Change in terms?

[NCRblues]

Trolling the book of faces this morning I discovered a post by the South Dakota Wing.

It stated that the NAT/PA had announced that the various membership categories will be changing.

It listed the "new 4" as

Cadet
Officer
Legislative
Associate

It goes on to state that "the term Senior Memebr has been dropped. Adult members of CAP are now identified as officer"

So, anyone know if this is real? I can't find anything on this in official lanes. Is SD pulling the wool over its FB followers?

[THRAWN]

That works if all of the adult members are officers. Since they're not, this looks like the left and right hands operating independently.

[dwb]

It was brought up in the CCC meeting. Not sure if it's final or proposed. Associate has subcategories for Patron/CSM/AEM. Legislative has subcategories for state and federal. Remember too that the "O" in NCO is Officer.

[THRAWN]

It was brought up in the CCC meeting. Not sure if it's final or proposed. Associate has subcategories for Patron/CSM/AEM. Legislative has subcategories for state and federal. Remember too that the "O" in NCO is Officer.

And some are neither officers nor NCOs. I have known plenty of SMWOG and they liked it like that.

Could call them operational member or functional member or...and this is crazy....how about something along the lines of senior member?!!? Change for the sake of change....smh...

[Майор Хаткевич]

Had to check my calendar. Though it was 2006.

[Гугл переводчик]

Is the meeting held at South Dakota wing? It would make sense for them to post it then... but finding out through Facebook definitely makes it interesting.

[NIN]

It was brought up in the CCC meeting. Not sure if it's final or proposed. Associate has subcategories for Patron/CSM/AEM. Legislative has subcategories for state and federal. Remember too that the "O" in NCO is Officer.

There will be some behind the scenes work, but the short version is that, among other things, the term "senior member" is one barrier to recruiting "younger" adults.

[JeffDG]

Yes, there was a briefing from BGen Myrick on this.

IIRC, it is in final coordination of the relevant regulatory changes.  It was presented as a fait acompli, not as a proposal.

[NCRblues]

Yes, there was a briefing from BGen Myrick on this.

IIRC, it is in final coordination of the relevant regulatory changes.  It was presented as a fait acompli, not as a proposal.

So, it's basically true.

Interesting to learn it off Facebook...

[JeffDG]

Yes, there was a briefing from BGen Myrick on this.

IIRC, it is in final coordination of the relevant regulatory changes.  It was presented as a fait acompli, not as a proposal.

So, it's basically true.

Interesting to learn it off Facebook...

Everything else was drowned out by 3 letters...

[Mitchell 1969]

It was brought up in the CCC meeting. Not sure if it's final or proposed. Associate has subcategories for Patron/CSM/AEM. Legislative has subcategories for state and federal. Remember too that the "O" in NCO is Officer.

There will be some behind the scenes work, but the short version is that, among other things, the term "senior member" is one barrier to recruiting "younger" adults.

"Senior Member" is one of those things that only makes sense to insiders, after explanation. Then the insiders get so used to it that they can't picture it otherwise.

I don't know when or how the term was invented. It certainly wasn't 75 years ago, back when CAP had "Officer" and "Enlisted" personnel, then added "Cadets." If I had to guess, I'd guess that somebody in the 50's or early 60's probably asked "What's the opposite of 'cadet member'?" and got "Senior Member" in response, figuring that cadets were actually "Juniir Members."

I hope it is gone. If so, it carries my good riddance with it.

[Fubar]

"Senior Member" is one of those things that only makes sense to insiders, after explanation. Then the insiders get so used to it that they can't picture it otherwise.

And yet, I don't think anybody has come up with a term that accurately describes all of the non-cadet membership categories we have. You think senior member is confusing to outsiders? Imagine calling CAP NCOs (both of them) and CAP Officers "officers" to someone with a military background. Get ready to start explaining again.

[NIN]

"Senior Member" is one of those things that only makes sense to insiders, after explanation. Then the insiders get so used to it that they can't picture it otherwise.

And yet, I don't think anybody has come up with a term that accurately describes all of the non-cadet membership categories we have. You think senior member is confusing to outsiders? Imagine calling CAP NCOs (both of them) and CAP Officers "officers" to someone with a military background. Get ready to start explaining again.

I've sort of taken to using the overarching term "adult members" when speaking "outside".

there's no super good silver bullet  answer.  I think you're likely to spend more time explaining "senior member" (with all the shortcomings that term has) than "officer"

[Paul Creed III]

I've sort of taken to using the overarching term "adult members" when speaking "outside".

Same here. Or "adult volunteers" works too. Not every non-military type understands what the differences are between an NCO and an Officer either but they get "adult volunteer" and it makes the elevator speeches easier and with less eye glazing.

[NIN]

Same here. Or "adult volunteers" works too. Not every non-military type understands what the differences are between an NCO and an Officer either but they get "adult volunteer" and it makes the elevator speeches easier and with less eye glazing.

The subject of my next recruiting talk "How to avoid the eye glaze in the elevator pitch."

[LSThiker]

Adult member or adult leader. I use those interchangably when talking with non-members.

[ALORD]

"Senior Member" is one of those things that only makes sense to insiders, after explanation. Then the insiders get so used to it that they can't picture it otherwise.

And yet, I don't think anybody has come up with a term that accurately describes all of the non-cadet membership categories we have. You think senior member is confusing to outsiders? Imagine calling CAP NCOs (both of them) and CAP Officers "officers" to someone with a military background. Get ready to start explaining again.

Perhaps we could daringly call CAP NCO's ( Are these on the endangered species list?) "NCO's", and call Officers, well, "Officers"? Ironically identifying those persons who have actually served in the military as what some (Outsiders) may consider second class citizens! ( Can you imagine the joy of a Sergeant Major to learn that he just became a 2LT? Get ready to duck!) I suppose that still leaves the "Senior Member without grade" category unclear. Are these "Officers"?

Does taking away the term "Senior Member" mean we don't get the 10% discount at Denny's anymore?

[vorteks]

Perhaps we could daringly call CAP NCO's ( Are these on the endangered species list?) "NCO's", and call Officers, well, "Officers"? Ironically identifying those persons who have actually served in the military as what some (Outsiders) may consider second class citizens! ( Can you imagine the joy of a Sergeant Major to learn that he just became a 2LT? Get ready to duck!) I suppose that still leaves the "Senior Member without grade" category unclear. Are these "Officers"?

Since grade in CAP indicates progress in the PD program and carries with it no authority, what does it matter? 

[FW]

I always enjoyed discussions on what we should be called.  To make it easy, I would just say we are all "members" with the subgroups cadet, patron, etc. added where needed.  I will guarantee recruitment will not significantly change with a "change in terms".  Recruitment (and retention) will change when we deal with the more important issues of improving on the areas that members willing to complete exit surveys complain about... Not having good things to do, having well trained leaders, feeling part of the unit...

[THRAWN]

I always enjoyed discussions on what we should be called.  To make it easy, I would just say we are all "members" with the subgroups cadet, patron, etc. added where needed.  I will guarantee recruitment will not significantly change with a "change in terms".  Recruitment (and retention) will change when we deal with the more important issues of improving on the areas that members willing to complete exit surveys complain about... Not having good things to do, having well trained leaders, feeling part of the unit...

nope...what we wear and what are called is so much more important than having quality things to do.... :angel: