Worth it?

[emttobe]

Sorry for the long post, bit of background before I get to my real question.

I'm a college aged teacher-in-training who (as you can tell by my name) will soon complete
my EMT-B training. While I started the training partly because it seemed like something good
to know and partly as a resume boost (if all the other teacher applicants have a First Aid
qualification at most, having and EMT-B would put me ahead), I'm now thinking I'd like to
use it to volunteer to help folks, making a long term commitment to an organization or
group.

I'd narrowed down my choices to the local Volunteer Fire Department when a friend, who knew
the kind of thing I was searching for, told me about CAP.

Me: "What's that?"
Him: "Not sure, some kind of Search and Rescue group. Read an article about them last week."
Me: "Cool, thanks for the tip."

The article, of course, was one of the many detailing how the head of your group has been
suspended for sending someone else to take a test. Not an auspicious introduction, but hey,
just because the head's a crook doesn't mean they don't do good work.

So, I do a Google search and get the main page.

Me: "Wow, a .gov address? These folks are serious. Air Force Axillary? Didn't know it had
one. Military uniforms and an AFJROTC-like cadet program? Neat. Lots of other missions
besides SAR? This looks AWESOME!"

It seemed perfect. Besides the above, the biggest point in its favor over the VFD is that
CAP is national, if I ever move I can join another unit with my rank and qualifications
intact, instead of spending another year as a pleb at a new Department.

Anyway, after reading the PR I want to see what people thought about it. Wikipedia? Got a
featured article. UrbanDictionary? Got some haters on there, but I take Taekwondo and can
deal with elitists from another system bashing mine. YouTube? Many videos, including slick
recruiting pitches, sideshows of trips and members goofing off and having a good time.

Now, time to see what the members themselves think about their organization. I Google cap
blog, cap forum, and other similar searches. I get the eponymous CapBlog, this forum, and a
good deal of other sources. I begin reading.

And I start becoming gravely concerned.

It's the negativity. I understand the folks in the trenches won't be giving the same rosy
view of their job as the recruiting videos, but this is endemic. The CapBlog has nothing
like "Hey, good job with that save down in Florida, guys!" but continual, numbing repetition
of our uniforms are stupid/our bosses are stupid/our bosses' decisions are stupid/our
bosses' decisions about our uniforms are stupid/our new slogan is stupid/etc and on and on
and on. Even here, you've got more threads about your UNIFORMS (pardon the pun) than your
Emergency Services operations! And so many are the whiny "He's wearing it WRONG!!!" that I'd
expect from middle schoolers.

Part of the reason I'm so concerned is that this is not a break even for me. For most
volunteering, the organization will provide the tools and supervision to get the job done.
You just have to get there. For more and more VFDs, they're offering stipends to their
volunteers as an enticement. From what I'm understanding, however, I'd have to pay CAP
annually for the ability to work for them, not including (hopefully...) one-time expenses
for uniforms. When comparing the ability to PAY TO VOLUNTEER or BE PAID TO VOLUNTEER, or even NO MONEY EXCHANGING HANDS FOR VOLUNTEERING the first option had better be clearly superior, or it will simply lose out. That's plain economics.

And this is what I'm seeing. One of the most recent links on the CapBlog was to the Public
Affairs office of the North Central region. The second link on the page is to a PDF of "The
National Marketing Plan and Branding of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol."
(http://www.ncrpao.org/specials/2007_paoa/paoa_02_cunningham_prop_cap_markeing_plan.pdf)
Curious, I took a look. And right there, on the 6th page, is the most shocking thing I've
seen so far: a drop from 62,974 members in 2002 to just 55,580 last year. That's a drop of
more than 7,000, or 9% of the 2002 total. I can understand stagnation, that just means
you're having a hard time drawing new members. But a decline of that much that fast (more
than a thousand folks a year for a near-half decade) shows that something is very, deeply
wrong. People don't want to be associated with you.

So now I'm torn. Whatever volunteering path I take is what I'm planning to do for most of my
professional life and on into retirement. Step one and step two suggested great things from
CAP, but step three of my due diligence is instead suggesting that CAP is a sinking ship of
disaffected members. With that as my solid impression after a good two days of investigation, is it worth it to join?


