Encampment Staffing...

So, a lot of people on here have staffed at encampment before. What are some tips that you all would suggest for us that are planning to go back to encampment on staff this winter, especially line staff?

always scream,USE diaphragm,Have FUN

I don't have a lot of time to write anything right now, but this might help you. I wrote this for my Flight Sergeants this last Summer, when I was an Encampment 1st Sergeant.

10 Random Tips for Flight Sergeants:

1) You are the loudest person at Encampment. Everyone should know it. You need to be on your cadets ALL the time.

2)There is nothing worse then a Flight Commander that cannot trust your ability to do your job. During the first few days of Encampment, you should do your absolute best to impress your Flight Commander. That means sometimes doing things that are not even needed, simply to show that you are on top of it.

3)Know the knowledge/SOI from cover to cover before Encampment starts. There is no better feeling then being stopped by SET (Stan/Eval) in front of your Flight (and all the other Flights in the room), being asked questions, and having the ability to keep rattling off answers until SET finally gives up. This will also create a lot of respect and confidence in you from your cadets.

4) Know the Drill you plan to teach. Make sure that you understand how to use a guideon or guide position when doing drill (specifically column formation movements).

5)Don't work behind the back of your Flight Commander. This will make him/her feel slighted. When you prepare or plan anything, make sure he/she is in the loop.

6)DON'T LOSE YOUR VOICE! That happened to me my first time...yes it didn't help that I was getting over a cold...but my throat swelled up like a balloon and it HURT to talk, much less project. Remember, you aren't gonna be losing your voice from drill commands;it's gonna be from the constant nagging and yelling that a Flight Sergeant is known for. Cough Drops are very valuable; BRING THEM!

7)You should be a role model to your cadets in every way. By being a Flight Sergeant your job is to appear like the best cadet in your Wing. You should have knowledge and insight on almost everything. Your cadets should be able to use you as the benchmark of how to succeed in CAP. None of us are perfect, but we need to do our best to play the part. When you walk in the room, you should have the kind of appearance that let's everyone know you are in charge.

8 ) In everything you do, make your superiors look absolutely perfect in front of your cadets. This is not only required because it is simply good followership, but it will make your leaders want to grace you with the same treatment. If you have a problem with them putting you down in front of your cadets, make sure you address it with them or your TACO.

9)Despite being firm and sometimes even harsh, by the end of the week your cadets should be ready to follow you off the ends of the earth, into **censored** and back. Even when you are hard on them, they should always have a "My Sergeant is better then your Sergeant", attitude when talking to members of other Flights. For lack of a better word, you should be their hero. They must know that you will always look out for them.

10)Create Flight rivalry. It is required for your cadet's motivation. You need to make your chants/jodies target specific Flights and staff members (in good taste obviously). Make sure to have enough that your Flight gets the last word in any sound off match. Don't form rivalries within your Encampment squadron. That will be frowned on. I do recommend you work with your fellow squadrons staff and decide common rival flights before the Encampment starts.

Thanks a lot Isaac. Those are some really good tips and I will definately use them...

As a former TAC and Chief TAC, #1 and the first sentence of #7 seem contradictory to me. Yelling and "being on your cadets all the time" seems to be sending a counterproductive message.

kjmillig wrote:As a former TAC and Chief TAC, #1 and the first sentence of #7 seem contradictory to me. Yelling and "being on your cadets all the time" seems to be sending a counterproductive message.

There are many positions at Encampment and to me they all have differant roles. The Flight Sergeant by himself would be counterproductive. But there are other positions (i.e. Flight Commander, TAC) that complement him by taking the other approach.

When I said "Being on your cadets all the time", I wasn't meaning yelling all the time. It means being aware of everything going on in your flight and being able to correct messups effectively and quickly.


What was it that you objected to in #7?

For clarification:
"1. You are the loudest person at Encampment. Everyone should know it. You need to be on your cadets ALL the time."
seems to contradict
"7. You should be a role model to your cadets in every way."
Being a role model by being the loudest person at encampment?

OK, I understand your definition of staying up on what's going on with your cadets and being there to correct messups. Make sure you're doing it by teaching and not yelling, and trying to be proactive to prevent predictable messups.

kjmillig wrote:For clarification:
"1. You are the loudest person at Encampment. Everyone should know it. You need to be on your cadets ALL the time."
seems to contradict
"7. You should be a role model to your cadets in every way."
Being a role model by being the loudest person at encampment?

OK, I understand your definition of staying up on what's going on with your cadets and being there to correct messups. Make sure you're doing it by teaching and not yelling, and trying to be proactive to prevent predictable messups.

Loudest person does not always mean yelling either. It just means you should never shut up and absolutely never come across as soft spoken. By being the NCO it's your job to do the talking. Not always yelling, but being loud and audible. It doesn't mean you have to be chewing them out...you can be teaching.

To me, raising one's voice is however required at times to create the effective "Encampment environment". It is not always appropriate, but it has it's time and place. Remember the saying, "Tear them down as individuals in the first half, but build them back up as a team in the second."

Obviously we can agree to disagree. : p
I've never been a proponent of the active duty need to tear down individualism to rebuild a military team being applied to CAP. We just don't need to "tear down" a CAP cadet before building a team, and in 7-8 days there's not time to do that anyways.

kjmillig wrote:Obviously we can agree to disagree. : p
I've never been a proponent of the active duty need to tear down individualism to rebuild a military team being applied to CAP. We just don't need to "tear down" a CAP cadet before building a team, and in 7-8 days there's not time to do that anyways.

Indeed we can disagree.

Building them as a team is an importent aspect of an Encampment. A lot of that is simply by creating pride in each other by competing with the other flights. Another part of it though, is enduring difficulties together.


It is supprising though what can be accomplished in 7-8 days....

My biggest piece of advice would be: Don't cut the cadets any slack. You have one week on average to train them, use it to the fullest. We insult their intelligence when we think or act like they can't do any better. The cadets CAN excel at encampment, it is there as...oh horrors...a CAP basic training! That's what it is, and there's no denying it! Now, just because of that fact does not mean that you can go FMJ on the cadets. It just means that it is your job as an encampment staff member to do the most you can to influence and improve the cadets during their time there.
As always, the best way to lead is by example. Don't relax your military bearing for a second when you are in the presence of the cadets. Always be the loudest...volume indicates motivation, and you better be more motivated than your cadets because motivation is contagious, and to an extent the cadets will turn out as good or bad as their staff. When you raise your voice, however, it should not be to yell at them (as in chew them out), but rather to make yourself heard and understood, and draw their attention to you. Always outperform your cadets.
I'll post more when it comes to me, I'm at college and had a long day so I'm short in inspiration.