Tell me what makes a great wing conference from a cadet perspective. We are brainstorming here and are looking for any fresh ideas.
Open Bar
Make that a soda bar ;D
Quote from: Pumbaa on October 23, 2008, 08:12:07 PM
Open Bar
For senior members not cadets. Finding something to interest cadets is something my wing struggles with every year to. You could try and set up o flights on a helicopter to intersest them, I think its been done before, that would attract cadets for sure but I don't know how feasible it is. Getting a interesting speaker, thats done something the cadets would find interesting to come and speak would help.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=3475.0
There's a lot of senior member stuff in there, but also some cadet stuff.
Washington Wing, basically, runs two conferences at the same time. The cadets have their own schedule and seminars that run at the same time as the ones for seniors and cadets can attend either one. Cadet Seminars are offered on encampment, national activities, the role of the cadet NCO, role of the cadet officer, uniforms, ES etc. Seniors and Cadets merge back together for general assemblies, lunch and for the banquet.
From my experience cadets look for something they cannot get at their own squadron, otherwise there is no reason for them to attend.
Some engaging seminars for cadets in all phases. Some teamwork projects also usually go over well, and some hands on AE workshops.
I know for a couple of years, NC Wing had a separate cadet conference. The normal conference was in the fall, and the cadet conference was in the spring. Cadets still had a seminar during the regular conference, but attendance was sparse at best. Most only came for the CAC meeting. But attendance during the cadet conference in the spring was normally pretty good. They'd have the Air Force Academy Liasion (sp?) Officers and normally some of the RM guys from the area. With all services represented by the different bases in the state, they always had something to keep the cadets excited.
Don't know why they quit having the cadet conference. Might be because about every 6 months or so, we were getting a new CP Officer for the wing.
FLWG has a seperate Cadet Conference, but it is held at the same time and in the same location as the Wing Conference, there are classes throughout the weekend specifically for cadets.
What kind of activities & briefings does a Cadet Conference have?
Why didn't the NER Confence have activities/ briefings planned for the cadets?
There was a cadet ball on Friday night & "time on the town" on Saturday.
I know that there were aircraft rides planned for Saturday but had to be cancelled.
But, what about other activities & briefings?
Most cadets I know were pretty bored.
Quote from: rebowman on October 24, 2008, 03:40:12 PM
What kind of activities & briefings does a Cadet Conference have?
Last time I was at one in FL they had a hands on model rocketry class, a briefing about the Air Force Academy, a teamwork/critical thinking seminar, a class on NCSAs, NCO and Officer Leadership seminars, a DDR class with the drunk googles and a driving simulator, FLWG has it's annual Academic Competition, which is an NCC like quiz bowl event open to all cadets in the wing. There are also some joint briefings for both SMs and cadets on what the wing has accomplished in the last year, and what goals for the upcoming year are. The FLWG CAC has a meeting, which cadets are invited to observe... There is a lot that can be done. In FLWG the Cadet Conference is completely planned and run by the FLWG CAC, so it is kind of a by cadets/for cadets thing. There is also a joint awards/promotion ceremony, lots of Commander's Commendations, milestones and senior program awards are handed out. Cadets are invited to the Wing Banquet, but for those that don't want to go to that there is a pizza party held at the hotel pool at the same time for cadets.
I also believe that in years past military o-rides have been organized, and the FLWG conference is usually held in Orlando, so Kennedy Space Center is just a stones throw away, trips there have been organized.