Advertisement Punishments were handed out in push-ups and flutter kicks.
But sisters Annmarie and Allie Flatten said the three-day Wisconsin National Guard Youth Camp they recently attended was still a great time.
“We got to see and do a lot of cool stuff,” said Annmarie, 13.
The girls, who attend Onalaska (Wis.) Middle School, were among 254 youths who completed the 16th annual camp Aug. 1-3 at Volk Field and Fort McCoy, Wis.
They learned about the armed forces and the kind of training their parents, grandparents, siblings, other family members, friends or neighbors experience as members of the Wis-consin National Guard.
Annmarie, Allie and a friend were sponsored by the girls’ father, Kirk Flatten, who is a member of the 115th Fighter Wing in Madison.
The camp also gave participants an opportunity to make friends with other kids who understand what it is like to have a parent in the military.
The participants slept in barracks, ate in military dining facilities and played in a simulated military environment.
The girls also had time for swimming, tug-of-war, kickball, an ice cream social, climbing a rock wall and visiting with friends from last year’s program.
“It was really cool,” Annmarie said.
A KC135 refueler from Milwaukee and an F16 from their dad’s unit even made a visit to the camp.
Allie, 11, was able to get really close to the planes, and the pilots fielded many questions from the youths.
The girls first became acquainted with military-oriented camps when they attended Operation Purple in 2006, while Kirk was deployed to Kuwait.
They said they had a great time at Operation Purple and opted to try the Wisconsin National Guard Youth Camp the following year.
Kirk also attended the camp, serving as one of more than 200 volunteers. He said the camp helps youths understand what their parents do when they go to drills and allows them to build similar friendships.
“Last year we all became really good friends,” Annmarie said. “Some of us were still friends this year.”
Autumn Grooms can be reached at (608) 791-8424 or agrooms@lacrossetribune.com.
