SLS - Squadron Leadership School

[trinidadj75]

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful discussions, I look at the calendar of NHQ and there isn't any SLS schedule as of yet.......I will see if I can step up and contact my Wing PDO and see if there can be one arrange at Squadron for the Group. I beleive is the best to do since I am already taking my master degree online and won't help taking two classes online. Thank again everyone for all the messages!

[Eclipse]

Just FYI, that calendar is rarely updated.

You'll need to get into direct contact with your and surrounding wings to see when they are doing things.

[trinidadj75]

Good Point, Thank you for the advice!

[trinidadj75]

I spoke at my Squadron with my PDO and according with my Squadron PDO, I can't organize my self a SLS for our Group for some reason ........... I asked why and he say I just can't that I have to go and take it another place or online

Jorge L, Trinidad, SM, CAP
Clearwater Composite Squadron
PD,  HS, SE, AE, SER-FL-447

[AlphaSigOU]

I spoke at my Squadron with my PDO and according with my Squadron PDO, I can't organize my self a SLS for our Group for some reason ........... I asked why and he say I just can't that I have to go and take it another place or online

Your squadron's PDO is misinformed. Your group can host an SLS or CLC; if they are unable - or unwilling - to host one for whatever reason then I would look at attending one at another group or at a wing professional development weekend, if it's offered. Check with your group's PDO first.

[Storm Chaser]

In Florida Wing, SLS and CLS are offered online with a face-to-face capstone, which lasts between 4-5 hours each. You can access the online portion here:

http://elearning.capitwg.us/

Each group in FLWG should have facilitators that can offer these classroom capstones. If you can't get an answer from your unit, you should contact your GP/PD to find out who's a facilitator in your group and/or when is the next capstone being offered. If you're attending this weekend's FLWG Conference, they're offering both SLS and CLC Capstones plus Facilitator training on Friday, 14 March. You can register here:

http://www.flwg.us/conference/preconference-professional-development-courses.aspx

I hope that helps.

[tonyairplane]

This brings up a question: With a lot of training switching to online, and in this case online with a short in-person capstone, how can one that is working on Level IV, where it is required to be an instructor in a course that has a total contact time of 12 hours, meet that requirement if the contact time is only 4 or 5 hours?

I wonder if National is going to modify the reg.?

[Eclipse]

This brings up a question: With a lot of training switching to online, and in this case online with a short in-person capstone, how can one that is working on Level IV, where it is required to be an instructor in a course that has a total contact time of 12 hours, meet that requirement if the contact time is only 4 or 5 hours?

I wonder if National is going to modify the reg.?

Let's hope not, considering it's so ambiguous now as to be all but useless.

[tonyairplane]

I fully agree - so how does one typically get credit for that? My Wing PDO told me that if I teach an hour or two course at an SLS or CLC, I could get credit for that requirement, as long as the course is 12 hours long. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but if that is what everyone has been doing, fine. But now the courses will not even be 12 hours, nor should they be.

[Eclipse]

I fully agree - so how does one typically get credit for that? My Wing PDO told me that if I teach an hour or two course at an SLS or CLC, I could get credit for that requirement, as long as the course is 12 hours long.

That's all you need.

That doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but if that is what everyone has been doing, fine. But now the courses will not even be 12 hours, nor should they be.

There is no near-term, public plan to eliminate in-face PD classes, so there will be plenty of places to complete this requirement.  SLS/CLC/RSC/NSC/TLC/RST some ES academies and
pretty much anything else that has the right contact hours.

It's a relaxation of the old requirement that you had to be a course director to get credit, which held back a lot of people.

The point is that yo are involved in non-squadron training activities or some consequence so that people aren't getting their
ticket punched for unit safety briefings.

[EMT-83]

The rule still has flaws.

I had a member plan and execute a Wing-level air crew school, but it only had 8 hours contact time. No go, it didn't count.

He did a 45 minute Death By PowerPoint (not really, he's a great instructor) at SLS, and he's good to go for Level 4.

[Eclipse]

Sounds like the rule worked exactly as written.

An Aircrew school isn't Professional Development.

[EMT-83]

Sounds like the rule worked exactly as written.

An Aircrew school isn't Professional Development.

CAPR 50-17, Attachment 3 says otherwise.

[Eclipse]

It can say whatever it wants.

Aircrew training has nothing to do with PD.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

It can say whatever it wants.

Aircrew training has nothing to do with PD.

I have to disagree.

Definition: The advancement of skills or expertise to succeed in a particular profession, esp. through continued education.

... To accomplish its mission, CAP requires an informed, active senior membership trained in leadership, management, and functional tasks. The CAP Senior Member Professional Development Program prepares members to serve their units, their communities, and their nation.

Emphasis added.

While we generally refer to PD as the classes involved with the Senior Training Program, our own regulations and the definition of the term are more inclusive.

[Eclipse]

This is where the bad feelings, miscommunication, and general problems begin.

We all know what PD is, and we all know Es training is, for the most part there's no overlap, and
when you have to start using Dictionary.com to make the leap, you're stretching.

Some member who can't get to a Wing Conference, but will drive 25 hours to an ES conference
decides that the ES conference should "count" - it's not even a little the same thing, but
he makes noise, people are averse to saying "no", and there you have it.

Etc., etc.

[tonyairplane]

50-17 doesn't say PD at all in para 6-1-f or in attachment 3.  It says that a Wing training activity counts.  But the  course has to be 12 contact hours.

To me, it is really poorly worded.

In the graduate courses that I teach, I am required by department rules to have a minimum of 42 hours of contact time.  Anyone who has put together a new class knows how much work goes into a 3 hour class, especially the first time around.

I have to agree, it is strange that going to a CLC and flipping some canned PPT slides for an hour, and then leaving somehow counts.
If someone taught twelve one hour classes, that would be indicative of some experience.  Especially since some of the folks that I saw at SLS and CLC were hopefully never invited back.

Maybe the CAP rule should be reworded to be more clear?

[Eclipse]

In the graduate courses that I teach, I am required by department rules to have a minimum of 42 hours of contact time. 

CAP is not offering graduate-level courses.

Anyone who has put together a new class knows how much work goes into a 3 hour class, especially the first time around.

For the most part, no one in CAP should be "putting together a new course" - everything is canned and ready for presentation.
The constant reinvention of the wheel is a big problem in CAP.

I have to agree, it is strange that going to a CLC and flipping some canned PPT slides for an hour, and then leaving somehow counts.

If that's what you're doing, you're doing it wrong.

[a2capt]

..and I'm not sure how flipping slides for CLC for a couple hours counts, either. I'm not sure it was intended to, actually.