Original Black Knight Squadron Members

Sandrat · Post by **Sandrat** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:18 pm

How many of you are still out there? This is for those Knights from 1996 to 2001, when being a Knight really meant something. You were awarded the squadron patch, you flew missions with the intent to train campers and not to punish them. And you didn't feel the need to play Navy SEAL or CIA operative or whatever it is they do now.

Would love to hear from you guys. AMF.

Sandrat

Commander
77th TAC FTR SQDN "Black Knights"
1996 to 1999

ACluvR · Post by **ACluvR** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:23 pm

Ok, I am just an old camper, but started going to AC in 99, weren't Grunt and Doolittle both original Black Knights... I haven't heard from either in a while and I am pretty sure neither of them come on here... Anyways... I miss the guys from way back...

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:49 pm

Well though not a member of the Black Knights i do remember those days. Back when AC had diffrent names for its programs, when counselors like Grunt, Hoser and Wedge were around. No seal missions and the advanced sims use to be in that room attached to the bubble instead of in hte barn. Actually it will be 10 years ago this July since i was at AC hard to believe. When i went Mach 1 was brand new i believe it was actually called Beginner back then. I believe 96 was its first summer. Mach 2 was called Basic, and Mach 3 was called Intermediate. The centrifuge was also new too i believe, And escape and evasion was done wearing old tanker suits instead of BDU's.

Sandrat · Post by **Sandrat** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:57 pm

It has been ten years since the founding of the Black Knights. The tanker suits were a gift from one of Top Kick's scrounging runs to Fort Knox late that spring. It was the last year of Primary, Basic, and Intermediate. That fall we rewrote the programs - I took over Mach III.

I haven't talked to Grunt in a while. Doolittle just came back from Iraq - he spent a year over there. He's now a Captain in the Army National Guard (and I no longer out rank him!). Don't know where Wedge is, though when I was at Camp, she worked for me up there as well.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:26 pm

Ah it was primary. That sounds better than beginner. I wasnt quite sure of the name. One other thing i remember about those days was Ac trainees use to eat lunch at the ward room instead of going over to the main space camp cafeteria every day. I remember it was the same thing every day. choice of hamburger, hotdogs, or chicken sandwich with choice of chips and soda. Man this topic has brought back some memories. Based on what isaw last july when i visited down at Ac with Who alot has changed in 10 years.

MAYTAG · Post by **MAYTAG** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:48 am

wow sounds a lot different than the ac i no and love but sounds really cool too

Sandrat · Post by **Sandrat** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 7:02 pm

I'd venture to say that AC from 1996-2001 is absolutely NOTHING like it was back then. Things will always change, and we always think things were better when we were involved. Yet, AC will always remain the most under-utilized program with the most potential. It's a shame that Space Camp has all but turned its back on AC.

It could have been so much more.

ACluvR · Post by **ACluvR** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:16 pm

Yeah... I remember the old T-Ops... whatta rush, Doolittle and Grunt in your face.. and PT!!! T-Ops was way different during my last two Mach 3's and they got rid of PT completely. It was sad. I knew Doolittle was back w/the Army... glad he's back from Iraq.

Those two guys are the best ever. AC is awesome... it's SO special.

I miss the old AC... but is interesting to see all the changes.

Joker · Post by **Joker** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:33 pm

...and there I thought I was the best ever.

Time to start revising that resume. And my websites. And my business cards.

Repeat · Post by **Repeat** » Sat May 13, 2006 12:44 am

I remember PT in the mornings, having my bunk thrown over by my (male) counselor, and the D&C competition. I LOVED D&C, and AC is the primary reason I got into it. I was really upset when they got rid of it.

Unfortunately, most of my memories of AC (1999-2001) are overcome by my more recent memories of AC in 2003 in Mach III and in 2005 as a counselor. So I don't remember all the previous stuff anymore.

I do remember we did a nature walk type thing one year with land survival. And I remember when the land survival stuff was in the O club, before it got moved to its own trailer (and I remember the nurse's station we had down there).

I think we're trying to shift the focus back onto sims and piloting and less on the military seal stuff. we'll see if any of the change happens.

