How we learned about CAP

[addo1]

From the "Smiling Jack" cartoon in the Fort Worth Star Telegram during WW2. I was probably about ten, maybe twelve, when he and "Jack Armstrong the All American Boy"(radio program) were my hero role models.

I had to wait until 1946 before I was old enough to join. Oh well.........

Regards,
Ken

Only 1946??  I had to wait till 2007!!

[Fifinella]

First time I heard of CAP was as a cadet at USAFA.  Decided to skydive instead.

Flash forward more years than I'd like to admit...

A cadet  whose dad is in the AF recruited me at an AF squadron picnic to be a CAP Senior member.

[smgilbert101]

  I first heard about CAP from the Nighthawk Squadron who had a exhibit at Cabelas in Fort Worth

I'll pass that on to the people behind that exhibit, they'd be pleased to know that.  Are you going to the ALS next month or the SAR school in November?

[smgilbert101]

Oh, forget to mention... second generation CAP.

[Major Carrales]

Data discussed at the PAO academy pointed that the majority of recruiting has been "by word of mouth" for 60 years.  There is a brief film clip of a Colonel disucssing that this approach has not been working to get us the numbers we need.

[Cecil DP]

Data discussed at the PAO academy pointed that the majority of recruiting has been "by word of mouth" for 60 years.  There is a brief film clip of a Colonel discussing that this approach has not been working to get us the numbers we need.

The problem isn't recruiting, we get a lot of new members, It's keeping them that's always been the problem.

[Stonewall]

Data discussed at the PAO academy pointed that the majority of recruiting has been "by word of mouth" for 60 years.  There is a brief film clip of a Colonel discussing that this approach has not been working to get us the numbers we need.

I've had experiences where after a full-blown 2-day recruiting effort at the Andrews AFB Air Show, reports of only about 6 people showing up to a local CAP squadron.  Is recruiting 6 people worth the effort of handing out 1000 brochures and talking to hundreds of people along with all the logistical work it takes to fly the plane, drive the van, and stand out there in the heat?  And trust me, I put together one helluva "recruiting booth".  And the way I do it, it's not so much a recruiting booth as it is an information booth.

When I've gone all out to advertise for an upcoming open house, I start 1 month in advance.  In Fairfax Country Virginia, thee are 13 public libraries that surrounded our squadron.  Each library got 10 color brochures with squadron info and a note advertising the open house.  We plastered 8 1/2 x 11 color or B&W posters throughout every school, youth center and community center.  Heck, I even put a flier up at the Pentagon's information center, as well as Ft. Belvoir and Ft. Myer inside the PX.  This doesn't include our efforts to actually speak to people in person.  I also charged each cadet and senior to bring in one friend, whether they actually had an interest or not.

After all that time, money and effort spent on bringing people in, we'd get as many as 40 guests at our open house.  Let me tell you, we put on a show.  Not just me talking for 15 minutes, but the C/CC would speak, we'd show the CAP video out at the time, have a high speed, professional 24/72hr gear lay out, plus squadron ES gear like L'Per, ELT, Medical Kit, Stokes Basket, and radios; model rockets, color guard gear, and squadron photo albums.  Then, we'd do an ELT search demo.

In the end, we'd get between 8 to 10 members sign up for the upcoming Training Flight (T-Flight).  One year later, out of 8 original members, we'd probably still have 5.

That's a lot of "recruiting work" for 5 members a year later.  If you ask me, it's worth it.

I personally think that more people join by word of mouth from current members than from any other method.  Part of this, I think, is that a lot of units put together some crappy information booths.

I have gone to several air shows as a spectator and seen other wings' efforts do more harm than good.  As an example, and yes, this happened.  I attended Region Staff College that happened to start on a Saturday on a military base (in a different region than my own).  The same day RCS started, the base had an air show.  We didn't have to report until 1300 so I visited the air show the first half of the day.  I visited the CAP display and who greets me but a young cadet captain wearing a maroon beret and a green pistol belt.  Yes, a MAROON BERET.  I played the "interested spectator" as if I never heard of CAP.  This guy blew so much smoke that I almost couldn't keep from laughing.  He claimed they had a PJ group that did special operations type missions for CAP.  Then, you had 3 seniors, in 3 different uniforms; one of which was obviously a dad with 3 kids in the program.  All 3 kids were biting at his ankles, whining about going home.  They had some cadet's gear strewn about the place, a dirty van inside and out, and some outdated pamphlets that actually didn't have any local contact information.  There was one squared away female cadet in her blues, but out of the 7 or 8 members there, she couldn't make up for everyone Else's shortcomings.

