Unit Websites

So most every unit has some sort of website these days, whether is be a professional-looking, answer-all resource or a one-page Geocities template with flashy javascripts and flying graphics.
 
I'll start by asking - who wants to show off their units' websites (and by unit, I mean whatever echelon you're at - squadron, group, etc.).
 
In addition, what are the most important features or things for a unit's webpage to have?
 

I'll kick it off with the Syracuse Composite Squadron website.  There's plenty of content packed in there, especially in the "Information Center" part of the site.  Of course, there are always things that need to be added and so it is continuously updated.
 
Care to share yours? 

DE Wing HQ - http://dewg.cap.gov  (mine, but it needs a better design.  I'm working on one, though)
New Castle Cadet Sqdn - http://cap-de011.org  This used to be mine, and all of the content is mine, but it hasn't been touched since I left the unit in 2003, and the guy who replaced me broke the news, photo gallery and guestbook.    Still, it has about everything I think a unit site should have.

CAP unit websites can really range from a "static" page or a "dynamic" site, but either way... the data must be up to date.   I hate checking out a website and see on the News page that it says "Next meeting: April 3rd, 2004".

Whatever kind of site you have, keep the contact information and meeting location up to date. And, rather that posting a "uniform for next weeks meeting", consider posting the usual schedule. Something like "1st meeting of the month: Short Sleeve blues, 2nd meeting: BDUs, 3rd meeting: BDUs, 4th meeting: PT Uniform".  That'll make it a lot easier for ya.

I just 2 days ago started making a website for the cadets at my squadron (Juneau, Alaska Southeast Composite Squadron) So it has little content, but has a lot of potentional I think.

you can access it here http://juneaucap.com

My squadron's is http://airvictory.njwg.cap.gov .  It's not much, but it's a lot better than the free thing we used to have that was a year out of date  .  If there was one thing I'd add to our website, I'd definitely add a lot of pictures.  Eye candy sells.

I just 2 days ago started making a website for the cadets at my squadron (Juneau, Alaska Southeast Composite Squadron) So it has little content, but has a lot of potentional I think.

you can access it here http://juneaucap.com

ACK! The noticeable uniform problems in the top graphic of the page is very, very distracting.  I'd consider using a different graphic.

I just 2 days ago started making a website for the cadets at my squadron (Juneau, Alaska Southeast Composite Squadron) So it has little content, but has a lot of potentional I think.

you can access it here http://juneaucap.com

ACK! The noticeable uniform problems in the top graphic of the page is very, very distracting.  I'd consider using a different graphic.

As well as the "Crap....I meant, talk it up".  Before you go public, I'd advise removing that, and any other language that isn't professional.

Thanks for the comments..Yeah I know the top pic was a bad one...I'm taking a digital camera to the meeting this weekend to get a better one..

That picture up top is 2 years old...That was our squadron with the OLD command....yeah...cant say much about that :S

Here's the ones I've done for CAP:

Wisconsin wing: http://www.wiwg.cap.gov

[toot-horn]I received a Meritorious Service Award for my redesign and current maintenance since 2003.[/toot-horn]

La Crosse Composite Squadron: http://www.lacrossecap.org
I designed that one in 2002, and subsequently, I was asked to revamp and maintain the wing site.  I left the area in Dec, so I turned the keys over to another qualified individual. To my knowledge the site has not received an update since my last one in Oct, so the news is a tad outdated.

I've done a few more for other units since I joined in 97, but these are my most current.

I just 2 days ago started making a website for the cadets at my squadron (Juneau, Alaska Southeast Composite Squadron) So it has little content, but has a lot of potentional I think.

you can access it here http://juneaucap.com

Mambo is an interesting choice for a CMS.  Personally, I prefer Postnuke, however I commend your desire to make your site more dynamic than average.

Since your site's new, and many people aren't yet accustomed to CMS's, You may want to describe on the index page somewhere what incentive there is to register. 

...and thanks for cleaning up the language. 

I wanted a dynamic page, and mambo was the only thing I was fmailiar with...(I have a hard enough time with the templates as is)

I like how you can add modules and components as needed...I still have lots of tweaking to do and stuff of that sorts..But I like it so far (though I'm partial)

Its a big step over my regular squadrons website..http://home.gci.net/~trout/cap/

Mambo is cool.  From what I understand, the CAP-IT.US developers use that one too.

