Recruiting Materials

[stratoflyer]

National HQ strives to make recruiting materials available to squadron. They even have a media website. But there are a lot of folks out there making their own stuff and some of it is fantastic. Check this video out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Weo41Wtx8yg


I thought it was fantastic!

[DC]

I discovered that video several months ago, it is an excellent (and very dramatic) video. Very well done.

[jb512]

Very impressive.  That's the first CAP thing I've seen that actually has some balls to it...

Now if we could just get the masses to follow suit...

[stratoflyer]

^ Well, why not distribute this through CAC or maybe at a Group meeting or something. The way I see it, squadrons should help each other recruit because by doing so we are all helping CAP itself.

[RiverAux]

Not bad.  Some of the video is taken from existing official CAP videos that have been around for a while.  Not sure I like interposing the sub bombing film with what are presumably CAP planes since as far as I know there isn't any film of any of our bombing.  Its not an unusual technique, but as a historian, I don't particularly like it. 

[jimmydeanno]

I like the video, I think it was well done.  I think this would be a good video to show at an airshow or something, in loop, because there aren't any words.

The only thing that I really don't like is the video segment of the cadets doing the pushups face first in the water...

[jb512]

I like the video, I think it was well done.  I think this would be a good video to show at an airshow or something, in loop, because there aren't any words.

The only thing that I really don't like is the video segment of the cadets doing the pushups face first in the water...

They didn't look like they were in any kind of distress to me.

[jimmydeanno]

I like the video, I think it was well done.  I think this would be a good video to show at an airshow or something, in loop, because there aren't any words.

The only thing that I really don't like is the video segment of the cadets doing the pushups face first in the water...

They didn't look like they were in any kind of distress to me.

Didn't say they were, but as a general rule when you are trying to do recruiting you don't show things like that - presents a bad image.

[mikeylikey]

Didn't say they were, but as a general rule when you are trying to do recruiting you don't show things like that - presents a bad image.

So.....no images of running, walking, sitting, moving your hands, smiling, talking.....basically, no images of anything that involves the movement of muscle.  OK......I have some pics of people sleeping, I hope that will fit in the video somewhere.   

[jimmydeanno]

Didn't say they were, but as a general rule when you are trying to do recruiting you don't show things like that - presents a bad image.

So.....no images of running, walking, sitting, moving your hands, smiling, talking.....basically, no images of anything that involves the movement of muscle.  OK......I have some pics of people sleeping, I hope that will fit in the video somewhere.   

Not what I meant and you know it...

There is a difference in showing the PT program and showing someone doing pushups face-first underwater.  One says that exercise is an important tennant of the program and the other shows make pretend seal training.  Parents get concerned about the latter.

It's just like the pictures of the 5 year olds saluting - it sends the wrong impression of the program.

[RiverAux]

I beleive the push-ups in the water is from the national PJOC video....so presumably CAP-approved.

[mikeylikey]

I believe the push-ups in the water is from the national PJOC video....so presumably CAP-approved.

And that is what I don't understand.  I hear that at PJOC they (CAP and AF members) hand out push-ups to cadets as a punitive measure.  I am all for pushups, but my question is.....it's OK because the AF is doing it and its a national activity, but its not OK in the local unit.

Maybe the Cadets from my SQD's are just making up what goes on there.  I haven't been, but they have, so I take their word. 

[jb512]

Didn't say they were, but as a general rule when you are trying to do recruiting you don't show things like that - presents a bad image.

So.....no images of running, walking, sitting, moving your hands, smiling, talking.....basically, no images of anything that involves the movement of muscle.  OK......I have some pics of people sleeping, I hope that will fit in the video somewhere.   

Not what I meant and you know it...

There is a difference in showing the PT program and showing someone doing pushups face-first underwater.  One says that exercise is an important tennant of the program and the other shows make pretend seal training.  Parents get concerned about the latter.

It's just like the pictures of the 5 year olds saluting - it sends the wrong impression of the program.

I still don't see how pushups in water is a bad image.  Different, but not bad.

And there's nothing wrong with a 5 year old saluting.  A salute is a greeting and form of respect.

[CadetProgramGuy]

I believe the push-ups in the water is from the national PJOC video....so presumably CAP-approved.

And that is what I don't understand.  I hear that at PJOC they (CAP and AF members) hand out push-ups to cadets as a punitive measure.  I am all for pushups, but my question is.....it's OK because the AF is doing it and its a national activity, but its not OK in the local unit.

Maybe the Cadets from my SQD's are just making up what goes on there.  I haven't been, but they have, so I take their word. 

Thats because PJOC is not a CAP run activity. They can get away with a few things.

[jimmydeanno]

I still don't see how pushups in water is a bad image.  Different, but not bad.

And there's nothing wrong with a 5 year old saluting.  A salute is a greeting and form of respect.

Public perception.  I'm not saying that the actions in and of themselves are bad simply the perception of them.

