USCGAux Benefits compared to CAP Benefits

Started by SARMedTech, April 22, 2008, 04:04:03 AM

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Spike

Quote from: PA Guy on April 25, 2009, 08:34:42 PM
This is not meant as a flame or confrontation please.  I have been a member of CAP for 35+ yrs and I don't remember the above ever being a benefit.  Was it before my time?

Yes....before you joined.  Circa 1951.  Most MWR/AAFES benefits were changed in 1961.  I was lucky enough to view my Wing's "archives" and some old CAP regs.  Most CAP regulations (believe it or not) were written by the Army first, and later the USAF after 1947.  I am pressuring my Wing Commander to let me begin scanning old regs and posting on the internet. 

Quote from: PA Guy on April 25, 2009, 09:02:11 PM
^^
Food courts, snack bars or fast food places are not covered by CAPR 147-1. They are open to anyone, civ or mil, that happens to be on base.

However, if you go inside the AAFES store and make a purchase of a non uniform item you must meet the requirements of CAPR 147-1

The Base/Post/station Commander can circumvent such regulations, and allow Civil employees, contractors and civilians (like CAP members) exchange benefits (except for Alcohol and Cigarettes).  I have been privileged enough to be in CAP Squadrons were the Base or Post Commander liked the unit, and let members use such facilities. 


2ltAlexD

I have also been extremely at my local home base. I was displaced by the flood of this year and had emergency needs. I knew the store employees on base, and she allowed me to purchase food items and items I needed. This food was not at all from the commissary though, it was just in the small exchange limited stuff. Floods are awful and due to an event that was part of the flood, I had to find another home and was in desperate need of low cost food. I would never take advantage of it though. I also have to fly to squadron events since I do not have support of my local squadron since they can or refuse to accomidate my needs as a differently abled member.
Des Moines Metro Cadet Squadron

Cherokeepilot

The basic difference between the auxiliaries is fairly simple.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is a uniform service.
The Civil Air Patrol / USAF Auxiliary is not a uniform service.

73s

RiverAux


2ltAlexD

Quote from: RiverAux on April 26, 2009, 01:11:10 PM
Huh?
In other words, he is saying the CG Aux is an actual component of the Coast Guard unlike CAP being a component of the AF accept on AF mitions.
Des Moines Metro Cadet Squadron

RiverAux

Quote from: 2ltAlexD on April 26, 2009, 01:31:47 PM
Quote from: RiverAux on April 26, 2009, 01:11:10 PM
Huh?
In other words, he is saying the CG Aux is an actual component of the Coast Guard unlike CAP being a component of the AF accept on AF mitions.
That really doesn't have anything to do with it.  CAP now isn't significantly different than it was before that change was made not even 10 years ago.  Even before then CAP was much, much, much more independent and separate from the AF than CG Aux ever has been.   

RRLE

QuoteEven before then CAP was much, much, much more independent and separate from the AF than CG Aux ever has been.

And that is easy to explain. The USCG Auxiliary is a totally dependent on the USCG. The Commandant of the USCG determines who can be a member of the USCG Auxiliary and what the rules & reg of the organization are. CAP is both the USAF Auxiliary and an federally chartered non-profit corporation. According to 36 USC 40301 CAP, the corporation, has perpetual existence regardless of what the USAF does. According to 36 USC 40303, CAP not the USAF determines who may be a member of CAP. And the list goes on and on.                                           

O-Rex

I mentioned this in a previous post, but there are elements of the Coast Guard that are actually descended from volunteer organizations, i.e., the lighthouse service and rescue boat crews, not to mention that fact that it is a very small organization and it's post 9/11 mission has stretched it to its limits.  So it stands to reason that the CG's relationship with, and utilization of it's Auxiliary differs from that of USAF with CAP.

Different organization, different culture, slightly different mission.  Comparing the CGAUX to CAP is like comparing their respective patron services.

DG

#88
Quote from: JoeTomasone on April 24, 2008, 10:11:15 PM
Those organizations that artificially or intentionally relax their standards tend to find that the best personnel leave or aren't attracted in the first place since the organization is substandard.

In CAP, our best pilots prefer relaxed uniforms, when not flying.  And those who mandate or otherwise obsess over uniforms instead of comfort, are not pilots.

PaulR

#89
Quote from: SARMedTech on April 24, 2008, 07:00:47 AM
Well-said and written. In my short (so far) investigation of the Aux, I have found that the gold siders genuinely seem to have a respect and even fondness for Auxies.

Darned skippy!  They CG Aux personnel are awesome! 

I have a story for you...   Our base's automatic security gate died last winter.   This gate is manned during business hours by the Active Duty OOD and JOOD, and set to automatic mode during the night time hours(card entry).  As most know, last year was the coldest in a very long time.  Last November the automatic gate motor broke.  Well, the Aux guys volunteered to augment the live security watch at the gate, allowing our Active Duty watchstanders more of a break between shifts as well as time to focus on their regular duties.  It took two months for the gate to be fixed.  The Aux guys(six of them) pulled a few hundred hours of watch between them.  The gate was finally fixed in mid January

The true charactor of these men in women can be seen in their smiles as they carried out the mundane and unglamorous gate watch, night after night, in the sub-zero wind and weather.  You will get a 100 volunteers for the headline grabbing action adventures(SARS), but when these people volunteer for duties as described above with the same level of enthusiasm as a search and rescue case, you will se what teamwork is all about.  This is but a mere example of the huge impact they make for us on the Gold side, every day. 

I was so touched by their selfless contribution of time and display of team work that I ended up writting these men and women up for a decoration, which they now proudly wear on their ribbon bars today.   I can tell you that the CG Aux men and women are held in the highest regard everywhere I have been. 

As far as uniforms and customs and courtasies are concerned... Their appearance while in uniform has rivaled any AD person I have seen.  Perhaps I am just lucky enough to have been around Auxies that had pride in their uniforms.  They are relaxed when it comes to customs and courtasies among themselves, yet the are very proper when working with the Gold side.  I have never met a more professional group of people.  A very mission oriented group, who's focus is on the task at hand, not looking at one another's collar insignia.