Government Shutdown impact to CAP?

Started by Papabird, September 25, 2013, 05:25:21 PM

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Papabird

Please, I don't want this thread to turn into a finger pointing political argument.  I am not talking about who did who to what.  I would like to know what you all are hearing in your wings.


    What will CAP have to do if the Federal Government shuts down?
    Do we have to cease and desist?
    Can we continue with meetings?
    Does our liability insurance still cover us?
    Can/will AFRCC still dispatch us?

I haven't heard or read anything and would just like to start a contingency plan.

Thanks!
Michael Willis, Lt. Col CAP
Georgia Wing

MSG Mac

Quote from: Papabird on September 25, 2013, 05:25:21 PM
Please, I don't want this thread to turn into a finger pointing political argument.  I am not talking about who did who to what.  I would like to know what you all are hearing in your wings.


    What will CAP have to do if the Federal Government shuts down? May affect NHQ
    Do we have to cease and desist? No, local units use their own funds, not federal
    Can we continue with meetings? Yes
    Does our liability insurance still cover us? Don't know
    Can/will AFRCC still dispatch us? AFRCC will still be using us, we're the only store in town for the type of missions they task us for. Being reimbursed is a different story. Payments may be slow or even non-existent.

I haven't heard or read anything and would just like to start a contingency plan.

Thanks!
Michael P. McEleney
Lt Col CAP
MSG USA (Retired)
50 Year Member

abdsp51

Flying hours and mx may not happen but meetings will still happen and the mission will press on.  I'd be more worried about the folks who will not get paid in the event the government does shut down.

Eclipse

No contingency is needed, nor any "sky is falling concern".
This has zero effect on normal CAP operations below the wing level.  The end of the fiscal year
is next week, and it always takes a couple of weeks for appropriations to get funneled into
wing accounts anyway, so the effect of a shutdown is effectively "nil".

Self-funded activities, meetings, etc., etc., have no impact unless it's being run at a facility
that is impacted by a shutdown.

AFRCC, 1AF, and the NOC might have people on furlough or reduced staff, but there are continuity
provisions in all funding bills that keep essential services running without interruption.  You might not be able
to camp in a National Park, but if your plane goes down over one, we'll still come looking.

As abdsp51 mentions, this is hardest on CAP-USAF and paid staff.

"That Others May Zoom"

Papabird

Quote from: Eclipse on September 25, 2013, 05:50:31 PM
No contingency is needed, nor any "sky is falling concern".
This has zero effect on normal CAP operations below the wing level.  The end of the fiscal year
is next week, and it always takes a couple of weeks for appropriations to get funneled into
wing accounts anyway, so the effect of a shutdown is effectively "nil".

Self-funded activities, meetings, etc., etc., have no impact unless it's being run at a facility
that is impacted by a shutdown.

AFRCC, 1AF, and the NOC might have people on furlough or reduced staff, but there are continuity
provisions in all funding bills that keep essential services running without interruption.  You might not be able
to camp in a National Park, but if your plane goes down over one, we'll still come looking.

As abdsp51 mentions, this is hardest on CAP-USAF and paid staff.

Great news and bad news for the people who don't get paid.  I wasn't in CAP back when the last shutdown happened, but had just left Active Duty, so I didn't have a frame of reference.

I just saw an e-mail from our Wing Gov Affairs Officer talking about "federal government guidance on managing social media during a government shutdown" and talked about hiding Facebook pages.  So, I was curious.

Thanks!

Michael Willis, Lt. Col CAP
Georgia Wing

Eclipse

Quote from: Papabird on September 25, 2013, 06:10:36 PM
Great news and bad news for the people who don't get paid.  I wasn't in CAP back when the last shutdown happened, but had just left Active Duty, so I didn't have a frame of reference.

We had an issue in Oct / Nov FY12 with shutdown and during FY13 Mar was lost due to sequestration.

Quote from: Papabird on September 25, 2013, 06:10:36 PM
I just saw an e-mail from our Wing Gov Affairs Officer talking about "federal government guidance on managing social media during a government shutdown" and talked about hiding Facebook pages.  So, I was curious.

Saw that, too.  Just general info.

"That Others May Zoom"

MIKE

Aren't you glad you are in CAP and not the Coast Guard Auxiliary?  Waiting to see if I get to take mandatory vacation from my volunteer activities.
Mike Johnston

RiverAux

Oh, the recreational boating season in most of the country is pretty much over anyway. 

MIKE

Quote from: RiverAux on September 25, 2013, 10:56:31 PM
Oh, the recreational boating season in most of the country is pretty much over anyway.

