Professional Development

[Capt M. Sherrod]

I am curious as to what the general consensus is for promoting professional development.  I realize that in the SM program, it is up to each person's own motivation, however, as Commanders and Deputy Commanders, how much do you push your staff and fellow members?

Personally, I find it very important and enjoyable to get all of the training and education that I possibly can.  Maybe that's why I am only one month away from completing Level 3 as a lowly 2d Lt.  Are there any techniques or methods that you use to motivate / encourage your staff and fellow officers to advance their education?

Thank you for all of your help and insight.  I am trying to build up the knowledge and experience of both my cadets and the new parent-officers that are joining the squadron.

[Pylon]

While many believe senior members need to be self-motivated and discover the professional development progression on their own, this isn't the ideal situation.  I commend you for taking such strides in professional development yourself.

Ideally, your squadron's professional development staff will guide each senior member along the PD path.  They should frequently send reminders to senior members on what they need to complete the next PD level, circulate notices of PD courses being held nearby and encourage appropriate members to attend, and more.  The AE officer can also assist the PDO in encouraging S'members to participate in the AEPSM.

In addition, the Deputy Commander for Seniors should also take an overall assessment of the squadron members and help encourage those members who are not progressing. 

It just doesn't always work ideally in every location.

[MIKE]

If you don't want to work for it, don't expect to get promoted... but if you want to be an SM or 2d Lt for lyfe... that's cool.  Just don't forget to salute. 

Should you really expect to get promoted even when you do the work though?

[Camas]

  Maybe that's why I am only one month away from completing Level 3 as a lowly 2d Lt.  Are there any techniques or methods that you use to motivate / encourage your staff and fellow officers to advance their education?

If you're "only a lowly 2d Lt" as you put it and are only one month away from getting your Level III you've earned my respect bigtime.  You should know that only about 350 Loening Awards are presented each year.  Generally, only about 20% of CAP members earn this very prestigious award.  Plus you're not only serving in a very key position as deputy commander of cadets but you're also setting a great example for others.

I can only add to what Pylon as already suggested.  Have your squadron professional development officer (you do have one, right?) promote SLS, AFIADL-13, pursuing specialty tracks and so on.  Hopefully you have some veteran members, regardless of grade, who can perhaps mentor some of your newer members.  Take advantage of group and wing members who can bring insight and experience to your members. Invite them over as guests. Many are only too happy to be approached and invited to your squadron.

For whatever it's worth I hold a master's rating in professional development and am currently the Director of Professional Development for my wing.  I wish you the very best of luck.  Keep up the good work.

[IceNine]

After a few years of working in Prof. Dev. I have come to the conclusion that there are 2 types of members

Those who use promotion and advancement as a tool to better the program

AND

Those who are solely concerned with the welfare of the unit, and therefore see no reason to advance

That being said both of these groups still need someone to hold their hand and ensure that they are following the most efficient track for promotion based on their contributions, and ability to handle increases in responsibility which should come with promotion.

The best way I have found to motivate the SM's for life and the gung ho members alike is to explain that their advancement brings knowledge, experience, and overall good "numbers" to the unit.  That simple explanation is usually enough to persuade them to advance, as long as you make it clear that promotion in no way obligates them to positions at higher headquarters.

As for how things are/should be done.  I personally meet with every senior in my unit every month to ensure that they know what their next steps are and should be, and that they are aware of upcoming opportunities to fulfill requirements for their next level.  The other thing I have found invaluable is to ensure that you have a visual reference posted in several spots to make sure that members know what the next step is without studying the regs.  There are several very useful options posted on the national best practices site if you don't feel like re-inventing the wheel.

As for the rest, congrats in advance for the level III that's an awesome achievement.  Just don't lose that fire.

[RiverAux]

Well, thats a nice way to inspire people to pay attention to professional development -- say that if you care at all about promotions and advancement that you obviously do not care about the welfare of the unit. 

