Oops, AP expired

[bflynn]

SC Wing is having an AF evaulated exercise right now, NC Wing is being asked to help, fielding air crews during the week is difficult, especially photographers.  By coincidence, I just finished up a project, am at home and on the bench this coming week.  My safety is current and...oops, my AP expired 40 days ago.

Sad that I'm just catching this, but an excessive op tempo at work has consumed me for the past 9 months.  Understand, I have been doing photography for decades, I used to have a dark room and develop my own film.  I've taught most of the AP classes in my squadron, signed multiple qualifications prior to the qual list change and I've flown many AP missions in the past two years.  But I'm not qualified to take pictures now because the calendar says 8 rather than 6.

So what is the current procedure to renew a lapsed qualification?

[Storm Chaser]

First of all, nothing prevents a Mission Scanner or Mission Observer from taking pictures during a sortie. The Airborne Photographer qualification may be required for certain missions, though. That said, all you need to do is fly a sortie as an AP trainee, complete all advanced tasks and have an AP skills evaluator evaluate and sign off these tasks and sortie (i.e. exercise participation). Because it's a re-qualification and not a renewal, it goes all the way up to wing for final approval.

[bflynn]

First of all, nothing prevents a Mission Scanner or Mission Observer from taking pictures during a sortie. The Airborne Photographer qualification may be required for certain missions, though. That said, all you need to do is fly a sortie as an AP trainee, complete all advanced tasks and have an AP skills evaluator evaluate and sign off these tasks and sortie (i.e. exercise participation). Because it's a re-qualification and not a renewal, it goes all the way up to wing for final approval.

It's an AF Evaluation, not a training sortie. 

I'm trying to find it again, having trouble.  Wasn't there a provision that a qualified / lapsed crew member could fly as a qualified crew member if a SET was included in the mission?

[Spaceman3750]

First of all, nothing prevents a Mission Scanner or Mission Observer from taking pictures during a sortie. The Airborne Photographer qualification may be required for certain missions, though. That said, all you need to do is fly a sortie as an AP trainee, complete all advanced tasks and have an AP skills evaluator evaluate and sign off these tasks and sortie (i.e. exercise participation). Because it's a re-qualification and not a renewal, it goes all the way up to wing for final approval.

It's an AF Evaluation, not a training sortie. 

I'm trying to find it again, having trouble.  Wasn't there a provision that a qualified / lapsed crew member could fly as a qualified crew member if a SET was included in the mission?

You can fly as a trainee in any mission as long as there is a SET to supervise.

[Storm Chaser]

A supervised trainee can be supervised by a qualified supervisor, whether the supervisor is a skills evaluator or not. That means that a qualified AP can supervise an AP trainee. If the supervisor is not a skills evaluator, then he/she won't be able to sign off any tasks.

ES Qualified Supervisor Chart

[bflynn]

I found it - section 2.5 in 60-3, I looked there twice, don't know how I missed it.  Must have been the cleverly named title that starts with "Requalification..."

2-5. Re-qualification Procedures for Expired Specialties.
a. Individuals previously qualified in various specialty qualification areas may re-qualify without re-accomplishing all initial training requirements. These personnel must demonstrate proficiency in the specialty to re-earn their expired qualification by:
(1) Accomplishing any tasks not previously completed on the current SQTR,
(2) Being evaluated by a qualified supervisor on at least one mission (training or actual) in each specialty (or equivalent specialty as outlined on the NHQ CAP/DOS website), and
(3) Satisfactorily completing applicable parts of the current CAPTs 116, 117, OPSEC Training, and NIMS Training.
b. The wing commander or his or her designee will approve re-qualifications.