Professional Development

[davedove]

I am only one month away from completing Level 3 as a lowly 2d Lt. 

Great job!!  I am also only a lowly 2d Lt, but I have completed my Level 2 and should get my Level 3 before I am promoted, provided I can get CLC.

[Capt M. Sherrod]

Thank you, all for your comments.  It has definitely been a help.

I believe that I will be adding Assistant PDO officer to the stack of hats that I am presently wearing.  I also truly believe that our squadron will only get better by pulling / leading our members through this training.  While some of it may be archaic and 20 years dated <cough> AFIADL 13 </cough> it is still a decent start down the right road.  Leadership is both taught and caught.  Someone can be completely book smart but not be able to get themselves out of a paperbag.  And others may be completely charismatic and have flocks of people follow them but are doomed to make the mistakes of the past because they haven't learned the history.  We need to be able to balance both and utilize the training that is available to us to its maximum.

Are there any courses out there that you would recommend from the catalog that are not specifically CAP related?  I've looked through, however, most appear to be specialized training for things that I am not even close to qualified for (EMT, PAO, etc.)   Your thoughts are always greatly appreciated.

[Dragoon]

I'm not aware of too many courses out there, but there are certain skills that are worth training seniors in.  You just have to find the right instructor.

For example, how many of your senior members

1.  Actually know how to inspect a van using the checklist and correctly annotate it on the paperwork?

2. Prepare the initial paperwork and notification following an accident?

3.  Prepare a military memo or letter?

4.  Initiate a request for an award?

5.  Or for that matter, know what awards they can earn, and what the criteria are?

6.  Prepare a 5 paragraph operations order for an activity?

7.  Correctly sign for an account for issued property?

8.  Know how to file for reimbursement using a CAPF 108?

etc. etc.  If you check with your staff (and higher staff) there's actually quite a few things you can train seniors on outside of ES and traditional PD.  All of which will make them better squadron members.

[Hawk200]

6.  Prepare a 5 paragraph operations order for an activity?

5 para ops order? Sounds similar to an Army FRAGO. That the way y'all are doing it?

8.  Know how to file for reimbursement using a CAPF 108?

Don't even know how to do that myself. Probably should since I'm working on the ES side more this time around.

[Dragoon]

6.  Prepare a 5 paragraph operations order for an activity?

5 para ops order? Sounds similar to an Army FRAGO. That the way y'all are doing it?

8.  Know how to file for reimbursement using a CAPF 108?

Don't even know how to do that myself. Probably should since I'm working on the ES side more this time around.

Joint Doctrine now specifies 5 para OPORDs and OPLANS.  So USAF is slowly coming around to the Army way of doing this stuff.

It works really well for CAP ops.