*****URGENT HELP PLEASE*****

[GabeTP]

Hello all, this is C/SSgt Beach. For those who are applying to be staff at encampment, what is the letter and what is the format for the letter?

Thank you,

Beach

[GabeTP]

Again, my application is DUE TOMMOROW, so thank you for your swift responses!!!!

[THRAWN]

Again, my application is DUE TOMMOROW, so thank you for your swift responses!!!!

What encampment? Have you contacted your chain of command or the encampment to ask them?

[GabeTP]

Tri-Wing for this summer!

[CAPDCCMOM]

Word of advice Cadet, don't wait for the last moment and then panic. You are a C/NCO. Never look like you are not in control of the situation. Read the Learn to Lead about reacting from emotion.

Good Luck

[THRAWN]

Tri-Wing for this summer!

Get in touch with them about 3 weeks ago.

http://triwing.org/

[GabeTP]

Okay I was just emailed about the applications today, and I was also just informed today that they are due tomorrow- please only post on this thread if you are trying to help!

[THRAWN]

Okay I was just emailed about the applications today, and I was also just informed today that they are due tomorrow- please only post on this thread if you are trying to help!

Your failure to plan and not do the slightest bit or research into the topic before hitting the panic button is not our emergency. Info has been out for over 60 days.

Here are the instructions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwk9BkjqRppPZzY1M0JhTGNic1U/view

[GabeTP]

If you could PLEASE send me a link or something, that would be outstanding!

[THRAWN]

If you could PLEASE send me a link or something, that would be outstanding!

I posted 2 links. Bon chance!

[CAPDCCMOM]

Cadet, I certainly hope you have never spoken to a Senior Member in your unit like that. There is a word for that, "insubordination". You asked for help, you did not like the answer.

[Garibaldi]

Plus, you need to learn the following phrase and live it:

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

It may not be your fault that the deadline was closer than you thought, but please remember that the vast majority of posters to CAPTalk are adult senior officers. Your commander most likely watches this board but may not post as a rule, so check yourself before you wreck yourself, aight?

[A.Member]

You failed to plan and now want us to spoon feed info to you?!  Really?!

Let me help:  When all the other cadets are away at encampment this summer, reflect on why you aren't there and how you've since adjusted your approach so that will never happen again.

[GabeTP]

Guys I'm sorry, but I didn't know this website was moderated by senior member. I was expecting an enviorment more like my squadron, not encampment. I am just extremely stressed out, and I really appreciate your help,  THRAWN

[Гугл переводчик]

Just for your information, this site is used and frequented by folks from local all the way to national, and maybe even the folks that choose positions at this encampment.

As with you believing this site wasn't "like encampment," shouldn't you be following the core values of excellence and respect anyway?

[A.Member]

Guys I'm sorry, but I didn't know this website was moderated by senior member. I was expecting an enviorment more like my squadron, not encampment. I am just extremely stressed out, and I really appreciate your help,  THRAWN

So, in your mind, that makes your behavior in some way acceptable?  Check out:  Integrity and Repect

[Pace]

Next time someone asks about why more people and/or cadets do not participate on this website, please reflect on this thread.

A cadet who is in serious need of help (which he knows) and guidance (which everyone made painfully clear) was flamed so badly that he might never come back and seek help here again. There certainly were some lessons to be learned here, but you also could remember back to being that age and throw him a bone before more gracefully guiding him to the importance of preparation and timeliness. I give him a little credit for seeking out a resource to resolve the situation he found himself in. If it became a pattern, that's a different story. We don't know his background or situation, and no one bothered to ask. YMMV

This website does not tolerate SMs berating cadets any more than it does Lt Cols berating Lts based solely on grade.

[CAPDCCMOM]

Well Cadet Beach, welcome to CAPTalk, the hard way. More advice for you if you want it. When getting ready for Encampment, or any other activity, don't sit, wait, and pray that information will be heading your way. Generally speaking, it won't. Get out there and get the information that you need. If your Cadet Commander does not have it, ask your CDC, then ask your CC. Keep asking until you find out what you need to know. Don't worry about being a "pest", people will get much less annoyed than when the last minute panic happens. Remember, you are a C/NCO, to whom much is given, much is expected.

