CAP Talk

Operations => Tools of the trade => Topic started by: winterg on January 25, 2015, 04:31:04 PM

Title: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on January 25, 2015, 04:31:04 PM
In an effort to help my ES trainees have as much information for the specialty they are training for in one place, I have created these training manuals.  Basically, for each SQTR, I combined all the associated tasks from the task guides and the chapters from the reference text.  This will (hopefully) create an easier to use reference manual while the member is training in these tasks.

Here is a link to the ones I created:  https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2CzkgrZ6hyMcjBDa2tlajNXejg&usp=sharing

Does anyone else do anything else like this?  Do you do something different?  Do you have any feedback about how I could improve these?  Do you think they are a colossal waste of time?

Any feedback is appreciated.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: Eclipse on January 25, 2015, 04:41:38 PM
These are nice - anything that makes things even a little easier is usually welcome.

At one point I put together a matrix that showed all the tasking that cross-referenced multiple
SQTRs to show people how to fast-track getting qual'ed.

I don't recognize the more updated looking texts, where did those come from?
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on January 25, 2015, 04:46:45 PM
I used the Task Guides and GTM & Leader Reference Text files found in the Operations Education & Training section of eServices. 

http://www.capmembers.com/emergency_services/operations_support/education_and_training/ (http://www.capmembers.com/emergency_services/operations_support/education_and_training/)

The SQTRs at the beginning of each are the blank ones you print from Ops Quals.  I just printed them to PDF format.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: jeders on January 26, 2015, 05:24:45 PM
Very nice. We'll be doing some ground team training when things start warming up and these should come in very handy.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on January 29, 2015, 03:36:57 AM
Added Mission Radio Operator and Mission Staff Assistant.

I also added the reference material I used to compile the training manuals.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: ProdigalJim on January 29, 2015, 03:03:13 PM
Well done, Bravo Zulu!

I was trying to do something similar on the air side, but you beat me to it on the ground side. Struggling with getting individual "pages" to separate out so that I could re-assemble them as I wished.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on January 29, 2015, 03:07:41 PM
For splitting and merging PDFs, I use smallpdf.com It's web based and easy to use.  I highly recommend it.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: JC004 on January 29, 2015, 03:50:46 PM
PDFSAM, which is free and open source, is an excellent bit of software.

http://www.pdfsam.org/ (http://www.pdfsam.org/)
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on January 29, 2015, 05:01:28 PM
Will hopefully have GTL, GBD, and CUL soon. These are not set in stone. If you see something that should be included in one, please let me know.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on February 03, 2015, 01:56:00 AM
I changed the cover of the manuals so they are compliant with the new CAPR 900-2.  And added a page behind the cover so the first page begins on the right hand side.

e. Former Civil Air Patrol Emblem. The former CAP emblem has been
retired to heraldry and will no longer be used. CAP still controls the rights to the
emblem. The former emblem consisted of an ultramarine blue disc on which a white
equilateral triangle was superimposed. Within the disc in white were the words
"USAF Auxiliary." Centered above and contiguous to the disc was a red stripe on
which the words "Civil Air Patrol" were superimposed.


Too bad, that was always my favorite emblem.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: Eclipse on February 03, 2015, 03:15:05 AM
Quote from: winterg on February 03, 2015, 01:56:00 AM
Too bad, that was always my favorite emblem.

Maybe so, but that particular version was badly pixelated, the incorrect proportion and scale, and
someone needs to unlearn the gradient tool on Photoshop...
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: SarDragon on February 03, 2015, 03:18:42 AM
I got an EPS version a while back that had none of those problems. Off the NHQ site, no less.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: Eclipse on February 03, 2015, 04:28:23 AM
Quote from: SarDragon on February 03, 2015, 03:18:42 AM
I got an EPS version a while back that had none of those problems. Off the NHQ site, no less.

The official ones were fine. That blue chrome thing killed kittens...
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on February 03, 2015, 12:19:10 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on February 03, 2015, 04:28:23 AM
The official ones were fine. That blue chrome thing killed kittens...

That style would ruin any good emblem.  But the basic official version, that one I liked.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on February 24, 2015, 04:14:04 AM
Ground Team Leader Manual added today.  At 219 pages, it took a while.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on February 24, 2015, 01:54:48 PM
Ground Branch Director Training Manual has just been uploaded.  But its usefulness is dubious at best.  The tasks for GBD reference the Mission Base Staff Reference Text for more information.  No particular chapters, just the entire text.  This is made more frustrating, because the only copy of the Mission Base Reference Text available is a draft copy from 2003, and that is only Volume 1 for ICS.  So the only reference text available is incomplete (12 years later) and doesn't actually cover the tasks listed on the SQTR.  I don't know that it is any use to even include it since you can just download ICS 100 from FEMA and have better and more current ICS information.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: Garibaldi on February 24, 2015, 02:35:10 PM
 Golly gee willikers, I need both manuals and you're telling us one of them is shash? And I have to reference a third, almost unrelated manual for one. Thankfully, they aren't making us purchase a hard copy while they get feedback and change it...if they even will.
Title: Re: ES Training Manuals
Post by: winterg on February 24, 2015, 02:43:26 PM
And I haven't seen anything that says there is any plan to complete the project.  Our entire system of Tasks could do with some updating.  But we're a volunteer organization and there are only so many volunteer hours to be had.  Not everything can get all the attention 100% of the time.