Why do senior members do most of the fun work?

[nathan88]

First i have nothing agains SMs but they seem to do all the fun work such as spotting in aircraft, specialty tracks and many other activities. Also they can sometimes over use their athourity when it comes to the regs. For instance my Sq. Commander (Whom i greatly respect) has changed our uniform hat from a BDU field cap to a baseball cap with our squadron patch sewed on it. His reasoning was that he liked the baseball cap better, he never asked the wholed squadron ehat they would prefer. You should see some of our senior members in their alternate uniforms wearing the baseball  cap it looks very silly and childish. it makes us look more like boy scouts (which i respect as well) than military auxillary men and women.

[Eclipse]

Your use of the term "work" is important.  Most do what they do because they enjoy it, or have a passion to serve, but it's work, don't make that mistake.

As a cadet, your job is to take what you can from the program and use it to grow into a good citizen and productive member of society.  As a senior, our job is to give back to the program and society.

Some of the duties you mention are restricted to those over 18 because they involve complex tasks and a level of maturity - you'll get there.

As to the hat, command is not a consensus, it's a benevolent dictatorship.

[nathan88]

I agree although i think it would be nice to be allowed to have a say in our squadrons decision making and i wish cadets had their own specialty tracks

[Extremepredjudice]

They do. IT, ES, and comms

[SarDragon]

Cadets have a very well defined specialty track - progress from the Curry Achievement to the Spaatz Award. Along the way you will get to participate in cadet level fun activities, which some seniors are envious of, and learn lessons on being a Dynamic American Aerospace Leader.

Since someone else got in before me, I'll address that, too. IT, ES, and comms are SM tracks that cadets may participate in. They do not directly cross over into SM PD.

[Extremepredjudice]

Never said they did.

[Woodsy]

I was never a cadet, because I never even knew what CAP was until I was past cadet age, but sure wish I would have! 

As a senior member, I must admit there are times that I am jealous of all the stuff cadet's get to do but we can't.  You have so many opportunities as a cadet that you won't as a senior, so I highly encourage you to take advantage of them!  You have access to flight training, encampments, NCSA's, and lot's more.  Sure, senior members can participate in some of these programs too, but their goal while doing so is to contribute to the cadet's enjoyment of the experience.

Just pointing out that the river runs both ways!  CAP is a great experience for anyone, senior or cadet.

[EMT-83]

Senior members have more fun than cadets? Right.

[Spaceman3750]

If SMs do all the fun stuff then I must have a deep-rooted, subconscious, sadistic lust for paperwork and coordination.

[Майор Хаткевич]

First i have nothing agains SMs but they seem to do all the fun work such as spotting in aircraft, specialty tracks and many other activities. Also they can sometimes over use their athourity when it comes to the regs. For instance my Sq. Commander (Whom i greatly respect) has changed our uniform hat from a BDU field cap to a baseball cap with our squadron patch sewed on it. His reasoning was that he liked the baseball cap better, he never asked the wholed squadron ehat they would prefer. You should see some of our senior members in their alternate uniforms wearing the baseball  cap it looks very silly and childish. it makes us look more like boy scouts (which i respect as well) than military auxillary men and women.

I would trade with you in a minute to be a C/Amn and 13 again, with no real worries in the world, and my whole CAP cadet experience in front of me.

I'm going to assume (from this and another topic), that you are a relatively new cadet, and are just getting your feet wet in the program. Take your time, read your leadership texts, and absorb as much as you can. Squadron commanders can dictate uniforms to an extent. A Squadron Ballcap is an option available to them. At most activities outside of your unit you will still need to war the BDU Patrol Cap.

That said, keep asking questions, but show respect when doing it. You should have learned by now that as a para-military organization, CAP is NOT a democracy. Your leaders make the decisions, and you have two options: follow orders that are appropriate or leave the unit/program.

[SarDragon]

Never said they did.

It seemed implied.

[Ford73Diesel]

I was a cadet for 7 years and have been a SM for 3 (although not really active since 2008). Trust me, cadets have more fun. When you cross over to the dark side, you'll see. YMMV

[AirDX]

First i have nothing agains SMs but they seem to do all the fun work

Ok, cadet I will happily change positions with you.  I want to go to meetings where all I have to do is show up and do PT, launch rockets, do aerospace ed stuff, do educational activities, learn about things, take an occasional test, and get ferried around in a van I don't pay for.

YOU can take on the job of planning all these things, spending hours doing paperwork, spending hours on the phone rounding up the people and finances to make them happen, and dipping into your own pocket to pay for the pizza, etc.