You thought that this was just Cadets talking. Well, let this be a lesson to you. We follow our Core Values, at all times. Not just when the Senior Members are looking. As a matter of fact, I guess I should have remembered that a couple of posts ago. My apologies Cadet. As a CDC and a Mom, we are always watching. Good Luck Cadet Beach.

[Al Sayre]

Well Cadet Beach, welcome to CAPTalk, the hard way. More advice for you if you want it. When getting ready for Encampment, or any other activity, don't sit, wait, and pray that information will be heading your way. Generally speaking, it won't. Get out there and get the information that you need. If your Cadet Commander does not have it, ask your CDC, then ask your CC. Keep asking until you find out what you need to know. Don't worry about being a "pest", people will get much less annoyed than when the last minute panic happens. Remember, you are a C/NCO, to whom much is given, much is expected.

You thought that this was just Cadets talking. Well, let this be a lesson to you. We follow our Core Values, at all times. Not just when the Senior Members are looking. As a matter of fact, I guess I should have remembered that a couple of posts ago. My apologies Cadet. As a CDC and a Mom, we are always watching. Good Luck Cadet Beach.

This is good advice for all CAP members, especially the new ones.  You are responsible for your own destiny, in CAP as well as life in general.  It's extremely unlikely that someone will guide you along by the hand, so you need to do your homework ahead of time and set your own course.

[Garibaldi]

Well Cadet Beach, welcome to CAPTalk, the hard way. More advice for you if you want it. When getting ready for Encampment, or any other activity, don't sit, wait, and pray that information will be heading your way. Generally speaking, it won't. Get out there and get the information that you need. If your Cadet Commander does not have it, ask your CDC, then ask your CC. Keep asking until you find out what you need to know. Don't worry about being a "pest", people will get much less annoyed than when the last minute panic happens. Remember, you are a C/NCO, to whom much is given, much is expected.

You thought that this was just Cadets talking. Well, let this be a lesson to you. We follow our Core Values, at all times. Not just when the Senior Members are looking. As a matter of fact, I guess I should have remembered that a couple of posts ago. My apologies Cadet. As a CDC and a Mom, we are always watching. Good Luck Cadet Beach.

Concur and do not concur. A cadet pestering me because I forgot to approve his GT SQTR for nine weeks is fine. A cadet pestering me week after week about promotion boards, PT, testing...big sack of nope. With a side of WTF.

Something like this situation...yes. This is a big event, probably his first if I recall (tl;dr), and he is very very anxious to go and have all he needs. Pester the CoC for form signatures, lists of items needed and forbidden, and gear. But do it respectfully.

We have a tendency to dogpile. I am not excluding myself from this, as I have flamed many a cadet here for grammar and such (and even a few SMs). We question why they did not consult their own CoC. We ask why they didn't RTFM. We give them the information begrudgingly and with not a little sarcasm.

Is this the message we want to send to the cadets on this board? That we, their mentors and leaders, through the "anonymity" of this message board (which ain't so anonymous) circle around the cadets who post questions, and snarl and gnash our teeth when they ask for our help, then begrudgingly give it along with a healthy dose of snark?

True, cadets sometimes think this is a message board for cadets, just as they would any kind of social media. "Teh senoir memburz dont haz teh social media....they haz teh dumz!!!!111!1!! lol nubz" But that doesn't give us license to get up out of our lawn chairs and scream "GET OFF MY LAWN!" like a bunch of crabby old men/women. As I said above, I'm way guilty of this too, but that doesn't translate into how I deal with the cadets in real life. In fact, it's the complete opposite. And it shouldn't be. It should be 100% respect on both sides of the monitor.

Guilty as charged, trying to change.

[Tim Day]

I think what many folks of a certain generation don't understand about cadets is that the military and CAP uses many formal correspondence formats that aren't taught in public school. Additionally, we tend to assume cadet NCO training covers this material.

The problem is that this assumption is false. Our leadership material covers leadership theory and practice, not administrative processes with which a military NCO would be familiar. So, comments like "you're an NCO, you should know how to do this" reflect assumptions about C/NCO training that don't reflect the reality of our C/NCO training.

This is one reason we've established an advanced training squadron at VAWG encampment. We have an NCO-size gap in the training curriculum between encampment and RCLS.

A few squadrons have successfully taught their cadets to use the CAP Indexes, Regulations, and Manuals page to, for example, look up the regulation that covers "Preparing for Official Correspondence", CAPR 10-1, but most have not. I've personally seen this training gap across our wing (last year we asked cadre candidates to submit forwarding letters in official format - that was an eye opener).

