Membership Cards

[Spike]

^ That is unacceptable.  It is wasteful and financially misguided. 

[FW]

Yes it is.  We've wasted about $25k a year because of this.  But, we get a nice wallet card with phone numbers on it...
With the new system in place we will probably save much more; especially with automatic renewals and less expensive membership card blanks.

[Capt Rivera]

I would think that more people would renew for a longer period if there was a reduction of some kind per year paid in advanced...

- Sometimes you have to give a little to get a little...especially upfront...

I know some will say; "but you can lock in the cost of membership for x years...."
- Frankly... the cost of membership should not be increasing year over year...

My wing has not had an increase... If I lived in a wing that had increases all the time... My memborship would expire if they did not explicitly justify it. Stateing the cost of everything is going up is not justification. You must tell me what you did to reduce costs/be more efficient and why that effort was not enough.

- With the above, I am considering National/Region/Wing dues...  I don't believe there's been an increase since I've been in ND Wing...

FW- Do you know more about the hold up? Why is this something that will take another full year?... its not a new/issue or concern... it's been discussed on CAPTalk before... at least 2 years ago by my estimate...

- my only guess is the tie in to the new membership management system?
-- Anyone have updates on that?

We talk a lot about the CAC... I have one... Big deal... So the military won't let CAP have one... Why don't we make a photo ID card that does not mimic the CAC but does not look like a library or HS ID? I would have to think that's possible.

[FW]

FW- Do you know more about the hold up? Why is this something that will take another full year?... its not a new/issue or concern... it's been discussed on CAPTalk before... at least 2 years ago by my estimate...

- my only guess is the tie in to the new membership management system?
-- Anyone have updates on that?

That's correct. The new system needs to be fully set up, tested and, audited before implimentation.  I know the new system has been identified and, the BoG has authorized funds for its purchase.  I don't know what phase of the process they are currently in however, I was told things should be online by January 2011.  The system was approved by the BoG at the June 2009 meeting.

[Spike]

We talk a lot about the CAC... I have one... Big deal... So the military won't let CAP have one... Why don't we make a photo ID card that does not mimic the CAC but does not look like a library or HS ID? I would have to think that's possible.

No one said it had to be military.  However a card that is accepted by the Federal Government would help some of us out.  The Laptop on loan to the Squadron by the AF has a smart card reader built in.  Smart Card identification systems are the future.  CAP needs to look at IT of the future and how and where the FED is going or we will all be left behind, and have to play catch up.  Right now to get online on base, you need a common access card, and a password assigned by the Command.  You plug the smart card in, enter the password and we are online.  The Air Force gave our unit a CAC with the only thing printed on it...."CAP SQD xxx"  It is a controlled item and a way around the whole Identification situation mess caused by NHQ and CAP-USAF.  It was the Base Commander who did this for us, when we mentioned our lack of CAC.   

[a2capt]

But, we get a nice wallet card with phone numbers on it...

What else that thing is good for..  a stiffener for the name plate Perfect size, can't see it behind the pocket... and the NHQ phone numbers are right there.  ;-)

[brasda91]

We talk a lot about the CAC... I have one... Big deal... So the military won't let CAP have one... Why don't we make a photo ID card that does not mimic the CAC but does not look like a library or HS ID? I would have to think that's possible.

No one said it had to be military.  However a card that is accepted by the Federal Government would help some of us out.  The Laptop on loan to the Squadron by the AF has a smart card reader built in.  Smart Card identification systems are the future.  CAP needs to look at IT of the future and how and where the FED is going or we will all be left behind, and have to play catch up.  Right now to get online on base, you need a common access card, and a password assigned by the Command.  You plug the smart card in, enter the password and we are online.  The Air Force gave our unit a CAC with the only thing printed on it...."CAP SQD xxx"  It is a controlled item and a way around the whole Identification situation mess caused by NHQ and CAP-USAF.  It was the Base Commander who did this for us, when we mentioned our lack of CAC.

I have mentioned on here in the past about our squadron having an office in the new Armed Forces Readiness Center.  We have moved in and just need to finish the daunting task of organizing everything.  I inquired about phone and internet back during the construction phase and was told we would not get internet because we (CAP) aren't Federal or contractors.  Wing Commo said they took the issue to Washington, DC and they said "no".  Now, whether or not that actually took place has left one to wonder.  I stopped by the office Wed on my way to work and the J6 guy was there and told me that we would be on the internet.  He's worked with CAP across the Wing and understands our need for the local ISP and not the DOD intranet.  He also said we would have our own extensions and is going to install 6 phones for each of our desks/workstations/commanders office.  We have come 180 degrees in having internet.  If you can get lucky enough to find the right guy who is familiar with CAP and our needs, a CAC card is not necessary.

