Recruiting Members

[William K. Bolan]

Can anyone give me advice on recruiting cadets and Senior members? I am helping out my squadron, MER-VA-064. We are trying to get the 15 member standard, and I think we have about 10 or 11; one is not renewing their membership in March.

[William K. Bolan]

I made business (recruiting) cards with the squadron info on them; and I am putting them in stores and gas stations.

[THRAWN]

There have been quite a few discussions on this topic. Use the search feature above to get some ideas on how to be successful in recruiting using targeted recruiting methods, cohorting, and effective strategies for identifying the types of members that your unit needs.

[Spaceman3750]

Just had this conversation yesterday with a friend as well. #1 is run a program worth recruiting for. Recruiting for a boring program is a lot harder than recruiting for one that does a lot and as a result has lots of visibility. After that, make best friends with the media and put the cadets out front. Around here, the news loves stories about teenagers getting out and doing something. Start leveraging Facebook and social media to put all the cool things you're doing (remember, program worth recruiting for) out in front of the public eye, as well as inviting the media to the really cool stuff (O-Flights, SAREXs, etc).

My .02, as someone who has never commanded a squadron but seen one grow like gangbusters and from my view this was how they did it.

[C/ID-073]

Someone in my squadron a long time ago put an ad on Craigslist, to my surprise one senior member joined because of it, and that SM's still at my squadron. I don't think Craigslist is the way to go, and I wouldn't recommend it whatsoever-but I thought it was funny one of our senior members joined CAP because of craigslist. Just a random story for you.

On a professional note, I agree with 'Spaceman' in using social media to your advantage. Pretty much everybody has social media. And a lot of people don't even know what Civil Air Patrol is. Also talk to friends and family see if they might be interested or know people who are interested. You'd be surprised!

Respectfully,
C/1stLt. Kubik

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

If I may say some hopeful words-of-one-who-has-been-there...

I spent nearly 20 years in CAP and I can give you some things not to do and counterpart with good things to do.

Take your people for granted.  They'll always be there and do their job, so unless they're keen on making themselves known to higher-ups, just let them be.
Corollary: Treat your people right. Reward them for jobs well done, no matter how mundane.  CAP does not get remunerated so things like promotions (when they qualify) Achievement Awards, Commander's Commendations, or just a plain and simple "thank you for a job well done and let me know if I can do anything else to help you be more efficient at what you do."

Lord it over them as if CAP should be their sole focus in life.  Demand that they be at every meeting, every activity and belittle them if they are not, for whatever reason (family circumstances, work issues, health issues, involvement in other fields).  If they're not working, in the can, ill to the point of death, they better be doing CAP.  This includes cadets who may already be overinvolved with other activities (school, athletics, religious commitments).
Corollary: Keep in mind that CAP is a volunteer programme and the people you recruit DO have lives and life circumstances that, though you may not understand them, at least show a little empathy for what time, talent and treasure they ARE giving you.

Treat CAP as if it is the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve.  Interpret CAPR's as if they are the UCMJ.  Rip them for every absence you believe to be unexcused and hold the Form 2B/transfer to Patron status/transfer to Ghost Squadron 000 for being an "empty shirt" over their heads like the Sword of Damocles.
Corollary:  Not even the ANG or AFRES did that, at least not when I served.  The only way I ever saw that happen is if an airman just blew off showing up for UTA's without any explanation.  If one had a reasonable explanation, one could make up the time missed, at my unit anyway.  Such a mindset should not be in a volunteer organisation such as CAP.

Once you've got their money and their fingerprints check out, and they've had the barest of Level I/CPPT administered, turn them loose.  It is entirely up to them to find a speciality track and learn it all by themselves.
Corollary:  This, to me, was one of the weakest parts of CAP.  Most units do not have a "mentoring" plan in place beyond getting the above-mentioned requirements done, except for cadets in certain ways.  A mentor should be assigned, where possible, to a new member for their first year (and it doesn't need to be the CC), to answer questions if nothing else.

Let them have the impression that once they have that gold bar on their epaulettes, they are virtually the same as military officers and should conduct themselves accordingly.
Corollary:  Remind them that their scope of authority is completely limited to CAP, and that they are not entitled to the privileges of a commissioned/warrant officer in any of the seven Uniformed Services or their Reserve components.  However, they should be thoroughly versed in customs and courtesies and proper wear of the uniform.

Give them the false impression that all CAP does is FLY, FLY, FLY and that ES overshadows the other two "legs" of the CAP "three-legged" stool to the point that it is the fulcrum (no, not the MiG-29) on which CAP "balances."
Corollary: Anyone who has been in CAP for a while knows that the members who fly are the exception, not the rule.  Maybe SMWOG Wetbehindtheears doesn't want to fly or go out on GT missions.  Don't belittle them if they have other foci (as I sadly saw in Senior squadrons especially).

