Rodenhuis
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January 3, 2003

Hello everybody,

I just went to see the latest news on the web page of camp. To my surprise I saw the latest information there was about me is two years old. In those two years some things have changed.

I'm am still in the Dutch Air Force, finished the academy in may 2001. After that I spend a month looking around in the Air Force to see what it is about (as far as I didn't know yet). That included a two days trip to Goose Bay, Canada.

I started with the basic Air traffic control school at Gilze-Rijen Airbase. With that school we went to England for a month to do a 3D tower simulator. I finished in November 2001. We started with 9 persons at that school and when I finished I was just one of four.

For jus a year now I am doing the real thing at Volkel Airbase. I am still learning with a tutor beind me but I expect to be able to work at the tower alone in three months from now. That means being in charge of an 8 mile radius and 3000 feet high piece of sky, all aircraft in that area will get permission from me to fly thru it, at least I tell them how to do that. At the base where I work there are about 60 F-16 jetfighters stationed, which is very interesting to see and work with.

Last summer I didn't go to camp for the first summer in 5 years. I do say that I have missed it and will try to get there some other time. What I did do the past summer did have something like being with kids and teach them lots. I spend 10 days with my sea scout group at a jamboree-like gathering with around 6000 other sea scouts from all over Europe. That is once every 4 years but this one was 5 years after the last so I HAD to go! I also ran (together with two friends) a day camp (how Americans would call that) for sailing. It was a week with not enough wind but with loads of fun.

As you might think I am still very active with the sea scouts, I run the group with two others, that involves a lot of organizing. Right now I am planning three weekends for the coming two months.

I still live with my mom (yes, I am 23 and sick of it), nut not for long. Yesterday I went to see two apartments which I could buy. Monday I will know it the sellers will bargain on the price of one of them.

Those are the main things that have happened in the past two years, maybe I'll see you at camp this summer. I'll try to get there around 4th. session.

Bye,

Jurrit
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11 November 2000
Hello my NW/PVC-camp friends,
 
An update about my life.
This week I started Military Academy. I have to stay there for 5 months. I have to do that because I am going to be an airtraffic controller in the Royal Dutch Air Force. Therefore I have to become an officer at the Academy. My contract is 6 years working after I finish school (2 years in total).

The past week was very tough but also fun and educative. According to the previous years it has been a weak week. We had to do several humiliating things such as walk thru a canal in the middle of the night, learn about 50 names and if can't greet that person with his name you had to do something stupid such as lay under your bed (15cm) with your buddy or change clothes with a gas mask.
 
The whole idea behind the introduction at the Academy was to get to know all the customs. I just became a member of the Corps for cadets. That a very important part of the study where you meet people and learn a lot about tradition and etiquette. The other goal was get the team spirit going and let it rise to a high level. I know that worked. I think I have made lots new friends, and some will be, I think, friends for a very long time.
 
I stay in a very old castle (+/- 1250 AD), which an old king of our country lived in. This makes it very special, you can feel the traditions in there. My room is above the main gate. I stay there with 8 others, including future fighter pilots and all sorts of future officers of the Air Force.
 
Next week we will go out camping for at least 10 days. The weather is cold and humid but because of that we'll learn more about camping. Other trips will be a climbing trip to the Ardennes and a hiking trip (200km/5days) to the south of France (near Nice).
 
In spring there will be great, whole weekend long party, with maybe some royalty as guests.
 
There's so much more I could tell you, but I'll do that later. For now I survived the introduction, not without injury by the way. My feet are flat and not straight in line with my body. After a lot of running my knees started to hurt badly so I went to see a doctor. Now I have to see an orthopedic doctor to get me some support in my shoes. I hope I will be able to participate in the normal way at the camping trip.
 
I will keep you updated,
Please don't hesitate to write me some mail. It might take a while before you get an answer, but I always read my mail.
 
Jurrit Rodenhuis
"ATTENTION"...