BCT Last Leg Days 4-6 (28th-30th)

[see important note at the bottom!]

Wednesday, July 28th

Here's WebGuy's summary:

Let me give you an overview of the day before I can diverted with something else.

Aggressors - AFT; Haircut; Flight Drill; MKT; Cadet Store

Barbarians - AFT; Rank Issue; Flight Drill, MKT, Flight Drill

Cobras - AFT; Haircut; Room Set-up; MKT

Demons - AFT; Room Set-up; Haircut; MKT; Cadet Store

Executioners - MKT; AFT; Flight Drill; Rank Issue; Room Set-up

Flying Tigers - MKT; AFT; Flight Drill; Reporting and Open Ranks

Guts - MKT; Flight Drill; AFT; Flight Drill

Hellcats - Flight Drill; Haircut; MKT; AFt; Rank Issue

Interceptors - Email Netiquette; Flight Drill; MKT; Rank Issue; AFT

Jaguars - Flight Drill; MKT; Cadet Store; AFT

After Dinner tonight, it's pretty quiet. No intramurals or big briefings. Just the weekly height and weight check. Then TAPS at 2100.

All the names at the beginning are the different BCT squadrons. Nathan is in Aggressors, so he did the AFT (Aerobic Fitness Test), got his hair cut, did some flight drill (marching), took some/all (I don't know which) of the MKT (Military Knowledge Test), and apparently was able to go to the Cadet Store.

Here's a picture of Nathan in PT gear plus a hoodie - so I would assume this was before or after doing the AFT.

And here's a picture from the flight drill. Nathan is on the very right of the picture. Pretty blues!!! :D

A couple other things WebGuy said on the 28th:

The first is about what happens after BCT is over.

Question:

But WebGuy, if they have their luncheon on Saturday afternoon and move to their academic year squadron on Saturday afternoon, why is Acceptance Parade on Wednesday?

WebGuy Answer:

Although they have the Commandant's Luncheon on Saturday, they are still basics. This will last through the next few days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). The most obvious evidence of this is that they are not permitted to move from place to place unescorted. An upperclass cadet must still lead them to all of the briefings and equipment issues over those interceding days. Only after they are "accepted" by the Cadet Wing, into the Cadet Wing, and receive their fourthclass shoulder boards, are they truly "cadets" in the Air Force Academy.

They need to receive briefings such as Academic Services Briefing; Computer Training; Library Briefing. They need to pick up their computer, additional clothing items, and textbooks.

Also, they get a briefing on the "Fourthclass Year Experience". It's sort of like the "Star Trek Experience". The upperclass cadets are the Klingons.

and

Tomorrow looks very similar to today. You'll notice many of the same activities as squadrons try to get everything finished off. This is the goal since Friday is mainly made up of briefings.

Also, part of Friday night is "Pack for AY Move"! That stands for Pack for Academic Year Move! Ta Da!!!!

Since they have their "Commandant's Luncheon" on Saturday and begin moving to their Academic Year squadron on Saturday afternoon, they need to start packing Friday night and finish packing Saturday morning.

WebGuy Note: Their Academic Year Squadron will be the squadron they move in to on Saturday and remain there through their fourthclass year. For example, Aggressors A-Flight will move to Squadron 1. Jaguars D-Flight will move to Squadron 40.

After their fourthclass year, they will move to a new squadron and likely stay there through graduation. For example, I was Jaguars B-Flight. I moved to Squadron 38. Then after the fourtclass year, I moved to Squadron 25 for the rest of my cadet time.

Also, there was a flyover by a parent of a current cadet! Here are a few pictures. Who knows if Nathan actually got to see it or not. I'm quite sure he would have wanted to :D

Thursday, July 29th

First to WebGuy:

Here is how the day is shaping up.

(1) It was sunny and hot this morning.

(2) it is lightly raining and hot in the afternoon.

Aggressors - Flight Drill/PFT/Room Set-up/Rank Issue

Barbarians - Flight Drill/PFT/Haircut/Cadet Store/Room Set-up

Cobras - PFT/Cadet Store/Reporting and Open Ranks Evaluation/Flight Drill Evaluation

Demons - PFT/Rank Issue/Flight Drill Evaluation/Flight Drill/Room Set-Up

Executioners - Flight Time/PFT/Room Set-up/Haircut/Reporting and Open Ranks Evaluation

Flying Tigers - Flight Time/PFT/Rank Issue/Haircut/Room Set-up

Guts - Flight Drill/Haircut/ PFT/Rank Issue

Hellcats - Flight Drill/Room Set-up/PFT/Cadet Store

Interceptors - Room Set-up/Haircut/Flight Drill Evaluation/PFT

Jaguars - Haircut/Room Set-up/PFT

This evening they will have dinner and then a heritage briefing before having hygiene time before bed.

The PFT is the Physical Fitness Test. How it differs from the other one, I'm not sure.

And here are a few pictures. The first one is back in Mitchell hall, the Academy's cafeteria. And it looks like Nathan actually has food in his mouth this time! ;-)

More drilling in Blues. Nathan is over the right shoulder of the guy in front.

Friday, July 30th

WebGuy said:

I just posted the schedule for today. You can see, it was not a very difficult day for them. Probably the toughest thing was keeping awake during so many briefings.

The last briefing of the day is about to end. After that, between now and TAPS it will be mosltly packing.

and the schedule:

0430 Reveille

0430 - 0700 Hygiene

0700 - 0800 Breakfast

0800 - 0930 Briefing in F-1 Auditorium

0930 - 1000 Transit to Arnold Hall

1000 - 1100 Honor Lesson

1100 - 1200 Transit

1200 - 1330 Lunch

1330 - 1400 Transit to Arnold Hall

1400 - 1500 Heritage Speaker

1500 - 1600 Transit

1600 - 1700 Personal Time/Optional Chapel

1700 - 1730 Transit

1730 - 1830 Dinner

1830 - 1930 Pack for Academic Year Move

1930 - 2000 Evening Brief

2000 - 2100 Hygiene Time

2100 TAPS

Back in ABU's today :P Nathan is just to the left of the guy with the blue hat (the guy with the blue hat is a cadre member - one of the ones that bosses the basics around.)
I think they're drilling. Not sure though. Also, I think the guy with the glasses is Bruton, Nathan's roommate. Not sure about that either.
Another Mitchell hall photo! How exciting! ;-)
The end for tonight.

Oh yeah, the IMPORTANT NOTE:

You will probably not hear from me again for about a week. Sorry about that, but I have a very good reason: WE'RE GOING TO SEE NATHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, we're going to watch the Acceptance Day parade, which is basically the basics graduation from BCT and which marks their official entrance into the Academy as cadets and no longer basics.
We will see Nathan on Wednesday. So once I do get back, I'll have lots of catching up to do from WebGuy, but I'll also have info straight from Nathan!

Okay, I'm about to fall asleep.....play the TAPS for Esther - goodnight :)