Gloss over the unresolved issues/problems in CAP.  They'll find out soon enough!
Corollary:  Be honest with them!  There is a GOB/G network, stronger in some places than others.  If you expect to "climb the ladder" you will at some point have to kiss arse play politics.  This may be jarring to them, but honestly, would you rather have a member with a realistic vision of CAP than a falsely-idealised one who is going to get disgusted and quit once s/he DOES encounter politics/the GOB/G network?

[Holding Pattern]

I'm actively working on recruiting two members right now whom I am hoping will attend 1 meeting a month and take over the heavy lifting on Cyberpatriot for me. If the only thing they are doing is that and Level 1, that is a win for our squadron. One is a windows dba, the other a linux sysadmin. I'm working with my commander to make sure it is clear that they have zero interest in activities beyond this and that this won't be an issue.

I'd rather have a large squadron with poor statistics and high results than a small squadron with great statistics and low results.

Conversely, We will be tracking the performance of these single purpose resources to make sure we (SM and Squadron) are getting what we want out of the deal.

Assuming of course that we onboard them and that everything goes as planned...

(Long term I intend to do similar recruiting to better augment positions like PAO, Recruiting/Retention, and IT. There are a lot of talented people out there that can give a little time and effort if we don't scare them with a block of regs, uniform rules, and an appearance of being overworked.)

There are 2 approaches on recruitment to consider: Targeted, and untargeted.

Targeted: You are looking for members with specific interest and skills. Youth interested in flight, computers, community service, military exposure, etc. Adults similarly interested but with skills or will to back up that interest. You find these by going to where these people congregate: Colleges with HS dual programs, local private schools, community meetings specific to a CAP objective, etc.
Untargeted: You are looking for members. You find these by going to where people congregate: Anywhere you can set up a booth.

This also translates to an online approach using facebook/twitter/mewe/etc.

[THRAWN]

TARGETED: You're looking for ES types, pilots, AE, teachers, chaplains, lawyers, admin pros, cadets (get in good with your local school districts and focus on middle schools as a priority)...

UNTARGETED: fishing....cast a net and hope you bring something in. That's what you get from putting cards out at the grocery store...

[Airplane girl]

The way I discovered CAP was almost as random as the senior member who saw the craigslist add. It was through this magazine: http://www.discoverygirls.com.

(Please don't judge me, I was a 12 year old girl at the time)

[CAPDCCMOM]

When my son was about 8 he saw Cadets working at our local airport, marshaling planes. He wanted to join then and there. He joined on his 12th bday. Then, I asked how I could help..... famous last words

[EMT-83]

When my son was about 8 he saw Cadets working at our local airport, marshaling planes. He wanted to join then and there. He joined on his 12th bday. Then, I asked how I could help..... famous last words

Ditto!

[Juice]

Working with your local schools by putting on an open house and asking the schools to put it on their announcements is really easy. Being out in the community so people understand what CAP is and does helps gain interest from both adults and teens.  Placing flyers on Community Bulletin Boards or at places where teens hang out are others.

[etodd]

Get together with your local EAA group. When they do a Young Eagles program giving free flights to kids, your Cadets should be there helping and giving the kids something to aspire to. Hand out brochures to parents who are there with their kids.  EAA Eagle Flights are a great way to funnel kids into CAP. Often the kids flying with be under 12, but they get exposed and if you get parent's contact info , you can send them reminders and even ask them to like the Squadron's Facebook page (important).

[etodd]

Look for local homeschool administrators and get brochures and info out to them. Invite them to visit. Home school groups are always looking for external activities. And homeschool kids are very flexible with availabilities. They can often be some of your more reliable and dedicated cadets.

[NIN]

Facebook ads.
Flyers.
Word of mouth.
An active, vibrant and interesting program.

And this:


Over 100 non-CAP folks at our Open House last night.

The CP staff have a pool going as to how big our next BCT class will be.
This was the last one that graduated in December:

[THRAWN]

They are all there for the free ABUs.

Seriously though...that is impressive.

[CAPDCCMOM]

VERY Impressive. Congrats.  :clap:

[NIN]

They are all there for the free ABUs.

Seriously though...that is impressive.

"I would like the digitals."

[cnitas]

That looks awesome NIN.  Might I ask if I could have the powerpoint, and what you guys do/ talk about at the open house other than the typical stuff found at the end of every CAP news release?

[Chappie]

BRAVO ZULU!!!