Honor Guard Academy 2013?

[MSG Mac]

Seriously - what's next?  Occupy HGA?

It worked in Taps....though they had real rifles.

Why do so many people say I saw it in a movie as an excuse to justify something?

[Pylon]

Why do so many people say I saw it in a movie as an excuse to justify something?

Because better reasons don't exist.   

[Майор Хаткевич]

Seriously - what's next?  Occupy HGA?

It worked in Taps....though they had real rifles.

Why do so many people say I saw it in a movie as an excuse to justify something?

I wasn't justifying it. I do believe both posts are tongue-in-cheek.

[Nathan]

It's a simple fact that all cadets who are bad at picking their battles will learn of their deficiency in CAP.

I was terrible at this as a cadet. Even when I was right, I still got nothing accomplished, because I fought battles I couldn't possibly win. I made more enemies than friends, and when I did win a battle, I gained very little from it, usually the satisfaction of saying, "I told you so."

Luckily, I developed the skills quickly enough that I actually had gained some political capital when I needed it. But it was a lesson I had to learn on my own. When you're on a stupid crusade, anyone who tells you that you're being dumb is the enemy, and it's tough to get through. Sometimes, you just have to wait for experience.

[arajca]

From the CAP Cadet Blog feed:


A special message for the Honor Guard Academy and overall CAP cadet communities

The Honor Guard Academy has successfully introduced hundreds of cadets to honor guard principles and the drug-free message over the past several years, thanks to a dedicated staff who've done a superb job. Many have since asked, Why did the National Commander announce a strategic pause for HGA in 2013?
The primary rationale for this strategic pause is funding. HGA is an expensive program for participating cadets and for CAP as an organization. Despite the HGA staff's best efforts, HGA has become one of the most expensive cadet activities, costing participants (at $500 for tuition alone) roughly twice what other national activities charge. CAP National Headquarters has underwritten HGA with $12,500 in subsidies ($125 per cadet) annually from an ever-tightening budget for national cadet activities. Unfortunately, financial realities drive cadet activity decisions to a large extent. Anyone who follows the news will understand that with Washington likely to cut Air Force (and therefore CAP) funding in 2013, the Cadet Program's financial challenges are ever more pressing.
Another factor in deciding for the strategic pause is cadet demand. Last year, over 30% of the slots available to first year students went unfilled. No doubt, HGA's high tuition has a part to play in that. Not surprisingly then, 75% of HGA students came from the eastern US, and only 20 western US cadets participated. Again, despite the best efforts of an incredible staff of volunteers, the data indicates a need to rethink the Maryland-based HGA model.
The good news is that CAP remains committed to the principle of providing honor guard and color guard training to help cadets – especially younger cadets – develop their leadership and character. In fact, HGA's financial challenges might actually point a way toward an even brighter future for cadets who are enthusiastic about drill and ceremonies.
Toward that end, for Summer '13, we'll make available to each Region a financial stipend to support their conducting an honor guard and/or color guard training activity. We are confident that this regional model will attract more cadets because the activity will be within driving range for many, thereby expanding the HGA program's reach beyond its predominantly east coast market. Regions already conduct "Region Cadet Leadership Schools" that primarily serve older cadets, and it is conceivable that at some locations a Region honor guard activity could share facilities, adult staff, and other resources with the RCLS program.
(Region DCPs, please standby for detailed information on how to take advantage of this new opportunity.)
Yes, from the perspective of the individual cadets who had been looking forward to the 2013 Honor Guard Academy in Maryland, this news is a disappointment. But it is also an opportunity for them and other HGA alumni to take a leadership role in starting new programs in their Regions. From the strategic perspective of how CAP brings the honor guard experience to the largest possible audience of cadets at costs the cadets' families and CAP Inc. can afford, the new regional model might be the way to go.  Maj Gen Carr wants to give this approach a try for 2013, and we ask the HGA community and the Regions to show their support.   
If you are interested in participating in the development of a regional based program please contact our National Cadet Special Activities Officer, Lt Col Joe Winter at winterjoe@msn.com.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program.


Curt LaFond, NHQ/CP
Col Craig Treadwell, CAP/CP

[Майор Хаткевич]

Great letter. The thing is, even as Eclipse mentioned, we have a Naval base here in IL and we could in theory work something out with the Navy contacts. But, where would all these dedicated SMs come from to staff a 2 week event? As much as I loved the program, I know I wouldn't be able to dedicate that much time at this stage in my life.

[HGjunkie]

Most of the basic material could be covered in 3-4 days if you focus hard enough, since then you theoretically wouldn't have to spend a week+ to plan/prepare for a graduation ceremony.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Most of the basic material could be covered in 3-4 days if you focus hard enough, since then you theoretically wouldn't have to spend a week+ to plan/prepare for a graduation ceremony.

