Hagerstown Composite Squadron

[Rafka]

I am now our squadrons first Historian  We have tons of records in our filing cabinets. Which, unfortunately, are poorly organized. (Though I found a folder with the Wing Authorizations for every event we had in 1990  ).

We have a plaque that says the Squadron was founded January 7 1942, but I've yet to find any other source to confirm this.

Where else would I be able to find any old records/information on our squadron? The oldest records I've been able to find so far are from 1988. Which still leaves 46 years of nothing.

Any help would be much appreciated  :clap:

[Tim Day]

I pinged my Wing Historian, who is pinging the National Historian, for more details on our squadron history.

[HGjunkie]

Is Colonel Phares still there? I'd say ask the senior members you have and keep digging for info from other members who have been there for a while.

[Rafka]

Colonel Phares is currently our Interim Commander. We've had a lot of churn of Senior Members recently and most of them are new. We only have a few who were in the squadron in the 90s.

[Holding Pattern]

I suppose this is as good a thread to ask as any... Are there any rules about using member records that aren't purged (pre-5 year mark) to locate and contact ex-members for historical purposes?

[lordmonar]

I suppose this is as good a thread to ask as any... Are there any rules about using member records that aren't purged (pre-5 year mark) to locate and contact ex-members for historical purposes?

Nope.

Accessing  the PII in those records is for a legitimate CAP purpose.

So long as you don't retain that PII after its proper use.

[LSThiker]

I suppose this is as good a thread to ask as any... Are there any rules about using member records that aren't purged (pre-5 year mark) to locate and contact ex-members for historical purposes?

Nope.  I have done it numerous times and encourage the other historians to do it as well.  If it is for legitimate CAP business and you can justify it in the event an IG or Lawyer asks, then it is fair game.

[Rafka]

I'm going through our Historical Records drawers and just found some Master records dated between 1979 and 1982. Should I immediately destroy them or can I see if there is anything I can take that doesn't have any PII on it?

[lordmonar]

I'm going through our Historical Records drawers and just found some Master records dated between 1979 and 1982. Should I immediately destroy them or can I see if there is anything I can take that doesn't have any PII on it?

If there is anything of historic value....then they should be moved out of the personnel file and into the history files.   All other personnel records should be moved to the inactive files and destroyed after five years.

Even if the records are old.....they must reside in the inactive file for five years. (I am assuming that you found these records in some back drawer and not in the proper Inactive file location).

[Rafka]

I'm going through our Historical Records drawers and just found some Master records dated between 1979 and 1982. Should I immediately destroy them or can I see if there is anything I can take that doesn't have any PII on it?

If there is anything of historic value....then they should be moved out of the personnel file and into the history files.   All other personnel records should be moved to the inactive files and destroyed after five years.

Even if the records are old.....they must reside in the inactive file for five years. (I am assuming that you found these records in some back drawer and not in the proper Inactive file location).

They were in the back of our Historical Files drawer. It looks the the ID number for everything was the SSN number at that time. Can I still use the record if I redact the SSN?

Also, I found 2 National Geographic magazines (1942 & 1945), A World Atlas (1943), and a US Army Air Forces Pilots Information File (1944). What should I do with these?

[LSThiker]

I'm going through our Historical Records drawers and just found some Master records dated between 1979 and 1982. Should I immediately destroy them or can I see if there is anything I can take that doesn't have any PII on it?

If there is anything of historic value....then they should be moved out of the personnel file and into the history files.   All other personnel records should be moved to the inactive files and destroyed after five years.

Even if the records are old.....they must reside in the inactive file for five years. (I am assuming that you found these records in some back drawer and not in the proper Inactive file location).

To add on what was said, even if it does have PII on it, does not mean you cannot keep it.  Redact any true PII (name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother's maiden name, or biometric records as per NIST 800-122 and CAPR 1-2), but remember that in some instances that PII can help identify members.  Just keep those materials IAW CAP regulations (CAPR 1-2), which I would suggest you read. 

For example, some people might be quick to redact a birth date.  However, that name could have 1000 other personal identities (think of a name like John Smith).  That birth date is going to help narrow that person down. 

[resq1192]

This is some pretty interesting information.  I've been doing some reseasrch on my Dad, who was in CAP in the 60s and Army 60s-70s.  Able to receive some interesting stuff on his Army days from NARA.  How would someone (like me, doing geneaology) get copies of records of a family member who was in CAP?

I also spent some time (2 "hitches" in RI Wing) and live near his old squadron (now known as the 102nd Composite).  Would love to see how far my dad went in CAP (he was a cadet) and what he did with is time there.

[LSThiker]

This is some pretty interesting information.  I've been doing some reseasrch on my Dad, who was in CAP in the 60s and Army 60s-70s.  Able to receive some interesting stuff on his Army days from NARA.  How would someone (like me, doing geneaology) get copies of records of a family member who was in CAP?

I also spent some time (2 "hitches" in RI Wing) and live near his old squadron (now known as the 102nd Composite).  Would love to see how far my dad went in CAP (he was a cadet) and what he did with is time there.

Unfortunately, CAP does not keep the same record system as like in the military.  After a member leaves the organization, the records are destroyed by the local unit after 5 years (currently, not sure what the time span was back then).  Nothing is sent to NHQ.  In addition, NHQ does not necessarily keep a list of specific awards (i.e. as senior member or cadet professional development [except Spaatz]).

You can always contact National Headquarters.  Although I would not anticipate anything, sometimes they surprise you.  However, they are busy doing day-to-day items and probably won't have the time to do any personal searches.  I have asked for a few CAPF 27s in the past and they were able to deliver, but that was for official reasons. 

Your best bet would be to track down some people in the Wing that were around during his time.  They might be able to give you some information that you can develop leads on.  In addition, search the newspapers archives for any newspaper releases that might have his name (or the names of others that you can contact). Contact the Wing Historian, with some luck, they may have had an active history program that has kept some of those old files.

Good luck.