Class of 2013: 'Recognition granted'

[txtwinmom]

3/16/2010 - US AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Say goodbye to carrying book bags, morning minutes of knowledge recitation, restricted paths on the Terrazzo and wearing uniforms off-base.

Say hello to wearing hard-earned prop and wings and acceptance as upperclass cadets for the Class of 2013 during closing ceremonies for this year's Recognition, March 11 through Sunday.

Recognition is a culmination of the four-degree training process, a capstone challenge event of physical fitness and knowledge, said Maj. John Orchard, air officer commanding for Cadet Squadron 16, the "Proud Chickenhawks." Recognition reflects the Basic Cadet Training experiences and challenges; it summarizes and wraps up those challenges and the knowledge the freshmen have gained throughout the year.

"It's an emotional milestone, and they know they have done something important in their life," he added.

He also gave high praise to the upperclassmen that ran the training event.

"They were very professional, and they put the job before all else," he said.

Master Sgt. Brady McCoy, CS 16's Academy military training NCO, said some in the squadron were dreading Recognition, while others looked forward to it.

"For me, it's teamwork," he said of the takeaway he hoped the they would have. "It's looking out for people."

Challenges began the evening of March 11 in the squadrons with a rigorous training session testing a combination of fitness and knowledge. March 12 was dedicated to physical fitness courses, leadership exercises and tours of the Terrazzo, where upperclassmen explained the rich heritage of the Academy present there and, of course, threw in more physical fitness for good measure.

That evening, freshmen took time to reflect in squadron "theme rooms." Each squadron puts their own spin on a variety of themed rooms purposed to imitate real-world scenarios. For CS 16, the first was a mock deployment briefing, followed by a flight simulation, capture, a prisoner of war interrogation and a funeral for a squad mate. Major training events officer Cadet 1st Class Brian Thorn said it was the highlight of his own Recognition.

"It is the most meaningful reminder of what my profession is," he said. "This is serious business."

On Saturday, freshmen's dorm rooms and uniforms went under upperclassmen's rigorous inspection, then ran to Cathedral Rock.

Afterward, in the darkened hallways of the dorms, lined with upperclassmen rendering salutes, each fourth-classman at last heard the long-awaited words, "Recognition granted."

Dinner followed in Mitchell Hall, where the newly-recognized class received congratulations as new upperclass members of the Cadet Wing.

"Wearing my backpack is sweet," said Cadet 4th Class Rory Montgomery, CS 29, from Sammamish, Wa.

He expressed appreciation for the privilege of wearing comfortable clothes and not having to recite military knowledge first thing in the morning. He also said he felt, despite the rigorous challenges, he was treated with a great deal of respect.

"I'm thankful they pushed me -- pushed me for two and a half days like no time before," he said. "I could always do another push up."

Cadet 4th Class Matt Demichiei from CS 37 said he also appreciates wearing his backpack and the privilege of walking anywhere on the Terrazzo, a combination he called "great."

"The best part is not having to worry about doing something wrong, like not greeting properly," he said and added the worst part of Recognition was the anticipation.

Cadet 4th Class Mary Hansard, an Atlanta native also assigned to CS 37, said the hardest part for her was staying motivated during the exercises but Recognition was definitely worth it, including the privileges of listening to music and having her own clothes back.

"I got to see how much I have grown up, having simple pleasures again and liking the Academy more," she said.


Source USAFA.af

[scraper]

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stoneturtle]

Take out the div tag...ah, here, this is easier.

Class of 2013: 'Recognition granted'

[Jeff Ray]

Class of 2013: 'Recognition granted'

[AuzmansMOM]

Fixed the link, Added the content, Added attached image and moved to featured news forum so it shows up on home page featured news slides.

As you see this is an RSS feed from USAFA that is automatically being generated as a thread by txtwinmom. As you see it does not always come out right. I have been looking for a fix. In mean time txtwinmom or I have been coming on to edit the original post so readable

I am also looking for other members who would like to help maintain RSS feeds from USAFA. There are many others feeds that are worthwhile. Please PM me if interested and I will show what is involved. But basically it involves what I just posted in the 1st paragraph, except for moving it to another forum, which I will do if it is worthwhile news.