ACluvR · Post by **ACluvR** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:14 am

Hey... Joker guy.. you live near me, lol.

Okay anyways... Yeah... I heard they got some complaints about PT cuz some trainees aren't physically fit enough or whatever... hm... last time I checked fighter pilots were though. :-\ Oh well. Yeah. I love the old way... And I totally remember that nurses station inthe O Club... I went there when I tore the crap outta my ankle one summer... I liked it, it was such a pain to have to go up top to their nurses every day. AC was definitely best (in my opinion) before they changed everything.. Waking up, having 5min to dress for PT and running around like zombees was so much fun... Haha... So was water PT. That was a fun morning...

X-mas camp PT was not as fun... cold and running is not my thing.

Oh, the memories.

MAYTAG · Post by **MAYTAG** » Sat May 13, 2006 8:24 am

i dont think pt should be manditory but i liked it when they did it my first time at mach III when Hoss gave us the option and like half of the mach III kids showed up

Repeat · Post by **Repeat** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:20 pm

unfortunately, it's no longer allowed in any capacity.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Sat May 13, 2006 3:14 pm

Actually when i went in 96 we didnt do any kind of pt that week. Though i know a couple of the girls got up and went running in the morning with one of the counselors around the lake. I also remember in those days there was a drill competiton we participated in.

CampGirlKelly · Post by **CampGirlKelly** » Sat May 13, 2006 4:22 pm

i was there in 97 and we didn't do PT then, either. i remember being kind of sad, because i had received a video a few years earlier explaining the programs, and the section about AC showed kids doing jumping jacks (if my memory serves me correctly) and spoke about their daily morning workout.

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Sat May 13, 2006 8:33 pm

Soccer wrote:unfortunately, it's no longer allowed in any capacity.

When did that start and why?

I had the option to do it in 2002 but i lacked the motivation and energy.

I was really sad that when I was there we didn't really do any drill stuff. I think we were supposed to but for some reason AC was terribly understaffed that week and our one counselor seemed to be doing like four jobs. They did attempt to teach us how to do a few turns and whatnot but that was all the more drill we learned. It was interesting when we got throw into the upstairs room of the bubble and told to stand at attention.

Apparently, not enough of my team really knew what that entailed...

Oddly, enough one of the things i seemed to enjoy the most at AC was patrolling the back woods and the waterballoon fight we had (thought i'm pretty sure that was't technically allowed).

Repeat · Post by **Repeat** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:07 pm

I taught my 12-day team D&C this past summer because they were interested and wanted to learn - they had a lot of fun, and it killed time better than any other kind of team time activitiy.

As far as PT goes, I was there in 99, and we did it, and 2000 and we did it, and I don't remember it after that, though it's possible it was still done in 2001, it definitely wasn't being done in 2003. The reasons I've been given have to do with parents complaining about what we "Forced" their precious little johnny to do.

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Sun May 14, 2006 4:31 am

We had the option in 2002 but it was a no pressure only if you want to kind of thing. Unless it changed a week or two after i left i can't believe that it would be worth stopping it. Sad.

Right Stuff · Post by **Right Stuff** » Sun May 14, 2006 11:25 am

it was funny last week when i went to AC.... im in my High School's NJROTC unit, and i can drill my butt of and spin the heck out of a rifle... with my team being composed of only 6 people, and seeing how disapinoted i was when i found out there was no pt or marching or drill.

i took matters into my own hands, teaching my team how to march, stay on step, while i called cadence... lol.. it was pretty fun... i was told a few days ago that my teammembers had my cadences running through their hands all day... lol.. fun stuff... but yea i think it would be more realistic, if basics on drill, attention, parade rest, left/right/about face, and marching... oh and sounding off!!! just that simple stuff will make the experience more "military like" and possibly get them ready for the military if they decide to join.... just my opinion...

tennisrox014 · Post by **tennisrox014** » Sun May 14, 2006 11:44 am

one time i was there and my team wanted to learn how to march, but if any of you know me at all, you probably know that i'm not into that kinda stuff. I mainly go to AC to win top gun and fly missions, but yeah it was sort of fun. i wasnt as into it as some members, and had trouble marching without laughing. but i can see the merit of perhaps teaching it at ac. i suppose