Let's talk about Senior Member specialty tracks

[cjromk]

Achieving all of the requirements in some of these specialty tracks is nearly impossible, especially in some tracks. There also seems to be an issue with all of the tracks being updated in 2013, and then the grade system changing in 2014. For example:
In CAPP 206: 'Serve as an investigating officer on a Report of Survey' I've been logistics officer for the squadron for 3 years and have yet to see a ROS. Should I just let something go 'missing' so I can fill one out? Also: 'Have no overdue/outstanding reports.../...during the training period' so...what if I do have an outstanding report? Now what? Do I start my 12 months of training over? There's no guidance.

In CAPP 222 you must 'Achieve promotion to the grade of Captain or higher' in order to get the technician rating. That's a chicken and egg problem, no?

Yes, I realize I'm whining, but I do believe that my frustrations are valid. Any advice or guidance you guys can give?

[SarDragon]

In CAPP 222 you must 'Achieve promotion to the grade of Captain or higher' in order to get the technician rating. That's a chicken and egg problem, no?

No.

To be a Captain, you need to complete Level III. To complete Level III, you need to achieve a Technician rating in any specialty. So, to get all this done, you need to have been enrolled in, and progressed in, another specialty track before starting the command track.

There's nothing that says you can't be enrolled in multiple specialty tracks. I'm enrolled in five myself, with ratings in three.

[Matthew Congrove]

The Logistics track is a mess, I just worked through it some with my Logistics Officer. It badly needs an update.

Really, for things like the ROS, it needs to be done the same way as in many of the other tracks: if it cannot be done, then explain to your mentor, in detail, how you would complete the task.

I suggest contacting your Wing Logistics Officer for guidance, he or she has mostly achieved the tech rating. And like SarDragon said, enroll in multiple tracks. I just recently got my tech rating in my main track after 8 years, but I've got two master ratings and probably a half dozen senior ratings in other tracks like Admin and Personnel. They're quite simple. Enroll in the track, get listed as the assistant, print out the tech rating checklist, and every month go through them and get completed tasks signed off. It's a great way to get promoted and an even better way to learn more about the inner-workings of CAP.

[Spaceman3750]

To complete Level III, you need to achieve a Technician rating in any specialty.

Did this change? I'm pretty sure you need a senior rating for LV3.

[vorteks]

In CAPP 222 you must 'Achieve promotion to the grade of Captain or higher' in order to get the technician rating. That's a chicken and egg problem, no?

No.

To be a Captain, you need to complete Level III. To complete Level III, you need to achieve a Technician rating in any specialty. So, to get all this done, you need to have been enrolled in, and progressed in, another specialty track before starting the command track.

There's nothing that says you can't be enrolled in multiple specialty tracks. I'm enrolled in five myself, with ratings in three.

Correction: A technician rating is required complete Level II. Level III needs a senior rating.

[SarDragon]

Yup. Busted. That's what I get for not checking the dates on pubs. And logically, you do need to have a Technician rating before you can acquire a Senior rating, so my statement is not totally incorrect.

My primary point was that you shouldn't restrict yourself to just one specialty track. There are others, beside the Command track, that also require prior participation in other tracks first.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yup. Busted. That's what I get for not checking the dates on pubs. And logically, you do need to have a Technician rating before you can acquire a Senior rating, so my statement is not totally incorrect.

My primary point was that you shouldn't restrict yourself to just one specialty track. There are others, beside the Command track, that also require prior participation in other tracks first.

Based on how the Command Track is written, it's not meant to be a "first" anyway.

[SarDragon]

Agreed.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Agreed.

That said, looks like I have most of the technician rating completed in the past...probably should enroll in it.

[cjromk]

If I'm reading this correctly, there are essentially easier tracks and harder tracks, so find an easy one to work on so I can get grade, and then work on my main one as I am able?

I'll definitely agree that the logistics track, at least, needs some work.

I'm also enrolled in the finance specialty track. I'll see if that is any easier.

[Eclipse]

"Easy" is relative - they are designed to be primarily accomplished through the day-to-day functions of the respective
staff roles.

Finance, for example, used to be pretty much "done" just by doing the work of the FM, but you had to do the work and generally
be appointed as at least the A/FM, though since approval is subjective to the authority, I've made exceptions in the past when
someone was performing the duties of 'x' even if they weren't the 'x' of record.

What you need to be careful of it tying your wagon to a track that requires you be assigned to higher HQ for senior or master,
if you have no intention of ever doing that, because you'l find yourself "stuck" and having to start over, which may push progression
years back.

My CP master pretty much worked itself, but that was because I was heavily involved in encampments - a component of the CP track.
I'm about 6 months TIG short on ES master and 2 months shy on OE master and neither of those is likely to happen any time soon, if ever,
but then again I don't need them, so not really a concern.

You really should find either a need to fill, or an interest to fill, and look to those jobs, and not worry too much about "easy".

I also agree that command isn't intended to be a "first and / or only", since in a sane CAP world CC's wouldn't be getting jobs
before they have PD ratings, and further to another point, while "mess" might be harsh, I doubt there is any rating
where the CAP reality hasn't changed significantly and the rating hasn't caught up, forcing the approver(s) to have to interpret completion
in many cases.

Also, the command track requires the Wing CC's explicit approval, at least last time I had to get one done it couldn't be delegated.
Unit CC's are required to be enrolled in the Command track, but I doubt there are many Wing CC's who would appoint
members who don't already have some history and experience from other areas, (their not being wet-card CC's of course).