Regional Training Centers

[RiverAux]

One of the things to come out of the November NEC was the idea that the Commissions received from Vanguard on sales of CAP items are going to be put into a fund that will be used to build/develop/purchases regional training centers for the use of CAP.  Supposedly the lack of permanent facilities for regional events has been hurting us.

I've got mixed feelings about this.  On the one hand, we potentially have access to almost any Air Force Base or other military installation and these all have the stuff we need to conduct any conceivable CAP training.  Of course, these are sometimes subject to "the needs of the AF" and we could get kicked out at the last minute. 

Partially the combat this the NEC also discussed getting some CAP training events a higher "ranking" in the AF system.  Apparently right now these things have the same priority as a wedding, which is why we can get kicked out so easily. 

The other thing that makes me very uneasy about this is exactly how the sites of these regional training centers will be selected.  There is a very high potential for a "pork barrel" project to favor the current golden boy Wing CC. 

What I think would make a greater impact overall would be to look at our current Wing headquarters and to use it to help obtain permanent facilities in states where we had none.  For example, Iowa until very recently had no Wing headquarters.  I don't know how many states are in that situation, but it is a definite drawback.

Secondly, this money can be used to obtain powerpoint projectors to be doled out to squadrons.  Surely over about a 5-year period there would be enough to have gotten one for every squadron out there.  Since most CAP training is powerpoint-centric now, this would make it easier for units to do their own. 

Thoughts?

[mmouw]

One option would be to use the money to update and redo current facilities. South Dakota Wing has an office for Wing Headquarters, but like Kansas, they have an excellent setup with a dinning facility and sleeping barracks. They are setup in an old alert facility. The only thing with Kansas is that the building is very old. This could run into issues like asbestos and lead based paint issues. Use to money to updated and get rid of potential health risks and insure that the building is safe.

I think what they should do is come up with guidelines that would help make the desision as to where and what they could use for a training facility. For instance, it really wouldn't make sense to have NCR training facility in Rapid City because we are on the very west side of the Region. Have guidelines to make the position fair and cost effective for travel and property value. With the facility have standards that have to be there in order to make it effective for training. Some cities have old schools that we might make use of or former military facilites that are available. The one thing we are good at in CAP is working with cities or states to get a home that we can call our own.

[Major_Chuck]

I feel a better option would be to approach military installations that have 'space' and facilities and offer to renovate at our cost the building.  An example of this is the how the Boy Scouts of America have poured a huge amount of money into facilities at Fort A.P. Hill here in Virginia.  They get a place to hold their jambories, A.P Hill gets renovation at no cost to them.

The last time I was at Fort Pickett playing Army Man I noticed several old buildings that had been closed by the BRAC.  Perfect opportunity to come in and create a CAP presence.

[TDHenderson]

Camp Dodge (just north of Des Moines) where the Iowa Wing meets for our WTA's would be a good choice for the NCR.  Plenty of good barracks space, classrooms, chow halls, and some great field training areas. 

[mikeylikey]

Working with BRAC would be a wise choice.  There are options out there to give buildings to federal agencies.  CAP-USAF could come in and get what CAP needs.  Regional Training facilities is not a bad idea, but the way in which locations are choosen needs to be addressed by an independant group. 

[ZigZag911]

What is the concept of operations here?

Are we looking at moving some training that is currently National level (Master IG class, for example) down to region level?? In other words, decentralizing?

Or are we looking at pulling stuff from the wings?

Frankly, as things stand now, some wings over-centralize...this is not a shot at Iowa, by the way, which seems to be successfully addressing their local situation.....I'm talking wings where group & squadron personnel, no matter how experienced, are not trusted to conduct operations & prof dev training without being micromnaged (supervision is a different story, and certainly needed for quality control & standardization).

[MIKE]

One of the things to come out of the November NEC was the idea that the Commissions received from Vanguard on sales of CAP items are going to be put into a fund that will be used to build/develop/purchases regional training centers for the use of CAP.  Supposedly the lack of permanent facilities for regional events has been hurting us.

How about using the money to provide quaility distinctive insignia for the membership at reasonable prices? 

