Earhart Society?

[merlin0085]

As a member of TSA, I ask myself why that organization really exists. They claim two things. First they claim that they are a way to "focus the talents and experience of Spaatz Award recipients, now scattered across a variety of civilian and military positions of responsibility" and secondly, the organization provides aviation scholarships to CAP cadets. They succeed pretty well in the scholarship mission, and not well at all in the first.

Would an Earhart association do anything different, would it be productive, or would it just be another "look at what I did" society. Would the society be people who just got their earhart and never had a chance to move on afterwards, or would it be everyone who ever got their Earhart (which, theoretically, includes every member of TSA)?

I'm by no means belittling the Earhart award, I know how much work you did to get there. I just don't see the point of the Spaatz association, so why create another worthless body... I mean really we don't want to turn into the UN or anything, do we?

[Earhart1971]

I have the obnoxious opinion that, there are two few Spaatz Award Recipients to worry about, about 1,500 maybe. They are JUST TOO ELITE.
TOO FEW, and I don't see that many after the Cadet Program working as Seniors in CAP, but more power to them for the tiny Organization they have.

Now, Earharts are more numerous, and I would not mind promoting a larger Org, how many Earharts, 5000 maybe?

But I would like it just for the CLASS REUNION type thing.

Somebody find out the size the our Earhart population, and also, there are just more Earharts out there STILL IN CAP.

[shorning]

Somebody find out the size the our Earhart population, and also, there are just more Earharts out there STILL IN CAP.

Sounds like you just volunteered there, chief.  You've been one of the biggest proponents of this idea, sounds like you're the logical choice.  You've come up with several ideas in the past that you wanted someone else to act on.  Seems like it's right up your ally.

[Nathan]

Now, Earharts are more numerous, and I would not mind promoting a larger Org, how many Earharts, 5000 maybe?

Being able to have a big organization does not justify having the organization in the first place.

The problem that I see in a LOT of squadrons is that awards like the Earhart are simply given out, especially if the squadron is not regs-savvy. I've met Eaker cadets who managed to get to where they were without ever turning in an SDA, without ever taking leadership tests, etc. The Spaatz, on the other hand, is given by a USAF official, and chances are that he or she is not going to be just handing such an award away.

In addition, the Earhart was already an easy test, and now it's probably going to be made EASIER by the new CAPR 52-16 that's coming in that's removing the AE portion. Great.

In other words, the Earhart itself is not difficult to earn. If you want it, you'll get it. The only thing that stops cadets from achieving the Earhart is motivation, which can sometimes be blamed on the squadron and/or home life as well. The Spaatz is different in that even those who want it still don't have a guarenteed chance of earning it through a hundred retakes.

My vote is no for an Earhart association. Eaker... maybe, considering that they have gone as far in the program as they can without the AF getting involved, but I still would be recluctant about it. Let the Spaatzites have their organization, and leave it at that.

C/Capt Nathan Scalia
Earhart 13281

[ZigZag911]

The Earhart Society is an interesting concept. I received the Earhart in 1967 but I lost the certificate. I do not remember if the certificate had a number. My old cadet records do show that I received the Earhart in 1967 but there is no number. CAP Knowledgebase stated that HQ would not have a record of my Earhart. Also does anyone remember the Frank Borman Award. I guess old age is setting in and I do not recall all the cadet awards.

As best I recall, the requirements were:

1) earn Spaatz
2) enlist in USAF (or Reserve or Air Guard), join AFROTC (I think the 'senior' course), receive an appointment to AF Academy, or receive an Air Force commission

[capchiro]

Perhaps in order to have a large group of people that have dropped out/completed/retired/whatever from CAP, we should start a Curry Society.  At least we could poll them and find out why they never renewed and moved to the lofty heights of Arnold, Wright, etc.  (All in fun, but it does make one wonder why so many cadets don't get whatever they are looking for to stay).   

[AlphaSigOU]

Wright Brothers Award: About 3000 awarded (numbered since inception). [Edit: it's now at about 4600.]
Mitchell Award: Over 55,000, not counting the unnumbered awards earned from 1964-1980. (Probably about another 5000-10,000 if you add the unnumbered.)
Earhart Award: Over 14,000, not counting the unnumbered awards earned from 1964-1980. (Probably about another 2500-5000 if you add the unnumbered.)
Eaker Award: About 2700, not counting any unnumbered retroactive awards from former cadets who completed Phase IV prior to the award's inception.
Spaatz Award: About 1600. Numbered since the beginning.
Falcon Award: About 200-300, some were numbered, others were not.

