Your best CAP experience, the one that made you feel good.

[Stonewall]

I save EVERYTHING!  And like today, I find things I've written that I can't quite remember why I wrote them or what I did with them.  I often write longer posts in a document so I can edit it and then paste it on the forum.  Today, while looking for some old ES files I found something entitled "Best CAP".  I looked it over, re-edited it, and here it is.  Looks like I wrote it in 2007.

So, like the title of the document, what is your "Best CAP Experience"?  Not just ES, like in my case, but anything.

To tag onto this document, I use this particular story when (in the past, now) I talk about being a professional in an all volunteer organization.  Some people don't get it, and some do.  Some defend the "other people" in this story saying "they're volunteers, you're lucky they even show up".  To each his own, I guess. 

Anyway, here it is...

I've had a lot of "best CAP experiences", but I'll pick one that stands out to me.  A simple one that made me feel proud of all the decisions I made leading up to this situation, as well as the hard work I put into my squadron, particularly the cadets, at the time...  Trust me; it's simple, but meaningful.

Having been a member since February of 1987, 24 years and a few months, the best experiences for me in CAP were between about 1995ish to about 2001ish.  Then it got good again when I became a squadron commander around 2003.  Unfortunately l I had to take a serious break in 2005 due to work demands that had me traveling the globe for weeks at a time.  I made several attempts to become active again since moving to Florida in mid-2006, but just couldn't find that niche or that "brotherhood" like I had in DCWG.  Having kids of my own may have contributed to my inability to be active, along with my ongoing obligations to the National Guard.

That said, here is my "best CAP experience":

It was Veterans Day weekend 2000.  There was a plane missing that was supposed to fly from Maryland to North Carolina, or somewhere along that route.  Maryland, National Capital, Virginia, North Carolina and I think maybe West Virginia wings were all called out and given locations along the possible route to search by air and ground.

As many of you know, I'm a stickler for uniforms and equipment.  Not just uniforms, but an overall appearance that projects an image consistent with that of the military, especially within the cadet program.  It was a 3-day weekend so we had lots of folks turn out.  Between my squadron and my sister-squadron, we had enough for 3 ground teams.  Probably something like 6 seniors and 18 cadets; all fully qualified ground team members/leaders, among other things like 2 cadet EMTs. 

We get out to Manassas airport and stage ourselves in an upstairs area of the FBO.  First thing I told the ground teams (basically I'm speaking to senior cadets) is that we may be here for a while; until we get tasked.  I have always had cadet leaders IN CHARGE of cadets, and I trained these cadet leaders very well; to do the right thing in my absence.  What happens?  The senior cadets start conducting pre-deployment equipment inspections.  Not only that, but they don't even bother me with the deficiencies.  Instead, they correct them on their own.  Filling up canteens, sharing 550 cord, calling parents to come bring something that could have otherwise kept that person from going on the mission.  Then, when that was done, "hip pocket training" took place.  As I have always taught cadet leaders, keep one or two impromptu classes ready to go in your pocket so you're not just sitting there doing nothing.  They break out compasses, L'Pers, GTM task books, and they do some simple task training.  It was awesome.

Meanwhile, I'm seeing other groups of members coming in wearing an array of uniforms, mostly mix-match BDUs.  The overweight guy that required people to wear eye protection for fear a button was going to go at any second.  The dude with the brand new BDU pants but faded out BDU top that practically looked bleached.  Then, of course, all the variations of K-Mart camping gear, boonie caps, and 30 flavors of reflective vests.  That's another thing; we even had a standard orange vest to maintain uniformity and a professionalism.   Did I mention the one or two POVs decked out with 50 antennas, gear protruding out the windows and an obvious look of "unsafe".

We're there for a few more hours so we ordered pizza while others drove through the drive-thru at the local Mickey D's, and finally, we get tasked.  An aircrew got permission to fly over Quantico MCB and spotted what they thought was wreckage.  Two teams get tasked with going to Quantico, making contact with the Duty Officer and seeing about getting us permission to put eyes on the potential wreckage.  Remember, it was a weekend/holiday.  Me, several other squared away seniors, all within weight and grooming regs; all within 39-1 standards, make contact with a Marine Captain and GySgt.  The area we needed to look at was in the training area, heavily wooded and several miles away.  The Base Commander was called; he came in.  EOD came in.  We had a Marine Colonel, Sgt Maj, CW5, and a handful of other squared away professionals all there to help.

