i have kind of a difficult question. I contacted AFIADL and asked if I take SOS as a CAP officer will it count as non-correspondence for the AF as well. Their response was check with your training officer. Would anyone have any intel on this? I appreciate it.
Adam
CAP doesn't get picked up for in-residence SOS (never have, probably never will) but there should be no problem taking SOS by correspondence as a CAP member while also an AF officer. No difference in the correspondence texts taken by CAP members and AF officers.
If I recall, there is a section of SOS that is only administered to AF members as it deals soley with AF related materials. My SOS welcome letter said something about it, so the course isn't completely identical...(I may be wrong)
But they are right, you would need to speak to your training officer as the course taken on a voluntary basis isn't required to be monitored by your TO. They may say you need to do it twice because they didn't get to make sure you were learning what you were supposed to.
When my ex was commissioned in the AF, she received credit for both SOS and ACSC. Not bad for a Second Lieutenant.
You could always turn it around. Take the course as AF and then get credit for CAP.
Dave Dove has the answer. Back when I was in the reserves we were briefed that SOS, ACSC and AWC could be counted toward both our AF PME and CAP only if we took the courses as AF members.
Joe Casler
I appreciate all of the responses. It seems as though there is a difference of opinion whether I can take the SOS correspondence as a CAP officer and have it transfer over. Who do you think would make a good person to ping this question with: education office? state director? Thanks again!
Adam
If you are active duty, reserve or ANG talk to your units education office personnel.
Joe Casler
SOS by correspondence is the same for CAP and AF. If you complete the course before pinning on Capt in the AF it will not show up in your AFPC records, but will be recorded at AFIADL. Once you pin on Capt you can request AFIADL update your records at AFPC, or fax the certificate of completion to AFPC.
Of course the advantage of taking it as a CAP member and gaining dual credit for it would be that you could do it before you were "allowed" to in the AF. For instance, if you are a Capt in CAP and only a 2d Lt in the AF, you would be eligible to take SOS as a CAP member, but not an AF member.
It must have some bearing on promotion process if your supervisors see that you as a 1st Lt or so have already completed SOS and ACSC...
I took SOS via correspondance as a CAP member and after a six month fight with the base education office I got the retirement points for the course too.
It did make a nice looking bullet statement on my EPR's "Sergeant Hall has completed all PME available to him and has also completed SOS through the Civil Air Patrol."