Cadet to Senior Member

[Westphal, Charles]

Greetings, CAPTalk members. This topic is my first post here, and I need your help.

So, I'm currently a 1st Chief, and I'm taking my 2nd Chief drill test. I've also recently undergone knee surgery to rebuild the kneecap in my left leg. Additionally, I'm turning 17 on the 5th of December.

What I need help with is deciding whether or not I should transfer to the Senior side at 18 since I won't be able to pass any more PT tests, logically.

Any help is appreciated.

[Holding Pattern]

Greetings, CAPTalk members. This topic is my first post here, and I need your help.

So, I'm currently a 1st Chief, and I'm taking my 2nd Chief drill test. I've also recently undergone knee surgery to rebuild the kneecap in my left leg. Additionally, I'm turning 17 on the 5th of December.

What I need help with is deciding whether or not I should transfer to the Senior side at 18 since I won't be able to pass any more PT tests, logically.

Any help is appreciated.

You should be able to get a PT waiver based on the surgery.

I would strongly suggest that you stay as a cadet long enough to get your Mitchell award if possible.

[MSG Mac]

If the CPFT is the only reason for turning SM at the earliest moment don't. Check out CAPP 60-50 for waivers on the test. Your Commander and Deputy for Cadets should be aware that there are waivers for temporary or permeates disabilities.

[Westphal, Charles]

I do have a PT waiver active right now, and I should be able to get my Mitchell in a few months.

[Holding Pattern]

CAPP 60-50, page 37 is the form you need.

[Westphal, Charles]

If the CPFT is the only reason for turning SM at the earliest moment don't. Check out CAPP 60-50 for waivers on the test. Your Commander and Deputy for Cadets should be aware that there are waivers for temporary or permeates disabilities.

.

It's not the only reason, but it's the big one for me.

[Holding Pattern]

One other item: If you can stay in long enough to get your Earhart award, you'll be granted the Cadet Programs technician rating automatically, which is one of the ratings with the most tasks to otherwise achieve.

[Westphal, Charles]

Roger.

[Holding Pattern]

I'd also suggest that you read the New Horizons pamphlet (CAPP 50-10) front to back a few times before making a decision.

[Westphal, Charles]

I will.

[baronet68]

Greetings, CAPTalk members. This topic is my first post here, and I need your help.

Welcome to the Community!!!

So, I'm currently a 1st Chief, and I'm taking my 2nd Chief drill test...

Please don't say that...  It's a pet peeve of mine.

I hear cadets saying they're a "Chief Sustained" or working on their "Second Major Sustained".

You are not a "1st Chief" or a "2nd Chief".

All of the cadet achievements numbers or names and members should use those.  Which means you are a Chief Master Sergeant who has completed Achievement 7 (or Goddard) and you are working on Achievement 8 (or Armstrong).

[Eclipse]

Actually the proper term is "Chief 2.0".

You have you entire life to be a Senior Member and only a short
time to partake of the opportunities of being a cadet.

Don't expire early unless you've considered that and your options.

[baronet68]

Actually the proper term is "Chief 2.0".

[Westphal, Charles]

Actually the proper term is "Chief 2.0".

You have you entire life to be a Senior Member and only a short
time to partake of the opportunities of being a cadet.

Don't expire early unless you've considered that and your options.

So, are you saying that I shouldn't?

[NIN]

Please don't say that...  It's a pet peeve of mine.

I hear cadets saying they're a "Chief Sustained" or working on their "Second Major Sustained".

You are not a "1st Chief" or a "2nd Chief".

All of the cadet achievements numbers or names and members should use those.  Which means you are a Chief Master Sergeant who has completed Achievement 7 (or Goddard) and you are working on Achievement 8 (or Armstrong).

"Ghost Chief" or "Ghost Lieutenant" I've heard, too.

What did I read on reddit? Deadrank?  Yeah, no.

[NIN]

So, are you saying that I shouldn't?

That is precisely what he's saying.

[Westphal, Charles]

Okay...

[Westphal, Charles]

So, are you saying that I shouldn't?

That is precisely what he's saying.

Okay, so you're an admin. Can you give me your advice?

[baronet68]

Can you give me your advice?

My advice...

