ES Training Classes - What Works, What Don't

[groundpounder]

I would love to hear some good ideas for ES training class topics. Many of our new members have the same complaint, it takes too long to get trained. What can we do to help this situation?

Heres a few questions to get the ball rolling:

What do you do at your training meetings?
What works?
What doesn't work?
Do you use the canned NHQ powerpoints or do you create your own?
Do you teach from the SQTR's or do you use other tools?
How often do you repeat the same topics at your meetings? (GES, Scanner, MP etc.)
How valuable would DVD's created by NHQ be to your training?
Do you provide CDs of all your training material to the trainees?
Do you follow a strict syllabus or are you all over the map?
Are you presentations lecture or more "hands on?"
How long are your typical training classes / meetings?
Do you teach tasks like GPS on the simulator, in the plane, or both?

Lets create a list of "Best Practices" that we can all use to better our training.

[Matt]

What the hey, I'll give it a go...  I'll put out some of the information I have, in hopes of others chiming in or adding their $0.02 - $2,000...

1.) At meetings.  Prior to the squadron merge, we, every third week, had an ES training night.  Keeping in mind, that our squadron had 2 IC's, so we could pump out a mission about just as often.  Over the course of about 3 months +/- for SAREXs one could qualify as a UDF member.  MRO took approximately 2 months to accomplish also give or take for SAREXs and ease of learning.

Post merge, we haven't had any real ES meetings.  We covered a refresher for GES and BCUT.  Aside from that, we offer weekend training about monthly for priorities (P1. Unit; P2. Group; P3. Wing (if they know what we're doing and actually care to ask)).

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2.) Works... Nothing and Everything.  Typically, your run-of-the-mill cadet is about 15 years old.  They're in sports, decent grades, and perhaps looking for a job, while attempting (for the most part) to balance CAP.  They're busy.  Retention of knowledge is difficult if there is a span of time.  For some, however, who have the ability to balance because of a lack of life (i.e. myself), a quick review, and away we go.  The key is studying outside.  Our unit Ops Officer, who has written about 60-75% of WIWG ES Curriculum, publishes study guides on our website (http://timmermancap.org).  For the weekends, the pages out of the guide books are there, question sheets, which students are expected to print and bring, and other information which may be pertinent to the class(es).

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3.) What doesn't: Pencil Whipping.  Although time may be flustering, a good member will understand that, even post-qual, there is still and evaluation period in which they are still guided on the ropes and tricks of the trade.

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4.) Both.

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5.) Both.  SQTRs are nice, but let us remember: Maxwell doesn't get much snow or cold.  Us up here -- Well... they're just attempting for the GoreTex to be approved... Need I say more.  Furthermore, there are some tricks that national can't teach to everyone, 40 years in the field, that tends to have some morals of the stories behind it.

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6.) Repeating.  GES refreshers, about every 12-18 months, or when a new "batch" comes in.  Other subjects, never ending circle.  It all depends on member-desired qualifications.  We directly stress MRO and UDF to get into the field, after that, we work through GTMs and others.

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7.) Not sure, haven't seen them.

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8.) Currently working on CDs with materials.  Right now, it's the website for downloads.  After we get out interactivity setup, CDs are coming.

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9.) Right down the middle.  We have syllabi's for classes, however, if it's a field night, it's all over for what is being accomplished.  This is partially due to size of the unit, and individual quals and speed.

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10.) Both.  Hands-on when it can be.  But as we all, or most all know, it's hard to make absolutely everything hands-on.  There is paperwork... it's a facsimile to a Government operation.

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11.) Pre-Merge, MESS, had 3-hrs/month (1 night), plus SAREXs.  Post-Merge, TCS has about 8-hrs/month (Saturday class), of which you come to what you need... i.e. B-CUT, A-CUT, Comms meeting, etc.

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12.) For aircrew, we typically have A/C schools.  I'm personally not familiar with them, I'm hoping to progress into A/C within a year, if we have the courses, and my CC is A-OK, or at least B-OK, with it.  As for GPS, for GTs we do teach it sporadically.  We utilize moving maps for vehicles, and backbone it with gazetteers.  Handheld GPS we don't necessarily teach.  Most of the elders have the hand helds, and will, upon being asked, show the students how they work.

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Hope this helps.

[groundpounder]

Now thats what I am talking about!! First post and we have a website to go to for a UDF and GES study guide that someone else already put the effort into for all to use.

