unit commanding

[vbrown12]

My tenure as the unit commander is up and I was wondering if I can extend the command by 6 months or we get anew commander?

[baronet68]

This is a conversation you need to have with your Wing Commander since they, in collaboration with the Group Commander (if applicable), are who appoints unit commanders. 

Table 1 of CAPR 30-1 states that unit commanders serve a four‐year term and may serve subsequent four-year terms with approval of their Wing and Region Commander. 

[coudano]

My tenure as the unit commander is up and I was wondering if I can extend the command by 6 months or we get anew commander?

You are at the end of 4 years as commander?
Did you not see this eventuality approaching?  I dunno...  six months ago?

How long until your term actually ends?
--or is it the case that you have 6 more months available to kill and want to hold on to it a bit longer?

More info, please

[TheSkyHornet]

You are at the end of 4 years as commander?
Did you not see this eventuality approaching?  I dunno...  six months ago?

It's not uncommon for a unit to have someone who is interested in taking command and then bails out, or to not have anyone step up and volunteer to take command.

This is a fairly common problem that we see with unit leadership is that many individuals just don't want to be in a command position or feel that they're not ready or capable of committing at that time.

Honestly, my own squadron is facing this right now. My command is up in two years. While I've tried to "train my replacement," he really doesn't want it; and I have a few newer seniors who are engaged but are barely feet wet right now. Maybe in two years, they'll be ready; but it could very well be the case that in 1.5 years, we're still struggling to find the next in line.

It's also not uncommon for Wings to find someone in another unit to transfer over and take command of a neighboring squadron.

[FlyingPig]

My tenure as the unit commander is up and I was wondering if I can extend the command by 6 months or we get anew commander?

I was the commander of my unit in CA for about 4 years 3 months.  I did a one year extension because all of my seniors had already been commanders and none of them wanted to do it. At about the 3 year 9 month mark, I had a parent of a cadet who had joined who was interested in the spot but he needed time to get up to speed.  He ha just joined a few months earlier.  At the 4 year mark, that members cadet quit the program and off went dad as well.  About 2 months later, my Deputy for Seniors, Maj. Rick Finkelstein, once again stepped in as the Sq. Commander.  One of his many terms as the Commander over the years.  It was all coordinated through the Wing Commander.

[Holding Pattern]

My tenure as the unit commander is up and I was wondering if I can extend the command by 6 months or we get anew commander?

You are at the end of 4 years as commander?
Did you not see this eventuality approaching?  I dunno...  six months ago?

How long until your term actually ends?
--or is it the case that you have 6 more months available to kill and want to hold on to it a bit longer?

More info, please

Stuff happens. I had set up 3 prospective candidates to succeed me and for various reasons having nothing to do with the squadron, transferred to other nearby squadrons.

Sometimes you gotta deal with the cards you were dealt.

[coudano]

Yeah I hear you.
Not that it helps you in your situation right now, but the best replacement policy is to have MULTIPLE people in the squadron who could either step up or would consider stepping up if asked to.  Has your squadron historically recruited in cohorts?  How often?
Do you make it a point to hook cadets' parents in at the start of every cohort?
What has been your level of community engagement with other organizations that have service compatible with CAP?


I would say that you are going to have to find someone else to name to the job.

You can stay on as "advisor to the commander" however you need to be careful doing that, that you don't wind up being the defacto commander with all of the basic powers, while someone else just holds the title like a puppet.

[ChiefCubsFan]

I am working on 7 years as the squadron commander. Your wing commander can take care of it.

[HandsomeWalt_USMC]

Rather than start a new thread, figured it makes more sense to continue in an existing thread.

After nearly 7 years as a senior, I am assuming command of my squadron a week from today. My commander needs to step down for personal reasons and I have been asked to take command. I'm excited and the new challenge has reinvigorated my interest in CAP!

I've been around a long time and understand a good deal about how CAP works. I've written a Command Philosophy and I have a decent grasp of the requirements of command. My question to all of you current and former commanders is this: What advice, tips, tricks or other tidbits do you wish someone had imparted to you when you first took command?

[MSG Mac]

Print out a copy of your latest SUI results, and then do an internal SUI to see what needs fixing before the official one comes around.