[RiverAux]

To what extent does CAP really do any regional training?  Region Staff College is the only thing that comes immediately to mind.  There may be one or two other similar events, but that would hardly seem to justify having a permanent facility. These things would sit empty most of the time except for being used by whatever Wing they are in.  I just don't see the point. 

If they are going to do it, I agree that they need to put them on an Air Force base or other similar installation. 

[Johnny Yuma]

To what extent does CAP really do any regional training?  Region Staff College is the only thing that comes immediately to mind.  There may be one or two other similar events, but that would hardly seem to justify having a permanent facility. These things would sit empty most of the time except for being used by whatever Wing they are in.  I just don't see the point. 

If they are going to do it, I agree that they need to put them on an Air Force base or other similar installation. 

Actually, I think this is a great idea. Let's use a Region I know, NCR:

The Region Hq is, like, a P.O. box in Cedar Rapids. The Region LO is in Minneapolis. Region holds drill/CG comps, SDIS/CD/RSC/CISM classes scattered all over the 7 state area. A regional training center could locate the Region CAP HQ, a Region administrator, Region LO staff and have amenities for training up to 75-100 people.

Yes, it wouldn't get used by CAP all the time but CAP and CAP-USAF would be in one centralized area instead of spread out all over God's Green Earth.

I'm not certain I'd want them colocated with an active DoD facility. Most Air Force bases are either using all their facilities or else they're knocking them down.  They usually just don't have empty facilities anymore. There's also the problem with entry access. We have local units in KSWG meeting on McConnell and Ft. Leavenworth that at times get locked out for days, even weeks, at a time and these are regular visitors to the place!

My thinking: Build a facility capable of providing training for up to 100 for a weekend, not including billeting. Office space for THe Region CC, Vice, CS, Region CAP-USAF/ CAP-RAP staff, and a Region admin. Rest of staff would get 30 cubicles. 2-3 conference rooms seating 20-25 and one large room for 100. Hangar space for 3-4 would be nice, too. Build it on a Regional civilian airport closest to the geographical center of the Region on the flight line.

BTW: Thanks for the nice words about the KSWG facility. I don't think we could find better. 

[flyguy06]

The thing about a centralized Region facility is when does the Region stafff get together. Take the SER. The Region CC lies in Florida, the CV lives in Georgia, the Dir of Recruiting in ALabama, the Safety Officer in Puerto Rico. These folks are obviously not going to be able to have weekly meetings. SO when will they ever get together as a staff? Maybe once a quarter

[mikeylikey]

Perhaps we should not be thinking about regions.  Lets focus on wings.  Erect facilities in each Wing that has space for meeting, classes, billeting and mess.  In those larger wings that already have a nice wing HQ with these amenities, then build the facility away from the Wing HQ.  That will help to decentralize all training from only one location (the wing hq) to other areas.  I myslef do not like having to drive 6 hours to attend wing schools and classes.   

[ZigZag911]

Perhaps we should not be thinking about regions.  Lets focus on wings.  Erect facilities in each Wing that has space for meeting, classes, billeting and mess.  In those larger wings that already have a nice wing HQ with these amenities, then build the facility away from the Wing HQ.  That will help to decentralize all training from only one location (the wing hq) to other areas.  I myslef do not like having to drive 6 hours to attend wing schools and classes.   

This is a terrific idea...start by providing Wing HQs/training facilities to those states that have none....then build auxiliary locales for the states that currently have something, as funds become available.

[arajca]

The problem with region training centers is they will become defacto wing training centers for whichever wing they are located in and most of the other wings in the region will get zero benefit.

The only plus side to setting up region training centers would be to prove that CAP needs wing level training centers for each wing.

[Major_Chuck]

Say this all occurs, now the hard questions.

Who pays to maintain them in a few years when NHQ decides that they don't want to foot the bill?

Who becomes the custodian for them?  Is the Region Staff weenie four wings away?  Most likely some poor local squadron.

What do you do with a facilty that only gets used a couple of times a year?

Who decides what gets scheduled at the facility and who has priority? 

What are the training priorities?  Does a NHQ sanctioned event trump a Region event?  Does a planned Wing event get booted to support a short notice Region activity?