A volunteer civilian reserve component??

[capchiro]

Did I hear the President mention a volunteer civilian reserve component in connection with Homeland Security during his State of the Union Address tonight?  What does everyone think he means and is it of importance to us?  What say ye all?

[Pylon]

Did I hear the President mention a volunteer civilian reserve component in connection with Homeland Security during his State of the Union Address tonight?  What does everyone think he means and is it of importance to us?  What say ye all?

It's bills like these that make me wonder when Reps introduce them to congress.  I wonder if they even know there is a Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer civilian service organization already with a large amount of volunteers (many with wide and varied training) ready and willing to accept new missions for the government.

Do they know we're here?  Is NHQ doing a good enough job of making this known?

[sandman]

Caught me by suprise too

Apparently, we're still the best kept secret

Maybe liberals (sorry libs) don't like the idea of having more uniformed people on the forefront

[MIKE]

Is the sponsor the same rep who wants to reinstitute the draft... Or am I mistaken?

[Earhart1971]

Did I hear the President mention a volunteer civilian reserve component in connection with Homeland Security during his State of the Union Address tonight?  What does everyone think he means and is it of importance to us?  What say ye all?

It's bills like these that make me wonder when Reps introduce them to congress.  I wonder if they even know there is a Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer civilian service organization already with a large amount of volunteers (many with wide and varied training) ready and willing to accept new missions for the government.

Do they know we're here?  Is NHQ doing a good enough job of making this known?

The Tide is coming in, we need to ride it!

[ddelaney103]

Negative, Ghostrider...

A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. It would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.

This sounds like a group to go over and help pick up the pieces.

[Chris Jacobs]

If I am not mistaken the military (especially the air force) is being down sized.  so why are we down sizing the military when it appears that we need people.  if we are looking for people with certain skills lets give them reasons to join the military.  Like direct commissioning for lawyers and the like. 

I would agree that this is something that we were made for.  Not the abroad part but defiantly doing missions on the home front.

[Becks]

In regards to the military being downsized, read right before he spoke about the civ res.

"One of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military - so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years."

So Air Force yes, but Army and Marines look like they'll get a boost.

[davedove]

In regards to the military being downsized, read right before he spoke about the civ res.

"One of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military - so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years."

So Air Force yes, but Army and Marines look like they'll get a boost.

Correct, in the current conflict, we have more than enough people flying the planes and riding the waves.  However, there is a shortage of ground pounders.

[JohnKachenmeister]

This goes along with what I, DNall, ZigZag, and others have been saying.  We, along with the USCG Aux, are the premier military volunteers.  We even have a batle history and strong traditions to build on.  The CG Aux, you'll have to talk to them about their traditions, I'm not sufficiently familiar with them.

We need to gear up for this war, and we NEED to lead the way.  Even if it is just pointing out what DON'T work, because at some point we tried it.

Now is the time TP should be in Washington pounding on desks and saying "Put me in, Coach!"  And leave the double-breasted uniform at home.

[Monty]

The sense I got from last night's mention of this was more along the lines of what we do with DoD civilian personnel instead of CAP.

The Prez mentioned "paid" or "paying" (can't remember which) personnel to support those deployed overseas.  I'm assuming that would also imply that paid folks would be (likely, but not always) more skilled in whatever job is being sought....

That's essentially what our GS folks already are.  Perhaps he meant beefing up our GS guys and gals???

[JohnKachenmeister]

I don't think his plan is to use GS-types, since they would then become permanent career civil servants.  Also he wouldn't have to ask Congress for soemthing new, since GS types already exist.

It looks like he wants to create a whole 'nother animal. 

[Earhart1971]

I don't think his plan is to use GS-types, since they would then become permanent career civil servants.  Also he wouldn't have to ask Congress for soemthing new, since GS types already exist.

It looks like he wants to create a whole 'nother animal. 

What they will do is start a new organization from the ground up.

Fund it with a Billion dollars or more.

And they don't know that CAP exists.

[sparks]

I think the Prez's comments are referring to government employees being reassigned to OCONUS support of troops. Part of Rumsfeld's reorganization of the government personnel system is to eliminate current assignment limits. It's a way to increase the Army without actually increasing it. Also, the use of private contractors can do the same thing at a much higher cost such as Blackwater (security etc.).

[DNall]

regards riding that wave... you can look back at some of our augmentation conversation & envision a plan by which we can be trained & at the ready to step into domestic jobs so that the full-time people can go overseas. Just a thought. Our conversations have been out front for a while now, we just gotta get it done.

[SeattleSarge]

Gentlemen,

I wouldn't get too excited over a few "filler" lines composed by a White House speech writer.

Refer to the last section of this document from the White House:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2007/initiatives/index.html

-SeattleSarge

Ronald G. Kruml, TSgt, CAP
Public Affairs NCO
Seattle Composite Squadron PCR-WA-018
http://www.capseattlesquadron.org

[JohnKachenmeister]

Ron:

The President said it.  I believe it.  That settles it.

The re-cap that you posted did not exactly match what the President said.  He asked Congress for a "Civilian Volunteer Corps" to tap the skills of persons outside the military.  He specifically included overseas assignments for this new Corps.

But even if the new Corps relieved military forces at home from duties of base support and disaster relief, that would help out a lot with keeping forces available to deploy.

As I said before, NOW is the time that TP should be in Washington with one message:

"You honorable gentlemen already have such a Corps... two of them, in fact.  The Civil Air Patrol and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  You do not need to re-invent the wheel, just connect the powertrain to the wheels you already have."

WE can lead the way.    WE can write a new chapter in our organization's battle history.

[DNall]

Well no, I'm actually thinking this was fluff & won't go anywhere, BUT if you have a plan... a la CAP comes w/ SDF-style augmentation program to reduce contractors & fill behind civil service & mil personnel when they deploy.... same story on the proposal to create CAP-style cyber-terrorism focused auxiliary.... We have the base structure in place, all we have to do is absorb the program. Flier line or not, when you come with a plan to execute the President's stated priorities in a cheap but effective way, that gets you in the door & at the table. It's opportunity is the point, and one we need to be highly active in getting noticed on. Continued leadership failures & ego driven people aren't going to cut it.

[brasda91]

I don't know about Coast Guard aux's in other locations, but here the aux are retired coasties and they do not have a youth program.

This goes along with what I, DNall, ZigZag, and others have been saying.  We, along with the USCG Aux, are the premier military volunteers.  We even have a batle history and strong traditions to build on.  The CG Aux, you'll have to talk to them about their traditions, I'm not sufficiently familiar with them.

We need to gear up for this war, and we NEED to lead the way.  Even if it is just pointing out what DON'T work, because at some point we tried it.

Now is the time TP should be in Washington pounding on desks and saying "Put me in, Coach!"  And leave the double-breasted uniform at home.

[SAR-EMT1]

Agreed, Our commander needs to be in Washington...however, Id think CC/ CAP-USAF needs to hold his hand. Considering how we got the CAC-like id card cancelled and how we dont have a vision statment and all. We need less Corporate and FULL COURT PRESS AUXILIARY shoot, can our wing legislative liasions do anything to help this situation too?