Anyone else taking SOS right now?

AlphaSigOU · February 04, 2007, 08:51:31 PM

Quote from: arajca on February 04, 2007, 05:53:51 PM
Why would you want to jepardize our ability to take AFIADL courses by breaking the rules?

AF officers need to be Capt's (Capt selects don't qualify) before they can take SOS either in residence or by correspondence. CAP follows the same rules. AFIADL may just refuse your enrollment or it may decide to block all CAP enrollments because of you. I don't know exactly how they will react, so I wouldn't push the issue.

Now, for ACSC, the AF allows Maj selects to take it and actually includes CAP Maj selects in their requirements. Question comes up, what is a CAP Maj select? A Capt with Level III completed?

Way I interpret it, according to CAPR 50-17 and 35-5 you're fully qualified for promotion to Major when you complete Level III requirements. You still have to do your 3 years time-in-grade as Captain. (I've already gotten my Level III out of the way and still hafta wait until July for Captain. And then another 3 years TIG for Major.)

If I were me I would wait until I have a year left TIG as a Captain and completed SOS before enrolling in ACSC. Soon as my railroad tracks become official in eServices is when I'll enroll in SOS.

Hoodsie · February 09, 2007, 09:04:24 PM

Just finished taking going over the on-line course. I almost hate to admit this but I signed up for it on 9/29/05. This gives me until 3/29/07 to complete the course. I found it quite interesting even if it had no relevance to CAP. I knew that going in and just thought it would be good to take a "real" Air Force course. I walked away from it several times due to work constraints. I also just tried the CAP Stone exercise yesterday for the first time. I failed miserably! Couldn't make it past the landmines.

I'm open to any advice on anyone who has made it past.

DNall · February 09, 2007, 09:34:06 PM

Quote from: Hoodsie on February 09, 2007, 09:04:24 PM
Just finished taking going over the on-line course. I almost hate to admit this but I signed up for it on 9/29/05. This gives me until 3/29/07 to complete the course. I found it quite interesting even if it had no relevance to CAP. I knew that going in and just thought it would be good to take a "real" Air Force course. I walked away from it several times due to work constraints. I also just tried the CAP Stone exercise yesterday for the first time. I failed miserably! Couldn't make it past the landmines.

I'm open to any advice on anyone who has made it past.

Maybe it gets worse as you go along, I'm just in the profession of arms section waiting for tests to be shipped, but I find it highly applicable to CAP. I mean broad based officership lessons, talking about the obligations of an officer to their service, the warrior attitude was a big thing... you know the part where they are talking about how 4% of AF officers are pilots, 60% are in a non-combat related job, but we have to have all those people thinking like front line fighters or the mission doesn't come off... I find that EXACTLY applicable to CAP. It's easy for us to sit back here & think of ourselves as civilians & volunteers & a corporation, but we know our dedicated efficient service saves money that's moved to warfighters, and here we are at war. Yeah, I think that lesson speaks directly to CAP. A couple things here & there apply more to them than to us, but there's a valuable CAP take to be had on everything in the course & if you sat thru it thinking you'd memorize for the tests but none of it had anything to do with your CAP service, than I'm sorry for you.

Have you ordered the tests by the way? Each one takes 2-3 weeks shipping & they only come one at a time. The course is supposed to be done in one year, and that's allowing time for shipping, they're currently at 18months because people are also deployed. If you hadn't ordered tests yet, you need to withdraw & re-enroll, then read the introductory warning about procrastination.

arajca · February 09, 2007, 10:51:36 PM

You only need to order the first one. They send the others as you pass each test. When you pass the 28A test, they'll send out the 28B test. When you pass the 28B test, they'll send the 28C test, etc.

DNall · February 09, 2007, 11:03:13 PM

yeah & allow 2-3 weeks shipping between each one, not couting time to return the test after you take it. So basically, 5-6 of those 18 months are there for shipping.

