Theme rooms

From USAFA Folklore

Theme Rooms have been an element of Recognition training since 19__ (at least the early 70s). The rooms present fourth class cadets with a series of scenarios where they can apply various aspects of what they have learned during the fourth class year.

[edit] Examples of Theme Rooms

[edit] "Mission" theme rooms

Theme rooms are often staged in a logical sequence to tell a story (e.g., mission brief, aircraft identification, shoot down, capture, return home):

• Mission Brief: The fourth class cadet, in the role of a pilot, gets a mission briefing, usually related to a current world hot spot.
• Shoot/Save: Four degrees are presented with a rapid-fire series of aircraft photos (using a slide projector, back in the day). During Cold War days, they would have to identify Soviet aircraft by saying "shoot", and U.S./allied aircraft by saying "save". Often additional distractions would be introduced, such as shooting the four degree with a water pistol, or shaking his chair. As technology has improved, this room has become a more realistic flight simulator using an LCD projector, a joystick duct-taped to a chair, and fighter aircraft simulator software. In any case, the fourth class cadet is always shot down and when he "ejects," the upperclassmen overturn his chair and dump him onto the floor. After "ejection", the smack moves into....
• Escape, evasion and capture: The fourth class cadet is expected to low crawl or otherwise make his way through some obstacles, ultimately resulting in "capture" by simulated enemy personnel. In the early '90s, this scenario was severly restricted because it had become too similar to SERE resistance training. As a result, squadrons were not allowed to use interrogation in this type of room. Many squadrons thus did away with this room entirely, although it resurfaces from time to time in a more benign form. In place of interrogation, some squadrons have staged a non-interactive scene depicting American POWs living in a prison camp, and may have the fourth class cadets recite the Code of Conduct.
• Hippie/War Protester Room: Generally, this room is run by the most liberal upperclass cadets in the squadron. Dressed in civilian attire, and accompanied by a background of political-activist music and burning incense, these cadets would aggressively challenge the fourth class cadets' decision to join the military and their participation in a profession that may require killing.
• Mock Funeral: Sometimes of the cadet himself, sometimes of a classmate, this room allows the fourth class cadet to reflect on the possibility of having to make the ultimate sacrifice. The room may end with the fourth class cadet reciting One More Roll or the Third Verse.

[edit] Other theme rooms

• House of Laughs: Evidently based on the House of Pain from H.G. Wells' Island of Dr. Moreau. All furniture was removed from the room, and the heat was turned on as high as the valve would allow. Fourth classmen were ordered to dress in several layers of uniforms, e.g., fatigues, Bravo, A-jackets, and parkas, and then marched into the room for some squat thrusts, jumping jacks, rifle manual, and of course "knowledge".
• Firstie Board: A board of Firsties, usually headed by the Cadet Squadron Commander, would review each fourthclassman's screw-ups from the year, or preside over a mini-trial weighing good and bad performance. If this was done in the midst of training, it usually concluded with "Recognition Denied". Some squadrons did these boards separately from "theme rooms", and sometimes as part of the Recognition Ceremony itself. In such a case, the judgment would be "Recognition Granted".
• Another frequently seen room, more recently, involves placing the biggest slacker upperclassmen into a room with drinks and snacks, and inviting the 4ºs to sit down, relax, and talk trash about the stract, hard-core upperclassmen (usually Training Staff). Unbeknownst to the 4ºs, the upperclassmen they are talking trash about have hidden themselves in the closets, listening. After about 5 minutes of discussion, the upperclassmen burst out of the closets, shouting and blowing whistles, and begin to train the terrified 4ºs.