on their AEF training previously learned in the semester. The cadets went into the field to practice Land Navigation, Self Aid Buddy Care, Small Unit Tactics, as well as added new concepts. The cadets were able to learn proper procedures for searching a vehicle, prisoner searching and detainment and UXO and IED precautions. The cadets were able to use their prior learned skills from previous weeks, and were able to learn a few more. The cadets worked together very well in the field with the FTP cadets leading the squadrons, and other cadets executing commands. After the cadets finished their AEF training they participated in a Warrior Run to work on physical training as well as improve squadron morale.

AEF Day

Last week the DET 440 Wing was able to get down and dirty for AEF (Air Expeditionary Forces) training! The cadets learned a variety of skills they will need to know in the active duty Air Force. Among these skills were radio communication, small unit tactics, land navigation, and of course self aid buddy care! The squadrons rotated through the learning stations in an orderly fashion, with FTP leading each squadron. During small unit tactics, the cadets learned to move together as a fire team. During small unit tactics they also learned how to maneuver from the prone position, to a short sprint, and back to the prone position. They used the saying, "I'm up, they see me, I'm down" to help with this quick-paced drill. This is where most of us really got down and dirty in the mud! Not only did we learn the skills we needed, but we were also able to have some fun with it, which is always good. In self aid buddy care the cadets were able to simulate first aid for broken bones, chest wounds, tourniquets, and more. During radio communications the cadets were able to use radios to call to a control tower and use the pro-words they had learned earlier. They were also able to practice some SALUTE reports (size, activity, location, uniform, time, equipment). Having good radio skills is VERY VERY important in the Air Force because communication is one of the keys to air power. Land navigation was also a very good skill to learn for the military and for life itself. They learned to read compasses and use a pace count to get to certain destinations. The cadets were presented with a great deal of information during AEF training. They are expected to remember these skills for future use in their ROTC and Active Duty careers. Overall, AEF training was a very rewarding, educational, and fun experience for the Wing.

Alpine Towers

For LLab on Tuesday the four squadrons took on many different challenges while at Alpine Towers. They were faced with many different missions, and were expected to work together as a team to successfully complete each mission. For example, one of the missions was to get an entire squadron over a HUGE wooden wall (It depends how short you are for it to seem really huge). The cadets had to lift up one teammate at a time, and the cadets on top had to make sure the cadet got pulled over safely. Some of us were a little hesitant to let others lift us and pull us over a wall, but we all had to quickly overcome our fears so our team could complete the mission! The key to completing this mission is TRUST! We had to trust everyone in our team to do their part and make sure each of us was able to get over the wall safely. After the first time over the wall, the squadrons became a little competitive and started to see how fast they could get their team over. At the end of the day the Raptors had the fastest time overall, and the Eagles had the fastest time for the initial attempt at the wall.

Another challenge each squadron faced was known as the "spider web". It consisted of two poles, with ropes criss-crossing between them creating holes like a spider web. The mission again, was to get the entire squadron to one side of the web. The catch to this was, that we couldn't touch the ropes at any time or go through any hole more than twice! This meant we had to trust others to lift us and pass us through the web to teammates on the other side! Again, we had a lot of fun with this and really learned how to work as a team.

For each of these missions, the FTP cadets were expected to lead the group. They were given the problem, time to plan, and time to execute the mission. The FTP cadets led their squadrons well. Many of them took the correct steps in carrying out the mission. It was very interesting for the POC cadets to take a step back, and see the different leadership styles of the FTP cadets. While the freshman on the other hand seemed to really enjoy the challenges of Alpine Towers. Many of them helped out by giving ideas during the planning stage, and participating during the execution stage! All of the cadets had fun on Tuesday! We got a chance to get off campus, work together, have some fun, and build some teamwork. It was overall a very rewarding day for the Cadet Wing.

From an FTP Point of View

Coming from the perspective of an FTP cadet, the semester has gotten off to a great start. New cadets are quickly becoming familiar to the detachment and experienced cadets are continuing their diligent efforts. Everyone works together so well that I believe we will speed right through the forming and norming stages and be performing in no time at all.

I must admit that FTP training was a bit of a shock at first. There is much information to learn and skills to improve. During LLAB on 15 September, we participated in Operation WHAT? while the IMT were away at Alpine Towers. This operation consisted of several different parts: road crossing procedures, guiding bearing procedures, and organization of personal belongings. In addition, several FTP cadets were given the opportunity to command flights in marching. All of these areas will need improvement, but with the help of each other and the POC, we will quickly learn and perfect our skills. I look forward to the rest of the semester. It will be exciting to see my classmates work together and to find out more about what to expect at field training next summer.

