Masks to be required at 2022 National Conference

[Eclipse]

SSDD.

1 - NHQ establishes a policy, reg, whatever (often well after the barn doors are closed and
at member expense for time or money).

2 - Members who disagree or "aren't feeling it" simply ignore it, or willfully disobey.

3 - NHQ says "oh well", but leaves the policy, reg, whatever in place and continues to pretend it's a thing.

4 - PA publishes photos and articles touting the "great success of etc." featuring blatant
violations of the policy, reg, whatever.

5 - Members who complied, often at their expense, feel slighted, silly, unseen, or indignant.

4 - Then "everyone" (note quotes) wonders why there are retention, order, discipline, and most important execution issues in every CAP corner.

#corevalues

[RiverAux]

While no different than other conferences I've attended, CAP better should never suggest their core values somehow differentiates them from other organizations.

Just came back from a week-long conference of 600 people.  100% compliance on masking in areas where it was required. 

[heliodoc]

All good points

Now in a few minutes somebody will refute this bit of common sense and say why don't you just get out of CAP....not an astonishing answer by the few.

But since CAP went its merry Corporate way...maybe Congress and GAO could do  a little research

BTW...why and was it true that John McCain once wanted to do away w CAP?

Where are the CAP "historians" that could enlighten the unwashed masses

[PHall]

BTW...why and was it true that John McCain once wanted to do away w CAP?

IIRC the senator questioned the need for "the largest fleet of Cessna airplanes in the world."
This was also around the time of the Archer mess too.

[heliodoc]

Ahhhhh yes ARCHER where the emsecret squirrels test and only the few could join meanwhile everyone else in the air photo, ortho, LIDAR and real remote sensing world probably had a handle on hyperspectral imagery....

Wasn't there some $1800-3600 power cord or some such that held up a mission or two or wasn't supported by the vendor OR CAP

But im not chirping...I got my approx 6 8 hr checkout in the GA8

CAP been better off drilling a coupla camera holes in the belly with a couple of Fairchild cameras and trying to compete and maybe we could of been "pitcher takin" 20 yrs ago w FEMA!!

[Eclipse]

The A.R.C.H.E.R, ground station was too heavy to transport in the aircraft,
so it required a "chase" vehicle, and of course the sensor station in the
aircraft severely limited the useful load for everything else.

In addition, NHQ made the training requirements so ridiculous that it
created a defacto GOBC that shut out people from ever getting near it.

A.R.C.H.E.R. is, of course, the reason the organizaiton has the ever popular
GA-8s, which themselves come with their own foibles and unique requirements,
and were their own mini GOBC (and to some extent still are).

[PHall]

When we first got them the GA-8's didn't even have door locks. 
We had the CAWG one at our airport airshow shortly after it was delivered and we were required to put it in a lockable hanger overnight because you couldn't secure it.

[NIN]

SSDD.

1 - NHQ establishes a policy, reg, whatever (often well after the barn doors are closed and
at member expense for time or money).

2 - Members who disagree or "aren't feeling it" simply ignore it, or willfully disobey.

3 - NHQ says "oh well", but leaves the policy, reg, whatever in place and continues to pretend it's a thing.

4 - PA publishes photos and articles touting the "great success of etc." featuring blatant
violations of the policy, reg, whatever.

5 - Members who complied, often at their expense, feel slighted, silly, unseen, or indignant.

4 - Then "everyone" (note quotes) wonders why there are retention, order, discipline, and most important execution issues in every CAP corner.

#corevalues

https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/about/employment/cap-chief-operating-officer/

Now is your chance, Bob.  The opportunity of a lifetime to solve all of CAP's ills. Grab that brass ring.

(Now where is that tongue in cheek smiley?)



Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk

[NovemberWhiskey]

Now is your chance, Bob.  The opportunity of a lifetime to solve all of CAP's ills. Grab that brass ring.

You'd have to pay me a darn sight more than $190K to solve all of CAP's ills.

[heliodoc]

Since the GA8 was originally built in Australia and maybe weren't owned by the Chinese......

Maybe the Aussies utility use of the backcountry didn't require locks and maybe just maybe...looking at some Gov contracts.....maybe things as simple as locks may have needed to spelled out more clearly

[dwb]

BTW...why and was it true that John McCain once wanted to do away w CAP?

McCain was generally supportive of CAP as a concept. He just didn't agree with the federal appropriation to fund it. Kind of an odd stance, but he wasn't hostile towards the organization.

[PHall]

BTW...why and was it true that John McCain once wanted to do away w CAP?

McCain was generally supportive of CAP as a concept. He just didn't agree with the federal appropriation to fund it. Kind of an odd stance, but he wasn't hostile towards the organization.

Maybe he was using the reasoning that programs funded by the Defense Funding Authorization Act should actually be related to defense of the country?

[etodd]

Maybe he was using the reasoning that programs funded by the Defense Funding Authorization Act should actually be related to defense of the country?

We should be funded through and be a FEMA org at this point.

[PHall]

Maybe he was using the reasoning that programs funded by the Defense Funding Authorization Act should actually be related to defense of the country?

We should be funded through and be a FEMA org at this point.

Yet the Cadet Program is nowhere near a good fit for FEMA. Not to mention our Aerospace Education Mission.
Less then half of the CAP membership participates in ES and most of those don't participate in ES missions.

[TheSkyHornet]

So, to summarize the points made and my own observations via social media:

• The National Conference was marketed as having a mandate to implement COVID-19 precautions, to include the wearing of face masks by all attendees.
• The mask mandate (above) was not enforced during the conference period by event leadership and staff.
• Numerous high-position individuals, to include commanders from various echelons as well as key National staff personnel were not wearing masks; thus, the example set was that attendees could disregard protocols if they chose to do so.
• Masks were also not worn by the National Vice Commander—who oversaw CAP's COVID-19 response under the current administration—nor by numerous personnel associated with the Health Services Corps and the Chaplain Corps (as clearly indicated by photos) during publicized meetings and symposiums.

If leaders don't like the mask mandates, then don't make them. Otherwise, enforce the standards that apply to us of all equally, fairly, and consistently.

[etodd]

Maybe he was using the reasoning that programs funded by the Defense Funding Authorization Act should actually be related to defense of the country?

We should be funded through and be a FEMA org at this point.

Yet the Cadet Program is nowhere near a good fit for FEMA. Not to mention our Aerospace Education Mission.
Less then half of the CAP membership participates in ES and most of those don't participate in ES missions.

True!    So send the ES Seniors to the new FEMA branch and leave the cadets as a CAP version of ROTC.

[Ned]

So, to summarize the points made and my own observations via social media:

• The National Conference was marketed as having a mandate to implement COVID-19 precautions, to include the wearing of face masks by all attendees.
• The mask mandate (above) was not enforced during the conference period by event leadership and staff.
• Numerous high-position individuals, to include commanders from various echelons as well as key National staff personnel were not wearing masks; thus, the example set was that attendees could disregard protocols if they chose to do so.
• Masks were also not worn by the National Vice Commander—who oversaw CAP's COVID-19 response under the current administration—nor by numerous personnel associated with the Health Services Corps and the Chaplain Corps (as clearly indicated by photos) during publicized meetings and symposiums.

If leaders don't like the mask mandates, then don't make them. Otherwise, enforce the standards that apply to us of all equally, fairly, and consistently.

Except I saw both the general officers and other senior leaders did wear masks at times, and did not at other times such as meals, receptions, photo ops, and during times when speaking to a large group.

But I can only agree that the hallways were not being patrolled by the Mask Police.  Which is probably a Good Thing.

No big mask-free parties in the DV suites.  (Our National Commander is not much of a drinker or partier, and appears to set a good example in that regard.)

It was a highly successful conference by any measure - highest paid attendance in years, fascinating labs, and no rubber chicken banquet.  Innovations included running keynotes during breakfast and dinner times with provided meals and ample seating to allow for distancing.  And I give them points for the non-banquet banquet, which also allowed members to do something different and spread out.

Ned Lee
National Conference Enthusiast

[RiverAux]

But I can only agree that the hallways were not being patrolled by the Mask Police.  Which is probably a Good Thing.

Either we try to be a paramilitary organization governed by rules and regulations that all members follow and face consequences if they don't or we are not.  Unfortunately CAP has reached the point where we have so many regs that it is certainly possible for folks to inadvertently break them now and again and extreme measures are rarely necessary. 

But, when non-compliance is even more obvious and blatant than folks wearing AF-style uniforms that don't meet weight standards, then compliance should not be that hard.  When they decided masks were mandatory, they should have had an enforcement plan in place and maybe "mask police" might not have been a bad idea.  We all know that the average CAP member is unlikely to confront another CAP member that they don't know and have no authority over about such things.  The leaders should have known and planned for this and either not required masks or should not have held the event in a situation when they truly believed masks were needed.   

[Fubar]

You'd have to pay me a darn sight more than $190K to solve all of CAP's ills.

Plus you'd have to move to the exotic locale of Montgomery, Alabama...

[Larry Mangum]

This thread has run its course.