Basic Cadet Training

[stratoflyer]

Well, the day has come...

Myself and another officer have been tasked to begin a new cadet squadron. I did some preliminary recruiting targeting specific candidates and the response has been a lot better than I thought. I have about 30 names for possible recruits.

With those many, I was thinking about following the cadet great start curriculum, in particular the cadet basic training weekend. The thing is, do I need to have these potential recruits signed up with membership id's in hand for them to be able to attend the BCT weekend? If so, what could I do to keep their interest alive until then?

I was thinking about having an open house meeting with some activities planned out, with handing out applications and stuff. Any suggestions?

[DC]

Yes, it would be prudent for them to be card carrying, and preferably uniformed, cadets before holding an activity beyond squadron meetings.

We have a standard intake process for cadets. They come to the first meeting (an open house is an excellent idea, but make sure you can pull it off well.) and get interested. We make them come to a total of three meetings before we give them membership paperwork, just to make sure they are truely interested. At that point they get their paperwork and can join. In the mean time we hold a meeting with the parents of all of the cadets. We brief them on some of the opportunities available to cadets, and get the fee for our BCT ($21, for food, Cadet Handbooks, gas for the generator, etc) and have them place orders for BDUs and uniform accessories. We also around this time send in the orders for FCU blues to National. Starting that same week the our BCT Cadet Cadre begin teaching the cadets the basics of customs and courtesies, drill, and general knowledge. After four weeks we hold our BCT bivouac, where we accomplish most of the training, as well as administer the CPFT, Curry Test, hold the required Moral Leadership class, and all other requirements for the Curry. After that weekend we focus on polishing the skills learned, and getting the cadets into blues. We do our best to provide them with used uniforms, since AAFES takes their sweet time getting the FCUs shipped. This final phase takes several weeks, usually dependent on uniforms. We try to keep it to no longer than four weeks.

I have heard mixed reviews on the Great Start program, but mostly negative.. With the program I designed the cadets start off with the basics, but they are still being pushed, and are kept interested. waiting four weeks gives us enough time to work out the logistics for the bivouac.

The biggest thing I can say is to make sure you have a solid plan before you begin, and work with the parents from early on. It is a lot easier when they know what is going on. We also pretty much handle the process of ordering uniforms for them, that way we can ensure that everyone has the correct uniform on time. We have a little order form that we give to the parents, they mark what they want, give us a check, and we order it for them.

[stratoflyer]

So if you do basic stuff during the first 3 meetings, what exactly do you do then if most achievement 1 training is done during the BCT bivouac? We were thinking of having 2 full days, but the cadets go home that night in between. How do you guys do this?

You mentioned used uniforms, how do you guys get those? Are you talking blues or BDU's? I been looking online for stuff like this.

How do parents respond with regular dues, uniform costs, and on top BCT training costs?

Did I mention this is for a brand new squadron without a cadet cadre? This is our first batch of recruits.

[DC]

So if you do basic stuff during the first 3 meetings, what exactly do you do then if most achievement 1 training is done during the BCT bivouac? We were thinking of having 2 full days, but the cadets go home that night in between. How do you guys do this?

You mentioned used uniforms, how do you guys get those? Are you talking blues or BDU's? I been looking online for stuff like this.

How do parents respond with regular dues, uniform costs, and on top BCT training costs?

Did I mention this is for a brand new squadron without a cadet cadre? This is our first batch of recruits.

A new cadet joining my squadron would follow this timeline:

Weeks 1 - 3: Observation. They watch the regular squadron, and decide if they really want to join CAP. This cuts down on the cadets that join, come for a few months, then quit. We give them their membership paperwork on the third meeting. Since you are starting fresh, you could not do this, at least initially.

They send their paperwork in, BCT starts.

BCT Weeks 1 - 4: Done during squadron meetings, the cadets are taught the basics of Drill, Customs and Courtesies, OPSEC, etc.

BCT Bivouac: As the title suggests, its a bivouac. The cadets show up on Friday night and go home Sunday afternoon, we sleep in tents. By having them there the whole time you avoid the problems of people coming late, and you can set your own schedule. If you wanted to you could get the cadets up a 0530 without having to listen to parents gripe about getting up early.

Used uniforms: We do our best to keep a stock of used Blues. You can do this by asking cadets to donate their uniforms as they grow out of them, as well as talk to you group and wing supply officers, a lot of times they can hook you up with uniforms. You can also talk to AFROTC and AFJROTC units and see if they are getting rid of stuff, we have gotten some uniforms out of this.

I have yet to have a parent complain about what they have to spend initially, which for us is $44 for dues, $21 for BCT, and probably in the neighborhood of $100 for BDUs and all of the tapes, patches, and other stuff needed. We can get BDUs through our DCC at wholesale prices, about half of what you can get them for at a surplus store. They are not milspec, but good enough for CAP...

Yes, you did mention this would be for a new unit. Are there any units nearby? (your old one?) You might see if you can interest a few high speed cadets in transfering to serve as the cadet staff for your new squadron, or at least TDY for a few months to train your cadets. Getting the cadets used to being led by other cadets is a good thing to get started ASAP, so it is less of a transition when you get a Cadet Staff started. I know of one squadron in particular that actually started as a flight working with another squadron, they gave them resourses to get going, and once they had enough momentum of their own they got their own charter.

[stratoflyer]

These are good ideas. Thanks.

Our squadron will be located quite far from any other units and we are starting completely from scratch. I already spoke to my old unit, and honestly, there's really no one there I would want anyway. I chewed out their cadet staff this weekend for lack of enthusiasm and bearing.

I've decided on the following:

Since most of our prospectives are already in JROTC, we will have an open-house meeting with parents and we will distribute applications and talk about uniforms and costs. In addition, we will have a basic  leadership activity and have an aerospace segment with flight-sims (combat and civil aviation). Parents will participate.

Second meeting, we will delve more into CAP instruction, collect any applications, have PT. Staff would start planning out our BCT bivouac.

Third week, we will have moral leadership, basics of AF drill and ceremonies and PT. By now, we should have more applications and some cadets with the main uniform components (we will want them to buy BDU's first for the bivouac).

Then we will have our bivouac that weekend. Testing will be done for achievement 1 at the bivouac.

Fourth week, we will have our group commander attend, possibly an Air Force TSgt, and have a graduation ceremony from BCT, and have cadets say the cadet oath together in formation in uniform as a sort of "swearing in" ceremony.

Then we will recruit more at another school, and so on and repeat the process with a new BCT class. While, the sharpest of the new cadets will assist with the new incoming class, they will continue on with regular weekly meetings, possibly o-rides on the 5th weekend. I've spoken to my group commander about this.

Please, please comment on my plan as I look for a very successful squadron. We are faced with several challenges including the fact that we are rather isolated here and starting completely from scratch, except for the fact that we will have some JROTC cadets joining. I'm largely planning this by myself as the other senior member is quiet busy in his professional life.

Fire away! 

[sarmed1]

Talk with your wing DCP, they my know of some "highspeed" cadets (based on staff from encampment) that may be close enough to not mind the drive or at least be able to help you staff/plan/run your BCT weekend.....

I would reccomend on holding off a little between "recruit" classes.  Take your squared away basics and get them up to speed to at least be first line leaders/mentors (since some are JROTC, they may be good people to groom early on) that way your next class sees some squared away cadets "running" the program when they show up to find out about CAP....

mk