Awards and Drill

We started off this semester with recognizing academic and field training achievements from the spring semester and the summer. Awards ranged from academic honors to the completion of field training. Numerous cadets received multiple awards, and others received long awaited scholarships! Here at Det 440, we are constantly being reminded that academics always come first, and the Awards Ceremony greatly evidenced that, with a large portion of cadets taking home honors for their outstanding academic achievements.

During our third LLab of the semester we saw firsthand why flexibility is the key to Airpower! Originally, the IMT were scheduled to make a trip to Alpine towers, while FTP were scheduled to be shown some dorm maintenance procedures in preparation for field training. However, the IMT were not able to make to Alpine towers this week, so we had a little change of schedule. We worked on drill out at Stankowski Field, teaching the new IMT, and new FTP some basic drill and ceremonies procedures. They learned some stationary facing movements, parade rest, raising and lowering the flag procedures, and how to present arms. After a short amount of time the newer cadets were really getting the hang of it, and ended LLab looking pretty sharp!

Lead Lab 22

"5.6 miles....No sweat for Det440"

General Curtis E. Lemay once said that, “I don’t mind being called tough, because in this racket it’s the tough guys who lead the survivors,” and that phrase seemed to be the motto for Lead Lab 22. The cadets were given the task of completing a 5.6 mile march/double-time, a task that by itself would be grueling without adding any additional factors, but as always that’s never the case. The cadets assembled to begin the long trek with dark storm clouds looming overhead, but nevertheless they were eager to start the journey.
Squadrons set off one by one every ten to fifteen minutes and it didn’t take long for the real fun to begin. Not fifteen minutes after the last squadron left the clouds overhead opened up and a massive downpour began. I stood near the first checkpoint waiting for the first squadron wondering when they would come around the corner. As the rain came down harder and harder I finally saw the Raptor squadron come around the corner marching and singing a jodie as if the rain wasn’t even there. You could see on the faces that the cold due to the rain and the wind was taking its toll, but none of the cadets let it dampen their spirits. They crossed under the bridge and marched on to the first checkpoint. After the eagles had marched by as well, the water under the bridge began to cover the road where just puddles had been minutes before. The final two squadrons neared the bridge before the first checkpoint and were asked to join the Navy for a brief two minutes as they traversed the road under the bridge with water that easily came up to the tops of their boots. Neither of the squadrons let the water bring them down as they kept moving along till they had finally reached their first checkpoint.
When each squadron had reached the first checkpoint they were given the chance to fill up their canteens with water for the rest of the march as well as take off their boots and shoes to make sure that blisters weren’t beginning to rear their ugly head on their feet. Once this was completed each squadron continued the march/double-time on their way to the next checkpoint. As I stood there outside the second station I gradually watched each squadron double-timing their way up the long path, with each one of them still shouting out jodies at the top of their lungs. Every single one of the squadrons still showed the determination that they had in the beginning of the march. At the second checkpoint cadets once again were asked to check for blisters and get their fill on water, and then prepare for the final leg of the march.
When the final leg had started, the rain was still coming down. I wanted a taste of the action so I decided to jump in with the last squadron for the final leg. The Warthog squadron was marching as a unit both drenched and tired, but they kept giving it their all. Finally all of the squadrons had returned to Crowder and the march was complete. Overall we only had four cadets fall out through the entire march. The cadets of Det440 showed their determination like never before, and showed just how tough they can be during Lea Lab 22.

Lead Lab 21

"Halt or I'll butter you"

Lead Lab 21 marked the Second Air Expeditionary Forces (AEF) day of the semester for the cadets of Det440. It was a day when each of the four squadrons and the cadets in them would be tested on the skills they had already learned and also get the chance to learn new ones to add to their arsenal. Cadets were asked to complete tasks station by station which ranged from looking for mock UXO’s (Unexploded Ordinance) saving a downed pilot using first aid buddy care, and honing their sharpshooter eyes with pellet pistol target practice. If you think that sounds intense the cadets were even challenged with adversity along the path to certain stations including hidden UXO trip wires and random cadet ambushes, so cadets were forced to constantly be on their toes. To add fuel to the fire the cadets were given fake M-16’s to carry along their mission with the strict instructions that in order to “fire” you would have to utter the phrase “butter, butter, butter”

The cadets began at random stations and worked their way around in a counter-clockwise manner. One of the first stations was the UXO station in which cadets were instructed about UXO’s and how to spot them, and then sent on a mission to locate them on their path. Many of the cadets found the phrase “If it would have been a snake, it would have bit you,” to be all too real as they hit trip wires or walked right past a UXO. Luckily they were fake and we didn’t end up losing a lot of good men out there, cadets were just a little more aware after the experience.