[Pylon]

After a few years of working in Prof. Dev. I have come to the conclusion that there are 2 types of members

Those who care about promotions and advancement

AND

Those who are Solely concerned with the welfare of the unit

Non-Concur.

[IceNine]

Well, thats a nice way to inspire people to pay attention to professional development -- say that if you care at all about promotions and advancement that you obviously do not care about the welfare of the unit. 

not real sure why everything that is posted here has to be taken as malintent, at no point did I say that people that care about promotion do not care about the unit, take another look

After a few years of working in Prof. Dev. I have come to the conclusion that there are 2 types of members

Those who care about promotions and advancement

AND

Those who are Solely concerned with the welfare of the unit

Non-Concur.

How so?  Have you ever worked with any other types you have the kind that care about getting promoted and those that don't where am I wrong in any of that?

[RiverAux]

We're just commenting on the dichotomy that you set up.  By your own definition you can't care about promotion and advancement and also care about the unit -- it is either one or the other.

Pylon and I are saying that it is possible for someone to care about their own professional development (and the promotions that go with it) and also be deeply committed to the actual missions of CAP and their unit. 

[IceNine]

Thank you, that is much easier to understand... when you make snippy comments there is no room for explanation...I will correct the verbage in my previous post to properly convey my thoughts

[Capt M. Sherrod]

OK, so let me make sure that I have an understanding of what's been said here...

It is up to the Professional Development officer, and me to an extent, to make sure that people have the courses and material available to them.  Whether they choose to take advantage of those classes / resources is up to them.  It sounds very much like the proverbial horse and water source.  I can bring them there, but I can't make them do it.

So, has there been discussions about re-working the Professional Development program to include some of the knowledge that is included in courses like AFIADL 13 and SLS in the earlier (read - orientation) levels.  It would seem that a lot of people would benefit greatly if they got this material early in their CAP career instead of maybe 2, 3 or 4 years down the road when they finally get off their duff.

Or take it one step further, and update AFIADL 13 to modern day regs / facts / information and eliminate the "correspondence course".  It seems like a lot of people get hung up on "taking a test" that they do not bother progressing past that point.

[IceNine]

It is up to the Professional Development officer, and me to an extent, to make sure that people have the courses and material available to them.  Whether they choose to take advantage of those classes / resources is up to them.  It sounds very much like the proverbial horse and water source.  I can bring them there, but I can't make them do it.

Precisely,  and as I mentioned before most of the time you can make them drink if you learn their secret handshake. 

As for the CAPSOC yes it is in dire need of being updated, and if anyone has any insight as to why it has not been updated please feel free to share.  Even better why is this course not available on line, it isn't an airforce PME course so why can't CAP just own the program, and the others like it (ESO, Safety, Scanner)?

[Hawk200]

I think one of our biggest problems is that most members aren't really aware of the requirements. When we get a new member, I usually have a sitdown with them, and actually explain the requirements for each grade. I also let them know that they don't have to do all the requirements for every grade at once, but I do reccomend that the AFIADL 13 be ordered and completed as soon as possible, just to get it out of the way.

I've met a few long term second lieutenants that didn't know what else they had to do. A number of these folks I've gotten squared away, and promoted within a few months time. It may take a little work with some, but it usually isn't too much trouble.

I'm also looking into doing SLS and CLC locally, so that my unit's members don't have to drive 110 miles for them. A lot of people would probably get stuff done faster if they didn't have to go so far. I think that wings with groups should have the groups do those courses locally when and if at all possible.

[Camas]

The AFIADL-13 course or CAPSOC certainly needs to be updated.  But I still think perhaps some of us (me included) need to promote this opportunity more than we have.  We have about 400 senior members in our wing and only about 115 of them have completed CAPSOC.  That has to improve.  Moreover, Air University has made it so much easier now to apply for the various AFIADL courses available to CAP members along with testing materials.  So what's the problem?  I just don't have an answer other than, perhaps, many of our members are quite happy where they are in the area of professional development and have no desire to progress.

