Has CAP become an EMA?????

[Major Carrales]

Ok, this is for everyone. Please remeber that just because you use an acronym doesnt mean thateveryone knows what it means. I have no idea what YMMV menas. So please write it out then acronym it from thenon.

A couple common acronyms:
IIRC - If I Recall Correctly
YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
IMNO - In My Not-so-humble Opinion
IAW - In Accordance With
RTFM - Read The F(fill in the rest)'n Manual
CAP - Civil Air Patrol (official), Come And Pay (common)

There, from time to time, several CAP grammarians that make a valid point about proper use of language on these forums.  Strange that they allow the practice of "NETSPEAK" to make its way.

Remember, the purpose of language is Communication, to get a mental image from one person's mind into another with the same meaning.  Thus, if you are making a point you want UNIVERSALLY understood, then refrain from using netspeak.  If it is casual and you don't mind if everyone gets it, then the point is moot.

An interesting read on the matter comes from George Orwell...

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm

This is not a link to 1984, where he goes on about language and its place, but rather what he viewed as a movement away from proper meaning of language.

Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language -- so the argument runs -- must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes.

The above emboldened word in the quote links the conversation to CAP, and also brazenly (if not ironically) proves the point Orwell is making.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I remember a young Army private almost soiling himself because he thought he didn't salute me, a CAP officer, properly.  I tried to explain to him that he didn't have to, but I don't think he got it.  I think all he saw was the bars.

Please never do that again.  Let him apologize, salute, and move on.

This was some years ago.  Hopefully I've learnt since then.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I rarely use netspeak like "ur," "LOL," etc.  I look at it as a debasement of the English language on par with the Valley Girl dialect of 20-odd years ago.

I only used the "YMMV" as an illustrator because I've seen it on here before.

[flyguy06]

The key is "you've" seen it onhere. If you are communicating a message to someone else its not about you. Its about the reciever. I agree with MAJ Corrales.

Anyway, this is off the subject. can we get back on topic please?

[heliodoc]

EMA's, military discipline,yadayada YMMV,

This thread couldn't stay on track if it was on a Lionel train track

By the way,  CAP is still NOT an EMA!!!

[flyguy06]

EMA's, military discipline,yadayada YMMV,

This thread couldn't stay on track if it was on a Lionel train track

By the way,  CAP is still NOT an EMA!!!

LOL. I know its not.

[SarDragon]

RTFM = Read The Furnished Material   

[flyguy06]

lol. ok

[Major Carrales]

GIDKTWTW; we were TATST? It is NVC and IGCOT. 

(Trans...Gee, I did not know that worked that way...; we were...talking about the same thing?  It is...not very clear...and...I got confused on that.")

[jpizzo127]

I'm not certain this thread has progressed to where you intended, but here's my 2 cents.

When I joined my squadron, a senior squadron, I might add, there were 15 active members and no one wore a uniform to the meeting. Why? Because the commander did not wear one, nor did he stress the importance of C&C.

When he moved on and I became deputy commander, the new commander and I put a luke warm effort into making the squadron more concious of C&C and uniform wear. Now, being a senior squadron, we were all about ES and ES only. And the squadron grew.

Today, 5 years after I joined CAP, I am the commander of the only senior squadron on Long Island. There are 6 Cadet squadrons here.

Uniform wear at the squadron is mandatory. (Though we allow Golf shirts because it is a uniform). Customs and Courtesis is the norm. The use of rank, followed by last name, though still cumbersome is generally accepted. Yet, we are still an ES squadron only. We train Cadets in ES but have no exposure to any other parts of the Cadet program.

And the squadron has grown to 42 members, of which about 35 are active.  Morale is good. We really just need a real mission to put it all together. Since 121.6 got shut down, we've had not a single ELT mission.

The requirement of a uniform and C&C was well received. Even the old timers liked it.

As for CAP as a whole, I see it completely different from you. I see my area of CAP being all about Cadet O-Flights, and Drill, etc. and not focusing so  much on ES. Why is that? Well, we're on Long Island. It's tough to lose an airplane out here. The County PD's have their own air assets and the Volunteer FDs are better equipted than some small countries. I dont think CAP plays as large of an ES role on Long Island
as it does elsewhere in the nation.
Read Volunteer Magazine. For every photo or article on ES, there are at least 4 on cadets. This gives me an indication that CAP is more interested in the Cadet side.

Your squadron is what you make it, as a commander and a member.

[flyguy06]

Very good points. Your Squadron is unique to what I have experienced.

