CAP Officer...nothing more, nothing less and DoD Stickers/Base Access

[Major Carrales]

I am a CAP Officer, nothing more...nothing less.


posted from http://www.afblues.com/index.php?page=today-s-comic

Be more proud of what you are than ashamed of what you are not. 

I have no illusions of being an "Air Force Officer."  I respect and am proud of our auxiliary/Auxiliary status.  We often suffer from identify issues...mostly because we try to measure our efforts with rulers and sliderules of other organizations.  While I think it is every CAP Officer's duty to strive to reach and surpass those benchmarks...ours is a call to be "citizens" in the employ of our nation for our kind of service.

I make it my goal to make our gray shoulder marks relfect a Civil Air Patrol that is service to our Nation's Air Force, Community, State and Nation.

That should not make us "inferior" or prepetuate any cause for shame...be it "self inflicted" or from the Armed Services.  We are what we are...and we should be the best at it.

I hope no USAF officers are "offended" by CAP rank, if so that is miss-placed anxiety.  CAP Officers and their rank are only just that.  Apples and oranges.

Just a reflection on the above cartoon from a non-prior service person who greatly respects all those who serve and have served our Nation in the military. 

[ColonelJack]

Frankly, I hope the Marine whups the tar out of the wise(butt) AF looie.  Sheesh ...

Jack

[SAR-EMT1]

Frankly, I dont get the Marine bit.

[dwb]

Frankly, I dont get the Marine bit.

The USAF guy says the only way to be a real Lt is to be a USAF Lt.  So, the Marine Lt comes along and says it's okay for him to beat up the zoomie because, since he (the Marine) is not a real Lt, the UCMJ wouldn't apply.

It's an okay cartoon, but in reality, I've seen relatively few instances of CAPers putting that kind of attitude out toward our RealMilitary brethren.  Most CAP Officers have Maj Carrales' attitude... that we're humbled to be wearing the same stuff.

Still, it only takes one bad apple, and all that...

[DNall]

Frankly, I dont get the Marine bit.

The USAF guy says the only way to be a real Lt is to be a USAF Lt.  So, the Marine Lt comes along and says it's okay for him to beat up the zoomie because, since he (the Marine) is not a real Lt, the UCMJ wouldn't apply.

That's what I thought too, I was waiting for the CAP member to say that while holding bat. Not necessarily the right message, but funny.

[mikeylikey]

Reminds me of a time when a newly commissioned LT decided to come back to the Squadron to show off his bars.  He stood outside the the door waiting for Cadets to walk by him and not salute.  I stood just inside the door and listened to this "kid" go off on some fairly new cadets "about how they did not salute him".  I passed it off as him being a "jerk".  Later on in the evening I watched the LT yell at a cadet for saluting the CAP Major that was standing next to him and not for saluting him instead and telling this cadet "he is not an officer, I am a real officer".  I walked outside and asked to speak to the LT inside.  He followed me in and I walked him into the classroom we had, shut the door and began a serious chew-out.  I began by saying "LT I am a "real" Captain, and I know your Cadre at "state" university.  His eyes lit up, and his "above all" demeanor went away.

I very rarely bring my work into CAP by making myself known to everyone as a military officer.  I only "come out" when a serious issue warrants it.  I have however, used my rank to stop the harassing of CAP members at the gate by brand new Airman.  Now that the DOD decals are going away, I can see some other issues similar to harassment by gate guards coming up.

[Stonewall]

In my CAP "career" I have never ever had any kind of run in with a military member that mistreated me or my group of cadets or fellow members.

Like Mikey said above, I have had former cadets come back from military training, be it ROTC or even Basic/AIT and try to intimidate or act like they're the real deal.  When ironically, we've got cadets still older than them.

I always think back to how fortunate I was to be in National Capital Wing with a handful of very professional mostly former military/former cadet fellow CAP seniors.  On one occasion, we were involved in a joint wing REDCAP for a missing airplane going from MD to NC.  Mission base was at Manassas Municipal Airport and I believe VAWG was running the show. 

One sortie called for a 2 ground teams to go to Marine Corps Base Quantico because a CAPFlight spotted what looked to be like aircraft wreckage.  Well, we had 2 teams from NATCAP and there was one team standing by from VA.  Other teams were out and about on sorties.  The MC (IC) looked at the 3 teams and said "you guys look more military, we better send your two teams since you may have to deal with a Marine or two".  The reason why he said that to us is because the other team looked like a bunch of, well, wanna-be's.  Longer hair, lacking military bearing, lots of multi-colored field gear, overweight, etc.  They could have been far more capable than us, but by appearance alone, the IC sent us.