Here's the ones I've done for CAP:

Wisconsin wing: http://www.wiwg.cap.gov

[toot-horn]I received a Meritorious Service Award for my redesign and current maintenance since 2003.[/toot-horn]

La Crosse Composite Squadron: http://www.lacrossecap.org
I designed that one in 2002, and subsequently, I was asked to revamp and maintain the wing site.  I left the area in Dec, so I turned the keys over to another qualified individual. To my knowledge the site has not received an update since my last one in Oct, so the news is a tad outdated.

I've done a few more for other units since I joined in 97, but these are my most current.

I didn't do much snooping around on your sites, but on first glance, I love the "look" of the sites.  Very professional, and certainly not boring.  Anybody remember the old CAP NHQ site?  While it seemed somewhat professional, it was also very boring.

I wish I had time to play around with websites, still, but alas, college has taken over my life.

My squadron's is http://airvictory.njwg.cap.gov .  It's not much, but it's a lot better than the free thing we used to have that was a year out of date  .  If there was one thing I'd add to our website, I'd definitely add a lot of pictures.  Eye candy sells.

Looks pretty good Cadet I see spider is doing a good job. Keep up the good work Hooah.

I recently did a redesign for my Group HQ's website, which was something that it had needed for some time.  The original one (which is still in use) is here on the .gov domain. 
 
The new design I'm working on is currently  on my personal servers.
 
It's not perfect, but it's a good start for the Group to get a professional web presence.

Looks nice.

I'm currently in the design stage for a website for the unit I am working to establish.

So far, I'm planning to have four subpages (About, News and Events, Members, Links).
Under each is:
About - Brief about CAP, Colorado Wing, squadron with links to more indepth pages for each. CAP/wing pages contain link to national/wing sites. squadron contains link to Mapquest (for direction) and email for more info.
News and Events - Quarterly schedule w/UOD, major events, press releases.
Members - upcoming training (other than sqdn) Letter from the Commander, link to secure site for member detail info, links to eServices, CAPMart, The Hock, WMU.
Links - Links to cap.gov, COWG, region, AF.mil, Cadet Stuff, CAP Talk.

Haven't quite figured out the overall look yet.

Just be careful about what personal information you post out there for the world to see. Email address's, work and home phone numbers, etc.  You never know what kind of fruitcake is out there lurking.

You also need to be mindful of what kind of information that you are posting, especially Homeland Security and our Counter-Drug Missions. 

Rather than list everyone's email address, perhaps establish one contact number and email address.  For personal information such as the Group or Squadron Commanders contact information put it behind some sort of firewall.

Photos:  Websites with photos and graphics are nice and hold people's interest.  Make sure anything that you post won't bring discredit upon your unit or CAP and the AF (Not that you would) and ensure that people are wearing proper uniforms.

Final note on graphics:  Anything too large may overpower some older computers and take forever to load, and avoid the 'cutsie' stuff like bouncing balls, smily faces, and computer generated music.  You're going for a professional look and you never know who is going to stumble across your site.

My current squadron currently runs two websites - one for the public with very limited contact info and a secure one just for squadron members. Neither is very fancy, but the main selling point of the secure site is cadets can look up their own progress - we use SIMS and have a read-only version of the database available to the members on the secure site.

At the unit level, there really ins't much you can say about HLS or CD missions - other than we do them and link to National's HLS and CD pages.

I agree with minimizing personal information on a public website. I plan to have only one or two email contacts, with maybe one phone number. When I get one, I plan to put the squadron mailing address on the website - which will be a post offie box.

how do you manage the usernames and passwords?

The webhosting service I use provides the ability for me to put pages behind a secure firewall.  For one website the people provide me with their membership card and I assign an initial password.  I track their expiration date and notify them of the need to renew.  If they don't renew I delete them.  This is what the organization wanted.

Here's mine: http://warrencompositesquadron.homestead.com

This is its 7th evolution since I started working on it four years ago.  I'd like to think there's quite a bit of content scattered through there, especially in the history section.  It's definitely been fun building it. 

Oh, and please excuse its outdatedness.  My school's firewall over here won't allow me to do any work on the site, so I'm kind of stuck until this summer.  Anyway, please enjoy and critique as necessary.