What would you like to see CAP accomplish at the national level in 2012?

[EMT-83]

... We can all agree CT users are above average...

We can?

[Spaceman3750]

Dear Santa,

In 2012, please bring me:

• Squadron staff officers that know their jobs well and stay in their lanes,
• Ground team members that are dedicated and get their requirements completed without my hounding them,
• New members that spend more time learning the norm than trying to "fix" the squadron,

And finally

• Seniors that are more concerned with getting our missions done than what color tutu they're supposed to wear to the meeting on Tuesday or whether or not national can pay for widget X from Y fund (saving for those who are at NHQ). After all, NHQ is going to do what NHQ will and there's not a darn thing any of us can do about it besides waste our time complaining.

Signed,

A wishful CAP officer

EDIT: PS - No more changes for the sake of change. That means no changes to training programs without a stated educational goal to back them up (does this mean I just violated wish #4?)

[LTC Don]

I would like to see the Task Guides for ES changed to regular CAP manuals and the certifications for various mission positions such as GT, MRO, etc. changed to another format. I don't want to reduce the knowledge and practical skills necessary for qualification. In fact, I think they should be increased. I just want a training and certification program that doesn't foster a "Checkbox" mentality.

60-3 is allegedly under review/update.  I would say the entire ES 'mission' needs a thorough overhaul.

Indeed, I believe we need to change the 'Emergency Services' mission into "Civil Air Patrol Emergency Management" with all ES and Operations-related functions folded into "CAPEM"  The reason for this natural maturation is to essentially follow the Air Force model as they have changed or re-formed the old USAF Disaster Services into Air Force Emergency Management.  I believe such a move would help re-form our ES 'missions' to better follow current Federal Statute (Title 10 and 36), and allow us to closer associate to not only AFEM, but FEMA/DHS.  CAP desperately needs to solidify partnerships with these organizations, and not just pay lip service to them.

Integrated into the CAPEM overhaul would be a comprehensive move to make either the NPS SAR technician OR the NASAR SARTECH series the new Ground Team Member standard with the relevant missing aircraft tasks simply added as additional training modules. We must make a comprehensive effort to re-focus our so-called SAR resources into competent, highly trained missing-person personnel, while still maintaining our missing-aircraft skill-sets (This would NOT include running around airports looking for false-alarms.  Don't even get me started on this decades old debacle.).  I call into question the highly touted percentage of "SAR" work we do for the Air Force, when compared to the number of SAR missions being conducted nationally for missing persons and missing aircraft.

Old USAF Disaster Response Force:


Current USAF Emergency Management logo:




Cheers,

[CAP_Marine]

Integrated into the CAPEM overhaul would be a comprehensive move to make either the NPS SAR technician OR the NASAR SARTECH series the new Ground Team Member standard with the relevant missing aircraft tasks simply added as additional training modules. We must make a comprehensive effort to re-focus our so-called SAR resources into competent, highly trained missing-person personnel, while still maintaining our missing-aircraft skill-sets

I agree with you very strongly on this point. Whether or not one agrees that NPS or NASAR or another organization is the right one (we've all read the arguments elsewhere), we are missing out on a significiant piece of the SAR pie by not having a training standard for missing person searches. There are far more missing children and elderly than there are crashed, missing or overdue aircraft and this is an excellent opportunity for us to serve our community. We are working very closely and successfully with local LE and Emergency Management in establishing a working relationship. The thing they say they need from us over and over is assistance with missing persons. We are going to make it happen (and do so within the applicable regs) but it would be nice if we had a CAP standard to follow while doing so. I don't feel there is a reason for CAP to reinvent the wheel when there are already solid and successful standards we could readily adopt out there.

I also feel the same about disaster relief, as was also noted above. Here again is another shining opportunity for CAP to develop and roll out a standard. This will not only help unit leaders in deciding what their squadrons should and shouldn't do as part of the DR mission, but would also make our capabilities clearer to tasking organizations. For those that say just to let ORM be your guide, I agree to a point. I still think we would be better off with a written and cohesive plan, standard, or guideline. People don't question what the Red Cross does. They know it, and call for them when appropriate. It should be the same for CAP.

