Florida Wing gets "outstanding" in SAREVAL

[ammotrucker]

I would believe that if all Wing had the amount of members that FLWG has they would do the same thing.  There are just so many positions that can be filled.  Why not have your best.  IMHO. 

If you feel slighted I am sorry.  I didn't feel that way when they removed me from the PSC position.  It was a relief because of the amount of time that I have been giving in the past two months.  I needed a break.  Now its on to RECON training in TLH

[JohnKachenmeister]

Gunner's assessment is off the mark.

I'm riff-raff, and I was invited.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

Don't you mean "inappropriate riff-raff," Kach? 

[JohnKachenmeister]

Hey... The Wing King called me a "Rogue."

Chicks dig rogues.

[Gunner C]

Gunner's assessment is off the mark.

I'm riff-raff, and I was invited.

[Mustang]

While I add my congratulations to those in FLWG whose training and efforts resulted in the attainment of the "outstanding" rating, I regret that our organization fails to capitalize on such criticism .  Our organization lacks a process to learn from it own succeses and failures.  As has been stated in a number of other posts, we lack the capacity to subject ourselves to self-criticism and, therefore, to identify our weaknesses and possible corrective actions through the conduct of rigorous AARs.  Equally so, we lack the means to share best practices and widely disseminate improved TTPs across the organization.  My own experience is that those organizations that do so effectively rightfully are viewed as "professionals."

And until CAP clues into this and starts doing it officially, we ought to be doing so unofficially here--by sharing best practices, sharing SAREVAL and CI results (which are probably subject to FOIA disclosure requirements  anyway).

[JoeTomasone]

(which are probably subject to FOIA disclosure requirements  anyway).

According to a bulletin from the FLWG IG (and quoting higher authority, as I recall), CAP is not subject to the FOIA as it is not "an instrumentality of the United States".   Just another point to ponder in our existential dichotomy.

[Gunner C]

(which are probably subject to FOIA disclosure requirements  anyway).

According to a bulletin from the FLWG IG (and quoting higher authority, as I recall), CAP is not subject to the FOIA as it is not "an instrumentality of the United States".   Just another point to ponder in our existential dichotomy.

What about that nasty little problem when we are acting as the AF Aux on missions for the government?

[RiverAux]

Keep in mind that SAREVALs and CIs are done by the Air Force through CAP-USAF so results potentially could be FOIA'd through those channels even if you can't really do it to CAP. 

[BillW]

Best practices should certainly be shared, but that doesn't mean you give the test out to others before they take it. I've had many people ask for more hints about what was in the evaluators play book, but that wouldn't be fair to the evaluators who worked hard to build realistic scenarios and challenges for the event and will probably want to reuse some of them on the next SAREVAL. Internally there was a very thorough analysis of what went right and what didn't go as planned, but publicizing some of that could unnecessarily embarrass very committed members who don't deserve that kind of public attention.

After 2 SAREVALs and 1 Graded Exercise, the one item I've seen that has put Florida ahead is filling every box on the ICS org chart – even if it means one person having to cover a couple of obscure and seldom used boxes during planning. If you go into the mission without having someone responsible for every conceivable function, that hole will be discovered and exploited by a good evaluator. You can't be looking for a logistics person to handle traffic at the last minute when suddenly 100 unexpected cars show up at the mission base. The corollary to that is that the more cross-training of personal the better so an IC can step into flight line supervising with no ego problems.

To answer an earlier comment, 88 members participated in the SAREVAL and more were "accepted" (not invited) to participate and for whatever reason did not attend. Florida is fortunate to have so many qualified members volunteer to participate and I'm sure some were disappointed they weren't accepted, and others may have decided not to attend since they weren't accepted to the position they wanted. There were many there who were at the Graded Exercise last year, but there were also many new faces, and some so new they got an SQRT sign-off for the day. As the Maj pointed out, we had rogues, riff-raff, and inappropriates on the mission too.

On an individual level there are no "tricks" to achieving an Outstanding, but doing your job as accurately and professionally as possible – while looking for ways to exceed expectations. As the MIO, I was given one ding for carelessness when I left a time stamp off one of the 7 media releases I distributed, but made up for it by being prepared enough to survive the most hostile simulated TV interview I've ever had.

[BrandonKea]

After 2 SAREVALs and 1 Graded Exercise, the one item I've seen that has put Florida ahead is filling every box on the ICS org chart – even if it means one person having to cover a couple of obscure and seldom used boxes during planning. If you go into the mission without having someone responsible for every conceivable function, that hole will be discovered and exploited by a good evaluator. You can't be looking for a logistics person to handle traffic at the last minute when suddenly 100 unexpected cars show up at the mission base. The corollary to that is that the more cross-training of personal the better so an IC can step into flight line supervising with no ego problems.

Isn't this counter productive to ICS mentality though?

ICS is supposed to be exandable, not totally expanded at the onset of an incident. Having one person in charge of "obscure and seldom used" areas might show me as an evaluator that you don't have enough qualified people to properly staff mission base, and that your current staff is spread too thin.

I'm totally new at this, but that's just my view on it. Obviously it works for you FLWG since you got the "O".

[BillW]

After 2 SAREVALs and 1 Graded Exercise, the one item I've seen that has put Florida ahead is filling every box on the ICS org chart – even if it means one person having to cover a couple of obscure and seldom used boxes during planning. If you go into the mission without having someone responsible for every conceivable function, that hole will be discovered and exploited by a good evaluator. You can't be looking for a logistics person to handle traffic at the last minute when suddenly 100 unexpected cars show up at the mission base. The corollary to that is that the more cross-training of personal the better so an IC can step into flight line supervising with no ego problems.

