Help with a College Assignment.

[anderson_102]

So, I have been browsing this board for a little while now, but have been wary of joining given the reputation that CAP Talk has taken around where I'm from. However, since everyone here seems professional enough and generally polite, I've decided to join. I'm placing this thread in the membership position because I'm specifically looking for feedback from senior members.

I am a cadet over the age of eighteen who is currently attending college. For a field research assignment, I decided to do something related to CAP. I am examining whether or not the influx of younger cadets (between the ages of twelve and thirteen) is helping or hurting the cadet program as a whole. In order to avoid bias, I am generally not looking for feedback from other cadets. If some of you who are seniors could take the time to complete an extremely brief survey, it would greatly help. In addition to rendering me assistance with my assignment, I think it is an interesting topic for discussion. Do any of you feel the minimum age of twelve years old should be increased?

The survey itself can be found at the following URL: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BRWQDS3

Thank you for taking the time to help out. Semper vigilans!

[RogueLeader]

I took it.  Several questions, such as question 4, could have been a bit more clear as the options wording didn't match what I thought they should have.

Overall, not bad.  Good luck.

[Майор Хаткевич]

12 years is the perfect age to get a cadet. Enough time for them to get to Spaatz and the perfect age before the girls/cars/100 other activities age hits.

[RogueLeader]

12 years is the perfect age to get a cadet. Enough time for them to get to Spaatz and the perfect age before the girls/cars/100 other activities age hits.

Not to mention that if the bug bites deep enough, it can withstand anything.  I was 12 when I first saw Star Wars, and I'm still bit at 29.  CAP may not bite everybody that hard, but it can.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I joined at 13 as a 7th grader. CAP was THE activity for me. No school clubs, no other organizations. 100% CAP.

I probably was doing more CAP related stuff during the week than homework at one point.

[krnlpanick]

Answered - I agree that the wording on the answers on a few of the questions seemed arbitrary to me. Sticking with a standard unit of measuring participation would have been ideal - in other words, you should stick with the percentage based participation rating for all of those questions that are gauging participation.

[anderson_102]

I can definitely see what you're all saying. The layout of the survey site itself, which was recommended by my insructor, is somewhat confusing. My hope was to have a ranking system for the answers with simple numbers, but for some reason it was restricting me to multiple choice. My apologies.

On a topical note, I will offer my personal standpoint. My interest originated from a conversation I had with a cadet captain I know. He staffed my wing's encampment two years in a row and mentioned that as the cadets were getting younger and less mature, the staff was having to dumb down their approach. One tradition of the encampment, the social, had to be dropped entirely as cadets at the age of 12 and 13 started showing up in greater numbers.

I took it a step further. I started wondering if having a squadron with a cadet corps that was largely between 12 and 14 would limit the unit's operational capability as a whole. Only a select few (and this is info I've gathered from personal observations at home) would have any qualifications and the younger cadets would mostly stick to doing things at the squadron level. Which wouldn't really further their development in the cadet program.

Regardless, I appreciate the rapid feedback and the constructive criticism regarding the survey. You folks have helped more than you know! 

[Майор Хаткевич]

CAP is all about the Squadron level.

Encampment is for many the only exposure outside of their local AOR.

From what I've seen, the majority of basics students are in the 12-14 range. It has been that way in 2004 when I was a basic, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. I'm sure someone like Eclipse, having been an Encampment commander has an even greater idea of the age group of most students.

Cadet staff would have a higher range: 14-20.

[a2capt]

On ages, I would hate to see a solid limit higher than 12, and sometimes I think 12 is too low, but there are plenty of times when 12 is just fine, too.

Same argument might even apply to 10, 11 but statistically would curve to far less being ready for it.

At our unit we've been known to hold back young cadets, with explanation, that appear to be blazing through the program. I can't think of any time that it's turned negative either. They get it, later on in the years. "I'm glad you did that.. " "I understand now.."

They need time to participate, too. After all, a Chief at 14, they've got -plenty- of time. The program isn't just about climbing the rank ladder.

For encampment, we got a "rule" of "15". Your age, plus your stripes should be 15 or greater, for your first encampment. It's not a stead fast rule, it's discussed with parents, explained. If they insist .. most of the times they'll understand.

Likewise, getting that encampment behind you is also an excellent catapult. The ones that go early tend to stick it out longer, get more out of the program. So .. it works both ways again.

On both of these age things, the cadet should have time to grow, too. Not be rammed up the ladder. There's a difference between being ready for the next achievement, and wanting the next achievement.  That point isn't static, and I think the current age limits work well within the system.

We've got a 12 year old taking college Algebra classes. Finishing questions in 2-3 minutes, putting the pencil down and looking straight ahead. When there's early 20's in there still struggling.  That 12 year old is probably a motivator to them, too   Academically he's ready for the program, maturity, that's what's next. He's progressing at a great pace so far. Might have crossed the calendar into 13 recently, too.

[umpirecali]

Some of the questions have a-priori answers to the question.  For instance I am in a squadron with about 70 cadets, and most are active (we actually had a 100% safety currency for cadet the last two months) and some of the phrasings of the choices assume a much smaller squadron; especially #4

[anderson_102]

Some of the questions have a-priori answers to the question.  For instance I am in a squadron with about 70 cadets, and most are active (we actually had a 100% safety currency for cadet the last two months) and some of the phrasings of the choices assume a much smaller squadron; especially #4

You're on the money. I am from an extremely small squadron that has a lot of growing to do, so I will admit to possible bias on that front. Apologies. Regardless, thank you for participating. It has helped tremendously.

The input I have gotten from you great folks has been very enlightening. I definitely agree with a2capt, and feel that the program is not about climbing up a grade/rank ladder. Sometimes the cadet staff becomes wary of cadets moving too far at an early age. We wonder if a fourteen year old would have the maturity to be a chief. (Especially given that we've seen much older cadets with much less maturity.)