Main Menu

Specialty Tracks & Cadets

Started by ThadeusOfNazereth, July 27, 2018, 11:59:37 AM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ThadeusOfNazereth

What specialty tracks can be completed by cadets? I understand that the Historian specialty track can be completed and the badge earned, but not all of the guides make it clear as to whether or not cadets can earn them. Can any other tracks be completed by cadets?

Eclipse

Quote from: ThadeusOfNazereth on July 27, 2018, 11:59:37 AM
What specialty tracks can be completed by cadets?

None.   Specialty qualifications are for senior members only.

Quote from: ThadeusOfNazereth on July 27, 2018, 11:59:37 AM
I understand that the Historian specialty track can be completed and the badge earned, but not all of the guides make it clear as to whether or not cadets can earn them. Can any other tracks be completed by cadets?

Cadets do not complete the track(s).  In some cases they can earn the respective badge by performing the same tasks
as a senior member, but they do not complete the the track, and if they transition to senior member they must
remove the badge and re-accomplish the tasks to complete the rating and progress in the Professional Development.

https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Understanding_Specialty_Training_Tr_6E8F4E2C0071A.pdf


"That Others May Zoom"

68w20

I'm going to bite on this, because I've had the question for a while and never asked it.

Why do we offer this to Cadets?  Why specifically do we do it in a way that requires that they re-do all the work for it if they choose to transition to Senior Member?  I'm asking out of legitimate ignorance of how and when we started doing this.  I don't mean to question it in a way that suggests that we shouldn't offer Cadets opportunities to develop a broader understanding of our missions.  I'm more so wondering why we seem to offer it as an extracurricular activity on top of the Cadet Program.

It seems like this would be a great thing for a Cadet to pursue who had "done it all" and was looking for new and exciting things to shoot for.  That being said, I was a "fairly engaged™" Cadet (Earhart, several encampments, NCSAs, IACE, COS, etc), and I never found myself sitting around looking for more things to do. 

Eclipse

Quote from: 68w20 on July 27, 2018, 01:09:43 PM
I'm going to bite on this, because I've had the question for a while and never asked it.

Why do we offer this to Cadets?  Why specifically do we do it in a way that requires that they re-do all the work for it if they choose to transition to Senior Member?  I'm asking out of legitimate ignorance of how and when we started doing this.  I don't mean to question it in a way that suggests that we shouldn't offer Cadets opportunities to develop a broader understanding of our missions.  I'm more so wondering why we seem to offer it as an extracurricular activity on top of the Cadet Program.

It seems like this would be a great thing for a Cadet to pursue who had "done it all" and was looking for new and exciting things to shoot for.  That being said, I was a "fairly engaged™" Cadet (Earhart, several encampments, NCSAs, IACE, COS, etc), and I never found myself sitting around looking for more things to do.

Agreed.

This was likely a compromise aimed at retention and members like badges.

As you say, it gives cadets something else to be interested in when the have reached certain levels
in their cadet progression.

While technically any cadet can work towards them, I've always envisioned them as situations
mainly for older Phase III & IV  cadets who are getting bored.

When I see A1C's doing this, to me that points to deficiencies in the unit, either under manned, or not
giving the cadets the activities and challenges they should be.

Active / progressing cadets have plenty to do without counting radios and planning exercises, and the ones who start
reading the regs looking for what "weird" badges they can earn, have become bored with the CP per se.

"That Others May Zoom"

Ozzy

Quote from: 68w20 on July 27, 2018, 01:09:43 PM
I'm going to bite on this, because I've had the question for a while and never asked it.

Why do we offer this to Cadets?  Why specifically do we do it in a way that requires that they re-do all the work for it if they choose to transition to Senior Member?  I'm asking out of legitimate ignorance of how and when we started doing this.  I don't mean to question it in a way that suggests that we shouldn't offer Cadets opportunities to develop a broader understanding of our missions.  I'm more so wondering why we seem to offer it as an extracurricular activity on top of the Cadet Program.

It seems like this would be a great thing for a Cadet to pursue who had "done it all" and was looking for new and exciting things to shoot for.  That being said, I was a "fairly engaged™" Cadet (Earhart, several encampments, NCSAs, IACE, COS, etc), and I never found myself sitting around looking for more things to do.

It's mainly historical on why cadets can still earn and wear some of the specialty badges. This is because before the "modern" (2004) revamp of the ES qualifications, there wasn't a badge or way to show those that went beyond the (at the time) Ground Team Member qualification. The same with the communications badge. The Historian Specialty track is fairly new and doesn't have the "history" behind granting cadets the badge but national felt the need to allow cadets that want to do it to be able to earn it.
Ozyilmaz, MSgt, CAP
C/Lt. Colonel (Ret.)
NYWG Encampment 07, 08, 09, 10, 17
CTWG Encampment 09, 11, 16
NER Cadet Leadership School 10
GAWG Encampment 18, 19
FLWG Winter Encampment 19

w7sar

To clarify....
At least for the communications specialty track/badge, when a cadet transitions they do NOT have to remove the badge and do NOT have to re-do all the tasks.  They may continue to wear the badge and must only complete the items that (now as a senior) are required because they are in the senior professional development track.


The CAPR 100-1:
4.7. Cadet Eligibility for Communicator Badge/Patch. Cadets are encouraged to pursue each level of the communicator badges. To do so, cadets must meet all the training requirements listed in the appropriate section of CAPP 214 with the exception of the portions specifically intended for the senior member training program. If a cadet authorized to wear a communications badge or patch subsequently transfers to Senior Member status, badges/patches earned as a cadet may continue to be worn for up to 4 years; however, remaining requirements of CAPP 214 must be completed at each level in order to qualify as holding the actual Technician, Senior, or Master levels of the specialty track. See CAPP 214 for the approval process for cadets.
Jerry Wellman, Col., CAP
NHQ CAP Assistant Senior Program Manager
Command & Control Communications
jwellman@cap.gov
(C) 801.541.3741
U.S. Air Force Auxiliary

darkmatter

The emergency services badge works the same way as the communications, cadets complete all the non senior member tasks they get the badge then when they become a senior the complete the senior member sections and done