Cadet and Senior Meeting Alone

[Eclipse]

Unfortunately, the "not alone" rule has basically been adopted by corporate managers as well, with good reason.

[IceNine]

Its a simple reality that we live in today... Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame, Oodels of money, and they want to do it from their laptop.  Which means they'll use the www.internetlawsuitsR'us.com website to get their name all over the papers

One of the very first things I did when I took over as DCC in my unit was write into policy that their shall be 2 seniors during every gathering of more than 2 members of our unit.

So, 2 seniors meeting is fine
2 cadets, 1 cadet-1senior is not...

And I specifically wrote that business outside of weekly meetings involving cadets is to be coordinated through myself or the CC no exceptions and the penalties are harsh.

And the reason is stories like the one above do happen in real life. 

Even if they're crying wolf, when it comes to abuse of any type you are guilty until proven innocent.

There was a case a few years ago of a gent that was accused of inappropriate actions with a minor, within 3 days he was suspended as unit CC in CAP, put on admin leave at work, asked to resign from his teaching position at the red cross and his wife left....

All to find out she was lying the whole time

[Ned]

From AF Times today......

An Air Force JROTC instructor in South Carolina was charged Monday with sexually abusing a cadet in his Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps unit. (. . .)
Miller was charged with one count of assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct. He initially denied the allegations of misconduct, but later failed a polygraph test and "partially confessed" in a written statement, the report said.


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NEVER, EVER, EVER MEET a CADET ALONE!  Protect your ass, get a second ADULT (not an 18 year old Cadet, but an ADULT Senior Member or non-cap person) to be your back-up.  For all intents, the cadet referenced in the article could be lying, but there is no way to prove innocence for the adult concerned. 

By all means do not exceed your personal comfort level when meeting with cadets.

There is certainly no requirement that you meet privately with a cadet.

(Although it would certainly make some orientation flights interesting.)

But if the cadet in the article was totally fabricating the event, it sure was silly for the service member to make damaging admissions in his partial confession.  It was even sillier for him to take a polygraph and flunk it.

But of course, all we know is what some reporter wrote.





We've talked about this before.

You seem to feel that cadets are conspiring to get rich off of foolish senior members who are silly enough to work with them one-on-one by making totally false allegations of inappropriate conduct, or worse.

Fortunately, most seniors use a common sense approach.  And from time to time, that may include mentoring a cadet or working with them one-on-one in otherwise appropriate situations.

There is NO reason to ever meet a Cadet Alone.  Even in a counseling or mentoring session, call a second person in. 

(. . .)  I am going to protect myself first!  (. . .)

Just my advice to everyone, don't set yourself up to get accused of something you did not do.

Like I said, you are certainly free to help cadets while focused solely on protecting your own butt.

But you might be more comfortable working in a part of CAP where you have less frequent contact with cadets, so you will stop treating them like they were an IED.

[mikeylikey]

^ Doesn't everyone live life with the feeling that everyone is out to get each other?  Maybe that is just me.   

[jimmydeanno]

so you will stop treating them like they were an IED.

[Nathan]

I don't think the advice here should be, "Don't EVER EVER EVER have a cadet/senior one-on-one meeting alone EVER!" I think the advice should rather be, "Do so at your own risk, and realize that if you're wrong about the cadet/senior in question, then there could be problems. If it's a minor, parental permission is necessary."

I meet with my Squadron Commander to discuss squadron meetings at coffee shops, and meet with my Leadership Officer for breakfast before starting recruiting campaigns. I trust both of them, and they trust me, and there really haven't been any problems.

That being said, I'm also not a minor, and my parents pretty much trust me to take care of myself. If a minor is involved, then parents need to know.

If anything, this is a highly-individual situation, and not something which can really be solved with a blanket answer.

[Al Sayre]

You have to be careful with the "never ever" statements, there is an exception to every rule... 

How about the Seniors that have children in the program?  What are they going to do, kick the kids out of the house or quit CAP?  My daughter is the Cadet Deputy Commander at our squadron, we discuss CAP stuff at home quite frequently. 

[brasda91]

I know that I will be opening a "can of worms" but....

If a Cadet and Senior meet outside of a regular squadron meetings in civilian clothes for the purpose of discussing CAP related issues (staff selections, schedules, etc.), is that against the reqs.

If so, where because I can't seem to find it.

I feel that another Senior Member should be present because they are talking about CAP even if this is not an "official" activity.

I don't think I've ever seen a reg that says you can't meet outside of your regular meetings.  Years past, we did it all the time.  The staff (cadets and seniors), in civilian clothes, would meet at someone's house and plan out the next couple months meetings.

If your staff has the time available, I say go for it.  It helps keep the squadron on track.

[DC]

One of the very first things I did when I took over as DCC in my unit was write into policy that their shall be 2 seniors during every gathering of more than 2 members of our unit.

That is a bit absurd. I am good friends with several cadets in my squadron outsode of CAP, and if I take your regulation correctly we could not even do something as simple as go to the mall without two SMs following us around..

There needs to be a limit on how much CAP regs affect members personal lives beyond CAP...

Insert Quote 
Quote from: sargrunt on November 28, 2007, 08:10:41 AM
Quick note here.  Check your regional and wing publications.  I know that in at least two wings that I have been in, they require two seniors for any activity involving cadets.  I have also seen supplements which strongly suggest at least one be female if there are female cadets involved.  This is just really a CYA thing but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

What if you have no female Senior Members in your Squadron? Do you deny the female cadets to participate?

My Squadron CC does mandate that there be a female SM present at all overnight activities.. We have two or three female SMs, but none of them have any interest in the Cadet Program. So, essentially, our female cadets cannot go to any of the overnight (read: fun) activities. It really sucks, because we get girls to signup, and they leave the program as soon as they find out they cannot participate fully because our CC is paranoid.

I understand the possible ramifications of having one or two female cadets at an activity with 10 - 15 male cadets and SMs, but there are measures that can be taken to limit it, have seperate tent areas (a long way away from each other, and cadets cannot enter the sleeping area of the opposite sex. We can provide seperate bathroom facilities even... It seems like such a waste to me, to turn away potentially good cadets because we are afraid that one of them might decide to start making false accusations...

[mikeylikey]

^ I don't think there is anything written that says your Senior Member chaperons need to be female if there are female Cadets present.  That is absurd that they can't go.  I think that your unit is just making sure that activities are "boys only", and I would bet that it has something to do with the leadership and their "boy's club" mentality. 

I suggest you allow female Cadets to attend SQD activities, that is a HUGE discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen.  (Anyone here that knows that SQD Commander should make a phone call to them, and see what the deal is) 

Also, you referenced the above post about 2 Senior Members being present when members meet together.  I think that poster was referring to when 2 members meet together for SQD meetings or Activities, not socially outside of CAP.