Protocol in Classrooms

[JayT]

What Squadron/ Wing follows all this to the letter. I'd like to visit sometime and see it all in action. Wing Commander walks in a room here and everyone just keeps chatting. My Wing is VERY casual.

Rules concerning C&C is in sCAP151. It's a super secret pamphlet that has only been released to certain individuals. You understand.

[etodd]

What Squadron/ Wing follows all this to the letter. I'd like to visit sometime and see it all in action. Wing Commander walks in a room here and everyone just keeps chatting. My Wing is VERY casual.

Rules concerning C&C is in sCAP151. It's a super secret pamphlet that has only been released to certain individuals. You understand.

Just another one of those times when its so obvious how wide the gulf is between Squadrons, Wings, and even Regions. Even under the same set of Regs, customs, and courtesies.

As someone on page 1 mentioned, the polo probably does have a lot to do with it. When 90% of the members in a setting are wearing it, then nobody knows who is what rank, and they just stop looking to see if they should stand at attention, salute, or whatever.  Habits are formed, and traditions lost.

[PHall]

What Squadron/ Wing follows all this to the letter. I'd like to visit sometime and see it all in action. Wing Commander walks in a room here and everyone just keeps chatting. My Wing is VERY casual.

My squadron does. Doesn't do any good to tell people that they need to follow the regs and then not enforce it.

[Brit_in_CAP]

Likewise.  Commander has his 'signal' for the cadets so to not interrupt instruction but that's it.

[West MI-CAP-Ret]

Been involved with CAP for 28 years (recently retired, April 2018). My prior military experience included 25 years of service (8 years Navy, then 17 years ANG, 8 years  of which were as an Active Guard-Reservist).

Where to start?  It starts, top-down.  First, cadets take CAP for granted, until they have a meeting with their parents, and seniors, in a room, to explain in a very professional manner that due to the conduct of their teen, we have to let them go.  Obviously, the program is not for them. 

I've only had to do this twice as senior member since 1991.  Both times, the problem could have been prevented.  The Cadet Staff were not encouraged, nor trained, as to the need to keep control of the cadets.  Cadets pass tests and are promoted, even though they're not active, or attend special activities. 

Inexperienced squadron commanders, without military or civilian management experience, are afraid to do anything that would cause the squadron to fail. Seniors leave because they are ignored. Cadets are allowed to develop "clicks" and goof off (now would be a good time to have the leadership view 12 O'clock High https://youtu.be/nDXNQnD1UsU ) If the cadet commander can't/won't do his job, before you fire him, make sure they know what their job is. Encourage your squadron what good they do, and how they help their community, and the Air Force.

Like I said, I've only had to bring in parents twice in 28 years, regarding the behavior of their teens. Parents, unaware that their teen has been missing meetings and/or goofing off and causing trouble will either help you get your cadet back on track, or pull the cadet from the program.

I loved working with cadets.  Senior cadets who couldn't do the job, and given every opportunity to do so, including training, working with other squadrons or ask for help to send over their cadet commander and their staff to go over what is required (only ask from units that are doing a great job).  It's called leadership.  Try to get your cadets to participate in group and wing activities. Give out "Cadet Outstanding Awards" to deserving cadets, that can be used during promotion boards that can help them out if they're close and need an extra "push" to get promoted. Finally, if your group or wing doesn't participate in the VFW Cadet awards, ask permission from your group commander if the group could start one, then give out these awards during special ceremonies. The other fraternal military orders have the same thing (http://www.vfwnc.com/uploads/CivilAirPatrolBrochure.pdf ).

Teens won't leave if they know you care about them. Have a parents night to explain how CAP develops young adolescents into responsible teens ready to take on the challenge of college, vocation work, or the military. Show parents PowerPoint presentations of what the squadron has been doing. 

I wish more squadrons would put discipline and award performance more often.  Few teens join CAP, but the ones that do, are looking for something that their friends don't.  Cadets leave because they went online and after viewing all the things CAP offers, leave because the local squadron they visited, then joined, never came through with what they were promised by all the recruiting videos they watched.

Make CAP fun and exciting again. Throw in some competition, and your organization will grow.  BTW, I took the Commander's Course twice. I never wanted to be a commander due to my diagnosed health challenges, but I did want to be a help to the commander and the organization.  The Commander's Course, when executed by professional current and former commanders, really help the newly appointed commanders to do the job.

[Mitchell 1969]

[Been involved with CAP for 28 years (recently retired, April 2018). My prior military experience included 25 years of service (8 years Navy, then 17 years ANG, 8 years  of which were as an Active Guard-

(LOTS OF TEXT DELETED HERE FOR BREVITY)

I never wanted to be a commander due to my diagnosed health challenges, but I did want to be a help to the commander and the organization.  The Commander's Course, when executed by professional current and former commanders, really help the newly appointed commanders to do the job.

Did you mean for this post to go to another topic? I'm not seeing the relevance to this one.



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[CAP9907]

There is none, and we are done.

~9907