Cadet Life

[IceNine]

I put term limits on all cadet staff positions from C/CC down.  This forced leadership opportunity and prevented stagnation of ideas.

I don't have the guide anymore but the general outline was no more than 1 year for anything, special assignments or additional duties (ex. Color Guard Commander) were 6 month billets.

This may not seem very long but in the fast pace and short timeline for most cadets anything more than a year and you risk every cadets advancement potential.   Keep in mind that most cadet careers have a shelf life of 4-6 years beyond that you are competing with college and other real life situations.

Make sure that you keep the training and activities engaging and entertaining.

Assign duties, set expectations properly, provide equivalent authority for the responsibility, follow up in a timely fashion.

Praise in public, criticize in private.

[flyguy06]

Spike, et al, I would seriously talk to my legal officer before I stuck my credentials on the line by transferring a senior member to Patron status.  I don't think that is in the reg's and is not something to be used for punishment or even legally possible unless the senior member agrees to it.  Overstepping one's authority is not a good or honorable situation.

Actually, it is in my power as Squadron Commander.  I gave the member a choice, transfer out to patron status, or I will end his CAP career.  Disrespect toward the Commander and swearing in front of Cadets is grounds for dismissal.  I did talk with my Commander before doing anything on this scale.  In fact, his file is flagged at National, he can not move out of Patron status or rejoin a new Squadron for 4 years.  It was not a knee jerk decision, on my part.  I should have been more clear, but I did not want to write a whole page on this guys actions leading up to what I did.

I did not overstep my authority, and never would.  This was an example to my Cadets that respect is important.

You barred a gyuy from rejoing as a regular member? WOW. I dont think i have ever seen that before. You guys are serious.

[Spike]

^ No, National HQ did that, we only suggested it and backed it up with documentation.

ALWAYS have documentation to back up every negative personnel action, if you don't it may come to bite you in the bum!

[Gunner C]

 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[jimmydeanno]

I've been a DCC twice, coming into two failing cadet programs.

The first was in VAWG.  I went to the squadron hoping to find an active, vibrant unit with a record of success.  Sure, they had the "history of success" but they certainly were not there then. There were only 3 cadets showing up to meetings, 1 senior.  I had been married for a few months and had just turned 21, so I was no longer allowed to be a cadet.  It was the start of my CAP Senior membership.

At first, the two seniors weren't too happy to have my wife and I there when we were asking about joining the unit.  To this day, I have no idea why.  I started as a leadership officer as a 1st Lt.  About two weeks later, the group commander called my wife and I to meet him for dinner.

He asked us to take over the unit.  I became the DCC.  The first thing we did was a huge recruiting effort.  It yielded us 80 cadets over the first year.  Which was great.  But the issue was the existing cadets (the 2-3 that were still around).  They had severe attitude problems, refused to listen to what we were telling them to do, etc.  They were used to being able to do BORs with flashlights (interrogation style) in dark rooms, asking questions like "if you were a balloon, what color would you be?", yelling at each other, etc.  Not the way I play, and they didn't like it.

Eventually, the "problems" left and the end of our first year we had 84 cadets with about 70 at any given meeting.  It was really tough, because we didn't have any experienced seniors (we weren't even all that experienced), so we had to get a lot of parental support (which, BTW, is difficult to do as a 21 year old...).  But, some of them jumped in an joined, doing stuff like testing, etc.

During that year, we also trained a color guard from the new basics.  They won the MER color guard championship (they didn't compete at NCC, but that's another story).  We were huge and had new cadets joining each week.  It was nice when we had our first group of NCOs come through.

At the end of the second year, we moved.  We had a good group of cadets who were getting ready to get their Mitchell's, etc.  I loved that squadron, I had so much invested in it, both in time and energy.  Everyone that contributed was personally vested. 

A few months ago I happened to be in the area and went to one of their meetings.  They only had about 10 cadets there and it was really boring.  One of the cadets that was still there from my era said it was never the same after we left.  Sad really.

Anyway, we moved to our current unit just under 3 years ago now.  In January I took over as DCC, but was able to make more significant contributions as a leadership officer in this unit.  But, it was the same scenario.  3 cadets at a meeting, 1 senior, etc.  Over the last two years we've built the cadet program up to 45 cadets with 35-40 at any given meeting.  We've had a 350% increase in the activities offered, we had a 300% increase in cadet promotions each month, etc.  The cadets have a genuinely good time and we're getting two or three membership inquiries a week.  But, our time to move is coming, just as the going is getting good.

