NCSA Review Board questions

[flyguync]

I have a cadet worried about the review board this weekend and have searched high and low and cannot find any resources. has anyone been on or through one of these lately? what questions are asked? etc...

[NC Hokie]

I have a cadet worried about the review board this weekend and have searched high and low and cannot find any resources. has anyone been on or through one of these lately? what questions are asked? etc...

+1, but in this case it's the DCC worrying for the cadet! 

[DC]

They should have a thourogh knowledge of L2k, Aerospace Dimensions, Drill and 39-1.

It varies from wing to wing, but that should give them a good foundation. Studying 52-16 and other 52 series regs certianly won't hurt them either...

[IceNine]

Brief Synopsys...  Of a well designed board.

The cadet will walk in and should obviously look right and tight, and know where to stand, when to sit, and what to say.

They will then be asked a series of questions some from written text (should be aimed at grade level so no need to study all the way through mitchell), some will be character questions and some will be designed to see how well the cadet thinks on their feet "If you had to choose between being a PB&J and an ice cream sandwich, which would you be and why?"

They will notice that there are different types of people on the board.  One will be still and quiet, ask their questions and not say much more.  One will be friendly, understanding and conversational.  And finally the jerk, one of these people will write angerly on their paper, seem confrontational, and present the image that they are disgusted at the answer's given. 

The idea is to get a full feel on the cadets character, general understanding, common sense, and confidence.

If a cadet has to say "I don't know" the answer should be "I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you".  It's always enlightening to see that one cadet that searches high and low, and finally comes back to you asks for a bit of your time and explains the answer to the unknown question.  This reflect highly on the cadets desire to attend the activity of their choice.

Tell the cadet to take this as seriously as possible and to assume that their appearance will speak for at least a 1/4 of their score, and that they are not competing against the rest of the cadets in the room they are simply receiving an evaluation of their desire and personal character.  Have fun, answer questions to the best of your ability and be memorable positively.

[arajca]

Also, the cadet should know something about the activity and why they feel they are qualified to go.

[caprr275]

All of the above is great advice. I am the Cadet Activities Officer for my wing and for the review boards I have coming up we will be asking questions about other activities they have attended within the wing. Why they want to go and what will they to do encourage other cadets in the future to go.

Another common questions is what skills or knowledge will you bring back from the NCSA to help the wing.

Hope this helps.

[IceNine]

Also, the cadet should know something about the activity and why they feel they are qualified to go.

+1 forgot that key tip.

When I boarded for NHGA BITD they asked questions like "when is flag day?"  "If you are driving by and notice that a stranger is in need of a new flag on their pole because it is tattered, would you stop and tell them?"

[sjtrupp]

I wrote up some suggestions for some cadets years ago when I had to run a review board.  Some of the titles might be a little out of date.

----

Review Board Suggestions

The Review Board is a formal activity and cadets are expected to act appropriately.

The review board will judge your knowledge and your ability to apply your knowledge by asking a series of questions.  You will be evaluated not only on your answers, but also in the way you answer the questions. 

The questions will be about current events, leadership, aerospace, and facts about CAP and the USAF.  Your answers should originate from one of the following sources:

Leadership: 2000 and Beyond
Aerospace Dimensions
CAPR 52-16, Cadet Program Management   
CAPM 39-1, CAP Uniform Manual   
CAPR 900-2, Civil Air Patrol Seal, Emblem, and Flag Etiquette
CAPP 50-5, Introduction to Civil Air Patrol
CAPP 151, Standards, Customs and Courtesies
AFMAN 36-2203, Drill and Ceremonies Manual
Current events: newspapers, television, CAP News, Wing Web Page


Hints

-   Brush up on general knowledge
-   Understand correct customs and courtesies
-   Keep up on current events
-   Do not make false statements to the board  (don't lie)
-   Do not answer with "I don't know, but I'll get back to you on that."  You will not have an opportunity go back to the board and the board is testing your knowledge, not your ability to research.
-   Never keep the board waiting, be ready to go when you show up.
-   When answering questions, remember to answer it completely.
-   Use proper ranks or titles when referring to people.

-- 

It's interesting in how the "I will get back to you" statement can be either good or bad.

I had to create this list because the cadets were concerned about the annual review board when I took over in Nebraska.  Even though it had been in place for decades, they thought that I would make it more difficult.  It was sad that we had two cadets lie to the board about simple things after these suggestions were sent out.


Steven Trupp

[DC]

What kind of review board question would a cadet lie to? In my experience they are usually dealing with historical facts or general knowledge, or are more 'self reflection' type questions...

[Pylon]

There's a lot of great advise above, but I didn't see mentioned that cadets should know the standard procedure for reporting!  Always handy to be able to enter and exit the room as expected, and render all the proper courtesies in between.

Treat the review board as an interview because it is one.  I've sat on a good handful of NCSA review boards.   In addition to the standard fare of general knowledge questions, common things I've asked of cadets include "why do you want to go to this activity?", "how will you attending this activity benefit your unit or CAP?", "what are your long-term goals in CAP and life?", "Tell me what you know about the activity you're applying to" and other open-ended questions.   There's no right or wrong answers with those questions; I'm asking because I want to find out if C/CMSgt Highspeed can apply a little critical thought and speak extemporaneously instead of just rattling off rote memorization.  It also may show the review board if he or she has put a lot of thought into their application and has actually researched the activity a little bit.