ACA

[Becks]

I recently was contacted by a member of the American Cadet Alliance who wanted to talk to me about starting a unit in my area.  Does anyone have any input about the ACA?

[MIKE]

You'll probably get better intel over on the CadetStuff forums. 

[Nathan]

Yeah, I've been asked to help set up a unit in Kansas/Missouri, but I'm having a difficult time finding time...

[DNall]

Interesting. Are they pushing out from their traditional east/west coast concentrations into the fly-over? There's some real good elements over there, not my cup of tea, but best of luck to them.

[Nathan]

Interesting. Are they pushing out from their traditional east/west coast concentrations into the fly-over? There's some real good elements over there, not my cup of tea, but best of luck to them.

From what I understand, they're trying to move out. I had never even heard of the ACA until CadetStuff, though, so they're having a hard time catching on here...

[mikeylikey]

Now the ACA is getting CAP members to start ACA units.  Between CAP and work and the rest of life, there are only so many hours in a day.

[Becks]

Interesting. Are they pushing out from their traditional east/west coast concentrations into the fly-over? There's some real good elements over there, not my cup of tea, but best of luck to them.

From what I understand, they're trying to move out. I had never even heard of the ACA until CadetStuff, though, so they're having a hard time catching on here...

Right, I was just curious if anyone had any opinions regarding the organization or any experience with them.

[COL Land]

Our new recruiting commercial:

http://www.gocadets.org/recruitment/ad_1.php?PHPSESSID=8e85ae6aaad099b4c02a13e22891f5fb

Respectfully,

[JohnKachenmeister]

USACC?

United States Army Cadet...Something?

[COL Land]

United States Army Cadet Corps.

R,

[JAFO78]

Our new recruiting commercial:

Thank you for the information Sir. very nice to see what others are doing.

[BillB]

The ACA seems like it fits real well with CAP I had lunch a couple of years ago with Commander Land and he explained the whole idea of ACA and it's operations. My only proiblem, no matter how far you have gone in CAP professional development or USAF courses you may have taken, you have to start all over with training to be an officer in ACA. I don't doubt that CAC could expand the number of units around the country if there was provision for accepting CAP grade structure for CAP members interested in joining.
ACA has the Navy, Marines and Army cadet corps and did not do anything for an Air Force cadet program since that was covered by CAP. If joint units could be formed of ACA and CAP cadets, it would be the best of both worlds. The cadets could get the better military training through ACA that CAP lacks now-a-days.

[Major Lord]

I met with Commander (Now switched to Army Cadets) Land and General Markarian ( CA Military Reserve) in San Luis Obispo a few years ago, with an eye towards starting a California Brigade of the ACA. The ACA has a lot to offer in contrast to CAP, which in many ways is becoming more like Boy Scouts and suffers from severe hypogonadism. At the time, they had no problems accepting me in at my CAP rank ( at the time, Captain).

Although ACA is an older program, they were inactive for a very long time, and primarily focused on the Naval Cadet Program. The Army Cadets are the fastest and most dynamic branch of ACA. I came to understand that in many ways, ACA was still making things up as they go along, and I did not want to jump on that horse at the time. One of my friends, Chris Ross, did get involved and is now the CA commander of the ACA Marines.
There are no Cadet Officers in in ACA. Officers are almost exclusively former military. To become an ACA Cadet, you go through a selection process that runs over a weekend, and  hey decide if you are good enough and tough enough to join. This is very different from CAP. When a Cadet turns 18, he is out the door.

I chose not to get involved for a variety of reasons, but I do have great respect for ACA. We could learn a lot from them. Like all organizations, they can get political, and like CAP, it can be expensive to be a member in a lot of ways.

Major Lord

[JohnKachenmeister]

I met with Commander (Now switched to Army Cadets) Land and General Markarian ( CA Military Reserve) in San Luis Obispo a few years ago, with an eye towards starting a California Brigade of the ACA. The ACA has a lot to offer in contrast to CAP, which in many ways is becoming more like Boy Scouts and suffers from severe hypogonadism. At the time, they had no problems accepting me in at my CAP rank ( at the time, Captain).

Although ACA is an older program, they were inactive for a very long time, and primarily focused on the Naval Cadet Program. The Army Cadets are the fastest and most dynamic branch of ACA. I came to understand that in many ways, ACA was still making things up as they go along, and I did not want to jump on that horse at the time. One of my friends, Chris Ross, did get involved and is now the CA commander of the ACA Marines.
There are no Cadet Officers in in ACA. Officers are almost exclusively former military. To become an ACA Cadet, you go through a selection process that runs over a weekend, and  hey decide if you are good enough and tough enough to join. This is very different from CAP. When a Cadet turns 18, he is out the door.

I chose not to get involved for a variety of reasons, but I do have great respect for ACA. We could learn a lot from them. Like all organizations, they can get political, and like CAP, it can be expensive to be a member in a lot of ways.

Major Lord

I looked into it via the internet once, and if I recall correctly, even the former military officers have to start all over through OCS, and up through the officer grades from 2nd lieutenant,  again.  Also, their weight control regs are the same as 600-9 in the Army, and if I could comply with 600-9, I'd have stayed in the Army.

Its a good, professional program, in many ways superior to our own cadet program, but I'm not a candidate for it.

