LDAC 2013

[mbitr]

Regarding land nav: it's all about pace count, attack points and accurate plotting out there. The southern part of the course is very dense vegetation. I went 1st Reg and the dense vegetation in the south was the most challenging part of the course. There were two times I had to shoot an azimuth from an attack point for a point only ~150m away because you just couldn't see it. The northern part is less thick and had a bunch of prairies. It's all flat. There are a couple of hills so far south they probably won't be of any use. Other than that I think there's a single contour line on the entire course.

That isn't to say it's featureless. There are lots of man-made features on the course (two creek fords, a road with an oil pipeline, and a bunch of known points and manned water points). Be able to use roads/intersections as attack points with a pace count and keep track of where you are on your map and you'll be fine.

 

[EDelahanty]

A and S stand for usually hot chow or Jimmy Dean's (like a box lunch).

Mermites/R are also hot chow but in a field environment

Things must be slowing down for you, now that there's only one regiment left.

Have your duties been strictly medical/nursing? What kind of maladies or injuries have you had to deal with at LDAC?

 

[goaliedad]

Another year at LDAC is now officially completed with the 13th Regiment graduation ceremony completed.

Congratulations to this year's LDAC classes!

Safe travel to all back to school!

 

[Thompson]

Will be interested to hear what the incoming MSIV's and cadre will have to say about the changes at LDAC this year.

On the other hand - congrats to MSIV's!!

 

[mariner116]

We picked up our daughter today from LDAC. She earned RECONDO and we're all very proud of her. The graduation ceremony was very nice.

 

[Bird85]

The accessions briefers made it clear to SMC cadets they are not guaranteed active duty.

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=21993

As long as they fulfill the obligations in paragraph "e". That's the rub. If they do, then they go AD. It is the law.

 

[-Bull-]

Read the last part of section (e). That's the point that's being stressed. They are not guaranteed Active Duty.

 

[goaliedad]

Read the last part of section (e). That's the point that's being stressed. They are not guaranteed Active Duty.

I imagine getting an "N" at LDAC would put an SMC cadet in jeopardy of not receiving the required recommendation of his/her PMS. Hence the reinforcement of this at LDAC.

 

[-Bull-]

I imagine getting an "N" at LDAC would put an SMC cadet in jeopardy of not receiving the required recommendation of his/her PMS. Hence the reinforcement of this at LDAC.

I think that definitely would be an example. The days of coasting through to a commission are over.

 

[Bird85]

Read the last part of section (e). That's the point that's being stressed. They are not guaranteed Active Duty.

Didn't I say "fulfill the obligations in paragraph "e" or did I miss something?

Please don't make me become one of those snarky parents who feel they need to put the "wet behind the ears" cadet in their place. Not that any of those exist on this board!

 

[-Bull-]

Didn't I say "fulfill the obligations in paragraph "e" or did I miss something?

Please don't make me become one of those snarky parents who feel they need to put the "wet behind the ears" cadet in their place. Not that any of those exist on this board!

I'll wait.

Must fulfill obligations leads to active duty. Joining ROTC at an SMC doesn't guarantee ****. Thanks cadet parent for all your awesome knowledge, I guess I missed you in the back of the accessions brief.

 

[Bird85]

I'll wait.

Must fulfill obligations leads to active duty. Joining ROTC at an SMC doesn't guarantee ****. Thanks cadet parent for all your awesome knowledge, I guess I missed you in the back of the accessions brief.

Sent you a PM.

 

[Jcleppe]

Didn't I say "fulfill the obligations in paragraph "e" or did I miss something?

It's a nice perk for SMC's, get below a 2.9 GPA and still fulfill the obligations to commission Active Duty. Do that at a regular ROTC Battalion and you'll get your choice of National Guard Units.

 

[goaliedad]

Didn't I say "fulfill the obligations in paragraph "e" or did I miss something?

Please don't make me become one of those snarky parents who feel they need to put the "wet behind the ears" cadet in their place. Not that any of those exist on this board!

Bull would be one of the last cadets I'd call "wet behind the ears" He got his E at LDAC, thank you.

There were valid reasons for reading the SMC cadets the riot act.

That warning wasn't heeded by one SMC cadet in my daughter's squad who, upon receiving his N (he passed APFT and Land Nav, but otherwise did poorly), was promptly escorted back to the airport - no graduation for him.

I wonder if the commandant will allow him to retake next summer? Or perhaps he will not recommend him for AD.

 

[-Bull-]

Sent you a PM.

I see nothing in the inbox. I'm sure you could "scold" me on the public forum though. Set all the other "wet behind the ears" cadets straight too.

 

[The OC Josh]

Getting the thread back...

To those returning or about to return from LDAC:
1. What was the most valuable exercise, where you learned something new and useful?
2. What was the most enjoyable exercise?
3. What was the most useless exercise?
4. What was the most difficult exercise?

Thought I'd chime in here!

