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VSAF Annoucement

Started by NIN, January 10, 2008, 09:31:28 PM

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GPVIIOps

Couldn't agree with you more. I was talking about wearing the BDU's or the Blue BDU's with out the rank.

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I understand your point, and can agree with it to a certain extent.  Enough that I'm not inclined to quibble.  MY biggest beef with the program is that we already HAVE a uniform that meets the stated criteria of the  VSAF uniform... the Golf Shirt combo.  Do we get a new uniform for every new mission?
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"If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the men who make it their professional business to put it out?"  ~John Godfrey Saxe

GPVIIOps

I can't speak for all the bases doing the program, but some good has come from it at my base. I have been able to provide valuable input to the exercise planning office which is drastically understaffed and assist in the training of Airman going off to war. I have helped in the emergency disaster drills at the base, and worked with the Emergency Readiness people to develop contingency plans. I have a background in Fire/EMS, Law Enforcement and military so believe it or not, I have helped and seen the so called "fruits of my labor." CAP personnel can do a lot for the Air Force as long as they are the right people in the right positions. 

As far as what jobs are open, well that's a little hard to publish seeing as it is up to each base. At the commanders staff meeting the Base CC talks about the program, lets all the commanders know what we can offer, and they put their names in to have people come out and work. Locally we have had positions open in the Exercise Planning/Wing Readiness office, Airman and Family Readiness Center, Base Honor Guard, Base Hospital, and other understaffed offices. I am sure other bases are different and I don't know what their needs are. The way it works is the CAP-VSAF Air Force contact for the base contacts the CAP CAP-VSAF contact and tells them what they have. That person works on filling the slots from there. Locally the Group Commander sent out an e-mail to all the people in the Group letting them know what they have open and asking them to sign up. The list of jobs open can change from day to day.

As for the VSAF uniform being prescribed, and some people in the VSAF community not following those guidelines.... I believe I have already answered that question in previous posts, but here I go again. Working in the office I do, we spend a lot of time in "the field". The CAP-VSAF uniform wouldn't work out to well for that now would it? So my Group CC called CAP HQ VSAF people and told them about the situation. He talked it over with the AF, National CC, and a few other people and it was approved for me to wear either of the BDU combinations..... and yes without the rank. I have to tell ya, I don't feel any different without it.

Depending on what we have scheduled that day I will either wear the VSAF uniform or the Blue BDU combo. I don't personally like the blue BDU's, but I have found that it makes people ask questions, not to mention the Major and Lt Col I work for like the way it looks. I have also found that it doesn't matter what uniform you are in or if/what rank you hold. You have to work with these people either way to earn their respect.... Just like Active Duty. After working in a few exercises, getting dirty in the field during ECST training, and showing the active duty folks I know what I am doing, I am here to help, and I don't care to get dirty, they treat me like I am one of their own... CAP Captain or lowly civilian, doesn't' matter either way.


Quote from: mikeylikey on July 08, 2008, 01:54:39 AM
^ Man.....I was looking forward to buying a new set of khaki pants and an ugly polo. 

Seriously though........Has anything "really" come out of the VSAF Program?  We are still almost in the dark as to what the volunteers are doing, where they are working etc.  A nice page from the VSAF coordinator on what is going on would be awesome. 

^ Maybe that is too much to ask.  I am not sure........but what I am sure about is a distinctive uniform was prescribed, but yet some in the VSAF community, are clearly not following the guidelines.  We have pics to prove it, and the guy above wearing BDU's when he should be in the VSAF prescribed wear.  I am curious.......has he ripped off the rank from the CAP BDU's when he goes into the field, wouldn't want to confuse his E-2 supervisor too much now would we?!!?

Silliness. 
"If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the men who make it their professional business to put it out?"  ~John Godfrey Saxe

RiverAux

The program just started not that long ago and only in a limited number of sites.  I wouldn't expect much in the way of results just yet-- they're just testing the concept.  But, even if you assume everything goes well and it goes nationwide, I wouldn't expect results that shake the AF to its very core.  It will probably always be a relatively small program, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth doing.

SAR-EMT1

Kach: how goes your space tour program this summer?
Any new changes or interesting tidbits?
Have there ever been any pictures or news releases of the venture?
C. A. Edgar
AUX USCG Flotilla 8-8
Former CC / GLR-IL-328
Firefighter, Paramedic, Grad Student

JohnKachenmeister

We have not done any releases, but...

Yesterday and today we opened the museum early for two special tours by educators from around the country.  Myself and two CAP lieutenants  ran the tour and the gift shop, and were the ONLY government personnel on the site.

The program has been going on for more than a year.  We are training one cadet right now to do the tours as well.

We deal with mostly the public rather than military guys, so we DO wear our rank and introduce ourselves as "Maj. John Kachenmeister of the US Air Force Auxiliary" and welcome the visitors on behalf the the 45th Space Wing.
Another former CAP officer

mikeylikey

^ How long does each tour last? 
What's up monkeys?

JohnKachenmeister

Quote from: mikeylikey on July 12, 2008, 02:05:02 AM
^ How long does each tour last? 

The regular "Tourist" tours last about 45 minutes, about 25-30 minutes of which is the formal presentation, and the remainder is for the guests to wander the rocket garden, visit the gift shop, or otherwise browse and look at the displays.  We stay with the tours in the general area to answer any questions that come up, especially from people too self-conscious to ask during the guided tour.

The special tours, from NASA or from Patrick AFB Public Affairs are longer, 1 hour to 90 minutes.  A little more time to wander.

The rest of the tour takes the guests to the first manned launch site, which is a computerized tour, and other historic sites on the Cape.  The museum and the manned site, however, is the high point of the tour.  The other sites mostly don't even involve getting off the bus.

The whole tour lasts about three hours, but we are only involved at the museum site.
Another former CAP officer