14. Daily life was a routine similar to that of the Army
Another of the veterans of Camp Roosevelt, in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, recalled life at the camp as, “the longer I stayed, the better I liked it”. Camp life was routine, with the day beginning at 6.00 AM, the men rising, making their beds, and straightening up their barracks area. Following breakfast they dressed in the work clothes which had been issued them, which were army fatigues for the most part. They then went to the nearby headquarters of the government agency responsible for the work they were doing, in the case of Camp Roosevelt, the Forest Service, where they received their assignments for the day. When inclement weather forced them to pause their main project, they were given other assignments for completion in the camp.
One night per week, at Camp Roosevelt, men were allowed to go into the nearby town of Edinburg, Virginia, where the entertainments offered included movies, bars, and other distractions traditionally sought by homesick young men. The men were allowed to wear their civilian clothes during the visits, though some preferred their CCC issued clothing, since their own had been so tattered when they enrolled. Transportation to town was by CCC trucks or buses, and those who missed the return ride to Camp Roosevelt faced a nine mile walk, as well as punishment for being late returning to camp. Punishment could be a monetary fine, extra camp duties, or the loss of privileges.