A Song of Work and Time

[raivo]

The following are some random thoughts and I haven't bothered to organize them too terribly well (it's my day off - I reserve the right to be lazy.) Read at your own peril.

Anyhow. I got an e-mail from back home earlier today. Apparently my old squadron is on the verge of closing down because the commander is leaving and nobody wants to take the reins. At my current squadron, we've had two DCCs step down in the last eight months or so due to the time commitment required. (I was asked if I was interested in being the assistant DCC - my internal thought process was two words long, and the second one was "no." I'll leave the first one up to the imagination of the reader.)

In my opinion, CAP has a problem: specifically, that pretty much any leadership position in the organization is just way too much work. It's practically a second job that you're not getting paid for. (I got to witness this firsthand when my dad was a squadron commander.) I've observed, in about 14 years of membership, that people who get put in CAP leadership positions fall into three categories:

• The givers. They're people who contribute positively to the program, and somehow manage to balance CAP with the rest of their lives. I don't know how they do it, but somehow they do. Unfortunately, they're in the minority - and additionally, because they aren't in it for the politics (I'll address this in a second), oftentimes they don't end up in command positions.
• The politicians. CAP tends to attract a lot of these. They like power, they like rank, and they like status - to the point that they don't mind the "second job" because it allows them their own little empire. (I might sound excessively cynical... but I was in FLWG for the entirety of Tony Pineda's rise to power. 'Nuff said.) And because of this, they often end up in command positions.
• The overwhelmed. They take the job because they want to contribute to the program. But they get overwhelmed by the stress of working 40+ hours a week, having an actual life, and doing CAP things at the same time.

One of the root causes, I think, is the fact that that CAP tries really hard to be a military organization, to the point of creating CAPRs for everything... I went and checked, there's just under 80 CAPRs that commanders are responsible for complying with. That's more regulations than I have to know for my AF job, and I spend 60+ hours a week getting paid for that. Now, admittedly, not all of these are relevant to every unit (e.g., the reg on Overseas Cadet Squadrons), but that's still a lot of rules to know - and if you have a small senior staff, then that increases the amount of "jobs" that each person has to do and the number of CAPRs they're required to know. Also, to quote an AF squadron commander I knew: "I'm responsible for AFIs I don't even know exist. It's not possible to be in compliance with everything all the time - you just have to be very careful about what you're not in compliance with."

I don't have a solution, I'm just looking to hear other peoples' thoughts. I feel like CAP loses a lot of good people because it demands way too much from them.

[SunDog]

Not so random; pretty spot on. Does every sqdn need a PD officer? A PAO? I can be a MP. Or I can do another job. I can't do both. And I feel bad when I see the load my CC carries. Just too much SAS, with us trying to emulate  the organization of AD sqdns. SUIs of ridiculous granularity,  other mandates, just too many black holes sucking up the time available.

Being the maintenance officer for a sqdn with an airplane can approach full time job status.

I'm organizing the goat rope required for a Form 5. The paper chase for the douments, multiple sortie entries, multiple FRO contacts, man, it just wears you out. . .

[Panache]

Agreed.  This is dead-on accurate.

[Brit_in_CAP]

Not so random; pretty spot on. Does every sqdn need a PD officer? A PAO? I can be a MP. Or I can do another job. I can't do both. And I feel bad when I see the load my CC carries. Just too much SAS, with us trying to emulate  the organization of AD sqdns. SUIs of ridiculous granularity,  other mandates, just too many black holes sucking up the time available.

Being the maintenance officer for a sqdn with an airplane can approach full time job status.

I'm organizing the goat rope required for a Form 5. The paper chase for the douments, multiple sortie entries, multiple FRO contacts, man, it just wears you out. . .

No comment on the Form 5 and the 'bird' as I have no experience there BUT your first paragraph is spot on. 

[Майор Хаткевич]

We've been over this before, and I really don't feel like rehashing this...but being an MP is all about YOU, not the squadron. Sure, mission critical, but you're all about the toy (and even that, complaining about the process), but I'm not hearing where you carry your weight in the unit. Feel bad for the CC? Help him out...take on SOME small staff job.

[Al Sayre]

Not so random; pretty spot on. Does every sqdn need a PD officer? A PAO? I can be a MP. Or I can do another job. I can't do both. And I feel bad when I see the load my CC carries. Just too much SAS, with us trying to emulate  the organization of AD sqdns. SUIs of ridiculous granularity,  other mandates, just too many black holes sucking up the time available.

Being the maintenance officer for a sqdn with an airplane can approach full time job status.

I'm organizing the goat rope required for a Form 5. The paper chase for the douments, multiple sortie entries, multiple FRO contacts, man, it just wears you out. . .

If it takes you more than half an hour to set up a CAPF 5 ride, something is radically wrong.

