how "military" is CAP?

[everhopeful]

  Another reason is because they were starting up some type of background check process that was being handled poorly and I did not see any reason to give up my personal information to people who were not taking care with it.

I get perhaps 2 or 3 prospective members who never return after they find out there is a FBI fingerprint check. 

Honestly, I heard your reasoning before when it comes to background checks.  Half the time people have something to hide. 

Shouldn't the CG AUX already have your social #??  I think they ask for it when you join. 

I would be skeptical if you came to my SQD and told me you left the CGAUX when background checks started. 

NOT Saying you are a criminal, just my personal experience. 

Please reread what I wrote.  I didn't say I left because of the background checks.  I said I didn't like the way they were being handled.  The people who were collecting the information (other people in the CGAUX) were collecting very personal information in their living rooms and doing who knows what with it.  The information wasn't secure and quite a few people were not happy about it.

[RiverAux]

They must have been doing it wrong then.  While CG Aux members generally handle the 1 page form (that is pretty similar to CAP's application form), the detailed 7+ page form needed for certain CG Aux activities (including augmentation), gets shipped straight to the CG DIRAUX office and isn't handled by Auxies. 

[RRLE]

RiverAux,

This is one of those Auxie "Your mileage and district may vary" things. In some districts, the DirAux has appointed DDSL and ADDSLs (I forget what the acronym stands for). The paperwork goes to them first. They check it for completeness and then forward it to DirAux.

In some cases, FCs or FSO-PSs have taken it upon themselves, with no authority, to check all the paperwork.

And quite a few members are upset about it.

I know in the 7th District you could bypass the ADDSL and send your own paperwork to DirAux. But then they put it on the bottom of the pile and when they got to it, they got to it. You were sorta punished for trying to safeguard your info.

[everhopeful]

Thanks, RRLE.  That's exactly what happened.  I've been out of the CGAUX for a few years so I don't know if this is still how the district is doing things, but I hope not. 

[jpnelson82]

depends a lot on the squadron, and the commander. What are you looking for in militarism? Do you want Prussian Landwehr militarism or active duty Air Force Officer militarism. I haven't seen a unit make members walk the gauntlet for infractions yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_the_gauntlet

[proveritas]

everhopeful, have you looked at ham radio? The ARRL has an ES-type program if you're interested in doing comm+ES: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/pscm/sec1-ch1.html . I think you'd have the "old guy" problems though.

[Hammerhead]

You want Military?  Join the Military. 

[mikeylikey]

You want Military?  Join the Military. 

CAP can be military, and not a military branch at the same time.

Your suggestion of joining the military if you want military makes it obvious you know nothing about CAP and its history. 

[Short Field]

CAP is at most paramilitary.

[proveritas]

You could always join a squadron and if it's not sufficiently "military" for your taste, start taking steps to change that. One person with a decent uniform who follows military protocol can certainly influence the rest of a unit.

I think units would lose members, at least initially, if all CAP units were "hardcore" military, however. There's more than one member in my squadron who really are just looking for a volunteer opportunity and an excuse to run around in camo again. They're great at what they do for us and they're professional, but I think they would be put off by a strict military environment.

That's just my complete CAP newbie $.02 though.

[Psicorp]

That's just my complete CAP newbie $.02 though.

Welcome to the addiction!

[proveritas]

Thank you. Addiction it is. It started with a family member who "just wanted to fly" and now half of us are involved.