CAP historical repositories

CAPR 210-3 basically requires that CAP retain ownership of all its histories records and that they be kept in a "repository" at some level of CAP. 

Is this really the wisest course? I am all sure that many of us are aware of situations where a new unit commander or staff officer decided to clean things up a bit and trashed material that most certainly would meet the definition of something of historical interest that should have been retained. 

The fact is that CAP as an organization just can't be trusted to maintain historical records, photographs, etc. because in general we just don't have the space to properly keep them, even often at Wing level. 

Rather than risk that the new guy will junk everything, why not encourage CAP historians to develop relationships with statewide archives (because I don't trust county museums much either) and have them put them there.  Not only will it ensure that they are going to be kept in a proper environment, but they will also be available for use by other historians and encourage more scholarship about CAP? 

Of course, the fact is that we are unlikely to be producing much of new historical significance these days.  The only interesting documents that we may produce are related to missions and most of that is required to be tossed.  If we had a standard practice of writing after action reports for major missions, those would be perfect for such purposes, but that isn't being done to my knowledge.  CAP newsletters (the first draft of history) are basically dead.  Moving forward, about the only thing we may have to put in repositories are copies of press releases (if anyone bothers to write them) and a few printed out photos (if anyone bothers to do that anymore). 

But, there is some older stuff out there that should be kept and we shouldn't be the ones keeping it. 

1.10.1. Unit records not covered by permanent retention criteria but which the commander determines to be of significant historical value will be forwarded to the unit historian for evaluation.

That is way too broad, to the point of being useless.  One Commander may say very little is needed, while another may want 5000 photos taken at an encampment or SAREX to be archived.

But, there is some older stuff out there that should be kept and we shouldn't be the ones keeping it.

Why?

Where?

A lot of units don't have formal storage, and many Wing HQ's look like unit meeting locations.

But, there is some older stuff out there that should be kept and we shouldn't be the ones keeping it.

Why?

Where?

A lot of units don't have formal storage, and many Wing HQ's look like unit meeting locations.

Exactly what I said in the rest of the post... 

Why in the world does CAP want historical suppositories?

Let me get my glasses...


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The USCG Auxiliary has an official archive at East Carolina University.