New Member...Required Training?

[antdetroitwallyball]

Greetings.....

Late last year, I indicated that my time spent perusing the CapTalk boards had convinced me to join CAP. And I did.

I found myself a great squadron full of amazing people, and I just received my CAPID number.

I started messing around on eServices, trying to figure out what all the initial required training was that I needed to accomplish. I figured that it would be immediately apparant as to what training I needed to get done ASAP, but to be honest, I have found eServices a little challenging to navigate.

So, I just started hacking away at what I thought was obvious:

• CPPT....I've completed all of the online material/quiz, but apparently, my training here is not considered "complete" until I have like somesort of an in-person brief with a squadron big cheese??? Does this sound accurate?
• Equal Opportunity Training
• The Required Initial Safety Training course
• One of those elective mini safety courses that apparently satisfy our required monthly safety training thing
• OPSEC

Anything else? Thanks for your help.

[EMT-83]

Your Professional Development Officer (PDO) is the guy with the answers. If he hasn't yet contacted you, reach out to him.

[mwewing]

Just about everything you need can be found in the Learning Management System (left-side menu in e-services). If you got to the CPPT training, you are already in "enrolled" in the course. There are 15 total modules to complete. I would also suggest completing GES (CAPT-116) as part of your initial training. It sets the stage for anything in ES you want to do, and is also found in the LMS.

I agree, the PDO can more easily walk you through it if you still have questions.

A big welcome from the west side of the state by the way!

[antdetroitwallyball]

Professional Development Officer.....hmmm...I'll have to ask around and figure out who that is.

Just some initial thoughts:

I really, really like the coherent structure of the CAP organization. I'm sure all I see right now is the shiny surface, but even that is something that a lot of other volunteer organizations lack. Specifically, CAP meets weekly, which allows members to really get to know each other as teamates, and provides for a certain degree of accountability.

I'm also really impressed with my squadron's Cadets. My very first night I attended a meeting, a youngish man in the "blues" uniform happened to be conducting the squadron's annual awards ceremony. He did a great job, spoke with an air of confidence and professionalism, and really ran everything well. I ended up thinking that this guy was the squadron's Senior Member commander.

As it turns out, he was just a highschool-aged cadet! Really impressive! Also, the majority of the rest of the cadets in my squadron all seem to behave mostly in an adult-like manner. It catches me off-guard once in awhile though, because you will see a cadet act more mature that most senior members all day long, and then all of a sudden, the cadet will say something really off the wall, and you are suddenly reminded that he is in fact still just a teenager.

I work regularly alongside E-3 and E-4 active duty service members who literally are so immature that their command will not allow them to use/carry and weapons. I would think our nation's armed forces would be so lucky as to have their ranks filled with many former CAP cadets!

So inconclusion, my initial impressions of CAP as a whole have been very positive! 

[MSG Mac]

Foundations
Intro to CAP Safety
Equal Opportunity
OPSEC
CPPT
Level I Summary Conversation
Customs and Courtesies

[arajca]

Great job on getting the basics done. Some seniors never do.

We get a report every month from wing with the numbers of members who haven't completed the various parts of Level 1. Some have been in for three or more years and still haven't.

[TarRiverRat]

Under the new level 1 requirement, the Squadron should be holding a class for any new members to meet the requirements of level 1.  I am the PDO in my squadron but have not had any new members since the requirement was put into effect. It is actually a better concept than just have the new member do some computer work and a short sit down with the CC or PDO for the conversation to get the Level 1 done. You now have the combination of class room and computer to get your Level 1.  Below is part of the email I received concerning this:

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is pleased to release a completely redesigned Level I Orientation Course (CAP Pamphlet 50-4, Volume 1 for instructors and Volume 2 for students), effective 19 August 2013. This course represents the full expression of an interactive, blended approach to new member orientation and training.

OVERVIEW

The new Level I is designed to provide the new member with a relevant, yet thorough introduction to Civil Air Patrol. It is also designed to encourage new member inclusion into the squadron through a series of structured experiences. In this way, new members feel more included in the unit from the beginning (research data indicated past problems in this area). How did this come about? First, a little history...

HISTORY AND DESIGN

In 2011, NHQ/PD and the National Professional Development Committee commissioned a poll to gauge commander and member feelings towards the 2006 iteration of the Level I Orientation and satellite modules. Data from the poll and from subsequent discussions with a variety of groups indicated the following:

a. New members wanted a single course as their introduction, combining online and in-residence training.
b. Unit commanders also preferred a blended online/in-residence approach.
c. Both groups wanted more content about uniforms, customs and courtesies, the mission, the professional development program, and CAP/member expectations.
d. New members wanted, as an outcome, to have a plan that they could follow for the first several months of their membership.

Written and field tested over the past year, the new Level I addresses the issues identified in the poll and creates a single course with all the information a new member needs. It is organized into three basic blocks of instruction, each containing three to six lessons. These online lessons take between 5-15 minutes to read and as mentioned above, have a short quiz at the end. It should take members about 2.5 – 3.0 hours to complete the online lessons (easily accomplished when spread over 3-5 weeks). The in-residence components should take about the same time to complete. Below is a listing of the lessons:

a. BLOCK I: What We Value

      1. How We Got Here
      2. Core Values
      3. Cadet Protection Program Training (CPPT)
      4. Equal OpportunityOur Heritage
      5. Who We Are Today

b. BLOCK II: Our Culture

      1. Safety
      2. Customs and Courtesies
      3. The CAP Uniform
      4. CAP Grade
      5. Organizational Structure and Chain of Command

c. BLOCK III: Your Future

      1. Expectations
      2. Professional Development
      3. What's Next?

Additionally, the final lesson asks the new member, the unit's Professional Development officer and unit's commander to complete a "Plan of Action" for the new member to follow over the first 18 months. It's not a contract; rather, it's a framework through which the member will blend into the unit and become a fully contributing member of the unit.

Notice that Operational Security Awareness Training (OPSEC) is not included in this course. OPSEC remains mandatory for all members at the time of eServices registration and is a condition of initial access to eServices.