National Staff Positions

[imposter87]

I am curious to know who here is on National Staff, and what you recommend to get chosen for National Staff?

I had applied for a position before, and got turned down, which is cool, but it also made me wonder. How many National Staff members are there roughly? So many a Wing?

[NIN]

I am on the National Staff.

There are, as I recall, about 100 volunteer members of the National Staff.  There is no per-wing allocation, it just sort of happens as it happens. For example, I am the only National staffer in my wing.

The best way to get chosen for a National Staff position is to be well qualified for the position you're applying for, and have a good, solid application package that details your background and experience.

The position I applied for,  I did not even have a rating in the specialty track even though I was assigned into that area in both my squadron & wing (that was quickly remedied soon after) but turned out to not be a factor in my selection because I had a pretty well proven track record in the job and exceeded the Master rating qualifications (except for being enrolled, of course!).

The other thing is: you either need to be senior enough that you've had some more "corporate education" and experience in the whys and hows of staff work, or you need to bring other experience in that area (ie. former military staff officer or high level civilian corporate experience) to the table. 

Staff work at the National level is not like staff work at wing or even a region.  You spend a lot of time interfacing with fellow volunteers at every echelon as well as other national staff members and the paid staff at NHQ, and quite possibly (frequently) external interfaces with partner organizations and the like. You can be operating at a pretty high level and in some instances you are the "face" of CAP NHQ to the people in your functional area.

It can be incredibly rewarding (it has been for me) and incredibly frustrating in turns. Navigating the sometimes byzantine struture of our organization, and knowing the players and personalities, is an interesting skill that few develop and even fewer master.  But if you can find your niche and do it, to borrow a cliche: "the sky is the limit." 



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[TheSkyHornet]

Be prepared to get shack from the bottom when you're at the top.

It's always going to be your fault. It's not personal. But people at the bottom often don't understand the complexities of what goes on at the HQ level, and so blame goes up. "They don't listen us to up there." Meanwhile, people up at HQ can go "If they would just listen to us down there..."

I'm sure Lt Col Ninness has faced scrutiny before, and people wonder what the heck he had going on in his mind when certain orders or programs came out of NHQ. But he sees things in an entirely different perspective at a national level than we grunts do at the local squadron. And there have been plenty of times that the feedback was accurate. But you don't see him coming on here and bashing the guys at the lower echelons. You can't take it personal.

I'm still relatively new in CAP compared to some of these other guys on here. I don't know what my ambitions are at this point aside from just doing my job now. I gripe and moan, sure. But I still have to respect the process and accept that there's a bigger picture from up in the bleachers that maybe I don't understand from down in the field.

Working in higher offices doesn't just require the skill set. You're going to need to have the character for it. Be prepared to get some criticism, and be prepared to let it blow over your shoulder. But don't blow it off completely; listen to it and determine if it's actually valid.

....not to segue to far away from the "How do I get up there" process. But sometimes people focus a lot on moving up but don't know what to expect when they get there.

[NIN]

<snip>
I'm sure Lt Col Ninness has faced scrutiny before, and people wonder what the heck he had going on in his mind when certain orders or programs came out of NHQ. But he sees things in an entirely different perspective at a national level than we grunts do at the local squadron. And there have been plenty of times that the feedback was accurate. But you don't see him coming on here and bashing the guys at the lower echelons. You can't take it personal.

And as a guy active at the squadron, wing & national level _AT_THE_SAME_TIME_, I'd like to think that I can do both "What were they thinking?" and "If you guys would just listen to what I'm saying.." 

Matter of fact, I do, while I'm shaving in the morning.

"If you wing guys would just get on the ball and.."

"Oh, so that's how it is from your ivory tower, there, Mister!"

[Chappie]

I'm on National Staff as well.   Was selected by the Chief of the CAP Chaplain Corps to serve as one of his Chief Deputies from 2014-2016 and Chief of Plans and Programs (2016-2017).  He termed out in 2017.    Currently serving as the Senior Advisor to the current Chief of the CAP Chaplain Corps.  I did not apply for any of these positions.  Rather the Chiefs recognized my contributions and service for over 18 years as a Squadron, Group, Wing, and Region Chaplain. 

[NIN]

So what you're saying, Paul, is that you're a victim of your own success....

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[Chappie]

So what you're saying, Paul, is that you're a victim of your own success....

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That appears to be the case.   Never sought higher positions...they just happened.   A case of being the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time . Have since learned to say "no" instead of saying "yes"   However all in all it has been a fun, fulfilling adventure both personally and professionally.

[PHall]

Doesn't help that they know your weakness, coffee!

[Chappie]

Doesn't help that they know your weakness, coffee!

Yep...I'm a pushover when a cup of coffee is within eyesight and reach