The cadet’s second challenge was the marksmanship station, in which they got to practice their sharpshooting eye and try to hit the center of the target. They shot from three different positions including standing, kneeling, and the prone position. For some cadets it was their first time holding a fire arm, but they didn’t let that slow them down. The Falcons ultimately came out on top over all the squadrons and proved that they definitely were not the squadron to mess with.

Each squadron then traversed to the next station where C/Byrd and C/Stephens taught them about the importance of formations and always being aware in case of an ambush. The cadets learned when to use each formation and then were sent off to their next station. Instead of a normal walk to the next station, the cadets were greeted with an enemy ambush and got a chance to use their new-found knowledge to dispel the enemy threat, with a few well placed, "Butter, butter, butters."

Cadets were then briefed for their last station involving self aid buddy care by C/Gruening and C/Kudlacz. They made sure they were briefed on everything that they would need to know on how to save a life, as well as treating various injuries that they might encounter in the field. The squadrons were then asked to find a downed pilot played beautifully by C/Miller. The squadrons had to set up a secure perimeter while other members treated the downed pilot’s injuries which included a burn, shock, and a broken leg. Overall it was a great Lead Lab for the wing and the cadets were able to demonstrate the knowledge that they had learned in previous semesters as well as add more to their arsenal.

Lead Lab 20 (IMT)

"Frisbee Fun"

Cadet Jonathan Pund

Lead Lab 20 at Det 440 had quite a different look to it this week as the POC and IMT cadets arrived in Physical Training Uniform instead of the typical blues or BDU/ABU. This was because there was about to be some fun to be had by all. After some quick briefings from the Cadet Wing Commander and learning some interesting Dining Out procedures, it was off to Stankowski Field for a little bit of competition between the squadrons in the game of Ulitmate Frisbee.

As we gathered on Field Two, we were quickly briefed on rules of the game, split into our squadrons, and developed our game plans. If you are unfamiliar with typical rules of Ultimate Frisbee, here are the basics: Two teams square off, each defending their respective end zones on opposite sides of the field. The game begins as the throwing team tosses the disc to the receiving team. From there, the object of the game is to complete passes proceeding down the field and scoring a touchdown when a pass is completed to a team member who has both feet in the end zone. But since those rules would be way too easy, Field Training rules were enforced making things a little more interesting.

In Field Training rules, if you do not follow a rule or are tagged, you must report to the penalty box and wait to be retrieved by the acting commander of your team. A few things that will land you in the penalty box are: jumping, being out of control, being tagged with the disc, and not snapping to the position of attention when the disc lands out of bounds. Normally, when in the penalty box, cadets will perform Physical Training activities until retrieved, but with many cadets taking their Physical Fitness Assessments this week, this rule was thrown out.

At the end of a day of good, clean, fun competition between squadrons, everyone had a blast. We all grabbed our gear and went home, starting mental and physical preparation for next week’s AEF Training!

Lead Lab 20 (FTP)

Lead Lab 20 (FTP)

Cadet Thomas Koll

Being a newer cadet, drill has been an aspect that I have needed to work on the most. I have to admit though, I was a little jealous that the IMT and POC were able to play Ultimate Frisbee while we FTP went through drill evaluations. As we all found out, however, drill evaluations were exactly what we needed to go through. While individually some of us may be able to execute the proper movements and facings, marching a flight around is a totally different story. Even something little like the right element leader veering off course by a degree can throw a series of obstacles at the flight commander in trying to execute a proper drill evaluation. Admittedly, a few of the cadets who joined the flight this semester have gone through even less drill than I have, and we were bound to have a few difficulties (not to say that this was the root of the problems, as there were plenty different ones). Though, I admired the composure of my flight-mates that day. All of us, I’m sure, were tense and frustrated, especially on the march back to the front of Crowder, but as far as I could tell, those around me didn’t break their bearing and tried to do everything the correct way in order to expedite our arrival.

Being able to have PT outside this week was great though. The SRC always gets muggy and humid, especially upstairs on the track. It definitely helped me get through a long week of tests and other projects, as running in cool weather always liberates my anxieties. Even doing the PFA was enjoyable. I saw a lot of teamwork and motivation throughout its entirety, especially for me when Cadets Popp and Westfall finished out the last stretch of the run with me. Although I didn’t even touch Cadet Byrd’s amazing time, I was still really proud I was able to do as well as I did.

All in all, it was a week full of ups and downs, filled with mistakes, but even more so filled with camaraderie. Without failure, we can never improve. Without pain, we will never become stronger. Every day we face adversity, we become even more prepared for dealing with it.

