MINERAL WELLS, Texas – At 7 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2010, cadet students waited apprehensively for the Group II Airman Leadership School (ALS) to start. They were there to learn more followership and begin learning leadership. By the course’s end and their graduation, they would have succeeded in writing, performing, and attending essays, drill, and classes, achieving the desired standard.

The cadets checked in and received their bunk assignments with a mixture of glee and nervousness, dumped their gear, and rushed back to classes. The introduction to ALS began at 8 p.m. with staff introducing themselves and student learning what was expected of them. The latter were given a pre-test that they finished quickly. Immediately afterwards, the cadet students sat down to a lesson on essay writing.

In class, they learned the important fundamentals they would need to write an essay. Furthermore, they were all prepared to write their assigned 500-word essay that they would have to turn in before midnight. When I asked Cadet Bartz about the assignment he replied, “I thought it was stressful, but I did my best.” When midnight came, C/1st Lt. Addison Jaynes came into the cadets’ barracks and took the pile of essays away. Five minutes later, it was lights out and almost instant sleep, as the cadets ended their first evening at ALS.

1. 2. 3. 4.

[1] To report to the activity, a student renders a hand salute to the cadet officer in charge. [2] Essay writing can be a chore, especially when the deadline is midnight. [3] Saturday morning, before sunrise, physical training was enough to wake anyone up. [4] Returning the graded essays calls for careful mentoring.

The next day began at 5:15 a.m. as they were awakened and called outside. Physical Fitness Training (PT) started at 5:25 a.m. in the pre-dawn cold. They did different exercises: the quad stretch, cherry pickers, and flutter kicks. After that, they ran across the parking lot a few times. Cadet Vural said, “It wasn’t too hard, but it was challenging. Also, it got your blood flowing. ” PT over, the cadets went to the mess hall for breakfast.

The first class dealt with Civil Air Patrol (CAP) history, where the cadets learned about the origins and fundamentals of the CAP organization. Other classes dealt with different subjects, such as Custom & Courtesies. When classroom work ended, the cadets practiced individual drill. This was followed by a uniform class that was all about both Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) and Air Force style Blues. And then the cadets learned even more about the Cadet Program.

Once classes were over, Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie flights practiced flight drill movement. At first they did stationary drill such as left face, hand salute, and about face, with everyone doing the movements in unison. Then they practiced marching along with flanking and column movements.  All that drilling made them quite hungry, so they were very happy to get their pizza lunch.

No longer hungry, the cadets sat down to a leadership laboratory video. While listening to the video and seeing the on-screen action, they learned more about leadership. Right after that, the cadets received a long presentation on the Cadet Protection Program, followed once again bythe individual flights doing stationary and marching drill.

5. 6. 7.

[5] Classroom time was always to the point. [6] Some students found the impromptu speech, a required performance exercise, a fairly easy task. [7] After a hard weekend and much learning, graduation was a mixed blessing. Some couldn't believe that it was all over, so soon. (Photos: Cadet Tech. Sgt. Peter Goodwin)

The big excitement for the day was the dining in. The cadets cheered as cadets and staff – including the PAO staff – were sent to drink the grog (it wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t good either). But there was some serious talk too. Everyone kept still and solemn when the cadet staff remembered Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action.

After a grand supper and “good” grog, the cadets started writing their essays in bed. With little time left, they hurried to finish them. When C/1st Lt. Jaynes again came in at midnight, all cadets were greatly stressed. As they went to bed they were either excited or exhausted.  They knew that the following day would push them to their limit.

The cadets’ next PT would be, of all things, a PT test. If they passed it, the basics could have credit for their next promotion. It was soon over. Tired but relieved, the cadets had their breakfast and then took the post-test to see what they had learned. Then came cadet speeches, and helping with the cleanup of all facilities they had used.

Then, the dreaded wait for graduation began. It seemed as if it would never come.

Lunch came and went. The cadets signed out and waited for the ceremony to begin. As they received their certificates, they glowed with pride. After the ceremonies, cadets swapped laughs, congratulations and e-mail addresses. One by one, the cadets got picked up to go back to their home town or city.

All that remained were the memories.

Cadet Tech. Sgt. Peter Goodwin, CAP