FAQs

Encampment FAQs

Does encampment staff provide transportation to and/or from encampment?

No.  A cadet's family/guardian is responsible for getting them to/from the Marseilles Training Center for encampment.  Due to set up and clean obligations before and after encampment, the staff has no extra time to transport cadets to/from the encampment.  If cadets are anticipating travel issues, they are encouraged to communicate well ahead of the start of encampment with other cadets and/or senior members who will be attending to determine if they can make arrangements to car pool.  Additionally, CAP units that are providing vehicles for encampment sometimes have space to take cadets from their unit or nearby ones.       

 

Will I have to share a room with other cadets?

Yes.  You will be staying in a large bay (room) in a barracks building.  Each bay holds up to forty cadets (in bunk beds), but usually we have less per bay so that few (if any) cadets will need to sleep in the top bunk. 

Pictures of a barracks bay:

  

 

Are the showers communal or individual?

Showers are individual.  Each shower also has a changing area adjacent to it with a curtain so that you can disrobe in privacy before getting in the shower.  Keep in mind though, there are a lot more cadets at encampment than showers, so your shower will be quick (~five minutes).

Pictures of showers (note that there is a curtain for the shower as well as one for the changing area):

  

 

What kind of food will there be at encampment?

The encampment culinary staff are professionally trained and offer a variety of great tasting and healthy meals each day.  In addition to the meals, healthy mid-day snacks are provided to give cadets a boost.  Cadets with dietary restrictions can request meals to meet their restrictions.  The culinary staff are generally able to provide alternate meals for those requesting them.   

A previous encampment menu is below (this year’s will be similar): 

Day	Breakfast	Breakfast Sides	Lunch	Lunch Sides	Dinner	Dinner Sides
Sunday	Biscuits & Gravy	Hard Boiled Eggs	Chili Cheese Dogs	French Fries	Meatloaf	Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Monday	French Toast	Sausage Patties,  Hot Apples	Chicken Tenders	Tater Tots	Spaghetti & Meatballs	Garlic Bread Sticks
Tuesday	Scrambled Eggs	Bacon, Cinnamon Roll	Nacho's/Tacos	Corn	Chicken Breast	Roasted Potatoes, Roll
Wednesday	Sausage Biscuit	Hash browns	BBQ Pulled Pork	Baked Beans	Chicken Alfredo	Bread Sticks
Thursday	Pancakes	Sausage links	Corn dogs	Pasta Salad	Chicken Wings	Potato salad, Crinkle Cut Fries
Friday	Breakfast Burrito	Bacon/ Sausage	Ham/Turkey Cheese Sandwich	Cole Slaw	Cook Out	Pizza, Chips, Soda
Saturday	Continental	Breakfast
BREAKFAST SALAD BAR:  Yogurt, granola, fresh fruit, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, bread (anything else that seems appropriate for breakfast) LUNCH & DINNER SALAD BAR: Fresh Salad, jello, cottage cheese, fresh fruit (anything else that seems appropriate for lunch & dinner)

 

 

Can I arrive at encampment late (or leave early) due to another event I have scheduled?

It is preferred that all cadets arrive and depart at the scheduled encampment times/dates.  Missing too much of encampment will result in the cadet not getting credit for encampment.  If you have a schedule conflict, let the encampment commander know as soon as possible.

Why can't cadets have their cell phones with them during encampment?

They are an unneeded distraction that would cause cadets to lose focus on the activities they are participating in.  Additionally, text messages or phone calls or messages from parents/relatives/friends to the cadet could cause feelings of home sickness, lessening the resolve of the cadet to complete encampment.     

Can cadets call home during encampment?

Yes, but calls home are typically for cadets who are having problems adjusting to life at encampment, at the recommendation of the encampment chaplain or counselor.  Often times, when a cadet with minor anxiety issues calls home, hearing the sound of a loved one's voice only makes the issues worse.  In several past cases, cadets calling home increased their anxiety so much that they could not function at encampment and their parents had to pick them up.  These cadets never gained encampment credit.  It should be noted that if a phone call home is made, it will not be from the cadet's phone.   

Are there any ways to contact a cadet at encampment?    

Yes.  If it is an emergency, contact the encampment commander, Lt Col John Wenzel at 217-377-0301.  Ensure you leave a message if the the call is not answered.  For non emergencies, either text Lt Col Wenzel or email him at jwenzel@ilwg.cap.gov.  The best way to send message to a cadet is to fill out a message in the Mail Call link on the encampment's main page.  You can send a positive message to your cadet, encouraging them as the week goes on.  The Mail Call messages are distributed to the cadets each day at dinner and are enjoyed by the cadets who receive them.   

Can things be sent to the cadets at encampment? 

Generally, no.  Items sent generally won't arrive before the end of encampment.  If items arrive after encampment they will remain at the Marseilles Training Center until the cadet or his family make arrangements to pick them up.  This is an onerous process though that is not recommended.  Any items which do arrive for cadets before the end of encampment will be held and given to them when they depart on graduation day.  If a cadet needs a necessary item (uniform item, ID card, etc.) sent to them, contact encampment staff ahead of time to determine if a delivery will be feasible.

I am a new senior member and am interested in encampment.  Do I need any special training or experience to attend encampment?

No.  The only requirement for training is the completion of Cadet Protection Policy Training (CPPT) which can be done through the Absorb application in e-services.  A great job for senior members attending their first encampment is Training Officer.  Training Officers work with the cadets throughout the day, assisting both the basic (first year attendee) cadets and the cadet staff with advice, providing words of encouragement, and sharing life experiences that aid the cadets.  Another bonus of attending encampment is that it qualifies as an event that senior members can use when advancing through the senior member promotional process.   

I am a senior member and am the parent of a cadet that will be attending encampment.  Could I (or should I) attend encampment as well?

Yes!  Over the years parents have attended encampment with their children, making it a great memory that they both can share.  Typically, parents are not assigned to the flight that their child is assigned to so that the cadet grows and learns on their own, but there will be ample opportunities to interact with each other as the week of encampment goes on.                  

 

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED HERE, EMAIL THEM TO: summer.encampment@ilwg.cap.gov