NOW can we start the process on the COVID AAR?

[Holding Pattern]

"Since the crisis nature of the pandemic and its impact on CAP appears to be behind us, I am declaring an official end to the awarding of CAP's Crisis Service Ribbon in response to the pandemic, effective Oct. 31."

-Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka
National Commander/CEO


With the above now declared, are we going to move into a serious point of AAR discussions on this event?

[Fubar]

I'm curious what kinda of AAR can be conducted since the COVID response was entirely local - there were no national level missions that 1AF or FEMA wanted to pay for. There was the blood drive that raised serious cash for the Red Cross (they generate billions a year in revenue from selling donated blood) but otherwise some wings found funded missions while others didn't.

Honestly not trying to be snarky here, perhaps you can kick things off on what you think should be reviewed...

[Holding Pattern]

I'm curious what kinda of AAR can be conducted since the COVID response was entirely local - there were no national level missions that 1AF or FEMA wanted to pay for. There was the blood drive that raised serious cash for the Red Cross (they generate billions a year in revenue from selling donated blood) but otherwise some wings found funded missions while others didn't.

Honestly not trying to be snarky here, perhaps you can kick things off on what you think should be reviewed...

Things to discuss should include:

Metrics used to decide the meeting stop order (Many squadrons jumped the gun despite their wing CC saying "EVERYTHING IS FINE!" only to say "SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING" a week to 3 weeks later.) Metrics used to decide when meeting in person again was OK.

Discussions on what devolution strategies worked for weekly ops and what didn't, or what worked for a short term but not long term (online meetings, outdoor spaced events, etc.)

Discussions on how base access fared during these events.

Discussions on how cadet program progression fared during these events.

Discussion of how SM participation fared during these events.

An in-depth review of R&R from top down and bottom up perspectives.

Discussions of which squadrons engaged in new missions under the auspices of this event and how CAP could get squadrons that didn't get new missions involved in the future.

Discussions about irregular protective factors that CAP can engage in that other agencies might not have implemented the way we did or could (example, ground teams composed of family units vs squadrons, virtual command posts, etc.)

Data coordination with external agencies (DAART, APAN, HSIN) and the efficacy of those various tools.

PAO/PIO messaging internally and externally for the org on the various initiatives in progress.

There is a lot to discuss, but the first thing we need to do is acknowledge that we need to discuss it and then hold stakeholder meetings at each level to move forward from there.

[heliodoc]

Let's be pretty serious now....AARs in CAP are as common as Unicorns.

IF CAP truly took interest in supporting the responder world they'd sit in in more FEMA and EM training that is provided and the strength of CAP AFTER Civil Defense pretty well dwindled

There are many resources about AARs and how to conduct them but CAP has more interest in about 100+  pages in 39-1 and how to conduct a proper uniform rather than a 60-3 with around 30 pages and how to really support EM NATIONWIDE in a coherent process to include documentation such as AARs

I have big talkers in CAP who said they support the ICS and it's paperwork to support a mission yet [censored] about filling out ICS 201-206 at a bare minimums


I see real no success in CAP conducting a proper AAR to a Nationwide operation unless some Congresscritters come lookin

[Ned]

Let's be pretty serious now....AARs in CAP are as common as Unicorns.

IF CAP truly took interest in supporting the responder world they'd sit in in more FEMA and EM training that is provided and the strength of CAP AFTER Civil Defense pretty well dwindled

There are many resources about AARs and how to conduct them but CAP has more interest in about 100+  pages in 39-1 and how to conduct a proper uniform rather than a 60-3 with around 30 pages and how to really support EM NATIONWIDE in a coherent process to include documentation such as AARs

I have big talkers in CAP who said they support the ICS and it's paperwork to support a mission yet [censored] about filling out ICS 201-206 at a bare minimums


I see real no success in CAP conducting a proper AAR to a Nationwide operation unless some Congresscritters come lookin

Odd.  I see a lot of AARs in CAP. 

Within CP, I see AARs for major activities like encampments and NCSAs.  Dozens every year.

And while I am not normally an ES guy, I certainly saw AARs after our most significant Nationally-coordinated things like the Katrina response and the whole pipeline thing.

Maybe it is just a perspective thing.  "Half empty / half full;" "more taste / less filling" things.

But I can only agree that we do spend far more time and effort than we should fussing about and attempting to precisely regulate uniform stuff.

The CAP Covid response response was substantially more decentralized than some some of our other successful missions, which will likely affect the scope and timing of any review.  I know within the National CP we are looking at our responses and choices in the beginning of the pandemic and as we returned to ops normal.

Like the other shops, we did the best we could in unprecedented times.  But when it happens again, we will try to establish better evidence-based "go / no go" decision templates earlier in the cycle and develop better PPE educational materials.  And of course, improve our outreach and communication to the field and our stakeholders.

What are your constructive insights on improvement?

Ned Lee
National Cadet Program Manager
Former Vice Chair, CAP Board of Governors

[TheSkyHornet]

The problem with AARs in CAP is that they are often used by activity directors to showcase how awesome they were at managing their activity rather than the subsequent year's activity director to reflect on what did/didn't work to develop a plan of action which includes program changes.

A question for me is Has a plan (or multiple plans) been developed in the event that CAP is faced with another major shutdown event, disruption to operations, or large-scale response to a biological crisis? If not, an AAR is totally pointless.

[Holding Pattern]

What are your constructive insights on improvement?

Ned Lee
National Cadet Program Manager
Former Vice Chair, CAP Board of Governors

The most constructive insight I can provide is that CAP needs to STOP SILOING AARS.

You've seen dozens of AARs. Why have I only seen the one AAR that I wrote and sent into a black hole? Why don't we have a repository of AARs and OPLANS organized by activity type and location that all levels of command can access to improve the entire enterprise?

[heliodoc]

In response to Ned Lee

I'm a little in response

Holding Pattern has it right...WHERE is the so called AARs so the rest of us can read them?
 

IF CAP does AARs whether ES or not....its about time, with all the other reporting requirements put out by BoG, Region CC, Wing CCs and all the multitudes of "seat and virtual training" where is the basic requirements of writing simple AARs...I mean if us line folks are doing ICS forms which by 60-3 standards are pretty weak by interagency standards and NHQ can't show through VolU, SLS, CLC and the multitudes of 8 Regions, 52 Wing, and we bombed sub with our little yellow planes training.

Professional development for ES/EM cries for more paid ES staff and training to assist Bob Ditch

I'm sure he's been through the AAR ed process