Sticky Situation

[PA Guy]

The squadron is great( for the most part), but when this happens and you are liteerally stuck playing duck, duck goose and other game because a C/2lt makes it an activity, you get kind of sick o it. Not the CAP I joined.

Just saw this.   Ridiculous.  If that really occurred, conversations need to be had above your pay grade.

I saw this in another post and thought I can really relate to this. Every AE night, after we learn about Aviation in different wars, we play a game were the two teams and you run around pegging balls at each other and try to hit targets.

Bolding mine.

Don't you study any AE that is not military related and play the same game over and over?

[inactive123]

The squadron is great( for the most part), but when this happens and you are liteerally stuck playing duck, duck goose and other game because a C/2lt makes it an activity, you get kind of sick o it. Not the CAP I joined.

Just saw this.   Ridiculous.  If that really occurred, conversations need to be had above your pay grade.

I saw this in another post and thought I can really relate to this. Every AE night, after we learn about Aviation in different wars, we play a game were the two teams and you run around pegging balls at each other and try to hit targets.

Bolding mine.

Don't you study any AE that is not military related and play the same game over and over?

That pretty much sums up AE at my squadron for the past 4 months except for last week were we had a Cadet who is at Embry Riddle talk to us.

Could we try to stay on topic?

[Tim Day]

That is a sticky situation. You are in a position where you (according to what you've presented here) have done what you can for now. You now have to decide, with your parents, not only whether you are going to stay with the unit or whether you are going to move on. If you do decide to move on, make sure you visit a few other units and talk with the cadets there.

I've worked with quality senior members and cadets from your squadron (for example, at the Group 3 ES Bivouac) so the situation you describe sounds at odds to the standards your squadron CC would expect. I believe our Group ES officer is originally from your squadron and from what I've witnessed he upholds the appropriate standards. Your experience may not be reflective of the overall quality of your squadron.

[TexasCadet]

Cadetcookies,

I was confused by your original post since it did not have all the details. I am sorry.

[Eclipse]

One of the many reasons we need to be hammering "calendar" and more importantly "time management"
with squadron CC's. 

The number of contact hours every year is so small, and many are squandering on nonsense like this.

Then we wonder why people quit.

Could we try to stay on topic?

Actually, you could make the argument that a unit CC who believes that this kind of thing is an acceptable activity on
a meeting night is likely "less informed" about a lot of other parts of CAP as well.

Again, for those scoring at home.

CAP members do not need to "blow off steam".  Most are there as an outlet from their regular lives and are looking
for a meaningful way to use a couple of hours, not simply a "different place to burn a little more of my life".

This is another inappropriate cast-off from our military linage and connection, CAP members aren't hunkered in a foxhole
or (more aptly today) sequestered at a UAV console all day and "just looking for a place to let loose a bit before getting
back to it".  They want to actually do something, that's why they are there instead of riding their couch groove.

And that "something" doesn't mean just checking boxes or running out the clock.

Unit CC's take heed, if you aren't cramming your meetings with activities and training that make a member
feel as if their time was worth at least the gas to get to the meeting, soon you won't have to be concerned
with the issue at all.

[Tim Day]

I agree with you, Eclipse. At a minimum, units need weekly activity schedules that treat their members' time as if it were a valuable resource, honoring our core value of respect. From personal conversations in the last year I believe the leadership at this particular unit would also agree, and maybe we'll hear from them since their unit name was disclosed.

I am hoping what C/SSgt Cadetcookies experienced was a temporary glitch in the program or a misunderstanding and not symptomatic of a sister squadron which I thought was doing pretty well.

[jeders]

Unit CC's take heed, if you aren't cramming your meetings with activities and training that make a member
feel as if their time was worth at least the gas to get to the meeting, soon you won't have to be concerned
with the issue at all.

If only this were the case. It absolutely should be and evaluating a unit's calendar should be a part of any inspection, but right now there are too many commanders who waste too much of our member's time.