[SARDOC]

I would think it would take longer than just 2012.  I would like to see Civil Air Patrol make efforts to becomes the premier Search and Rescue/ Disaster Relief agency.   With Air Force Support we can coordinate with FEMA to do this on a national level.  Just spitballing.

[exFlight Officer]

Develop a standard for disaster relief/response training.

Accept that there are far more members that can do ground work than can do air work and utilize those members effectively.

Update all pamphlets more than four years old.¹

Same with regs.¹

Develop a cohesive branding plan, including four - six website templates for units to use.


¹ If no update needed, re-release with current date.

On the emblem discussion, notice the first three are visually easy to relate to each other. Red prop on a white triangle on a medium blue field. Contrast with the TTT - red prop overlaid on a light blue hollow triangle. All have the words Civil Air Patrol, but only the first three reflect our affiliation with the Air Force - two with words, one with shape.

+2 

[stillamarine]

I would think it would take longer than just 2012.  I would like to see Civil Air Patrol make efforts to becomes the premier Search and Rescue/ Disaster Relief agency.   With Air Force Support we can coordinate with FEMA to do this on a national level.  Just spitballing.

+1

No reason why this can't happen.

[JeffDG]

I would think it would take longer than just 2012.  I would like to see Civil Air Patrol make efforts to becomes the premier Search and Rescue/ Disaster Relief agency.   With Air Force Support we can coordinate with FEMA to do this on a national level.  Just spitballing.

+1

No reason why this can't happen.

I did see, I think it was in the Open Cockpit (avail on eServices), that Col. Rushing (former SER commander and national VC candidate) is now listed as a liaison to FEMA.

[blackrain]

ADRS. Advanced Digital Reconnaissance System.

An architecture that combines a number of reconnaissance systems including FLIR,visible spectrum and Archer for CAP to enhance our remote sensing capabilities among other capabilities.

Would really like CAP to stay relevant.

[Duke Dillio]

How about a return to full time USAF auxiliary status with less politics?  Would that be too much to ask?

I'd also like to see a top down effort to integrate our resources more efficiently with the local authorities. 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

How about a return to full time USAF auxiliary status with less politics?  Would that be too much to ask?

I fully and completely agree with you.

I also believe that to do such a thing would require an effort/miracle on par with Moses' parting of the Red Sea and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader turning away from the Dark Side of the Force.

Too many people in CAP like the status quo and in fact would like us to be even more "corporate," to move further away from the AF and to see us out of the AF uniform (no, I'm not trying to turn this into a uniform thread).

The politics will remain as long as the GOB networks remain.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Deciding on one logo. I'd rather move to the terrible triangle than have 3 or 4 logos.

My pick would be:



or this, which never should have been abandoned:



I'd rather have nothing than that bloody awful triangle, but if a triangle just has to be there:

[exFlight Officer]

How about a return to full time USAF auxiliary status with less politics?  Would that be too much to ask?

I'd also like to see a top down effort to integrate our resources more efficiently with the local authorities.

How about a return to full time USAF auxiliary status with less politics?  Would that be too much to ask?

I fully and completely agree with you.

I also believe that to do such a thing would require an effort/miracle on par with Moses' parting of the Red Sea and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader turning away from the Dark Side of the Force.

+1 

[SKYKING607]

In large media markets, NHQ take the lead to push a CAP video and/or PSA's.  In large urban areas, news and public affairs folks get hit by a variety of CAP squadrons and often get confused who is the local CAP?

[SAR-EMT1]

I would think it would take longer than just 2012.  I would like to see Civil Air Patrol make efforts to becomes the premier Search and Rescue/ Disaster Relief agency.   With Air Force Support we can coordinate with FEMA to do this on a national level.  Just spitballing.

+1

No reason why this can't happen.

Yeah there is... our HUGE reliance on cadets as ground team manpower. Not going to happen as long as so many Minors make up the team rosters.

[SAR-EMT1]

Decide on one logo.

...or this, which never should have been abandoned:

+ 1,000,000

This one was perfect for us and I hope and pray it comes back.

[rustyjeeper]

the above works for me!