Is a strong CAP association with USAF important?

[A.Member]

Hopefully the question is straight forward. 

Trying to get a gauge of the folks here.

[carnold1836]

I think it is the most important association we have. With out the USAF we would need to come up with a ton of money for aircraft and vehicles from my understanding. Also we it would propably come to pass that we would need to come up with new uniforms for the cadets as well if we lose our association the USAF.

Of course I could be completly wrong here as well.

[LtCol White]

Not only is it important, it is CRITICAL

[ddelaney103]

To use the motto of my Alma Mater (the Joint Military Intelligence College) "it depends."

From a CP standpoint, the line to the AF is vital - without it, we're just not going to be as interesting as ACA or the JROTC's.

ES? Well, that's just a question of money.  While 43mil USD isn't exactly "toss the sofa cushions in the SecDef's office" level, it's not a lot in the grand scheme of things.  We could probably get it somewhere else.

Frankly, I'd be just as happy to dump ExAE on the AFA and call it a day.  Concentrate on AE for Cadets and Seniors and try to focus on core tasks.

The big hinge in this is if we want to lose the "AF aura" that our aux status is supposed to grant us.  The two questions are: do we still have it? and, does it help the mission?  After a day of seeing in person such things as "Gen'l P's (Not-so) Secret Service detail and a not really all that STRAC CAP Command Chief, I don't know if we can "do" military.

The idea of a posterboy/girl CAP in trim AF uniforms is a "nice to have:" I don't think it's a need to have.  Of course, it would help if we really had a direction we were taking the org.

[A.Member]

Frankly, I'd be just as happy to dump ExAE on the AFA and call it a day. 

Perhaps everything should move to the AFA and we call it a day?!

Not only is it important, it is CRITICAL

Couldn't agree more.

[RayHayden]

In its inception, the alignment with the governmental military flyer's had been absolutely essential, however, now there is a great opportunity to make something really important happen and to be part of it, and the future of aviation.

The Light Sport Aircraft technologies and the Cadet Program have a bright future if National HQ - or Local units with the ability take a strong leadership role in the process - seek out the opportunities.

Civilian space flight (very low space flight, but still space flight) is now possible due to forward thinking bright individuals who used the strengths of everyone in their groups to get the job done... there can be a very bright future for CAP indeed, but it will take a strong leadership with excellent for range vision to make that happen, direct linkages to the Air Force are no longer truly mandatory, Aux On / Aux Off can be the very freedom CAP needs to make things happen.

[DNall]

ES? Well, that's just a question of money.  While 43mil USD isn't exactly "toss the sofa cushions in the SecDef's office" level, it's not a lot in the grand scheme of things.  We could probably get it somewhere else.

Of that total amount, about 10mil goes to all types of ES, which includes maint & O-flts; an equal amount to new planes, the rest is administration. What other agency is going to cut 40-odd million out of their budget to make room for CAP? Someone who doesn't have a massive nationwide air fleet cause otherwise they're going to take a hit to their own budget & capability on top of having to pay for us. Would it be worth it w/o CP or AE? The historical logic is no, that the only reason the AF is willing to pay for these planes is cause it ALSO applies to cadets & AE, cut it up & you're out of business, try to get someone else to pay & you're out of business. Fact is the only people on the face of the earth that have both the capability & willingness to support CAP is the AF. W/o them, the doors are locked & the govt is goig to find a way to grab back their toys to give to state police or sell outright.

The big hinge in this is if we want to lose the "AF aura" that our aux status is supposed to grant us.  The two questions are: do we still have it? and, does it help the mission?  After a day of seeing in person such things as "Gen'l P's (Not-so) Secret Service detail and a not really all that STRAC CAP Command Chief, I don't know if we can "do" military.

W/o our association with them no one else would allow us to do anything for them. The only reason they do is they think we're trained to AF standards & certified by AF to do the work we say we can do to the same professional standards they'd expect of the AF. If & when they find the professionalism, competence, or capability demonstrated not to meet those expectations, then we don't get called again & the reputation of both CAP & the AF suffer.

Fact is financially, politicially, and practically, w/o AF we don't continue to exist.

[A.Member]

W/o our association with them no one else would allow us to do anything for them. The only reason they do is they think we're trained to AF standards & certified by AF to do the work we say we can do to the same professional standards they'd expect of the AF. If & when they find the professionalism, competence, or capability demonstrated not to meet those expectations, then we don't get called again & the reputation of both CAP & the AF suffer.

Fact is financially, politicially, and practically, w/o AF we don't continue to exist.

Truer words have not been written here.