The budget problems are hitting home.

[davidsinn]

I just got an email saying that all but two of GLR's State Directors are being laid off in September. This sucks because our SD was always at every big SAREX. I feel sorry for the remaining two who have to drive across multiple states to do their jobs...

[FW]

That is bad news.  However, it's the Air Force's call.  I guess since almost everything is done online, they feel the need to downsize.  Hopefully, it won't effect CAP's performance or mission reimbursements.

[jimmydeanno]

It's too bad the positions are going away, however, most of the SDs I've interacts  with didnt do much in the first place, so...are we really losing anything?

[lordmonar]

It's too bad the positions are going away, however, most of the SDs I've interacts  with didnt do much in the first place, so...are we really losing anything?

That's my thought exactly......I'm not characterising the indivdual SD's....but is it really a full time job?  I can only name about 3-4 things that the SD has to be involved with.....and that can easily be done at the regional level.....in most wings.

As far as travel.......well that's what per diem is for.

[SARDOC]

Just posted by National Capital Wing

As you probably have read in the paper, online and seen on the news, the Air Force is facing considerable funding and manning constraints. As a result, the AF must reduce its civilian workforce by 4,500 authorizations worldwide. Last fall, 92 manpower positions were eliminated at Maxwell AFB and current plans now call for the reduction of an additional 113 civilian positions at Maxwell AFB.

Cuts of this magnitude will impact many Air University programs including CAP. In fact, our CAP-USAF family has learned they will be hard hit. The latest reduction at Maxwell AFB will result in a CAP-USAF loss of 22 civilian authorizations.

All 22 of the positions are State Directors and they will be eliminated by 30 Sep 12. The remaining 16 State Directors' duties will be realigned as advisors at the Liaison Region level. In short, the State Director function that CAP and CAP-USAF have both appreciated for a long time will no longer exist ... these members will now be an extension of the Liaison Region.

This loss is significant not only for CAP-USAF, but also for CAP. Our State Directors are an integral part of our team often acting as the go-to-person for problem resolution in the field. Without question, the loss of these vital team members will have a considerable impact on the entire CAP organization. CAP-USAF is developing restructuring strategies to realign the State Director functions, and more importantly, to begin to structure CAP-USAF strategically to operate more efficiently and still provide a high level of service in the leaner years that lie ahead.

CAP-USAF's plan is to establish a team of Liaison Region Commanders, State Directors and CAP leadership in late March to finalize the path for the future. CAP and CAP-USAF are both totally committed to finding the best way to make this situation work while minimizing negative impacts on both organizations. We are confident the end result will be a stronger, more efficient CAP/CAP-USAF team.

Food for Thought

[Eclipse]

It's too bad the positions are going away, however, most of the SDs I've interacts  with didnt do much in the first place, that I was aware of...

Let's leave it at that - those of us who interact with SD's know their importance in regards to ES, the cadet program, and operations in general.

The RAP program, in general, has been on a shrinking curve for ten years, which means that the SD's "field people" are fewer and fewer
in each wing, but the fact that they aren't visible doesn't mean they aren't busy and valuable.

[jimmydeanno]

There are some SDs that work hard, for others, the job is a cushy retirement gig making 80k plus to monitor half that in federally appropriated funds.  Whenever the several wings I've been a member of actually needed anything, the ones I've interacted with have literally put up road blocks that don't actually exist.

One told us that we couldn't get military oflights for years.  Working around him, I was able to get them within weeks.  There are the ones who actively try to separate themselves from being associated with CAP, putting down the organization at any chance they get.

I'm not saying the position isn't valuable, but many of the folks in it aren't really willing to put in the effort to do the job.  In those cases, losing them isn't going to make a lick of difference to the way those wings are operating, since they were already running in spite of them.

[coudano]

It's too bad the positions are going away, however, most of the SDs I've interacts  with didnt do much in the first place, that I was aware of...

Let's leave it at that - those of us who interact with SD's know their importance in regards to ES, the cadet program, and operations in general.

The RAP program, in general, has been on a shrinking curve for ten years, which means that the SD's "field people" are fewer and fewer
in each wing, but the fact that they aren't visible doesn't mean they aren't busy and valuable.

