Thoughts on a Commissioned Officer Corp?

[OldSalt]

I got to thinking about CAP's dual personality – that of being both the Air Force Auxiliary and a private non-profit humanitarian organization, and all of the struggles for us that having two personalities and fully embracing these personalities appears to cause in our operations.

I was researching if there were any other agencies, departments, or private organizations that compare to CAP under these circumstances, and it dawned on me that instead of trying to fit all members of CAP into this bi-personality mold, CAP may be better served by reorganizing our senior officer corps into two distinct tracts, one, the current CAP Appointed Officer Corp, and a separate Commissioned Officer Corp similar to the smaller and relatively unknown Public Health Service Commissioned Officer Corp (PHS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corp (NOAA).

Before you summarily dismiss this train of thought, please take a look at my rationale below.

The CAP Commissioned Officer Corps would be the natural offshoot of our Air Force Auxiliary and AF Assigned Missions. This Corp would provide dedicated members who meet all of the Air Force's requirements for carrying out these missions and who would be the only CAP members who would be eligible to wear the AF uniform with CAP distinctive markings. These Officers would be duly commissioned officers similar to the PHS and NOAA officers, except would function purely within CONUS and be considered "Noncombatants" similar to the Chaplain Corps and subject to non-combat call-out for national emergencies like the National Guard.

Those members who either do not meet the AF requirements for being commissioned in this new Corp, or who do not want to be considered for this selective-CAP service, would remain corporate appointed officers as we have now, and would only be allowed to wear the truly CAP distinctive uniforms.

Currently, I believe that our senior member professional development program is based upon, and does already include much of the academic portions of standard Air Force Officer training, meaning we have this in place already. All that would be needed would be for the AF to design the requirements to allow for basic commissioning.

So, what good would this do for CAP and the Air Force?
1.       Having a commissioned officer corp that meets the requirements of the Air Force and who would be the only CAP members eligible to wear the CAP marked AF uniform (similar to the PHS and NOAA marked Navy uniforms) would allow those CAP members who for whatever reasons cannot meet the AF requirements for active-duty or reserve officer commissions, but who can compete in the same league academically and leadership-wise to have another avenueto contribute their talents in an way that regular AF troops appreciate, and the AF would not have to compromise in the area of AF-Style uniform use.
2.       Rather than perpetuating a barrier between CAP and the AF, the commissioned officer corp would stand in the gap between the organizations in a real way and act as a real bridge between the two. Both the AF and CAP would be fully invested in the positive promotion of CAP.
3.       Those members who remain corporate appointed would strive to continue our already proud humanitarian service missions under the same regulations, but for those who desire more, they will now have an avenue for progression that is more "military" than "paramilitary".
4.       The general membership and leadership of CAP would be enhanced by the additional training and quality of the new commissioned officer corp.

Anyway, I know this is just a very brief and simplified overview presenting this ides for CAP growth. I wonder if anyone else has thoughts on this and has this ever been discussed at the national level?

[Short Field]

So you have defined new groups for the group pictures but I totally missed where the roles would change for any of the categories you have defined other than what is now done by any member. 

You also seemed to miss defining those of us who are already AF Commissioned Officers but retired.  You also seem to miss the fact CAP is a civilian organization and only functions as a Air Force Auxiliary on AF assigned missions. 

Please expand on your belief that CAP's PD program already includes much of the academic portions of standard Air Force Officer training.  How much of the CAP PD program would a member have to complete to be "commissioned".  Is that reached at Level One or Level Five (the Wilson Award). 

[OldSalt]

So you have defined new groups for the group pictures but I totally missed where the roles would change for any of the categories you have defined other than what is now done by any member.

Well, this is just an initial surface scrape of the idea - in my mind the roles would be separated more in terms of operations - new corp would be the AFAM group and the appointed officers would remain humanitarian civil service. No more wondering if someone was "qualified" for an AFAM or who is in charge of the mission. 

You also seemed to miss defining those of us who are already AF Commissioned Officers but retired.  You also seem to miss the fact CAP is a civilian organization and only functions as a Air Force Auxiliary on AF assigned missions.

Already retired from AF - that would have to be ironed out. If we went with regs similar to NOAA, then you could not be in the commissioned corp but would remain appointed. IN terms of civilian organization, the commission corp would no longer be "civilian", appointed would remain civilian. This would be a fundamental change in the organization of CAP.

