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The New Level I program

Started by M.S., November 01, 2006, 04:14:09 PM

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M.S.

What does everyone think of the new level I program that National HQ has put out there?   

http://www.cap.gov/one

Al Sayre

I haven't had a chance to go through it yet, but it would be hard pressed to be much worse than the worn out out of date video tapes we were using before.  Web based content is also much easier and cheaper to update, so hopefully the information will stay current.
Lt Col Al Sayre
MS Wing Staff Dude
Admiral, Great Navy of the State of Nebraska
GRW #2787

Pylon

Quote from: Al Sayre on November 01, 2006, 04:47:41 PM
Web based content is also much easier and cheaper to update, so hopefully the information will stay current.

Agreed there!  I remember doing a Level I to a group of new SM's last year and I had to keep interjecting (well, that's changed... and actually, that's different now... oh, and we do that a different way since last year, and....).    :-X

I think the home/self-study concept is good, so long as the unit's maintain their responsibilities in seriously asking questions of the members when they come in to discuss what they've learned.  I really hope it doesn't degenerate into squadron's asking new members "Did ya do the level one stuff?  Okay, great... here sign this CAPF-11. Congrats."  I think that will be the biggest challenge to making this model of Level I work.

But I do like to see that NHQ is updating our Professional Development materials.  I think this is supposed to be one component of that new "Great Start" program NHQ has been working on?
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

Eclipse

I did it last week - it rocks. 

Best thing NHQ has done in a long time.   :clap:

It fosters a roundtable type discussion environment, vs. the "locked in a room with a video" concept, and thanks to the pretests, the new members come into the sessions with somewhat of a clue.

It also emphasizes the right things, leaving much of the minutia of CAP for
future discussions, while also allowing for the CC to interject relevent local information that is important to know.

It should be noted that I have heard and read a number of people saying you take Level 1 "online" now.  That is a mis-nomer.  The prep is done independently online, but there is required discussion as well.

Kudos to NHQ on this one.

"That Others May Zoom"

AlphaSigOU

At our squadron, I printed hardcopies of the new Level I material and give them to new seniors so that they can start reading up on the material. After giving them a few weeks for NHQ CAP to get them on the system, I'll follow up with them and sit them down with the squadron commander to see if they have any questions and encourage discussions using the summary conversations guide. Once the squadron commander and I (or any qualified senior member) are satisfied that they are familiar with the material, only then will we sign off on the Form 11.

I would prefer to still see a once monthly Level I overview held on a Saturday, considering a two to three-hour squadron meeting night just isn't enough time to go over the material.
Lt Col Charles E. (Chuck) Corway, CAP
Gill Robb Wilson Award (#2901 - 2011)
Amelia Earhart Award (#1257 - 1982) - C/Major (retired)
Billy Mitchell Award (#2375 - 1981)
Administrative/Personnel/Professional Development Officer
Nellis Composite Squadron (PCR-NV-069)
KJ6GHO - NAR 45040

Eclipse

We're doing a mandatory refresher on this during our regular meeting this Tuesday.

I've also committed to a minimum of one per quarter for new members.

Current NHQ stats say 22% of eligible members have not completed level 1 and average completion time is 364 days.  I don't know why people stick around.

"That Others May Zoom"

TankerT

Quote from: Eclipse on November 06, 2006, 04:07:12 AM

Current NHQ stats say 22% of eligible members have not completed level 1 and average completion time is 364 days.


I think a large portion of that is due to a lack of leadership at the local level.  Lets face it, if the Squadron isn't putting in the time to provide Level I for new members, they're not putting in the time needed to educate/motivate their members to stay interested.

Level I shouldn't be viewed as a pain and something that must be done.  It should be viewed as a way to educated and motivate our new members.  Starting them on their path to being a productive member.  Lets face it, too many people complain that they have too many "hats" at the unit.  But, they ignore these new members, and let them slip away.

If they don't spend the time to get new members up to speed, they'll always have too much to do.  (Because they'll leave.)

/Insert Snappy Comment Here

Psicorp

We usually have Level 1 complete by the time a new member's paperwork hits National.  Level 1 answers the vast majority of questions prospective members have of CAP, it's a great introduction and falls under the pervue of the Recruiting and/or Retention Officer, so it's easy to fit in during the time when the Unit Staff talk business.

If they submit their application on their third meeting visit, then they probably had Level 1 either on their second or third meeting.  Cadet Protection is usually done no later than one week after they recieve their Member I.D. number.
In most cases, Level 1 shows up on the National website as the same date as their join date.   

It works for us; the important thing is to find a schedule that works for you and your new members.