I don't believe the SD's own the RAP's, do they?
I thought the SD was a corporate employee of CAP Inc side of CAP-USAF (employed by the exec dir?)

And the Reservists were the USAF side, separate and distinct

but i've never really been clear on that...



At some point the calculus has to be done between having someone travelling between multiple states, or having a different person who stays put.  Travel can add up to a salary pdq, depending on circumstances.

Our SD has had two wings for several years.

[lordmonar]

No...the SD's were GS employees of the USAF/Fed Government.

Wing admins are CAP employees.

The CAP RAPs are another ball of wax....they are USAF Reserve personel seconded to CAP-USAF....either in lieu of, or in addition to their regular USAF Reserve duties.

[Eclipse]

The SD is a GS working for the USAF, and the RAPs are reservists.

The have a separate, parallel chain of command, but the RAPs work for and are essentially "hired" by the SD's.  They are the unpaid (beyond points and per diem) hands and eyes of CAP-USAF.

The SD's and the RAPs all work together on things like CI's, Evals, activity auditing, etc.  The RAP's also perform equipment inspections, unit visits,
and other flag-flying activities.  Sadly the RAP program has been shrinking over the last decade as well, due to budget cuts, personnel availability,
and other related factors.

We clearly have been lucky in my wing to have not only one of the best SD's in CAP, but to have also had a number of excellent RAPs who really
"get" CAP - for example, one NCO who has been incredibly active was the commander (as a cadet), of the encampment I ran for 8 years, another
is a highly-placed reservist who loves to teach, and one we lost, due to retirement, was not only a great guy, but had been a unit CC for
many years when he was on AD, so these guys "got it".

On the flip side, my CD was a RAP before joining CAP and he and I have been working closely together for years, I report to him now in our new roles.

And yes, just like every other job in the universe, there are people who "get it" and people who don't.  Prior to our SD, we were still working in the old
LO program, where each wing had an officer and an NCO.  At some point the officer left and the NCO was the only LO we had.  I had to deal with him
early on in my CAP career in regards to encampments and base resources. 

Suffice to say he was less than "involved" - it was not until he left, and we got an SD, that I discovered that his full-time job was CAP.  He was always
so hard to reach and "less than involved" that I always assumed that he was AD and had somehow gotten saddled with CAP stuff as ADY.

The other issue is how many wing staffers don't involve their SD in anything but a cursory level, and sometimes actually challenge their authority
on various issues. In most cases the SD's are current or recently-prior, military officers with hands-on experience in aviation and management, and
have a lot to offer anyone interested in listening.

I'm not sure what is the issue, but considering the SDs control the purse strings, and have to approve most important activities, you can either
fight them all the time, or vet your ideas before they become "discussions".

[RiverAux]

I've got to say that we've had a great SD for many years, but as a taxpayer I do have to agree that in our state it probably doesn't require a full-time position. 

However, trying to do all of that at the regional level is going to be extremely difficult.  I could see having one SD cover several of the small states while leaving a single SD in some of the larger ones, but trying to run most of it out of region is going to be very difficult. 

[SAR-EMT1]

Are these RIF's likely to change the roles of the RAP personnel ? Will they assume any roles of the SD's ?

[Eclipse]

No.

[lordmonar]

Are these RIF's likely to change the roles of the RAP personnel ? Will they assume any roles of the SD's ?

There may not be many CAP RAPS around.   With the Active AF cutting the number of positions you can bet that AFRES will be losing man-days....which will affect how many and how often a CAP-RAP can get paid for doing their CAP-RAP job.

[Patterson]

^ They should not get any "pay", except for per diem if they travel to do CI's, etc. They already are getting more than they should (especially with the way our economy is). We just had a new RAP Member come on board just over 10 months ago.  He has yet to visit any unit, does not answer messages or emails, yet WE will pay his retirement.  What a waste of tax money.

[Eclipse]

^ "We" are paying for his retirement because he served in the military and earned it.  RAP points may help make his retirement more comfortable, or
bridge a small amount of time a respective RAP is short, but make no mistake these are service members who have done their bit.