Please expand on your belief that CAP's PD program already includes much of the academic portions of standard Air Force Officer training.  How much of the CAP PD program would a member have to complete to be "commissioned".  Is that reached at Level One or Level Five (the Wilson Award).

That would be for the AF and CAP national to decide. I'm not saying that CAP currently has exactly the same overall PD that the AF does, or that you could just use the present incarnation of training for the new corp, only that we have a framework in place that could be used for part of the academic commission corp training.

[lordmonar]

We already have a problem with uniforms over weight and grooming issues....now you want to add one based on age and education?

We tore this one apart years ago IIRC...or was that on CS?

[OldSalt]

We already have a problem with uniforms over weight and grooming issues....now you want to add one based on age and education?

We tore this one apart years ago IIRC...or was that on CS?

Again, it's just an idea...I'm not saying "Let's do it now!" and I certainly don't pretend to know whether it would be 100% feasible. It certainly would take a lot of ground work first to even begin to formulate some sort of proposal. It really comes down to whether or not we CAP members feel the organizational setup we have now is the best for our missions and charter, or whether there is a viable alternative available.

Again, I'm not trying to sell anyone anything, just bouncing an idea off everyone.

[tdepp]

We already have a problem with uniforms over weight and grooming issues....now you want to add one based on age and education?

We tore this one apart years ago IIRC...or was that on CS?

So we have these new castes so our AF-style and CSU uniforms make more sense?  Isn't that putting form before function?

And if you thought some people felt like second class members now because of the uniform regulations, now you want to add castes for "really professional and skinny" members and "somewhat less professional and fat" members?  Perhaps we should add a third caste above the "Commissioned Officer Caste" and call them "Special Forces" or "CAPGods" or "Brahmins"?

Would a lower ranking Commissioned Officer Caste Member have to salute a higher ranking Appointed Officer Caste Member?  Would the Commissioned Officer Caste Member get to tell the Appointed Officer Caste Member that they are the ones who have to pick up the trash after the meeting as they are of a lower caste and it is their lot in life as less enlightened beings and hope for a better result in the next reincarnation?  Would we put dots on our foreheads too to further indicate our status when we are not in our now separate uniforms?

And what about our Cadets? Two castes?  Geez, no potential hazing or other problems there.  Might as well have a Cool Kids Table and Nerdy Kids Table and issue the Nerdy Kids a wedgey upon joining.

I think we need more ways to bring us together as an organization and members, not more ways to drive us apart.  The USCGAux has this right.  They are all simply Auxiliarists.  We are all volunteers who assist on three prime missions: disaster services, cadet training, and aerospace education.   If you want to join a commissioned service, by all means, join the military, the PHS, or NOAA.  We have enough trouble with big egos.  Your caste system would tear us asunder.

[SarDragon]

I still haven't quite sorted this out, so let's use an example here.

How would you classify someone who:
Is within the current CAP and AF weight standards
Is retired enlisted military
Has a full beard

Inquiring minds await.

Oh, and which uniform would this member wear?

[tsrup]

Am I the only one who couldn't read the whole post because of all the "Corp"..


In all seriousness, there is a whole lot of difference between a payed professional commissioned officer corps like the NOAA or PHS, than an all volunteer organization such as ourselves. 

[vmstan]

If I was that serious about getting a commission, I'd just join the ANG.

[Walkman]

OK, I joined CAP because it was the only way I could fulfill my lifelong dream to be in the military in some way shape or form. I have med issues that prevent me from going RM. I'm one of those "wannabe's" and dern proud of it.

That being said, for completely selfish reasons, I love the idea of there being a way I could get a commission in CAP. I know that all the previous replies have very valid points and I'm sure there's a heavy debate to be had over the idea, and I'm sure that's there would be all sorts of crazy issues, but...

Sign me up. Yesterday.

[RiverAux]

I guess I'm not seeing any distinction between the groups other than appearance in this proposal.  I had thought you were leading in to a suggestion that those who couldn't meet the appearance standards not wear any type of military uniform, which would be a somewhat logical approach. 

Just what would a real Commission do other than authorize people to wear a uniform that they can already wear as a regular CAP member?  Those that can't meet those standards can't wear that uniform now.

Now, NOAA and PHS do represent alternative examples of civilian uniformed services though the reasoning for having such a status eludes me.  There are already procedures in place for when civilians are on a battlefield and for some reason need to be in a military uniform. 

