Reports

[BillB]

One of the big problems I see with the current CAP program is higher headquarters has no idea of the effectiveness of Squadrons. Using Public Affairs as an example, all Wing be be aware of is a couple of news releases sent to Wing newspapers or the Volunteer. Did the PAO have any other contact with the media? Did he/she make any presentations to civic or womans clubs or veterans organizations? Did the PAO assist in any recruiting-retention activity? Any news releases submitted and published locally? A bi-mointhly report to Wing filed electronically would answer this and show the strengths and weakness's of a Squadron Public Affairs program. The same type report for Recruiting and retention, cadet programs and other squadron duty assignments to Wing would allow Wing to recognize where a Squadron might need help from Wing. Not all squadron positions would need to do a bi-monthly report as some already are reporting or the information is available through other means.
Wing would consolidate the reports and submit to National.
Such a program would be labor intensive. Meaning those staff just filling a 20-1 slot might actually have to work. Also new assistants might be required at Wing to evaluate the reports. Cost to the Squadron, Wing and National would be zero since positions required would be volunteers.
The concept is not new, it was employed in CAP 20-30 years ago. Then it was a monthly report, this new concept would be bi-monthly to save the labor required and would provide the same information to higher headquarters.

[SunDog]

You'r kidding, right?

[fokkerfrenzy]

I feel like they are having some trouble keeping up with all the official correspondence as it is.  This would just be one more thing that gets shoved through and not really paid attention to, in my opinion.

I can't help but wonder if you're a PAO that feels undervalued and underappreciated?..

[BillB]

Fokkerfrenzy... As a matter of fact I have been a Wing and Region PAO, but currently am not in Public Affairs. I just used Public Affairs as an example.

[dwb]

I support the idea of having, say, quarterly conference calls for PAOs (for example) within the Wing. They can report on their successes and bounce ideas off of each other. I would couple that with a mailing list just for PAOs where they could correspond regularly.

Written reports are just a paperwork drill. The objective here (IMO) is to help staff officers do their jobs more effectively, and to help them learn from each other. Conference calls and mailing lists facilitate this without adding administrative burdens.

[FW]

Reports are necessary evils which must be completed to facilitate communications between levels.
Reports should be timely, truthful, and easy to make.
Reports should be read by requesters.
Reports should form the basis for a continuity book.
Reports should identify problem areas and best practices.
Higher level commanders should let directors analyze reports.
Directors should use the information in the reports to make recommendations to their commander
Commanders should make decisions based upon these reccomendations.
Commanders make a list of their decisions and report to their commander.
The National Commander reports to the BoG.
The BoG thanks the National Commander for the report, has lunch, gets coffee supplied by a certain LT COL, adjourns, and goes home. 

[Eclipse]

More unread reports will not help anyone.

[fokkerfrenzy]

Bill, I wasn't trying to be condescending, I apologize if it came across that way.  I was just curious if there was a personal reason behind the idea.

That said, I applaud your initiative, but the sad fact is is that things around here will only ever operate to the highest caliber of the least motivated individual involved.  I've found that it seems a lot more productive to try and create positive change locally, and within your scope of command.  I'm not saying don't ever be ambitious, just don't set yourself up for frustration and disappointment.

[Eclipse]

^ + 1

Also...

Such a program would be labor intensive. Meaning those staff just filling a 20-1 slot might actually have to work.

Any program which requires someone else to do "work" is doomed from the start.

If you want something to happen, you have to do it yourself.

In CAP, everything begins and ends at the unit-level.  Recruiting, training, mission execution, everything.
Anything outside that sphere is background noise, overhead, or a necessary evil of a large organization.

When directed by higher HQ, do what is expected and then continue on your own course.
When not directed, chart you course and stay on it.

Since CAP tends towards zero strategic or management directives, and I say this not necessarily as a positive,
self-initiation and self-actualization are not only the norm, they are the unwritten expectation.

Sending up-channel reports to people not really interested anyway opens the door to "opinions" without
any actual directive or plan to back up those opinions.

[JeffDG]

Such a program would be labor intensive. Meaning those staff just filling a 20-1 slot might actually have to work.

Let's consider for a second that PA is a mandatory slot that must be filled.  It cannot be left empty by a commander.

