INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS (FIRST-YEAR CADETS)

General Information for All Cadets

The 2025 Illinois Wing Summer Encampment will be from Saturday, 12 July 2025, through Saturday, 19 July 2025 at the Marseilles Training Center (MTC) near Marseilles, IL. The MTC is an Army National Guard facility. If you have not attended an Encampment previously, you should plan to attend Encampment this summer! Completing a Civil Air Patrol Encampment is a prerequisite to earning the CAP General Billy Mitchell Award. In addition to gaining useful leadership experience and in-depth knowledge of the United States Air Force and Civil Air Patrol, you will meet cadets from Illinois Wing and other Wings and share in a week of learning, sports, and social activities. 

 

Medical Information

CADET MEDICATION REQUIREMENTS

Since your cadet is attending an Illinois Wing Encampment and may take medication regularly, it is important to highlight some REQUIRED items to allow participation in the Encampment. Please read the information below carefully and reach out if you have any questions.

1. Any medical or prescription changes occurring between submitting your registration and the the beginning of encampment must be updated in your CAP Health account.  

2. Cadets MUST bring any prescription, non-prescription medications, herbals, vitamins, or supplements to encampment only in the original containers where the medication was dispensed or packaged.

a. Prescription containers must contain the name of the prescribing physician, the name and telephone number of the dispensing pharmacy (if applicable), the name of the prescription recipient, and any other applicable dosing instructions.  

b. All non-prescription medications, herbals, vitamins, and supplements must also contain dosing instructions and be labeled with the cadet’s name.  

3. Medication quantities (prescription and non-prescription) MUST be limited to sufficient amounts to last the duration of encampment plus one additional day.  For summer encampment, this would be eight daily doses of medication.

4. All medications (prescription and non-prescription), vitamins, herbal remedies, and over-the-counter (OTC) medications MUST be packed together in a single clear plastic Ziploc bag labeled with the cadet’s name and CAPID.

5. Failure to provide medications in their original containers labeled as described above WILL result in the cadet’s dismissal from the activity. Baggies of loose pills will not be accepted.

6. CAP cadets will surrender all medication(s) in their original and labeled packaging to the activity Health Services Officer (HSO) or designee upon check-in for logging and securement.

Specific Exceptions to Medication Surrender: Some medications need to be retained and readily available to cadets due to a need for immediate access in the event of evolving or emergent situations. These medications include:   

• Sugar supplements for diabetic cadets. 

• Epinephrine auto-injectors for cadets with known severe allergic responses for which these devices are prescribed.  

• Rescue inhalers for cadets diagnosed with respiratory conditions which warrant such medications.

7. Should the use of the emergency medication be necessary, the cadet is responsible for reporting the use to the senior officer present at the event, who will ensure that the medication administration time and amount are documented and will immediately notify the encampment Health Service Officers (HSO). 

8. Cadets will report to the HSO supervising medication self-administration at the agreed-upon location and administration times.  

9. Any cadet who refuses to take any prescribed medication shall be immediately reported to the parents/guardian.  Repeated refusal or failure to report at the administration time repeatedly shall result in termination from Encampment.

Illinois Wing Summer Encampment will be using CAP Health, the new National CAP Electronic Medical Record, at this encampment. It is mandatory that all members complete their CAP health profile prior to attending. If you have not gone into CAP health to at least acknowledge your allergies and contacts, your in-processing may be delayed. CAP Health is accessible from the e-Services home page.  Instructions for opening or updating a CAP Health account are in the Registration Information tab on the main page (immediately under the encampment logo). 

 

Getting to Encampment

The member is responsible for transportation to and from the encampment. Commanders may, on an as-available basis, provide CAP vehicle or aircraft transportation.

Transportation to and from the encampment may include carpooling with other cadets, parents driving, squadron commanders or group commanders driving, and cadets driving themselves. Check with your squadron commander and other squadron members regarding available transportation options.

Cadets who drive Personally Owned Vehicles (POVs) to the Encampment will not operate the POV while at the Encampment. Upon arrival, they will turn in all car keys to the designated senior member, who will return them when cadets are dismissed.

Arriving at Encampment

All cadets will report to Summer Encampment in their Airman Battle Uniform and with proper grooming standards. Upon arriving at the encampment, the check-in process will begin.  Senior Members will check to make sure each Cadet has a current CAP membership card in their possession.  They will also inspect all luggage for contraband.  Any contraband found will be confiscated.  Any medically necessary items, such as inhalers or EPI pens, must be carried by the cadet at all times.

After the luggage inspection, squadrons and flights will be assigned.  Flight Staff will take charge of their respective flights and show cadets to their barracks. They will also demonstrate how and where to unpack their uniforms and other items and introduce cadets to encampment life.

The first few hours of encampment can be stressful and hectic.  There is much information to be learned in a short amount of time.  The more cooperation between squadron staff members and the other cadets in the squadron, the more efficient this process will be.  Things will get easier as the cadets become more familiar with the encampment environment.

Cadets should arrive at the MTC on Saturday, 12 July 2025, between 1300 (1:00 p.m.) and 1500 (3:00 p.m.).  If you arrive earlier than 1300, you will need to wait outside (or in your vehicle) until inprocessing begins.  Exceptions will be made for restroom use as needed. 

