ES Training Manuals

[winterg]

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.

[Eclipse]

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?

[winterg]

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/

The SQTRs at the beginning of each are the blank ones you print from Ops Quals.  I just printed them to PDF format.

[jeders]

Very nice. We'll be doing some ground team training when things start warming up and these should come in very handy.

[winterg]

Added Mission Radio Operator and Mission Staff Assistant.

I also added the reference material I used to compile the training manuals.

[ProdigalJim]

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.

[winterg]

For splitting and merging PDFs, I use smallpdf.com It's web based and easy to use.  I highly recommend it.

[JC004]

PDFSAM, which is free and open source, is an excellent bit of software.

http://www.pdfsam.org/

[winterg]

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.

[winterg]

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.

[Eclipse]

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...

[SarDragon]

I got an EPS version a while back that had none of those problems. Off the NHQ site, no less.

[Eclipse]

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...

[winterg]

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.

[winterg]

Ground Team Leader Manual added today.  At 219 pages, it took a while.

[winterg]

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.

[Garibaldi]

 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.

[winterg]

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.