Stay a cadet until they drag you (kicking and screaming) out of the cadet formation on the day before your 21st birthday. 

You only get to be a cadet for a few short years.  You'll have the rest of your life to be a senior member.

[Westphal, Charles]

Alright. Thanks!

[NIN]

Okay, so you're an admin. Can you give me your advice?

Seeking my advice because I'm an admin on a forum board is going to be kind of .. uneven.

[Westphal, Charles]

Oh. Okay.

[SarDragon]

From another former cadet - stay one as long as you can. There are so many kool things to do as a cadet that you will never be able to duplicate as a senior member. The fact that you are only PMC* right now should have little bearing on that decision. You can still do all the academic and social stuff with a temporarily bum knee. Unless it's a real disaster, you should heal well enough in the next few months to be able to resume PT.


* Partially Mission Capable

[TheSkyHornet]

I have three awesome Flight Officers, all former cadets, ages 18, 19, and 20. They decided that staying on as cadets wasn't their "thing." And they're very happy to serve as senior members and mentors to the next round of cadets coming through the program.

So I entirely disagree that you need to stay a cadet for as long as you can. It's a personal decision that you need to make based upon what you would like to gain from CAP and what you feel like you can offer as a member in either category.

I do, however, discourage thinking you need to transition to senior membership over concerns of physical constraints. Not being able to do physical training, at least not running, is not a reason to drop your cadet membership. You can still participate in a number of activities. And this does not affect your promotions in the least.

Deciding in December 2019 if you should turn senior in December 2020...that's way too far in advance of an upcoming surgery to worry about that sort of thing. You have plenty of time to consider your options. Get through the surgery first, worry about fitness waivers, and then consider membership changes later on. You have a long time ahead of you before you need to make that decision.

[Westphal, Charles]

Okay. Thanks for the insight!

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

If you are into flying (and the knee is not an issue) then I suggest you get all the o-rides you can between now and 18. In case you did not know those stop at 18 but you can train as aircrew as an 18+ cadet. As someone suggested you don't need to decide now or even next December. You can go senior any time after 18 until 21.

[Westphal, Charles]

I have three awesome Flight Officers, all former cadets, ages 18, 19, and 20. They decided that staying on as cadets wasn't their "thing." And they're very happy to serve as senior members and mentors to the next round of cadets coming through the program.

So I entirely disagree that you need to stay a cadet for as long as you can. It's a personal decision that you need to make based upon what you would like to gain from CAP and what you feel like you can offer as a member in either category.

I do, however, discourage thinking you need to transition to senior membership over concerns of physical constraints. Not being able to do physical training, at least not running, is not a reason to drop your cadet membership. You can still participate in a number of activities. And this does not affect your promotions in the least.

Deciding in December 2019 if you should turn senior in December 2020...that's way too far in advance of an upcoming surgery to worry about that sort of thing. You have plenty of time to consider your options. Get through the surgery first, worry about fitness waivers, and then consider membership changes later on. You have a long time ahead of you before you need to make that decision.

So, what you're saying is, I should choose based on what I want to gain from being in CAP, correct?

[TheSkyHornet]

I have three awesome Flight Officers, all former cadets, ages 18, 19, and 20. They decided that staying on as cadets wasn't their "thing." And they're very happy to serve as senior members and mentors to the next round of cadets coming through the program.

So I entirely disagree that you need to stay a cadet for as long as you can. It's a personal decision that you need to make based upon what you would like to gain from CAP and what you feel like you can offer as a member in either category.

I do, however, discourage thinking you need to transition to senior membership over concerns of physical constraints. Not being able to do physical training, at least not running, is not a reason to drop your cadet membership. You can still participate in a number of activities. And this does not affect your promotions in the least.

Deciding in December 2019 if you should turn senior in December 2020...that's way too far in advance of an upcoming surgery to worry about that sort of thing. You have plenty of time to consider your options. Get through the surgery first, worry about fitness waivers, and then consider membership changes later on. You have a long time ahead of you before you need to make that decision.

So, what you're saying is, I should choose based on what I want to gain from being in CAP, correct?

Absolutely.

Why be in CAP if you aren't getting what you want out of it?

[Westphal, Charles]

That makes sense. Thank you so much!