[jpizzo127]

Like I said, a squadron is what the members make it.

If my members want a more military style enviornment (And the did) we provided that for them.

Now, when new candidates come to a meeting, if they are turned off by that type of enviorment, they simply dont join. And the ones that like it, do join so we attrach more of ourselves.

[flyguy06]

This goes beyond the Squadron. In my original post I said I was referring to  people at a RSC so I am talking about folks from around the Region and I dont wanna give you a bad impression of my region either. isaw it at National activities as well.

[NC Hokie]

I'm starting to believe that there are two distinct CAPs.  One is heavily invested in the cadet program, tries to fulfill all of our missions (ES, AE, CP), regards cadets as valuable members of the team, and takes the military aspects of the organization seriously.  This CAP consists of all three types of squadrons, with the senior squadrons actively supporting the CP with o-flights and ES training.

The other CAP almost exclusively consists of senior squadrons heavily involved in flight ops or other aspects of emergency services.  This CAP pays little more than lip service to the AE and CP missions, tends to discount the potential contribution of cadets, has little use for military customs and courtesies, and generally has nothing to do with uniforms other than the polo shirt.

Of these two CAPs, the second is very much like a traditional EMA.  Although I cannot support this with anything other than anecdotal evidence, I strongly believe that the senior leadership of CAP is drawn from this side of the house, which explains the original poster's perception that CAP is becoming yet another EMA.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I'm starting to believe that there are two distinct CAPs.  One is heavily invested in the cadet program, tries to fulfill all of our missions (ES, AE, CP), regards cadets as valuable members of the team, and takes the military aspects of the organization seriously.  This CAP consists of all three types of squadrons, with the senior squadrons actively supporting the CP with o-flights and ES training.

The other CAP almost exclusively consists of senior squadrons heavily involved in flight ops or other aspects of emergency services.  This CAP pays little more than lip service to the AE and CP missions, tends to discount the potential contribution of cadets, has little use for military customs and courtesies, and generally has nothing to do with uniforms other than the polo shirt.

Of these two CAPs, the second is very much like a traditional EMA.  Although I cannot support this with anything other than anecdotal evidence, I strongly believe that the senior leadership of CAP is drawn from this side of the house, which explains the original poster's perception that CAP is becoming yet another EMA.

I think you are right to a certain extent, at least regarding the kind of senior squadrons you mentioned in the second paragraph.  Many years ago when I changed squadrons resulting from a move, I went from a composite squadron that was very squared-away, both seniors and cadets, and everyone who could wore the AF type uniform (horrible berry boards and all) correctly, to a senior squadron.

This squadron did some good stuff operationally, but they also did a lot of non-mission flying, and they wanted absolutely nothing to do with cadets.

I was the only one who wore the blue uniform, and at least one person asked me why I bothered to do that, since it was "only Civil Air Patrol, not the Air Force."

Other than the CC, I didn't know the ranks of half the members, because they never used them and rarely wore uniforms, not even the white and greys.  There was the occasional golf shirt, and sometimes flight suits on missions, but usually "compliance" with uniform regs while flying meant wearing a CAP baseball cap.  Rarely did anyone advance in rank past 1st Lieutenant - no interest.

Now, not all senior squadrons are like that.  Some are really operational, with a lot of finds to their credit, and when the occasion calls for it, they wear the uniform (of whatever style) correctly.

I'm in a cadet squadron, and these kids are so good with uniform wear and C/C's that it makes me watch myself more closely, which is a good thing.

[flyguy06]

I'm starting to believe that there are two distinct CAPs.  One is heavily invested in the cadet program, tries to fulfill all of our missions (ES, AE, CP), regards cadets as valuable members of the team, and takes the military aspects of the organization seriously.  This CAP consists of all three types of squadrons, with the senior squadrons actively supporting the CP with o-flights and ES training.

The other CAP almost exclusively consists of senior squadrons heavily involved in flight ops or other aspects of emergency services.  This CAP pays little more than lip service to the AE and CP missions, tends to discount the potential contribution of cadets, has little use for military customs and courtesies, and generally has nothing to do with uniforms other than the polo shirt.

Of these two CAPs, the second is very much like a traditional EMA.  Although I cannot support this with anything other than anecdotal evidence, I strongly believe that the senior leadership of CAP is drawn from this side of the house, which explains the original poster's perception that CAP is becoming yet another EMA.

FINALLY someone who understands what I have been saying all along. He probably just said it better than I could.