Orlando?

[ProdigalJim]

Anyone here going?

[Chappie]

On my way to LAX for a "red-eye" flight.  Arriving tomorrow around noon.

[lordmonar]

I'm here already.....weather is....blagh......humidity is too high!  Other then that it is great.

[PHall]

I'm here already.....weather is....blagh......humidity is too high!  Other then that it is great.

Pat, it's Florida in the Summer.....

[lordmonar]

One of the reasons why I chose to live in Vegas !!

[NIN]

Yeah this Northeasterner is not looking forward to Orlando in August.

[Al Sayre]

I'll be there Wednesday afternoon.

[Flying Pig]

Whats going on in Orlando?   Im about 2hrs south and the heat index is at 108 today with a humidity of 71% low and 98% high    

[MSG Mac]

Arriving Thursday morning.

[winterg]

Whats going on in Orlando?   Im about 2hrs south and the heat index is at 108 today with a humidity of 71% low and 98% high

National Conference is this week.

I'm about an hour and a half south in Tampa Bay. I live here precisely because of the weather! Wish I were able to attend and meet up with everyone. Have a good trip for those attending.

[Flying Pig]

I relocated from CA about 2 years ago.  I could definitely do without June July and Aug.... .but I could do without those months in CA also. 

[SarDragon]

I relocated from CA about 2 years ago.  I could definitely do without June July and Aug.... .but I could do without those months in CA also.

Yeah, because you lived in the Central Valley, the armpit of California.

[Flying Pig]

The 25 years i lived in So Cal I recall being pretty brutal as well.

[kwe1009]

Been here since Friday.  It is definitely humid and we had some serious rain last night and earlier today.  Our condo is pretty close to Disney and the conference too.  Hope the weather gets better but it is August in Central FL so it is what it is.  Glad I brought the polo and left the blues at home!

[Flying Pig]

The weather will get better about October 

[jeders]

Already here, been enjoying a little family vacation at Disney.

[dogden]

Wife and I will be arriving Thursday afternoon

[winterg]

Unfortunately I couldn't take two weeks off in a row since I already have next week off. Too bad they don't have an option for Saturday only attendance. 

[MSG Mac]

The ticket police will not be checking on Saturday.

[jeders]

I have to say that my favorite part of the conference was meeting for the first time people I have known for 10 to 15 years here and on CadetStuff. Also the food at the banquet was alright.

[NIN]

^^ this

[lordmonar]

^^this too!

[Al Sayre]

I'll second (4th) that.  Good seeing everyone.

[LSThiker]

For the benefit of those that were unable attend, how were the seminars?  Any new and great news?

Looking at the schedule, any new information from the seminars:

Cadet News
Cadet Protection
CAP uniform
Cadet Programs Best Practices
the NCO Program

[lordmonar]

Nothing really new to report on the NCO program.

We are still waiting for the new 20-1 and 35-5 to come out with the already agreed upon changes.   There are some very minor word smithing changes coming to NCO duty titles.

We have a draft "recruiting incentive" matrix (suggested by one of our own (not me!)) that will take into consideration your CAP grade, PD, TIS, ect along with your separation/retirement rank to determine what your initial appointed rank could be.   Looks like it is going to carry and be included into the new reg.  We are looking at it as a "limited time offer" sort of deal (no more then a 12 month period).   

We are now getting ready to build our specific requirements for the NCO PD course.   What we need now it to clearly define "what an NCO should know.....and when should they know it".   Once we have these requirements we can send them to the PD boffins and they can help us build our NCO specific courses.

Interesting....of the 90 or so NCOs in CAP......around 15 of them were at the conference.....that's a pretty good turn out for any one specific CAP demographic.

If you want to argue about NCO stuff......take it over to one of the NCO specific threads...so we can keep the Orlando thead open for just after action reports.

[MSG Mac]

One thing that did come out was that any prior service member who had not attained E-5 grade would be initially appointed as a SSgt.

