Members ID Cards Problems

[Майор Хаткевич]

^printing out a paper "temporary card" is worthless when you try to get in anywhere that an actual person has physical control over...i.e. an Air Force Base

How about a new card when you promote and if you change units or categories.  Make those that loose them pay.  Don't make me pay because I get promoted.  That is like "good work your now a Major, give us $4.00".

Has anyone noticed that it is taking a little bit longer to get the new Cadet and Senior Member Binders now?!?!

The cards aren't free...go to picture only (past initial card) and charge the $4 bucks. Cadets only need one, and SMs don't promote that often.

[Capt Ford]

^printing out a paper "temporary card" is worthless when you try to get in anywhere that an actual person has physical control over...i.e. an Air Force Base

How about a new card when you promote and if you change units or categories.  Make those that loose them pay.  Don't make me pay because I get promoted.  That is like "good work your now a Major, give us $4.00".

Has anyone noticed that it is taking a little bit longer to get the new Cadet and Senior Member Binders now?!?!

Now that you mentioned it, yea, when I joined in '07 it took around a week and a half to get my binder, and now I've noticed that new cadets in my squadron are getting theirs about a month after they've joined.

[NC Hokie]

2.  I don't see a regulation that requires you to carry a membership card with your current grade on it.  If you get promoted to Major and your membership card says Captain, it still identifies you properly as a dues-paying member through the expiration date on the card.  That's the purpose of the card in the first place: to verify membership status, not as a check on an individuals' grade or unit affiliation (some grades aren't even denoted on cards including all CAP NCOs, Cadets, and Flight Officers).

There's a simple solution to the membership card problems caused by promotion; just remove the member's grade from them.

[RADIOMAN015]

Got to wonder now what went wrong with such a simple process

RM   

Just an update, the new member hit the 1 month mark without even a temporary plastic ID card issued to him.   He even talked to National Hdqs about the access issue to the military base the unit meets on, and the importance of the "plastic" card.

Surely a new motivated member would be very impressed with the responsiveness of CAP, wouldn't they
RM

[PHall]

Got to wonder now what went wrong with such a simple process

RM   

Just an update, the new member hit the 1 month mark without even a temporary plastic ID card issued to him.   He even talked to National Hdqs about the access issue to the military base the unit meets on, and the importance of the "plastic" card.

Surely a new motivated member would be very impressed with the responsiveness of CAP, wouldn't they
RM

Does he even show up on e-services? I'm willing to say he/she doesn't because their membership app got lost somewhere.

[RADIOMAN015]

Got to wonder now what went wrong with such a simple process

RM   

Just an update, the new member hit the 1 month mark without even a temporary plastic ID card issued to him.   He even talked to National Hdqs about the access issue to the military base the unit meets on, and the importance of the "plastic" card.

Surely a new motivated member would be very impressed with the responsiveness of CAP, wouldn't they
RM

Does he even show up on e-services? I'm willing to say he/she doesn't because their membership app got lost somewhere.

Yes he shows up in E services with an ID card#, but still a "P" status.
Perhaps I wasn't clear enough to the "protectors of the establishment" looking for excuses for the poor performance of National Headquarters
RM

[ßτε]

I believe I read that as part of a cost saving measure, Membership cards aren't being sent until the FBI screening is complete. That way they aren't sending two cards for a new member.
If the status is "P" that means that the FBI screening is pending. This is most likely due to an incomplete or smudged fingerprint card.

[Pylon]

Yes he shows up in E services with an ID card#, but still a "P" status.
Perhaps I wasn't clear enough to the "protectors of the establishment" looking for excuses for the poor performance of National Headquarters
RM

You know, not everything is a conspiracy theory.   


And frankly, I like the policy of not issuing any membership card until the FBI screening is complete.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yes he shows up in E services with an ID card#, but still a "P" status.
Perhaps I wasn't clear enough to the "protectors of the establishment" looking for excuses for the poor performance of National Headquarters
RM

You know, not everything is a conspiracy theory.   


And frankly, I like the policy of not issuing any membership card until the FBI screening is complete.

True, but I send in my paperwork on August 3rd *or so*, and showed upas a SM transfer on the 20th of August. It's been a month, and no newcards for me!

[RADIOMAN015]

I believe I read that as part of a cost saving measure, Membership cards aren't being sent until the FBI screening is complete. That way they aren't sending two cards for a new member.
If the status is "P" that means that the FBI screening is pending. This is most likely due to an incomplete or smudged fingerprint card.

