July 17-24, 2021. Why are these dates significant? That is when Iowa Wing Encampment occurred. This year, St. Croix Squadron had three cadets attending: Lieutenant K. Bateman, Airman Hipp, and me (Lieutenant Menk). This encampment was a huge learning experience for all three of us, and in that way, it was particularly influential to each of our Civil Air Patrol careers. When I signed up for encampment, I thought it was going to be way easier than it turned out to be. Hipp says she was nervous but hopeful for an amazing experience. Staffing encampment, I learned a ton about leading and managing people, Bateman says, “I learned a lot about leading people with less experience,” and Hipp learned more about Civil Air Patrol while bonding with her flight. Looking back, Hipp says, “encampment made me a better person.” We all feel that encampment was an invaluable experience. For that reason, all three of us highly recommend encampment to all cadets.
-C/2dLt Menk
Quotes from interviews with Bateman and Hipp