Squadron Structure: Cadet vs. Composite?

[PhoenixRisen]

At what point does one draw the line between a Cadet and a Composite squadron?  CAPR 20-1 simply says the following:

19. Squadrons. The squadron is the community-level organization of CAP. Wing commanders may activate squadrons whenever there is a minimum of 15 members of the unit, three of whom must be senior members. Whenever the membership drops below these minimums, the wing commander will deactivate the squadron or redesignate it as a flight. The designation of each squadron will indicate whether it is a:
a. Senior Squadron. Comprised entirely of senior members.
b. Cadet Squadron. Comprised primarily of cadets with a minimum of three senior members to meet supervisory, administrative, and training requirements in the conduct of cadet programs.
c. Composite Squadron. Comprised of both senior and cadet members, conducting both senior and cadet programs.

All this gives is a minimum required number of SM's for a Cadet Squadron.  At what ratio of SMs to Cadets would a squadron become a composite squadron?  And what constitutes "senior programs"?  ES?  SM Professional development?  (Aren't all SM's supposed to be doing the latter?)

[NC Hokie]

My personal belief is that we should drop the three designations and just be CAP squadrons (or flights).  Until that happens, my personal belief is that a cadet squadron should consider becoming a composite squadron once it is able to operate the SM side as well as the cadet side (training, mentoring, ability to provide a meaningful experience, etc.).

On the flip side, a composite squadron that is consistently unable to do this for either of it's components should recharter as a senior or cadet squadron.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Back when I had just joined, my two closest units were 3 miles and 14 miles away.

The one nearest would be perfect..but it was a "Senior" Unit. A friend went to a few meetings as a cadet and was redirected to the other unit.


Once the unit changed commanders, a proper cadet program was started, and I jumped on-board, since I knew the people involved. Just telling someone to go to a Composite Squadron however would not work, since the CP needs at least one strong senior leader who knows what the CP is about.

[RiverAux]

No real line other than what you quoted.

I think the current designations recognize reality in general. 

Though I am familiar with some composite squadrons that are really cadet units, but because the wing wants everybody to be a composite, thats what they are even though they are the sterotypical cadet unit with one or two senior members that actually do the work, a few seniors that hang around, and the rest being cadets. 

[PhoenixRisen]

No real line other than what you quoted.

Roger that.  Thanks!

[MIKE]

Composite Squadrons have middlemen Deputy Commander for Cadets and Deputy Commander for Seniors.  Cadet Squadrons don't.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Composite Squadrons have middlemen Deputy Commander for Cadets and Deputy Commander for Seniors.  Cadet Squadrons don't.

Not on paper, perhaps.

However, I belong to a Cadet Squadron that has a large number of SM's.

We have Deputy Commanders for Cadets and Seniors, yet our charter still says "cadet squadron."

However, my first CAP unit was a Composite Squadron, and it had quite a few more cadets than SM's.

Go figure.