[USAFA10s]

AHHH!!!! This much info should not be online ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

[AuzmansMOM]

Originally Posted by USAFA10s

AHHH!!!! This much info should not be online ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a syndicated news article from official USAFA website. Link is above. It has RSS link that allows article to be posted all over internet. I assume approved by the powers that be at AFA.

[saratia]

I wonder who can get it taken down?

[aggie83]

I agree this should be taken off at least our site here. In talking with my C4C over Spring Break, most of this was a surprise to him. Anyway we can help keep it that way, I would want to do.

[72falcon]

Originally Posted by USAFA10s

AHHH!!!! This much info should not be online ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Why? Do you really think that by taking this down from the USAFA web site that the knowledge of what happened during Recognition training will suddenly evaporate? Not in this day and age...even in the early days of USAFA with no internet or cell phones, 4th classmen still knew what was coming during the days leading up to Recognition, as well as BCT and every other milestone that came along.

[stoneturtle]

They do a pretty good job of keeping some parts of it from most the 4 digs. It's not the training, it's the stuff during Recognition itself that they would like kept as secret as possible.

Recognition belongs to the cadets, and if they would like it to be kept as secret as possible to preserve the specialness of Recognition, I don't see why we shouldn't make the effort.

[72falcon]

Originally Posted by stoneturtle

They do a pretty good job of keeping some parts of it from most the 4 digs. It's not the training, it's the stuff during Recognition itself that they would like kept as secret as possible.

Recognition belongs to the cadets, and if they would like it to be kept as secret as possible to preserve the specialness of Recognition, I don't see why we shouldn't make the effort.

Fair enough...never said that Recognition didn't belong to the cadets...I don't see that anyone associated with USAFA Community "spilled the beans"...when I clicked on the link provided by Jeff Ray I was taken to the official USAFA web site...seems the cadets need to talk to whoever runs this site if they want secrets kept, as this is accessible by all future cadets and/or cadet candidates.

I still think everyone is overreacting, as the class of 2014 will know all this anyway, but we can agree to disagree...which is what this site is all about, right?

[scraper]

There are many other cadets out there and I can certainly name one, that isn't interested in reading almost any of this, as he will be getting the exprience for himself. I would not worry about it at all

[USAFA10s]

I know if I had accidentally ran accross information about recognition, I probably would have read it, but I am glad I didn't, because the surprise of parts of recognition was probably the best part.

[scraper]

[stoneturtle]

Originally Posted by 72falcon

Seems the cadets need to talk to whoever runs this site if they want secrets kept, as this is accessible by all future cadets and/or cadet candidates.

I agree. It isn't this site that betrayed their trust, it's whoever wrote all that in the first place.

Originally Posted by 72falcon

I still think everyone is overreacting, as the class of 2014 will know all this anyway, but we can agree to disagree...which is what this site is all about, right?

In general, the doolies -don't- know all of it. That's the point the cadets are trying to make. They're saying it's a lot more special if they don't know all about the theme rooms and other parts that happen at the end. My daughter was quite perturbed.

I don't mind the disagreeing, it's the tone of the disagreeing when directed at a cadet. We don't have to talk down to them or trivialize their concerns, or tell them they're overreacting when it's something they care deeply about. That's why I spoke up.

Scraper, you bet every appointee and candidate think they would like to know all this, but their recognition experience will be a lot more special if they don't.

[txtwinmom]

Just want all of you to know that I personally didn't post this. As a "super moderator" my account is used to post some of the articles as an RSS feed from USAFA sources. I don't see them before they are posted.
I agree that a lot of this information shouldn't have been put out there but we here at UsafaCommunity just forwarded information that was printed in the USAFA.af site.
Taking the post down now would be a bit like closing the barn door after the horse got out.

[AuzmansMOM]

Originally Posted by txtwinmom

Taking the post down now would be a bit like closing the barn door after the horse got out.

Spoken like a Rancher, from a rancher!

[scraper]

stoneturtle I would agree with usafa10s and thats why the thumbs up, I don't know why you think you know what everybody else wants to know seeings how you called me out on this

[J.NordicSkier7]

I feel like taking this down would be the best option. Even though the "horse" is out, by making it more difficult to find information about recognition, we can make sure that appointees don't read it without understanding what it will mean about their recognition experience. I knew more than I wanted to know about recognition and I regret it. I would have prefered the suprise. At least if it is taken down, the appointees dont stumble onto it. They can look for it if they really want to know, but right now, it's just out there.

Just my perspective.