Options:

1. JOIN! You're just experiencing the observer effect. We say lots of good things about CAP,
you're just muting them out to look at the bad stuff.
2. JOIN! Yes, there's lots of BS at the regional/national level, but with the local unit
you'll experience none of that and have a good time doing good (just like my Habitat for
Humanity stint, but the BS eventually reached our level...)
3. JOIN! We're the vocal minority that likes to complain about everything. A less critical
person (i.e.: me) will be able to get along just fine.
4. At least come to a meeting to see how you like it, then go on from there.
5. DON'T JOIN! At least, not until we get our act together.
6. DON'T JOIN! CAP is indeed irredeemably broken. Spare yourself the frustration of dealing
with it for decades.
7. Other (please specify).

[Major Carrales]

When I joined, it was 1998 and I was a teacher-in-training in the last stages of that process.  CAP was the best thing I could have done.  I strongly suggest it.

As for the negativity...the greater part of the CAP experience is at the Group and Squadron level.  That is where the rubber meets the road. 

I would say, join your local unit...make it your own.  Volunteer with the fresh new attitude that the truly passionate bring to CAP.  Ignore the stupidities of agendistic petty politics and all the rumor and talk of which I am sorry you had to read.  Simply join up and "keep the momentum going" because all of the best of CAP is LOCAL.

I apologize on behalf of those that can't keep from being negative.  When all this was breaking I just short of pleaded with them to believe in the system and keep "theatrical" rants off the internet.  Their failure to heed those words have created the conundrum we see now in your decision.

Please give CAP a try...we are stronger with you than without!

[arajca]

Go to a couple of meetings. Visit at least one unit.

[Skyray]

I have probably got the most negative reputation here, and my advice is JOIN

CAP is a very rewarding experience.  Most of what you see here as negativity is that we would like it to be perfect, and it isn't quite perfect yet.  There are some leadership issues, but unless you somehow bring your self to the attention of the Cossacks, they should have absolutely no effect on you at the operational level.

[Stonewall]

My question to you is, it seems like you've got a pretty negative picture painted for yourself of how CAP is.  That's cool, you've done your research.  Honestly, if I were in your shoes and saw what you see through your eyes, I'd stick with the VFD.

CAP is just 1/3 emergency services.  Sounds like you, an "EMT TO BE", is more interested in EMS type SAR.  That's cool, go for it.  CAP has a military aspect to it, something that a lot of folks don't care too much for.  As for the whining and complaining, I can say with confidence you'll find it at any volunteer organizations.  Maybe not all, but most.  I've been a volunteer firefighter before and I've experienced the same thing.  People hating each other, fights, lack of funding, not enough training.

CAP is a good organization and has been for years, more than 60 years actually.  You've seen a drop in membership from 2002 because right after 9/11 we had a lot of patriotic Americans who couldn't go abroad want to do something to help their community, state and nation.  That was 5+ years ago, people are getting bored with being patriotic and realize that volunteering is almost like a second job these days.  As a squadron commander I worked 50 to 60 hours a week at my real job and 10 to 20 hours a week on CAP, not to mention my weekend committments to the National Guard.

As for being an EMT, that's cool.  I'm an EMT without a home.  Meaning, I don't have a medical director or some standard to follow other than that of what I'm trained with.  Been an EMT, nationally and state certified, since the early 90s.  It's a great skill to have and if you're one of those guys like me who happens to witness people doing stupid things all the time, youre skills and whatever medical kit you carry will benefit a lot of people.

Politics is politics, and if you stay below that level, you'll be fine.  Just like you said in one of your "options".  Stay at the unit level and for the most part, things are different.  Here on CAP Talk and the other sites, you've got nosey people, a lot of which are on here just to get the nitty gritty on crap going around.  You'll never see me in the threads where they talk about the national commander getting fired or funding for US Civil Air Patrol.  I'm a rubber meets the road guy, and it's been good for me, for more than 20 years.  

[MIKE]

3. and 4.  This is not to say that local units don't have issues also... If you have the option, shop around before making a commitment.

What I suggest though is not to focus on the SAR and EMT bit too much at first... You'll likely be disappointed/discouraged.  As has been said, CAP has three missions... Emergency Services is but one of them.

[Major Carrales]

What I suggest though is not to focus on the SAR and EMT bit too much at first... You'll likely be disappointed/discouraged.  As has been said, CAP has three missions... Emergency Services is but one of them.

More than meets the skies...eh?