So, I've done a lot of stuff to make the cadet programs in these units significantly better and successful, and I have learned a lot along the way.  However, despite this I want to learn from someone else.  Everything has been on my own, trial by fire at this point.  So, it appears that I'm really good at saving dying cadet programs, but have yet to be a member of a successful squadron when I get there.  I want to see what happens after the building stage.  It seems that building/repairing a unit is easier than maintaining one because training is easier to schedule, etc. But I can't say I know from experience.

Perhaps the next unit I join will be a thriving cadet unit that I can watch and learn from - but then again, perhaps I should join a failing unit to repeat the same successes.  Tough choices.

[jimmydeanno]

Double-tap, because I don't think I really addressed the OP question.  In short terms, the way I improved cadet life was to follow the 52-16.

In long terms...

1) Increased activity offerings significantly.  There is nothing happier than a cadet who has things to do.  1 activity a month is boring, 1 every other is even more so.  I shoot for at least 3 squadron sponsored each month, in addition to the weekly meetings.  There are a few reasons.

The first is that our squadron van only fits 11 cadets.  So, the more activities we offer, the lower number of cadets at each activity, which enables us to fit everyone that wants to go on that particular one in the van.

The second is that it allows for flexibility in the cadets scheduling.  They know that if they having another obligation, they still have an opportunity to participate an be active in the unit by going to another activity.

The third is that it allows the cadets to experience the other aspects of the program.  If you do 6 activities a year and 5 of them are SAREXs, you aren't representing the program that well as a whole.

The increased activities also allow our cadet staff to actually lead numerous activities giving them more experience and opportunity to make errors.

You'll probably ask why we do so many squadron sponsored activities.  We run into the issue that we actually do a quarterly schedule and the Wing activities aren't announced far enough in advance for us to plan/depend on them accordingly (except encampment, etc.)

2) Send the schedule in advance.  Sounds like common sense, but apparently, not that many units do.  I send it to the parents as well.  They appreciate it.

3) Develop relationships with the parents.  The parents at our unit couldn't stand the lack of communication we had previously.  Simple things like talking to a few of them at each meeting helps ease their concerns about who you are and how you are.  It also helps open the doors for feedback on how you're doing, things that can be improved, etc.  We've had a lot of great ideas come from out parents.

4) Bring excitement to the program.  I think it helps that I'm pretty friendly and approachable.  I also show a lot of enthusiasm for what we do when we're doing it.  The cadets feed off that and bring it to what they do too.  I think it also helps that I'm younger and can still relate to many of the things they are experiencing.  It also helps them bring their problems to me.  I know as a cadet I had trouble relating to our 65 year old DCC.  There wasn't much communicating and they weren't as involved.  They certainly weren't exciting either...

5) Enact term limits on the cadet staff. The worst that happens is that someone goes for round two in the same spot.  But at least there is the opportunity to shift around and get new experiences.  We have a graduated set up.  The C/CC is a year, the C/XO and C/DC are 6 months, Flight Commanders are 6 months, Flight Sergeants are 3 months, Element Leaders are 3 months.

6) Start a cadet of the month/cadet of the quarter program and use it.  We got a cord approved to denote our CoQ for the year.  The cadet gets to wear it for a year after getting it.  It's blue and yellow.  They are highly sought after in our unit, which helps increase activity participation, PT scores and testing.  Since we doubled the points for bringing a friend to the meeting, we've had more people coming through our doors.

7) Be selective on who you allow to work with cadets.  There is a big difference between people who want to work with cadets and people who can work with cadets.  The mindset, attitude, understanding, etc all need to be right before we'll let someone take a cadet program related billet.  Not doing this can seriously hinder the progress of your program.

8) Improve your awards ceremonies.  Instead of just handing the kid his new stripes, pin them on.  Make them a big deal, from C/Amn to C/Col.  Don't forget to award things like red service, CAC ribbons, recruiting ribbons, etc.  Most importantly, don't forget to recognize those who do a great job.  I just awarded my C/CC, C/CD and C/1Sgt with an achievement award for everything they've done.  They weren't expecting it, but it meant a lot - the C/CC even cried afterward (girlz... ::)  :D)

9) Make sure your cadets get a "Great Start."  If you don't set their foundation right, they'll never be independent.  Make sure they know how to use e-services, how to wear their uniforms, how to find the NCSA page, how to apply for scholarships, etc.  If they don't know that they're offered or how to apply, they'll never go.  It also helps to get them involved immediately in the squadron operations.

I made sure all these things happened when I took over as DCC and then some, which definitely had marked improvement.  I love CAP  :-*