Holding a C/NCO to NCO standards of integrity, respect, excellence, and volunteer service is appropriate. Holding them to NCO training standards as regards administrative procedures and correspondence format is counter-productive.
   

[THRAWN]

The instructions were clearly spelled out. There was no need to use the index to try to determine what format to use and where to find it. Applying for staff is a job interview. If you can't get through the application process without issue, then you're probably not the type of candidate that will be successful. As far as members of a "certain generation", they learned how to "look it up". Those basics need to be reinforced. The NCO comment is spot on. By the time  cadet is an NCO he should know how to find info in the regs and know the appropriate method of finding out information for activities.

[Tim Day]

The instructions were clearly spelled out. There was no need to use the index to try to determine what format to use and where to find it. Applying for staff is a job interview. If you can't get through the application process without issue, then you're probably not the type of candidate that will be successful. As far as members of a "certain generation", they learned how to "look it up". Those basics need to be reinforced.

You've missed the point. I agree the basics need to be reinforced through training. But the basics of memorandum-writing aren't part of the CP curriculum at the cadet NCO level. Holding cadets (or anyone) accountable for standards to which they are not trained is counter-productive.

The instructions cite CAPR 10-1. The index link I sent is the way members download a copy of the CAPR 10-1. So while there may not be a need to use the index, it's probably helpful to a cadet who asked a question of other members including senior members.

By the way, how are we doing at reinforcing the basics of cadet program leadership in this thread? Are we modeling leadership or something else when we dog-pile on a cadet who is asking for help?

I also disagree with your assertion that understanding how to write a CAPR 10-1 format memorandum has anything to do with being a successful cadre member (nor is that a CAPP 52-24 requirement).

[THRAWN]

The instructions were clearly spelled out. There was no need to use the index to try to determine what format to use and where to find it. Applying for staff is a job interview. If you can't get through the application process without issue, then you're probably not the type of candidate that will be successful. As far as members of a "certain generation", they learned how to "look it up". Those basics need to be reinforced.

You've missed the point. I agree the basics need to be reinforced through training. But the basics of memorandum-writing aren't part of the CP curriculum at the cadet NCO level. Holding cadets (or anyone) accountable for standards to which they are not trained is counter-productive.

The instructions cite CAPR 10-1. The index link I sent is the way members download a copy of the CAPR 10-1. So while there may not be a need to use the index, it's probably helpful to a cadet who asked a question of other members including senior members.

By the way, how are we doing at reinforcing the basics of cadet program leadership in this thread? Are we modeling leadership or something else when we dog-pile on a cadet who is asking for help?

I also disagree with your assertion that understanding how to write a CAPR 10-1 format memorandum has anything to do with being a successful cadre member (nor is that a CAPP 52-24 requirement).

You missed the point. The instructions tell the applicant the format for the application and where to find it. If you're unable to follow the instructions in the first line of those instructions then you are not going to be a successful applicant. As for dogpiling, you might want to redirect that to someone that it applies to.

[Pace]

As for dogpiling, you might want to redirect that to someone that it applies to.

It does. Replies #5 and #7 to this thread.

[THRAWN]

As for dogpiling, you might want to redirect that to someone that it applies to.

It does. Replies #5 and #7 to this thread.

You need new glasses. I'm the only one that provided an answer to the question. If that's dogpiling, cover me in Alpo.

[Pace]

Yes you did, and yet the point is that it was given in a fashion that would never be tolerated in person, at least not under my command.

Get in touch with them about 3 weeks ago.

Your failure to plan and not do the slightest bit or research into the topic before hitting the panic button is not our emergency. Info has been out for over 60 days

That kind of tone isn't leadership or mentoring. It's sarcastic management, and it is counter productive to the ideals we claim to be enforcing, namely respect.

[Garibaldi]

As for dogpiling, you might want to redirect that to someone that it applies to.

It does. Replies #5 and #7 to this thread.

With respect, I don't see it. He did answer the cadet twice and gave information, but I've seen others nailing this cadet for attitude.

[THRAWN]

Yes you did, and yet the point is that it was given in a fashion that would never be tolerated in person, at least not under my command.

Get in touch with them about 3 weeks ago.