As I've mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, I would rather see an Association of Former CAP Cadets rather than restrict it to a specific milestone award (except for the Spaatz Association.)

Unfortunately, WIWAC (When I Was A Cadet (pronounced 'wy-wack'), the mantra uttered by nearly every CAP senior member who did time as a cadet) just doesn't translate well for an official acronym. 

[AlphaSigOU]

The Earhart Society is an interesting concept. I received the Earhart in 1967 but I lost the certificate. I do not remember if the certificate had a number. My old cadet records do show that I received the Earhart in 1967 but there is no number. CAP Knowledgebase stated that HQ would not have a record of my Earhart. Also does anyone remember the Frank Borman Award. I guess old age is setting in and I do not recall all the cadet awards.

As best I recall, the requirements were:

1) earn Spaatz
2) enlist in USAF (or Reserve or Air Guard), join AFROTC (I think the 'senior' course), receive an appointment to AF Academy, or receive an Air Force commission

More info on the Frank Borman Falcon Award: http://home.carolina.rr.com/swauste/

[ZigZag911]

I concur with Lt Conway, if anything is done, it should be something general for former cadets...even West Point's 'alumni' association is not limited to graduates! They take 'Graduates & Former Cadets'.

Something open to the general ex-cadet populace might actually have some traction (at least in some areas) regarding getting former folks back as seniors, enhance fund raising, and forge ties with the larger community.

[BillB]

In Florida there is a CAP Cadet Alumni group of the 1960's and 70's cadets. But one thing I notice, many former cadets think the cadet program started in the 1960's as far as Mitchell, Earhart and Spaatz goes. They seem to indicate that prior to the Mitchell, there was no cadet program training.
I've shown several Spaatz cadets the cadet training program prior to Jack Sorensoons program which is still basically in effect. They have looked at the training materials and all have said it was much tougher than the program they earned their Spaatz in. For example, the old program required cadets to learn morse code, get an advanced Red Cross First Aid certification. A 1950's cadet that earned the Cadet Certificate of Proficiency with two clasps has accomplished more in the program than what is in the current Spaatz tests. (except for PT requirements).
And there are still many members in CAP that are active that earned the Cadet COP. So the idea of a CAP Cadet Alumni includes those members that don't have a Mitchell or Earhart or Spaatz but have completed the cadet program that existed at the time.

[AlphaSigOU]

In Florida there is a CAP Cadet Alumni group of the 1960's and 70's cadets. But one thing I notice, many former cadets think the cadet program started in the 1960's as far as Mitchell, Earhart and Spaatz goes. They seem to indicate that prior to the Mitchell, there was no cadet program training.
I've shown several Spaatz cadets the cadet training program prior to Jack Sorensoons program which is still basically in effect. They have looked at the training materials and all have said it was much tougher than the program they earned their Spaatz in. For example, the old program required cadets to learn morse code, get an advanced Red Cross First Aid certification. A 1950's cadet that earned the Cadet Certificate of Proficiency with two clasps has accomplished more in the program than what is in the current Spaatz tests. (except for PT requirements).
And there are still many members in CAP that are active that earned the Cadet COP. So the idea of a CAP Cadet Alumni includes those members that don't have a Mitchell or Earhart or Spaatz but have completed the cadet program that existed at the time.

My bad for not including the Cadet COP. Sorry 'bout that, Col. Breeze. By all means they should be included in any plans for a former CAP Cadet association, if any gets off the ground.

Is there any info on the requirements for the old Cadet COP?

[AlphaSigOU]

In addition, the Earhart was already an easy test, and now it's probably going to be made EASIER by the new CAPR 52-16 that's coming in that's removing the AE portion. Great.

Back in my day WIWAC, the Mitchell Award exam was 100 questions, closed-book aerospace, covering material from the old Your Aerospace World textbook. The Earhart test was 100-questions, closed book leadership, with questions from both Volume I and Volume II of the old Leadership Laboratory manual, up to the chapter that corresponded with Achievement 11.

[The Leev]

I think an Earhart Society is fine. It's all about connecting with people with similar histories and shared values. My formative years spent as a cadet have served me well beyond my CAP cadet career. Every CAP story is unique and has nothing to do with achieving more or less that others. I went a far as possible in my wing .... and had to leave the program before the Spaatz was offered to me. Today,  the CAP looks a lot different to me than what I remember .... like everything else from those years. Earhart #225, 5 May '65.   

[SarDragon]

WOW! That might be a new necro record! 2439 days!