Changes to OPSEC in April

[Eclipse]

I've been fighting this battle since it first came out, and actually had a couple people quit over it.  My feeling is:  If you can't take 5 minutes to do this small thing, how can I depend on you to do any other job you are assigned?  If they won't do it, make them Patron members and the only thing they can attend is an OPSEC briefing or the Wing/Squadron Christmas party...  JMHO

You seriously had people quit over an NDA?  You're right, better for us they are gone.

It is amazing the mindset of some of our members - they wail and gnash teeth about not enough missions / respect, and then get whiny when they are asked to step up and start acting like the "professionals" they purport themselves to be.

[Al Sayre]

Yep, actually lost 3 of 'em.  They were offended that the WG/CC threatened to move everyone who didn't do it to the inactive squadron...  Not like they were contributing much anyway, and it really didn't hurt my feelings to see them go.

[Flying Pig]

Does your Sq. have a computer with internet?

when we get a new member, we sit them down in front of the computer and do CPPT and OPSEC with them.  It doesnt take long, and its done.  I cant believe you have 15 year members who havnt done OPSEC?  How do they even participate in the program?  Surely they arent productive members?

[Al Sayre]

You have to get them to a meeting first...  I have several on the books with >10 yrs membership who I've never even seen, and I've been the SQ/CC for 1 yr & 8 mos.

[Eclipse]

You have to get them to a meeting first...  I have several on the books with >10 yrs membership who I've never even seen, and I've been the SQ/CC for 1 yr & 8 mos.

Time to start pushing them to your 000 squadron (unless they are paying local dues or something).
Odds are they won't even notice - although any member who hasn't shown for 10 years won't care / doesn't even know, about eServices access anyway.

[Al Sayre]

I agree, but the receiving Commander must initiate the transfer, and right now that ain't gonna happen....

[Eclipse]

Does your Sq. have a computer with internet?

when we get a new member, we sit them down in front of the computer and do CPPT and OPSEC with them.  It doesnt take long, and its done.  I cant believe you have 15 year members who havnt done OPSEC?  How do they even participate in the program?  Surely they arent productive members?

If you're not participating in ES, the WMU or eServices is almost unnecessary to participation for other than a commander, and then they only need it for promotions and PD.

[Eclipse]

I agree, but the receiving Commander must initiate the transfer, and right now that ain't gonna happen....

I can't speak for your wing, but here I simply sent the Wing personnel Officer a spreadsheet of the 000's and the next day it was done.

[Flying Pig]

OK, I thought you were talking about members who attend and who havnt done OPSEC.  If you have members who havnt been at a meeting for 10+ years, who cares.  Let them keep sending in their dues every year and move on.  My father is that way.  He has not been active in CAP for 10 + years, but when the bill comes, he sends a check. He still likes keeping his foot in the door and likes getting the Volunteer Magazine.  It doesnt hurt a soul that he doesnt go to meetings, or that he hasn't done OPSEC.  Many people have good intentions about getting back active, but life just gets in the way.  i was out for almost 4 years, and couldnt believe the amount of time that had passed when I actually saw my inactive date.

[Eclipse]

OK, I thought you were talking about members who attend and who havnt done OPSEC.  If you have members who havnt been at a meeting for 10+ years, who cares.  Let them keep sending in their dues every year and move on.  My father is that way.  He has not been active in CAP for 10 + years, but when the bill comes, he sends a check. He still likes keeping his foot in the door and likes getting the Volunteer Magazine.  It doesnt hurt a soul that he doesnt go to meetings, or that he hasn't done OPSEC.  Many people have good intentions about getting back active, but life just gets in the way.  i was out for almost 4 years, and couldnt believe the amount of time that had passed when I actually saw my inactive date.

Right - there are lots of members like that, based on COl. Hodgkins comments at the NEC, probably too many because when we report our readiness to Congress, etc., we don't' necessarily distinguish active versus non-active.

Pushing them to 000 fixes that, and relieves the local unit of the responsibility for the members' jackets, etc., while still maintaining any wing dues in that local wing.

[RiverAux]

I agree, but the receiving Commander must initiate the transfer, and right now that ain't gonna happen....

My home squadron was constantly transferring inactives to 000.  Don't think we ever asked first. 

[Eclipse]

I agree, but the receiving Commander must initiate the transfer, and right now that ain't gonna happen....

My home squadron was constantly transferring inactives to 000.  Don't think we ever asked first. 

In the past, when transfers were mainly done via hardcopy, this was the practice of many unit CC's - I don't NHQ gave much scrutiny to transfers.

At this point, though, I don't even know if they are honoring hardcopy xfers anymore.

[thp]

I took the OPSEC a good while before it was required. It is fairly quick, and is a good idea for cadets. Especially the way some of them like to brag...

[Eclipse]

I took the OPSEC a good while before it was required. It is fairly quick, and is a good idea for cadets. Especially the way some of them like to brag...

That's been my concern from day 1 about this - the exact members most likely to call mom, or text all their friends with "guess where I just saw Air Force 1", are the same members who were not required to complete the training.

[SDF_Specialist]

So is this a way for CAP to show the members that they aren't screwing around, and really do require members to take this training? What's so hard about reading some slides that take about 20 minutes tops? I'm glad that NHQ is cracking down about this, and hope that members will take our training more serious. But that's just me.

[MIKE]

I took the OPSEC a good while before it was required. It is fairly quick, and is a good idea for cadets. Especially the way some of them like to brag...

That's been my concern from day 1 about this - the exact members most likely to call mom, or text all their friends with "guess where I just saw Air Force 1", are the same members who were not required to complete the training.

But he already bragged about taking OPSEC training.  It can go both ways.

[JCW0312]

I can't believe this is such a big deal for some members. It takes no more than 10 minutes of your time and isn't exactly a brain buster...

[SarDragon]

I agree, but the receiving Commander must initiate the transfer, and right now that ain't gonna happen....

My home squadron was constantly transferring inactives to 000.  Don't think we ever asked first. 

In the past, when transfers were mainly done via hardcopy, this was the practice of many unit CC's - I don't NHQ gave much scrutiny to transfers.

At this point, though, I don't even know if they are honoring hardcopy xfers anymore.

Some transfers still require paper, like transferring in a Patron member.

[Duke Dillio]

We had a guy in my last squadron who refused to do the OPSEC training.  I don't know what his exact problem was.  He had internet access and the squadron commander kept telling him he needed to do it.  He just wouldn't.  I should find out if he ever did or what happened to him.  I think that this change is long overdue but I don't think that an online powerpoint presentation is the way to go.  I like the idea of sitting down with people, going over the slides and actually training them on what the stuff means.  In the military, it's something that everyone gets trained in.  The old Navy term of "Loose lips sinks ships" is, from what I hear, drilled into every Navy recruits head.  Most people that don't want to do it will joke about it but it is really a very serious matter, considering the missions that we currently perform.  I'm not a pilot, but I don't think that I would want certain groups knowing what our aircraft look like, where they are parked, etc.  Just food for thought.

[Eclipse]

Some transfers still require paper, like transferring in a Patron member.

Its not worth arguing about, but I just did some in the last couple of weeks without paper...