Just Starting

[SDF_Specialist]

Hey everyone. I need some help or guidance or both. I just recently transferred units. In my old unit, I was Admin/Personnel. In my new unit, I am ES and Comms. I have a senior rating in Admin/Personnel and Comms, so I'm comfortable with Comms. The problem is I have no clue what to do in ES. Can anyone give me some suggestions? Thanks!

[Al Sayre]

This assumes you are already at least GES

Step 1 get out the 60-3 and get to know it.
Step 2 follow up with 60-1.

North Dakota has a great website with all of the SQTR's and task manuals broken out individually for each specialty here: http://www.ndcap.org/dept/es.htm

Make sure your CC enters your position in eServices via the Duty Assignment function to get you the web permissions you need.

Print a list of everyone's quals from the reports function in eServices Operations Qualifications, then find out who can do what and who is about to expire and get on their butts to requal.

Take ICS 100 & 200 online from the FEMA website.

Contact your local EMA and see about taking ICS 300 & 400.

That ought to keep you busy for a while...

[SDF_Specialist]

Thank you sir. This unit is small (about 36 members), and I am the only qualified GTM in the unit. The CC has given me the task of getting at least a five person GT by the end of the year. I have been entered in eServices as the ESO, but no permissions have been granted as of yet. I intend to contact my CC about this. ICS 100 & 200 are done, but it's a good idea to get 300 & 400 done too. Thanks for that suggestion. As for the manuals, ugh, but it has to be done. Thanks again!

[IceNine]

In my capacity as Group ESO, I also am tasked with training the ESO for the units.

My training plan for them is really quite simple for the first year.

Their job is to get their records in working order.  Since you are the only person qualified  this should be a breeze.  Just keep up on them.

Get some time in your monthly/quarterly schedule to do ES Training, start with GES, and show them where to take the test after you've taught them.

Finally coordinate with your Group ESO, and find out the training plan for this and next  year.  In my case after 6 months I would pair you with an experienced ESO and you would begin planning Training exercises for the group once a quarter YMMV.

Thats it for the first year.  And believe me Its huge. 

You should probably talk to your Commander and see about spreading some of your duties out if possible.  I was the ESO, COMMO, and PDO for a long time.  And duties like that will burn you out quicker than you can imagine.

[floridacyclist]

You sound a lot like me...I fought for 4 years to get out of Personnel/admin...now that I'm squadron ESO, they're talking about moving me to group...and I have yet to hold our first squadron-level ES training event.

What was that they said on CAPblog? "Always interesting, never boring"?

[Stonewall]

You sound a lot like me...I fought for 4 years to get out of Personnel/admin...now that I'm squadron ESO, they're talking about moving me to group...and I have yet to hold our first squadron-level ES training event.

What's the reason for not holding one yet?  Too much stuff on the calendar already?  No support?  Too busy with everything else?

Seriously, I'm curious.

The reason I ask is because the leadership at my squadron (not me) came up with an awesome idea that I love to death.  We literally hold training exercises almost every other week, for just a short time.  For almost 2 months now, we've been holding "mini-ex's" on Friday evening starting at 1830.  Air and ground ops folks get some experience and I think it's totally realistic. 

Ground side folks can go on a single sortie and get training in a number of things.  Instead of putting together a whole weekend of several tasks and events, you can spend between 3 and 6 hours on a single task (or a couple), get some hands-on experience, and there you go, you've got a training exercise under your belt.

Just something to think about and I wish I had long ago.

It really isn't that hard to plan and run a squadron level training event.  Many of us, myself included, often think we have to have these elaborate exercises that run for 2 days and cover all bases.  I'm thinking "mini-ex's" are the way to go for some people; coupled with a few weekend-long training opportunities in the mix.

[floridacyclist]

This duty assignment is still just a couple of weeks old...we have already filled our calendar out to March. Most of the stuff we've been doing so far was based around the FL Wing Ranger School since we didn't have a squadron ES program to speak of.