There have been quite a few discussions here about various ways to drastically upgrade the standards to be a CAP officer, but I see that as a whole separate thing from uniform issues (except for those discussions that propose limiting CAP membership to those that can meet the weight/grooming standards). 

[tdepp]

There have been quite a few discussions here about various ways to drastically upgrade the standards to be a CAP officer, but I see that as a whole separate thing from uniform issues (except for those discussions that propose limiting CAP membership to those that can meet the weight/grooming standards).

River:
I guess if the weight standards become mandatory for CAP, I'll have to then form the FAP--Fatty Air Patrol.  I'll then recruit some of the those AVR folks who REALLY know how to put together an ensemble to design our uniforms.  I can't wait to be a Lt. General--and large and in charge!  I'll then make all the skinny folks in FAP wear gray pants, a plain white shirt, and a blue blazer.   

[tdepp]

There have been quite a few discussions here about various ways to drastically upgrade the standards to be a CAP officer, but I see that as a whole separate thing from uniform issues (except for those discussions that propose limiting CAP membership to those that can meet the weight/grooming standards).

Oh, and River: How do a lot of other organizations decide who gets to be a member or in charge? By the size of the checks they write.  As far as I know, there's little "rank by checkbook" in CAP. 

[Short Field]

The fundamental mission that Newbie has the "commissioned" officers performing is the "Air Force" missions.  The CAP appointed officers would only perform the "humanitarian" missions.  Newbie needs to go back and learn about the missions in CAP and what makes a mission a "A" , "B", or "C" mission.  Newbie also needs to compare the CAP PD program with the Air Force Commissioning Programs.  If you make a proposal, it needs to be based on at least a little bit of fact. 

The proposal also requires everyone getting a "commission" to meet the AF requirements to carry out the mission.  It implies if you don't qualify for a AF Commission now, you wouldn't qualify under this program. 

FYI - it just takes a stroke of a pen to move a officer off the retired list and onto the active list. 
   

[RiverAux]

There have been quite a few discussions here about various ways to drastically upgrade the standards to be a CAP officer, but I see that as a whole separate thing from uniform issues (except for those discussions that propose limiting CAP membership to those that can meet the weight/grooming standards).

Oh, and River: How do a lot of other organizations decide who gets to be a member or in charge? By the size of the checks they write.  As far as I know, there's little "rank by checkbook" in CAP.

Uh, I was just pointing out that such discussions had taken place, not that I was supporting those concepts.

[PA Guy]

For starters Newbie it's Commissioned Corps not Corp.  Let me guess, you are in the uber kewl group?  Learn more about CAP and it's structure/operations warts and all then come back if you feel this idea is viable.  Right now......bad idea.

[tdepp]

There have been quite a few discussions here about various ways to drastically upgrade the standards to be a CAP officer, but I see that as a whole separate thing from uniform issues (except for those discussions that propose limiting CAP membership to those that can meet the weight/grooming standards).

Oh, and River: How do a lot of other organizations decide who gets to be a member or in charge? By the size of the checks they write.  As far as I know, there's little "rank by checkbook" in CAP.

Uh, I was just pointing out that such discussions had taken place, not that I was supporting those concepts.

River:
Sorry to sound cranky.  Should have used the smiley dude in my original post.    I usually agree with your posts.  You know, that whole great minds thing.   

[tdepp]

For starters Newbie it's Commissioned Corps not Corp.  Let me guess, you are in the uber kewl group?  Learn more about CAP and it's structure/operations warts and all then come back if you feel this idea is viable.  Right now......bad idea.

PA:

As a retired English major, I should have caught the corps/corp usage error.  But I prefer my term: caste.    Then again, it's not like any of the rest of us ever misspell words or make usage errors in our postings.   

[tdepp]

Maybe the Commissioned Corps/Corp/Caste Officers is a good idea if we can all then get really cool new titles.  Here are a few suggestions

Regional Air Marshall Potentate with Oakleaf Cluster

Aviatrix du Merit of the Prairies

Major General of Meeting Confections

Sky Commodore of Cadet Moral Guidance

The Appointed Corps/Corp/Caste could have more basic titles, like:

Hey You!

What's your name?!

Associate

Little feller/lady

Gray Boy/Girl

Underling

[AlphaSigOU]

We could even consider Mafia rank titles:

Capo di tutti capi (Boss of all bosses)
Capo bastone (underboss)
Consigliere (counselor)
Caporegime (captain)
Sgarrista (soldier - 'made man')
Picciotto (associate)

Have we got an offer you can't refuse!