Jamie Kahler, Capt., CAP
(C/Lt Col, ret.)
CC
GLR-MI-257

SarDragon

As a (now out of business) Level I instructor, I have found that it's better to wait until the new member shows up in MIMS before submitting the Form 11. Otherwise it creates more work for the folks at NHQ because they have to track the application and the Form 11 to ensure proper entry sequence. Also, as an aside, Form 11s will not be processed for cadets who haven't reached their 18th birthday on the date of the class. BTDT.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

MIKE

Concur with Maj Bowles.  Make sure they are in MIMS first.  If they aren't officially members yet, they shouldn't be doing Level 1.
Mike Johnston

dwb

I like the new materials.  I do wish they were available offline, for members that don't have broadband Internet and don't want to spend lots of time downloading PDFs and printing out quizzes.

(If I were still a squadron commander, I'd print some copies to keep around at the unit.  But I have broadband and a laser printer at home).

My only other nitpick is that their HTML skillz need a little work; the Level I web page looks like a wedding invitation in the Opera web browser (i.e., all of the paragraphs are centered instead of left-justified).

davedove

Quote from: justin_bailey on November 06, 2006, 08:32:00 PM
I do wish they were available offline, for members that don't have broadband Internet and don't want to spend lots of time downloading PDFs and printing out quizzes.

(If I were still a squadron commander, I'd print some copies to keep around at the unit.  But I have broadband and a laser printer at home).

As my squadron's Professional Development Officer, I am printing off the materials to place in the training library.  That way new members can look them over in the squadron and older members will have it available for a reference.
David W. Dove, Maj, CAP
Deputy Commander for Seniors
Personnel/PD/Asst. Testing Officer
Ground Team Leader
Frederick Composite Squadron
MER-MD-003

Eclipse

Scanning calendar....

Yes, 2006, that's what I thought...

I would hazard a guess that you will be hard pressed to find many NEW members who don't have access to the internet, especially now that EVERY UNIT gets a FREE Earthlink accout from NHQ.

The files are not very large, and are easily downloadable with dial-up.

Internet access is no longer an eliteist toy, it is nearly a necessity for everyone, and regardless of your views on technology, a new member, without ready access to the internet somewhere, will have a hard time getting anythinie done in CAP.


"That Others May Zoom"

dwb

Quote from: Eclipse on November 07, 2006, 02:23:17 AMInternet access is no longer an eliteist toy

No, but it is an oft-misunderstood tool.  Even in 2006 (and I'll ignore the smart alec tone of your comment).

I live in a suburb of a medium-sized city, and even I have come across people in my Group, recently, that either 1. don't have Internet access at all, or 2. don't really understand what I mean when I say "go to cap.gov and create an eServices account".

Furthermore, just because we get free dialup, doesn't mean the squadron can make use of it at their meeting location, or that they even know they have free dialup and can give the info to their members to use.

I'm just pointing out some worst-case scenarios.  I know ideally, everyone would have broadband and would be computer literate, but I'm telling you based on my experiences in my geographic area, you just can't make those assumptions (especially the computer literacy one).

In any event, it's perfectly acceptable from NHQ's point of view to assume people can either read the materials themselves, or that the squadron can print the few dozen pages of PDFs and lend them to new members.

Eclipse

A computer illiterate member, cadet or senior, will not be able to function or progress in the program. 

This is just the reality of CAP.

Whether its the WMU or eServices, its all online - testing, training, tracking progress and the myriad resources required to do your job.

How are they going to do OPSEC?  Get a 101 card?  Input tasking? Do online testing?

You send out an "all" email about a meeting change and you have to make phones calls to the disconnected?

Exisitng members who had the rules changed on them and who are still assests in some form (not sure how that is possible) are one thing, they don't get any pass, but they get a little more slack on the ramp up and the
process

But new members without internet are simply going to be more trouble than they are worth.  And that assumes you've got a machine in the unit w/ net access.

If not, its worse.

We need to be clear here about cadet vs. senior.

Cadets come to us for what they can TAKE from the program, and we should
do everything we can to keep them in.

Seniors come to the program for what they BRING to the program, and if the balance isn't in the program's favor, its not worth the pain.

Being an enabling, inclusive, "everybody can play" club is one of the reasons we are in the situation we are in today.

Does that mean membership numbers will suffer?  Yes.

"That Others May Zoom"

mawr

I can't speak for other wings but our Director of Professional Development recieved the new Level 1 on CD from NHQ and promptly made copies for every squadron in the wing in addition to the Wings PD library.

The unit can loan out the CD or require that members view it at the unit.  They can make several copies to loan out as well. 

All units have a laptop so the program can be presented without internet access.
Rick Hasha, Lt Col CAP

RiverAux

Having an earthlink account does nothing for the squadrons that don't have phone service at their HQ

Eclipse


"That Others May Zoom"

freeflight

I'm not much of a fan. 

Our wing use to have one person conduct Level Ones so that the information was given correctly and to answer questions the students had. Just like the emergency services course, I think people will download the Adobe files then do a search for each question without learning the information that is needed.  Also the student doesn't learn anything about the history of the unit or the wing.

I do like that it is updated more then once a decade.

arajca