Lab 18 (IMT)

"Dodge, Dip, Dive, Duck, and......Dodge"

Evasion was the name of the game, or games rather at this week’s Lead Lab for the IMT and the remaining POC of the wing. We were greeted with our normal briefings from Captain Anderson and Cadet Colonel Midgett bringing us up to speed on all things in the world of ROTC, and then it was time to let the fun begin. The cadets this past week were given a chance to show off their marching, as well as their planning skills and have a little fun doing it.
First up on the agenda was a game known as Tank. Now I promise you, it is not as brutal as it sounds. In the game of tank, two out of the four squadrons are assembled in formation to battle at one time. The object of the game is to get the front of your squadron to “ram” either the side or the back of the other squadron that you are competing with. The only catch is that in order to do that, the cadets have to execute the drill commands that they have been learning both last and this semester. It certainly is not as easy as it sounds. In order to come out victorious in Tank you have to have a commander who can think quick on his feet, as well as have a flight that is able to execute those commands and get the job done. Cadets also have to stay inside of a set boundary, and keep their flight in proper formation or penalties will be accrued. After 5-6 rounds of grueling battle on Tuesday between the Raptors, Eagles, Falcons, and Warthogs, it was none other than the Ferocious Falcons who came out on top to grab the glory. Both being able apply the direct hits, and also able to dodge their way to victory without racking up the penalties.
After the cadets had finished Tank, it was time for some more Wing fun with the event of Juggernaut coming up next. (I promise not all military sports names sound this violent) In Juggernaut, it is played mostly like a game of dodge- ball, except for a few exceptions. Every player on the team has a certain role that they have to play in order for the team to achieve victory. These can range from Medics who can heal a downed teammate, blockers to act as “Hulk-like” human shields, suppliers grabbing the balls for the team, and finally the attackers who bring the blistering heat. You might think that this sounds crazy enough as it is, but this week a twist was added to get the cadets using the planning skills that they had been taught. Each team before the match began was given a certain mission that had to be carried out to achieve absolute victory. These missions ranged from eliminating the other teams medic or commander to finding a way to keep all of the balls on your side. Cadets had to decide what would be the best number to have of each role in order to gain victory. The intense battles raged on, and you could see the cadets adapting their strategies and using the skills that they had learned in ROTC at every turn to fine tune their strategies. After 3-4 games there were no clear winners, but each team reached success at least once in their missions. This past Lead Lab showed both in Tank and in Juggernaut, that in the military you have to find the perfect balance of evading the enemies attack and applying that critical strike to achieve victory.

Lab 18 (FTP)

Cadet Emily Stephens

Leadership Laboratory (LLAB) is always interesting if you are a sophomore cadet preparing for Field Training, however, LLAB 17 was particularly busy for these cadets. During this LLAB, C/Swartz, C/Byrd, C/Anderson, and myself, C/Stephens, were given the task of presenting the sophomores with a brief overview of some important aspects of Field Training (FT). The two-hour session consisted of two parts, dorm maintenance and dining hall procedures, both being very important to their respective evaluator’s initial opinion of the cadets’ ability to organize, lead, and follow.
The first hour of LLAB was spent teaching Field Training Preparation (FTP) cadets everything they will need to know for dorm maintenance. Their training session included everything from learning how to make a couple different types of beds for certain circumstances, to learning where to place their underwear in the specified drawer. If any FTP are reading this, yes, your respective Flight Training Officer (FTO)/Cadet Training Assistant (CTA) will check your underwear drawer, so do not feel obligated to buy white undergarments, but let’s keep the “Cutie with a Booty” britches at home. After the dorm maintenance training was completed, the cadets moved on to the place with which every FTP has a love-hate relationship…the dining facility (DFAC).
A typical day at FT will start at 0400, and from that point on, there is no stopping. Because of this, the cadets are always hungry, and it is impossible to eat enough. So, the second portion of the training involved learning how to enter, proceed through the line, sit down, eat, clean, and exit the DFAC. When your dining priority rolls around and you realize that you are finally going to eat and stop feeling like a walking shell of a human, you are filled with a certain hope that perhaps you will make it to the next meal; however, these dreams are promptly dashed when you come to and remember that in order to get in and out of the DFAC, you have got to get your flight past some very unpleasant people (FTOs and CTAs), and they really do not seem to be as hungry as you. While one training session is not enough for the FTP to understand these procedures exactly, they were given a good idea as to how the process works.
In the minds of most college students, it is hard to imagine this sort of discipline and organization; however, for every LLAB that they take seriously, the FTP will be one step closer to success at FT. More than them graduating top-third or being a distinguished graduate in their flight, the Professional Officer Cadets (POC) involved with the training of the FTP are concerned with giving them the information they need to do a personal best at their encampment. In doing so, each of them will return having made their flight, family, the detachment, and most importantly themselves, very proud.

