Joining CAP if already senior in high school

Eclipse · August 20, 2011, 04:53:26 PM

Quote from: Flying Pig on August 20, 2011, 04:41:34 PM
But if your already 18 and you try to do an initial membership, you have to join as a Senior right? If that is wrong, than CAP did a BAAAAD job clarifying that. I have always known it to be that way.

No. That's the point of the above. Until you are 19, you are 18, and as written, you can join as a cadet up to the point you are no longer 18.

Quote from: Flying Pig on August 20, 2011, 04:41:34 PM
Personally as a SqCC if I had a member come in who was within a couple months of 18, I always pushed them towards senior. I had one guy who was 2 weeks from 18. I told him he had to join as a Senior if he was joining my unit. He did and last I talked to him he is quite happy.

That is still your prerogative as a Commander - you don't personally have to accept anyone you don't want to, but had he been set on being a
cadet, he could have likely gotten the real story from another unit or NHQ.

sportygirl12 · August 20, 2011, 06:20:00 PM

Thanks for all the advice, I will have to go to one of the meetings and check it out.

lycan1138 · August 21, 2011, 02:54:17 AM

I'm a senior and i joined up as a SM and it has worked out quite well for me.

Майор Хаткевич · August 21, 2011, 05:05:05 AM

Quote from: lycan1138 on August 21, 2011, 02:54:17 AM
I'm a senior and i joined up as a SM and it has worked out quite well for me.

How long have you been in the program? I've been in for eight years. Most as a cadet, just one as a SM.

If I was planning on a military career, being a cadet pays off tenfold, hundredfold, when compared to what a typical SM does.

sportygirl12 · August 21, 2011, 06:08:02 PM

Yes I am planning on a military career and my 18th bday isn't until November so should I plan on joining as a cadet?

MIKE · August 21, 2011, 06:22:51 PM

Yep, you can always change to senior membership later.

Eclipse · August 21, 2011, 06:27:29 PM

Quote from: MIKE on August 21, 2011, 06:22:51 PM
Yep, you can always change to senior membership later.

+1 - give yourself the option.

a2capt · August 21, 2011, 06:28:14 PM

Well, if you wish to join right now, you don't have much of a choice. The unit will probably want you to attend three meetings. Yes, you'll probably feel out of place a bit, mostly because you're new it it, but being older will also add to it. On the plus side of that, being older, you'll probably blow through the stuff faster.

Joining now, you've still got time to make it to Mitchell (Completion of Phase II, of four), which is where the payback potentially comes in a military career with the Air Force or Army, and perhaps the Coast Guard. You can do this in 18 months of you're on it like clockwork, but it's usually 2-2.5 years. Between CAP and some college, you'd have a head start on it all.