"Misc. Category" Seniors in a Composite Squadron

Started by O-Rex, May 12, 2008, 09:55:40 PM

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DNall

Quote from: LittleIronPilot on May 13, 2008, 09:18:01 PM
Quote from: mikeylikey on May 13, 2008, 07:59:27 PM
^ Cadets can be "over 18" too. 

I know many Cadets more capable than 90 percent of Adult CAP members. 

This Adult Only thing has been tried off and on over the past 40 years, and always fails.  But, good luck.   

I erred...if you noticed I started with "over 18" and then got into the term Cadet.

It is for ANYONE over 18. Officer or Cadet.

BTW...the failure of "adults only" (by that, over 18) is because the dang adults let it fail. CAP is not a flying club or flying ONLY organization, and my fellow pilots need to get that in their heads.

You know, I've seen the flying club, and I avoid being around people like that. But, I've never run into ANY resistance about ground oriented members. It's quite easy to create the same dynamic in an adult GT section as you would have with a room full of aircrew. You should be able to run a mission with one highspeed all 18+ GT, or divide those folks up to lead several cadet staffed UDF or GTM3 level teams.

TEAM SURGE

Our squadron is good about keeping up with everything for the cadets....but I don't ever get to do any missions...mainly the seniors do..
C/Msgt. Messman
PCR OR-114
Northwest Coastal Flight

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O-Rex

Quote from: DNall on May 14, 2008, 12:25:18 AM
Quote from: LittleIronPilot on May 13, 2008, 09:18:01 PM
Quote from: mikeylikey on May 13, 2008, 07:59:27 PM
^ Cadets can be "over 18" too. 

I know many Cadets more capable than 90 percent of Adult CAP members. 

This Adult Only thing has been tried off and on over the past 40 years, and always fails.  But, good luck.   

I erred...if you noticed I started with "over 18" and then got into the term Cadet.

It is for ANYONE over 18. Officer or Cadet.

BTW...the failure of "adults only" (by that, over 18) is because the dang adults let it fail. CAP is not a flying club or flying ONLY organization, and my fellow pilots need to get that in their heads.

You know, I've seen the flying club, and I avoid being around people like that. But, I've never run into ANY resistance about ground oriented members. It's quite easy to create the same dynamic in an adult GT section as you would have with a room full of aircrew. You should be able to run a mission with one highspeed all 18+ GT, or divide those folks up to lead several cadet staffed UDF or GTM3 level teams.

It's not so much resistance, it's just that a Lion's share of your seniors not involved with Cadets fall inot the 'flying club' category, so your GT folks who don'w work with cadets are kind of out-there

DNall

Again, that has not been my experience. I realize some units or areas are more reflective than others. What I've seen is two Sr Sqs that are off in the flying club category. I've seen a couple other composite Sqs where there is a dedicated aircrew section. It has absolutely not been my experience that the majority of adults not involved with the cadet program are there for flying. However, I will concede that your situation may be a bit different than my experience, and try to help you solve the problem.

Your unit should NOT be organized into cadet focused group & aircrew focused group. You should put a stop to that instantly.

You need one command section. One cadet section, one aircrew section, one GT section, and one comm/support section. When you break off from opening formation, each of those groups go to separate areas & do their own specialized training/work.

Being involved in GT does NOT mean cadet chaperon or chauffeur. It means adults that need to be training just as much if not more time & intensity as aircrew. That same flying club dynamic that happens on the aircrew side should be present in the GT section, much like you'd expect in a volunteer fire dept or rescue team. It's really not hard at all.

RiverAux

Easy enough to check if someone wanted to dig in a wing database.  Compare the percentage of senior members with a GT qual and percent with aircrew quals and I'm pretty sure that in composite squadrons with airplanes most seniors will be aircrew oriented.  Those composite squadrons without airplanes will probably be more ground-oriented. 

DNall

quals don't really mean anything. especially with how easy they are to get. If I can go to a wknd activity & move from UDF to GTM2 or GTL, and not have to do anything else for 3 years, that's not a good indicator.

I've been in units w/ plane & not. With a plane it broke down as I said... opening formation, cadets off to do their thing. Under 30 mins staff mtg, then break out for 90+ mins. Air to one room, ground to another, specialized training topics. Once a month cross or joint training. End of the meeting back together to do staff jobs & support unit functions.

The paradigm shift here is GT can & should function in its own section just like aircrew does. Neither one is THE adult component of the unit, both are seperate sub-groups.

RiverAux

Wasn't disagreeing with what probably ought to be going on, just pointing out what is. 

DNall

Right, and I'm saying not my experience over 14 odd years in all the Sqs I've been in or worked with. I'm not saying that to tell this person it's not going on in his unit/area. He ought to know that better than me. I'm saying it to point out that the alternative I mentioned is in full successful swing in many other parts of the country & that there is not as much of a flying club mafia dominating the adult side of the org as it may seem in his case. All meaning this is something he can readily overcome.

gistek

SM's and 2Lt's with nothing else to do usually benefit from attending the same classes the Cadets are taking.

For 1Lt's I suggest running a study group for that AF test needed for Capt. It's a real pain to try to do on your own from the materials the AF sends.

Anyone with Capt or above that can't find something useful to do is just plain lazy.