This article appeared in the Spirit of Phoenix newsletter, August 2001.

Spirit of Phoenix is available on the web at http://www.phoenixsqdn.net/ (click on "newsletter")

I mean, when Lt Col George Burns asked me offhandedly about this year’s encampment, and I’d told him I was thinking of going, his eager affirmation of my tentative decision should’ve tipped me off.

Not that he was anything but above board about it. I told him of my vast experience as a woodsman, and he told me the encampment was nothing like that. He actually warned me that it was something like an abbreviated military basic training, but did imply that as a Tactical Officer (TAC) I’d be acting in loco parentis, and was not [necessarily] expected to participate with the Cadets, but that I would have to follow them around.

Did I know that I have that particular form of brain damage that I discovered I actually have a taste for organized chaos at oh-dark hundred in the morning? Did I further know such damage has extended itself to a form of stupidity that I reasoned if I can take a two-week 130 mile walk in the Adirondacks or half that in the Smokies, running a mile in the morning after my loose interpretation of the First Sergeant’s calisthenics couldn’t be all that difficult?

Suffice it to say, this 55 year-old old fart survived, will probably do the same thing next year, and was pleased as all get-out to have his Flight, Golf, win Warrior Flight and see Phoenix’s C/2d Lt Kayu Ng awarded Honor Staff Officer for his work as Admin OIC, and C/SMSgt Nick Kasatkin awarded Honor Staff NCO for his work as Mess Sergeant where he had to deal with Seniors who generally hadn’t learned to clean up after themselves as well as the Cadets did.

Phoenix’s own Major Malcolm Dickinson mentored a Cadet Public Affairs office that turned out a single-leaf two-page daily newsletter complete with photos, puzzles, and surveys in addition to news and feature stories. No mean accomplishment inasmuch as better than two hundred copies were distributed at the end of each day, incorporating the news of that day.

It also didn’t hurt my feelings that C/MSgt Geoffrey Getgen (Finger Lakes Group) of Golf Flight won Encampment Honor Cadet. The only small disappointment was that Squadron II never quite caught up with Squadron I as Honor Squadron, hanging within one percent or so of them for most of the encampment.

All in all, a very rewarding experience. As I told Lt Col Burns at the end of the encampment, bunking in a room adjacent to Senior TAC Lt Col Blair Biddle’s room, and thus having the pleasure of sharing some experiences with so outrageous a character, was alone worth the price of admission.

Also appearing in the same issue of Spirit of Phoenix was the following note from the Squadron Commander, Capt Wai Lee:

The 2001 New York Wing Encampment, Fort Drum, New York, July 28 - August 5

The 2001 New York Wing Summer Encampment was concluded on 5 August 2001. The following Phoenix Composite Squadron Personnel attended:

	Maj Barbara Burns - Mess Ops Mentor
	Lt Col George Burns - Orientation Pilot
	Maj Malcolm Dickinson - PAO Mentor/Orientation Pilot
	Capt George Kelen - Orientation Pilot
	S/M Donna Lee - Finance
	Capt Wai Lee - TAC Officer
	1st Lt Luis Ramos - Bus chaperone
	1st Lt Thomas Szekely - TAC Officer

Phoenix Composite Squadron had the highest senior turn out of any squadron this year. Everyone had a great time and gained the experience of working with cadets during an encampment.

Kasatkin                                                                         Ng