Element leaders' office symbol

[benhen1997]

Does anyone know of a fairly-standardized office symbol for the position of Cadet Element Leader?  I know of all the office symbols above the position of Cadet Element Leader, (i.e. C/CCS = Cadet Flight Sergeant; C/CCF = Cadet First Sergeant, etc.) but for the purposes of squadron use I just came up with C/CCL = Cadet Element Leader.  Anyone have any better ideas?

[Eclipse]

Where did you come up with the ones you have?  They don't appear that way in 10-1.

First Sergeant = CCF, not C/CCF, since there is no such position in the Senior hierarchy.

If you're making them up, you have to look at the office flow.

Who does the Element Leader report to, the Flight Commander or the Flight Sergeant?

[Storm Chaser]

Sometimes there seems to be a misunderstanding of what office or functional address symbols are. They're not abbreviations to a duty title. The duty title abbreviation of a Public Affairs Officer, for example, is PAO; the office symbol is PA. Some office symbols don't even resemble the duty title (i.e. HC for Chaplain). The main purpose of these is to be used for communications/correspondence. That's the reason their contained in CAPR 10-1, Preparing Official Correspondence.

That being said, CAPR 10-1 only covers the office symbols that are used the most. It is by no means all inclusive. An example provided in paragraph 1.b, Using CAP office symbols, suggest that these can be created. That paragraph states that an emergency services training officer can use the office symbol DOST (adding the T to DOS, which is the office symbol for the ES Officer), however DOST is not on the list of office symbols provided in Attachment 1 of CAPR 10-1.

Since this is a functional address, small organizations can share this by multiple individuals. For example, there's no official office symbol for Leadership Education Officer. When I write a letter using this title, I use the office symbol for Cadet Programs (CP). If we had a large staff working with cadets, I could probably use something like CPL. Using a non-standard office symbol, however, would need to be supported by official documentation (i.e. Supplement, Operating Instruction, etc.). Florida Wing has an official supplement that adds many office symbols authorized for the Wing. I'm sure other organizations have done the same.

So to answer your question, there's no official office symbol for element leader. Can one be established by the squadron commander? Probably. But the most important question is: do you need one? Are element leaders going to be writing or receiving enough correspondence in their official capacity as element leaders to warrant creating specific office symbols for them? I would venture to say 'no'.

[benhen1997]

Element leader reports to flight sergeant.

Our squadron has decided on C/CCL for the office symbol of Cadet Element Leader.  I use office symbols in my e-mail signatures, as well as the squadron chain of command chart. 

As far as a first sergeant, don't we put C/CCF for the same reason we put C/CMSgt?  Doesn't USAF use the CCF symbol? 
I'm no expert, though; feel free to tell me.

[NIN]

Element leader reports to flight sergeant.

Our squadron has decided on C/CCL for the office symbol of Cadet Element Leader.  I use office symbols in my e-mail signatures, as well as the squadron chain of command chart. 

As far as a first sergeant, don't we put C/CCF for the same reason we put C/CMSgt?  Doesn't USAF use the CCF symbol? 
I'm no expert, though; feel free to tell me.

You guys give your element leaders an office? Wow. 

When there is something that needs to be distributed in memorandum format to an element leader, it is usually addressed directly to "C/SSgt Bufftuck, A Flt 2nd Element."  Likewise, when SSgt Bufftuck needs to send something in memorandum format, the Reply To Attn Of: section can be "A Flt, 2nd Element (C/SSgt Bufftuck)" and I think that most people would figure it out.

Office symbols are usually most effective when you have something "job specific" or position specific (ie. "This memorandum is going to go out to all Ops Officers in every squadron").  I cannot envision a point in time when a written memorandum is the most effective form of official communication (at least, not regularly) from HHQ to an element leader.

[Storm Chaser]

There's no Senior Member First Sergeant position. For that reason, it's understood that CCF applies to the Cadet First Sergeant. The organization goes in front of the '/' symbol, for example FLWG/CC or FL423/CCF. 'C/' is NEVER used before the office symbol; only the cadet rank or duty position.