[BillB]

JeffDG You are correct. However quite often, and I know you have seen this, the Commander puts someone in a slot just because it is manditory. Often the person selected in a brand new member to fill the slot and there only to get his/her six months in for promotion. Since they are new they are inexperienced and not sure what to do. They read the CAPP on their duty and since we're using PA as the example, they produce news releases with little or no news value. An example, in your Wing you had a PAO that in every news release she did, she mentioned her daughters name, deserved or not. But at the same time she was effective since she did get news releases published in the local media.

[SunDog]

One of the big problems I see with the current CAP program is higher headquarters has no idea of the effectiveness of Squadrons. Using Public Affairs as an example, all Wing be be aware of is a couple of news releases sent to Wing newspapers or the Volunteer. Did the PAO have any other contact with the media? Did he/she make any presentations to civic or womans clubs or veterans organizations? Did the PAO assist in any recruiting-retention activity? Any news releases submitted and published locally? A bi-mointhly report to Wing filed electronically would answer this and show the strengths and weakness's of a Squadron Public Affairs program. The same type report for Recruiting and retention, cadet programs and other squadron duty assignments to Wing would allow Wing to recognize where a Squadron might need help from Wing. Not all squadron positions would need to do a bi-monthly report as some already are reporting or the information is available through other means.
Wing would consolidate the reports and submit to National.
Such a program would be labor intensive. Meaning those staff just filling a 20-1 slot might actually have to work. Also new assistants might be required at Wing to evaluate the reports. Cost to the Squadron, Wing and National would be zero since positions required would be volunteers.
The concept is not new, it was employed in CAP 20-30 years ago. Then it was a monthly report, this new concept would be bi-monthly to save the labor required and would provide the same information to higher headquarters.

O.K., you weren't kidding. .  .

I think you might look at it this way; NHQ  has authority, for sure, but is more Mission Support, and not much Mission Execution. They don't manage unit activities, or initiatives, or aircraft, etc.  Sure, they decide if a airplane gets sold, etc., set some standards, requirements, and such.  But they aren't really opeartional.  All the work of mission delivery, and most of the operational decisions, are Wing and Sqdn efforts.

NHQ , like most "HQ" entities has an agenda that is kinda close, but not exactly, aligned with the "field" units. It isn't worth our time at Wing & Sqdn level to take our temperture every five minutes and report it to
NHQ.  They don't have the agility or tactical flexibility to act on real, or near-real, time info.  They can look at trends, over a longer term, maybe see where some more (or less) emphasis should be. They can use their authority to keep some order, and adherence to policy (perhaps) as well.  But feeding them reports, fast and furious? No value to Mission Execution.

They, NHQ, tend to be insular and somewhat inward focused. They already collect data at a level of granularity that serves PowerPoint well, but is of marginal use to the mission. Read the SUI questions, for example. Or look at eServices, or WMIRS.; those exist foremost to serve NHQ, and serve membership only as a by-product of feeding NHQ.  A bit harsh, but not that diffrent from most bureacracies.

Hit this before, many, many times, but here it is again. Wasting member's time hurts at multiple levels. If you can spare CAP ten hours a week, and we blow five of them on low/no value tasks. . .

[Eclipse]

JeffDG You are correct. However quite often, and I know you have seen this, the Commander puts someone in a slot just because it is manditory. Often the person selected in a brand new member to fill the slot and there only to get his/her six months in for promotion. Since they are new they are inexperienced and not sure what to do. They read the CAPP on their duty and since we're using PA as the example, they produce news releases with little or no news value. An example, in your Wing you had a PAO that in every news release she did, she mentioned her daughters name, deserved or not. But at the same time she was effective since she did get news releases published in the local media.

So?

[ZigZag911]

The answer to the problem posed here is not more reporting (CAP had that at one time, more burdensome than useful).

Frequent, open communications is more effective -- monthly conference calls between, for instance, wing DOS and group DOS to coordinate training and activities.

Of course, it becomes the responsibility of the local staff member to keep the unit commander in the loop.

[Private Investigator]

More unread reports will not help anyone.

I agree.

We had PAO reports monthly, quarterly and semi annually in the past. Most Commanders just checked off the box; Yea me, we are 100% for this reporting period.