VSAF Annoucement

[RiverAux]

Well, as a supporter of the concept of CAP augmenting AF units, I suppose I think this is one way of putting that into action.  Family support, if in fact that is what this is supposed to be targeted at, would be a decent start. 

Among many questions that I would have is:  Is this an Air Force Assigned Mission or a CAP corporate mission?  I suppose it doesn't matter very much at the ground level (unless you happen to be injured while doing this work).  If an AFAM, then the reporting and record keeping requirements might be interesting. 

Really, the Air Force Base Augmentation Thread is quite applicable, but I suppose that now we have a specific program being implemented, it probably deserves its own thread. 

[DNall]

yeah river, this all seems oddly familiar does it not? 

FRG & IT type stuff is a decent place to start I guess. Some of the other stuff we discussed in that previous thread & the couple related ones around that time might be the place to grow to after we get our feet wet. Admin will take care of itself & adapt to the mission requirements. Don't worry too much about that stuff.

[Snake Doctor]

I can see filling various customer service, help desk type positions for those qualified and or trained.  Example; The Scott AFB clinic has volunteers answering the phones.

[Eeyore]

It would be great to get involved in the Public Affairs shop, well, at least for us PA types.

[Snake Doctor]

I would love time in the Base PA Office.  All the shops are "under one roof" now.  Print and visual media. At Scott AFB they always seem to be short handed.

[DNall]

PA is one of the things we discussed in our augmentation discussion. Another angle was the AF standing up a new effort to carry the fight & HLD effort to cyberspace - whole new numbered AF command for it. We talked about working that effort, possibly in a telecommute role, cited stories of private citizens that'd done similiar to high praise. Maybe that's too far, I don't know. The concept though was find every way CAP can directly support the realworld AF mission, either by taking pressure off them or by actually taking part in that mission on the homefront.

Whatever the intended scope on this program, I'd see it as an opportunity to get out foot in the door & further expand CAP's role within the total AF team. I hope people will recognize & take advantage of that, even if it isn't necessarily exciting to start with.

[RiverAux]

From the announcement:

Those who join CAP in order to perform VSAF services will be considered full-fledged CAP members, with the same rights and responsibilities that membership entails.

I've always said that were CAP to get into AF augmentation that it would bring people into the organization who otherwise might not join.  We see the same thing in CG Aux where people who have no desire to go out on boats or teach boating safety classes join just for the opportunity to work directly with the CG in some form or fashion. 

So, from the above we can assume that at a minimum VSAF members will have to go through membership dues, Level 1 and OPSEC. 

I do wonder if the AF is thinking of pushing those already volunteering for them in other roles into CAP through this program.  It would provide a slighly increased level of security for them in that the volunteers would have to go through fingerprinting and background checks as well as pushing some of the responsibility for managing them onto CAP. 

[NIN]

BTW, it seems that the Group in the area of one of those bases was "in the loop" and a senior squadron that met at that base was being considered for the VSAF support role, not the cadet unit.  So my earlier post that the unit commander was not in the loop, while accurate, did not paint the full picture.

One of the under-SecAFs is kicking off this program at the end of the month at one of the test bases.

[RiverAux]

This book discusses both CAP and CG Aux in terms of the "continuum of service" with a few paragraphs on page 303:

The All-Volunteer Force: Thirty Years of Service By Barbara A. Bicksler, Curtis L. Gilroy, http://books.google.com/books?id=dsNrRjCFVfIC&printsec=frontcover

[RAZOR]

As an Active Member of the Armed Services I can tell you from expierence that the only possibility of this happening will be in a customer service role, meet & greet type jobs. The Government cannot let civilians into areas that are sensitive, I.E.  Information Technology is a sensitive area and requires Secutity clearances. Public Afairs, handled by Military Personnel authorized to speak on behalf of the Wing Commanders. There will be Insurance/Liability questions, Background Checks to be accomplished and so on. Every Job or area on an Installation requires a Security Clearance.

Family Readiness Programs are already staffed by full time individuals already assisting family members as well as our Commanders, First Sergeants, immediate Supervisors and Chaplains.


In short the concept of this program is good however there is no CONOPS(CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS) doctrine in place to bring this program online and if it did it would be very, very limited operations. .

[mikeylikey]

^ Remember 2 years ago when the call went out for all prior-service or currently serving military folks to list their Security clearances in E-services.  Done and Done!

I do agree that I seriously doubt there will be any "important" jobs.  Most likely Airman Snuffy deploys from the Base welcome Center and instead of having another guy fill in, CAP is called to meet and great base visitors.  Nothing more and nothing less.  I do not expect anything serious to come of this. 

I am wondering if this more of a Wright-Patterson Squadron decided to try to volunteer some time at the AF museum, so CAP PAO at NHQ writes an "awesome story" type thing?

[RiverAux]

While I don't see CAP members serving as spokesmen for the AF, I can certainly see them working in the public affairs shop on base as writers, editors, or in other functions. 

Sorry Razor, but the concept has already been proven by the CG Auxiliary and by those State Defense Forces that augment their NG units.  While each are in slightly different situations, they have proven that unpaid volunteers working on a part time basis can provide valuable service to the military. 

