Stay a Cadet vs. the Dark Side

[OMA]

For the current and former Flight Officers out there, if you could go back would you still transfer to SM status, or would you rather stay a cadet? I'm curious as to what you guys have experienced.

[almostspaatz]

My personal opinion: Stay a cadet and at least go for Mitchell

[Capt Thompson]

If you have time to make Mitchell or Earhart, stay a Cadet and go for it. Once you reach the point where you won't have TIG for any more achievements in the Cadet Program, transfer to Senior and start working on your Professional Development.

[Av8tion]

There are four MAIN types of flight officers:

1) Those who couldn't hack it as a cadet and decided to turn so they can boss cadets around (or so they think)
2) Those who joined between ages 18-20 and just missed being eligible for cadet membership.
3) Senior cadet officers who have been through the program, seen and done virtually everything they could and are looking for a new challenge (these are the best IMO)
4) 18-20 y/o cadets with 21 y/o boyfriends/girlfriends in CAP.

If you don't get your Mitchell, your cadet time is worthless in the eyes of employers and/or the military. Get your shiny metal circle and reassess the situation. You will find that there's an entire world of new possibilities open to cadet officers.

[Майор Хаткевич]

There are four MAIN types of flight officers:

1) Those who couldn't hack it as a cadet and decided to turn so they can boss cadets around (or so they think)
2) Those who joined between ages 189-20 and just missed being eligible for cadet membership.
3) Senior cadet officers who have been through the program, seen and done virtually everything they could and are looking for a new challenge (these are the best IMO)
4) 18-20 y/o cadets with 21 y/o boyfriends/girlfriends in CAP.

If you don't get your Mitchell, your cadet time is worthless in the eyes of employers and/or the military. Get your shiny metal circle and reassess the situation. You will find that there's an entire world of new possibilities open to cadet officers.

Agreed, and fix'd.

[Salty]

Stay a cadet until you exhaust all of your eligibility.

[Offutteer]

There are just too many opportunities open to you as a cadet to switch.  The opportunities for seniors will be there for the rest of your life.

Enjoy every minute as a cadet and take every opportunity you can. 


But there is a fifth type of senior member, cadets that enlist in active military.  With a normal PCS to places far away from home, some will mature and do well, others, well they are still trying to be a cadet.

[LSThiker]

For the current and former Flight Officers out there, if you could go back would you still transfer to SM status, or would you rather stay a cadet? I'm curious as to what you guys have experienced.

Are you thinking of moving from cadet to senior?  If so, what is your motivation (or thoughts) for transferring to senior member?  What would be your reasons to stay as a cadet?

Or are you simply curious?

[TexasBEAST]

There are just too many opportunities open to you as a cadet to switch.  The opportunities for seniors will be there for the rest of your life.

Enjoy every minute as a cadet and take every opportunity you can.

THIS! Carpe diem. Live like you were dying. Make the moment last. Squeeze every last drop of cadet-ness out of your membership that you possibly can, 'cause when it's over, it's really over. Treat it like a precious commodity and stretch it out for as long as you can. When you turn senior, you'll almost certainly miss those days when you could still call yourself a cadet. Don't hasten the darkness.

I honestly believe that it wasn't until I turned 18 that my SMs finally started treating me with a little respect, and not just like an uppity kid. I felt like I could finally be entrusted to practice a lot of the leadership/management theory that I had been taught through the CP up to that point. Don't squander those expanded opportunities that will come your way as an older, more mature, ranking cadet.

[THRAWN]

STAY A CADET AS LONG AS YOU CAN! I tripped on CAP shortly after I turned 19. When I decided to join, my parents said, "CAP? Oh, yeah, we've known about that for years...." Ugh. I was the kid in school that knew my ranks and rates before I knew my 9 times tables. One of the biggest regrets in my life is that I wasn't a CAP Cadet. Stay where you are. Squeeze every experience that you can out of it. Being a SM for 20 years has helped with my career, and if it hadn't been for those experiences, I probably would not be where I am today. I was a FO and it was a great learning experience before I had to put on hard rank. It was kind of like being a "temporary, probationary, and supernumerary third lieutenant". If only I had been a Cadet....

