Camp Swift, TX — Editor’s Note: The following story is written by a 15-year-old cadet at Camp Swift in Bastrop County. She describes day one of Winter Encampment, 2007.



Encampment started as the cadet staff arrived between 08:00 and 12:00 at Camp Swift on Wednesday, 26 December. We were briefed and assigned duties.

Directing traffic, taking pictures, posting signs on doors and helping other cadets with material items are only a small list of all the things we had to do. In short, we had to prepare the place for the cadet basics to arrive for all over Texas, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and Vermont.

They came later that day beginning at 1 p.m., creating a long line of uniformed young persons, each flanked by a bundle of belongings. They had brought everything they would need for the week: bedding, uniform items, compasses, personal toiletries and shoeshine kits. First thing after saying their goodbyes to their families, they piled all their luggage to stand in line as they waited to sign in.

When it was their turn at the in-processing desk, they presented their paperwork, then went on to their assigned flight station to receive a T-Shirt of the right color for their flight (the smallest unit formation, usually no more than 15 cadets). As they returned to the sunny day outside and retrieved their baggage, they started looking for their barracks building, which at times was difficult in the confusion of the moment.

Soon, to their great relief, they would find the right place which would be "home" for the following five days, and find the bunks they would sleep in.

Cadets got right to it, unpacking and trying to make their bunks using the white twin-size sheets they had brought along (no fitted sheet allowed). But making the bed properly would demand “squaring of the corners” for a lasting, neat appearance, and they would learn that later in the day.

Not long afterwards, the flight sergeants rounded up their cadets in formation and took them to Encampment Introduction. There they were introduced to the staff members and were told what was expected of them. To quote Col. Frank Eldridge, Encampment Commander, “You do your best and we will help with the rest."

When everything was said and done, members of the Standards Evaluation Team (SET) showed the cadets the proper way to wear the uniform, followed by the prescribed way to make their bunk. This was very important because they would be graded on how they did it.

Afterwards, the flight sergeants and commanders collected their cadets and marched them onto the grassy field for Group Formation. After an eternity of being in formation (about half an hour), cadets fell in for PT. Push-ups, sit-ups, stretches and runs were the drill for this activity.

They will do this every day, since they'll need it pass their next physical fitness achievement test. At evening formation, immediately following PT, the cadet commander, Cadet Maj. Rojas, disclosed the order in which the flights would eat their dinner. Dinner at last! After a long day of settling in, the cadets enjoyed their lasagna, broccoli, French bread, salad and minuscule piece of cake. Even though they were not allowed to talk to each other, the meal tasted just fine.

But the day had not ended yet. The cadets would still have firearms training, followed by an aerospace education class. As with every course of instruction, safety was a major concern and every precaution was taken to prevent accidental injury. The cadets finally got personal time. For those who wanted it, Chaplain (Maj.) Ron Whitt conducted a fifteen minute devotional at 21:15 in the Mess Hall.

Mercifully, at 23:00 hours, staff called lights out for all personnel, bringing the successful first day of encampment to an end. A good night's sleep would do wonders for their ability to perform during day two.