The push-ups image from a recruiting standpoint wouldn't be the one I'd pick.  To me it is like putting a picture of a crashed plane on our recruiting poster at the FBO.

The 5 years olds saluting, again, not necessarily wrong in terms of what the kid is actually doing, but it sends the "militarization of our youth" / indoctrination message, instead of the 5 year old being able to have fun being a 5 year old.

[jb512]

I still don't see how pushups in water is a bad image.  Different, but not bad.

And there's nothing wrong with a 5 year old saluting.  A salute is a greeting and form of respect.

Public perception.  I'm not saying that the actions in and of themselves are bad simply the perception of them.

The push-ups image from a recruiting standpoint wouldn't be the one I'd pick.  To me it is like putting a picture of a crashed plane on our recruiting poster at the FBO.

The 5 years olds saluting, again, not necessarily wrong in terms of what the kid is actually doing, but it sends the "militarization of our youth" / indoctrination message, instead of the 5 year old being able to have fun being a 5 year old.

I just don't agree with your view, and I probably wouldn't want to associate with a public who has that perception, but who cares.  I grew up in a military family, on military bases, and am headed off soon for the military myself, so I don't see "militarization" as a derogatory term.  There is more of an atmosphere of respect and courtesy on base and in that lifestyle.  I agree with things like letting people in uniform be first in line, and stopping your car for reveille and retreat.

Like it or not, we are affiliated with the military.  We wear their uniforms and play by their rules so if someone would rather not have their kids saluting and doing pushups in some water, there are plenty of other youth programs in the world to choose from.

I have a 3 year old who decided on his own that he likes to salute people he sees in uniform and I always considered it to be respectful.  The one thing that has bugged me the most about CAP is the people who are in it, yet try to push themselves and their charges away from the military.  It just never made sense.

[mikeylikey]

I believe the push-ups in the water is from the national PJOC video....so presumably CAP-approved.

And that is what I don't understand.  I hear that at PJOC they (CAP and AF members) hand out push-ups to cadets as a punitive measure.  I am all for pushups, but my question is.....it's OK because the AF is doing it and its a national activity, but its not OK in the local unit.

Maybe the Cadets from my SQD's are just making up what goes on there.  I haven't been, but they have, so I take their word. 

Thats because PJOC is not a CAP run activity. They can get away with a few things.

So hazing CAP Cadets is OK, only if done by non-CAP members (i.e. military members)??   

[stratoflyer]

Getting back to recruiting materials, I stumbled upon this site:

www.gocivilairpatrol.com

Seems pretty nice and has plenty of videos. What's the scoop on this site? Is it under development? Should we be sending people to this site?

I personally didn't take a long look at it but what I did see I thought was pretty neat.

On a side note, we have a military image, but we should be careful not scaring some parents into thinking that this is super-hardcore boot camp for teens. Remember, people don't know who we are, so it's our job to educate them in a positive manner so that they will be encouraged and motivated to join--cadets and seniors alike.

[DC]

Getting back to recruiting materials, I stumbled upon this site:

www.gocivilairpatrol.com

Seems pretty nice and has plenty of videos. What's the scoop on this site? Is it under development? Should we be sending people to this site?

I personally didn't take a long look at it but what I did see I thought was pretty neat.

On a side note, we have a military image, but we should be careful not scaring some parents into thinking that this is super-hardcore boot camp for teens. Remember, people don't know who we are, so it's our job to educate them in a positive manner so that they will be encouraged and motivated to join--cadets and seniors alike.

National came out with that site a few months ago, it is specifically supposed to be a CAP Recruiting website. So, yeah, if you want to send people there then go for it.. There was a thread on it a while back...

[jb512]

On a side note, we have a military image, but we should be careful not scaring some parents into thinking that this is super-hardcore boot camp for teens. Remember, people don't know who we are, so it's our job to educate them in a positive manner so that they will be encouraged and motivated to join--cadets and seniors alike.

And it's not a super-hardcore boot camp for teens.  I'm not even sure that exists other than a court ordered boot camp for teens with a criminal history.

We can be honest about what we are and what we do and if parents would rather not have their kids in our program, there are many other non-military youth programs out there for them to choose from.  Around here we don't beg people to join, and we set our standards high.

[stratoflyer]

We do have high standards, but in my opinion (and talking here as a former cadet), CAP is definitely a place to improve. Cadets become more confident and better people and even learn how to become leaders in a structured program. Seniors can develop many skills from organizational and leadership to even basic survival skills. As a pilot, I just underwent a biennial flight review with a CAP instructor pilot--let me just say I haven't had such great instruction even when I was first learning to fly.

So we may have high standards, but they are there so members can reach up to them and fulfill their own individual potentials--standards are not there to measure recruits by.

And I never in any way said we should skew the truth about who we are and what we do. However, I stand by what I said that people need to be motivated and encouraged in a positive manner to join.