[SunDog]

We've been over this before, and I really don't feel like rehashing this...but being an MP is all about YOU, not the squadron. Sure, mission critical, but you're all about the toy (and even that, complaining about the process), but I'm not hearing where you carry your weight in the unit. Feel bad for the CC? Help him out...take on SOME small staff job.

Same here, no rehash; we're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one; I fly O rides, missions, MP proficeincy; I'm SETS for MP, MO, MS, and I fly training sorties for folks working on those quals.  This "all about me" doesn't ring true in my mind, not at all.  I don't see why the time contributed as a pilot is less significant than other hours donated. . 

Hey, I gave CAP 4 1/2 days in April, one of them using leave.  Doesn't include the prep hours at home, just the out-the-door time.  I got nothing left to help him with some small job.  And to be square with you, and fess up, some of thoses things are truly pointless, and I admit that makes them harder to embrace.

[SunDog]

Not so random; pretty spot on. Does every sqdn need a PD officer? A PAO? I can be a MP. Or I can do another job. I can't do both. And I feel bad when I see the load my CC carries. Just too much SAS, with us trying to emulate  the organization of AD sqdns. SUIs of ridiculous granularity,  other mandates, just too many black holes sucking up the time available.

Being the maintenance officer for a sqdn with an airplane can approach full time job status.

I'm organizing the goat rope required for a Form 5. The paper chase for the douments, multiple sortie entries, multiple FRO contacts, man, it just wears you out. . .

If it takes you more than half an hour to set up a CAPF 5 ride, something is radically wrong.

I agree. . .tests/questionaires, copies of documents to make and email, WMIRS goat-rope for multiple sorties, two FROs to deal with, track down the money guy to get the ride itself approved as a funded "A" mission, schedule the check pilot (toughest part!), get the airplane (not so tough).

I think a well organized guy could knock that out in 30 minutes. I think I'll spend maybe an hour or two on this stuff. Another two on the study/refresher (which is just part of flying, no problem with that).  The ride will take the better part of a day.

But it's my last one, so I'll make the flying part fun. . .

[JeffDG]

We've been over this before, and I really don't feel like rehashing this...but being an MP is all about YOU, not the squadron. Sure, mission critical, but you're all about the toy (and even that, complaining about the process), but I'm not hearing where you carry your weight in the unit. Feel bad for the CC? Help him out...take on SOME small staff job.

MP is an ES Qualification, it's not a duty position.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

We've been over this before, and I really don't feel like rehashing this...but being an MP is all about YOU, not the squadron. Sure, mission critical, but you're all about the toy (and even that, complaining about the process), but I'm not hearing where you carry your weight in the unit. Feel bad for the CC? Help him out...take on SOME small staff job.

Same here, no rehash; we're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one; I fly O rides, missions, MP proficeincy; I'm SETS for MP, MO, MS, and I fly training sorties for folks working on those quals.  This "all about me" doesn't ring true in my mind, not at all.  I don't see why the time contributed as a pilot is less significant than other hours donated. . 

Hey, I gave CAP 4 1/2 days in April, one of them using leave.  Doesn't include the prep hours at home, just the out-the-door time.  I got nothing left to help him with some small job.  And to be square with you, and fess up, some of thoses things are truly pointless, and I admit that makes them harder to embrace.

There are similar time commitments for other ES positions. And yet I've never encountered the I'm a UDF, GTM, MS/MO (non-pilot), (AO or G)BD, PSC, OPS or IC, I don't have time to do a staff job.

[Майор Хаткевич]

We've been over this before, and I really don't feel like rehashing this...but being an MP is all about YOU, not the squadron. Sure, mission critical, but you're all about the toy (and even that, complaining about the process), but I'm not hearing where you carry your weight in the unit. Feel bad for the CC? Help him out...take on SOME small staff job.

MP is an ES Qualification, it's not a duty position.

That's my point. Sounds like he likes getting flight time. But complains about the process. He says he feels bad for the CC who has to deal with "all that other stuff", but he's part of the reason the CC IS dealing with it. Give the man a hand.

[SunDog]

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer I can make it, or why you think time spent flying missions/training is somehow "playing", while counting the widgets is "real" work?

Look, I have just so many hours to contribute; "X" amount of work has to be done in a sqdn or wing; it just doesn't matter whether the work is lumped under some aribitary category like "ES", or "Staff'.  Sitting in a cockpit, or laboring over a spreadsheet, it needs to be done.

You guys have this weird (to me) optic that "free" flying time makes  MP's work somehow sleazy, or low rent, like we're getting a free ride.  Like some kind of twisted Puritan ethic that any work that's enjoyable can't be worthy  - it's gotta hurt to count. If it helps any, I'm occasionally scared spitless?

