USAFA Through a Sister's Eyes: BCT Day 7 (1st)

Sadly, I didn't find any pictures of Nathan from yesterday :( However, WebGuy's blogging was informative! So here goes....

The basics did Core Values Training, had a dental clinic visit, went to the cadet store, went to the tailor shop, or other similar things. WebGuy went on to give a more detailed explanation of two of the morning activities: Free Inspection and the LOAC & Code of Conduct briefing. Here's what he had to say.

"Free Inspection" - As they basics learn how to put their rooms and uniforms in order, they have cadre come in and show what it right and wrong with what they're doing. However, they are coming up on their first "SAMI" this weekend. (That's the dreaded Saturday Morning Inspection.) This is where all the Basics will have their rooms and personal appearance inspected in the same 1 hour period by official cadre evaluators. These ratings ultimately go into to the squadron's overall performance for the top squadron at the end of BCT. The "Free Inspection" allows the rooms to undergo a thorough inspection with the discrepancies identified in order to give the basics the time to fix the problems prior to Saturday.

LOAC (Laws of Armed Conflict): In wars and conflicts, there a established rules that countries are expected to abide by. These "Laws of Armed Conflict" are taught to the basics and cadets so they will adhere to them on active duty.

Code of Conduct: - The Basics will be receiving training on the Profession of Arms. Part of that training is the U.S. Military Code of Conduct. Here it is listed below:

The Code of Conduct for U.S. Armed Forces was first published by

President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Executive Order 10631 in 1955. It was

later amended by President Carter in 1977. It outlines the basic

responsibilities and obligations of all U.S. service members to the the

United States.

I. I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and

our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

II. I will never surrender of my

own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my

command while they still have the means to resist.

III. If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I

will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will

accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

IV. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow

prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which

might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command.

If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and

will back them up in every way.

V. When questioned, should I

become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service

number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to

the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements

disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.

VI. I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom,

responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made

my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of

America.

And just so you know, the core values of the Air Force (and thus USAFA), are:

(1) Integrity First;

(2) Service Before Self;

(3) Excellence in All We Do.

Which leads me to another point: please feel free to ask any questions you have about what things are or why things are done certain ways. I certainly don't know everything about USAFA, but I have been around Nathan enough to pick up some things...so if I accidentally expect you to know/understand something, but it doesn't make sense, I would be happy to try to clarify :D

Here are a few pictures from the "free inspection." These aren't from Nathan's room, but it will give you a peek into a room that is probably similar, and will show you how picky they are!!!