1. Learning to work with other cadets. Learning to work in the atmosphere where you aren't the best and you aren't the worst. You need to learn who to listen to and who to just ignore. There are definitely some space cadets at LDAC.

2. I actually enjoyed LDAC overall way more than I expected. Everything post LandNav (that's the last individual challenging event) was not that stressful and actually fun. Not getting rained on probably had to do with that.
Also shooting machine guns was pretty sweet.

3.I'd say cultural awareness. Not because it was bad training. The training was actually very extensive and in depth this year. It was just the biggest let down. They have a full half day of training for "Atropian culture". And then maybe one cadet used it in STX and Patrolling. It would have been great to seen opportunities for it to be applied more.

4. Out processing was hard because we weren't allowed to sleep, didn't have our phones and for a few days only had 1-2 hours of scheduled activities. Just sort boring. Also CBRN sucked. Like I knew it was gonna be bad. I didn't realize it was gonna be that bad.

 

[EDelahanty]

Thought I'd chime in here!

1. Learning to work with other cadets. Learning to work in the atmosphere where you aren't the best and you aren't the worst. You need to learn who to listen to and who to just ignore. There are definitely some space cadets at LDAC.

2. I actually enjoyed LDAC overall way more than I expected. Everything post LandNav (that's the last individual challenging event) was not that stressful and actually fun. Not getting rained on probably had to do with that.
Also shooting machine guns was pretty sweet.

3.I'd say cultural awareness. Not because it was bad training. The training was actually very extensive and in depth this year. It was just the biggest let down. They have a full half day of training for "Atropian culture". And then maybe one cadet used it in STX and Patrolling. It would have been great to seen opportunities for it to be applied more.

4. Out processing was hard because we weren't allowed to sleep, didn't have our phones and for a few days only had 1-2 hours of scheduled activities. Just sort boring. Also CBRN sucked. Like I knew it was gonna be bad. I didn't realize it was gonna be that bad.

I ran your comments by Cadet Delahanty. He agreed completely with your comments on #1 and #2, saying he could have written them word for word. The experience in developing unit cohesion at the squad and platoon level was a valuable one.

#3: Regarding cultural awareness, he begged to differ and believes he will utilize his new insights in the future. However, this may be the result of his inadvertently making eye contact with an Atropian maiden, which the locals consider a vile offense against their honor. The wedding will take place after Ramadan. He will then enter his new father-in-law's sheep-skinning business. Will he have to repay his scholarship?

#4: Although CBRN was unpleasant (he tossed his MRE cookies too), the worst may have been the adult circumcision he had to undergo in preparation for the above-referenced nuptials. His in-laws-to-be were particularly insistent on this. Too bad he didn't take his sunglasses to LDAC.

 

[kinnem]

#3: Regarding cultural awareness, he begged to differ and believes he will utilize his new insights in the future. However, this may be the result of his inadvertently making eye contact with an Atropian maiden, which the locals consider a vile offense against their honor. The wedding will take place after Ramadan. He will then enter his new father-in-law's sheep-skinning business. Will he have to repay his scholarship?

#4: Although CBRN was unpleasant (he tossed his MRE cookies too), the worst may have been the adult circumcision he had to undergo in preparation for the above-referenced nuptials. His in-laws-to-be were particularly insistent on this. Too bad he didn't take his sunglasses to LDAC.

LMAO! You're too funny!

 

[sheriff3]

#3: Regarding cultural awareness, he begged to differ and believes he will utilize his new insights in the future. However, this may be the result of his inadvertently making eye contact with an Atropian maiden, which the locals consider a vile offense against their honor. The wedding will take place after Ramadan. He will then enter his new father-in-law's sheep-skinning business. Will he have to repay his scholarship?

#4: Although CBRN was unpleasant (he tossed his MRE cookies too), the worst may have been the adult circumcision he had to undergo in preparation for the above-referenced nuptials. His in-laws-to-be were particularly insistent on this. Too bad he didn't take his sunglasses to LDAC.

How does one clean Diet Pepsi off a computer keyboard? Never mind I'll just go buy another one. +1 on too funny

 

[goaliedad]

I ran your comments by Cadet Delahanty. He agreed completely with your comments on #1 and #2, saying he could have written them word for word. The experience in developing unit cohesion at the squad and platoon level was a valuable one.

#3: Regarding cultural awareness, he begged to differ and believes he will utilize his new insights in the future. However, this may be the result of his inadvertently making eye contact with an Atropian maiden, which the locals consider a vile offense against their honor. The wedding will take place after Ramadan. He will then enter his new father-in-law's sheep-skinning business. Will he have to repay his scholarship?

#4: Although CBRN was unpleasant (he tossed his MRE cookies too), the worst may have been the adult circumcision he had to undergo in preparation for the above-referenced nuptials. His in-laws-to-be were particularly insistent on this. Too bad he didn't take his sunglasses to LDAC.

So, was the rest of the platoon invited to the wedding?

And more importantly, was the mutton served better than the MRE's?