CAP does not send finger print cards anywhere.  They are scan at National HQ, and they know relatively quickly if it's an issue with the quality of the prints.

Likely the unit commander is just going to have to get involved.

As far as policy on plastic temporary ID cards, he was never told that NO card is issued until the FBI screening check is completed.  Surely I would think that National Headquarters has a processing standard that they have to meet and that is monitored by someone there. The new member really is motivated about CAP, we don't need to de motivate him, do we   ).
RM

[PHall]

Can't you get him a temporary ID card off of e-services?

[Pylon]

As far as policy on plastic temporary ID cards, he was never told that NO card is issued until the FBI screening check is completed.  Surely I would think that National Headquarters has a processing standard that they have to meet and that is monitored by someone there. The new member really is motivated about CAP, we don't need to de motivate him, do we ).
RM

There are plenty of organizations that don't allow people to become members, employees, or participate until their background checks are complete.  I think CAP does a pretty good job of bridging that gap with a policy of allowing supervised participation for processed members who are pending an "all clear" return from their FBI screening.


Regardless of how motivated a person might be, I think it's prudent to restrict their participation until we get a completed screening.


It's your challenge at the unit to keep motivated interested recruits engaged through the very-necessary membership process.  There are plenty of things to keep our newest volunteers engaged with that don't require base access and participating in unit activities: a thorough study and completion of the Foundations module, CPPT, and OPSEC is one thing recruits can spend time doing.  Learning more about CAP, the unit, and specialty tracks they have interest with is another. 


Any reasonable person will understand there is a waiting period associated with joining any organization of this sort, and any truly motivated and excited individual won't be dissuaded by a few weeks of waiting.  If they are, then they were probably going to quit on you soon enough anyways.

[MSG Mac]

Can't you get him a temporary ID card off of e-services?

Yes

[arBar]

My membership card took over 3 weeks to get, and my membership packet a little longer.  I wish thngs would have been quicker, but can accept it.  My frustration had more to do with my eagerness to get started.  I do agree with Pylon above though.

In my case, I contacted them after 1.5 weeks, and got an email back with my ID#, which I used to set up my eservices acct and finish level 1, all before I got my official welcome kit.  It just seemed slow to me, and maybe the backwards way of doing it.

Because I got on the ball, I was able to finish Level 1 and attend SLS within a month of joining.  If I had waited until getting the welcome kit I may not have made the SLS and it would have probably delayed my PD.

 

[MSG Mac]

Your Commander or Personnel Officer should be checking their Squadron roster on a regular basis and when a new member pops up, notify them of their CAP ID number and how to log into E-services, download a temporary ID card, and begin the Level I training.

[AirDX]

Your Commander or Personnel Officer should be checking their Squadron roster on a regular basis and when a new member pops up, notify them of their CAP ID number and how to log into E-services, download a temporary ID card, and begin the Level I training.

Amen, brother.  I added PDO to my hats about a month ago, that's exactly what I've done, checked e-Services every afternoon.  As soon as their CAP ID# appears, I shoot them an e-mail with instructions for establishing an e-Services account, and links to the Level I materials.  Keep 'em moving, let 'em know we want 'em in the squadron.

[NC Hokie]

Amen, brother.  I added PDO to my hats about a month ago, that's exactly what I've done, checked e-Services every afternoon.  As soon as their CAP ID# appears, I shoot them an e-mail with instructions for establishing an e-Services account, and links to the Level I materials.  Keep 'em moving, let 'em know we want 'em in the squadron.

In the interest of not reinventing the wheel...can you post a copy of that email?

[EMT-83]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record...

You are doing your new members a great disservice by sending them an email link and wishing them the best of luck.

Take the time and print out everything a new member needs to get started, put into a binder and hand it to them. Include all the CPPT material, foundations and a copy of Great Start. List instructions on how to establish an eServices account and take OPSEC and EO on-line.

You can expect 100% compliance with Level 1 within the first 30 days of membership, and it sends the message to new members that they are required to put in some effort.

[peter rabbit]

In the interest of not reinventing the wheel...can you post a copy of that email?

If you send me a PM, I'll email you what we send our members, then followup to make sure they complete.

[MSG Mac]

I use Stonewall's New Member Guide which he put on the CAPTALK site, several months ago. Just have to update the information and modify to fit your unit's focus.