Lab 17

Cadet Richard Gannon

This week in R.O.T.C was a challenging one. As usual, the day started off with our scheduled Aerospace studies classes. In class, we learned about Operation Northern Watch, Southern Watch and Somalia. Then the pace quickly changed. After class we had a Field Training Prep meeting with our fellow P.O.C. During this time, myself and my classmates were informed of the many challenges that lie ahead in Field Training.

After the meeting, we transitioned into Lab. Lab was an eventful time, in which we learned proper guidion procedures and how to march a flight across a road intersection safely. It was a time for hands on experience, in which we also had the opportunity to try it ourselves, make our own mistakes, and learn from them. Overall, this past week proved to be a productive one. I took away knowledge of the challenges that lie ahead, and bits a pieces of the puzzle that will help me be successful when I reach those challenges.

Lab 16

“Even with snow on the ground, you can’t keep Det440 down”
By
Cadet Joshua Bailey

Snow, snow, and more snow seemed to be all that you could see at Det440 for the 2nd Lab of the semester, both on the ground and in the air. Detachment 440 was noticeably smaller, due to the fact that we were missing our counterparts from UCM, as a result of road safety conditions. Nevertheless Lab carried on as usual and started off with the prestigious cadet award ceremony. The award ceremony was centered on cadet academic achievement from the previous semester. One thing was for sure, and that is, that even though the snow was coming down, the cadets grades continued to climb. A record number of cadets received the Academic Honors ribbon for posting at least a 3.0 G.P.A. the previous semester. Cadets are always urged to maintain high academic standards, and after this ceremony, you could definitely see that, that challenge is taken to heart. Cadet Popp walked home with the biggest award of the day, posting an outstanding 4.0 term G.P.A. Overall; it was a great award ceremony for Det440 in the category of academics.
After a recruiting briefing by Cadet Bailey, the cadets made the wintery journey to the Student Recreation Center to participate in wing-wide drill. The Field Training Preparation (200s) cadets and the Initial Military Training (100s) cadets were split up to cover different aspects of drill. The FTP cadets learned more about Road Guard procedures and how to use them to get your flight through an intersection safely; a skill that they will be using very frequently at Field Training this coming summer. The IMT cadets were on the opposite side of the Recreation Center going over some basic and advanced drill techniques, such as column movements, flanks, and facing movements. You could absolutely see the wisdom being passed down from the upper-classmen, to the IMT and FTP cadets and see them take it and put it into action like a well oiled machine. Overall both classes took outstanding leaps in drill this week, and both continue to excel both in their skills and in their teamwork as a class. You can also see the leadership techniques being fine tuned by the upper-classmen as well. Even though the snow was all around, there was no way that it would keep Det440 down.

Lab 15

"Starting off on the right foot….or actually the left."

by

Cadet Joshua Bailey

As we started off a new semester of ROTC, it was that time again, a time of familiar places and smiling faces. From the first moment there seemed to be a feeling of a new beginning placed on the semester. We had C/Midgett as the new Wing Commander, taking over the reins from C/Stauffer, as well as a new Commander and Chief to lead our country and our armed forces. Colonel Tulberg’s comments centered on the inauguration of our newest President, Barack Obama, and the words that he had for the great country of the United States and its people. Words marked with a distinct feeling of patriotism that would cause every cadet to remember the importance of the path they are taking to becoming 2nd Lieutenants in the Air Force. Just as America was placing its trust in a new leader, so was the cadet wing as C/Midgett rose to the challenge. He followed Colonel Tulberg with some words of welcoming to the new and returning cadets, as well as sharing some of his plans for the coming semester.
After the briefings were finished the semester kicked off in routing fashion with the undergoing of In-processing in which cadets update information, take their semester picture, and swap out rank for their uniforms. I was given the task of taking each cadets picture for the new semester and was able to greet them with some welcoming comments of my own. It seemed that every cadet was both anxious and excited to start a new semester and ready to see what this semester would have in store. Overall In-processing ran smoothly and professionally thanks to the planning of the new Mission Support Group Commander C/Herndon. The Lab finished with some squadron time in which cadets got the chance to meet their new squadron and flight commanders, and also get the opportunity to meet their fellow squadron members. You could already see the camaraderie started off right where it left off last semester. The motto of this semester seemed to be a “new beginning” and it was definitely starting off right.