Where I can best contribute is via my ES quals.  I can't speak for GT, but I wager the amount of time required to stay proficient as a MP exceeds that of quite a few "Staff" jobs, and several ES quals.  I'm pretty sure I'm more useful to my sqdn/wing as a competent MP, rather than as a marginally competent MP who also can certify the widget count.

IRT the OP - it was kinda about inefficiency, wasn't it? My CC is squished because he's loaded with some fairly useless nonsense to deal with. maybe keep the attention on the OP, talk it out a bit. . .

If you gave up 40 or 50 hours to CAP in April, good on ya, you know? That's probably about what I did, too.  If you did more, thank you for your service, and I truly wish I could match your contribution. But I can't. . .

[THRAWN]

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer I can make it, or why you think time spent flying missions/training is somehow "playing", while counting the widgets is "real" work?

Look, I have just so many hours to contribute; "X" amount of work has to be done in a sqdn or wing; it just doesn't matter whether the work is lumped under some aribitary category like "ES", or "Staff'.  Sitting in a cockpit, or laboring over a spreadsheet, it needs to be done.

You guys have this weird (to me) optic that "free" flying time makes  MP's work somehow sleazy, or low rent, like we're getting a free ride.  Like some kind of twisted Puritan ethic that any work that's enjoyable can't be worthy  - it's gotta hurt to count. If it helps any, I'm occasionally scared spitless?

Where I can best contribute is via my ES quals.  I can't speak for GT, but I wager the amount of time required to stay proficient as a MP exceeds that of quite a few "Staff" jobs, and several ES quals.  I'm pretty sure I'm more useful to my sqdn/wing as a competent MP, rather than as a marginally competent MP who also can certify the widget count.

IRT the OP - it was kinda about inefficiency, wasn't it? My CC is squished because he's loaded with some fairly useless nonsense to deal with. maybe keep the attention on the OP, talk it out a bit. . .

If you gave up 40 or 50 hours to CAP in April, good on ya, you know? That's probably about what I did, too.  If you did more, thank you for your service, and I truly wish I could match your contribution. But I can't. . .

It sounds like you're using your inability to manage a simple process like getting a form 5 as justification for not taking a role other than MP. If you don't want to help, just say so and be done with it. When I was DOS in NJ, we had a staffer who would spend the first 3/4 of a work night talking about "all the paperwork" that had to be done, and about an hour actually getting it done. Sounds like you have the same issue. Your list of "all the" just smack of inefficiency, coincidentally.....40-50 hours in April? Again, if you want to do it right, and be in the missions that you're training to fly, some staffers are putting in 40-50 hours per week. Figure out a way to streamline your process, move it to a less manual system and use the time savings to help out around the house.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer I can make it, or why you think time spent flying missions/training is somehow "playing", while counting the widgets is "real" work?

I've got plenty of anecdotal and personally observed "I wish I could simply be an MP and do FUN stuff instead of this Squadron/Group/Wing Staff Job". It's not that these people think it stupid, or don't want to do it. It's just that a LOT of people want to do the GT/Flight Crew, and then at the end of the day, leave while the "staff wienies" are left to break down mission base, do the paperwork, and clean up the mess made by those who departed soon afterwards.


I just finished a two weekend encampment. Friday Morning to Sunday Night. As it ALWAYS happens, everyone takes off at graduation, and in the end it's a few of us clearing out of the compartments, taking our gear back to HQ, and offloading. Last year it was the Encampment commander and me (XO), alone. This year we had a few volunteer cadet staffers to offload the van and stow the gear. Most everyone else "did my job" and left after graduation.


It's the same at mission base. It's the same at meetings. Someone is left to pick up that "BS" safety leaflet off the floor at the end of the night. Typically it's the unit CC. So don't cry me a river over "I do all I can". A lot of members do a LOT MORE, and have a LOT MORE reason to complain about "THIS OR THAT", yet they get it done. They hold the same quals you do, they do staff jobs at various levels, and even hold command slots.


I just don't feel much apathy for your tale. Sorry, not sorry.

[SunDog]

AH, so THAT's where you were when I was flying back from Mission Base that night! I thought you were out for pizza and beer!

And I was torqued off you weren't there to help me re-fuel, and push that beast up the slope into the parking spot, put it to bed, do the close-out paperwork, and call the FRO.  I bet you were still there cleaning up after us when I was doing the 104 updates and finsihing up in WMIRS, adding the squawks, etc. Maybe you had time for a break when I was getting the trainees tasks updated?

Hey, light sarcasm aside, we were both working. . .not looking for your sympathy, or to bust on you, either. We all know some members have more time availble than others.  You do have control of how much time you can budget for CAP, too.  You want to carry a bigger than average load, you have my respect.  Just maybe back off a bit on the motives you ascribe to us lesser contributors.

