CAP Talk

All,

This has been a long time in coming, but I have lately been evaluating what my goals in CAP are, and what I want to realistically accomplish before I find greener pastures to play in.

My final two goals are Major and NBB.  After that its all a crap shoot to whether I stay or go.

What are your goals or what do you want to realistically accomplish in CAP?

-James

Here's my bucket list...

Get promoted to Major (July 2010)
Take Squadron Officer School by correspondence
NSC
IACE escort
Gill Robb Wilson award
Take Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
NESA/LESA
A glint in my eye... promote to Lt Col in 2014.

I got back into CAP for my kids. 
After 6 months, I'm not expecting much for me.  Same old problems with CAP as always.  ;D

My short list:

1) Complete Level V (Attending NSC on October 17, 2009)
2) Get promoted to Lt Col (eligible on 01MAR11)
3) Participate in IACE as an escort
4) Get more involved in Wing/Region cadet programs

I'm 27 right now, so I have a lot of time (I hope) to do stuff in CAP.  In the last 12 years, I've been able to keep myself pretty entertained.

Let's see.....
My immediate goals for CAP are:
1. be available to members who seek me out for advice and council
2. make sure of the availability of coffee and snacks at mission bases.
3. fly some cadets around
4. go to a wing conference and tell "war stories" about my days as a NB member. ;D
5. try to write more humorous postings on CAPTALK. >:D

My personal goals have all been met.  Now I must think about what comes next. 8)

I'm not sure I've ever had my own personal goals in CAP.  My main interest has always been in carrying out the ES mission so as to help my community.  Just about all the positions I've held and many of the things I've done are a result of other people asking me to do them rather than something I've really sought out.  Of course I've had short term goals that were more related to my position at the time than any personal goal of my own. 

I suppose I do eventually want to be an IC, but that is probably more because it is a job that needs doing and that I can do more than something I've got a burning desire to accomplish.

Personal Goals -

1. To continue to offer the best training & opportunities for the members I'm serving with.
2. I'd like to attend NSC & earn the Wilson Award
3. Add to my collection of "war stories" to tell at wing conferences

After 32 years, I've pretty much met most of my goals; IC1, Earhart, commanded a few squadrons, cadet leadership schools, worked at encampment for 12 years, etc.  Currently assisting with a Group level re-organization, working the "been there-done that" shirt, encouraging the leadership to do what's right for the organization.

I'll get off of the soap box now.  Next?

My Personal CAP Bucket List:

1.  Continue learning more about Communications and earn the Master Communicator Rating someday.
2.  Serve on Wing Comms Staff, perhaps with a training focus or "Disaster Prep Comm God"  ;-)
3.  Build mutually beneficial relationships with MARS and ARES/RACES organizations.  Joint training and cooperation comes to mind.
4.  Build a mobile communications platform.  (No building here and working from Rubbermaid totes sucks!)
5.  Create a CERT capability within CAP to integrate with our Disaster Preparedness program.
6.  Complete GTM and possible GTL.
7.  Pass ECI 13 tomorrow, keep climbing until I hit the silver oak leaves.
8.  Chase whatever else catches my interest.   ;D

My list would included:

National Staff College (this year)
Making Lt. Col.
Getting every new Cadet in Kansas a O'ride
Doing what I can to improve our Wing in the 3 mission areas

Level V
Senior Observer
Wing King >:D

Short Term (in the next year):
- Earhart Award and accomplish C/Maj by next fall
- Graduate the Texas Wing Cadet Training & Education Program (CTEP) CCSC - Cadet Command Staff College
- Participate in a presidential declared disaster (if would be nice if there isn't one, but if there is a major one that comes up, I would like to participate in it).
- Staff a Wing Encampment as the Stan/Eval Commander
- Attend COS - Cadet Officer School
- Host another Field Leadership Training School (Cadet Commander for FLTS Spring '09... It was a great success).
- Have 10 articles published into wing/region/national newsletters
- Get on the Texas Wing SET list as an evaluator for GTM3,2,1, MSA, MRO, FLM, and UDF
- Construct a cadet ball for Texas Wing
- Work on the conference comittee to establish more cadet friendly classes at the Texas Wing Conference
- Assist squadron in becoming the National Squadron of Distinction (TX-354 was the SWR Sdn of Distinction for 2009)

Long Term (until I am no longer a cadet):
- Turn 18 so I can finish my ES quals I am working on  :)
- Become a Spaatz cadet
- Command an encampment
- Instruct the Texas Wing CTEP
- Attend IACE
- Save someone's life if the opportunity arises
- Become a Region/National Cadet of the Year
- Work on the NCAC
- Other

