All,
If you will allow me to claim a somewhat-disinterested-third-party perspective* I submit the following.
I was there in "the heyday" 10 years ago. I was part of the "Black Knights" I took pride in the fact that "We" did not need presenter staff to teach our kids, or that we got breaks when the camp trainees (not campers, trainees) were in a class. I was proud that we were trained to do it all and support ourselves. I was proud of the people I worked with and the culture we were part of. Need it? Don't have it? Go get it. I don't care where it came from, don't tell me. Just make it happen.
In many ways we thought of ourselves and idealized after every movie we had seen and thought fondly of: M*A*S*H, Full Metal Jacket, The Right Stuff, Heartbreak Ridge, Smokey and the Bandit and countless quotable others... Be advised, we were mean, nasty and tired...
We had our own, held our own, and supported our own. We were
NOT counselors. We were Instructors. Fly a mission, get shot down or (if you're lucky) shoot down a Black Knight, let's debrief. What went right? What boneheaded move did you make? Why didn't you cover your wingman? Don't do it again. Dismissed.
Yes the kids had fun. And Heaven help them if they learned something because that made them better, agile and dangerous. Think about the mindset of the kids that enroll in AC. They're the ones that see pictures of free-sliding down a 40-something-foot cable into the water below, of hot-shot-fighter-pilots flying dangerous missions through some hostile territory, and of low crawling through briers and brush evading capture to fight another day. Shake down Lindbergh bay after lights out? Nothing to it. It's part of the show and magic that makes up AC. Its the mentality of the kids that come.
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Yes all that has changed. Yes "management" clouded the camps with thoughts of being "ONE". After all, we're all part of one big happy family, right?
I agree with Joker and Rat. I believe we still have that idealized image of the way things should be. The way it would be if we ran things.
One thing I've learned over the past couple years* is that I have to be careful with those thoughts and my comments. As much as I love the program and camp itself, it is their time in the glory. I've had opportunity to meet former trainees (both mine and fellow counselors) who are now themselves living the dream and inspiring others. What I have learned is to be cognizant of constantly walking around "Well you know when I was here..." and "Back in the day we..." or "What you should do is..."
We're all one big happy family. That notion is true and I've seen both sides of the field work well together. That first and second summer ('96-'97) there was a great deal of animosity. (Anyone remember the "sensitivity" training and throwing paper airplanes at the lecturer?) Often times the pendulum swings hard one way or the other. After those summers I believe it swung hard. AC was in some ways pansified. The crew became "counselors" and just filled in.
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Guys I want you to know that I think you would be proud of where things are now. I am sure you think my opinions are biased, which they may be, but if they are they are biased to the "way things were". I have seen the pirate mentality coming back. Need it? Don't have it? Go get it.
I had the opportunity this Thursday to watch this summer's crew of counselors, er Instructors, complete their training experience with their E&E exercise.
I'm telling you it was a flashback. I was standing off under the trees by the Harrier looking out towards the bubble. Everyone was "camied up" and gaggling around awaiting marching orders.
I swear I saw Joker and me standing there talking with Putz.
I have had a few occasions to see the new counselors and interact with them. I hereby accord them the semi-royal title of High Speed. I have been very impressed with their cohesion and heart.
I think you would be equally impressed with and hopefully see ourselves in their character. These are not the mamby pamby counselors you fear running things. The current class includes
- 7 pilots, maybe more
- a CFII (thankfully doesn't ramble too much)
- an ATC in training (man he talks fast)
- a by-God Vietnam era A-6 driver; remember Fighter pukes make movies, Attack pilots make History
- a Top Gun graduate (same A-6 driver)
- a strong contingent of ROTC cadets
- a VATech Corp of Cadets member
- a USAF LT
- a retired USA Captain, prior enlisted (her last "official" callsign was "Blaze-6")
- a Marine from Iraq (Semper Fi, carry on)
- a mix of Aeronautical and Electrical engineers
I have seen this crew in action and they have all the qualities that I held dear in our own group. We were a team. We cared for the program and the effect it had on the trainees (kids). We wanted things to be better tomorrow than today. They "fit" with the program. They "get
IT."
I believe I have seen our contemporary counterparts.
The program has changed, as has the software. Some of the cruft built up over the years is being shaken off and new activities are being added. The sims are a far cry from "SAIC F-16 Falcon Simulator" that was 10 years past its prime 10 years ago.
Guys, they have the heart and spirit and mindset. What mindset? "Every man a tiger." (If you don't understand, google OODA and start there.)
*Note:
Those who know me know that I straddle a fine line. I have a long standing tie to the program with over 10 years of exposure either directly or through close personal friends. More so, I now have a direct link to the program as the "side-kick" of Red-Bull, aka AC-6, aka my wife. Can I be impartial, unbiased? Hell no. But believe you me, She and I have had many arguments over how camp "should be", and I there are often times I agree whole-heartedly with her. In essence, these are merely my opinions, and as a wise philosopher once said, "Opinions are like ***holes, everyone has one."
As you were,
Duke