cadet blogs

The Cove 2010

(Extracurricular Activities and Faith-Based Involvement, Class of 2014) Permanent link All Posts

This Thanksgiving I was blessed to go on a retreat to the BGA Retreat Center (“The Cove”) in the mountains around Ashville, North Carolina. About twenty-four cadets went with Officer’s Christian fellowship, and we got to stay from Thursday to Sunday. It was an amazing time of not only great food and scenery but also socializing with the other students. The Cove hosts all of the military academies every four years for this retreat. There were about seventy from the Air Force Academy and then at least twenty from each of the others. I absolutely loved meeting all of the cadets from the other academies, because while all the services are different, we all share the same basic experiences. But, of course, most conversations were spent bragging and comparing the different schools. What can I say; we are all 100% certain that “our” academy is the absolute best.

While I did not get to go home for Thanksgiving, I would not have traded this experience for anything. I made a ton of friends and strengthened the friendships I already had with the 4/c from CGA. It was a great experience to represent my school and my profession. I have never been so proud to walk around in my Coast Guard hoodie or talk Coast Guard with people.

Now I just have to get through finals, and I will have conquered the first semester as a 4/c! Only two weeks and I am home in Hawaii; then it’s Christmas time!! My roommate and I have already decorated for Christmas, and Chase Hall is bright with wrapping-papered doors and Christmas trees. While I do not have a tree, my green plant, the one on my bookshelf, is wrapped in green ribbon with a fake flower ornament. It is almost like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

More about Jessica.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/15/2012 11:50 AM