Prospective Cadet: - Do you have Generals in CAP?
Me: - Well yes. I know of one, but she's our National Commander.
PC: - Is she a cadet?
Me: - Um, no - she's our boss, she's in charge and works at Headquarters.
PC: - no Cadet Generals then?
Me: - not officially, no. ::)
PC: - So she's a 5 Star then?
Me: - No, a Major General
PC: - Oh....... is that all?
Me - Um, Yes - I think she's happy with that though
PC: - I suppose that's ok. I'd still like to join, this looks cool.
Me: - Yes it is cool - and you get to learn a lot too
PC: - Um yep - BTW you're cool too, I think CAP will be fun
Me: - Thank you!
True story! - BTW at 4x yrs old being called 'cool' by an 11year old deserves a ribbon at least!
I didn't even know CAP was the Air Force Auxiliary when I joined. I just wanted to wear camouflage.
The BDUs got me too. So did Drill I guess.
Only later did I get into the meat of it and love the program for what it was.
At my Cadet encampment (lo all those years ago), someone doubled up two C/Maj insignias to make 4 diamonds and put them on one cadet in full Class A's. Then they walked him around and introduced him as C/Gen Soandso, the Cadet National Commander. The number of people who fell for it (SMs amongst them) was staggering.
Quote from: JoeTomasone on October 23, 2009, 02:16:14 PM
At my Cadet encampment (lo all those years ago), someone doubled up two C/Maj insignias to make 4 diamonds and put them on one cadet in full Class A's. Then they walked him around and introduced him as C/Gen Soandso, the Cadet National Commander. The number of people who fell for it (SMs amongst them) was staggering.
:D
That's exactly what we always thought the insignia would look like if it ever existed.
When I was cadet, CAC proposed a C/Gen rank here in CA.
If I recall, it was a fourth Diamond and so on...
However, like we have discussed before. There was ultimately no need for it.
Quote from: Flying Pig on October 23, 2009, 04:17:20 PM
When I was cadet, CAC proposed a C/Gen rank here in CA.
If I recall, it was a fourth Diamond and so on...
However, like we have discussed before. There was ultimately no need for it.
Let me guess, C/NCAC Commander Grade?
Quote from: Flying Pig on October 23, 2009, 04:17:20 PM
When I was cadet, CAC proposed a C/Gen rank here in CA.
If I recall, it was a fourth Diamond and so on...
However, like we have discussed before. There was ultimately no need for it.
That would look ridiculous.
The better designs I've heard of include an outlined star (as opposed to a solid, filled star) and gold diamonds as opposed to white ones. I cannot imagine trying to fit four diamonds on the service dress shoulder boards... they were already hanging off as it is. These poor cadet generals would have wings hanging off of them. Appropriate for CAP, I guess...
You would need big shoulders to carry that kind of responsibility. ;)
I dont recall exactly, but it was suppossed to be like some type C/National Commander or each Wing would have one...something like that. I dont think it ever went beyond the ideas of wild-eyed bling loving cadets. I dont even know if "bling" was a word in the early 90's.
Oh well.
And in my era it was gold diamonds, for what would essentially have been the falcon redux.
And service as one of a number of posts. Encampment Commander with over 120 cadets, Wing or higher CAC chair, etc.
Every regime has their thoughts on the matter, but the fact is the idea died with the falcon.
WIWAC in AKWG our cadet commander had just come up there from CAWG. He told us that at their encampments the cadet wing commander was a C/Brig Gen. The insignia was one pip with one diamond. I was doubting it but the senior member officers were talking about it. True? We'll probably never know. It was in the 68/69 time frame. One thing is true, CAWG was absolutely MASSIVE back in those days. Someone may have thought it was a good idea.
Quote from: 321EOD on October 23, 2009, 01:33:29 PM
Prospective Cadet: - Do you have Generals in CAP?
Me: - Well yes. I know of one, but she's our National Commander.
PC: - Is she a cadet?
Me: - Um, no - she's our boss, she's in charge and works at Headquarters.
PC: - no Cadet Generals then?
Me: - not officially, no. ::)
PC: - So she's a 5 Star then?
Me: - No, a Major General
PC: - Oh....... is that all?
Me - Um, Yes - I think she's happy with that though
PC: - I suppose that's ok. I'd still like to join, this looks cool.
Me: - Yes it is cool - and you get to learn a lot too
PC: - Um yep - BTW you're cool too, I think CAP will be fun
Me: - Thank you!
True story! - BTW at 4x yrs old being called 'cool' by an 11year old deserves a ribbon at least!
Awww... Eaglets, don't you just love them?
The COWG Encampment is held at the USAFA Prep School, where they have the same cadet officer grade insignia as we do, including the aforementioned 4-diamond rank insignia. Those always produced interesting discussion after trips to the Uniform Shop 8)
Quote from: Gunner C on October 23, 2009, 08:46:44 PM
WIWAC in AKWG our cadet commander had just come up there from CAWG. He told us that at their encampments the cadet wing commander was a C/Brig Gen. The insignia was one pip with one diamond. I was doubting it but the senior member officers were talking about it. True? We'll probably never know. It was in the 68/69 time frame. One thing is true, CAWG was absolutely MASSIVE back in those days. Someone may have thought it was a good idea.
Someone was blowing smoke or engaging in wishful thinking. Never happened, at least not in the light of day.
I always had my doubts. ;D
Quote from: 321EOD on October 23, 2009, 01:33:29 PM
True story! - BTW at 4x yrs old being called 'cool' by an 11year old deserves a ribbon at least!
How long before he/she is 12 and can join?
I was a CAP Cadet General for a week. National came up with the idea of having a Cadet General in each Wing. Only seven were appointed. Then AFTOTC complained saying they didn't have Cadet generals, so all seven cadets went back to the original grades. Actually it was less than a week, only six days before the Wing Commander phoned and said the generals grades were cancelled. The grade insignia was four diamonds. This was the period when cadets could be promoted or emoted by Squadron Commanders. (up through Cadet major) LCol and Colonel were Wing appointments. The time period of the cadet generals was in the late 1940's.
I've had the idea of wing cadet commanders, but it was shot down before the air out of my mouth cooled off......
^ The issue with that concept is and has always been that adults with a 4 year tenure barely have enough time to impliment change.
You spend a year learning the job and cleaning up the messes, 2 years doing stuff, and 1 year transitioning. Roughly.
It's hard to fathom what a cadet with maybe a 1 or 2 year term could possibly DO.
We had a very young SM Captain in MAWG, who we pinned with the 4 diamonds for Encampment check-in about 1995. Really impressed the cadets.
Quote from: brasda91 on October 24, 2009, 06:42:41 PM
Quote from: 321EOD on October 23, 2009, 01:33:29 PM
True story! - BTW at 4x yrs old being called 'cool' by an 11year old deserves a ribbon at least!
How long before he/she is 12 and can join?
At our next recruiting cycle in the April/May timeframe.