The physical address for Marseilles Training Center is: 1700 Army Rd, Marseilles, IL 61341

Living with Many Other People

Cadets will stay in air conditioned open-bay barracks, which includes bunk beds, foot lockers, storage shelving, and space for hanging uniforms.  Each barracks bay can accommodate up to 40 cadets.
Individual shower stalls in the barracks provide privacy for personal hygiene. Cadets will shower at least once daily and be instructed in the proper method for arranging uniform items, maintaining their personal area, and storing their personal items.  Because space is shared with many others, cadets must maintain a clean living area and remove all personal items from the restroom when done with their personal hygiene.  Cadets will learn to pick up after themselves.

MTC and CAP do not provide linens or blankets.  Each cadet MUST bring a sleeping bag and a white pillow case. 

Training Day

Our days at Encampment begin with reveille at 0600 (6:00 a.m.) and end with lights out at 2100 (9:00 p.m.). It is strongly recommended that each cadet is in good physical condition and that boots are well-broken in. The day will involve marching, meals, classes, drill practice, making your bunk, cleaning your room, inspections, physical training, and squadron time. Each day will be full of activities and require you to be well-rested. You need your sleep each night, and the lights-out time will be strictly enforced.

Formations

Formations will be held each morning before breakfast and each evening before dinner.  All cadets will participate in Encampment Formations.

Marching

While at Encampment, you will march to and from meals, classes, and other activities. It is vital that your boots and shoes are well broken in before you arrive at Encampment.  While wearing boots, it is recommended that you wear thick, heavy duty socks (or two pairs of medium duty socks) and ensure your boots are laced tightly.  The tight lacing will prevent the boot from moving around on your foor as you march and the thick socks will cushion your feet.  This will help prevent blisters.  Blisters are a common problem at Encampment.  You must take care of your feet by keeping them clean and dry and changing your socks daily. If you develop a blister, your flight staff will assist you in seeing the Medical Officer to get it taken care of as soon as possible.

Uniforms

The basic uniform requirements for the Encampment are at least two (2) sets of the ABU camouflage uniforms for daily wear and one (1) set of the summer Air Force style blue short sleeve uniform for the graduation parade.  Cadets MUST ARRIVE with the required uniforms and should not plan to purchase uniform items at the Encampment. The base does not sell CAP insignia.  Civil Air Patrol insignia items can be procured through Vanguard before Encampment.  Their website link is: https://www.vanguardmil.com/

Grooming Standards

All cadets must meet the grooming standards outlined in CAPM 39-1 BEFORE arriving at Encampment. Grooming standards will be strictly enforced, especially proper hair length.  Cadets not meeting grooming standards will be responsible for any cost incurred to correct the problem(s). The cadet may be dismissed from the Encampment if a discrepancy cannot be corrected.

Membership Status

Cadets who have completed Achievement 1 (Curry Award) and are current members of CAP are eligible to attend Encampments.  Cadets must always bring and carry a valid, current CAP membership card. Cadets arriving without a valid, current CAP membership card may not be allowed to participate in certain encampment activities that require a valid ID card on their person.  All cadets should ensure their membership is valid until at least 20 JUL 2025.

Hydration

Encampment is held in mid July, which can be some of the hottest days of the year. Staying well hydrated by drinking plenty of water is necessary to stay healthy and to be able to participate in all Encampment activities. Cadets are required to drink one to two glasses of water at EVERY meal and drink water from their canteen throughout the day. Cadets never have to ask permission to drink water.  It is better to make an extra trip to the restroom than to end up in the Medical Office due to dehydration.

Meals

Meals are provided in the dining facility during Encampment. Service will be cafeteria style. Each cadet will eat three meals every day. Cadets participate in a lot of physical activity while at Encampment and will need adequate calories and nourishment to have enough energy to stay active throughout the day.  Dietary restrictions should be noted when registering for encampment.

Help at Encampment

Each squadron has at least five cadet staff members assigned to conduct the training and oversee the squadron. These staff members are experienced cadets who have attended Encampments previously. They are your first contact for questions, concerns, or problems. Each squadron has at least two senior members assigned as Training Officers (TOs). These TOs ensure the safety of the cadets and provide feedback to the cadet staff members. TOs assist cadets with medications and other medical issues, including visiting the Medical Officer. Cadets may speak to their TO at any time. Cadets may also speak to the Chaplain if they desire.

Graduation

Parents and/or family members of cadets are invited to the Pass in Review and Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, 19 July 2025 at 10:30 a.m.  Your cadet will not be available to you until after graduation. Please indicate the names of family members who will attend using the graduation guest list link at the bottom of the encampment home web page. All attendees' names MUST be on the list at the front gate to be allowed access to the base for the Pass in Review.

Information for Cadet Students attending Basic Encampment

ACTIVITIES

Activities for this year’s Encampment will include, but are not limited to:

• Major U.S. Air Force Command briefings to be presented by teams of United States Air Force officers;
• Civil Air Patrol briefings designed to increase cadets’ knowledge of the overall program;
• Firearms training using an engagement skills Trainer (Laser-based, full recoil firearms simulation);
• Rappelling training provided by Illinois State Police rappel masters
• Confidence Courses;
• Information on aerospace career opportunities;
• Inter-squadron sports events, drill competitions, leadership classes, and the Encampment graduation parade add up to a week of continuous and interesting activities.

Additionally, planned activities for the week may include the following:

• Orientation flights in CAP and/or military aircraft 

*These activities are subject to change based on weather, facilities, and instructor availability.