Reporting to you live on the ground of USAFA: it's pretty much CANX this time around.
I feel comfortable sharing this information because, although Recognition is generally kept secret, there is absolutely no way it will ever happen like it has this year. Either it will go back to normal or it will be CANX entirely.
Recognition was cancelled for all of yesterday due to a snowstorm. Although Recognition still continued in similar conditions in 2006, 2013, and 2016, PP does not trust us to run recognition; because they can't get on base to supervise, we are not allowed to do anything. This is the same for this morning. Recognition events will not start until 1130 due to a delay. Additionally, we will be doing an Inclement Weather (IW) Plan.
Here are some changes within the last 24 hours:
"Deviation from any portion of the Recognition OPORD will result in an LoN" (a LoN is a "Letter of Notification" which basically means presumptive disenrollment) <-- I get the sentiment here, but in the fog of a stressful environment there's bound to be some deviation from the set plan. Current feeling among most upperclassmen is we want to make a meaningful experience for the C4Cs, but with PP breathing down our necks constantly we are basically frozen, afraid to make any move.
From Group 2 and/or 3: "Deviation from any portion of the Recognition OPORD will result in an LoN for the upperclassman and the Squadron Commander" -- I sort of agree with this sentiment of the supervisor should be punished... I'm just sharing this because it's the level of threats that upperclassmen are dealing with right now
"Contraband will not be confiscated from C4Cs during Recognition" <-- probably the most contradictory statement ever. C4Cs typically have to lock up their phones, watches, and computers during all of Recognition. Not this year, probably because PP sees it as hazing.
"Lights will not be dimmed during Recognition" <-- Generally, squadron AORs are modified in different ways to create a sense of seriousness. The idea is that returning to a familiar place will not set the tone for a squadron's Recognition. It would be like if you did BCT at your high school.
"Upperclassmen may not yell at C4Cs to create a stressful environment." <-- The entire intent of Recognition was modified *literally yesterday* to assess how C4Cs will do as 2nd LTs, instead of assessing how they have mastered the skills taught to them over Doolie year (oh wait, I can't say the word "doolie" anymore. A person in my squadron got a Negative Form 10 for saying "doolie" (and another got one for saying the F-word)).
"No basic wakeups will be allowed." <-- same intent as the previous point. Like that's fine, but then why have we been training them on Agile Combat Employment, performance under stress, etc. all year???
"You may not use the words SERE, POW, incarceration, imprisonment, or any verbiage pertaining to the aforementioned." <-- apparently just saying the word SERE is just as stress-inducing as going through the program.
So, in short, events on Thursday were completely CANX, Friday modified beyond repair. And a vast majority of the changes have occurred - including the "intent" piece - within the last 24 hours. Saturday will be interesting. The idea is to just do the Prop and Wings ceremony and be done with it. We can't yell, we can't induce stress, we can't make it a memorable experience. And there's gonna be a ton of grads on here who say "make the most of it" but honestly the only way to do that *without getting disenrolled* is to make it a complete joke to everyone involved. That being said, I'm all ears, so if you have some specific ideas besides "do what you can" or "be creative" then I'd be happy to hear them!
There's also probably going to be a few "I'm a grad from 1812, and these changes are all good because I never utilized them in my AF career" or "I'm was a fighter pilot, I never went to USAFA, but basically everything you guys have been doing for like 70 years doesn't make sense," but there is a TON of VALUABLE experience gained from creating an artificially stressful environment. And maybe people find the "When we're at war" mantra corny af, but to say that a likely near-peer conflict with China or Russia will not be stress-inducing, or that many of these traditions will not be valuable, is utterly ridiculous. I recently spoke to a grad who was a POW in Vietnam. He said that his experiences during his freshman year were crucial to his survival while a Prisoner of War. No, we're not at war right now, but we ought to be prepared for stuff that happened in our military's past. Sorry for anyone that was triggered by my saying "POW" or "Prisoner of War", btw.
General Moga, our previous highly-respected Commandant, said the following about doing hard things at USAFA: "Every cadet that leaves this institution, regardless of ending up in an operational career field or not, has to understand and embrace the warfighter state of mind — the warfighter mentality. Whether they end up in combat or supporting those who do, that mentality will serve them well throughout their careers and throughout their lives." At the end of the day, everything that the USAFA of yesterday did for CW, especially for the C4Cs, helped them build this warfighter mentality. It's sad to see a lot of this go away for the current freshmen.