[Nomex Maximus]

But your local VFD doesn't have an AIRPLANE...oooooooooo....JOIN.

[Walkman]

I asked about the same questions a week or so ago:

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2560.0

After some reassurance here, and another visit to my squadron, I'm very gung-ho. We're a small unit, and I've been very welcomed and appreciated. Watching my son learn to stand at attention and address another cadet leader is inspiring, knowing that someday, he'll be in the leadership position. Plus, it's kind of fun for him to salute me and call me "sir" at meetings. 

I really was worried as you are. My reasons for joining CAP are different from yours (wanting to be able to serve in the military, but not being able to), but I did also did a bunch of web searching.

Here's the conclusions I've come to:
1. People are people. There will be some that drive you nuts and some that enrich your life. Some people don't handle power well, in any group. Some are great leaders.
2. The cadets we train are inspiring. I wish I knew about this when I was a teen.
3. What everyone else says about politics at the squadron/group level is true. The "locals" (some outside my wing) that I've met so far has impressed me, nose down, doing their work the right way.

Another thing to think about-how do you feel about working with youth? Read this thread: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2691.0
Can you see yourself inspiring some teenager to be better that what the world around him or her tells them they can be? Our nations youth need positive and inspiring mentors more than anytime in our history IMO.

[RogueLeader]

emttobe:
A few years ago, I was in the same boat that you are in now.  I too was a teacher candidate in college.  I was told about CAP from my professor, who happened to be the West Virginia Vice Commander.  He told me what I could expect from CAP- that it was aka Come and Pay, and that there was alot of work in it. 

I understand the economic weights involved, I'm in a tight crunch right now.  I'll tell you what, CAP has been one of the best organizations that I have been involved with.  Are there problems in CAP? Yes.  That does NOT affect what we do at the local level.

A note about CapBlog, yes there is alot of negativity right now, and part of it is just personality of the owner, just need to take it with a grain of salt, or just not read it.  There are also some good posts in it- just not recently.

Even here, we can get a little rough.  We try to keep it nice, and we do for a majority of the time.  If we don't, the Mods gently remind us to play nice.  We try to have fun, and we do.

I have found CAP to be the most rewarding service that I have been able to give.

[pixelwonk]

Point of Order...

M6 ...AKA, CAPBlogger, is one of the most positive CAP people vocal on the interwebs today.  If anyone recognizes the individual efforts of aircrews and ground teams, it's him.

...Not that he needs my defense.

[O-Rex]

Good news travels fast, but bad news travels at light-speed.  For some reason, we are drawn to the negative: Murder and mayhem sells more newspapers and airtime than tales of kindness and fairplay.

Blogs are often a way for members to vent offline without fear of retaliation from the powers-that-be, and sometimes a vehicle for former members to air their agenda, good, bad or indifferent.

In the course of your "test drive" with CAP, decide if the activities, culture and mission is consistent with your own goals and expectations.  The biggest source of dissatisfaction is with members who join with preconceived notions of entitlement.  Remember that you are joining an organization: with rules, procedures and norms.  Be patient: CAP membership is not a destination, but a journey.  Going from newbie to Galactic Field Marshall will not occur instantaneously-enjoy the ride, and the company of your fellow travelers.    CAP is a cross-section of the society it serves, you're invariably going to find good folks, and a sphincter or two, just to keep things lively .

If it doesn't work out for you, consider that a year's membership costs less than dinner & a movie for two.....

[Major Carrales]

Point of Order...

M6 ...AKA, CAPBlogger, is one of the most positive CAP people vocal on the interwebs today.  If anyone recognizes the individual efforts of aircrews and ground teams, it's him.

...Not that he needs my defense.

He does not need our defense, but kind words are good motivation.  I have to agree...Midway Six does show the good that occurs, even covering activities of which he is a part.

The thing is that we, as CAP Threadsters and Bloggers, sometimes forget that we are not behind a firewall.  The exchanges are very public and often can be found by a Google bot by the end of the second day.  I have always preached temperance...as in being not getting "drunk" on the emotionalism that happens as a side effect of our passion for CAP.  It is the best way.

[MIKE]

...Not that he needs my defense.

Read FM or you suck. 

[Major Carrales]

...Not that he needs my defense.

Read FM or you suck. 

I'm looking forward to the week in review feature.  Being able to glance at the week's activities "system wide" is refreshing!

