Wilson Award

[Patterson]

I am enjoying a break after six years at the top of the CAWG CD program(3 as Dep, 3 as CDO) and am back in a Sq: Ops Off and Safety Off.  I also enjoy my privilege to fly: as often as possible.

Additional heights to climb: not sure at this point.

Now that you are back at a Squadron, could you describe some of the challenges of "going back to a local unit"?

We read about the challanges and issues many members face when moving into Group, Wing, Region and National positions, but vary rarely do we hear what "comes up" when a person who spent many years at a higher level moves back down.

I only ask because it seems like many Wing and Region Commanders fade away when their terms are up and they were not selected for anything higher. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

Congratulations!

Now that you have completed all of the Professional Development program objectives, you now can officially say that you know everything!

[bosshawk]

Kach: you know very well that I don't know everything: if I did, I wouldn't be in CAP. 

Patterson: during the time that I was on Wing staff, I continued to attend the Sq meetings, because I am so far distant from Wing Hq.  By doing that, I never lost contact with what was going on in the Sq, while I had a fair dose of what was happening at Wing.  Group has always been an enigma to me: I usually can't figure out what they do or why.  All of this to say that the transition back into a Sq wasn't really a big deal: I had been flying with them all along and was aware of the internal issues that normally arise in a CAP Sq. 

I am consulted from time to time by Sq members who are trying to figure out how Wing works or why Wing does stuff the way that they do: sort of a senior stateman.  I don't profess to know why or what most of the wing staff does, so I am sometimes at as much of a loss as the person asking the question.

Hope that that answers some of your questions.

[jimmydeanno]

Congratulations, and keep up the good work! 




Regards,

GRW #2701

[James Shaw]

Congrats

Wilson #2627

[Grumpy]

Wing Command?  This Wing?  Why would I want those problems?  Besides, I am not part of the "Inner Circle".  No, I am perfectly content to be in a Sq, flying when I can and giving check rides when asked.

What is it like to fly?  I used to fly before I came back to CAP.   

[bosshawk]

Heh, I didn't say fly a CAP airplane: I own an airplane.  However, I do occasionally move the CAP 206 from Castle to Mariiposa for maintenance or vice versa.  Granted, CAP doesn't fly much anymore.

[bosshawk]

Just to close out this thread, I received my Wilson Award the other day: number 2777.  Case closed, now back to sleep.

[BradM]

Congratulations Colonel! From a Senior Member who just joined a couple weeks ago