What are things that I should know about my squadron?

[Holding Pattern]

So I've been so involved in certain tasks WRT my squadron that I realized that I was neglecting a few key things in the knowledge department.

I was recently asked what kind of plane we had in our hangar... and I didn't know the answer. 

I was recently asked when our squadron started... and I didn't know the answer. 

I was recently asked who the squadron commander was... ok, I knew THAT one...

But seriously.

There are loopholes in my squadron level data that I need to correct, and plan on doing so next meeting.

That being said, I figured I'd stop in at captalk and ask:

What items should I know about my squadron, from a historical and operational standpoint?

[Garibaldi]

That's an issue for the ages, as they say. A lot of people with information you need, either first-hand or by verbal accounts, just are not on the radar anymore. I will give you two parallel examples. My first unit has a rich history and we draw a lot of comparisons on WIWAC and the rivalries we had with my current unit. History stops around the early 70s as no one seems to know what my unit was like pre-Bradford (my first and arguably best CC in GAWG in the 70s/80s). There are scant few newspaper items, everyone from that period is off doing their own thing, and of course few photos or records exist of the PB era.

Turning to my current unit, our historian, a former cadet who stayed around since the 70s, has done a marvelous job keeping the legacy and history alive for everyone. Once in a while, he will score a rare photo of someone or something long forgotten, and its amazing to me that history is not being forgotten. I guess it doesn't hurt that most of the senior staff felt good enough about CAP to have stuck around or come back. Like a family reunion gone wild. You just don't see it that often.

[coudano]

Sounds like review board questions (?)

Unit charter number.
Unit type (composite, cadet).
Also the unit's full actual name.



Just for trivia/history, the unit's past names and designations, and maybe even history of its location(s).

[THRAWN]

The real question is: what do you want to know about your unit? I was an original member of my first unit, after that, I served with well established units that had long histories. When I took my first command, I made every effort to learn everything that I could about it. I was lucky in the fact that I had a couple of former commanders serving across the street at wing headquarters. Try to coordinate with your Historians at the squadron, group, and wing levels. Offer to do research and wade through stacks of old CAP News and try to go as far back as possible. It's amazing what you'll be able to learn....

[Holding Pattern]

The real question is: what do you want to know about your unit? I was an original member of my first unit, after that, I served with well established units that had long histories. When I took my first command, I made every effort to learn everything that I could about it. I was lucky in the fact that I had a couple of former commanders serving across the street at wing headquarters. Try to coordinate with your Historians at the squadron, group, and wing levels. Offer to do research and wade through stacks of old CAP News and try to go as far back as possible. It's amazing what you'll be able to learn....

Well, I've been informed that our squadron was the first one in the state of WA. I have no way of checking that, but it seems to me that it has a history worth knowing. Of course, after discovering WA-51 and seeing their patch, I'm a bit interested in their history too 

Were it not for the need that I saw for an IT officer, I'd probably have chosen historian as my track; I may double up on that as I get more comfortable in my role (or finally convince some more people to join up to help fill the void.)

[THRAWN]

The real question is: what do you want to know about your unit? I was an original member of my first unit, after that, I served with well established units that had long histories. When I took my first command, I made every effort to learn everything that I could about it. I was lucky in the fact that I had a couple of former commanders serving across the street at wing headquarters. Try to coordinate with your Historians at the squadron, group, and wing levels. Offer to do research and wade through stacks of old CAP News and try to go as far back as possible. It's amazing what you'll be able to learn....

Well, I've been informed that our squadron was the first one in the state of WA. I have no way of checking that, but it seems to me that it has a history worth knowing. Of course, after discovering WA-51 and seeing their patch, I'm a bit interested in their history too 

Were it not for the need that I saw for an IT officer, I'd probably have chosen historian as my track; I may double up on that as I get more comfortable in my role (or finally convince some more people to join up to help fill the void.)

Like I said, work with your historians. Get the dates of all the charters in the wing (active and inactive) and start your research there. The National Historian is a great guy and shows up here on the boards from time to time, and has done a lot to revitalize interest in CAP history. It's interesting stuff...

[CAPAPRN]

Interesting- as a Squadron Commander of an early east coast squadron makes me realize I am going to have to do some research in my free time.....oh wait...I dont have any of that... maybe after encampment... after SUI, after awards season.... after CI season... Oh Heck- I gotta retire someday- great project for that!