Pipeline Recruiting

[RogueLeader]

One of the biggest problems that we were having was that I could not get cadets to test.  It got to the point that I said, and meant:

If you do not test at home, you WILL test here next week.

That did not really produce much in the way of results.  However, my new CDC has since started emailing everybody when someone passes a test.  Testing has shot up incredibly.

I also had a Yeager completion rate about 50%.  So I have gone and emailed all of my Seniors and mentioned all those that have completed the Yeager Award since I took command 13 months ago.  I also mention those that have not yet completed it yet.  That has also netted a few more completions.  I am currently at 69% completion with a couple more studying for it.

My staff and I are working on getting a pipelining system set up.  I'm not sure if we are ready for doing it only twice a year, but I am certain that I can not keep the trickle in method any longer.  It has been too much of a drain on me and my staff.

[RiverAux]

That is using some good psychology right there....people are more likely to do something if they get the idea that a lot of people are doing it.  Emphasizing those that got the Yeager is going to get better results than whining about how few people have it. 

[Eclipse]

I recently visited a unit where a cadet has not promoted for nearly 2-1/2 years, yet routinely assumes a
defacto "leadership" role in the unit despite not having any current duty assignment.

We can debate all day whether 6 months is appropriate to consider disciplinary action, but I think we
would all agree 2-1/2 years is excessive.

What kind of example is this setting for the rest of the cadets?

Hint: It's what I refer to as the "Leadership Corps Mentality" - in the BSA you have to get to a certain
level to become part of the "Leadership Corps", that allows you to hang with the adults, eat steak when
the Scouts are struggling to make hot dogs, and essentially walk around like "somebody" while not really
doing much of anything of value.  I must confess it was the approach I took, to my ultimate detriment.

Cadets need guidance and a more then occasional push.  What seems like a good idea today winds
up becoming a lifelong disappointment at wasted potential.

[a2capt]

I recently visited a unit where a cadet has not promoted for nearly 2-1/2 years, yet routinely assumes a defacto "leadership" role in the unit despite not having any current duty assignment.

[Garibaldi]

I recently visited a unit where a cadet has not promoted for nearly 2-1/2 years, yet routinely assumes a defacto "leadership" role in the unit despite not having any current duty assignment.

Ow. My brain.

[NIN]

Aaron makes a good point about testing. When we would have testing at the meeting, before online testing, we would announce those individuals who passed their test at commanders time. Before commanders time my DCC would have had a conversation with the cadets who did not pass.

We found that it was a more encouraging atmosphere for cadets to test when we publicly recognize that people did pass their test.

Since the advent of online testing, I am seeing less and less cadets who seem to no that they need to test, and more cadets who need to be reminded or pushed.

Perhaps I don't have the visibility into the testing system in my current duty assignment, but I do know that we monitored our cadet's progress and attempts with our testing log, and it was obvious when a cadet was struggling with a test. We could then get him or her some help.

[Walkman]

Perhaps I don't have the visibility into the testing system in my current duty assignment, but I do know that we monitored our cadet's progress and attempts with our testing log, and it was obvious when a cadet was struggling with a test. We could then get him or her some help.

I get an email from eServices everytime a cadert tests with the pass/fail and the score. I like having the score in there as I can see the scores improve. I asked my Great Start element leaders to make sure they work on studying and testing skills with our new cadets.

I hadn't thought of a testing log, but since I have the emails with the results, I could easily build one for myself and the CDC to use.

[Eclipse]

Heh - "Cadert"

[Walkman]

Heh - "Cadert"

Lol! I guess I forgot to turn my spell-check extenion back on. 

[NIN]

Yeah I think my deputy commander for cadets has visibility into the testing system, but I don't as the leadership officer.

I have not honestly delved that deeply into it. The testing officer and her have handled most of it.
However, when we were paper testing, having the testing log right there, when a cadet came to take a test, we would see how many times they attempted it previously and any follow up information that we needed. It was up to the testing officer to notify the deputy commander for cadets, the leadership officer or the aerospace officer when a cadet had taken a test more than twice and not passed. In that way, we could bring to bear the resources of the leadership and aerospace sections to get the cadet some additional tutoring.

Just a couple weeks ago, I had a cadet take his Wright Brothers. It was his third time, and because the use of the testing log has fallen by the wayside due to online testing, we did not catch the fact that he had taken this test that many times.  It turns out he was using the old books, but testing on the new tests. He had been an intermittent cadet and had recently gotten back active.  Someone at some point assumed that we had no more junior enlisted cadets on the old book, and had the test destroyed during annual or semi annual inventory. Oops! He literally came into us and said "I think I am studying from the wrong book."

[Eclipse]

I think if it's ever my problem again, "testing status" will be a topic of conversation at every meeting.

[NIN]

I think if it's ever my problem again, "testing status" will be a topic of conversation at every meeting.

I recently jimmied up a report in Access that rank-ordered my cadets by "days since last promotion."

Everybody between 180 and 270 days gets a quick touch-up verbally. Sort of on the nature of " hey, been awhile since you were last promoted. Any reason why you have not been moving forward?"

Anybody on the 270 days and up list gets a sit down with a written counseling. "Let's put together an action plan to get you promoted."

Generally, the verbal talk gets things moving. If not, we can say that we discuss things in the 180 to 270 window, and the written counseling is the start of the documentation for non progression.

Have we started terminating people for non progression? No. What, they need a wake up call sometime, and I need to be reminded that someone is paying attention and that progression is part of the program. Things don't end at cadet chief master sergeant.