[almostspaatz]

There are just too many opportunities open to you as a cadet to switch.  The opportunities for seniors will be there for the rest of your life.

Couldn't agree more

If you don't get your Mitchell, your cadet time is worthless in the eyes of employers and/or the military. Get your shiny metal circle and reassess the situation. You will find that there's an entire world of new possibilities open to cadet officers.

At the OHWG Conference last year I spoke to the GLR DC of operations, he was an Eaker cadet and said his greatest regret was that he never attempted the Spaatz. If you have the chance to go for a milestone award(s) you should take it.

So many opportunities in the CP, enjoy your cadet career for as long as possible.

[Salty]

At the OHWG Conference last year I spoke to the GLR DC of operations, he was an Eaker cadet and said his greatest regret was that he never attempted the Spaatz. If you have the chance to go for a milestone award(s) you should take it.

So many opportunities in the CP, enjoy your cadet career for as long as possible.

I can empathize with that.  I completed Phase IV and took one unsuccessful shot at the Spaatz before I went active duty USAF.

[Storm Chaser]

I transferred to senior member status as a flight officer many years ago. I enjoyed being a senior member, but unlike many flight officers, I was able to progress and was given increased responsibilities early on. In fact, I was a group safety officer as a senior flight officer shortly before turning 21. That said, I recommend you complete your Mitchell Award since you're so close. The Cadet Programs offers many opportunities not available to senior members, so I recommend you take advantage of them while you can.

I wouldn't transfer to senior member status if you plan to continue working with Cadet Programs; it's more fun to be a cadet. But if you don't wish to continue working with Cadet Programs, or you don't like its military aspects such as drill and ceremonies, then becoming a senior member may be a viable option. This is especially true if you want to focus on operations and emergency services. Now, be aware that many of the ES restrictions placed on cadets who are 18 years or older are also placed on senior members who are 18 to 20.

There are pros and cons with either type of membership. You need to think about what it is you want to do in CAP and which type of membership will help accomplish that. The decision to change membership status is ultimately yours.

[Slim]

I transferred to senior member status as a flight officer many years ago. I enjoyed being a senior member, but unlike many flight officers, I was able to progress and was given increased responsibilities early on. In fact, I was a group safety officer as a senior flight officer shortly before turning 21. That said, I recommend you complete your Mitchell Award since you're so close. The Cadet Programs offers many opportunities not available to senior members, so I recommend you take advantage of them while you can.

I wouldn't transfer to senior member status if you plan to continue working with Cadet Programs; it's more fun to be a cadet. But if you don't wish to continue working with Cadet Programs, or you don't like its military aspects such as drill and ceremonies, then becoming a senior member may be a viable option. This is especially true if you want to focus on operations and emergency services. Now, be aware that many of the ES restrictions placed on cadets who are 18 years or older are also placed on senior members who are 18 to 20.

There are pros and cons with either type of membership. You need to think about what it is you want to do in CAP and which type of membership will help accomplish that. The decision to change membership status is ultimately yours.

I had similar experiences.  I turned at 18 because I just wasn't enjoying the cadet program anymore due to one particular experience about 4 months before I turned 18.  As a cadet, I was very active as a GTM (several non distress finds, lots of practice missions, a few DR call-outs, was on the first place ground team at Region SARComp one year), I just wanted to do something different.  I had taken the scanner and observer ground school courses as a cadet, and wanted to put them to use.  At the time, no cadets were allowed any aircrew positions.  So, I switched over, got in with a regular aircrew (same 4-5 guys always flew together as available), and started flying.  Knocked out scanner and observer in a couple of years. 

Also, my transfer to senior status came with a transfer to wing headquarters.  Within a few months at wing, I had accomplished a 100% inventory of all non-expendable property in the building (no small feat, there was stuff stashed everywhere) and was essentially the wing supply officer.  I won't say I entirely turned my back on cadet programs, but I definitely stepped away from it for a few years.

The two biggest hurdles I had to overcome were A) earning the respect of those cadets who were senior to me before I switched, and B) earning the respect of, and being taken seriously by the officers above me.  Took some time, but I was able to do both.

[OMA]

I was just wondering about everyone's experiences, and thanks everyone.