RAPs only earn points when they do something for CAP, and if they don't earn enough points in a given year, they are separated from the program.

How is that bad?

[FARRIER]

Just posted by National Capital Wing

As you probably have read in the paper, online and seen on the news, the Air Force is facing considerable funding and manning constraints. As a result, the AF must reduce its civilian workforce by 4,500 authorizations worldwide. Last fall, 92 manpower positions were eliminated at Maxwell AFB and current plans now call for the reduction of an additional 113 civilian positions at Maxwell AFB.

Cuts of this magnitude will impact many Air University programs including CAP. In fact, our CAP-USAF family has learned they will be hard hit. The latest reduction at Maxwell AFB will result in a CAP-USAF loss of 22 civilian authorizations.

All 22 of the positions are State Directors and they will be eliminated by 30 Sep 12. The remaining 16 State Directors' duties will be realigned as advisors at the Liaison Region level. In short, the State Director function that CAP and CAP-USAF have both appreciated for a long time will no longer exist ... these members will now be an extension of the Liaison Region.

This loss is significant not only for CAP-USAF, but also for CAP. Our State Directors are an integral part of our team often acting as the go-to-person for problem resolution in the field. Without question, the loss of these vital team members will have a considerable impact on the entire CAP organization. CAP-USAF is developing restructuring strategies to realign the State Director functions, and more importantly, to begin to structure CAP-USAF strategically to operate more efficiently and still provide a high level of service in the leaner years that lie ahead.

CAP-USAF's plan is to establish a team of Liaison Region Commanders, State Directors and CAP leadership in late March to finalize the path for the future. CAP and CAP-USAF are both totally committed to finding the best way to make this situation work while minimizing negative impacts on both organizations. We are confident the end result will be a stronger, more efficient CAP/CAP-USAF team.

Food for Thought

Not hijacking the thread, but information to give the magnitude of things.

"AF Announces New Force Cuts"

http://www.military.com/news/article/air-force-news/af-announces-new-force-cuts.html?col=1186032325324

[A.Member]

It's too bad the positions are going away, however, most of the SDs I've interacts  with didnt do much in the first place, that I was aware of...

Let's leave it at that - those of us who interact with SD's know their importance in regards to ES, the cadet program, and operations in general.

The RAP program, in general, has been on a shrinking curve for ten years, which means that the SD's "field people" are fewer and fewer
in each wing, but the fact that they aren't visible doesn't mean they aren't busy and valuable.

In the case of my Wing, elimination of the SD is not a loss.  Finally, there is a method in which he can be removed and new ideas can be brought in.  No one should be viewed as an "institution" in CAP.  Sometimes change is good.   Perhaps if our SD was effective, my view would be different.  So, I'll say opinions differ and your experience may not be representative of others and leave it at that.   

[ZigZag911]

My experience with state directors (and, back when we still had them, assistant state directors) was generally quite positive.

I think this is an unfortunate development; many of the SDs were retired USAF personnel, and brought that experience (and ability to network) to our program.

When I joined CAP in 1970 there was much more involvement by USAF members with CAP: LOs/LNCOs (predecessors to SDs) were active duty, CAP-RAP more involved in encampments, flight schools and such.

The involvement of USAF personnel with CAP has diminished steadily -- not a plot or conspiracy, just a product of the economic troubles the nation faces...but I truly believe that misunderstandings between CAP & USAF are partly a result of this lack of regular contact at wing and lower levels.

[RADIOMAN015]

A few comments:

*Likely we will lose these civil servants quicker than September, because if they get a job offer in the fed system they are going to take it and not stick around.  I really question giving someone 8 months notice that their job is disappearing, what great motivation we will have from them .

*The AF likely studied the State Director roles and made a decision that it just wasn't cost effective to keep these positions and an alternative way could be utilized to be more cost effective.

*What I've seen (e.g. yearly visits to units), they basically go through a checklist, much of that could be sent to the unit ahead of time to fill out and send back so the director could spend time discussing problem areas.

*Overall for what we were paying out and will still pay out, I've got to wonder what really they were doing and even leaving the regions, would we better off just cutting that staff now to a Eastern, Central, & Western sectors, that would save even more money :angel:

RM