Starting on the bus was very relaxed. I knew little of what was in store for me. The group commander (C/ Lt. Col. Bruza) is riding on the same bus as us (1st Squadron). We stopped at gas station just before we left Palmer, AK. It was our last bit of civilization. The next stop was at a glacier overlook about 15 min before we got to the camp. When we got to the overlook, Sgt.Bowmen (one of the instructors a.k.a. Codrea) was waiting for with his "shadow". They are both in the Air Force.
Nearing the camp my heart started to race. We stopped and we were told to get off. we fell in to formation and walked into the camp. We where told when addressing a codrea member to start with a reporting statement. For me I would say "Sir/Mam Cadet Curtis report". We were told hydrate A LOT! We then went to tent city to set up tents. I had fire watch at 3am-4am.
Day 2
Fire watch was cold. then getting up at 6am to do an hour of PT was brutal. so many cadets thought there was no PT at all. I could tell they were lying. Later on in the day Air Force medics came to the camp to show us some stuff. then we headed off to the top of Alaskcom hill to eat MRE's for lunch. When we got back we had 10 cadets or so go with the medics fo set up a helicopter crash site drill. After the drill we had a team building exercise. we had to run up the road, get a log and carry it back. There were 3 logs and a set of 5 small logs that needed to be carried back. each flight would carry 1 log back except one flight would carry 5 logs back. 1st squadron worked together to end up beating the other 2 flights. C and D flight had to serve us dinner that night. I had KP (kitchen prep) that night. I was told that I had it then told I don't have it and this kept repeating alot. And another fire watch on top of that.
Day 3
This day started much like yesterday. PT followed by an outstanding breakfast made by Mrs.P and her staff. then broke into 3 groups. Group 1 went off to shooting pellet rifles, Group 2 went to do archery and group 3 went to repel off a cliff. I was in group 3. Rappelling was a little nerve racking standing at the edge of the cliff but actually doing it was very easy. Then the Black Hawks came. It was insane! There was 1 Black Hawk and 1 K-Pox (a variation of a Black Hawk). I was unable to get any pics inside because my battery died on my camera. After the rides we relaxed a while and then went back to our groups. I went off to shoot pellet rifles then archery. we were taught by 2 national guard soldiers on how to make an MRE improvised explosive. I got mild hypothermia that night to. we also had a midnight fun run to.
Day 4 This day was like any other in the morning. then we broke off into out SPIKE NIGHT camps. there were 3 camps. Fish camp which was only 2 miles out of the main camp. Scenic overlook which was on the side of Alaskcom hill. And RAMBO camp which was the hardest camp and the farthest camp. They went up the side of Gunsight Mt. we made a single person shelter when we got to fish camp and then started a fire and had our MRE's to eat.
Day 5
We left our camp and went back to the main camp to start breaking it down in prep to leave. That night we had a flag burning ceremony. We learned the proper way to dispose of flags in a dignified manner. I burned 3 American flags and 1 Marine flag. Later we started "hell night" I stayed up only till 1am.
Day 6
We got up and did the PT test which was easy. ever one completed the test and got the PT ribbon. We then had breakfast and broke down the rest of camp and then left. we got to the Eagle River camp grounds at around 2pm and then went rafting down it. That took and hour for each group to do. rafting was more fun than I thought it would be. then I finally went home!!!
