Are you a Policy Maker?

[RayHayden]

Just a couple of questions in general,

1) I was wondering how many readers of this board have held positions in CAP at the Wing Level or above?

2) What Position(s) had those been?

3) In that / those positions, had you been responsible for conducting CAP Business that changed / effected policy of the Wing (or higher)?

4) Did those changes (if any) make the process for members to participate easier?

As a general example, answers might look like this:

1) Wing and Region
2) Director of Professional Development
3) Yes, radically reduced paperwork and processing speeds for members to apply for and participate in both CAP - "residential" courses, AFIADL Courses and radically reduced the "spool up" time required to host SLS, CLC and UCC programs.
4) Yes, savings in time, effort and massive reduction in confusion previously encountered when attempting to process paperwork in the past.

Best wishes for much success, always.

Ray Hayden, LtCol, CAP

[RayHayden]

bump

[DNall]

No one's going to answer this. People in such positions don't want to advertise it & get bombarded by emails from people trying to back door policy. They want to quietly observe & take what they will from it. When you here about it is when you end up talking to them in person at events & conversations from here come up.

[RayHayden]

No one's going to answer this.

That is an excellent point.

I honestly forgot about the "fear" factor - real or imagined about anyone actually identifying themselves and opening themselves up to the "powers that be" to take vengeance against them, yet...

It strikes me funny that for such a wide open and vocal group of folks, that no one would appear to have the courage to answer up to such questions - see, I was simply trying to gauge the group in general...

But it opens it up to another point that I will post as a separate topic here on the board, but for here...

You (anyone that reads this board) would think that the entire CAP membership would be well aware of the situations that are being looked at... keeping that in mind... the title of the next thread will be:

Who knows what's happening?

Ray

[DNall]

Fear factor? That would effect the rest of us hiding from policy makers, not policy makers hiding form us. It's counter productive to this place to answer this question.

If I were a policy maker I'd be here quietly seeing what the field has to say so I can stay connected to the field & do what's best for the org & AF. I wouldn't be advertising with a big neon side that encourages people to email me policy proposals rather than going thru their chain of command.

Just for a snap shot, I personally know a couple National officers on here, & my direct bosses at Gp/Wg/Reg are all here too, and a lot of other people I know too.

What's the point though, that's not what this place is about.

[RayHayden]

Then what IS this place about, if not to inform and educate CAP members?

[Major_Chuck]

Well, I don't really mind answering the question and if anyone has a question of me I would be more than willing to provide an answer.

Wing Level:  Supply Officer, Director of Logistics, Director of Professional Development

Region Level:  Region Safety Officer, Assistant Safety Officer, Director of Personnel and Administration.

I am currently not in any of these positions at my choosing right now due to the ever present 'burn out' from attempting to do it all.

When CAP become more an aggrevation and headache it is time to step back and re-evaluate what is going on.  Not saying I'm leaving, just putting my priorities of family and career back into line.

[Stonewall]

Redacted

[DNall]

Then what IS this place about, if not to inform and educate CAP members?

To an extent that is the purpose, and a few other things, but it is a hanger rules environment where grade & position are disregarded - that is to say taken into account to understand someone's background/knowledge/experience, but completely out of bounds with regard to there being a recognition of the chain of command. For us to have useful conversations here (ie not be scilenced by any part of the "fear factor" you mention), everyone is viewed as equal. That wouldn't be the case if some random user name popped up on here & announced they were the XYWG/CC or COS or Region this or that. Some if it comes out in conversation for the purposes I stated, but this is here to foster open discussion within the bounds of mutual respect & watching what you say for the good of the organization in general. You understand what I'm saying? That and I doubt anyone's very interested in bragging too much.

The couple people that posted, you can see they are former echelon level staff members, and not current command element folks.

[Major Carrales]

Not quite so... I recall a certain CMSgt of the Civil Air Patrol that posted on here and was lambasted and questioned in a disrespectful manner.

Honestly, if someone came on here claiming to be a "WING KING," REGION "VICEROY "or any other of these terms of  endearment...how would we know they were really who they say they are?

This is a place for some communication, lots of knowledge exchange and maybe influence CAP via all the people here across all regions.

Dennis has helped me out in many ways with both info, debate or actually sending me things I need.

Much like the other above post...I think Squadron and Group are where it is at.  Wing can sometimes be precarious.  Sometimes we develop "politics" and things not out of place in the Court of Kings of the past. 

I have no taste for that.

[Major_Chuck]

From my experience and talking with others that have served on various staff and command levels you will find you have the greatest direct impact at the squadron level.

If you are one who likes to direct and implement programs and policies then Wing Level is where it is at.  This is also an excellent position to be in to interact with your entire Wing membership.

At Region level you tend to find yourself really isolated from the real world of CAP.  Your interaction is more with a limited number of counterparts on the Wing Staff and an even smaller cadre of people on the National Level.

I found myself really missing the squadron and wing level experience.  I don't regret my service and experiences at the higher levels of rarified air but am much happier being a smaller level peon.

[flipper]

Some squadrons are huge too. Some cadet units are so busy doing things all the time, that makes sense...

[RogueLeader]

I think it all depends on how active your unit is, as well as size.  Look at Iowa and there are no groups.  Our wing is the size, both membership and geographically, the same as one of Texas's groups.

[flipper]

I never realized that wings larger than perhaps Delaware would not have groups... well, maybe a few small states, but not like Iowa...

Groups are good, but it seems that Wing makes most of the rules... some of them, he rules, seem to add more steps to the process, and sometimes the rules are hard to find... unless the unit has a book of all the extra procedures...

[CadetProgramGuy]

Fear or no Fear, I just don't want to be associated with you.  Not until all of your allegiations are cleared up.  Nothing personal.

[AlphaSigOU]

Policy maker, moi? I'm just a card-carrying member (and soon to be retired from) the CAP Lieutenant's Protective Association (CAP-LPA).

[CadetProgramGuy]

Policy maker, moi? I'm just a card-carrying member (and soon to be retired from) the CAP Lieutenant's Protective Association (CAP-LPA).

I am curious, not by the retiring comment, but you were a mitchell cadet in 1981, and it is now 2007.  For the better part of 27 years you never choose to try to get promoted?   Can I ask Why?

[AlphaSigOU]

Policy maker, moi? I'm just a card-carrying member (and soon to be retired from) the CAP Lieutenant's Protective Association (CAP-LPA).

I am curious, not by the retiring comment, but you were a mitchell cadet in 1981, and it is now 2007.  For the better part of 27 years you never choose to try to get promoted?   Can I ask Why?

For the simple reason that I was out of CAP between 1988 and 2005. I was a cadet from 1977 to 1984 (topping out at C/Maj) and a senior member TFO and 1st Lt from 1985-1988 before I let my membership lapse. Came back to CAP with my grade reinstated in late 2005, but the TIG clock restarted. Already have Level II and III completed.

[CadetProgramGuy]

I stand corrected.  Thanks for coming back!!

[AlphaSigOU]

I stand corrected.  Thanks for coming back!!

No problem at all.  Had I stayed on and survived through the maroon epaulet fiasco of the 1990s among other things, I woulda been a Lt Col and probably finished Level V.