Much space has been devoted to CAP members functioning as "unpaid professionals." To that end, what books would constitute necessary/useful reading to aid in developing a higher degree of professionalism (using the classic definition and not the colloquial)?
I would submit:
Leadership
1. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
2. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
3. War by Sebastian Junger
Emergency Management
Aerospace History
1. I Could Never Be So Lucky Again by Jimmy Doolittle
2. Big Friends, Little Friends (I will have to get the author's name when I get home)
Thoughts for titles as well as additional categories?
I don't think importing the USAF reading list will capture all the areas that CAP would require.
Leadership:
1. Ender's Game
I highly recommend this to anyone involved with cadets - yes it's science fiction, however it focuses heavily on group dynamics, what makes a good leader and team, and the pressures of children playing the roles of adults.
2. Band of Brothers
3. We Were Soldiers Once, and Young
Concur on Starship Troopers
Not exactly edge-of-your-seat reading, but the FEMA Independent Study programs are good (intro to emergency management, etc.) for the Emergency Management category.
I concur with "I could never be so lucky again.". It's a wonderful read.
CAP already has the Read to Lead program with a list of suggested reading. 8)
You can find it under the Links to PD Resources.
The CSAF's annual reading list (now including films and links to TED lectures) is always a good place to look:
http://www.af.mil/information/csafreading/index.asp (http://www.af.mil/information/csafreading/index.asp)
Quote from: davedove on May 02, 2012, 07:34:15 PM
CAP already has the Read to Lead program with a list of suggested reading. 8)
You can find it under the Links to PD Resources.
Thanks, I had never noticed that. Of course, it doesn't look like it has been updated in 8 years, either, so it may not get noticed much.
Are there any other books/topics other than those listed that would aid in developing a "professional volunteer"?
STRONGLY recommend "One Second After" by WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN
A very good book on both [non traditional] emergency management and leadership, as well as group survival.
Of course, "A Time for Patriots" by Dale Brown. I think it is a must read. 8)
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on May 03, 2012, 02:45:06 AM
Quote from: davedove on May 02, 2012, 07:34:15 PM
CAP already has the Read to Lead program with a list of suggested reading. 8)
You can find it under the Links to PD Resources.
Thanks, I had never noticed that. Of course, it doesn't look like it has been updated in 8 years, either, so it may not get noticed much.
Are there any other books/topics other than those listed that would aid in developing a "professional volunteer"?
I don't think it gets much notice. Probably someone said "Each military branch has a reading list, so we should too." The list was made and then forgotten.
There are several good reads on there. I haven't read them all yet, but the ones I have were very good.
"Failure Is Not An Option" by Gene Kranz
"Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Diary of Richard Winters"
"American Patriot: The Life of George "Bud" Day" by Roger Coram
I read "Hero Next Door" by Frank A. Burnham (1974) in the late 70's when I was a cadet. I remember the Cadet Commander would occasionally do readings from the book at our meetings. Just writing this makes me want to find a copy and read it again.
Why reinvent the wheel?
http://home.comcast.net/~antaylor1/usmccommandant.html (http://home.comcast.net/~antaylor1/usmccommandant.html)
Quote from: Flying Pig on May 03, 2012, 04:49:23 PM
Why reinvent the wheel?
http://home.comcast.net/~antaylor1/usmccommandant.html (http://home.comcast.net/~antaylor1/usmccommandant.html)
I understand that all services have their own reading lists and there is some overlap. The point was to find what would make a viable reading list for CAP based on the arguably different mission and make-up of the organization.
Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell (http://www.amazon.com/The-Leadership-Secrets-Colin-Powell/dp/007141861X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336066293&sr=8-1)
One more: Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
Quote from: Eclipse on May 02, 2012, 06:05:27 PM
Leadership:
1. Ender's Game
I highly recommend this to anyone involved with cadets - yes it's science fiction, however it focuses heavily on group dynamics, what makes a good leader and team, and the pressures of children playing the roles of adults.
2. Band of Brothers
3. We Were Soldiers Once, and Young
Wow...Ender's Game. I haven't heard that in a long time. Absolutely Awesome Recommendation. Thanks
Biggest Brother : The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers (http://books.google.com/books/about/Biggest_Brother.html?id=J9KDEkQVgNsC)
I'm echoing the band of brothers chorus here, but this book really is an awesome insight to his development from an enlisted soldier to the leader of E. Co.
I can't find my copy around the house, else I would read it again.
(http://books.google.com/books?id=J9KDEkQVgNsC&pg=PP1&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U1xYngWY7napB27kOpTcI0QUUb05Q&w=685)
Quote from: HGjunkie on May 06, 2012, 12:07:02 AM
Biggest Brother : The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers (http://books.google.com/books/about/Biggest_Brother.html?id=J9KDEkQVgNsC)
I just started reading that today! Great book so far.
Also, I'd like to second "Failure is Not An Option" by Gene Kranz. Great book not only for Leadership but also for AE.
To follow up on the Ender's Game recommendation...Ender's Shadow is also a good read to fall under the leadership/follower ship category. Both are also awesome reads. 8)
Quote from: 754837 on May 03, 2012, 07:48:15 PM
One more: Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
Is that a prequel to, "All I Really Need to Know Came from my CAP Group Commander"? 8)
Quote from: Cashboy on May 08, 2012, 12:22:53 AM
To follow up on the Ender's Game recommendation...Ender's Shadow is also a good read to fall under the leadership/follower ship category. Both are also awesome reads. 8)
As are their follow-ons:
For Ender's Game follow-ons are Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.
For Ender's Shadow, follow-ons are Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets and Shadow of the Giant.
There are also a number of other books that fall into the "Ender-verse" but they are outside of the scope of this post.
On a completely not so related note, when google-ing the list of books, I found this [size=78%]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1731141/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1731141/)[/size] and was filled with joy.
My reccomendations at least for leadership:
We are Soldiers Still by General Hal Moore and Joe Galloway
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
In the Company of Heroes by Michael Durant
The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell
AFH 33-337 The Air Force Tongue and Quill (If you cannot communicate effectively, it is difficult to lead)
FM 20-12 [Army] Physical Fitness Training
U.S. Army NCO Creed (I am slightly bias toward this particular NCO Creed)
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Quote from: Tim Medeiros on May 12, 2012, 03:13:46 AM
Quote from: Cashboy on May 08, 2012, 12:22:53 AM
To follow up on the Ender's Game recommendation...Ender's Shadow is also a good read to fall under the leadership/follower ship category. Both are also awesome reads. 8)
As are their follow-ons:
For Ender's Game follow-ons are Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.
For Ender's Shadow, follow-ons are Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets and Shadow of the Giant.
There are also a number of other books that fall into the "Ender-verse" but they are outside of the scope of this post.
On a completely not so related note, when google-ing the list of books, I found this [size=78%]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1731141/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1731141/)[/size] and was filled with joy.
Well, if we are including sci-fi, I would go with Gordon R. Dickson's Dorsai novels starting with "Tactics of Mistake". Got my nerd on fer ya'all.
Quote from: Spartan on May 12, 2012, 06:24:31 AM
My reccomendations at least for leadership:
We are Soldiers Still by General Hal Moore and Joe Galloway
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
In the Company of Heroes by Michael Durant
The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell
AFH 33-337 The Air Force Tongue and Quill (If you cannot communicate effectively, it is difficult to lead)
FM 20-12 [Army] Physical Fitness Training
U.S. Army NCO Creed (I am slightly bias toward this particular NCO Creed)
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
In the Company of Heros is great. I especially enjoyed the insight into the other missions he flew on.