Recognition Day Two

Check out the first day if you haven't already: Day One

(0640) It's day two of recognition. The day began early with a basic wake up which includes surprising the four degrees by banging on their doors until they are dressed and out in the hallway. We had a reveille formation at 0530 and then breakfast followed. Currently, the four degrees are being marched back from Mitchell Hall to their squadrons and are preparing for the courses.

I'll still be taking photos all day so check back later to see the doolies in action.

Update (1120): The first half of the courses are done for the day and everyone is headed off to lunch. The two courses I was at today were the Academy Tour and the Leadership Reaction Course (LRC). The Tour is one of the most strenuous and physically challenging courses during recognition but the freshmen took it in stride.

The day began before sunrise.

During the Academy Tour, the doolies go to several monuments on the Terrazzo and meet upperclassmen who explain the significance while performing some exercises. Here, the cadre (berets) and the freshmen perform pushups in front of the class crests.

A doolie low crawls with her rifle and classmates.

Four degrees wait at the base of the Core Values Ramp to begin another station of the Academy Tour.

An upperclassman from Squadron 12 leads his freshmen in exercises before the start of the LRC.

 The LRC gives the freshmen a chance to use teamwork to solve different tasks. It's not strenuous and allows for them to have some rest and fun for once.

A classmate lends C4C Staab a hand in completing an obstacle.

Course Cadre C2C Mitchell debriefs the doolies on their obstacle.

Blindfolded, the doolies were tasked to take a rope and create a square within a time limit.

Update (2100): The second day is slowly winding down. Today included 3 tough courses along with training sessions between the courses. The freshmen looked pretty tired and are certainly ready to have recognition end. Below are the two other course. The first is "Chutes and Ladders," a circuit type course based on knowledge. If they are good with knowledge, the four degrees can rest but if they get a question wrong, they  will get to do exercises. The cool thing about this course is that everyone is paired up with someone from another squadron, so none of your friends are there to support you. You have to rely on your new teammates.

A doolie fireman carries his teammate.

A little pre-workout motivation by the upperclassmen.

A freshman low crawls through a push up tunnel created by her classmates.

After "Chutes and Ladders," we have the Assault Course. Based off the course during Basic Cadet Training, the A-Course is a difficult physical test of the freshmen's strength, will, and stamina. While the Academy Tour is usually the hardest course, I believe that this year, the A-Course takes the gold. The upperclassmen certainly put on a tough challenge for the freshmen.

A doolie displays his warrior ethos.

One of the exercises used throughout the course, a freshman bear crawls with his rifle to the next station.

A freshman with his rifle sprints alongside a cadre member during the Assault Course.

After the conclusion of the A-Course, the doolies were led to dinner and then back to the squad. Currently, they are experiencing "Theme Rooms." This is a secret held close to recognition so I won't be posting any photos.

Tomorrow is their last day. The run to the rock and prop and wings ceremony concludes recognition and begins a whole new life for the freshmen. I'll be sure to keep you updated.