Would you stay in CAP if there were no Emergency Services & Operations?

[desert rat]

How about it?  Would you stay in CAP if there were no ES function of the CAP?   Would helping cadets  be enough for you?


My answer is that I would stay because I enjoy seeing the youth learn and grow in a positive way.  For me CAP is all about the youth.

[carnold1836]

I would stay but I know many cadets that would not be here. They love the ES side of things. So with out ES, not only would there be less senior officers but fewer cadets as well.

[flyguy06]

I would stay but I know many cadets that would not be here. They love the ES side of things. So with out ES, not only would there be less senior officers but fewer cadets as well.
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I disagree with that statement. It all depends on wher eyou are. In my area, most youth join CAP because they want to learn to fly. Not too many of my cadets like going to the woods and eating MRE's. They love all things aviation though.

[Pylon]

No ES?  I'd still be in CAP, absolutely.

I'm in CAP now because I joined as a cadet.  I know firsthand the positive influences CAP can bring into a young person's life, and I don't think any number of years of volunteering for the organization would "pay that back."   I'm a Deputy Commander for Cadets now and I find it a very rewarding experience.

Can ES be rewarding, too?  Absolutely.  But taking one piece away from CAP, at least for this person, would not turn off still wanting to be a part of fueling CAP's great potential to serve others.

[RiverAux]

Unlikely.  I'm a former cadet myself and value the program but I doubt I would have rejoined as an adult if it was just the cadet program.  I really admire the adults working with the cadets as they are undoubtedly the hardest working seniors in CAP but I wouldn't be one of them.  If I were to join as a leader of a youth organization, I would probably have gone back to the Boy Scouts (less paperwork hassle than in CAP, even if you drop ES/Ops).   

[DNall]

I'd still be here too, BUT I don't think CAP would. I don't think what we do in CP & AE is worth enough budget to administer the program. If we upped our costs like osme other programs do there wouldn't be anything left. Likewise, ES alone isn't worth the cost it takes to run it. It takes all the parts combined to create something that's worthy of budget dollars.

[JohnKachenmeister]

What makes CAP a unique and rewarding experience is the Emergency Services mission.  Without it, we're just Boy Scouts with airplanes.

There is something that is deeply satisfying in watching cadets, who require a written pass to go to the bathroom during the week, develop into comptent field troops and leaders.  ES gives them a "Real World" mission to focus on, and enhances the leadership training.

I remember one time we had an actual SAR, and my cadet squadron was preparing to move to a mission base that was being set up about 30 miles away.  The cadets were being cadets, chatting and horsing around.  I told my cadet commander that I wanted an equipment and document check done within 30 minutes.  He (a C/Ssgt then) turned to the cadets and shouted:  "OK, people, this is an actual, quit screwing around... break out your 101 cards and stuff, and I'm checking your packs in 10 minutes.  Get your canteens filled now!"

Within 15 minutes, the ES qualified members were assembled with all their gear in formation, ready for inspection.  I could not help but be very proud of them.

Would I stay in?  Probably.  Would anybody else?  I don't know.

[captrncap]

I joined because of the cadet program. I would most definitely stay.

If ES was no longer part of CAP's missions, then I would like the cadet program to model its self a little more closely to other cadet programs especially more interaction between services (Army, Coast Guard, Navy).

[MIKE]

Yes, I did not join just to do ES.

[Lamh Dearg]

What makes CAP a unique and rewarding experience is the Emergency Services mission.  Without it, we're just Boy Scouts with airplanes.

Without the ES mission, there wouldn't be any airplanes....

[carnold1836]

What makes CAP a unique and rewarding experience is the Emergency Services mission.  Without it, we're just Boy Scouts with airplanes.

Without the ES mission, there wouldn't be any airplanes....

Not necessarily, we would just have a whole lot less.

[lordmonar]

With out the ES mission we might as well just convert over to the ACA (they still don't have an air component).

[A.Member]

Absolutely, I would stay in CAP.  For me, the main attraction of the organization were the cadet programs (our real bread and butter) and aerospace education.  The camaraderie/hanger flying that occurs among the officers is also a significant factor in sticking around. 

[A.Member]

What makes CAP a unique and rewarding experience is the Emergency Services mission.  Without it, we're just Boy Scouts with airplanes.

Without the ES mission, there wouldn't be any airplanes....

Not necessarily.  Why do we have gliders?  They don't serve an ES purpose.  We may not have as great a need for airplanes (and all their equipment) but they would still be around. 

[Chris Jacobs]

I would stay.  but i think the cadet program would need a big boost.  there would need to be more opportunities for cadets to get out into the real world and put their skills to use.  i think some squadrons do a good job of this, but others are really lacking in challenging leadership activities.  AE would also have to become more diverse.

[DNall]

What makes CAP a unique and rewarding experience is the Emergency Services mission.  Without it, we're just Boy Scouts with airplanes.

Without the ES mission, there wouldn't be any airplanes....

Got a whole lot of tow planes that aren't configured for ES missions at all, and of course gliders. Anyone ever flown a grid in a glider?  There'd be some, clearly a lot less.

[RiverAux]

Yes, but how many of those gliders are there?  I don't think there is one within 750-1000 miles of me, so I'm not sure they are a good counter-argument.

I very seriously doubt there would be any corporate-owned aircraft if we only did cadet programs.  Most likely we would use EAA to do o-rides or use member-owned aircraft. 

[A.Member]

Yes, but how many of those gliders are there?  I don't think there is one within 750-1000 miles of me, so I'm not sure they are a good counter-argument.

We've got several.  What's more is there are far fewer glider pilots than there are powered pilots.  Yet, the program endures with a decent amount of interest. 

[Chris Jacobs]

There is a glider in Oregon and almost every cadet gets a chance to fly in it if they want to.

[SAR-EMT1]

I would stay. However- not a single cadet in my unit would  So..Im not sure what Id be doing...  twiddling my thumbs perhaps.