New Senior Member

[Jepoy005]

Hey guys it will be my first day to check CAP in my area on monday.

Ive talked to the unit leader and said that i will be a senior when i come in.
I wanted to ask these questions before i check it out so i won't have to ask them on monday.

Do i have to buy my own uniform?
What are the types of uniforms that a senior member will wear?

I'm not that old to talk like this... hahah i will be turning 19 in 2 months actually, so its all cool.... 

Tnx

[Spaceman3750]

Hey guys it will be my first day to check CAP in my area on monday.

Ive talked to the unit leader and said that i will be a senior when i come in.
I wanted to ask these questions before i check it out so i won't have to ask them on monday.

Do i have to buy my own uniform?
What are the types of uniforms that a senior member will wear?

I'm not that old to talk like this... hahah i will be turning 19 in 2 months actually, so its all cool.... 

Tnx

Ask your squadron, varies greatly. You will likely have to buy your own insignia but many squadrons have caches of uniforms, it just depends on where you are and their access to surplus or some other uniform source.

Where are you located?

[Jepoy005]

i live in kansas city, missouri....

[Extremepredjudice]

If you are 18, you CAN join as a cadet. If the unit lets you.

You have to be commanded by people ALOT younger than you, though


The uniform, it depends, like spaceman said.

[Jepoy005]

If you are 18, you CAN join as a cadet. If the unit lets you.

You have to be commanded by people ALOT younger than you, though


The uniform, it depends, like spaceman said.

Yep i'm 18 but the unit leader that i talked to said that i can't go into the cadet program anymore since i'm already 18. she said that if i wanted to get into the cadet program i would have to be 17 yrs old prior turning to 18, so i would have to get into the senior side.

Uniforms? it depends? oh ok tnx!

What types of uniforms that seniors wears though? Can please tell me.

Tnx

[Extremepredjudice]

• AF style, if you fit the weight requirements
  
  
• BDUs
  
  
• Golf shirt
  
  
• Corporate uniform
  
  

it is possible I missed a uniform.

You can join as a cadet until you are 19. 

[Jepoy005]

• AF style, if you fit the weight requirements
  
  
• BDUs
  
  
• Golf shirt
  
  
• Corporate uniform
  
  

it is possible I missed a uniform.

You can join as a cadet until you are 19. 

AF STYLE? is that like the mess dress or something?

I wish could get into the cadet program but she said i can't... 

Senior Officer it is...  :angel:

[SarDragon]

   
• AF style, if you fit the weight requirements
  
• BDUs
  
• Golf shirt
  
• Corporate uniform
  

it is possible I missed a uniform.

You can join as a cadet until you are 19. 

AF STYLE? is that like the mess dress or something?

I wish could get into the cadet program but she said i can't... 

Senior Officer it is...  :angel:

While not advisable, IMHO, you can join CAP as a cadet until you turn 19. You have been misinformed.

2-1. General. Cadet membership in CAP is available to all young men and women who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in paragraph 2-2. Cadets who become members before their 19th birthday may retain their cadet status until they reach 21 years of age; however, senior membership is optional for all cadets at age 18 (see paragraph 3-5 for application procedures).
2-2. Requirements for Initial Membership. All applicants for cadet membership must meet the following prerequisites:
a. Twelve years of age through 18 years of age.

Emphasis mine.

[Jepoy005]

   
• AF style, if you fit the weight requirements
  
• BDUs
  
• Golf shirt
  
• Corporate uniform
  

it is possible I missed a uniform.

You can join as a cadet until you are 19. 

AF STYLE? is that like the mess dress or something?

I wish could get into the cadet program but she said i can't... 

Senior Officer it is...  :angel:

While not advisable, IMHO, you can join CAP as a cadet until you turn 19. You have been misinformed.

2-1. General. Cadet membership in CAP is available to all young men and women who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in paragraph 2-2. Cadets who become members before their 19th birthday may retain their cadet status until they reach 21 years of age; however, senior membership is optional for all cadets at age 18 (see paragraph 3-5 for application procedures).
2-2. Requirements for Initial Membership. All applicants for cadet membership must meet the following prerequisites:
a. Twelve years of age through 18 years of age.

Emphasis mine.

oh wow.... she definitely told me that i would have to be in the senior program since i'm 18 already.... i will clear this up when i go to the meeting

TNX!

oh any ideas where i could buy uniforms IF they don't provide it?

[Extremepredjudice]

Ebay, vanguard, an airman's attic ( if your squadron meets on an AFB)

[JC004]

BDU.com, AAFES (see the sticky threads at the top of the Uniform board on CAPTalk), and the aforementioned sources.

Most people misunderstand the age 18 rule, partly because it is rare to get 18 year olds joining as new members.  It is generally advisable for those members to become senior members.

[Jepoy005]

BDU.com, AAFES (see the sticky threads at the top of the Uniform board on CAPTalk), and the aforementioned sources.

