Parents Page
WELCOME TO THE GREEN MOUNTAIN ACADEMY
Parents Page
14-21 July 2024
Waterbury Armory | Waterbury, VT
Parents, please feel free to contact Cadet Programs for more information.
Please take a moment to view this short presentation about encampment. click here
If your cadet may need special accommodations of any kind, please click here.
Please take a moment to view the National Encampment Information Page here and ask your cadet to apply for CEAP, the Cadet Encampment Assistance Program. For more information click here. CEAP Applications are only accepted March 1 through May 1, 2024.
You will receive an email notification once we’ve processed your cadet’s registration. We have also established a Registration Paperwork Report for you to verify what paperwork we’ve received and what we’re still awaiting. Unfortunately, we cannot update it in real time, but we will have it updated every Friday evening.
Please note registration closes and all encampment paperwork is due by 1 July 2024 and should be emailed to Cadet Programs
Please follow our encampment online
JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT ENCAMPMENT
We understand that sending your cadet off to the unknown is stressful. We at Vermont Wing want to help you alleviate the stress of this event as much as possible. We invite you to join us in an open discussion so we can hear your concerns and let you meet other parents with cadets attending. Please choose from one of the following times:
Sunday June 30 7:30pm - 8:30pm
(click to join: the room will open 10 minutes prior to start time)
WHAT IS ENCAMPMENT?
Summer encampments are the #1 cadet activity in Civil Air Patrol. Participating in them is one of our greatest retention tools second only to orientation flights. Although across the nation, each Wing’s (state) encampments will differ greatly in experiences, all encampments are governed by a standard syllabus published by our National Headquarters at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. This allows each wing to tailor their encampments to their own specific program goals while still ensuring that every Wing is covering the same material. Here at the VTWG, we believe that cadets need both classroom and experiential learning and have tailored our encampment accordingly.
The overall purpose of encampments is to develop leadership skills, explore aerospace sciences and aviation careers, begin the habits that lead to a healthy lifestyle, and solidify their moral character. At encampment, cadets will be immersed into a “military style” environment. They will wake early, conduct morning physical training, attend both indoor and outdoor classes, stand inspections, learn USAF close order drill, and rotate through basic leadership positions. Although the week is fun, it can also be stressful. Young cadets, especially those who are away from home for the first time, often get homesick and experience anxiety. Our staff is trained to assist these cadets through these difficult times. We want everyone to graduate; attrition is not the mission.
Please remember that the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program is intended to be cadet led, senior member monitored. Our cadet staff will be your cadet’s main teacher and mentor. On occasion, when we conduct specialized training, professional military instructors are brought in. Our goal is to not only have fun but broaden the experiences of every cadet attending our encampment.
HOW DO I GET TO WATERBURY ARMORY?
Please set your GPS for:
294 Armory Drive Waterbury Village, VT 05676
If you are driving in, please take exit 10 off interstate 89 and head towards the town of Waterbury. At the roundabout, take the 2d exit and then almost an immediate left onto Union Street. Please note the turn is just in front of the railroad overpass about 100 feet past the roundabout. Take the next left onto Armory Drive and follow the road to the facility.
Arrival Date: Sunday, 14 July
Arrival Time: 1200-1500
Arrival Uniform: ABUs
For a map to the Armory click here.
If you're flying in please make your airline tickets to Burlington International Airport (BTV) and email your cadets itinerary to Cadet Programs. Please try to schedule your arrival to the above times or as close as possible. We will have our logistical team transport your cadet to and from the airport.
WHAT TO EXPECT UPON ARRIVAL
Waterbury Armory is a former Army National Guard Facility. Upon arrival you will be directed to the drop off point. Once you reach the drop off point, you will have to say goodbye to your cadet for the week. You cannot accompany them beyond the drop off point. Each cadet must carry their own gear into the facility. Please encourage your cadets to only bring what is on the packing list, nothing more. They are intended to have a spartan lifestyle for the week. Once they arrive, they will report in and show the CAP ID card to our Admin personnel. We will ask them a series of questions then they will receive a contraband inspection. Once the inspection is complete, we will take their picture, escort them to their sleeping area, and introduce them to their flight and cadet leadership.
Cadets should report to encampment in their ABUs. Portraits will be available on the FLICKR Site for parents. Parents will receive a download code for the FLICKR Site at graduation.
WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THE WEEK
As mentioned earlier, cadets rise early at 6 am. They conduct light physical training every day. Our training schedule changes every day, but your cadet can expect to spend each day in the classroom learning aviation related topics, conducting close order drill, and having outdoor experiences like the Land Navigation Course and Leaders Reaction Course. Every year, we attempt to bring in helicopters but due to operational requirements we are not always able to get them.
Young cadets often feel homesick and can experience anxiety. This is a normal reaction to the training. We find that reinforcing a team atmosphere and using the buddy system greatly improves each cadet’s ability to work through their difficulties. Your cadets will experience failure. Learning to fail is necessary to build the basic learning blocks of leadership. Our program is designed to allow your cadets to fail with a safety net, so they learn and grow from the experience.
You may send encouraging letters to your cadet to help them through the week, but please be advised that we have found that personal letters from home can trigger or exacerbate homesickness and anxiety. If you do want to send your cadet a letter, you must send it PRIOR TO ENCAMPMENT. Unfortunately there isn't a post office at our facility. As such, mail for cadets must be received by July 10 to be distributed at encampment. Please put the day of the week you would like us to deliver your letter in the bottom left corner on the front of the envelope. Please address your envelope as follows:
Cadet Name
c/o Vermont Wing Civil Air Patrol
2081 Airport Road
Barre, Vermont 05641-8708
GRADUATION DAY
The graduation ceremony is set to begin at 10am on 21 July, 2024. Please plan your trip accordingly.
With the recent location change we are still planning graduation. You will receive an email from Cadet Programs once we have finalized graduation details. We hope that you can join us to celebrate their accomplishments.