Fair trade?  I think so.  Let's do it!

[Walkman]

I don't know....

Flight Academies, PJOC, Combat Control OC, Space Command Fam Course, Advanced Tech course, IACE, Encampment, Honor Guard Academy, etc

[ColonelJack]

I agree although i think it would be nice to be allowed to have a say in our squadrons decision making and i wish cadets had their own specialty tracks

Patience, Grasshopper.  If all your wishes came true now, what would you have to look forward to?

Master Po

[manfredvonrichthofen]

 Will admit I have a lot of fund doing my job! I LOVE it. I teach ES and leadership, not moral leadership, but I guess some of it can cross over like ethics and the such. But mostly I teach leadership traits and aspects. I really do have fun with my job, but I make it fun, and the cadets make it fun for me. I wouldn't have as much fun with it if I were in a senior squadron, and if I ever move, o e of my higher criteria would definitely be a composite squadron, most because my children want to join CAP when they are old enough.

I do get jealous of cadets, I miss the encampment stuff and the high adventure things. It was so much fun. Don't get too much in a rush to hit the dark side though. Enjoy it and learn all you can. You will miss it when you are older

[BuckeyeDEJ]

There's a good reason cadets don't have specialty tracks, though I'm not sure what I'm about to say is THE reason. Doubtful it is.

Much as a liberal-arts education exposes you to a wide range of things and is supposed to challenge your assertions and help you shape yourself, so goes the cadet program. As a cadet, you'll get a taste of every aspect of a CAP unit — whether it's communications, personnel, logistics, public affairs or something else. You'll learn about all the pieces and parts that make CAP operate, learn to appreciate how they interact, maybe discover new interests, and hopefully develop a sense of maturity in leadership and management (something many senior members never seem to develop!).

Enjoy a chance, as a cadet, to go whatever direction you want and find what you want to do in the future. Once you're a senior member, you're put into specialty tracks in which you must perform to advance in the program. You have responsibilities in those tracks that cadets don't have but for maybe two months as they learn more about the world around them.

[lordmonar]

First i have nothing agains SMs but they seem to do all the fun work such as spotting in aircraft, specialty tracks and many other activities. Also they can sometimes over use their athourity when it comes to the regs. For instance my Sq. Commander (Whom i greatly respect) has changed our uniform hat from a BDU field cap to a baseball cap with our squadron patch sewed on it. His reasoning was that he liked the baseball cap better, he never asked the wholed squadron ehat they would prefer. You should see some of our senior members in their alternate uniforms wearing the baseball  cap it looks very silly and childish. it makes us look more like boy scouts (which i respect as well) than military auxillary men and women.

First Cadets of approriate age can do fllight operations.
Second Cadets can't do specialty tracks....because they are cadets....the CP is their specialty track.
Third Cadets have many more activities to choose from then most Senior Members.

On the subject of "over using their authority".........welcome to life....you are often going to have to deal with more or less arbitrary rules and changes.  Botton line is that the commander can dictate what uniform (and hat) you are going to wear and he/she does not have to ask for your input or your permission.

As for the ball cap making us look like the Boy Scouts....I wore those ball caps with my BDU's and OD greens for 19 years while I was on active duty.....so you are simply wrong on that point.

Finally......I think it is a little odd that a C/Amn is making such sweeping generalisations about CAP and the Military....you, of course, are entitled to your opinion.....but maybe you should temper your judgement a little, sit back and enjoy the program for awhile before you start knocking it down.

[JayT]

First i have nothing agains SMs but they seem to do all the fun work such as spotting in aircraft, specialty tracks and many other activities. Also they can sometimes over use their athourity when it comes to the regs. For instance my Sq. Commander (Whom i greatly respect) has changed our uniform hat from a BDU field cap to a baseball cap with our squadron patch sewed on it. His reasoning was that he liked the baseball cap better, he never asked the wholed squadron ehat they would prefer. You should see some of our senior members in their alternate uniforms wearing the baseball  cap it looks very silly and childish. it makes us look more like boy scouts (which i respect as well) than military auxillary men and women.

Recently, an order from my primary employer came down that we are not to wear our issued uniform hats except in cases of inclement weather. My response? "Okay."

You're a young Cadet Airmen. Enjoy the program. Spend ten seconds to check your spelling and grammar. Don't worry about what hat you're wearing.

[EMT-83]

There's a good reason cadets don't have specialty tracks...

They're a component of the Senior Member Professional Development program. Maybe that's a good place to start.