<p>Also has anybody out there had trouble getting e-mail from famnet this weekend????</p>
<p>grlboxer9: As in all of life, the unknown drives all of us crazy! Yes, it is hard. You will hear from her soon. It's hard as a parent to relinquish control of caring for that child after the 18 or so years of being able to be there for our child. And, it is exactly that - relinquishing control. </p>
<p>Let us know the arrival of the first letter. It will be so sweet. You will be in "tears of joy and anticipation" before you can get the thing open!</p>
<p>It is exciting to witness the Academy life of the next round of "families". :)</p>
<p>Just an extra link for the parents...here are all the squadron patches (although one or two have recently new designs)</p>
<p>You can click on the patches for a large image as well as heraldry on the patch design.</p>
<p>I called AOG and found out that my son Mike is in BCT Squadron B (Barbarians) and that he'll be in Squadron 8 during the academic year.<br>
Using info posted by Webguy previously, does that mean he is therefore in BCT Flight "D" ? i.e. <a href="http://www.usafawebguy.com/?q=node/53%5B/url%5D">http://www.usafawebguy.com/?q=node/53</a> </p>
<p>If that's true, then it looks like he's in the same Squad & Flight as Sara (Potterfan1989 and DS52262's daughter)? Small world! Drop me a PM or email ma'am and we'll keep an eye out for each other's cadet over the coming weeks. :)</p>
<p>Dan
<a href="mailto:Dknightfam@aol.com">Dknightfam@aol.com</a></p>
<p>PS: We did spot Mike in the background of one of the AOG I-day photo galleries and he was wearing an Orange lanyard. Does this match up with this info and/or with anyone else's cadet?</p>
<p>Here's that photo link - he's the fuzzy one in the background not getting yelled at (at the time :)</p>
<p>Yup, he is Barbarians D-flight. I was a Barbarian (A-flight) back in the day. Hope they can live up to the barbarian legacy of last year. First time in USAFA history for a BCT squad to earn honor squad 1st and 2nd BCT.</p>
<p>Guy4Christ - I hope this isn't a stupid question, but will they have the squadron patch somewhere on their uniform, and if so, where?</p>
<p>How do they decide on BCT Honor Squad?</p>
<p>@jwags: No, it isn't a stupid question at all. :)</p>
<p>The patch is not featured on the BDU uniforms, which the basics will be wearing for nearly all of basic.</p>
<p>The only normal day-to-day uniform that has the squadron patch on it is the Athletic Jacket or "A-Jacket" that is worn over our blues on colder days. The patch is on the front of the jacket on the left side, opposite the nameplate on the right.</p>
<p>The patch is also worn on the right shoulder of the flight suit, which is not normally worn by anyone who is not in the jump or soaring programs.</p>
<p>@patriotmom:</p>
<p>The Honor Squad, or more accurately the Outstanding Squadron, is awarded to the squadron that places the highest overall in everything it means to be a good basic: drill, uniforms, physical conditioning, bearing, standards, etc...it's awarded on some kind of point basis that tallies up over basic, just like any kind of award would. There are also smaller awards squadrons can earn. For example, my summer squadron (Hellcats) won Field Day, so we were the Field Day champions, which was essentially like being the top athletic squadron.</p>
<p>uh hum, excuse me. Outstanding squad. ;)</p>
<p>You're just sore cause we won field day. :P</p>
<p>sounds like the Barbarians were the Honor squad for 1st BCT. Congrats!</p>
<p>Okay, so far I have heard Flying Tigers, Interceptors, and now Barbarians. Does anyone know who actually won?</p>
<p>3 different things I believe. Honor Squadron, and I believe Honor Flight went to the Barbarians, and Feild day was won by Flying Tigers.</p>
<p>We went to the Colorado Parents Association sponsored picnic during in-processing. They had a list of assignments for everyone. Here is their website.</p>
<p>my son: Cameron Cummins Hellcats A Flight going to S 29 Black Panthers</p>
<p><a href="http://www.usafacpc.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usafacpc.org/</a></p>
<p>Colorado Parent's Club. They have a list of assignments.</p>
<p>yes, barbarians have kept up their performance, they were indeed the outstanding squadron (while Flying Tigers did win field day).</p>
<p>Does anyone know how the Academy determines squadron assignments(who goes where)? And also, each squad seems to have it's own tone, history & traditions, any info would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Squadron assignments are (from what I know) generally random for males, and are based on an algorithm for females (so you don't get 10 girls in one squad and 2 in another). </p>
<p>The exception is if your father, uncle, brother, sister, or some other random relative went to the Academy and graduated from a certain squadron, you can ask to be put in that squadron as your graduating squadron (last 3 years).</p>
<p>As for squadron history, the best place to find out stuff like that is to ask someone who is in the squadron or do an internet search for a specific squadron. As an example, my squadron, CS-35 Wild Weasels, has its history in a fighter squadron that would purposely fly into the target path of SAM sites so that it would fire at them and give away its position so that the bomber squadron behind them could destroy the SAM sites. It was, naturally, one of the most dangerous and crazy missions in the AF, and thus they were known as the "Wild Weasels." Our squad patch is derived from one of their patches, and we have shirts with one of their older patches on it.</p>
<p>This is why it's best to ask someone in a squadron. :)</p>