RAMSTEIN AIR BASE.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- A white van whirls to a stop in a parking portion on the edge of the forests Fifteen kids in climbing harnesses and helmets, carrying luncheon boxes, climb out and begin their hike to a distaff wall for a day of climbing and rappelling. Basic Recreation and Adventure Training camp has begun. BRAT camp is a two-week course for kids 7 tot 4 years aged and is sponsored by the 86th Services Squadron.

"Our goal is to safely challenge kids at enhancing their communication skills, building self defer to and respect for others while working with what we call 'edge work,'" said

Samantha Owen, camp coordinator. "We challenge the kids with various activities, encouraging them to appropriate challenges without forcing them to do something they don't want to. We want to lay them outside their comfort belt without scaring them."

"BRAT camp helped me earn a little over my fear of heights," said Logan Snow, the 12-year-old son of Master Sgt John Snow, 786th Communications Squadron. "My favorite part was rappelling into the cave. Going across the edge backwards kind of scared me however I got to set the pulls in the cave with Samantha. That was fun"

According to Owen, the two-week course involved rappelling protection climbing, canoeing, kayaking, water preserve pulley rescue, building shelters and unruffled a trip to Luxembourg to a series of caves where the kids applied their of the present day skills

As far as Owen knows this is the solitary such course in the Air Force

"There are other courses that have a of the training, but nothing I know of involves everything we do in the same time frame," she said. "Most courses are single in kind week and focus on common aspect."

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