Encampment Staff Selection

[A.Member]

The topic was brought up in another thread.   I'm curious to hear the process various Wings use to select their encampment staff.   Discuss the process here please.

Are applicants simply interviewed only?  In person?  Over the phone?

Commander recommendations?

Weekend selection exercise (mini-camp)?

All the above? 

None of the above?

[GTCommando]

In OHWG, cadets that are interested in applying register for a staff training weekend, held once each month starting in January. The cadets must state in advance which position(s) they are applying for, and proceed to be graded on every little detail from then on using a point system.

In April, we have what's called the Staff Selection Weekend, or SSW. This an overnight deal, the location of which depending on where encampment is to be that year. At the end of the weekend, the cadets with the highest scores applying for each position are selected. Then we have one more training weekend in May, then off to encampment in June. This process may fluctuate from year to year, depending on the command staff.

This process is just for cadets. As far as the senior members go, I'm not sure as to how they do things. My dad went last year, applied the same time I did (my basic year), and they found a position for him. However, positions like Encampment Commander and Commandant of Cadets are selected months ahead of time. Hope I was of some help.

[A.Member]

In April, we have what's called the Staff Selection Weekend, or SSW. This an overnight deal, the location of which depending on where encampment is to be that year. At the end of the weekend, the cadets with the highest scores applying for each position are selected. Then we have one more training weekend in May, then off to encampment in June. This process may fluctuate from year to year, depending on the command staff.

Thanks for the response.  What specifically are cadets evaluated on during this SSW and who performs the evaluations?

Also thanks to Mike for moving this to the correct forum.

[GTCommando]

^The applicants are graded on EVERYTHING. And that's not an exaggeration. The emphasis is on teamwork, leadership ability, informal public speaking, and the trademark of any successful cadet staff, creativity and innovation. I've only been through the process once so far, so for detailed information, we'd have to get some more experienced cadets involved in this thread.

The evaluations are made by the cadet executive staff, having been picked by application the previous December. This group includes the Cadet Commander, Cadet Deputy Commander, Cadet Executive Officer, and Cadet Stan/Eval Officer.

[CAPC/officer125]

In KSWG, applications for command staff start in May and is selected by CESSnA (Cadet Encampment Staff Selection Activity) in August. By then all cadets interested in applying for staff need to have their application in. During the Saturday event, the applicants are graded on their knowledge of drill in both written and practical tests. We then have an interview asking applicants why they want to be on encampment staff. For cadets that can't be there, they send in a video detailing their interest and showing their drill and then we call them during the interview time and ask the same questions of them that the ones there got. Then command staff makes the decision and the staff is pretty much set by mid-September. After this the staff communicate electronically until PIPER (staff training) in mid-November, a weekend-long event. Then everyone continues to communicate electronically til encampment Dec 26th to Jan 2nd.

[MnOfficer]

Well in MN we normally have a 3 day weekend staff selection exercise (SSE) in early December. It includes a written general knowledge test, an essay test where you describe yourself as a leader, an experience sheet, uniform inspections for both Blues and BDU's, a couple sit. leads, an impromptu speech, a test on how well you drill a flight, a test on how well you drill yourself, and then a review board. They also watch you over the entire weekend and see how well you respond to stress and what sort of attitude you have. From there, they assign everyone a score and select the staff. If you are selected there are 2 staff training weekends (STW's) and then a Encampment Preparatory school you have to staff to prepare for the actual Encampment. This is all for command staff and support staff, if you want to apply for Executive staff you have to send in a resume earlier and attend a couple review boards and interviews.

[Rotorhead]

In KSWG, applications for command staff start in May and is selected by CESSnA (Cadet Encampment Staff Selection Activity) in August. By then all cadets interested in applying for staff need to have their application in. During the Saturday event, the applicants are graded on their knowledge of drill in both written and practical tests. We then have an interview asking applicants why they want to be on encampment staff. For cadets that can't be there, they send in a video detailing their interest and showing their drill and then we call them during the interview time and ask the same questions of them that the ones there got. Then command staff makes the decision and the staff is pretty much set by mid-September. After this the staff communicate electronically until PIPER (staff training) in mid-November, a weekend-long event. Then everyone continues to communicate electronically til encampment Dec 26th to Jan 2nd.

Always fun to see other wings stealing COWG Encampment terminology and acronyms!

[CAPC/officer125]

In KSWG, applications for command staff start in May and is selected by CESSnA (Cadet Encampment Staff Selection Activity) in August. By then all cadets interested in applying for staff need to have their application in. During the Saturday event, the applicants are graded on their knowledge of drill in both written and practical tests. We then have an interview asking applicants why they want to be on encampment staff. For cadets that can't be there, they send in a video detailing their interest and showing their drill and then we call them during the interview time and ask the same questions of them that the ones there got. Then command staff makes the decision and the staff is pretty much set by mid-September. After this the staff communicate electronically until PIPER (staff training) in mid-November, a weekend-long event. Then everyone continues to communicate electronically til encampment Dec 26th to Jan 2nd.

Always fun to see other wings stealing COWG Encampment terminology and acronyms!

That is because our ETM is based off yours and for 2008 and 2009 encampment has had members of COWG on command staff.

[PHall]

We just call Encampment Staff Selection the SSX (Staff Selection Exercise) here in CAWG.
Short, sweet and everybody knows what it is. No decoder rings required.

[Rotorhead]

In KSWG, applications for command staff start in May and is selected by CESSnA (Cadet Encampment Staff Selection Activity) in August. By then all cadets interested in applying for staff need to have their application in. During the Saturday event, the applicants are graded on their knowledge of drill in both written and practical tests. We then have an interview asking applicants why they want to be on encampment staff. For cadets that can't be there, they send in a video detailing their interest and showing their drill and then we call them during the interview time and ask the same questions of them that the ones there got. Then command staff makes the decision and the staff is pretty much set by mid-September. After this the staff communicate electronically until PIPER (staff training) in mid-November, a weekend-long event. Then everyone continues to communicate electronically til encampment Dec 26th to Jan 2nd.

Always fun to see other wings stealing COWG Encampment terminology and acronyms!

That is because our ETM is based off yours and for 2008 and 2009 encampment has had members of COWG on command staff.

I know. Just messing with you....