What is CAP to you?

[sarflyer]

CAP has been my life for 33 years.  I can say with pride it is the best youth organization I have belonged to and some of my best friends close and afar are here.

The plus's outweigh the negatives.  The opportunities that are available to members are the best. 

How about everyone else?

[Stonewall]

CAP has gotten me all 3 jobs I've had as an adult.  Not just small jobs, big cool jobs, like world travel.  All but one of my best friends have come from CAP.  The one that didn't, we knew each other years before I joined CAP. 

From CAP I've grown, learned, given back and spent a lot of money along the way.  I truly believe, 21 years after joining, that if I hadn't found CAP when I was 14, I'd be a total waste, not having completed high school or gotten into the military.

Although I'm no longer active, I still see the results of my membership every day I look into the mirror and everytime I scroll the list of friends on my cell phone.  From my son's God Father, partner at work and former boss, I've gotten more from CAP than anyone could imagine.  It was just time to close a chapter in my life and open another one.

[Eclipse]

From CAP I've grown, learned, given back and spent a lot of money along the way. 

Boy, put that on a t-shirt!

I didn't join CAP to make friends, but over time the majority of my friends are now in CAP.

It is responsible for my current employment (and likely my next gig on the horizon).

Has taught me the value of service, self-sacrifice, and being part of something larger.

Has afforded me insight and access to the real military that most civilians will never see.

Shown me how thin the line is that protects us both home and abroad.

Afforded me more opportunities and growth than I can ever pay back.

[Sleepwalker]

  My parents first met in the ninth grade in a CAP Squadron (my Dad went on to become a Cadet Lt).  Although they didn't start dating until their Senior year of High School, It could be argued that I am here on this planet because of the CAP Cadet program.  I guess that's why I serve - I think I owe them one!  Also, my son joined at my Dad's urging and has earned his Spaatz.

  Also, as for me, I have been so enriched by sharing my time with these wonderful Cadets and Senior Members - and allowed to be a part of their lives - that I have been enriched beyond all monetary measure.       

[Gunner C]

CAP helped me to understand who I was as a teenager.  If it hadn't been for a couple of dedicated officers who cared about me, it's hard telling what would have happened to me.  It formed the basis for whom I've become as an adult.  It gave me a basis of discipline, integrity, and patriotism.  It laid the basis for my service in Special Forces as an NCO and an Officer.

GC

[Duke Dillio]

I've had ups and I've had downs.  CAP has always been there, putting along.

We may have little scandals here and there but for the most part, CAP is still a great organization.  I wish that I could have a full time job doing the stuff that I do in CAP.  In fact, if CAP were paying me, I wouldn't do anything else.  CAP helped me achieve pretty good potential in the military and beyond.  I now spend my time trying to rub some of that off on the cadets in my unit.

CAP is what you make it, nothing more and nothing less.  It's an organization of people wanting to do good things, for the most part.  It is what it is.

[jimmydeanno]

It could be argued that I am here on this planet because of the CAP Cadet program.

I'd be careful how you phrase that when talking to parents 

[Stonewall]

I wish that I could have a full time job doing the stuff that I do in CAP. 

Nah, then it becomes a job.  And while I've pretty much loved every job I've had, it's much different when you have to wake up and not have a choice.  If you don't go, you don't get paid.

[mherrettLtCol]

I joined at first for the Cadet Program, as a cadet in 1969 and stayed in for about 3 years.  I have spent most of my 27 years as a senior member (CAP Officer) involved with the cadet program in some form or another as well as flying as a mission pilot and check pilot.  Now days, I still work with the cadets and fly as a mission observer as my eyesight got below the FAA minmums to get a flight physical.   All in all a great career so far.

[jb512]

I was a cadet of some sort for 7 years:  Navy League Cadets, CAP, USAJROTC, and USAFJROTC.  Dad was a Warrant Officer in the Army, so we moved around quite a bit.  I made it to cadet officer positions in CAP and JROTC.

I'd have to say that my CAP and JROTC experiences had a lot to do with my choices growing up and decisions I made.  While I sometimes regret not going into the military now, I chose law enforcement and have been doing that for 11 years.  I finally decided to look into the warrant officer program in the Army last year, but found out I had just past the age limit for aviation...  Oh, well.

I wear my uniforms much better than most, and have used the knowledge from my cadet days to take over a 12 man Sheriff's Honor Guard where we've honored many fallen officers, EMS, and fire fighters.

I rejoined CAP so that I can be well established when my kids get to the age that they can join, if they choose to do so.  We'll see how it goes...

[RickFranz]

When I joined way back in 68' I lived in Calif. and I figured if this program could keep me out of trouble back then, it must be something special.  I have moved a lot since those days but I always find a CAP unit and friends almost overnight.  It really is like being part of a big family.  I look forward to going to regional events just to see who I might still know.  Can you image my surprise to find a guy that I was a cadet with when I went to High School in New Mexico at NBB last year! 

When I was young it kept me out of trouble, now that I'm not so young ... It's still keeping me out of trouble.

[notaNCO forever]

 Without CAP I'd probably spend most my time playing video games and have no social skills or friends for all the things that annoy me about CAP there is defiantly more pros then cons.

[bricktonfire]

i think that cap is to is the most fun i have ever had and flying is so fun  and to let on an Air Force base well Air National Guard base (here in Syracuse ) is so cool

[cap801]

CAP for me is a structured organization that has a wealth of knowledge (such as my retired Air Force Colonel flight instructor) and is safety-orientated.  It certainly doesn't hurt that this is the ONLY way someone in high school can support a flying hobby on his (or her) own (just-above-minimum-wage-earned) dime.