Also, I agree with Capt Lord's assessment of our cadet program, and I'm gonna steal that term, "Hypogonadism," so don't be surprised when you see me post it in reference to the cadet program or other facets of CAP!   

[Avery]

"Hypogonadism?" I like that in a pilot. I bred one of those, I did!

[COL Land]

Let me clarify a bit of misinformation above:

   a.  It is true that ACA does not provide grade-for-grade transition for CAP and other programs.   However, it is incorrect to say that we give no credit for CAP service, as we do.   Frankly, we've had NSCC and CAP officers, oddly enough almost always O4s, who came to ACA at that rank.  To be honest, they simply couldn't provide the leadership, management and professionalism needed at that level within our program.  For some, they had no real officership training, for others we were a bit too "gung-ho" and serious for their level of dedication, and others were truly E4s dressed like O4s and still acted like junior troops.  Our culture is much different (not necessarily better), and our standards are extremely (in the eyes of some, excessively) high; therefore, we have stricter standards and now review each applicant on a case-by-case basis.   Unless an officer is coming to ACA National Headquarters to serve at the national level, or they are a doctor, lawyer, etc., there is no provision to come to ACA above O3.   

    b.  We have had some attempt to "CAPize" the ACA ("...you should have Cadet officers...." "...your 'encampment (we have a 14-day "Annual Training" should be seven days...." "...you need to have USAF Cadets...", etc.).   We are what we are, and have no plans of making major changes anytime soon, except through continued significant growth.  Approximately 40% of the ACA's Officers' Corps are former (or current) CAP officers, who bring a lot of valuable experience, and looked for a "different mousetrap."

    c.  Our Officer Candidate School is very closely patterned after the National Guard's OCS, ensuring that each ACA officer has a solid foundation in officership which allows them to serve with credibility along with active, guard and reserve soldiers.  Our OCS is well outlined in http://www.acacadets.org/PDF/ACAINST1120-2b.pdf , and it not required for former military officers, and can be abbreviated for some CAP officers.  We recently had two CAP Captains, a former Army SGT, a former USMC Cpl, three former Cadet officers, and three civilians complete Phase I or Phase III of OCS.   All did very well, and will eventually make fine officers.   Two "rang out" and left (CAP 1LT and NSCC ENS).   That's ok.   Better during OCS, than after accepting a leadership position that they are not qualified for.  We'd rather have slow growth based on quality, than to have expedited growth and lower our standards.

    d.   Former Cadets are not "out the door" at 18.  If E7 and above, they can remain a Cadet (we cap out at Cadet E9) until age 20, or they can become Officer Candidates.

    e.   I'm not sure if I agree with Major Lord's assessment that "...ACA was still making things up as they go along..."  Our regulations are solid, based on an accumulation of 200+ years of experience at the NHQ level.  We are still small, meaning that regulations and policies can be run through "stupid check" and modified based on the real-time needs of the field.  Granted, when expanding to a new area (such as California), there must be much greater flexibility and creativity in the decision-making process which can be seen as "winging it," I suppose. 

Although we have a Naval heritage which spans almost 100 years (April 10, 1909), our program today is primarily focused on the United States Army Cadets.   We recently had a strong presence at the Association of the United States Army Conference in DC, where ACA personnel met with the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Sergeant Major of the Army, etc.   We expect legislative language to go before Congress within 90 days which will put us in a very good position as a national organization.   We are primarily an Army program these days, which is difficult for some.   Rest assured, it was difficult for this Sailor of 32 years (starting as a Sea Cadet) to shift to the Army uniform, but it's in the best interests of the program and our Cadets.

In a recent letter, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), said "...a robust (Army Cadet Corps) would enhance the Army recruiting mission...the Army will implement regulations which support the (Army Cadet Corps), as authorized by statute."  To prepare for our growth, we have packaged the Army Cadet Corps as clearly being a "career exploration program."   As such, our mission is to give Cadets the most realistic view of service in the military as we can.   This exposure is a very close parallel of the Army's Basic Combat Training (BCT), except that "warrior" skills are not taught.   We're not recruiting, but we give a real-world experience for those young men and women who are looking at the military as a potential career choice.   As you can see, we are very different than the CAP's Cadet program, which is appreciated by some, and difficult to accept for others.   

If you would like any further information about the ACA, please feel free to visit our NHQ website at www.headquarters.militarycadets.org or email me at JMLand@militarycadets.org .   Also, feel free to visit the website to learn more about our National Headquarters and the 77,000 sq. ft. National Cadet Training Center in Dayton, PA.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide clarification about our program.  I also appreciate the work that is done by our brothers and sisters in blue.   Although there are some differences in our programs, our collective bottomline desire is to serve the needs of our country, our communities and our future leaders.   

Respectfully,

[mikeylikey]

^^ Thank you....that cleared a few questions I had.  I checked out the Dayton School website you have.  Good Job!  Are you expanding in PA at all?

[COL Land]

Yes, Dayton, Pittsburgh, Willow Grove and potentially, Fort Indiantown Gap.

R,

[stillamarine]

How do I find if there is any unit in my area? (Florida Panhandle)

[mikeylikey]

How do I find if there is any unit in my area? (Florida Panhandle)

See thats the thing.  There is no real database on line to find a local ACA unit.  We can fill out the request info form, but I like to do my own research sometimes!