I have some community outreach stuff and possibly classes in the works for the winter months... Not to mention it's election season.
Mike Johnston

Panache

Right now, at least as far as I can tell, the only noticeable impact is that we may have to cancel some O-flight classes for the cadets.  But this happens every time around FYE, so it may just be coincidental.

Al Sayre

AFRCC can and will stll call, those missions are considered essential and come from a different pot of money, same with FEMA and DR Missions should another big hurricane or other disaster hit.  It will have no effect on missions funded by state or local gov'ts like sundown patrol etc.  What will stop is USAF funded training, Cadet and ROTC O'flights.  TOP fights come from corporate funds and probably won't be affected.
Lt Col Al Sayre
MS Wing Staff Dude
Admiral, Great Navy of the State of Nebraska
GRW #2787

Eclipse

23:22 ET

((*sigh*))

Sitting here creating FY14 missions, while our legislators argue and the wheels of government begin to slowly grind to a halt.

"That Others May Zoom"

Eclipse

00:00 ET

The government is officially shut down.  Listed to CSPAN radio (House) and watched on CSPAN2 (Senate).

I'm still clicking, the legislators are going home for the night...

At least they passed a bill to pay active duty and military along with some contractors and civilian employees, though as least
as of the last message from NHQ the WAs will have the day off.

"That Others May Zoom"

Майор Хаткевич


Private Investigator

I am sure most Wings have already passed the word on whatever the protocol is.

A1 flights are doable but anything else will have to go thru NOC   8)

RiverAux

Communication about this has been non-existent in my Wing.  No word at all. 
CG Aux on the other hand has been very pro-active about telling people what the impact would be. 

NIN

Quote from: RiverAux on October 01, 2013, 12:00:25 PM
Communication about this has been non-existent in my Wing.  No word at all. 
CG Aux on the other hand has been very pro-active about telling people what the impact would be.

NHQ, NER & my wing have put out some information. I've seen the emails that have gone out from Don Rowland & Colonel Leclair.

Darin Ninness, Col, CAP
I have no responsibilities whatsoever
I like to have Difficult Adult Conversations™
The contents of this post are Copyright © 2007-2024 by NIN. All rights are reserved. Specific permission is given to quote this post here on CAP-Talk only.

Papabird

Quote from: RiverAux on October 01, 2013, 12:00:25 PM
Communication about this has been non-existent in my Wing.  No word at all. 
CG Aux on the other hand has been very pro-active about telling people what the impact would be.

Got very complete information from my Wing (GLR-IL) about this.  :clap:
Michael Willis, Lt. Col CAP
Georgia Wing

Al Sayre

Quote from: Al Sayre on September 26, 2013, 12:02:18 PM
AFRCC can and will stll call, those missions are considered essential and come from a different pot of money, same with FEMA and DR Missions should another big hurricane or other disaster hit.  It will have no effect on missions funded by state or local gov'ts like sundown patrol etc.  What will stop is USAF funded training, Cadet and ROTC O'flights.  TOP fights come from corporate funds and probably won't be affected.

Looks like I messed up that prediction, NO non-emergency flying.  That includes state funded or member funded...
Lt Col Al Sayre
MS Wing Staff Dude
Admiral, Great Navy of the State of Nebraska
GRW #2787

SamFranklin

From NHQ web:


QuoteCAP Members,
You may be wondering how the federal government shutdown affects you and your CAP unit. Even though CAP is not a government agency, because CAP receives funding through the federal government, CAP will not receive any federal funding until the budget situation is resolved. However, we need to stress that local squadrons are unaffected and will continue to meet normally, training cadets and conducting aerospace education programs...two critical missions that we can accomplish without much funding. The only exception is flying operations which is detailed below:

Only the following emergency response missions can be flown:

1. Emergency life saving and disaster response operational missions authorized in WMIRS by 1st Air Force, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, AFRCC or the AK RCC. All of these missions use mission number sequences like these examples: 14-1-XXXX, 14-M-XXX or RCC-14-XXXX.

2. Emergency response Corporate missions for state and local agencies that are funded by these agencies. (As a reminder, federal agencies cannot be supported in corporate status.)
These are the rules CAP will use for the initial days of the shutdown. If the government shutdown continues for a prolonged period, CAP will reevaluate the rules to consider authorizing other flying missions, including member-funded proficiency and checkrides.

The following will also be affected by the government shutdown:

1. Aircraft and vehicle maintenance will be delayed until CAP receives sufficient federal funding.

2. Employees at NHQ, including Wing Administrators in the field, will not report to work. A very small number of employees at the NHQ will continue to execute critical functions of the organization until this situation is resolved.

We are hopeful the duration of the government shutdown will be brief. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we deal with the major challenges a federal government shutdown entails.

Sincerely, CAP National Staff


https://www.capnhq.gov/news/Documents/Impact_Govt_Shutdown.pdf