What Would It Take for CAP to Be the Full-Time USAF Auxiliary?

[mikeylikey]

In law class, I thought I read somewhere that the US Government (and all of its departments and agencies) have blanket imunity from lawsuits brought on by individuals or corporations.  If that is true how could the AF be sued for something it's Auxiliary did? 

[DNall]

A comenwealth has immunity from suit w/o its consent, and the rules for that consent are defined so as to dismiss frivilous lawsuits. The Federal government however can be sued directly. Just like any individual, they are responsible for: anything they do, anything done by people under their control, anything they could have stopped, anything their money does or is used by another to do; and they are responsible to the extent that they did or should have known about the action & the extent to which they tried to prevent it. Anyway, when CAP is the AF Aux, AF is responsible for everything that happens on or off mission w/ or w/o federal money. Three off-duty soldier beat the hell out of some guy at the bar, you can sue the Army for the extent to which they should have prevented the behavior. Hell fraternities get sued for that when three members get in a fight at a bar it's considered an official action of the national organization just as if everyone in the country had voted on it. That's just how the law works, cause people always go after the one wit the deep pockets.

That's why it got changed. Give AF enough authority over people, programs, everything to take responsibility & correct these things before they are allowed to happen, then you can be the full-time Auxiliary. That's what the changes were about. AF asked for that power, Congress said 'you're right, no one is excercising control over this part of CAP & it is big problem, but bo AF you can't beat up on them, we're going to create a joint panel to oversee that stuff & you can appoint a thrid of the members, third from CAP, third from industry & we'll call this thing BoG. If it don't work out then we'll either shut them down or let you have your way AF.'

[Guardrail]

A lot of people don't understand the changes made in 2000 or why they were made.

I don't.  What were some of them?  (Besides the lawsuit stuff - I know about that).

It's unfortunate that the idea of our status as an auxiliary organization got confused with auxiliary (assistance/support) missions for the AF.

Yes, it is.  Question: could this happen again if CAP were to again be made the full-time auxiliary of the Air Force? 

[DNall]

There's threads around about the process & how it went down in 2000. It's arduous just to think thru it, but not that complicated. Just take a look around & you'll find what you're looking for.

[Earhart1971]

What it would take to be the full time auxiliary.

1.  Complete USAF control of our money and physical assets, all of it.  (because Congress would blame USAF for any mismanagement that CAP does)

2.  Complete USAF control over the hiring and firing of our leadership (and indeed, our members)

3.  We would be restricted to only take on USAF missions.  No more "corporate missions" No more doing work for HLS, the Park Service, etc.  Anyone who wanted us would have to go through the USAF and convince them that the mission was something USAF wanted to get involved in.


It would require virtually no changes at the unit level.  No need to change uniforms or increase training for individual members (those might be nice things, but not required).

That's correct. A lot of people don't understand the changes made in 2000 or why they were made. The shift in Auxiliary status has nothing to do with the affiliation w/ the AF. It's about lawsuits. The AF only has authority over Federal money & AFAMs, but before 2000 they could & would get sued for things they weren't responsible for when they couldn't do anything about it, even when they warned CAP in advance. So now they can only get sued for the times when they are allowed to tell us what to do. That's the total significance of it. It's unfortunate that the idea of our status as an auxiliary organization got confused with auxiliary (assistance/support) missions for the AF.

Since we are brain storming, does the Army want an Auxillary?

They gotta be needing some man power stateside.

Lets see if the Army wants to offer a better contract, LOL!

We'll meet the Air Force in Divorce Court!

Just kidding.

[RiverAux]

A bill in Congress in 2005 (I think) would have authorized each service to create an Auxiliary.  It didn't go anywhere. 

[SAR-EMT1]

Question- since I joined after 2000-  Back when CAP was full time Aux, were the new membership criteria / promotion criteria any differant then they were today. 


Statement-
If we are full time again, I would want to see the ability to augment broad spectrum as able on base. (not just as chaplains or JA etc)
And be paid a reasonable per-diem for it... 7-10 bucks an hour. The AF would still save $$.

[RiverAux]

There is nothing preventing us from having an augmentation program now.  That is a totally separate issue from the full time-part-time Aux status. 

The AF is fully authorized by federal law to do so if they wish.  The problem with augmentation doesn't relate to whether or not we are full-time Aux.  It is a matter of CAP deciding that this is a mission that we really should be involved in and working with the AF to make it happen.  This would involve making changes in CAP and AF regulations that would make it relatively easy to undertake augmentation as an AFAM. 

I think you're confusing per diem with a salary.  Asking for 7-10 bucks an hour is a salary and CAP would just be a part-time civilian employee.  Per diem is reimbursing the CAP member for food and lodging expenses associated with completing the mission. 

[SAR-EMT1]

Thank you for pointing that out. The only think I would need is to  be reimbursed for the  gas and room/board.

What about my 1st question? The criteria pre2000

[Dragoon]

Things for the average member have been about the same since 1980 or so.  No major changes in promotions, awards, squadron organization, etc.  Just little stuff. More "red tape" related to flying.

The higher up you go, the more you see the changes.