Re-building cadet program in squadron from scratch

[SWASH]

I have recently been made the C/CC at my squadron (2 weeks ago).  I have been in CAP, and in this squadron for two years and the squadron is about 4 years old (cadet part, senior has been around for a while).  Well because there was never any experienced cadets to help out, my squadron never got far in CP's, and is still not.

I have been wanting to change a whole bunch up stuff for about a year now, and now I can.  There is this new SM who is the new DDR instructor.  He is an ex-marine.  After our meeting this week he wanted to have a meeting with me.  Basically after 20 minuets we have came up with the conclusion to re-start our cadet squadron.  We will start in probably 2 weeks, starting out with the very basics and stopping all of our other stuff until further notice.  My DCC has giving us her blessing in doing so.

My question is, what is the best way to re-start a squadron from scratch?  We will start will classes that cover the very basic stuff in CAP, like the three missions of CAP.  Any suggestions are welcomed.  I will keep you all updated on my squadrons progress.

[SWASH]

I have a good idea of how we will go about this.  The top things on my list are GK, uniform wear, and finally installing discipline in my squadron.  For the past 4 years it has been a big ol' party, but now we will finally be doing things in an orderly fashion.  I have created a whole plan with the new SM.  Are there any manuals, regulations, publishings, ect. on how to start the cadet side of a squadron from scratch?  Thanks.

[mikeylikey]

^ Re-start a Cadet SQD?!?!  I am a little slow on the uptake on this one.  Sorry.  I gather your Cadet numbers are low, there are no outside activities, you are not flying, no ES, DDR or AE stuff going on? 

What is it that you have been doing the past two years?  Just a brief rundown would be awesome!  Then you say "here is what was jacked up, lets change this".  I have never heard of stopping for 2 weeks, and re-starting all over again.  Who will be in charge of the cadets for this mandatory "re-training"?  Where has the SQD CC and DCC been when things were falling apart?

I would be happy to direct you to the manuals and regs.......but in all reality, I never re-started a Cadet program.  I have rebuilt one before.  If you want to rebuild one utilizing the same people, I can help you out there!

[SWASH]

Oops, sorry for the missunderstanding.  I meant "rebuild" my squadron as a C/CC.  We are not stopping for 2 weeks, we have PT next week, then the retraining will start with the same cadets in and all.

We have a chief (former C/CC), a C/SMSgt, and a C/MSgt (me), other than that we have only C/AMN and two C/A1C who are the two element leaders.  I was never "trained" when I joined, but have been learning CAP completely on my own through Cadetstuff, here, reading manuals, and attending 2 encampments (one as a doolie, one as a flight sergeant).  The C/AMN and C/A1C have never been trained, so we are going to start this training late.

[SWASH]

Oops, sorry for the missunderstanding.  I meant "rebuild" my squadron as a C/CC.  We are not stopping for 2 weeks, we have PT next week, then the retraining will start with the same cadets in and all.

We have a chief (former C/CC), a C/SMSgt, and a C/MSgt (me), other than that we have only C/AMN and two C/A1C who are the two element leaders.  I was never "trained" when I joined, but have been learning CAP completely on my own through Cadetstuff, here, reading manuals, and attending 2 encampments (one as a doolie, one as a flight sergeant).  The C/AMN and C/A1C have never been trained, so we are going to start this training late.

EDIT: We will keep everything the same, but become a much, much, MUCH, better squadron.  Yes we have been flying, we are very soon going to be getting GT certification, ect.  It's just that we have never been a good squadron, mainly crappy.  This is where I take it into my own hands too actually have what  you could call a "squadron".  The new SM took notice in this at the end of two meetings, and this is the support that I have needed.

[jeders]

Well let's start with not keeping EVERYTHING the same. Obviously if your squadron is, as you say, crappy, then something is broke and therefore needs to be changed. Keep the good, but drop the bad like, well like a bad habit.

For starters, make your intentions and reasons known. If everyone is expecting these changes then they'll have little, or at least less, problem with them then if you just change things without telling them why.

Second, work on general knowledge, as you said. By this I don't mean usual things like when was CAP founded or who is the national commander, at least not at first. For starters do GK stuff like basic uniform wear, customs and courtesies, and the like. This is a way of teaching them some of the basics and insuring that they know the information. After that, you could get into the regular GK.