[Dracosbane]

I don't know all the details, and I can't speculate, but the Armory where we meet has been doing some re-arranging and re-structuring of their facility.  We're allowed to use a conference room which is pretty bare bones at the moment.  However we've been told that they're going to be adding a whole slew of new toys into that room at some point, including some cabinetry specifically for our use.  They're even going to be nice enough to allow us to use whatever toys they're putting in, and even teach us how to.  We'll have wireless access to their internet.  We'd love to get permanent office space, but they're stuffed to the rafters with the RM units that are housed there.

But we're not complaining. 

[brasda91]

I don't know all the details, and I can't speculate, but the Armory where we meet has been doing some re-arranging and re-structuring of their facility.  We're allowed to use a conference room which is pretty bare bones at the moment.  However we've been told that they're going to be adding a whole slew of new toys into that room at some point, including some cabinetry specifically for our use.  They're even going to be nice enough to allow us to use whatever toys they're putting in, and even teach us how to.  We'll have wireless access to their internet.  We'd love to get permanent office space, but they're stuffed to the rafters with the RM units that are housed there.

But we're not complaining.

We had politicial influence in establishing our sqd hq in the Readiness Center.  The Guard and Reserve were going to tear down our sqd hq for the land to build the facility.  The politicial powers told the Guard and Reserve they had to provide us office space.  He have gone from"you won't have internet access" to the J6 saying "you're going to internet".  I had been trying to tell them we just wanted access to the internet side of the connection.  I think one we just got lucky that the J6 NCO has worked with CAP in other facilities across KY and with us being under the Dept of Military Affairs, he knows we have a specific need for our missions as well as the military side of the house.

[Nick]

Why not just use the 101 card (or a similar concept where you just print it out) as the membership card?  Saves a boatload of expense, and there's a bunch of folks that claim they never pull their membership cards out of their wallets anyway.

[Capt Rivera]

Why not just use the 101 card (or a similar concept where you just print it out) as the membership card?  Saves a boatload of expense, and there's a bunch of folks that claim they never pull their membership cards out of their wallets anyway.

- Easier forgeries of paper IDs...

[JoeTomasone]

Why not just use the 101 card (or a similar concept where you just print it out) as the membership card?  Saves a boatload of expense, and there's a bunch of folks that claim they never pull their membership cards out of their wallets anyway.

- Easier forgeries of paper IDs...

And if you got on base with that....  <shudder>

I am all for combining CAPF 101 and 78, but I prefer my picture ID.   Can't say that I wouldn't love to see it look more professional, but for what it is....

[PHall]

The picture CAP Membership card I have works well enough. Just remember, it's a membership card, not an ID card.

[JoeTomasone]

The picture CAP Membership card I have works well enough. Just remember, it's a membership card, not an ID card.

Actually, I would consider it both.  It verifies your membership AND identifies you.   I've used mine far more as the latter than as the former.

[SarDragon]

With picture - ID card. Without picture - membership card. Pretty simple.

[Dracosbane]

We had politicial influence in establishing our sqd hq in the Readiness Center.  The Guard and Reserve were going to tear down our sqd hq for the land to build the facility.  The politicial powers told the Guard and Reserve they had to provide us office space.  He have gone from"you won't have internet access" to the J6 saying "you're going to internet".  I had been trying to tell them we just wanted access to the internet side of the connection.  I think one we just got lucky that the J6 NCO has worked with CAP in other facilities across KY and with us being under the Dept of Military Affairs, he knows we have a specific need for our missions as well as the military side of the house.

We don't have, or need, any political influence for our location.  However we do have an awesome relationship with the facility and its Army units, that goes back a couple of decades.  We like them and respect the building and the people who work there, and they like us and respect what we do and give us space and toys to play with (or at least they will be when they install them).  Permanent storage would probably be more helpful than permanent office space, but we don't beg or push for it.  Especially because we know they're hurting for space for their own people. 

The nice thing is, they think of us when they make changes that affect us and keep us in the loop.

[Nick]

With picture - ID card. Without picture - membership card. Pretty simple.

Yeah, that's kinda my point.  Membership card = who cares about forgeries?  All it does is provide proof of membership that is verified on eServices anyway.  NHQ isn't losing money off the ID cards (whether it be through paying for it or multi-year renewal) so that's a wash.  So, you totally eliminate the expense of producing membership cards by just printing the things out.