Member Retirement

SARDOC · January 18, 2012, 03:30:14 AM

We are a Volunteer Organization. There really are no Tangible benefits for retiring from Civil Air Patrol. Reading the new CAPR 35-1, Why do we require a member do Twenty Years to "Retire"? Why can't we offer the permanent recognition of Retirement after 10 or 12 years of service?

I would think that if we made the goal a little more attainable it might do more to improve our attrition rate. With our current Professional Development program you can top out in about 10 years...But if we have a Level V Lieutenant Colonel who may have had a multitude of assignments of benefit to our organization...and gets burned out he/she can't retire unless they do another 10 years? Comments welcome.

NIN · January 18, 2012, 04:16:41 AM

No tangible benefits? More closet space, less paperwork at tax time and your phone doesn't ring off the hook.

Retirement is not a goal in CAP. It, too, is a benefit: you can rejoin with no loss of prior "time served" unlike leaving at 15 years.

MIKE · January 18, 2012, 04:26:00 AM

No lifetime subscription to the Volunteer?

SARDOC · January 18, 2012, 04:28:58 AM

Quote from: NIN on January 18, 2012, 04:16:41 AM
No tangible benefits? More closet space, less paperwork at tax time and your phone doesn't ring off the hook.

Retirement is not a goal in CAP. It, too, is a benefit: you can rejoin with no loss of prior "time served" unlike leaving at 15 years.

It doesn't cost the organization any money to call you "Retired", that's what I meant by no tangible benefits.

No, it's not a goal for some people, it might be for others. Volunteers are motivated by a multitude of different criteria...everybody is different.

So it's only a benefit if you rejoin? What's the benefit? I think I'm missing it. I had an 18 year hiatus in CAP service, yet my previous time served still counts towards "retirement", so I'm missing your "Time Served" reference.

Why couldn't we recognize someone who did 10 years in lieu of 20?

SARDOC · January 18, 2012, 04:30:49 AM

Quote from: MIKE on January 18, 2012, 04:26:00 AM
No lifetime subscription to the Volunteer?

So it takes twenty years of service to keep you on the email list for the Electronic Copy? Why don't we keep ALL prior members getting the Electronic copy of the volunteer...might spark someone's interest in rejoining?

Eclipse · January 18, 2012, 04:54:35 AM

Since the volunteer is available online, that's a moot point.

I think 10 years is reasonable, and is likely a point of burnout / retention for many members, I know it was for
me. The option of taking a break at 10 years without the loss or hassle of re-upping everything would be a nice-to-have, but not exactly a retention motivator.

Patron membership is essentially the same thing, with the only difference being patrons have to write a check each year and retired members don't.

Spaceman3750 · January 18, 2012, 05:05:50 AM

Who said benefits have to be tangible? If I "retire" after 20 years, I get to remain a member (retired though I may be) of an organization I spent 20 years of my life on. If I leave at 19, I'm just another former member. Warm fuzzies count for something.

I do agree that maybe the number should be less though. 20 years is a heck of a long time to go in a volunteer org, especially one like CAP.

The CyBorg is destroyed · January 18, 2012, 07:18:16 AM

It just sounds nice...Lieutenant Colonel Joe Schmo, CAP (ret), plus you still are a member, of sorts.

It won't be terribly long before I'm eligible for "retirement"...whether or not I take it depends greatly on the way things are in this organisation by the time that comes around.

SarDragon · January 18, 2012, 08:46:09 AM

That's OK. I think I have 7 years until I get my free ride.

BillB · January 18, 2012, 12:21:44 PM

In the past according to the Regs at the time you could retire after 12 years.

niferous · January 18, 2012, 01:16:03 PM

I was told it works just like retirement from the military. As in after I retire from CAP I'll get 50% of my pay that I was getting prior to retirement.

Jokes on them though. I already did the math!

$0 x .50 = $0

That's 100% of what I get now! Suckkkkkkkeeeerrrrrrrrsssssssss!!!!!!

SARDOC · January 18, 2012, 01:38:52 PM

Quote from: BillB on January 18, 2012, 12:21:44 PM
In the past according to the Regs at the time you could retire after 12 years.

That's what I recall as well, I was wondering what precipitated the Change?

Eclipse · January 18, 2012, 03:16:24 PM

This is another of those places where trying to mirror the military model doesn't fit and should probably just be eliminated, at least in terms of
the terminology - perhaps "vested" or "tenured" would be more appropriate.

Say after 10 years a member's PD level and grade are "locked in", at least outside any adverse actions, etc. This would make more sense in
our paradigm that "retirement".

Pylon · January 18, 2012, 03:18:15 PM

Quote from: Eclipse on January 18, 2012, 03:16:24 PM
This is another of those places where trying to mirror the military model doesn't fit and should probably just be eliminated, at least in terms of
the terminology - perhaps "vested" or "tenured" would be more appropriate.

Say after 10 years a member's PD level and grade are "locked in", at least outside any adverse actions, etc. This would make more sense in
our paradigm that "retirement".

I actually like this idea, and it does make more sense in terms of what it gains for the members.

MIKE · January 18, 2012, 03:38:15 PM

IIRC, the CGAUX is 15 years for retirement.

SARDOC · January 18, 2012, 06:58:24 PM

Quote from: MIKE on January 18, 2012, 03:38:15 PM
IIRC, the CGAUX is 15 years for retirement.

That's okay. I've been part of a few Volunteer organizations that actually do have benefits associated with "retirement" Most have the retirement or life membership benchmark at 10-12 years.

The CyBorg is destroyed · January 18, 2012, 10:04:15 PM

Not many CAP members achieve this, but my first squadron commander finally retired because there was very little more for him to do in CAP.

He had been a squadron commander and a wing commander.

He had served on Region staff.

He had completed all five levels of PD.

He had been both a cadet and adult officer.

He had qualified as a Command Pilot.

I asked him "Sir, have you ever thought of being National CC?" He just looked at me and I knew that, no, the Colonel would not be interested!

ZigZag911 · January 19, 2012, 03:45:15 AM

Retirement once was available with 12 years CAP service; changed some time back, can't recall when or why.

Private Investigator · January 19, 2012, 12:31:02 PM

Quote from: ZigZag911 on January 19, 2012, 03:45:15 AM
Retirement once was available with 12 years CAP service; changed some time back, can't recall when or why.

I am guessing that change was 2000. People retired after 12 years and no what they are back next year and then retired again when they felt like it. So I am guessing they figure no one will unretire after 20 years.

BTW, the retirement certificate is really impressive IMHO. :clap:

Private Investigator · January 19, 2012, 12:34:42 PM

Quote from: CyBorg on January 18, 2012, 10:04:15 PM
Not many CAP members achieve this, but my first squadron commander finally retired because there was very little more for him to do in CAP.

He got tired of flying? Because I know people who have much more impressive resumes who are still doing the routine CAP day to day stuff. Or is it just not fun anymore for him?