THANKS!!!

[Mac]

OK... I'll put my $.02 in as well.

1. For our training meetings we try to run a set program of classes in a rotating fashion. By that I mean we usually start with UDF training that will run for about 2-3 meetings, and then we move on to different areas depending on who is there. Normally we move on to MS training and then finally we want to move to MP and MO training (thought we haven't gotten that far yet). For the cadets we run UDF and GT3 training on a pretty regular basis and then we add in MRO and FLM to break things up.

2. Hard to say what work sand what doesn't; what worked one time may not the next time. Depends on the audience and their attention span (cadets and seniors).

3. What doesn't work: repeating the same class word for word every other month. People will stop coming to meetings if they just keep hearing the same thing over and over.

4. Some of the PowerPoint's from national are OK , but for the most part we take them and then modify them for how we do things up here in ND (Cold weather operations).

5. SQTR/Tools: Like Matt said, a little of both. The SQTR is just the basics. I can brief someone on the SQTR requirements and they may get it or they may not. That's were it is important to have a good instructor who can tell if someone is grasping the information.

6. Repeating: We try to not repeat the same training for at least 6 months or so, that way it can be a quick refresher for the old timers and they can bring their experience into play as we train the new members. Once again it takes a good instructor to keep the class from turning into a "War Story" session.

7. DVD's: We use some DVD for training, but for the most part I don't think national could put out a product that would be very useful for very long or really all that interesting (but that's another subject)

8. CD's: we do provide some CD's for some training, but that is an idea that we could probably do better on, as we are contently tweaking and modifying the classes as new things come up.

9. Same as Matt. it all depends on who needs what that night.

10. Classes: both hands on and lectures. I have found that the more Hands on training you can do the better it is retained. Of course it's hard to do MP training in the class room.

11. Class length: They can run from 1-2 hours at a meeting and then some particle applications at weekend activities.

12. A/C Training: we do a little of both. We have the capability to run the aircraft power while on the ground to simulate flight. Comes in handy for training 1 or 2 at a time actually while sitting in the airplane (but without all the extra cost of flying).

Sorry I don't have any fancy websites to go to, but I can send you some of out PowerPoint's if you would like and you can modify them as to see fit.

[Matt]

Now thats what I am talking about!! First post and we have a website to go to for a UDF and GES study guide that someone else already put the effort into for all to use.

THANKS!!!

If you go under Communications, there is also an MRO guide 

[Matt]

Sorry, don't think this is getting enough attention.  *BUMP*

[groundpounder]

Here are some things that I have found to be useful in training ES members:

1) First find out if they are truly interested. In most units there are few real trainers that have limited time to train new qualifications. If you start training someone and they never come prepared or seem disinterested, place them on the back burner and work with the folks that are really willing to spend the time. The faster you get the good people trained, the more mission ready your unit will be and the more trainers you will have available.

2) Give the folks time to do some "hands on" after each session. Give them some worksheets and ask them to plot points on a map etc. so they can practice what they just learned.

3) Get them in the plane or in the field as soon as possible to keep the interest up.

4) Use handouts that the trainee can take home for further study.

5) Take the video camera into the field or in the cockpit so show actual operations.

6) Don't be in a hurry to sign people off until they really have it down. Explain to them that they can participate in any misson under supervision so they will not miss out on anything if they are not yet fully qualified.

7) Don't waste time on practice sorties. Give your trainee (not the pilot) a camera to photograph targets such as in ground pools, intersections, or anything else that is available while en route to a search grid. While in the grid, don't fly the entire grid, rather practice GPS setup and entry to the same grid multiple times.

Try and find real customers for your photo missions - County, Town, Police dept all need aerials of something so give the trainee a real target to shoot.

9) Take the GPS out of the plane with a power supply or use the simulator to train with before you set foot into the plane. Don't try to teach too much all at once. Work on each area until they have it down then move to the next topic.

10) Make ground DF searches at the airport as realistic as possible. Ask permission to put the practice beacon in a plane somewhere. Also put them in hangers and an occasional garbage can.

11) Ride along on the DF searches without giving direction to the more seasoned trainees. Let them learn by making mistakes then show them the right way once the sortie is over.

12) Ask your Wing/Group/Squadron elders to ride along on a training sortie once and a while, you will be amazed how much you as a trainer can learn from another trainer.

