Can I Have More Info About the Cadet Great Start?

[Luis R. Ramos]

I would like some pointers re the Cadet Great Start.

As I understand, this is a class created by local leaders following a standard syllabus. I have the syllabus, but I still would like some ideas from the forum. I made a search here as "Cadet Great Start" but my results were 0.

[Paul Kretschmar]

Bear in mind that the syllabus was created almost 15 years ago and there are out-of-date references in it.   

[TheSkyHornet]

We do a fairly strong deviation from the Great Start book to focus more on local expectations/practices. One of the fundamental issues that I have with a great deal of pre-built CAP material for cadets is that it doesn't seem like it's always age appropriate (i.e., it's very middle school-designed if not younger, and we have cadets who joins at 14+; I have one brand-new cadet who is 16).

Our class runs for 8 weeks and takes the zero-to-hero approach: they know absolutely nothing about CAP or Air Force or Space Force, etc. We introduce them to the general knowledge and expectations for conduct, uniform wear, etc. They learn everything they need to for their first promotion to Cadet Airman. We get them ready to be "on their own" and independent when it comes time to graduate from the class because it's going to be on them to take their tests and advance at their own pace, thereafter.

I would strongly encourage that you design your Great Start based on your unit's culture. Plan for your goal to be that first promotion, and teach them what they should know from a knowledge standpoint for that promotion and what the expectations are through the remainder of the airman grades. Have some activities that build up that camaraderie and sense of team/family environment; but make sure that the focus is on learning and not just teambuilding activities every week. I see a lot of units that do very little beyond hands-on, impractical activities, and while they can turn out Great Start graduates, their cadets are simply not promoting after...for months, years in some cases.

Be sure that your training program is something unique for their membership in CAP. It needs to not be something that they'll get everyday at school or if they were to join another organization. You need to give them a reason to come to CAP every week and to be motivated to learn and progress.

[Ned]

Here a link to a NHQ video that discusses planning for Great Start, Cohort Recruiting, and QCUA.

Feel free to share!

Ned Lee
National Cadet Program Manager