[MajorChuck]

I was a Amateur  radio Operator volunteering With the Salvation Army.
We( Myself and 2 other Hams) were manning the Canteen at a CAP Mission Base Feeding Members. They were having problems with setting up Comm so We  jumped in and got it up and running.at missions end this Maj. chased Us down with papers and recruited Us.

[MajorSER]

I thought it would be good for my son to have his Mitchell if he ever wanted to join up. So we both joined in 1979. He lasted until 1981. Got his Mitchell and quit. I thought about quitting in 1981 also. Then I thought about in 1982 , 1983, 1984...............2007 and I am still thinking about it.

[addo1]

  I first heard about CAP from the Nighthawk Squadron who had a exhibit at Cabelas in Fort Worth

I'll pass that on to the people behind that exhibit, they'd be pleased to know that.  Are you going to the ALS next month or the SAR school in November?

Sorry, I have no idea what ALS or the SAR school is. (I am new. ) Could somebody tell me??

[smgilbert101]

Sorry, I have no idea what ALS or the SAR school is. (I am new. ) Could somebody tell me??

ALS = Airman Leadership School
SAR = Search and Rescue

I sent you contact details for the Group II courses for you or anyone in your squadron.

[Duke Dillio]

LTC Jane Davies, now the NATCAP wing cc, then the squadron cc of MVCS, was a friend of my dad's.  Her husband and my dad had been longtime Army friends for I don't know how long.  My dad mentioned that she was in CAP and that he was thinking about putting me in.  Anyway, she came over for dinner one night and I started bugging her about CAP.  My parents ended up taking me to the meetings and I became hooked.

[floridacyclist]

I have no idea how I learned about it. I just know that my best friend and I joined together when we were 11 or 12. Almost 30 years later and we still see each other every chance we get. He stayed in CAP while I joined the military then joined himself about the time I came home. I'm still in CAP and he's busy taking care of his wife.

I did stop by and see my old squadron commander yesterday while I was in Gainesville...hadn't seen him and his wife in years and it caught me off-guard how old they were getting.

[addo1]

I have no idea how I learned about it. I just know that my best friend and I joined together when we were 11 or 12. Almost 30 years later and we still see each other every chance we get. He stayed in CAP while I joined the military then joined himself about the time I came home. I'm still in CAP and he's busy taking care of his wife.

I did stop by and see my old squadron commander yesterday while I was in Gainesville...hadn't seen him and his wife in years and it caught me off-guard how old they were getting.

Interesting!!   

[Indaweeds]

I was searching on Google for local flight training (I'm a wannabe) and up popped a link for CAP...spent the next 6 hours pouring over not only the national site but CAP Talk as well.

[MIKE]

^ Hope we didn't leave you with too bad of a first impression.

[Indaweeds]

^ Hope we didn't leave you with too bad of a first impression.

I certainly have had lots of questions (and a few concerns) come up in my mind but have enjoyed the discussions on CAP Talk that usually seem to welcome all viewpoints to participate.  Nearly all involved here, in their own way, keep the eye on the ball of serving others...whether that be to those in need of CAP's Operations, Cadets in our Programs, or by furthering the aims of Aerospace Education.

[Pylon]

^ Hope we didn't leave you with too bad of a first impression.

I certainly have had lots of questions (and a few concerns) come up in my mind but have enjoyed the discussions on CAP Talk that usually seem to welcome all viewpoints to participate.  Nearly all involved here, in their own way, keep the eye on the ball of serving others...whether that be to those in need of CAP's Operations, Cadets in our Programs, or by furthering the aims of Aerospace Education.

Glad you think so! 

Welcome to CAPTalk.  So have you actually put in the membership papers yet, or still working on the process or decision? 

[RogueLeader]

The few viewpoints that aren't really allowed are ones that go to deliberately hurt and destroy.  It's okay to say that an opinion won't go for such and such, but not okay to say you are such a <cenosred> dah dah dah ta da.

[addo1]

I was searching on Google for local flight training (I'm a wannabe) and up popped a link for CAP...spent the next 6 hours pouring over not only the national site but CAP Talk as well.

Glad to have you with us!!