Your failure to plan and not do the slightest bit or research into the topic before hitting the panic button is not our emergency. Info has been out for over 60 days

That kind of tone isn't leadership or mentoring. It's sarcastic management, and it is counter productive to the ideals we claim to be enforcing, namely respect.

You preach about respect but have no issue calling me out in a public forum. That wouldn't happen under my command, hypocrite.

[xray328]

I think what many folks of a certain generation don't understand about cadets is that the military and CAP uses many formal correspondence formats that aren't taught in public school. Additionally, we tend to assume cadet NCO training covers this material.

The problem is that this assumption is false. Our leadership material covers leadership theory and practice, not administrative processes with which a military NCO would be familiar. So, comments like "you're an NCO, you should know how to do this" reflect assumptions about C/NCO training that don't reflect the reality of our C/NCO training.

This is one reason we've established an advanced training squadron at VAWG encampment. We have an NCO-size gap in the training curriculum between encampment and RCLS.

A few squadrons have successfully taught their cadets to use the CAP Indexes, Regulations, and Manuals page to, for example, look up the regulation that covers "Preparing for Official Correspondence", CAPR 10-1, but most have not. I've personally seen this training gap across our wing (last year we asked cadre candidates to submit forwarding letters in official format - that was an eye opener).

Holding a C/NCO to NCO standards of integrity, respect, excellence, and volunteer service is appropriate. Holding them to NCO training standards as regards administrative procedures and correspondence format is counter-productive.

My two cadets attended the NH Wing NCOLS, I highly recommend it.  Not sure if all Wings have one, maybe this is a regional activity?  Definitely filled that gap though.

[CAPDCCMOM]

Ok Everyone. This is getting a little bit too heated. I will own my part in the current debacle. I made several comments that were out of line. I own my share. I also admitted I was wrong. Sometimes we are so concerned about being "Right", we forget about being "Correct".

Again My Apologies for my part in the dust up.

[Luis R. Ramos]

With respect, your being an administrator does not give you a right to be infallible.

In those replies by Thrawn you cited, he has shown leadership and training, not "sarcastic" anything. He presented the cadet where he erred, and how to correct it. You made a mistake by calling out Thrawn.

You owe Thrawn an apology.

[Pace]

You preach about respect but have no issue calling me out in a public forum. That wouldn't happen under my command, hypocrite.

I did not specifically call you out until you claimed that my warning did not apply to you. Up to that point my comments had been via PM. I didn't send you a PM because I thought everyone got the messege and moved on. You are on point that I would never call someone out publicly in person, and for that I apologize. This goes beyond just you though.

This also serves as a very sharp public statement that flaming of cadets will not be tolerated. I don't know how long you all have been on this board, but there used to be a very large cadet presence on this forum. That isn't the case now, and it is in part because of how cadets are treated here time and time again. And as a general statement regarding how cadets are treated on CAPTalk, I think it is completely disgraceful. If age and immaturity get the best of someone followed by a lack of redirection, the admins/mods have always swiftly dealt with it.

[THRAWN]

You preach about respect but have no issue calling me out in a public forum. That wouldn't happen under my command, hypocrite.

I did not specifically call you out until you claimed that my warning did not apply to you. Up to that point my comments had been via PM. I didn't send you a PM because I thought everyone got the messege and moved on. You are on point that I would never call someone out publicly in person, and for that I apologize. This goes beyond just you though.

This also serves as a very sharp public statement that flaming of cadets will not be tolerated. I don't know how long you all have been on this board, but there used to be a very large cadet presence on this forum. That isn't the case now, and it is in part because of how cadets are treated here time and time again. And as a general statement regarding how cadets are treated on CAPTalk, I think it is completely disgraceful. If age and immaturity get the best of someone followed by a lack of redirection, the admins/mods have always swiftly dealt with it.

Accepted and extended back to you.

What's next?

[LSThiker]

This also serves as a very sharp public statement that flaming of cadets will not be tolerated. I don't know how long you all have been on this board, but there used to be a very large cadet presence on this forum. That isn't the case now, and it is in part because of how cadets are treated here time and time again. And as a general statement regarding how cadets are treated on CAPTalk, I think it is completely disgraceful. If age and immaturity get the best of someone followed by a lack of redirection, the admins/mods have always swiftly dealt with it.