[RogueLeader]

...Not that he needs my defense.

Read FM or you suck. 

I'm look forward to the week in review feature.

I believe the term here is "Jacked"

and I'm not talking about a coke.. . . . . Jack and coke.  . . . .hmmmmm

[JC004]

IMHO (for whatever that's worth), CAPTalk, CAPBlog, CadetStuff, etc. are reacting to an off-track direction set by folks at echelons above reality.  Maybe it's because it is easier to change a patch than to build a new program or something like that.  I spent a couple hours one day last week reviewing the National Board and NEC meeting minutes for the past couple of years...huge focus on uniforms, term extensions, all that jazz. 

But here's the thing...although many of us see this as a wrong focus of our leaders' time, the missions are still largely being performed locally.  We don't discuss our weekly meetings, weekend activities, etc. as much because they are the norm.  What is "news" and out of the ordinary hits the forums...uniform changes, national scandals, all that fun stuff. 

We aren't performing less SAR, flying less cadets, etc. to focus on uniforms and crap.  It's just the news.  This is much like the news media, where we see a lot of murders, house fires, etc. and not as many stories about the organization that provides thousands of meals a day to the needy or what a local church did in collecting some kind of donations. 

With any luck, this mess will go away and National will come to us anew, saying "Here's where we want to go and we need your support.  Here is how we are going to support you and here is what we want you to do for us..."

[Stonewall]

Before the internet, blogs, forums, and real-time news and gossip, I couldn't have told you one scandal, rumor, firing, execution, or mishap outside of my squadron.  Heck, I couldn't have told you where to find the uniform manual because my squadron probably had one copy of it in that big blue binder that we only had to update once in a blue moon and was burried under a pile of dust.

With the way we communicate today, we're going to get a lot of bad with some of the good.  you just have to decypher what is good and what isn't, and realize people like to speak of the bad stuff before the good stuff.

[Major Carrales]

Well said JC004 and Stonewall.

The WEB is a double edged sword.

[JC004]

Well said JC004 and Stonewall.

The WEB is a double edged sword.

thank you, but I do believe that the interweb is a series of tubes...   

[Major Carrales]

Well said JC004 and Stonewall.

The WEB is a double edged sword.

thank you, but I do believe that the interweb is a series of tubes...   

12BA6...diodes...triodes...penthodes.   Who could forget the DUMOUNT and GM/DELCO tubes...and that unique smell of radio and television tubes?  It slike it go burst into flames at any minute.

[JC004]

^ I don't think Senator Stevens has any concept of it all   

[Major Carrales]

^ I don't think Senator Stevens has any concept of it all   

The Senator is likely hoping the WAR will end soon so we can begin the rebuilding of Europe...then he will wonder what we are going to do with Kaiser Wilhelm.

[MIKE]

Thread is drifting into a restricted zone.  Alter course immediately or you will be locked.

[brasda91]

I'm a volunter firefighter and EMT.  If it wasn't for the f.d. I wouldn't have the EMT cert.  I'm an old school emt, just state certified, never had to be nationly certified.  You need to consider that unless you are in an organization group where you have the opportunity to use your emt skills regularly, it's alot of training to go through.  You would benefit more by taking the Red Cross Community First Aid class.

Both organizations provide different opportunities.  The f.d. has the advantage of responding to calls on a regular basis.  Now depending on the units in your area, they may be very active.  You will have to visit with them and see.  In my area, I can respond to f.d. calls every day, CAP calls are few and far between.

[Dragoon]

If your goal is to do emergency medicine and rescue people, you'll get a lot more of it in the VFD.

The main draws of CAP compared to VFDs would probably be:

1.  Airplanes
2.  Military trappings
3.  Working with Cadets
4.  Doing ES, primarily Search and Disaster Relief.
5.  The federal USAF connection


CAP does not have the laser-like focus of a single mission organization like a Fire Department.  It has several missions that don't always mesh perfectly.  And therefore it attracts different kinds of people who don't always share the same vision of what CAP is supposed to be.  Hence all the [censored]ing.

If you are thinking about aircrew, CAP is about your only choice,  If you're interested in 2 or more of the 4 things listed above CAP is probably a good choice.

But if you're main goal is to use you're EMT rating - there are better places to volunteer your time.

[Skyray]

Just mild curiosity, but does it still take EMT or RN status to qualify for GTL?  We found ourselves in that situation some years ago when the Red Cross quit teaching the comprehensive first aid that wqs required for GTL.