James Shaw · February 10, 2007, 11:34:40 AM

Word of caution.........make sure you have the correct shred code for your testing area. The one I found on the website was old. I had to call the wing administrator to get the updated one. The test is at an Air Base and is going to have to be forwarded. I am looking forward to getting it done. The only thing I have left to finish level four.

DNall · February 10, 2007, 11:50:55 AM

Those things are based on zip codes, so unless your Wg HQ has moved in the last few years it should be right, but of course check it.

DNall · February 12, 2007, 06:43:41 AM

Quote from: DNall
I find it highly applicable to CAP.

Section 9-11 : Joint operations... that's ICS right there.

arajca · February 16, 2007, 06:17:51 PM

If you haven't gotten to 28D - Communications Studies, you'll need a copy of Tonque and Quill when you do. If you can print it out, great, otherwise, you'll spend a lot of time staring at your computer screen. The first five units of 28D require reading chapters 1 - 9 of T&Q. It's mostly "How write a paper", similar to English Composition in school.

DNall · February 16, 2007, 08:46:55 PM

Great. I was hoping for more out of that section. I got a copy of T&Q here, think it actually came with ECI-13, but dont' remember. And I got it save on the computer. There's a DoD joint officer version also that's more thurough & T&Q refers out to a few times. I'm on the way out the door for a cadet thing this weekend, but I'll try to remember to link it Sunday/Monday.

arajca · February 16, 2007, 09:08:16 PM

The second half is how to write AF docs like the Official Memorandum, Talking Points Paper, and the ever popular Staff Study.

DNall · February 19, 2007, 05:40:57 AM

Well that sounds fun & familiar, but probably a good thing. Lil refresher can't hurt.

arajca · February 19, 2007, 03:23:55 PM

For the second part of 28D, you actually create the memo, TPP, and SSS using a scenario they provide. Hands on is good.

DNall · February 19, 2007, 06:16:19 PM

thats not so bad. it prob is good for CAP members to do more of that stuff anyway

SAR-EMT1 · February 19, 2007, 10:51:06 PM

Got T/Q from my time in AFROTC. Glad to know Ill get some use out of it.

Eagle400 · July 01, 2007, 06:48:12 AM

Can SOS, ACSC, and other Air Force PME courses take the place of SLS, CLC, and RSC? I've been trying to figure this out.

If so, I plan to take that route versus the CAP route when I get back in.

Major Carrales · July 01, 2007, 08:34:44 AM

Quote from: 12211985 on July 01, 2007, 06:48:12 AM
Can SOS, ACSC, and other Air Force PME courses take the place of SLS, CLC, and RSC? I've been trying to figure this out.

If so, I plan to take that route versus the CAP route when I get back in.

No...SLS and CLC are strictly CAP oriented and must be completed to advance up the normal track for promotion. RSC can be circumnavigated only by certain PME, if memory serves.

Eagle400 · July 01, 2007, 08:40:30 AM

Darn! SLS and CLC are the ones I would least like to attend. Too much stuff about the corporation and sitting through more BTDT stories than briefings on what's really important.

Major Carrales · July 01, 2007, 08:49:29 AM

Quote from: 12211985 on July 01, 2007, 08:40:30 AM
Darn! SLS and CLC are the ones I would least like to attend. Too much stuff about the corporation and sitting through more BTDT stories than briefings on what's really important.

Uh...you are joining US Civil Air Patrol, 1) that's the way it is, 2) that's the way it works and 3) that tells you the culture of the organization.

That is the "nature of the beast," the structure to whence you will work.

I can assume by your comments, then, that you know nothing about SLS and CLC.

Eagle400 · July 01, 2007, 08:59:44 AM

Although I've never been to an SLS or CLC, I know someone who has graduated from both. This officer has described SLS as being taught mostly in the fashion of older members telling their stories about their own CAP experiences, and the CLC as having a curriculum which is filled with things about how to protect the corporation.

Thanks, but if I had the choice between CAP PD and USAF PME, I'd choose the USAF PME in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, CAP members outside of the military don't have that option. Hopefully, that will change.