We had a survival FTX planned for this coming weekend in conjuction with AF SERE over at Camp Rudder,, but it fell victim to the chain of command...I just cancelled it earlier this week.  Of course, we have our ICS Academy next weekend in Ocala, you can take either 100/200/700 or 300. www.tallahasseecap.org/ICS for details and registration (deadline is Fri)

For right now, I'm going to work on aircrew training and our upcoming OTS until Christmas, part of which will include an ICS 100/200/700/GES FTX and scanner training. The Gp commander also has me planning a 3mo ES academy starting in January and based on the NESA curriculum which is 6 days long...the calendar literally says "See days 1 and 2 of NESA curriculum" etc.

http://www.tallahasseecap.org/newmembers.shtml shows our schedule until March if that helps anyone with any ideas.

I agree with you on the mini-ex. For right now, I'm resisting the pressure to combine all different types of training in one exercise and just holding weekend classroom sessions for the basic specialties...which will increase in number after OTS. Usually we just get together to do a little training, maybe camp overnight or sleep over at the squadron building. We've done a mini-ranger school from Fri night starting Fri night and sent everyone home to sleep in their own besds Sat night. That was one of the things that aggravated me recently, you would think that going camping and hiking should be a simple activity.

[IceNine]

I do a similar thing at squadron meetings.  As I mentioned once before I get 1 hour once a month at the meeting to do training.  During that time I try to make the training as diverse as possible because my view of those times is that they are when I try to get everyone hooked on ES, not really trying to train them.

Then one Saturday a month either I or one of my Assistants (also know as Squadron ESO's) plan a training exercise in different areas. 

We do 2 per year JUST Ground, 2 Just Air, 2 Just MBS, 2 Wing wide missions, 2 Just Comms.  And we take July and December off.  July because of encampment, Special Activities there is no participation.  And December just because.

[SDF_Specialist]

You sound a lot like me...I fought for 4 years to get out of Personnel/admin...now that I'm squadron ESO, they're talking about moving me to group...and I have yet to hold our first squadron-level ES training event.

What was that they said on CAPblog? "Always interesting, never boring"?

I didn't want ESO. I wanted to stay in Admin/Personnel to get my Master rating. But I'm always willing to help where help is needed. I see it as a chance to expand my knowledge.

[IceNine]

Thats a winning Attitude!

It will either be the most difficult, fun, rewarding position you've ever held


Or


You'll hate it

There is no real in between, so Good luck!

[Trouble]

Hey everyone. I need some help or guidance or both. I just recently transferred units. In my old unit, I was Admin/Personnel. In my new unit, I am ES and Comms. I have a senior rating in Admin/Personnel and Comms, so I'm comfortable with Comms. The problem is I have no clue what to do in ES. Can anyone give me some suggestions? Thanks!

Hey, 1LT! Welcome to the Green side of the Force.  I am attaching a PDF file entitled "How to be a ES Officer".  This is a publication that Maryland Wing put together a few years back. Should help get you started.  It was last updated in Feb 2005, so you may need to work out any changes that have happened since then, and get copies of your Wing's Supplements, Policy Letters, Operating Instructions etc.  but overall this is a good How to Reference guide.

Hope it helps.

[Fifinella]

North Dakota has a great website with all of the SQTR's and task manuals broken out individually for each specialty here: http://www.ndcap.org/dept/es.htm

Thanks, Al!  First time I've seen the position-specific task guides.

[SDF_Specialist]

Hey everyone. I need some help or guidance or both. I just recently transferred units. In my old unit, I was Admin/Personnel. In my new unit, I am ES and Comms. I have a senior rating in Admin/Personnel and Comms, so I'm comfortable with Comms. The problem is I have no clue what to do in ES. Can anyone give me some suggestions? Thanks!

Hey, 1LT! Welcome to the Green side of the Force.  I am attaching a PDF file entitled "How to be a ES Officer".  This is a publication that Maryland Wing put together a few years back. Should help get you started.  It was last updated in Feb 2005, so you may need to work out any changes that have happened since then, and get copies of your Wing's Supplements, Policy Letters, Operating Instructions etc.  but overall this is a good How to Reference guide.

Hope it helps.

This looks like it will help. It's not that I'm not looking forward to being an ESO, I just wish I would have started out as an assistant to get a feel of the position before being made the main guy. What's up with that AFIADL course I have to take? I think it's AFIADL 01230D?