Dan,

I agree.  This was also the case for cadetstuff.  As the years went by the same mentality was observed and new forum members, mostly younger cadets, would leave quite often.  While I have seen it happen in other forums, it is usually to a lesser degree than what is observed here.  It is probably due to the fact that we have what would be considered a "base knowledge" concept with a "rule book".  That is, for backpacking and photography forums, which I frequent often, there is really no base knowledge, no standards, no rule books, no anything.  The questions usually revolve on personal preferences and "newbie" type information.  New comers to these topics go to the forums to seek advice while the experienced or pros go there to provide their opinions.

On these forums, it is usually a flaming based on ego and opinion.  Rarely will you see a person say "just read a book".

I would be curious if this happens in other forums similar to CAPTalk, such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. 

[TheSkyHornet]

Just a note---

There are squadrons who promote for the sake of promoting. I'm not going to assume anything about this cadet as I don't know him, but I've seen first-hand what happens when cadets are bumped through the ranks with minimal training and minimal accountability. I see Cadet Chiefs who have never held a duty position, never staffed encampment, and can't lead drill if their life depended on it. I don't need to ask "How did they get this far" because I already know--they were promoted without any measurable performance aside from doing the bare minimum work. It's not the fault of the cadet; it's the fault of the training program and the people managing it.

[Ned]

Just a note---

There are squadrons who promote for the sake of promoting. I'm not going to assume anything about this cadet as I don't know him, but I've seen first-hand what happens when cadets are bumped through the ranks with minimal training and minimal accountability. I see Cadet Chiefs who have never held a duty position, never staffed encampment, and can't lead drill if their life depended on it. I don't need to ask "How did they get this far" because I already know--they were promoted without any measurable performance aside from doing the bare minimum work. It's not the fault of the cadet; it's the fault of the training program and the people managing it.

I can't really disagree with the above, except to note that it is not just a cadet program problem.   We've all met seniors who appear to have been promoted ahead of their skills and abilities.   

(I suppose I also need to point out that while it is certainly preferable that cadets engage in leadership positions outside the squadron as often as possible, there is no requirement that a cadet NCO or officer staff an encampment to be eligible for promotion.  And anyone who "meets the minimums" does indeed meet the minimums and should be considered for promotion.  That's kind of the whole point of having minimums.

We can always have a good discussion about whether we should raise some of the minimum standards, but if you meet the standards, you meet the standard.)

[Майор Хаткевич]

I don't know how long you all have been on this board, but there used to be a very large cadet presence on this forum. That isn't the case now, and it is in part because of how cadets are treated here time and time again.

When was this time? I've been a member on this forum since early 2007, when I was a cadet, and I was one of a very few active participants who weren't SMs. It couldn't have been before that time, because CadetStuff was the place to be for cadet forums at the time. I don't believe it was after, in the 2008-2012 time period when I was less active here.


I see a lot of griping on places like facebook and other social media about CAPTalk and cadets having their internet feelings hurt, but to be honest, as someone who was a cadet on CAPTalk, was a young SM, and still is, probably on average younger by 15-20 years than most SMs here and in CAP at large, I don't see it. A lot of cadets ask some REALLY bad questions. Seriously lacking questions at times. Does that mean they deserve ridicule? Of course not.


But you know what? The responses in this thread were spot on. When was the time to do the app? Weeks ago. Ask questions? Weeks ago.


I had some of MY cadets ask me for Letters of Recommendation for Encampment, less than a week out from the deadline. They knew about the deadline for close to a month. You know what my non-CAP member wife told me? Don't do it. They didn't give you enough time to do 3 letters, and should suffer the consequences. I almost agreed with her reasoning, but figured I'd do the letters anyway, and then have a talk about timelines and requests with the cadets as a lesson after the fact. But I'm sure one day there will be a day when I refuse to write a LoR due to the timing, and let the cadet know that it's not a punishment, it's a lesson.

[Pace]

I was most active from 2005-2009. While cadet activity had started to taper off, it was still more active than it is today. Back then it was because certain people were always rude to cadets.

You know as well as I do that communication among SM line officers and staff is lacking more than it is adequate. Now imagine potentially how much less is communicated to the cadets. Maybe he got the memo late because he hadn't heard anything from his chain of command. Maybe he was lazy. We never found out his background. My point is that we almost always assume that cadets are lazy when they ask a question instead of answering it and then adding in helpful commentary.