You said you were gonna halt other stuff while you work on retraining everyone, this is good. Keep your focus on the goal, but don't get so fixated on the goal that everyone looses interest because you're not doing other things. I would also hold off on the GT training until such time as everyone is trained to a decent degree.

Most importantly, be the change you want to see in others, or something like that, I forget who said it. You are now the example for your cadets. If you don't wear your uniform perfectly, they won't. If you don't salute officers, they won't. If you don't act professionally and disciplined, they won't.

Good luck, and if you discover some new idea that's not mentioned here, please share.

[SWASH]

Well the GT stuff is a bivouac being hosted by another local squadron on the C/CC and brothers 30 acre ranch.  It will be over a weekend, no biggie.

One thing that we are going to attempt to do is have a bivouac once every 2 months, covering differenct things like drill, C&C, ect.  Starting on Friday night and ending on Saturday night at our squadron.

[Michael]

I may be preaching to the choir on this one, but don't leave the required stuff out of the schedule like Character Dovelopment (Moral Leadership), Safety, and Aerospace.

Believe me, it's happened before.

Good luck.

[SWASH]

I may be preaching to the choir on this one, but don't leave the required stuff out of the schedule like Character Dovelopment (Moral Leadership), Safety, and Aerospace.

Believe me, it's happened before.

Good luck.

Oh, I am leaving all of that in the schedule.  The stuff I will be stopping for a while is a new SM talks about gliders about every meeting for about 50 minuets, and gives us rides through some FAA program (non-cap).  This is 50 minuets that will now be used for training.

[DC]

You might want to implement a T-Flight program, so when you start recruiting you can quickly train new cadet.

I am in a similar situation to the one you are in, and one of the things that has killed our CP is we were always focused on the basics, everytime we would get reasonably trained we would get a few new cadets and start all over again...

[mikeylikey]

I may be preaching to the choir on this one, but don't leave the required stuff out of the schedule like Character Development (Moral Leadership), Safety, and Aerospace.

Believe me, it's happened before.

Good luck.

Oh, I am leaving all of that in the schedule.  The stuff I will be stopping for a while is a new SM talks about gliders about every meeting for about 50 minuets, and gives us rides through some FAA program (non-cap).  This is 50 minuets that will now be used for training.

I think I have an answer for you.  Get with your DCC and SQD Commander, and say "we can get more done, if you would please have (insert name here) stop interupting us every five minutes just to talk".  Be polite, but firm about this.  If those two are actually prepared to fix the SQD, they will listen to you and will deal with the Senior Member.  Whatever you do, do NOT deal with that Senior Member directly.  Worst thing you can do.  He will most likely "write-you-off" if you go up to him and say "Sir, you are really rambling on, and I would like to get things done".

[SWASH]

My DCC puts the SM who talks about gliders on the schedule for 90% of the meetings for one of the class blocks.  I will need to talk to her and see if he can talk much less, maybe 1 meeting a month for 45 minuets.

[BlackKnight]

My DCC puts the SM who talks about gliders on the schedule for 90% of the meetings for one of the class blocks.  I will need to talk to her and see if he can talk much less, maybe 1 meeting a month for 45 minuets.

At least it's only a "senior member" you're having to deal with.  I'm sure many of the DCCs on this forum have experienced the problem where it's the Squadron Commander who gets up and "lectures" for 50 minutes every meeting. 

"Uhh, Sir, can I recommend that TLC class to you the next time it's offered?"

[DC]

My DCC puts the SM who talks about gliders on the schedule for 90% of the meetings for one of the class blocks.  I will need to talk to her and see if he can talk much less, maybe 1 meeting a month for 45 minuets.

At least it's only a "senior member" you're having to deal with.  I'm sure many of the DCCs on this forum have experienced the problem where it's the Squadron Commander who gets up and "lectures" for 50 minutes every meeting. 

"Uhh, Sir, can I recommend that TLC class to you the next time it's offered?"

I had a commander that did that last year, thankfully it didn't last, but it was awful...

[SWASH]

UPDATE:  Planning  has been going very well.  The new SM and I have planned out tommarows meeting, addressing the issues.  It looks prommising right now.

[Pylon]

UPDATE:  Planning  has been going very well.  The new SM and I have planned out tommarows meeting, addressing the issues.  It looks prommising right now.

Good luck.  Keep us posted on the progress.