Most people misunderstand the age 18 rule, partly because it is rare to get 18 year olds joining as new members.  It is generally advisable for those members to become senior members.

So it would be better for me as a senior member? i mean yeh i'll take bcuz i would become an officer 

[a2capt]

If your goal is to get something that could help you in the Air Force.. or for that matter, any branch of service, the cadet program is a better choice.  Yes, you'd be under the chain of command that would likely be made up of cadets younger than you, but with your mind to it, you can earn the Mitchell Award by the time you are 21, and thats good for an advanced enlistment in the Air Force, and the material you learn can apply across the board. Plus it would give you some time to get some college classes done and you'd be ahead of the pack there, too.

We've had a few join at close to 18, just turning 18, etc. and do well, and some others that felt it wasn't what they were after. You can always turn senior member after joining, too, without paying anything extra the year you change over.

[Jepoy005]

If your goal is to get something that could help you in the Air Force.. or for that matter, any branch of service, the cadet program is a better choice.  Yes, you'd be under the chain of command that would likely be made up of cadets younger than you, but with your mind to it, you can earn the Mitchell Award by the time you are 21, and thats good for an advanced enlistment in the Air Force, and the material you learn can apply across the board. Plus it would give you some time to get some college classes done and you'd be ahead of the pack there, too.

We've had a few join at close to 18, just turning 18, etc. and do well, and some others that felt it wasn't what they were after. You can always turn senior member after joining, too, without paying anything extra the year you change over.

yes i am planning on join the AFR after i'm done with my minor degree.

What EXACTLY is the difference between a CADET and SENIOR? Tnx

[a2capt]

You'll get 27 different answers here- but in short, the cadet program is a youth program to forge tomorrows leaders from todays youth with a slant on aerospace, but the skills learned from it apply all over.

The senior program is more community serving, and offers opportunities for professional development similar to that of the cadet program, but not the same. There's nothing you're really going to do as a senior member that will prepare you, perhaps, rather allow you to get ahead in the military like the way the cadet program curriculum is designed.

Seriously, it sounds like you really need to try the cadet program first. Though, again, your flight commander is likely to be a 15 year old, and the cadet commander might be a year behind you age wise. However, separating age and maturity, you generally will find a bit more maturity in CAP cadets for their age, as they advance in the program, and you being older can certainly advance faster, and after just a few months, and a couple stripes the "age difference" may even disappear all together feeling wise.

The tough spot may be encampment, to earn the Mitchell Award you need to attend one encampment. But that Mitchell Award will allow you, as an example, to enlist as an E2 in the Air Force, perhaps it carriers to the reserve, too? When you get to BMT, you'll most likely be a candidate for flight commander, as you'll already know more than the rest there, by far.

[Short Field]

yes i am planning on join the AFR after i'm done with my minor degree.

Why wait?  If you are going to join the Air Force Reserve, then go ahead and do it.  You can still be a cadet.  What do you mean by your "minor degree"?  Are you talking about an Associate of Arts (or Science) two-year degree?  Depending on your career field, when you finish tech school, you can have your AA or AS degree completed through the Community College of the Air Force and a lot cheaper than doing it on your own.

[Jepoy005]

You'll get 27 different answers here- but in short, the cadet program is a youth program to forge tomorrows leaders from todays youth with a slant on aerospace, but the skills learned from it apply all over.

The senior program is more community serving, and offers opportunities for professional development similar to that of the cadet program, but not the same. There's nothing you're really going to do as a senior member that will prepare you, perhaps, rather allow you to get ahead in the military like the way the cadet program curriculum is designed.

Seriously, it sounds like you really need to try the cadet program first. Though, again, your flight commander is likely to be a 15 year old, and the cadet commander might be a year behind you age wise. However, separating age and maturity, you generally will find a bit more maturity in CAP cadets for their age, as they advance in the program, and you being older can certainly advance faster, and after just a few months, and a couple stripes the "age difference" may even disappear all together feeling wise.

The tough spot may be encampment, to earn the Mitchell Award you need to attend one encampment. But that Mitchell Award will allow you, as an example, to enlist as an E2 in the Air Force, perhaps it carriers to the reserve, too? When you get to BMT, you'll most likely be a candidate for flight commander, as you'll already know more than the rest there, by far.

Mitchell Award is that only for cadets?

How bout the seniors? do they get any certificate awards in someway?

Thanks for the great explanation.

[Extremepredjudice]

They do get milestones and achievements, but they don't help you out in the military.

[DakRadz]

Mitchell Award is for cadets only.

Senior Members do have a variety of different awards, but the Mitchell is the only thing that gets you advanced rank in the USAF.

[Jepoy005]

Mitchell Award is for cadets only.

Senior Members do have a variety of different awards, but the Mitchell is the only thing that gets you advanced rank in the USAF.

I've already talked to a AFR recruiter and he said that pretty any awards to i get from CAP can get me an early promotion to E3 prior leaving for BMT.