[Майор Хаткевич]

It doesn't really matter. A day out is as short notice as possible.

[Raikkonen]

Would it be beneficial for the Admins to make special icons that identify Cadets vs. Seniors and maybe have a "Cadet Only" section?  Some of the Senior convos get pretty heated so maybe that should become something that is transparent to the Cadets that might be lurking around the forum. 

Just asking.  Please don't flame me lol

[Pace]

I thought about that, but I have no idea if that's even possible. Plus, it has to do with respect and decency. If we have to segregate cadets to keep SMs from being rude to them, what does that say about us on CAPTalk?

[MIKE]

How do you validate cadet/senior status on an unofficial forum?  On an official forum sure, use CAPID and eServices at registration.

[Raikkonen]

Both good points.  Both taken.  Thank you

[Pace]

How do you validate cadet/senior status on an unofficial forum?  On an official forum sure, use CAPID and eServices at registration.

Maybe have people select either cadet or SM with associated color-coded user names (ex: blue for cadets and black for SMs) when they register for an account?  You could lie, but that's grounds for a ban under current policy if discovered.

[Garibaldi]

How do you validate cadet/senior status on an unofficial forum?  On an official forum sure, use CAPID and eServices at registration.

Maybe have people select either cadet or SM with associated color-coded user names (ex: blue for cadets and black for SMs) when they register for an account?  You could lie, but that's grounds for a ban under current policy if discovered.

Well, for my part I solemnly swear that I'm up to good deeds regarding cadets posting questions on the board. Even seniors. I always have the option to not respond at all.

[THRAWN]

How do you validate cadet/senior status on an unofficial forum?  On an official forum sure, use CAPID and eServices at registration.

Maybe have people select either cadet or SM with associated color-coded user names (ex: blue for cadets and black for SMs) when they register for an account?  You could lie, but that's grounds for a ban under current policy if discovered.

And it makes a boat load of work for the mods. How do you keep cadets out of SM only discussions? Active monitoring of posts? Seems like the system that is in place now works. When somebody gets out of line, they get told about it. If cadets want to watch the sausage making, good for them. Gives them a look into how wing level meetings are held...strike that....give them a look at the nice parts of wing level meetings...

[Chappie]

^^ Concur ^^  :clap:   Rule of thumb:  abiding by the CAP Core Values here in CAPTalk will keep the tone and tenor of the threads "reader-friendly" -- be it cadet or senior member.   That is all.

[Pace]

How do you validate cadet/senior status on an unofficial forum?  On an official forum sure, use CAPID and eServices at registration.

Maybe have people select either cadet or SM with associated color-coded user names (ex: blue for cadets and black for SMs) when they register for an account?  You could lie, but that's grounds for a ban under current policy if discovered.

And it makes a boat load of work for the mods. How do you keep cadets out of SM only discussions? Active monitoring of posts? Seems like the system that is in place now works. When somebody gets out of line, they get told about it. If cadets want to watch the sausage making, good for them. Gives them a look into how wing level meetings are held...strike that....give them a look at the nice parts of wing level meetings...

My intent was not to segregate but merely to label.

[LSThiker]

How do you validate cadet/senior status on an unofficial forum?  On an official forum sure, use CAPID and eServices at registration.

Was not there at a point a Senior Member only section?  Or was that Cadetstuff?  I believe, we had to send a scanned copy of our CAP ID card or our CAP ID number to be "granted" permission in that thread.  Does anyone else remember that?

Just a question that does not necessarily imply condoning or rejecting the idea.

[Shutterbug]

Perhaps one of the most critical lessons a cadet will learn during their time in the program is how to work effectively with senior members and interact with them in a professional manner. Unfortunately, this lesson is often learned the hard way, and a balance of respect must be found between cadets living in fear of senior members and blatant insubordination. While cadets will occasionally enter this forum and make mistakes or throw the chain of command out the window, segregation of cadets and senior members on this forum, or others, would only hinder the potential learning experiences our organization has to offer.

[CAPDCCMOM]

"Sometimes ruling through fear is a good thing..."

Countess Dowager
Downton Abbey

[Spam]

Teammates:


I feel that one of the biggest takeaways for me (and possibly for all respondents) is to remember that there's a human on the other side of that screen (cadet or officer) who is answering in all sincerity based on their point(s) of view, and that we should behave as if we were discussing all these varied issues at a local meeting face to face.