The "wreckage" was exactly what they thought it was, aircraft wreckage.  But it was from an A-7 Corsair and was on the range for mortars/artillery.  We ended up dealing with the base commander who wanted to know what was going on on his base, a CW-4 EOD Marine, a handful of senior NCOs and lots of mid-level Marines/NCOs.  It was a weekend night but they all got called in to help out.

We got a CH-46 handed to us, an EOD team, MP K-9s and pretty much every asset we could get.  We sent up 2 CAP observers on the helo to confirm the wreckage.  FIND?  No.  But a good example of how not only looking the part, but acting the part paid off.  Several Marines started talking to the cadets, showing them rifles, going over their ATVs, talking about UXO safety, and just talking to them as if the Marines met a whole bunch of future Marines.  The Marine officers spoke to myself and the other 3 CAP Officers, all of which were Major and Lt Col.  They asked us about the program and we explained it to the best we could.  Every single one of us seniors were well within the height/weight standards as well as military grooming standards.  We were all younger (28 to age 40) senior members with uniforms meeting the standard.  No partially sewn badges/patches, no goofy pluto patch or anything extra.  No boonie hats or berets.  Just your standard issue BDUs.

Long story short, if you look the part, act the part, carry yourself as an officer, regardless of a "true commission", former military or not, you'll be treated with respect from military members.  In this garrison type situation, there was no need for members to pull their LBE/gear out or start running around like mad killers ready to save the world.  We put senior cadets in charge, had them form up, get accountability, and when it came time to relax and mingle, we mingled.

[/no idea why I typed all that, just got into it]

[DNall]

^ It's an excellent story & I'm glad you shared it. I've had very similar experiences in garrison on a guard base, as well as on missions dealing with CG, LE, etc all the way down to the general public. Granted the bar you're talking about is higher at Quantico, but the analogy holds true all the time.

[Smokey]

A side note on the DOD decals and the like.  For several years I had a DOD decal with the blue (officer) base sticker. I am not former military but was issued it as a CAP officer.   Around 2004 the base decided CAP was to be issued a plastic card for veh reg.  That's when the trouble started.  Depending on the gate guard some had no problem, others put me through the third degree.

Last fall I was entering the base (AF) for an airshow. The entrance I was using was for base registered veh only. I was working the airshow and was wearing my green zoom bag. I showed the gate guard my veh reg card and CAP ID....the new photo one.

The gate guard (civilian contract security) began yelling while pointing to my grade insignia that I was impersonating a military officer, it was a federal offense, and on and on. He was about to drag me out of the car when he finally looked again at the ID and saw my grade (Major) on it.  He backed off, snarled and reluctently let me proceed.

I am well within the hgt/wgt/grooming standards for the AF uniform. So it wasn't a case of  lack of military bearing,long hair, etc.

After a conversation with the base commander at the air show (Maj Gen) about the issue (I know him personally) I was issued a AF ID credential. Since then...no problemo.

[DNall]

Well that takes care of you, now for the other 53k members. We've debated that stuff plenty already. I had an officer sticker too for years, and that was nice getting on & off varrious bases away from the issuing one, AF has yet to fix that situation for us now that it's changed to IDs. Nothing much we can do about it. Hopefully they'll put out a one page thing that has to be posted in guard shacks or something like they have at most AAFES facilitites I've been to, but nothing to be done about it on our end.

[SAR-EMT1]

Can CAP types still apply for any stickers the Security Folks have left? Or were they pitched out?

[DNall]

I don't think so, as it wouldn't matter since it's 100% ID now. I'm not sure if it's helpful to have the sticker when you can't back it up with the CAC they expect to see.

[Stonewall]

A side note on the DOD decals and the like.  For several years I had a DOD decal with the blue (officer) base sticker. I am not former military but was issued it as a CAP officer. 

We experienced a similar dilemma in DC where our wing headquarters was located.  Andrews AFB, where AF1 is located, never seemed to be an issue.  But Bolling AFB where they don't even have an aircraft on station other than the F-105 on static display was a bear to work with post 9/11.  Granted they do have some intel assets on base, but I don't think it was the issue.

Our state deputy director, a retired CMSgt was able to decals for non-military members, but there was no ID card other than the standard CAP card without photo.  We had members who had been going to Bolling AFB for 20 years who, all of the sudden, couldn't gain access to the base for wing staff meetings. 

