cherry-picking of members

fyrfitrmedic · April 15, 2006, 04:05:28 PM

I just learned that a member or members of a neighboring squadron is/are trying to start another squadron in the area; it's come to my attention that there have been active attempts at recruiting from my home unit to this proposed new unit.

Has anyone else encountered this sort of thing?

arajca · April 15, 2006, 04:26:13 PM

Define 'cherry picking'. Is he just contacting the best and the brightest or is contacting those members who live close to where he is starting the unit? This makes a big difference in how we reply.

fyrfitrmedic · April 15, 2006, 07:45:36 PM

The contacts have been limited to what could be considered 'key personnel'. It's interesting to note that the ones contacted aren't, strictly speaking, necessarily the ones closest to the home of the proposed new squadron.

arajca · April 15, 2006, 08:35:41 PM

Are they currently key personnel in your (and the other) unit? If they are not, I wouldn't worry. Also, read CAPP 8(?) on starting a new unit. One of the suggestions is to use a 'tiger team' of experienced staff officers to help the new unit hit the ground running. Check with higher command - they may have told the member to contact those people, even if they didn't bother to tell their unit commanders.

Now, if all this proves false, contact the offending party and find out exactly what's going on.

fyrfitrmedic · April 15, 2006, 09:07:38 PM

Upon discussion with the squadron CC, the issue will be handled through channels as appropriate.

Perhaps it's just me, but there seem to be ethical issues involved here. Maybe it's just personal bias on my part... [shrug]

JAFO78 · April 17, 2006, 02:35:27 AM

I have seen the cherry picking of cadets from a squadron that was shutting down due to declining membership. It was a cadet squadron and they picked up or invited the good cadets to transfer over, which they did.

mikeylikey · April 17, 2006, 01:07:28 PM

To fyrfitrmedic, don't worry about it. The Wing King has already decided that "the new unit" will never fly because of the people involved with it. New units can't just be established because of dislike between certain members.

Nathan · April 17, 2006, 01:49:15 PM

Quote from: fyrfitrmedic on April 15, 2006, 09:07:38 PM
Upon discussion with the squadron CC, the issue will be handled through channels as appropriate.

Perhaps it's just me, but there seem to be ethical issues involved here. Maybe it's just personal bias on my part... [shrug]

Same thing happened at my unit with a squadron that branched out of mine. Needless to say, it stopped soon after I heard about it.

fyrfitrmedic · April 17, 2006, 08:16:58 PM

Quote from: mikeylikey on April 17, 2006, 01:07:28 PM
To fyrfitrmedic, don't worry about it. The Wing King has already decided that "the new unit" will never fly because of the people involved with it. New units can't just be established because of dislike between certain members.

Interesting. Care to elucidate? A PM would be fine.

Hammer · April 17, 2006, 11:15:55 PM

Quote from: fyrfitrmedic on April 17, 2006, 08:16:58 PM
Quote from: mikeylikey on April 17, 2006, 01:07:28 PM
To fyrfitrmedic, don't worry about it. The Wing King has already decided that "the new unit" will never fly because of the people involved with it. New units can't just be established because of dislike between certain members.

Interesting. Care to elucidate? A PM would be fine.

Yeah, I know. That's sort of how my Squadron got started.

flyguy06 · April 18, 2006, 08:04:46 AM

My Squadron is low in membership and so I went to another more active squadron and I asked some of their senior cadets if they wouldnt mind comming to my unit to help lead our new cadets. I didnt ask them to actually join our squadron. I just wanted them to come and help get us started. It worked for a little while,