[floridacyclist]

I'm on it now...you have to take it with a grain of salt and remember that things have changed drastically since they put the course together. I think I even saw a reference to a Mission Coordinator in there.

[Trouble]

Hey everyone. I need some help or guidance or both. I just recently transferred units. In my old unit, I was Admin/Personnel. In my new unit, I am ES and Comms. I have a senior rating in Admin/Personnel and Comms, so I'm comfortable with Comms. The problem is I have no clue what to do in ES. Can anyone give me some suggestions? Thanks!

Hey, 1LT! Welcome to the Green side of the Force.  I am attaching a PDF file entitled "How to be a ES Officer".  This is a publication that Maryland Wing put together a few years back. Should help get you started.  It was last updated in Feb 2005, so you may need to work out any changes that have happened since then, and get copies of your Wing's Supplements, Policy Letters, Operating Instructions etc.  but overall this is a good How to Reference guide.

Hope it helps.

This looks like it will help. It's not that I'm not looking forward to being an ESO, I just wish I would have started out as an assistant to get a feel of the position before being made the main guy. What's up with that AFIADL course I have to take? I think it's AFIADL 01230D?

Like Capt Floyd says take with a (or a few) grain of salt. Things have changed a lot and will be changing even more by the time you actually take the test.  It is out dated. But hey,  just read the book and test on what the book says, then preform a systems memory dump and reload the backup file that contains the up to date information....

Or just for go the test and OJT the heck out of the position. Get with your Group and Wing ES officers and have them help you get up to speed. And if the guy who had the job before you is still around hit him / her up for pointers and a continuity book if they have one.  At least till NHQ releases an updated and current test. 

[afgeo4]

I'd also recommend you taking the following FEMA online courses as soon as you can:

IS-100 (easier to study for than CAPT-116 and equivalent to it)
IS-200
IS-700
IS-800

And any other IS courses you're interested in. These are all NIMS system classes and the first two are needed to do even the most basic Mission Base work. They're a good framework for how our ES people work or should work. Best to start off on the correct foot.

[Stonewall]

Are these IS courses recorded by CAP in some way?  I did all 4 of those courses for my Police Department.  All we had to do was take the courses, print up the FEMA certificates and turn them in.

[wacapgh]

Even though there is a drop-down box for "Civil Air Patrol" when you take the on line exams at the FEMA web, it doesn't tell MIMS if you've passed.

In MIMS, record completion of FEMA IS (Independent Study) courses in the "CAPT 116 pt 2 or IC-100" field. Fill in the completion date and for "Trainer CAPID" fill in something like FEMA-EMI.

Make a copy for your unit file, and copies to submit with any state or local ES Worker applications you may be required to send in.

Same for the quals that require IC-200.

[Stonewall]

I just looked around on eServices and couldn't find anywhere to log in proof of the 4 IS courses, so I guess I'll just put copies in my file at the squadron and hope no one ever denies my participation on a mission because I don't have anything listed in CAP's database.

[floridacyclist]

100 - recorded as part of your GES
200 - look for G193 I believe....you should find an entry for this under MSA or CUL. It's OK if you're not going for one of these as checking it for one it covers all the SQTRs requiring that...checking that box will open up a ton of trainee slots for you.

700 and 800 aren't counted yet, but 700 should show up on GES once CAP becomes NIMS-compliant and 800 should show up on Branch Directors and above, although the EMI director told us that he was pushing to have that required for Command/General staff only since it's mostly irrelevant to the rest of us.

The only other two FEMA courses to count are ICS 300 and 400 and they are found under the SQTRs for IC/AL2 and IC/AL1 as G194 and G195 (or equivalent). Once we reach NIMS-compliance, you should find 300 on everything from Branch Director on up and 400 on all command and general staff. You can get 300 next weekend if you want.

[SDF_Specialist]

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but I've talked with a few ESOs from neighboring units. Is the AFIADL 01230D still active for ESOs? No one has seemed to have heard of this.

[Capt M. Sherrod]

Yes, it is.  IIRC it is course 230-D.

[Fifinella]

Still required: Yes.  Current: No.