[Al Sayre]

No.  In fact Red Cross first aid is not required at all.  You can have your Medical Officer (Doctor or Nurse) teach the USAF Buddy First Aid course or any of several military courses to satisfy the first aid requirement.  As long as the instructor is SET qualified and a Medical Professional and uses a standard curriculum, they can sign you off with no problem at all, and you don't have to pay the Red Cross $40.00 a head for the class.

[Skyray]

Thanks, Al.  Under the original title of this thread, I am perhaps going to have to make a value judgement as to whether it is worth it.  If they offer me my membership back, with or without restoration of rank and time in grade, there is going to be an issue as to my qualifications.  North Carolina blacked out the check box in my day, and my 101 card is durn near black.  Corporate liability requires currency, so If they take me back, I am going to have to start working on getting current.  I have taken all the ICS training courtesy of the Coast Guard, but that is pretty much the only thing that cross references.  I suppose the Senior Training Levels are good forever, but a lot of the operational stuff has to be renewed.  I suppose I shouldn't get the cart before the horse; I should wait and see what the board does first.

[RiverAux]

When did you have to be an EMT to be a Ground Team Leader?  They used to require "Advanced" First Aid -- which actually wasn't defined.  Can't believe EMT was ever actually required because we never would have gotten more than a handful to meet that qual. 

[Stonewall]

Wh  They used to require "Advanced" First Aid -- which actually wasn't defined.  Can't believe EMT was ever actually required because we never would have gotten more than a handful to meet that qual. 

Roger that on "Advanced First Aid".  Never heard of a requirement for EMT to be a GTL.  If that were the case, we would have had a shortage of GTLs for as long as I've been in CAP.

[Skyray]

O.K. you guys, remember where I am, in the land of over-professionalism.  My recollection is that the Red Cross used to teach "Advanced" First Aid, and when they were teaching it, the requirement was for Advanced First Aid or equivalent.  The only equivalent my wing would accept was EMT or RN.  When my "Advanced First Aid" expired (three years?) I had to drop back to GTM.  My mentor was an EMT or Paramedic (whichever is higher, sorry I don't keep up with medical politics) and my Group Commander was an RN, so it didn't hurt us too bad.  It was just a pain having to wake them up to go out on an EPIRB mission.  Wasn't long until that requirement was waived for DF missions.

[RiverAux]

At least where I'm at now, they interpreted Advanced First Aid to be the 40-hour First Responder course, but I think in most cases they just pencil-whipped it as very few of the people that I know were GTLs back then had done that course. 

[Skyray]

At least where I'm at now, they interpreted Advanced First Aid to be the 40-hour First Responder course, but I think in most cases they just pencil-whipped it as very few of the people that I know were GTLs back then had done that course. 

First Responder was what they put in to replace Advanced (told you I was old) and my wing wouldn't accept it.  It is water under the bridge now, Al tells me that there is now a reasonable requirement.  My command structure was adamant about pencil whipping.  If it said Advanced First Aid or equivalent, you took Advanced First Aid or you were a medic or an RN.  I took Advanced First, albeit when dinosaurs roamed.

[sarmedic70]

Hey all.  This is my first post..............have been a "side-liner" as such...........:-)  Have been reading the various comments with interest........

I have been a CAP member for well over 20 years, am currently a RN and a medic. I have served in various capacities within CAP throughout the years to include Emergency Services.

I started out in CAP while in Army Aviation (military veteran of well over 26 years military service). One night, while waiting to do some night flying, noticed some rather small Air Force types walking around over on the other side of our facilities. I go into our weather flight office and inquire with the AF NCO as to whom these miniature AF types were. He told me they were Civil Air Patrol Cadets.  The following week, again, while waiting to do some night flying, went over to where they were meeting, visited with them for awhile and observed, and the next thing I knew, the following week, I was attending their squadron meetings, joined, and started out as the Leadership Officer working with Cadets..................it wasn't till a few years later did I start flying with CAP.........had so much fun working with the cadets and GT...............so, I started off working with cadets and then it evolved into doing Ground Team work/training..........again, it was great!!!!...............It has evolved ever since....................again, having served in many different roles in CAP (leadership, training, training development, et al)................I could give you the LONG laundry listing of my qualifications and assignments, but...........................................I need not too my own horn.........................
 