Don't bother going all "civilians can't do it" on us....the rise of the civilian contractor and other civilian staff within the military world has shown that a lot of traditional "military" jobs can be done by civilians. 

Will this ever be a huge program with hundreds of CAP members working on each base?  Probably not, unless we get in a WWII situation again (unlikely). 

[mikeylikey]

Will this ever be a huge program with hundreds of CAP members working on each base?  Probably not, unless we get in a WWII situation again (unlikely). 

If that did happen, I seriously think the AF would just absorb CAP assets and money.  And let all CAP members go.

[RiverAux]

Nah, we've gone through quite a lot of wars and military budget cutbacks and we're still here.  The AF is axing thousands of people to buy a few more planes, and we're still here. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

I'm gonna have to non-concur with Razor on this one.  In our Federal role, we are an "Instrumentality of the United States" and therefore legally the same as AF personnel.  We can be given a military mission and we can perform it.  We have had inland SAR so long that we all forget that Congress assigned the inland SAR mission to the USAF in 1948.  The AF gave us that mission, and now we own it.

Congress has further authorized the USAF to assign CAP any non-combat mission or program.  Yes.  A CAP officer CAN and maybe someday will be the "Face of the Base" in PA and speak for the commander. 

It might just be me, which brings me to my next point.

We have a lot of military retirees in CAP.  Most are too old or have developed medical probelms that preclude returning to active or reserve service, but do not stop them from serving in a support mission on a CONUS base.  This program could be a vehicle to harness that asset, and add it to other trained folk to help out.

[Short Field]

We have a lot of military retirees in CAP.  Most are too old or have developed medical probelms that preclude returning to active or reserve service,

I will agree that most are over 40, but to say they are too old or have developed medical problems that preclude returing to active or reserve service is a push.   I am sure I would have no problems keeping up the active duty General I worked for when he was a Major and I was a new Captain.  I will pass on jumping out of airplanes or pulling 12 g's but other than that there are very few jobs that would be too taxing for anyone that can walk around the block twice without passing out.

[sardak]

A "VSAF Program Clarification" letter has been sent to the BOG and NB from Gen. Courter, Col. Hodgkins and Mr. Rowland.

CAP recently announced the launch of a new pilot program – Volunteer Support to the Air Force (VSAF).   Immediately following the announcement, several concerns were expressed by members regarding the viability and credibility of the program.  In particular, questions were raised regarding the reasons for selecting a new name and a new uniform.  Is VSAF designed to replace CAP?  Are uniformed CAP members an embarrassment to the Air Force?  Certainly there is a need to address these concerns as we move toward the program's January 28 kickoff at Wright-Patterson and Randolph Air Force Bases.

CAP volunteers participating in VSAF will provide vital support functions -- including those that support operational missions or enhance the quality of life on base -- that have been reduced or eliminated due to a lack of Air Force personnel.

Examples of support for operational missions include working at base operations, supporting mobility deployment processing centers, and helping administration in flying squadrons. 

Examples of support for quality of life on base include staffing family readiness centers, which provide military families and single military members with the quality-of-life support they need to cope with the demands of Air Force life.

Similarly, staffing at fitness centers, skills development centers, libraries, and special events improves Air Force life for those service members and their families.

VSAF provides CAP another valuable opportunity to serve this great nation. It is designed to complement our Missions for America, not to replace our entire program of service or replace any current mission area.  It is an additive mission; a perfect example of CAP's growth into the future!

The paragraph of the letter regarding the uniform has been posted in the thread in the Uniforms section.

Finally, VSAF is simply the promotional name selected for this new mission. It is unique in that it is truly one of the first missions CAP has undertaken in which individual CAP members will be working with individual Air Force personnel versus CAP providing service as a group.   Within the Air Force, we expect that the name will be CAP-VSAF: providing enhanced visibility to the Civil Air Patrol, while also being descriptive of what the service members should expect – our support!

Full letter attached.

Mike

[mikeylikey]

Mike....thank you! 

Seems like the thing may be getting a bigger push by the AF then I thought.

However, I have a terrible feeling that those CAP members that really want to do this, but are not "friends" with the Group Commander will find themselves mowing grass, or cleaning nautilus machines at the Gym.

I just don't see how staffing the Gym works for this program? We (taxpayers) already employee civilians on all installations running and working in the gym.

I would love to see this program move onto Reserve Bases as well.  I would like to drive to Wright PATT to see the kickoff!  Plus, Ohio in JAN.......wonderful!

[♠SARKID♠]

Okay, I'll relax now.  I think this is a good idea, we'll provide another service for the Air Force as well as putting out CAP's name a little more.  I'd like to know if regular CAP member's can dual operate between regCAP and VSAF so that they can participate too.

[mikeylikey]

I just noticed in the letter they want to refer to it as CAP-VSAF.  So when will we need to change our tapes on our BDU's over, and when will the confusion start between CAP-USAF and CAP-VSAF. 

"Hi I'm Mike from CAP-VSAF, here are my orders from CAP-USAF, please direct me to the DIFAC".  The Junior enlisted guy in charge of me that has been in the AF for 6 months says "What?!!?"