Membership Oath

[CAPJOE]

I am curious how many squadrons have new Senior Members recite the Oath of Membership when they join like we did the Enlistment Oath when we joined the military.

[baronet68]

I've never seen anyone recite the Oath of Membership aloud... and I would definitely recommend against doing it.

The CAP Oath of Membership written on the Senior Member application form contains 292 words.  Compare that to the US military's oath of enlistment which contains only 74 words. 

Most people speak at a rate of 110-150 words per minute however, that's just normal conversation.  That rate is generally cut in half (or worse) when reading something aloud or doing a "repeat after me" type of oath.  Meaning that it could take many people UP TO 5 MINUTES to orally recite the Senior Member Oath of Membership. 

If you want to create active and engaging meetings for your members, having people burn up one-twelfth of an hour by stuttering and stammering as they repeat that oath aloud is probably not the best way to do it.  The CAP Oath of Membership is something that really should be carefully read, understood, and acknowledged before affixing one's autograph to it. 


Edit to add:
The CAP Promotion Oath for Senior Member Officers and NCOs contains only 78 words and is much more in-line with the military's oath of enlistment, making it a very appropriate way to quickly and publicly reinforce the responsibilities and expectations of a Senior Member's new grade.

[CAPJOE]

I've never seen anyone recite the Oath of Membership aloud... and I would definitely recommend against doing it.

The CAP Oath of Membership written on the Senior Member application form contains 292 words.  Compare that to the US military's oath of enlistment which contains only 74 words. 

Most people speak at a rate of 110-150 words per minute however, that's just normal conversation.  That rate is generally cut in half (or worse) when reading something aloud or doing a "repeat after me" type of oath.  Meaning that it could take many people UP TO 5 MINUTES to orally recite the Senior Member Oath of Membership. 

If you want to create active and engaging meetings for your members, having people burn up one-twelfth of an hour by stuttering and stammering as they repeat that oath aloud is probably not the best way to do it.  The CAP Oath of Membership is something that really should be carefully read, understood, and acknowledged before affixing one's autograph to it. 


Edit to add:
The CAP Promotion Oath for Senior Member Officers and NCOs contains only 78 words and is much more in-line with the military's oath of enlistment, making it a very appropriate way to quickly and publicly reinforce the responsibilities and expectations of a Senior Member's new grade.

This is exactly what I was thinking also. I was just wondering if anyone is doing it.

[skymaster]

I've never seen anyone recite the Oath of Membership aloud... and I would definitely recommend against doing it.

The CAP Oath of Membership written on the Senior Member application form contains 292 words.  Compare that to the US military's oath of enlistment which contains only 74 words. 

Most people speak at a rate of 110-150 words per minute however, that's just normal conversation.  That rate is generally cut in half (or worse) when reading something aloud or doing a "repeat after me" type of oath.  Meaning that it could take many people UP TO 5 MINUTES to orally recite the Senior Member Oath of Membership. 

If you want to create active and engaging meetings for your members, having people burn up one-twelfth of an hour by stuttering and stammering as they repeat that oath aloud is probably not the best way to do it.  The CAP Oath of Membership is something that really should be carefully read, understood, and acknowledged before affixing one's autograph to it. 


Edit to add:
The CAP Promotion Oath for Senior Member Officers and NCOs contains only 78 words and is much more in-line with the military's oath of enlistment, making it a very appropriate way to quickly and publicly reinforce the responsibilities and expectations of a Senior Member's new grade.

For CAP members who are performing duties with the Georgia Air Patrol, the Georgia State Guard Air and Space Force under state chain-of-command, they don't do an additional promotion oath, as the CAP Promotion Oath is considered to cover the dual-status personnel if the member's Georgia Air Patrol grade is the same as the CAP grade, because of the Merger agreement of March 1942 between the State of Georgia, the War Department, and CAP National Commander AAF Col Earle Johnson. However, if the State of Georgia grade is higher, in order to serve at the higher grade, a special promotion oath that (with a few different words), is nearly the same as used for Georgia Army/Air/Space National Guard officer promotions, is administered. It reads like this:

"I, (First, Middle, Last Name) do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Georgia against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the Governor of the State of Georgia, that I make this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of (Grade) in the Georgia Air Patrol of upon which I am about to enter, so help me God".

[etodd]

Paid my dues, signed some forms, turned in fingerprints, became a member. Never remember reciting an oath and have never seen anyone else do so.

[TheSkyHornet]

Our squadron doesn't recite the membership oath with our seniors, but we do recite the promotion oath whenever a senior promotes, particularly to second lieutenant as the "Okay, are you sure you really want to be in CAP after you've seen all the shenanigans?"

[RiverAux]

Well, I never did it in CAP, but it sort of seems to be the norm in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and in swearing in new leadership and staff each year.  I sort of like it as I think it does represent an active acceptance of your duties that may marginally motivate some members.  However, the Auxiliary oath has a "preamble" which, after you've heard it dozens of times, is a bit of a drag. 

[NIN]

Paid my dues, signed some forms, turned in fingerprints, became a member. Never remember reciting an oath and have never seen anyone else do so.

No, but you certainly attested to the  membership oath by signing your name just below it on the Form 12.

[Fubar]

No, but you certainly attested to the  membership oath by signing your name just below it on the Form 12.

C'mon, nobody reads the Terms & Conditions!