New CAP recruiting site -LIVE-

[pixelwonk]

Guilty as well.
The annoyances may be trivial to some, but as a designer/developer, I make the best effort not to annoy the visitor.  Funny, I know... but that's just me.

Again, I applaud the good intent. I'd suspect that it will be treated as a work in progress as all good sites should and hope that minor things be worked out.

As an aside, the command patch is no longer cut off at the bottom at least, everywhere.  Big brother is watching   

[NIN]

the cadet page photos in blues show wing patches being worn by cadets and senior members. If you look at the top of the browser window it says "US Civil Air Patrol"

Its marketing.  Nobody looking at this site for its intended purpose is going to say "Gosh, those guys are so out of regulation! What a slack outfit!"

Only Dilbert's boss would worry about that, really. Then he'd form a task force to address it. (While Dilbert is busy photoshopping the pictures to remove the offending patches..)

[jimmydeanno]

I'm not changing my opinion of the site just yet, but I am curious if the sound cuts out halfway through all the videos on the homepage for anyone else...

EDIT: Oh and this video is pretty emotional too: http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/html/donationsVideo1.htm

[Walkman]

I'm not changing my opinion of the site just yet, but I am curious if the sound cuts out halfway through all the videos on the homepage for anyone else...

yup.

So, is this live or are we getting a peek at the beta? At first I was under the assumption that this was live to the public, but I'm not sure now...

[Lancer]

So, is this live or are we getting a peek at the beta? At first I was under the assumption that this was live to the public, but I'm not sure now...

Why would they put the URL in the ARC and post it? Or for that matter why would they leave a beta site working from it's 'final' address. Most professional's dev a site local or put up a static page and nest the site in a few levels before going live.

[DC]

I'm not changing my opinion of the site just yet, but I am curious if the sound cuts out halfway through all the videos on the homepage for anyone else...

EDIT: Oh and this video is pretty emotional too: http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/html/donationsVideo1.htm

Yeah, it's doing that to me too...

Personally I think everyone is being over critical here. Not that its a bad thing, but I think a possible recruit would be more interested in the content of the site rather than whether or not the Command Patch is cut off at the bottom. I didn't even notice half the things mentioned until they were pointed out....

Obviously there are bugs to be worked out (that thing with the videos is really annoying!), and I think they should include some more content, or links to more content on cap.gov..

Looks good, and I think it can be a great resource for recruiting. It will be nice to be able to tell people to just go to this website, rather than specific instructions on how to find what they are looking for in that labyrinth of a website we call cap.gov...

[PhoenixRisen]

At the CAWG Cadet Programs Conference a few days ago when I first heard about this, it was from Mr Kurt LaFond of NHQ/CP.  His contact information is listed on CAP.gov, so for those with suggestions to the site, why not suggest them directly?

[dwb]

That would be Curt LaFond, and he's on the NHQ Cadet Team.  He's not a marketing guy.

The marketing department's phone numbers are probably also on the web site.  Still, your chain of command may be a more appropriate avenue for unsolicited comments.

Personally, I think the site looks decent.  It's not aimed at you and me, it's aimed at people who can't even spell C-A-P (so to speak).

[Michael]

Under the FAQs, it says that CAP doesn't teach you how to fly.   Shouldn't this be made more specific to say that only cadets are taught how to fly? (under the circumstance of special activities)

[DC]

Under the FAQs, it says that CAP doesn't teach you how to fly.   Shouldn't this be made more specific to say that only cadets are taught how to fly? (under the circumstance of special activities)

For the most part CAP won't teach you to fly. You will get a little bit of instruction on O-Rides, and you can go to NFA-P, but only a few cadets do that activity. It does mention the scholarships CAP offers to pay for flight instruction.

The basic cadet uniform is the short-sleeve Air Force style blue uniform. Most cadets also choose to wear the optional BDU (camouflage) uniform.

While this is technically correct, you cannot function as a cadet without BDUs or a field uniform of some sort (BBDUs, for example), so listing it as 'optional' doen't seem wise. Even if you didn't participate in ES you would still need it for bivouacing and other cadet activities.

[♠SARKID♠]

Well, I think its a great leap forward from what we've had.  I'm glad we've finally moved into the realm of flash, because its, well, flashy!  Finally having a dedicated recruiting site is a good step forward.  It still has a few bugs, yes, but thats why we call it beta.  As for the typewriter noise, I like it.  I can't stand going to a site and thinking I've gone deaf.

[mikeylikey]

Now lets see how they promote the site.  I want to see banner ads, and freaking pop-ups on websites from msn.com to whitehouse.com

[NIN]

Why would they put the URL in the ARC and post it? Or for that matter why would they leave a beta site working from it's 'final' address. Most professional's dev a site local or put up a static page and nest the site in a few levels before going live.

Heheheh.. so thats what happened to our site launch at work..

[JC004]

Kristian, you read my mind,  Mark will attest to that.

A few things...

-1 for excessive use of Flash
-1, ...nay -11 on the typewriter noise
-1 for circumcising the command patch at page top

But what really puts a stitch in my side  is "Benefits" at the top of the page, and our missions at the bottom.  We're not desperate or anything. 

I commend the effort.  I really do.  Only, I think the organization would be better served by tapping the potential of it's members for this stuff.  This screams "Outsourced."

I'm with Tedda on this.

[Tubacap]

Now lets see how they promote the site.  I want to see banner ads, and freaking pop-ups on websites from msn.com to whitehouse.com

Mikey.... whitehouse.gov... careful where you lurk at work 

[jimmydeanno]

Now lets see how they promote the site.  I want to see banner ads, and freaking pop-ups on websites from msn.com to whitehouse.com

Mikey.... whitehouse.gov... careful where you lurk at work 

[CASH172]

Is the site not working for anyone else?

[jimmydeanno]

Do you have flash turned on? Or do you have a flash player on your computer?

[CASH172]

It says the page cannot be found.  I've had some others try the site as well and they're not working either.  It was working for a long time before that though.  Perhaps the site's existence wasn't supposed to be made so public so soon.

[NIN]

Betcha its down for a fix to some things.