Past Goals Accomplished:
- Staff an Encampment as a Stan/Eval officer
- Become the Squadron Cadet of the Year
- GTM3,2,1, MRO, MSA. UDF, FLM
- Attend 20+ SAREXs
- Command a Field Leadership Training School
- Attend the NCOA and SNCOA of Texas Wing
- Be an appointed CAC representative
- Recruit 20+ people into the Civil Air Patrol
- Attend a Wing and National conference
- Meet the National Commander  ;)
- Act as a Honor Guard Commander
- Region Squadron of Distinction
- Encampment honor flight (2007 basic)

My goals are as follows:

Complete Level's IV and V
Graduate from NSC
Become a Mission Pilot
Get a form 5 in the GA8
Get involved inthe GA8 missions
Command a Wing/Region Encampment
Be on staff at a NCSA(preferably NFA or SUPTFC)
Buld my unit
Become a Squadron Commander
Have fun

Finish Level 3
Build a credible Historical Program for my Squadron
and to contribute to the continued sucess of the CAP

Get Level 5 so I can be in that small club with both Spaatz and Level 5.

Create internal and external aerospace programs that earn me at least a Region Brewer award, if not higher.

Create ready deployable UDF and ground teams made of the cadets of my squadron, and give them some great "war stories" to tell before they go to college/enlist/move on with their lives from CAP.

Get higher ES ratings, through Mission Observer (or Pilot, if I ever get my license) and at least Ground Branch Director. Maybe IC some day.

Get Integrated Leadership Schools back and running in Massachusetts Wing.

Get o-flights for all of the cadets in the non-flying squadrons in the wing.

Get promoted to Major anytime now (paperwork already submitted), and Lt Col at 28 years old (2013) It isn't the top priority to get that one, but it'd be kind of cool.

Some of my friends joke I'll be wing commander or national commander before all is said and done. Not exactly one of my ambitions  ;)

I'm sure there are some I'm just not remembering this second, but those are the biggies.

OBJECTIVE: Stay in CAP all my life and die a very, very, very old man!!! ;)

Not much more than that. (I'll post my short term goals, none of which are personal in nature.)

As a cadet here are some of my goals:
-Attend NBB
-Attend HMRS
-Obtain my Billy Mitchel
-Get an ES find
-Work my way up to a cadet leadership position.

I achieved all of my original personal goals during my first 16-year stint in CAP.

I made it to lieutenant colonel by my 31st birthday ... earned Level V ... served as a squadron commander and was (at one time) on a short list being considered for wing commander ... earned my observer and senior observer wings ... earned master ratings in seven Professional Development areas ... attended wing and region conferences ... etc. etc. etc.

Now that I'm back after a 12-year retirement, my personal goals are:

Have fun.

Jack

Mission Observer
Wilson Award
Go back after my stint as Group CC and Command a Squadron
Command my favorite encampment
Lt. Col by 30



Thats the short list. 

1) Continue to get CAP History out to our Members.
2) Lt. Col. by December 2010
3) Master Rating in Organizational Excellence Track
4) National Historian

On the long-term personal goal list:  Complete SOS, ACSC and AWC.  Attend Hawk Mountain Summer School, Region and National Staff Colleges, and NESA Aircrew track.  Return to an encampment to serve as XO.

Most of the things I want to accomplish in CAP, however, are not personal goals but goals for the unit(s) and activities I've been involved with.  And they tend to come first.

• Squadron Command
• Group Command
• Wing Command (Not sure I still want to do that)
• IC
• Master Observer
• Level V
• Lt Colonel
• ARCHER Operator
• Predator Guy
• Design a new PD training program for CAP
• Master ES
• (Like Jack) Have fun!

My actual "bucket list" is full of other stuff that have eternal consequences for me and my family.

Convince myself to renew my membership....... 

Join the club, Keith: I have gone through that same thought process 15 times in the 16 years that I have renewed.

My current goal is to at least get my Mitchell, if I get my Spaatz then that would be a lifetime acomplishment... :D   

Wilson Award
Lt Col
Encampment Commander
Cadet Orientation Pilot

Not necessarily in that order. :)

From my perspective, Professional Development and roles of responsibilites go hand in hand.  Found that as I pursued training then opportunities/promotions came.  I have had the opportunity to have served at all levels of CAP in one capacity or another.   All these have also provided opportunities to attend events (Wing, Region, National) where I have met people who have and are contributing to this nation's greatness.   

Serving in CAP is definitely time consuming but it is fullfilling.   The only thing that I really would like to do is IACE.