Long story short, it was not the plane we were looking for, but rather an old A-7 Corsair fuselage used as a target for mortars or something.  But to make sure, the base commander ordered up a CH-46 to fly over the area with a couple of our observers.

Throughout the night, about 4 hours or so, the Marines came out and talked to the cadets and seniors, asking about CAP.  The cadets knew exactly how to conduct themselves without guidance from senior leadership.  They didn't poke their heads in while seniors were in the "head shed" with the Marine Corps brass; and they didn't whine and complain about having to wait outside.  We even made sure the senior cadet officer was in the mix of "decision making and planning" when the colonel was around.

Customs and courtesies, proper wear of the uniform, quality training of the cadets leading up to this mission; all the things that make CAP right.  I have always wondered if the outcome would have been different had the unshaven senior member along side with the overweight guy and his two-shades of BDUs followed by a gaggle of cadets dragging 10 versions of search gear been the team sent out to Quantico.

I don't know.  It's a simple story that didn't have some heroic outcome or mention anything about someone earning their Spaatz.  It was just one of many small triumphs I've experienced during my time working with a great bunch of like-minded folks in CAP.

[Dad2-4]

I had started a cadet flight at my big-city, urban, low socioeconomic area middle school. I was able to take 4 or 5 of these kids to the local air show to work alongside other CAP units from the area. After a long, hot day as we were preparing to leave, one of my cadets, a 13 year old immigrant girl from India paused and said, "Thanks for bringing us here. I never would have the chance to see something like this."
'Nuff said before I get choked up.

[Stearmann4]

1982; a 12 year old kid sitting prone next to the book operator of a KC-135 watching him refuel A-7Ds over Peoria, IL even then thinking "where else could a dirt poor farm kid get to not only fly in an Air Force jet, but watch fighters getting tanked?"

Not on the level of the above posters, but I still have the Polaroids in my scrap book from that day.

Mike-

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

1982; a 12 year old kid sitting prone next to the book operator of a KC-135 watching him refuel A-7Ds over Peoria, IL even then thinking "where else could a dirt poor farm kid get to not only fly in an Air Force jet, but watch fighters getting tanked?"

About the same year I did the same out of Pease AFB in NH. My best memory as a cadet.

As a senior it was he opening formation of the encampment I commanded.

[Flying Pig]

As a cadet, pretty much everyday from 1987-1993.


As a Senior,
As a Squadron Commander, after some concerns were raised about a distruptive cadet basic and I was asked by the DCC to terminate that cadets membership.  Cadet lives in a TOUGH gang neighborhood that I patrol, immigrant family, having some issues at school and was briging aspects of that to CAP.  I decided that although CAP isnt a reform school, sometimes we just need to take a chance.  Nothing dangerous was happening, just attitudes and performance.  In the past I had walked out a couple potential Seniors and a cadet for similiar issues.  But there was something about him.  Although he was continually getting disciplined, the guy kept coming back!  My Deputy (who used to be a teacher in a rough area) and I called him and told him how it was going to be.  I guess a cop and a retired school teacher were able to speak in a language he understood  

That cadet is now Cadet CC and on his way to getting his Earhart, Cadet officer in AFJROTC and applying to college AF ROTC.

I hate to think where he would be if we had taken the easy road.

[Paul Creed III]

I have several experiences:

Seeing my home unit's drill team compete at the National Cadet Competition.

Photographing the National Cadet Competition for the last three years and seeing my work published nationally.

There's many others, but these stand out at the moment.

[Persona non grata]

When we were not this corporation, when people did not whine about uniforms and were proud of the USAF uniform. so my best experience in CAP was in a particular era. 

[DrDave]

Receiving our Wing's Senior Member of the Year award while serving as the group commander of our wing's largest group (14 squadrons initially, 11 eventually) and being informed that I had been nominated by EVERY one of my squadron commanders. 

I must have been doing something right ... 

[Stonewall]

When we were not this corporation, when people did not whine about uniforms and were proud of the USAF uniform. so my best experience in CAP was in a particular era.

I like.