Whats in yourrrrrrrr file cabinet???????

[Short Field]

We have an admin officer assigned to us but he hasnt been to a meeting in over a year.

You sound like you have a commander problem.  If a person doesn't even attend meetings, they shouldn't be left in a key staff position.   The CC needs to update his staff and BRING the laptop to the squadron where it can be used for squadron business. 

[flyguy06]

Short Field,

Thats why I always say on here my squadron is unique. You guys dont really understand the dynamics of my unit because I havent disclosed it all.

We only have 5 active SM's and active I mean come to meetings regularly. Not the same 5 all the time. But I didnt really want to put my squadrons business out in the public like that.

You all make a lot of assumptions without really understanding the situation. But if you just have to know. I am trying to get our paperwork in order which is why I asked you all for a little advice.

My sqaudron isnt the typical active 20 plus member where everyone is invlovled in something. We have 5 members that show up and they are all over the age of 65 except me. But again, thats not really the purpose of this thread.

But you said I have commander issues which opened a whole new can of worms. Nothing to do with this thread though. I am trying to get us straight which is why I came here to ask for advice. I want to get our files in order.

We are moving to a new location which hopefully will build our esprit de corps. and motivate old members to come back and get back active.

[NIN]

Oh, you have some issues there.

I've been in CAP 28 years this month.  I've been a "squadron troubleshooter" on at least 3 occasions, having taken units from the precipice of deactivation and turned them into stellar performers (well, ok, at least set them back on the rails that led to stellar performance), and helped out countless other units.   Rural, suburban, urban and inner-city units. 

My unit here in NH was, when I took over in 1999, nearly ready to fold with 3 active seniors and 12 active cadets. 450 meters from Wing HQ.  How sad is that, right?  We took squadron of merit in 2000, 2002 & 2004, along with squadron of distinction in 2004.  (those other years, they had to give it to other squadrons in the wing so they didn't just pack up their collective tents and go home because we were so awesome.. )

Over the course of the first 5 years I was the unit commander, I had to make some pretty tough decisions about membership and such.  I sent a couple members packing who weren't cutting the mustard.  Literally told them "there is not a place for you here. Go find someplace else."  And of course, we implemented what is now called "Pipelining" which has resulted in a much more robust squadron and really helped us recruit a whole crop of people who are helping drive the unit forward. 

You have to go out and secure more people.  Start with cadets. Why cadets?  "If you build it, they will come."  I've always found that recruiting cadets begets more adults, either of the CSM variety, or the full-blown SM variety.  Either way, you get more help. 

Heck, we had even talked at one point about implementing an idea where we built unit staffing levels against manning.  About to pipeline recruit 20 more cadets?  Tell them that we're staffed to take 10 more cadets, but with the addition of 1-2 more adults to meet the manning table, we can take all 20.  (this same concept roped my mom into being a Den Leader for the local cub scout pack when I was in 3rd grade. She eventually became a unit commissioner in our district)  I'm not sure it would work, and we never got much beyond the "talking about it" phase, but there it is.

Sounds like you need to mix some stuff up.  Get a better meeting location (ie, an armory, a Jr. High School, the local community college, something that's more "open" and potentially has more "facilities" than a musty church basement), change your meeting night, etc.   If you're eventually going to be the commander, start getting your policy ducks in a row now. 

NIN's three basic rules for starting to rebuild a successful squadron: "Standards, Schedule, Communication."  Establish the standards for things like uniform wear, meeting attendance, unit calldowns & accounability, etc, with some written policy.  Build a repeatable, consistent unit schedule (say what you want, but always knowing that testing is the first meeting of the month and that the uniform for that meeting is always blues does a lot of reduce the stuff you need to communicate and "fear, uncertainty and doubt" in cadets who might have missed a meeting..) and training calendar.  Then communicate both to your membership & parents. (monthly "refrigerator" newsletter, commander's briefing before closing formation, website, emails, smoke signals)

That gets things moving in the right direction.  To borrow a drill analogy: You're now setting the rate & direction of march, and giving the commands to everybody so they can hear you.  As everybody marches in the same direction and step, you can now see where you need to provide additional guidance, etc.   

Sorry, I know this was about file cabinets, but there is more to this one than meets the eye, clearly.

Good luck!

[flyguy06]

Thanks. And you are right. it goes deeper than what i am saying. I'll send you a pm