I'm also looking into doing SLS and CLC locally, so that my unit's members don't have to drive 110 miles for them. A lot of people would probably get stuff done faster if they didn't have to go so far. I think that wings with groups should have the groups do those courses locally when and if at all possible.

That's a valid point.  Many wings, of course, don't have groups so that's not an option.  That's the case here in Oregon.  We have something like 18 squadrons and some are scattered far and wide making it difficult for members to attend wing-wide activities such as SLS and CLC. We do what we can to accommodate as much of the wing as we can holding courses in various parts of the wing in different years.

[Hawk200]

So what's the problem?  I just don't have an answer other than, perhaps, many of our members are quite happy where they are in the area of professional development and have no desire to progress.

Some people think it's too hard. I have one member that just has no desire to do it. I think that most people don't seem to realize that cadets look at our promotions too. Some of them think that there is no reason to be a senior after they get to that age, because they don't seem to get promoted (this has actually been expressed to me by cadets).  This seems to be a dangerous precedent, since we should have people staying with the program, transitioning to maintain continuity.

Others figure that they don't need to try as hard since seniors don't. One cadet that mentioned this said he'd come in a twelve years old, and a couple of seniors didn't recieve a single promotion by the time he had turned nineteen. The members in question were lieutenants. They should have promoted at least once, most likely twice, but never did.

Many wings, of course, don't have groups so that's not an option.  That's the case here in Oregon.  We have something like 18 squadrons and some are scattered far and wide making it difficult for members to attend wing-wide activities such as SLS and CLC. We do what we can to accommodate as much of the wing as we can holding courses in various parts of the wing in different years.

I think that those two courses should be promoted and given locally when at all possible. It's probably pretty certain that there is another unit within 45 minutes that would have people needing it. Invite them. The more educated our members, the better off we are. If a wing has groups, then they should be trying to give one at least once a year.

[lordmonar]

After a few years of working in Prof. Dev. I have come to the conclusion that there are 2 types of members

Those who care about promotions and advancement

AND

Those who are Solely concerned with the welfare of the unit

Non-Concur.

I concur with your Non-concur.  

I know SM off all stripes.  Those who are concerned for both unit and promotions...those whare are not concered about either unit or promotions, those who care about promtion and everthing in between.

[Flying Pig]

Im all for the programs.  I just need courses to be offered during the week since I work weekends!

[Hawk200]

Im all for the programs.  I just need courses to be offered during the week since I work weekends!

Another consideration for our member education. Kinda gets me thinking, what do people think of a correspondance course type idea for SLS and CLC? I took the ECI Safety officer course, and I wouldn't think that either SLS or CLC would be any bigger than the single volume that the safety officer course was.

As for the testing, I imagine that the course could be tested locally. It wouldn't be too big.

Of course there is the issue that if the correspondance course required a test, then the in-residence ones should too. Maybe send out a "read packet" or something to that effect so that people are a little more prepared for SLS/CLC.

There are probably a few other issues, don't know what they are right now, just thinking out loud.

[Camas]

Kinda gets me thinking, what do people think of a correspondence course type idea for SLS and CLC?

I like it; it's certainly a viable option.  The only issue I have though is that members lose the camaraderie with others since they're off in their own little cubby hole doing these courses. They lose the advantage of interaction between members that a classroom environment would provide. 

[Briski]

It would certainly help members who would like to stay involved, but don't have many options for attending weekend activities due to other life circumstances.  After this summer, I'm basically assuming that the it will be 2010 at the very earliest before I can be active again (if you call what I've been doing for the past two summers by visiting squadrons when home on break an doing Encampments/NCSAs in the summer "active"). I'd like to have an option for continuing education (and fulfilling training requirements) so I don't feel like I'm just deadweight on the squadron MML, but it will be a real challenge for me to attend CAP activities on the weekends.

And even if I do find that I can spare a weekend, I'd rather spend it on something semi-productive (read: "makes me feel useful, like I'm actually, you know, giving back to the program") such as serving on staff at a weekend activity for cadets.