At any rate, for GTL, it was never ever EMT or RN requirement.  The 60-3, simply put, is the basis for what is needed and required.  I would suggest/advised to read it for yourself to get what is required.  TONS of different opinions, well meant, out there, but the 60-3 IS the "gospel." So read it for yourself.  Basic first aid, as such, has essentially been the only requirement for GTs..................to require EMT status (or even RN) is not right.  First of all, to function as an EMT MUST be under medical direction in order to do certain things. Just because one is licensed or certified, doesn't mean they can function outside of medical direction/control, simply put  So basic first aid (or even advanced) is the degree of medical training needed.
Again, I cannot emphasize enough to first and foremost go to the 60-3 to get the straight scoop as to what is required for GTM/GTL................it minimizes errors in information/misinformation......................

As far as uniforms go:  CAP is no different than the regular military in the constant changes in uniforms.  Since coming into the Army (during Viet Nam time period.......toward the end of it), I have seen uniforms change to the point I have actually lost count. I still have all of my original uniforms since day one.....................And I have no doubt it will be a constant state of change throughout...................to include CAP.  I do feel, however, that CAP has way too many varied options for the uniforms though...........and does need to be simplified.....................but I won't go into that......that is for a different discussion thread elsewhere.

To address comments about the nature of CAP:  I read somewhere somebody stating people will be people. That is so very true.  You see that in alll walks of life..................CAP gets is membership just from the same sources as the military, businesses, et al.......from the "real world." There are no guarantees in anything. The thing somewhat different with CAP is that it often does bring in those "wanna be's" and that is where sometimes the problems do arise; however, it also brings in more often than not, some really wonderfully dedicated individuals who love working with cadets, enjoy aerospace education or have an interest in emergency services be it flying, communications, ground teams, et al......................different strokes for different folks.....................  I have a motto I like to abide by, and have always stressed with my soldiers (and fellow CAP members):  adapt, improvise and overcome...............SEMPER GUMBI..............(always flexible............for those of you who remember the little green man, Gumbi).........In CAP you have to or else you will go nuts...........go with the flow.....................and abide by the regulations..............when we start listening to the gossip, varied interpretations of how things are done (without regards to the regulations), and so forth, that is when the trouble begins.................present solutions vice problems...................HOW can we make things better?...........HOW can we do things better?................HOW can we present CAP in a positive light to attract members?................

Truth be told:  CAP is NOT for everybody......................there is a certain amount of dedication and selfless service that is required for our organization.........along with professionalism...................we are truly UNPAID PROFESSIONALS...........we are NOT just VOLUNTEERS.........................CAP has its own uniqueness about it that sets it apart from any and all other "volunteer" organizations, and thusly sets us all apart from all other "volunteers.".................as was outlined by another individual post:  airplanes, military trappings, working with cadets, et al........................a nice mixture of a little bit of everything...............

CAP is truly what the individual makes of it......either recognize we are all UNPAID PROFESSIONALS or "just volunteers," getting caught up with all the various gossiping and grumblings about the organization.  We can truly be our own worst enemies in this organization......................

Nothing and no organization is ever perfect......................however, by working all together and being a TEAM (setting the example for our cadets, eh?), we can most definitely make it better at all levels, overcome the political garbage that comes with it, and truly be UNPAID PROFESSIONALS.

Again, I could personally write a book about stuff I have encountered throughout the years I have been in CAP at ALL levels that I have been involved (and could have easily quit), but just like with the military, I resisted the political garbage and truly remained dedicated and true to self with my own personal integrity, ethics, and standards and rose above the negative and truly adapted, improvised and OVERCAME those obstacles............it was not easy however..................lead by example, set the example, BE THE EXAMPLE.

We all come into CAP for various reasons............it is up to each individual to make of it what he/she wants..............good or bad..............each individual has certain expectations for when they come in...............good or bad....................WE, as a team, can assist them in achieving their expectations as much as possible and a realistically as possible, and that is first of all, have the correct information before presenting it to them (via the regulations/manuals), if unclear, getting clarification from higher channels experts in the area vice guessing and trying to individually interpret something, presenting CAP (be it at the lowest level to the highest) in a POSITIVE light..................overcoming the negative aspects of it..............of which is just life period no matter where you are..................adapt, improvise and OVERCOME...........Semper Gumbi!