Isn't this counter productive to ICS mentality though?

ICS is supposed to be exandable, not totally expanded at the onset of an incident. Having one person in charge of "obscure and seldom used" areas might show me as an evaluator that you don't have enough qualified people to properly staff mission base, and that your current staff is spread too thin.

I'm totally new at this, but that's just my view on it. Obviously it works for you FLWG since you got the "O".

I probably could have phrased that better. It's not that you're necessarily going to fill every box, but you must always be thinking about every box in planning and doing what-ifs in case you need to expand there. Too often we get complacent doing 3 or 4 person ELT missions that never grow, and we fail to keep in mind (and plan for) that the most simple appearing ELT mission could very quickly grow into a large complicated mission as it develops. What if you're on a simple ELT mission at 0200 when news breaks that a major celebrity is on an airplane in your area with no flight plan that never arrived? Will you know who to call if you land and are greeted by 3 TV news crews, 4 newspaper reporters, the paparazzi, and 300 frantic fans? If your simple SAR in a matter of hours requires 30 members, do you know how you'll feed them with the least disruption to the mission or where they'll park after the squadron lot is full? Years ago I had a 2 person ramp check at 0300 turn into a 30 person mission by 0630, and fortunately a save by 0830. What if I had needed to keep those 30 people searching all day? Do you know how soon you can get a Chaplain or CISM Officer on site if a family member arrives during a search?

[Stonewall]

How many cadets participated and in what role?

[JoeTomasone]

I saw a handful, two were FLM, one was an MSA, couldn't say what the others were doing.

[BillW]

How many cadets participated and in what role?

A quick look through the 211s, and I'd say 10-12 were cadets. I think MSA and FLM were where most of them served. The problem as I remember it was that many cadets couldn't participate because the event was on a Friday and Saturday, while most were still in school. For many of the posts it wouldn't have been fair for them to come in on Saturday and be a day behind the activities and try to catch up in the hectic pace of the mission. The other issue was nothing was set up for cadet accommodations and many participants needed to spend at least one night at Ormond Beach, and many spent 2 nights there.

[davidsinn]

How many cadets participated and in what role?

The other issue was nothing was set up for cadet accommodations and many participants needed to spend at least one night at Ormond Beach, and many spent 2 nights there.

What special accommodations need to be set up? I've been to many a SAREX where everybody slept in the same drill hall. I've been to an encampment where the only thing separating the seniors from the cadets in the bay was the standard 24" between racks.

[RiverAux]

realistic scenarios

Not a strong suit at most SAREVALS.  After all, how realistic is it for one Wing to face all these things on the same day:
1.  Missing airplane search
2.  ELT mission
3.  CD mission
4.  Disaster relief mission
5.  Homeland Security mission
6.  Having a key mission staff member die or otherwise become incapacitated while working at base
7.  Having to evacuate the base for some reason
8.  Finding a bomb in a CAP GT vehicle.
9.  Having a CAP airplane go missing while on a mission

[BrandonKea]

realistic scenarios

Not a strong suit at most SAREVALS.  After all, how realistic is it for one Wing to face all these things on the same day:
1.  Missing airplane search
2.  ELT mission
3.  CD mission
4.  Disaster relief mission
5.  Homeland Security mission
6.  Having a key mission staff member die or otherwise become incapacitated while working at base
7.  Having to evacuate the base for some reason
8.  Finding a bomb in a CAP GT vehicle.
9.  Having a CAP airplane go missing while on a mission

I wouldn't call this unrealistic. Your missing aircraft and ELT mission could be a CD aircraft reported overdue because it ran into unforcast severe storms that are dumping heavy rains on an area. That, in conjunction with a HLS mission in the vicinty (such as Aerial Recon for some multi-national event), and having to evacuate the base after finding a possible bomb in a GT Vehicle, which later goes off, killing your IC who stayed at the base after shooing out the last of the staff....

No, not unrealistic, but totally improbable...

[Eclipse]

For many of the posts it wouldn't have been fair for them to come in on Saturday and be a day behind the activities and try to catch up in the hectic pace of the mission.

Those are called "relief troops", and is part of the game, in fact, a good idea even.  Nothing is (or should be) so complex that you can't be in-briefed and then take over.  That's kind of the point.  I bet they would have appreciated the help.

The other issue was nothing was set up for cadet accommodations and many participants needed to spend at least one night at Ormond Beach, and many spent 2 nights there.

Cadets do not require, nor should they expect "special accommodations" - they sleep with everyone else.  If anything, a shared situation is better for CPT and supervision.

Welcome to the show.  Lead, follow, or make way.

Considering the size of the program, I'm a little surprised at the turn out.  The ultimate score indicates that the mission was adequately manned and more than adequately executed, but we had more at our eval, and we've got 1/2 the members.

As to the comments about being invited - that's not being exclusive, that's playing your varsity team for the big game, same as you would for the real-world missions.

You don't have people participating with wet 101 cards and no clue why they are there in actual missions.

[BrandonKea]

As to the comments about being invited - that's not being exclusive, that's playing your varsity team for the big game, same as you would for the real-world missions.

You don't have people participating with wet 101 cards and no clue why they are there in actual missions.

If they have the quals, I would expect someone to be able to show up to an exercise/eval/real mission and do the job. Does this mean they'll do it as good as the GTM1 or the GTL, probably not.

I can see playing your A team for an eval, but not thowing the B team in on a real mission will stop them from ever seeing a real mission.

YMMV