[SARDOC]

I am working on 7 years as the squadron commander. Your wing commander can take care of it.

My wing has a squadron that has a Commander that has been in place for about I think 18 years.  Always Citing that they don't have anyone else.   I think that's a sign of a unit that's failing our mission. 

The idea of the term limits to keep the units motivated and moving forward as well as developing senior members for more advanced positions in groups/wings/national including Command roles.

We have a defined process for getting cadets to promote and advance through the system but our senior program lacks the clear vision for organizational development and it's more of an ad hoc system.

I'd like to see the promotion system, change a little to see, that in order to make Captain, you must have done a tour as a deputy commander somewhere, Major must have done Squadron Commander and Lt Col Group Command or Wing Vice/Deputy or primary Wing Staff position after the earlier command tour.

I know that's not a popular opinion with the everybody gets a trophy crowd, but it would add a little more meaning to our rank structure process.

Also those who don't ever want to hold a real command/leadership role can be technical specialists, make them flight officers like Warrant officers.  Change the rules to allow flight officers over 21. 

[PHall]

Also those who don't ever want to hold a real command/leadership role can be technical specialists, make them flight officers like Warrant officers.  Change the rules to allow flight officers over 21. 

Why make them anything? A Senior Member Without Grade can do anything a Colonel can do.
It's not like you have to be a Commissioned Officer to be a pilot in CAP.

[SARDOC]

Also those who don't ever want to hold a real command/leadership role can be technical specialists, make them flight officers like Warrant officers.  Change the rules to allow flight officers over 21. 

Why make them anything? A Senior Member Without Grade can do anything a Colonel can do.
It's not like you have to be a Commissioned Officer to be a pilot in CAP.

Because it's a tool to be able to recognize service longevity and organizational commitment.  It may be tied to the same professional development program so there is some kind of incentive to participate in the program and then if someday they change their mind, you can do a similar conversion to the Officer rank grades if they step up to the leadership role 

[Fubar]

I doubt this is the advice Handsome is looking for....

[PHall]

Also those who don't ever want to hold a real command/leadership role can be technical specialists, make them flight officers like Warrant officers.  Change the rules to allow flight officers over 21. 

Why make them anything? A Senior Member Without Grade can do anything a Colonel can do.
It's not like you have to be a Commissioned Officer to be a pilot in CAP.

Because it's a tool to be able to recognize service longevity and organizational commitment.  It may be tied to the same professional development program so there is some kind of incentive to participate in the program and then if someday they change their mind, you can do a similar conversion to the Officer rank grades if they step up to the leadership role 

Service longevity is recognized by the Red Service Ribbon and your Professional Development progress is shown by the Membership, Leadership, Loening, Garber and Wilson Award ribbons.
People are promoted to Officer or even NCO grades only if they want it. It's not mandatory.

[Shuman 14]

I am working on 7 years as the squadron commander. Your wing commander can take care of it.

My wing has a squadron that has a Commander that has been in place for about I think 18 years.  Always Citing that they don't have anyone else.   I think that's a sign of a unit that's failing our mission. 

The idea of the term limits to keep the units motivated and moving forward as well as developing senior members for more advanced positions in groups/wings/national including Command roles.

We have a defined process for getting cadets to promote and advance through the system but our senior program lacks the clear vision for organizational development and it's more of an ad hoc system.

I'd like to see the promotion system, change a little to see, that in order to make Captain, you must have done a tour as a deputy commander somewhere, Major must have done Squadron Commander and Lt Col Group Command or Wing Vice/Deputy or primary Wing Staff position after the earlier command tour.

I know that's not a popular opinion with the everybody gets a trophy crowd, but it would add a little more meaning to our rank structure process.

Also those who don't ever want to hold a real command/leadership role can be technical specialists, make them flight officers like Warrant officers.  Change the rules to allow flight officers over 21. 

Been saying that for years, I suggested that the Professional Education Levels correspond to a Warrant Officer Grade 1 through 5 and only if you accepted a command or staff position would you wear any other rank insignia and once you stepped down from the position, you would revert back to your WO grade.

We could either use the former USAF WO Insignia or use USMC WO Insignia as the Red Rank would really stand out on USAF Style uniform and no one could confuse us for a USAF/USSF Officer.