A group of 138 Las Vegas teens descended on Carson City this week. All are members of the Junior ROTC program in the south, here for a weeklong Spring Camp.
Chief Loyd Crathers said they gathered at Mills Park on Tuesday for, among other things, a dip in the Carson Aquatic Facility pool.
But Crathers said they’ll also get a tour of the Stead training facility where they will be staying, a tour of the Capitol, a trip to Top Gun at the Naval Air Station Fallon and the University of Nevada, Reno, as well as side trips including to Virginia City.
Master Sgt. Robert Brown said the camp helps teach the students, who range from freshmen to seniors, how to work with each other, how to get along.
“The best thing is we take their phones away,” he said. “They quiver for about 15 minutes, then they start to interact, talk to each other.”
They also learn self confidence and responsibility.
They’ll get the phones back when the group arrives in Virginia City on Thursday to make sure everyone can get back to the buses and not get left behind.
Brown said the rule is to make sure they don’t leave some kid behind in a 7-Eleven or something like that.
He said he was pleased with the welcome the group has gotten in Carson City.
“I must have had eight people come up and thank me for my service,” he said adding that doesn’t happen nearly as often in Las Vegas.
He said he also has been pleased with how informal everything has been, including the ease with which they were able to get access to Mills Park as a staging area.