Quote from: dwb on September 14, 2009, 07:02:39 PM
Wilson Award
Lt Col
Encampment Commander
Cadet Orientation Pilot

Not necessarily in that order. :)

You know, I would love to do that too... thanks for reminding me... ;)

Quote from: Lunsford on September 14, 2009, 10:08:19 PMYou know, I would love to do that too... thanks for reminding me... ;)

FYI, I mean command the whole shindig, not just be the Cadet Commander.  I've already done that.  ;D

Quote from: dwb on September 14, 2009, 11:41:21 PM

Quote from: Lunsford on September 14, 2009, 10:08:19 PMYou know, I would love to do that too... thanks for reminding me... ;)

FYI, I mean command the whole shindig, not just be the Cadet Commander.  I've already done that.  ;D

He was reflecting on his loooooooooooooonnnggg term goals...  ;)

Quote from: dwb on September 14, 2009, 11:41:21 PM

Quote from: Lunsford on September 14, 2009, 10:08:19 PMYou know, I would love to do that too... thanks for reminding me... ;)

FYI, I mean command the whole shindig, not just be the Cadet Commander.  I've already done that.  ;D

Ah ok... I gotcha. :D

I initially got back in to CAP as a way to convince myself to not reenlist!

Making sure I leave my Sq. is in better shape than I found it.

Get involved in Cadet Programs more next year for when my son joins as a nasty C/B and begins the 3rd generation of CAPers in the Steht clan.
Id like to be one of those Cadet Programs Senior Members who people remember long after their CAP career ends.

With all my time spent at my day job my wife lets me play in CAP, but I cant really justify spending A LOT of time with someone elses kids right now while mine sit at home by themselves.  So once my kids join....Im in!

MY goals are simple:

1. Get through the year before rfranz throttles me.

2. Get through the year before I throttle rfranz. ;D ;D ;D

I want to make my Squadron better than I found it.

Quote from: flyguy06 on September 21, 2009, 07:42:08 PM
I want to make my Squadron better than I found it.

That is what alot of the Cadets at Martinsburg Want to do. There is alot of Inactive Cadets.

My CAP Bucket List:

1. Make CAP a "1st choice resource" for our local Sheriff's Office/SAR agency
2. Build a sustainable/repeatable ES/DR training program in our Squadron
3. Keep my good ES cadets motivated until we get 1) & 2) done
4. See our Drill Team at NCC in 2010 - I KNOW they can do it
5. Convince my employer that they really should honor their own policies regarding SAR leave!
6. Convince my Group Commander that sometimes being a pain in his a** is really not THAT bad ;-)
7. Convince myself that using a compass correctly isn't really that hard, I won't lose a ground team in the mountains and our Group REALLY does need good GTLs!
8. Try to reduce the number of CAP related items on my Christmas/Birthday/25th wedding anniversary present list.
......wait, 25yrs is silver right? same color as a GT badge right...... nice! (oops - failed on Number 8 then!)

Hm...thread is lacking Eclipse input.

As for me:

- Get in shape (down 12 lbs in last two weeks)
- Get it top shape (mile time needs to go WAY down)
- Get to C/Maj, hopefully before I clock in 3 years as a C/Capt
- Get my Eaker (if I have the time before death as a cadet...at 21.)
- Get Spaatz (time dependable)
- Finish college - minimal CAP time at this stage
- Resume activity
- Work in the CP sector as well as a few others
- Squadron Command
- Encampment Command
- Senior Grade not quite as important, but PD is.

Quote from: 321EOD on October 22, 2009, 07:24:12 PM
My CAP Bucket List:

1. Make CAP a "1st choice resource" for our local Sheriff's Office/SAR agency
2. Build a sustainable/repeatable ES/DR training program in our Squadron
3. Keep my good ES cadets motivated until we get 1) & 2) done
4. See our Drill Team at NCC in 2010 - I KNOW they can do it
5. Convince my employer that they really should honor their own policies regarding SAR leave!
6. Convince my Group Commander that sometimes being a pain in his a** is really not THAT bad ;-)
7. Convince myself that using a compass correctly isn't really that hard, I won't lose a ground team in the mountains and our Group REALLY does need good GTLs!
8. Try to reduce the number of CAP related items on my Christmas/Birthday/25th wedding anniversary present list.
......wait, 25yrs is silver right? same color as a GT badge right...... nice! (oops - failed on Number 8 then!)

Wow, I know I'm spending too much time on CAP when I can read that post and know who wrote it, without knowing your screen name first...  ;-)