Encampment Hazing Videos?

[skandalintegra]

My only comment to you, Cadet, is that you might want to re-examine the leadership techniques that you and your peers use in CAP.  This should be a point of re-evaluation.

What really "bothers" me is this comment: "Cadet Y was upset because he did not know his memory work and was afraid of the consequences."

This makes me wonder about the environment that the cadet is placed in.  What happens in this environment that would make the cadets FEAR the consequences of not being able to recite something.  I have never seen an environment in CAP where things like this happened, not even at an encampment.

Perhaps you should investigate other methods of leadership that will instill the desire to learn and excel without fear of retribution.  Cadets are supposed to be having fun in CAP - does it look like he was having fun?

I don't know, it wasn't me taking the video, and I was not going around yelling.  You can ask any senior member who has been my TAC or any senior member who has worked with me closely, and I'm sure every one of them will say that I don't resort to the "yelling" type of motivation.  I'm typically one of the more quiet types that when he speaks, he is listened to.

At encampment in Colorado last summer, I was actually the "friend" type of staff member cadets came to, even though I was the squadron first sergeant.  I got bit by a brown recluse spider halfway through the encampment, and during personal prep time I would say that at least 15-20 basic cadets came to my dorm to see how I was doing or if I needed any help with anything. 

I appreciate the opportunities CAP has given me to figure out my leadership style, and I believe I have found it to be most effective in befriending my superiors and subordinates, while still getting the job done.  This is the same kind of leadership style I hope I can take into the Marine Corps with me in a few years.

In the video, this kid is 12 years old, and he was probably thinking he was going to get into trouble for not knowing his memory work, when in fact if someone doesn't know it, a staff member will go on to another cadet who does know it and make sure the first cadet learns from the cadet that knows.  The biggest punishment for not knowing memory work is simply the feeling of personally disappointment. At least that's how it was when I was a C/AB back in January 06.

Maybe not everyone does that, but that's what I do.  I don't resort to screaming and shouting because the cadet that has to scream to get something done has lost his professional bearing.

That's my spin on it. 

Edit for spelling correction.

[Eclipse]

At encampment in Colorado last summer, I was actually the "friend" type of staff member cadets came to, even though I was the squadron first sergeant.  I got bit by a brown recluse spider halfway through the encampment, and during personal prep time I would say that at least 15-20 basic cadets came to my dorm to see how I was doing or if I needed any help with anything. 

Why didn't you just go home?

[skandalintegra]

Because I caught the [darn] spider biting me, and got to the medic before anything bad happened.

I'm not someone who will let a minor (controlled) inconvenience get in the way of my work. 

Seems like people want to jump down my throat for everything I do lately.  I guess it's not good enough that I can accept 100% responsibility for something I was 50% at fault for.

[Major Lord]

C/LT Jackson,

There are many Seniors in CAP who have no military experience, and little or no experience in Cadet Programs. While many of them are shocked by seeing Cadet activities in progress, and subsequently want to change the program ( to bring it more into conformity with Girl Scout Llama Camp, Cub Scouts, Happy Panda Church Youth Group, or whatever their background is) They don't get a vote! I have met, and I am sure that you have met, many "flying club" seniors that would prefer that our Cadet Programs were run like their side of the house. i.e, a bunch of obese,Monday morning quarter backs in golf shirts watching power point presentations. The heck with that! You know, and I know, and everyone else who actually is involved in Cadet Programs knows, that the measure of satisfaction a Cadet takes home from these activities is directly proportional to his or her perception of the intensity of the training. While I agree that posting the videos was imprudent ( mostly because it causes heart palpitations in these C-Squareds Seniors) There is not a darn thing wrong with providing an educational, motivational, and intense training experience. Did you hear of any accusations of hazing from any of the attendees? No one else did either, I would wager. My guess is that they walked taller, and saw that the grass was a little greener and the sky was a a little bluer, after graduation. Keep running good, high power cadet activities! Don't let the hypogonadism that is so pervasive in CAP turn out a cadet program that generates whiny little losers proudly claiming victim status. Lets not help create another 60's generation of timid souls who have never known neither victory or defeat!

Major Lord

[ZigZag911]

Major Lord, perhaps your efforts at motivating C/Lt. Jackson would resonate more with others if your emphasis were on accentuating the positive (building team work, offering a challenging, exciting program) than the negative (critiquing the physique, clothing and general attitude of all those who do not share your view of CAP).

Senior members need to curtail their enthusiasm at times so that it is not misinterpreted by cadet leaders. When we go over the top -- and, in my opinion, you certainly approached the line in this last post, if not actually crossing it -- they see this and presume it's OK to follow our example.

Your passion is commendable, it needs to be tempered with some prudence.