VSAF Status & USCG Aux Alternative As Participation Model?

[RADIOMAN015]

Looking at the CAP website http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/events/vsaf_program/index.cfm
It appears that only 3 active duty bases (Wright Patterson (OH), Luke (AZ), & Randolph (TX), have a program that CAP members can participate in.

I haven't seen any real push throughout CAP to expand this program.   It would seem to me that since we are the Auxliary of the USAF, this should be a program that the general membership could easily support, as opposed to running off to different agencies such as DHS to perform missions.

Perhaps CAP operationally wise needs to model more support based upon what the USCG Auxiliary does in support of the active USCG.    In fact I would think that a CAP senior member would be better off joining the USCG Aux, especially if they live near/on the various Coastal waters and or even the Great Lake area, allowing their training to be readily utilized in supporting actual missions.  CAP on the other hand has members jumping through hoops in (emergency services training), with very few opportunities to utilze that training in any real missions.  In many instances this training is a waste of the members valuable available time other than showing up as a pie in the sky statistics at National Headquarters.
RM 

[RiverAux]

The program has been a "test" so far.  I believe there was some discussion at the spring NB about it having recently been evaluated (unfortunately no written evaluation available to the members was produced) and that they were going to address some of the issues that came up as part of that evaluation before taking it further. 

I think you're really missing the point about the types of missions and support provided by CAP and CG Aux.  CAP members have a much bigger role in emergency response than CG Aux members.  CAP is way far ahead of CG Aux in that regard and considering that CG Aux generally only provides support for CG activities, they miss out on all the local and state emergency response missions that CAP does. 

Now, I'm not saying that the CG never calls out CG Aux for SAR, but it doesn't happen often.  Most CG Aux SAR cases are the result of regular air and water patrols that happen to come across vessels in distress (CAP occasionally does this to, but only if a state or local government is funding the mission).  CG Aux has even less of a real strategy for participation in disaster response activities than CAP and is nowhere near as sophisticated about it as CAP.  Generally, if you're in an area hit by a disaster, the local CG Auxies will go down to the CG station and do what they can to help.  But, you don't see Auxies on a regional or national basis being funneled to the disaster area like CAP will do. 

Where CG Aux has it way over CAP is providing support of day-to-day regular CG activities such as augmenting CG units in various ways.   But, even within CG Aux this is a quite rare occurrence -- I've analyzed the data on this on a CG Aux discussion board several times.  Even in coastal areas it isn't all terribly common and most CG Aux activities are focused on boating safety courses, vessel exams, and conducting patrols in Aux boats. 

So, could CAP be more involved in AF augmentation like CG Aux does?  Sure, and I've advocated that we should be.  However, given the distribution of AF units (and even Air NG units if you want to expand it out), it is still not likely to be an activity involving a significant percentage of our membership.  But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it where it could be of assistance. 

[Spike]

If you are a CAP member near an AF Base, it is your choice what and how you would like to support the Air Force there.  If you want to do anything to support them, talk to your Commander.  Express your desires.  If he or she will not help you, talk to their Commander at the next level.

We do not have VSAF, but I have members drive over an hour to do more than anything VSAF currently does.

[PA Guy]

As a dual hatter I agree with River Aux.  I augment 2-3 days a month in a CG clinic located on a large Air Sta.  I have heard there are other Auxies who augment there but in 4 yrs I have never seen one.  In my case it took 2 yrs to get through the background, credentaling and privileging process.

As River Aux said the number of Auxies that augment is very small compared to the total membership plus the base/station has to accept you and not all who apply to augment are accepted.

The missions of the AF and CG are very different and the CG missions are an easier fit for Auxies to augment.  Personally I don't ever see the AF expanding the VSAF program.  The ironic thing is I have seen AF personnel as patients in the CG clinic.

Besides, wasn't there a similar thread to this about a yr or so ago that hashed this over and over?

[RADIOMAN015]

Besides, wasn't there a similar thread to this about a yr or so ago that hashed this over and over?

I find it is interesting to revisit so called initiatives to see where we are at.  Frankly I think that is was another National Hq "ploy" to try to get more members (because as we all know the active member participation is decreasing at a fast pace). In fact IF I remember correctly the member didn't even have to participate in typical CAP activities.  Apparently it went no where.  Also note on the CAP Nat page, that participants are wearing Golf shirts & grey pants, doesn't look like the tan pants & the special shirt ever became one.

Regarding the USCG Aux, they have overall a much closer operational relationship than CAP does with the respective parent.  Other than flight crews, most CAP members are having little interface with AF personnel.  Perhaps this tread could be expanded to a "this is how we can help" the AF/AFRES/ANG, and list some suggestions.

It seems to me that this program is basically dead at this point.   
RM

[RiverAux]

It is still ongoing, it just hasn't gone national yet.  The other threads go into great detail about possible uses for CAP members in this program. 

What I think PA Guy and I are saying that even if it went national, it would be unlikely to make a significant difference in CAP membership numbers though there undoubtedly would be some people who would join CAP just to do it just like a few people joined CG Aux just to augment CG units. 

The one big potential difference is that in most CG/CGAux situations the CG unit only has a need for a fairly small number of people, so if only a few Auxies are augmenting each unit, that may satisfy their demand.

However, with the AF you could potentially have positions for hundreds of CAP members on an airbase and since airbases are generally located next to large towns, you might even be able to fill those positions.  Granted, that level of CAP participation would require a whole lot more coordination and work to manage than the current test program, but could be possible. 

[RiverAux]

deleted.  comment meant for another thread.

[Capt Rivera]

We do not have VSAF, but I have members drive over an hour to do more than anything VSAF currently does.

What do they do?