Around 2004 the base decided CAP was to be issued a plastic card for veh reg.  That's when the trouble started.  Depending on the gate guard some had no problem, others put me through the third degree.

Last fall I was entering the base (AF) for an airshow. The entrance I was using was for base registered veh only. I was working the airshow and was wearing my green zoom bag. I showed the gate guard my veh reg card and CAP ID....the new photo one.

The gate guard (civilian contract security) began yelling while pointing to my grade insignia that I was impersonating a military officer, it was a federal offense, and on and on. He was about to drag me out of the car when he finally looked again at the ID and saw my grade (Major) on it.  He backed off, snarled and reluctantly let me proceed.

I am well within the hgt/wgt/grooming standards for the AF uniform. So it wasn't a case of  lack of military bearing,long hair, etc.

That's another issue, the civilian contract guards.  Best thing I can say is give them a chance, they're hyped up and ready to conquer the world as a gate guard.  It does make me feel good that they're scrutinizing a little more than just taking whatever ID, even if it doesn't match the person showing it.

One thing my old squadron did (in DC wing) before I got there, was post a CAP cadet NCO at the gate to the airfield with the MPs on duty to give positive ID for CAP members and answer any questions a visitor to CAP may have.  They'd be on duty from 18:30 to 19:00.  What a great responsibility for a cadet, huh?  Not sure how long that lasted but thought it was a good idea.

[DogCollar]

Just thinking a little out of the box...how possible would it be for someone (preferably the CC) from a unit that meets on a military base that has Civilian Gate Guards to meet with that details superior, and then meet with the detail at a staff meeting, new employee orientation, etc...to give a quick overview of CAP, inform them of regular meeting schedule, and answer questions?

It seems reasonable to me that a lot of the issues described here could be soothed with some face to face time and good, concrete communication.

[Stonewall]

I agree 100%.  I'm pretty sure our Asst State Director did something like that at Bolling AFB, but for some reason or another, the word never got passed down to the dude standing at the gate.

Regardless of our experience with Bolling AFB, I'd still do exactly what you said because I do think its worth doing and think it could work for you.

[flyboy90]

How do we go about getting a ID card for easy access to an AFB? I live close to MacDill AFB and I here stories of how it takes up to 2 hours to get through the gate without the right ID card.

[Stonewall]

How do we go about getting a ID card for easy access to an AFB? I live close to MacDill AFB and I here stories of how it takes up to 2 hours to get through the gate without the right ID card.

Does your squadron meet on the base?  If so, there should already be some system to allow you on base during your meeting times.  That doesn't mean it'll be free of problems, but it shouldn't be an issue.

Or, do you just want to get on base to go to the uniform shop?  If that's the case, I suggest making it an "activity" of sorts.  Use a corporate vehicle or maybe get a parent from your squadron who is in the military to get you on base.

Only military members and their dependents, contractors (temporary and permanent), retirees and DOD employees are issued CAC (common access card) cards, aka the current ID card used by the military.  Some bases have a "base ID card", but I've only seen those on a Navy base.  YMMV.

[Flying Pig]

When I was a cadet, my Squadron met at March AFB in Riverside Ca.  We had exchange privileges as well.  One day another cadet and I were walking around base and went to the exchange, where they had a food court, etc.  We went into the PX uniform store and bought somethings and were walking.  Suddenly an AF enlisted guy, an Amn or A1C if I recall, (this was about 1988) starting following us through the parking lot yelling at us that we were "wannabe Air Force".  He was actully following us, yelling it at us.  Wierd.  All I remember is someone yelling at this turd...then told us to keep walking and that he would take care of it.  Other than that, Ive never seen anything.   

[Becks]

Here at Chas AFB we set up an EAL with the entire Squadron's roster to go to the MCSS duing its hours of operation. Seems to have worked pretty well.  We're also trying to superceed that with an MOU so that a CAP ID would be a valid form of ID for entry, since currently for some reason it is on the blacklist.

[Smokey]

According to what I've read...DOD is doing away with registering vehicles and the decals are a thing of the past.  The press release I read said random checks by security forces would be done to see if a veh was registered and had insurance.

The base I go to is AF Material Command and my ID is titled "Air Force Material Command Indentification Credential"  (AFMC Form 387). It was issued because I am the CAP rep for a major activity that occurs on base, sometimes on short notice, and need to be able to access the base without delay. At times, due to the activity, access to the base is restricted and some movement on the base is restricted.