DailyDrum Issue 5

NCO Academy Water Survival Training

Today the NCO Academy went to combat water survival training. They were all very excited about going. When they got there, they changed into BDUs that were loaned to them for the activity. The water survival training consisted of three activities, and every cadet got to do at least one out of the three.

In the first activity, the cadets had to put on gear (canteens, suspenders, and a web belt) and hold on to a “rubber ducky” M16. The cadets were pushed into the pool and swam to the other side. They had to swim on their sides with all of their gear on, holding the M16 in one hand.

For the second activity, the cadets put on gear and got on a diving board. Then they were blind folded and spun around a couple of times. Then they were pushed off the diving board. Once they were in the pool they had to swim back to the side.

NCO Academy cadet about to jump

The last activity consisted of the cadets taking their gear off. This might sound easy, but it’s not. The gear that the cadets were wearing had to be attached to a rope. Then the cadets were pushed into the pool. They had to go underwater and raise their arms so that their gear would come off. Then they were pulled to the surface of the pool and had to climb out.

We asked some of the NCO Academy cadets their opinion on the activities. C/SrA Galser thinks that the diving board activity was nerve-wracking but exciting at the same time. C/SrA Whitson said “it wasn’t bad, but my pants were filled up with water and I felt like I kept on sinking.” C/2Lt Ng said that it was pretty cool when he did the activities, and also that he got to cool off. The NCO Academy and the staff members that attended this activity want to thank Capt Miller. (

Daily Poll

Is PT challenging? (70 cadets polled)

YES – 53% NO – 47% (

Trivia Question of the Day

What does the Group 1^st sergeant’s tattoo look like, and where is it? (

SET Steps Up Inspections

The SET team evaluates every flight. All the flights need to have all their stuff squared away and the beds need to be so tight that you can bounce a quarter off the bed. The cadets have to have their uniforms perfect. Their cut outs have to be 1 inch up and parallel to the bottom of the collar. SET does a very good job inspecting all the cadets. It takes a long time to inspect over 100 cadets and they do it in a very organized way. The cadets also do a really good job taking care of all the tasks they have to do to make their barracks outstanding. (

C/Capt Martin from SET inspecting a cadet’s bunk.

Training Staff Daily Factoid

“Some dinosaurs eat meat, others eat gravy…you’re welcome”

-Perry Saturn (

Group Leadership Task

This morning, cadets from Foxtrot and Golf Flights split up into four man teams. Two cadets from each team carried a third “unconscious” cadet across a mine field. The two cadets were blindfolded and were guided by the remaining member of the team. The mine field consisted of a lot of broken roof shingles and a rope which zigzagged across the mine field. The shingles represented mines, and the rope represented a deadly trip wire. Two rules that made it more difficult were that the people in the mine field couldn’t talk, and that the leader was forced to stay outside the mine field’s border. If the team touched the trip wire or any of the land mines, they were considered dead and had to start over from the beginning. (

Med Tips

· Cadets aren’t drinking enough water. Drink it even if it tastes bad, it’s still safe to drink.

· Stay in the shade when possible.

· Drink plenty of water – but not too much. Use the following guidelines:

· 78° to 85°: drink ½ to ¾ quart every hour

· 85° to 88°: drink ¾ quart every hour

· 90° and above: drink 1 quart every hour.

CAUTION: hourly fluid intake should not exceed 1.5 quarts. Rapid ingestion of more than 1.5 quarts per hour may lead to hyponatremia (acute water intoxication) which is a life-threatening condition that can lead to weakness, convulsions, loss of consciousness, and death if not treated promptly. (

Letters to the Editor

Dear PAO:

It’s been a great 3 days at the encampment. The cadets are very motivated from what I see, especially those in my flight. Everyone on staff has done a great job so far, and I hope that we will keep up this effort. We should all give ourselves a round of applause for this. Also deserving a round of applause are the cadets in flight, who have been put through many classes and countless inspections. It’s a good thing they are so motivated through this. I have been given command of some of the best cadets at this encampment, and I’m happy for this. I hope that all flight staff will be motivated enough to push their cadets to meet and exceed the standards set by the C/CC and the encampment. Good luck to the flight staff – I’m looking forward to graduation.

C/1st Lt Brian Owoseni, CAP
Golf Flight/CC

On Monday night Cadet Scalzo and I had graveyard shift CQ duty. We were woken up at 0050. CQ is a very monotonous duty but it goes by pretty quickly. The 1:00 to 2:00 shift showed no signes of disturbances and ended with us waking up the next CQ shift.

C/Amn Jason Truglio
CIF, Foxtrot

Encampment life for the first few days was horrible. Very few flight members were able to perform under Fort Drum’s standards. Every member of the flight has to learn how to act and perform as one, however, once everyone began to be a team, Golf Flight was able to pull together and earn warrior flight.

In the Beginning at the encampment, hardly anyone knew the “right” way to operate. Fortunately everyone had the oppurtunity to gain sufficient knowledge on how to do menial tasks, suchas folding socks, and major tasks, such as being able to score 31/32 on a drill test.

C/MSgt Andrew Numa
CIF, Golf

Dear DailyDrum,

This submission is in reply to the Delta Flight CC’s “grand theft motivation” entry. I would just like to say that Charlie stole Golf’s check and told us they were going to. I informed my flight on day 1 and started using it in the beginning of day 2. The reason Golf Flight won is because we had it first, we did it better, and the check them away. I would also like to say that flights should stop stealing songs from movies and other singers and groups. A motivational check is not a song. Get a real check!!! But, Delta Flight, I think that your checks are really creative, motivating and fun. Hooah!!!

C/SMSgt David Ploegman
Golf Flt/Sgt

The Daily Drum is brought to you by your Public Affairs Office:

C/2d Lt Jacob Uriel, OIC
C/MSgt Jennifer Frye, Reporter
C/SSgt Daniel Cocozzelli, Reporter/Photographer
C/SSgt Daniella Ayala, Reporter/Photographer
Maj Malcolm Dickinson, Mentor

All cadets are encouraged to win honor and acclaim for their flight by submitting articles for publication in the Daily Drum in accordance with these article submission guidelines:

· Submissions must be clearly legible and must be written in black ink, and contain the writer’s full name, grade, and flight/staff position clearly written on the top.

· Submissions should be given to your flight staff.

· Submissions that are submitted before lights out will be considered for the next day’s issue.

· Submissions may be edited for space and clarity.

Submit long or short; serious or amusing; true or tall tales!

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