Even if it's a week long event, between things like NESA/local encampments, a lot of your cadet programs pushers are already maxing out family time/ vacation time at work to get it done. This would add on top of it all for the regulars.

[PA Guy]

Great letter. The thing is, even as Eclipse mentioned, we have a Naval base here in IL and we could in theory work something out with the Navy contacts. But, where would all these dedicated SMs come from to staff a 2 week event? As much as I loved the program, I know I wouldn't be able to dedicate that much time at this stage in my life.

Also, it would then become a Midwest centric activity. Transportation costs would still be an issue although I suspect any activity more than 500 miles away would have this problem.

[PA Guy]

Most of the basic material could be covered in 3-4 days if you focus hard enough, since then you theoretically wouldn't have to spend a week+ to plan/prepare for a graduation ceremony.

Did I understand you correctly? A "week+" of NHGA is spent just planning and prep for the graduation ceremony?

[Eclipse]

Great letter. The thing is, even as Eclipse mentioned, we have a Naval base here in IL and we could in theory work something out with the Navy contacts. But, where would all these dedicated SMs come from to staff a 2 week event? As much as I loved the program, I know I wouldn't be able to dedicate that much time at this stage in my life.

Also, it would then become a Midwest centric activity. Transportation costs would still be an issue although I suspect any activity more than 500 miles away would have this problem.

Only for those in GLR - other regions would need to find their own locations.  Frankly I would think Wright-Patt would make
more sense logistically for GLR, but I also understand lodging is an ongoing problem for everyone their, not the least of which is
the USAF themselves.

[Eclipse]

Most of the basic material could be covered in 3-4 days if you focus hard enough, since then you theoretically wouldn't have to spend a week+ to plan/prepare for a graduation ceremony.

Did I understand you correctly? A "week+" of NHGA is spent just planning and prep for the graduation ceremony?

I don't see why / how this was ever more then a week long.

[HGjunkie]

Yes, you heard that right. Typically one week (plus or minus a day or two) of HGA is reserved for planning the rifle performance graduation at the end as the primary focus.

[Майор Хаткевич]

To be fair, at least in 2005, we didn't just plan the graduation performance. Classes, more practice, etc took place

[Eclipse]

Yes, you heard that right. Typically one week (plus or minus a day or two) of HGA is reserved for planning the rifle performance graduation at the end as the primary focus.

You're going to have a hard time getting support outside the HG community for something which would appear to be essentially boilerplate from year-to-year.

Most encampments are able to get cadets who can barely march to the point of looking reasonable at the Pass In Review in a day or two's worth of practice, but then few reinvent the wheel year-to-year.

[spaatzmom]

Most of the basic material could be covered in 3-4 days if you focus hard enough, since then you theoretically wouldn't have to spend a week+ to plan/prepare for a graduation ceremony.

Did I understand you correctly? A "week+" of NHGA is spent just planning and prep for the graduation ceremony?

Please reread the post.  It was a way of cutting down the time frame, however ramming info down cadets throats quickly hardly yields the desired results.  There are so many classes, performance practices and things to learn that it does take the two weeks to do it all.  Graduation practice is incorporated into other classes also.  As is the day starts at 5 or 6 am and ends at 11pm,  with little down time for anyone, cadet or staff.

[SamFranklin]

Q:  How long does an honor guard or color guard training program need to be?

A:   Tell me what objectives you want to accomplish, and to what standard / level of perfection, and that'll help you estimate how much time the school needs.

[a2capt]

As is the day starts at 5 or 6 am and ends at 11pm,  with little down time for anyone, cadet or staff.

Sounds darn near like encampment was for me. XO didn't sleept until way after that sometimes, taking the first round of CQ, using the walk to keep up, finish the days needs.


It was worth it though. Took 10 years to find a CAP event that kicked my butt. NCC and Encampment. I was -done- at the end.  What plane ride? I remember nothing.


Crammed schedule. If HGA is anything like what I've read in the past, that schedule is -packed- to the hilt. If anything, there needs to be less.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Cut out DDR.

[Eclipse]

Q:  How long does an honor guard or color guard training program need to be?

A:   Tell me what objectives you want to accomplish, and to what standard / level of perfection, and that'll help you estimate how much time the school needs.

Reasonable performance for entry-level cadets, not Unknown Soldier Guard level.  Like many other NCSAs, it should give a good foundation that
can then be brought back to the unit to mentor others.

The basic techniques can be taught well at the unit level, proficiency comes with experience.  This is honestly the first time I'd realized that HGA was two
full weeks.