[NIN]

having spent the last 5 days with lordmonar, I now read his posts in his voice. hahaha.

[jeders]

having spent the last 5 days with lordmonar, I now read his posts in his voice. hahaha.

And I yours. Also, did anyone else who met him at the conference expect him to be a little taller. Still had a commanding NCO presence, just a shorter one than I expected.

[Alaric]

Any mention of where next weeks conference will be

[lordmonar]

having spent the last 5 days with lordmonar, I now read his posts in his voice. hahaha.

I do the same thing.....but I don't know which accent to use!!!

[NIN]

having spent the last 5 days with lordmonar, I now read his posts in his voice. hahaha.

I do the same thing.....but I don't know which accent to use!!!

"My name, Jose Jimenez.."

[NIN]

Any mention of where next weeks conference will be

You of course mean next year.

August 11-13, The Opryland Gaylord Conference Center and Resort in Nashville

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bnago-gaylord-opryland-resort-and-convention-center/

[SarDragon]

having spent the last 5 days with lordmonar, I now read his posts in his voice. hahaha.

And I yours. Also, did anyone else who met him at the conference expect him to be a little taller. Still had a commanding NCO presence, just a shorter one than I expected.

Yeah, I noticed that when I met him, too.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

I was there Saturday afternoon, driving up from Clearwater (only about an hour's drive west, over where the beaches are nicer). Ran into a few of you, and saw a few nametags in passing but didn't say hello in time (Nin among others). Maybe the next time it's in Southeast Region, we can shoot for Tampa, where it isn't so muggy and the famous rat doesn't gouge everything.

[Al Sayre]

It's in Southeast region again next years, Opryland in TN.  Hope to see a lot of you there.

[Brit_in_CAP]

For the benefit of those that were unable attend, how were the seminars?  Any new and great news?

Looking at the schedule, any new information from the seminars:

Cadet News
Cadet Protection
CAP uniform
Cadet Programs Best Practices
the NCO Program

I was able to listen in to the webcast of the talk about changes to the CDI program.  It was actually very positive with a clear shift in how the two pieces of the Chaplain branch are perceived at NHQ - you needed to hear the Chief Chaplain to really get that point.  For squadron-level CDIs, the good news is better lesson material and an improved mechanism for recording who led the session.  The audio was  a little poor but I did hear a positive response to the need for CDIs and Chaplains from outside the "local area" to be able to record that they were delivering the material to assist a unit without a CDI or Chaplain.  Other than CDI or Chaplain, only the Unit Commander can deliver a CD session; the option for any SM is no longer available.  That's enforced by having the session leader log the session and select their name from a list in the E-Services module.

Ongoing training etc is also being improved and a new CAP-P 225 is in the works. 

Speaking as one who joined to be a CDI and who contributed to the revised 225 drafting, I was encouraged.

On balance, the technical aspects needed work but Ch Miner, who was running that element, is well aware of the need so next year should see an improved presentation.  Having a webcast available was ideal for those amongst us who can't afford the time or $$ to go the conference.

[Eaker Guy]

Wasn't able to attend. Any significant changes in cadet programs?

[Chappie]

Brit_In_CAP...glad you were able to catch the webinar.  After the CCAC/CCEC meeting on Wednesday, there were some adjustments that were made...with some improvement -- but not as much as we had hoped for.   It was a great learning experience which will be put into play for next year's conference.

There are some great things in store for the Chaplain Corps program.   As you know the Chief has a 3 year plan where every aspect of the Chaplain Corps is being evaluated and changes made to make us "A Paradigm of Excellence".   The CCAC/CCEC meeting was very productive as items (such as the Character Development program) was reviewed...several publications were approved to be presented for National's review/approval.

[JC004]

Are there any downloadable presentations, documents, etc., like there have been in the past? 

[NIN]

Are there any downloadable presentations, documents, etc., like there have been in the past?

They should be online soon. I had to provide my PPTs.