13) Try and get an aircrew and ground crew together on as many sorties as possible. Let them debrief together as well so each crew can learn from the other.

14) Keep a master CD of all your training materials and pass it out to everyone so they can review them at their leisure.

15) Try and work with other units as much as possible. You will be amazed how much better you all will get as you learn from others outside of your unit.

Please keep this thread going so we can all benefit from the wisdom that is out there. If you have a website with good training materials, please pass it on.

Thanks!!!

[Matt]

Intriguing.  No one else.

Was hoping Horn would at least post.... there have to be a couple more ES demi-Gurus out there that have at least 2-cents worth of input.  Or is there honestly, that little of the ES program being instructed around the globe?

[pixelwonk]

Intriguing.  No one else.

Was hoping Horn would at least post.... there have to be a couple more ES demi-Gurus out there that have at least 2-cents worth of input.  Or is there honestly, that little of the ES program being instructed around the globe?

Face it Matt, you come from an ES-privileged unit 

[Horn229]

Intriguing.  No one else.

Was hoping Horn would at least post.... there have to be a couple more ES demi-Gurus out there that have at least 2-cents worth of input.  Or is there honestly, that little of the ES program being instructed around the globe?

Heh, I'm honored, at least on one CAP forum I'm missed.

Been busy with college lately, I'll see what I can come up with later. Gotta go pick up the Encampment C/CC and get down to Baltimore for the Staff Selection.

[Horn229]

Welp, finally got some time to just sit down and think about this. Let's see...


1. It depends, for starting out and to get people interested, I usually talk about the L-Per/Tracker for about 15 minutes, then let them play outside withthe equipment. That usually sparks their interest a bit. After that, some light classroom stuff, but you always need hands on stuff to keep from being bored.
2.  ^^^
3. Doing nothing but classroom, and showing your gear to people. Showing your personal gear is nice as a recruiting tool, but after that there's nothing more to see. Classroom stuff has to be done, but if you do nothing but classroom you'll drive everyone away.
4. I use the NHQ stuff, and focus on what I see to be important for the area and skim over the rest.
5. I'll use the SQTR's as a guide for what stuff would interest all/what the majority of the people need taught to get signed off. Other than that, the small tasks they can do knowledge base style.
6. I try not to, unless we have a bunch of new members (HA!) or if people need a refresher, I try to stay away from repeating stuff.
7. It wouldn't be. I think it turn out in a version of the CPPT video meets the PPT slides creator. AKA, long, boring, and a great tool to make people fall asleep to.
8. Nope, I can't get my CD burner to work.
9. It depends on what the goal is. If it's to simply train people, I'll be all over the map. If it's to get people qualified so that they can legally participate on a SAR Eval/GTE I'll just teach the first 11 tasks and get back to real training after we get the OK from the USAF for another year.
10. Most of the time, both. Of course there are the boring stuff like Hot/Cold weather injuries that have can only really be done by classroom, but I try to get people hands on as much as I can to keep 'em interested.
11. Classes? 30 minutes - 2 hours. Meetings? I'll take as long as I can. Usually 1.5 hours-2 hours.
12. We're ground pounders. Personally I prefer people master using a map/compass before buying a GPS. Nothing I hate more than someone going for technology and not know how to go back to the basics when their new toy breaks.

[Skyray]

Personally I prefer people master using a map/compass before buying a GPS. Nothing I hate more than someone going for technology and not know how to go back to the basics when their new toy breaks.

I work with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and when you go for your PQS (SQTR) the Quality Examiner frequently specifies what tools you have and what tools are simulated inop.  I don't think I have ever gone on a predicted log run that I was allowed to use a GPS.  The QE was back in the stern sheets checking my accuracy and progress with one, but I wasn't allowed to look at it.  That is just good pedagogy.  You frequently don't know what you are looking at on the GPS unless you thoroughly uderstand the basics.

On another aspect, some years ago we noticed that every time we ran an exercise, the teams concentrated on the roads.  I am on the edge of the Everglades, and the team members knew that they were pretty much impassable by normal means, so the searches concentrated on the roads.  Wayne Roshaven, now of North Georgia Mountain fame, put me in a canoe, and I took the training ELT six miles off the road and hid it in a culvert pipe so it only radiated in one direction.  Only two airplanes found it, and they couldn't figure out how to get their ground teams to it.  Shades of Project "X" at National Staff College.