Promote CAP to the outside.

[RogueLeader]

At one of the WTA's in Iowa, IIRC, we were told that we wouldn't get a call from someone to DO AE or CP, and that was why IAWG focused on ES.  My thought to that was: WHY.
Why can we NOT promote ourselves to fulfill the missions that congress mandated us?  It is a simple solution.  Have someone call the schools and tell them what we can do for AE, tell them about our CP.  Get the word OUT.

I'm not saying spend 2hrs a day.  Make two calls a week, set up appointments with Guidance Consulars, so that they can mention CAP to their students.  Set up a booth outside the lunchroom during the lunch time.  Be Visible.  See if the school will let the students in CAP wear their uniforms one day a month.  Let the Cadets be seen.

Call the Boy Scouts, and offer them some training.  Part of their Curriculum requires it.  Not only does this make us more known- and thus the potential for growth, but it also lets us fullfil the mandates.

You can expect to be rejected by some people, but do not let that get you down.  Keep pushing until you get results.  You know what they say, right? The squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Don't go so far as they want to replace you, but remind them that you exist.

[Eclipse]

Did anyone say you couldn't?

How >ARE< the cadet programs run in IAWG?  They can't be doing this 1-squadron nonsense for cadets, too?

Its hard enough to get parents to drive 10 minutes to drop their kids off, let alone 3 hours and sit with nothing to do...

[RogueLeader]

Well, it looks like the CP are going to be changed in Iowa, but the have not yet.  This is not what this thread is about.  What this is about, is what local squadrons can do to promote themselves to their community.  This is independent of the WTA concept.  The reason that I thought of this was caused by a statement by the IAWG/CC- IF I Recall Correctly.  This is something that the squadron cc or the AEO or CPO could do.  It could even be PAO.  This is trying to make us "not even a secret of the Air Force" to the outside world.

[RogueLeader]

Did anyone say you couldn't?

But most, if not all, do not.  Most of us sit here and talk about what we can do, or how it should be done.  Now, it is time to DO!!!

[RogueLeader]

What I suggest that we do something, and interest dies

[Major Carrales]

The External Public Affairs Program has always been "played down."  It, however, represented the future.  CAP Officers and Cadets are born of Community minded locals looking for unique service.

Here is the equation:

O_S+PAO_S+RO_S= GROWTH

Strong Operations (ES, CP and AE)+Strong Public Affairs (i.e. we take ourselves seriously and put aside all the inferiority complex type issues)+ Strong Recruiting=GROWTH, CONTINUITY and RELEVENCE of CAP.

If we don't let people hear the sounds we make in the forest, then we didn't make a sound!!!

[RogueLeader]

Iowa has created a buzz in the whole organization. Lets top that by doing it in our own communities.  Get out into the public view. Do something to grab front page of the newspapers- nothing illegal please.   Get your Cadets to do the Color Guard for the 4th of July Parade.  The Seniors could do it, or even a mix.

[Pumbaa]

Our squadron is booked at the end of the month at a local Air Show.  We will be providing flight line security and some direction of attendees.. We will have a booth setup with information.

July 4th we are in a parade.  Color guard, followed by cadets, followed by Officers.

We took part in memorial day services, and placed 8000 flags at the military/ civil war cemetary.  As often as possible we are out there.

I follow up with releases to the local media, and if possible I do PSA/releases before the event.

[RogueLeader]

Excellent.  Get plenty of photo's.  I hope you get them to the Wing/Region Website.  Also, if you could manage to have one of the cadets interviewed by the press, and have an article in the paper- that would be great as well.

[Pumbaa]

Ooops, forgot... Will have camera and will be writing sotries/ releases.  Generally the Wing PAO gets copies as well as Wing and National.  All stories and select photos get forwarded to media.

I have a system of doing this.  In my contact list on my email program I have all my media and CAP contacts.  I send a mass mail to all on the list.

I'll repeat this...

It is said that CAP is the best kept secret...

Let me ask.. How do you keep a secret?  By not talking!!!!

So CAP people... start talking!!!

[RogueLeader]

Thunder's just the noise boys,
The Lightning does the work.

Don't just talk, DO, then talk some more, repeat.

[RiverAux]

External Public Affairs is much, much different than External Aerospace Education. 

[RogueLeader]

Yes, so. . . .it's called schools, teachers, admin, any and all who would listen.

[IceNine]

You touched on a point that no one ever seems to remember. 

How did the Boy Scouts get so famous?
Why aren't we taking advantage of that with the BSA initiative?

There are thousands of programs, and through simple repetition they become world renowed, most of these programs are Ridiculously priced and and have no where near the broad spectrum of opportunities our program offers.  So the issue is???

Not recruiting but retention.  In my years with the unit I am in, if we were to keep ever 75% of those that came in we would be over a hundred strong. 

So keep on talking about what brings people in, but actively DO as you say so many times the things that keep members around.

[isuhawkeye]

RL,

Iowa does a ton of external AE.  We send Representatives to more than 15 air shows and special events last year, and we have more scheduled for this year including the Quad cities air show (featured last year on the discovery channel) and Fly Iowa (this year in Des Moines. 

The discussion you spoke of at the beginning of this thread was in reference to the state appropriation.  That money is allocated for Iowa to train,a nd conduct operations, and that is where the bulk is spent.  That by no means infers that we dint want people publicising their squadron, or AE.

[RogueLeader]

Like I said, that was the comment that I heard.  In no way did that mean we were not doing external AE.  I know how hard we were pushing AE, like the Fly-ins,etc. and many more.  I'm just trying to push for more in the Corp as much as I can.

[SarDragon]

Not recruiting but retention.  In my years with the unit I am in, if we were to keep ever 75% of those that came in we would be over a hundred strong.  [my emphasis]

Bingo. We can recruit all we want, but if we aren't keeping them longer than the first year, we are going nowhere. By just keeping half of the folks who drop out each year, the organization would grow.

[Pumbaa]

Retention... yes, yes, and YES!!!

What bribs people into CAP??  What expections do they have?  Are they reasonable?  Then why are we not meeting them?  What can be done to change that!?!?!?!