Its very easy to stare at the pale blue CAPTalk screen, and only see black and white words, then to respond to an issue (not to the person) in a short, curt manner, without the social skills that we would expect at any face to face meeting.


Don't do that. I have, and I've regretted it. We need to pause, and to make an effort to stop, read three times for context, for who the author is/seems to be, and to ask, "will any answer I make really advance this discussion"?  I have to admit, some of my past responses have been inflammatory/reactionary/emotional/useless, but several times, I best served the discussion by NOT posting my initial thoughts. Sometimes, the best course is NOT to comment.  Other times, I've paused to ask myself if my response (especially to cadet members) would fit with the new Leadership Lab model of servant leadership.  Would I make such a comment/reply to a member (especially a cadet member) face to face?  If not = rework, or don't post.



Very Respectfully,
Spam

[Panzerbjorn]

I thought about that, but I have no idea if that's even possible. Plus, it has to do with respect and decency. If we have to segregate cadets to keep SMs from being rude to them, what does that say about us on CAPTalk?

.

Frankly, it simply validates what I tell any of my cadets I see pop up on here and post....that they post at their own risk and they need to understand they're jumping into a pool of piranhas.

[Garibaldi]

I thought about that, but I have no idea if that's even possible. Plus, it has to do with respect and decency. If we have to segregate cadets to keep SMs from being rude to them, what does that say about us on CAPTalk?

.

Frankly, it simply validates what I tell any of my cadets I see pop up on here and post....that they post at their own risk and they need to understand they're jumping into a pool of piranhas.

Then the piranha need to shut their fool mouths until they figure out what they're eating. Seriously, I've noticed my own behavior, and been called out on it. I'm trying to change. But, whenever a cadet mentions CAPTalk to me, I just shake my head and walk off after telling them to stay away. There's a Facebook group more suited to them and there's a lot of warnings about us, that we eat cadets alive and pick our teeth with their bones.

It's not rocket surgery. I'm trying to be civil. I really am. And it's hard. I don't deal well with willful ignorance and bad grammar, as most of you well know. But the lobotomy I have scheduled for next week should take care of the remaining issues I have.

[Raikkonen]

I thought about that, but I have no idea if that's even possible. Plus, it has to do with respect and decency. If we have to segregate cadets to keep SMs from being rude to them, what does that say about us on CAPTalk?

.

Frankly, it simply validates what I tell any of my cadets I see pop up on here and post....that they post at their own risk and they need to understand they're jumping into a pool of piranhas.

Then the piranha need to shut their fool mouths until they figure out what they're eating. Seriously, I've noticed my own behavior, and been called out on it. I'm trying to change. But, whenever a cadet mentions CAPTalk to me, I just shake my head and walk off after telling them to stay away. There's a Facebook group more suited to them and there's a lot of warnings about us, that we eat cadets alive and pick our teeth with their bones.

It's not rocket surgery. I'm trying to be civil. I really am. And it's hard. I don't deal well with willful ignorance and bad grammar, as most of you well know. But the lobotomy I have scheduled for next week should take care of the remaining issues I have.

You just became my best friend.

[NC Wing Range Master]

Next time someone asks about why more people and/or cadets do not participate on this website, please reflect on this thread.

A cadet who is in serious need of help (which he knows) and guidance (which everyone made painfully clear) was flamed so badly that he might never come back and seek help here again. There certainly were some lessons to be learned here, but you also could remember back to being that age and throw him a bone before more gracefully guiding him to the importance of preparation and timeliness. I give him a little credit for seeking out a resource to resolve the situation he found himself in. If it became a pattern, that's a different story. We don't know his background or situation, and no one bothered to ask. YMMV

This website does not tolerate SMs berating cadets any more than it does Lt Cols berating Lts based solely on grade.

I totally agree. 

It is like when you have a new cadet who has a question and the reply...the only reply that he gets is "Well, It's all in E Services.."  Well, thanks a Pant-Load there Chet.  Not only does the Cadet not have an answer, nor the parents by the way, but you look like a Tool yourself.

Mentoring is not always a formal program, quite often it is one question, one deep breath, one simple answer at a time.

"Paratroopers, Because even US Marines need a Hero"