This weekend we had 16 cadets attend the Practice SAREval. Four trained for ground team, all other trained as Mission Staff and Mission Radio Operators. With few sorties, it was a long and slow day but it allowed all cadets the opportunity to get a good idea of what we will be doing on a much larger scale in November. Cadets served as Scribe to the IC, Assisted with Admin and IT, Logistics, Operations and Communications. Cadets learned to use WIMRS, check-in participants, run reports, use CAPSTAR, Navigate SPOT and many more tasks. Feedback from senior members present was positive regarding the cadets abilities and professionalism.
Having planned on a 2 day SAREX, most cadets came prepare to stay overnight. Since there was not tasking under the training mission and the cadets were wanting for activity, we aquired permission to continue our support of the FEMA Disaster Response as discussed in our Friday night SITREP meeting. In response to the call for support from Ms Barbara Reiser, Volunteer coordinator for the Captial Area chapter of the Red Cross we took the cadets who stayed overnight** and reported to the chapter bulding where the cadets were assigned to inventory, fold and store towels and sheets that had been donated. Again, the adults with whom the cadets worked and interacted were appreciateive and impressed by the hardwork and dedication of our Louisiana Wing Cadets.
**prior to leaving Sunday morning, Captain Dixon conducted some classroom GT training and 3 cadets remained at CCCS to continue ground team training.
In addition to the training and disaster response work, those who stayed overnight spent several hours sorting the piles of uniforms for the Wing Logistics Officer.
Overall a successful weekend. Cadets who participated in this very productive weekend were:
From CCCS
Woldt
Moffett
Shillow
Clayton
Antoine
From STCS
Wellman
Nuegaras
From PCS
No cadets at the SAREX but 3 Seniors to support, supervise and train cadets (in spite of not having their own!) Cadets came Sunday.
Dressel
Girior
From CENLA
Hernandez
From ACS
Hodge
Gaudin
Townsend
Pike
Christian
Joseph
Camacho
From LCS
Nash
Richard
A special note of thanks to Lt Col Marchand, Major Marchand, Major Eschmann, Captain Dixon, Captain Tracy, Lt Woldt and Captain Hoy for providing their patience in training the cadets and their confidence in them. And to Lt Marvin Owen for conducting the O-Flights for 2 cadets today that allowed for the CENLA cadet to participate in the overnight activity.
Now Captain Pike is very sleepy and nodding off as I write so I hope this came our right. See you all for the Balloon Festival.