[SunDog]

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer I can make it, or why you think time spent flying missions/training is somehow "playing", while counting the widgets is "real" work?

Look, I have just so many hours to contribute; "X" amount of work has to be done in a sqdn or wing; it just doesn't matter whether the work is lumped under some aribitary category like "ES", or "Staff'.  Sitting in a cockpit, or laboring over a spreadsheet, it needs to be done.

You guys have this weird (to me) optic that "free" flying time makes  MP's work somehow sleazy, or low rent, like we're getting a free ride.  Like some kind of twisted Puritan ethic that any work that's enjoyable can't be worthy  - it's gotta hurt to count. If it helps any, I'm occasionally scared spitless?

Where I can best contribute is via my ES quals.  I can't speak for GT, but I wager the amount of time required to stay proficient as a MP exceeds that of quite a few "Staff" jobs, and several ES quals.  I'm pretty sure I'm more useful to my sqdn/wing as a competent MP, rather than as a marginally competent MP who also can certify the widget count.

IRT the OP - it was kinda about inefficiency, wasn't it? My CC is squished because he's loaded with some fairly useless nonsense to deal with. maybe keep the attention on the OP, talk it out a bit. . .

If you gave up 40 or 50 hours to CAP in April, good on ya, you know? That's probably about what I did, too.  If you did more, thank you for your service, and I truly wish I could match your contribution. But I can't. . .

It sounds like you're using your inability to manage a simple process like getting a form 5 as justification for not taking a role other than MP. If you don't want to help, just say so and be done with it. When I was DOS in NJ, we had a staffer who would spend the first 3/4 of a work night talking about "all the paperwork" that had to be done, and about an hour actually getting it done. Sounds like you have the same issue. Your list of "all the" just smack of inefficiency, coincidentally.....40-50 hours in April? Again, if you want to do it right, and be in the missions that you're training to fly, some staffers are putting in 40-50 hours per week. Figure out a way to streamline your process, move it to a less manual system and use the time savings to help out around the house.

You may have gotten a wee bit confused about the Form 5 thing. No problem here managing it - just a fantasy to think it'll get done in 30 minutes, as someone mentioned. I guess the scheduling part could be. Chopping the onions is a small part of making the soup, though.  Anyway, scheduling a Form 5 doesn't prevent me from contributing - spending a lot of time on MP limits my hours for other tasks.

I'd suggest anyone with a job and a family who is also giving CAP 40-50 hours a week is a saint. And has some balance issues, truly.

But, again BACK to the OP; the poster suggested we are working on dumb stuff, more or less. It takes time. Lot's of it. Maybe look to clean it up some (a lot?).  Serioulsy, if a volunteer organization is spending that kind of time, routinely, on staff work, the organization has some serious efficiency probelms. Some real broken processes, right?  Working hard isn't the same as working smart, is it?

[FW]

CAP is can be many things to many people.  I just smile when members tell me about all the problems they have to "keep up".  I've spent many years "working" for this organization; many times without thanks or praise. To tell you the truth, I've enjoyed almost every minute!  The work is the work, flying is flying, but the friends I've made and the experiences I've had do not compare to the small "hassle" of the paperwork or regulations. 

Each of us determines the amount of time and effort spent on CAP.  I no longer complain about the differences in commitment; it's not worth the stress.  Do what you can, and enjoy it.  Put in that 100% of whatever it is.  Don't worry about what the other guy is doing, but help out as much as you can; it is worth the effort. 

YMMV, but I'm in my "happy place"; ready to help when needed.   

[SunDog]

Ah. . well said. Will endeavor to embrace this good advice.

[RiverAux]

Well, as pretty much everyone has veered off topic, I'll try to steer it a little back on course....

When I was a squadron commander (WIWASC) of a relatively large and active composite squadron the time commitment was not excessive, but that is pretty much because I had an active and competent Deputy Commander for Cadets who basically handled all of their issues, a competent Ops officer, and a competent Personnel/Admin officer.  The most stressful part of my job was that I couldn't find a Deputy Commander for Seniors and I had to come up with all the training topics for the unit.  I even had some good folks in some of the minor positions that required regular paperwork. 

I think that if you've got those primary positions covered, its not that big a deal.  However, I realize that I was quite lucky and that that most CAP squadrons aren't in that position. 

The other thing that made it easier was that our seniors met only twice a month, which I understand is a bit unusual.  Meeting weekly for seniors is I believe very unnecessary beyond those few seniors needed for the cadet program. 

Oh, and in response to an earlier comment -- you are required to have a PAO in every squadron even if you have to officially appoint the squadron commander to the position.   

[SunDog]

I believe you are correct, a PAO is required.  Maybe one of the myriad items in the CAP quagmire that doesn't always, or even often, make sense?