Old Cadet Award

[Storm Chaser]

It seems to me that, at most, he should only be promoted to 2d Lt based on this award. And that's only if NHQ recognizes it as a Mitchell equivalent.

First, CAPR 35-5 doesn't address this particular award as a special provision for advanced promotions. Second, promotions should not be used as a reward for past service, but as recognition of current and future contributions and increased level of responsibility. Finally, if this senior member has been out of CAP for 50 years, I don't see how his previous CAP experience as a cadet would be relevant in today's CAP (no disrespect intended).

The appropriate recognition for having earned the COP award as a cadet is to be able to wear the ribbon/medal with his CAP uniform.

[a2capt]

The thing is, you still have to do all the Level I stuff. This is going to save you about 3 months. Maybe.

You can still wear the ribbon otherwise.

[SarDragon]

I'm not saying that we shouldn't recognize how awesome it is to have a COP-wearer around. But he's wearing an award that I would imagine can only be worn by a number of active members in the single digits.

Actually, there are more than you think. Most of the ones i know are in their mid-to-late 60s. I know two in the same unit here in CAWG.

[Storm Chaser]

The reason we have accelerated promotions for former cadets who have earned their Mitchell, Earhart or Spaatz Awards is because CAP recognizes that these cadets' previous experience and accomplishments may translate into future contributions and staff and leadership roles in CAP. I personally have no problem with accelerated promotions, but feel that often these are applied as some sort of reward for past experience and accomplishments and not as an indication of future contributions to the organization. Before someone is promoted, the question must be asked about whether this member is ready for increased responsibilities or not. There has to be some benefit to the organization.

[CAP_truth]

As a member who received a CoP 1964 and went ahead and got to my Earhart but did not get to my Spaatz. A member who recieved a CoP went as far as they could in the cadet program. There were option  list items that you could do like ROA, ES 101, observer training. They did not give you the same as phae 3 or 4 of the cadet program after 1964. I would say welcome back and inform the current members of the CAP history we went thru as cadets.  :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Eclipse]

The reason we have accelerated promotions for former cadets who have earned their Mitchell, Earhart or Spaatz Awards is because CAP recognizes that these cadets' previous experience and accomplishments may translate into future contributions and staff and leadership roles in CAP. I personally have no problem with accelerated promotions, but feel that often these are applied as some sort of reward for past experience and accomplishments and not as an indication of future contributions to the organization. Before someone is promoted, the question must be asked about whether this member is ready for increased responsibilities or not. There has to be some benefit to the organization.

+1 I was not in favor of awarding the advanced PD that we do now to cadets, and aren't all that excited about Captain for Spaatz, either.

The vast majority of cadets, even those who reach Spaatz, are followers and partakers of the Cadet Program, not running it in the adult sense.
Further, few, if any, even the Spaatzen, have a clue what it takes to run a unit, or even the CP, and suffer for the assumptions (by others and themselves) for it.

I'd be much more comfortable with the requirement that advanced promotions for >ALL< members be held off for a calendar year of membership after they
have proven their commitment and involvement.

We get far too many cadets who transition to senior, receive their advanced promotion, go to college and come back 4-5+ years later clueless but wearing
grade that says they should know how things work.  Further to this, especially with the Spaatz cadets, since they were considered to be "kind of a big deal"
when they left, many seniors view them as a program savior, which is far from what any one person is.

At a minimum, advanced grade or not, they should be required to complete the PD like every one else.  No one should be getting waivers of any kind for
CAP PD classes, since there is nothing akin to them in any other organization, and that includes the whips we're giving seniors for NCO academies, etc.

[BillB]

CAP_Truth.....Not true there was nothing past the Cadet COP. There were three additional achievements (7,8 and 9) past the COP. For each achievement you got a clasp for the CAP ribbon.

[SarDragon]

I think what he's saying is that there was no milestone award past the CoP, just the additional achievements.