"Typical Duties"

Started by UWONGO2, March 31, 2015, 07:14:00 AM

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Eaker Guy

Spam,

I do agree that when you assign a cadet a position that he/she is not ready for, it is detrimental to the cadet and the squadron. However, everyone promotes at a different pace. A C/CMSgt may very well have better leadership skills than a C/1st Lt, but would this sergeant get passed over for a flight commander position? I've see cadets put service to the squadron above their own advancement, and I certainly would not pass this sergeant over for flight commander. There is a lot of talk about grade being a fair representative of leadership skill. Maybe it's just me, but I've seen way to many officers with the competency of lower level sergeants. I think we cheat the cadets when we base their eligibility for a duty position completely on grade.

As a cadet, I'm still learning. I would appreciate any thoughts you all may have on what I've just said.

C/Maj Kiss

Spam

Well, since you ask directly,


I don't believe the program goals are served well by a slavish adherence to grade guidelines, and I do believe that the spirit of the program of record is to use them AS guidelines, not rules to live or die by. Accordingly, by way of example, when I was recently the Director of Cadet Programs for my Wing, I did recommend that the Wing/CC "seat" a few unit CAC reps who were C/CMSGTs, with the understanding that they had better continue to advance their education and training and promote rapidly.


I did recommend denial of CAC membership to a couple of C/SSGTs and TSGTs, though, because we believed that they (however outstanding) would best be served by continued seasoning as direct leader NCOs (Phase II) before participating in CAC, a Phase III cadet officer indirect leadership/management function. I was supported in this by my Wing/CC (former C/LTC).


Now that I'm back as a Squadron Commander, I am about to hold the (regularly scheduled, six month routine) Cadet Commander rotation, with a C/Captain rotating out, and his C/Deputy Commander (a C/1LT) rotating in, with the understanding that the LT will make his Earhart ASAP. I've just conducted a selection board for the next Cadet Deputy Commander (a C/2LT about to make C/1LT), who will serve his six months OJT learning command as the second seat, already selected to assume cadet command in turn this December, by which time he knows my expectation that he will be a C/Captain, minimum. If he isn't, well... there are options in my tool kit for that eventuality.


Am I "slipping" by not mandating that all cadet officers be C/Captains minimum to be appointed Cadet Commander?  I don't think so, because, from a holistic approach, they've been screened already for good school performance, for ability and activity, and quite frankly all of them are GTM qualified and experienced (the outgoing C/CC is a rated GTL, going to NESA as staff next month, and both he and his replacement wear Sr. GTM badges).  Some of their predecessors have qualified (as junior officer cadets) not just as GTLs but also as MS/MOs.  I correspondingly view most junior cadet officers in this unit as equivalent in achievement to many (nonrated) cadet field grades in other units.  Yet, Command is not an NCO function, nor is it even a junior officer function per the program of record (note: I'm not opening a cross reference here to the ongoing adult NCO/Officer debate, which I don't find that useful).


So no, I don't base selection completely on grade. Quite the contrary, in fact.  Yet, those guidelines in the Super Chart and the associated cadet staff handbook guidelines are the distilled wisdom and experience of many decades of trial and error in CAP cadet training, to ensure that cadets get the opportunity to master the spectrum of leadership and management techniques in a systematic and organized fashion and not as some horrible ad hoc spasm of uncoordinated poor training. I would not lightly deviate from them to the extent of routinely putting a cadet NCO in a flight commander slot, or putting a C/2LT into a cadet commander slot. In those instances I have always reduced and flattened the unit Table of Organization, appointing the ranking C/NCO as NCOIC, and having adult officers step in to provide all indirect leadership.  All that has been codified as discussed in this thread within the past ten years or so, to my satisfaction.


I personally think we cheat cadets when we promote them on the minimum timeline without consideration for the (as I put it) holistic elements of how personal growth and maturity and collateral training have or have not prepared that cadet for their next promotion, or assignment. We end up with grade-inflated paper tigers who have rank yet lack seasoning and the leavening effect of experience (and I say that from the perspective of a former fast burner cadet/young SM who promoted Lt Col by age 29 during my second unit command... now nearly twenty years ago).


Does this make any sense?


V/R,
Spam


Eaker Guy

Spam.

What you say does make sense. In my squadron, the cadet officers rarely ever promote every 2 months, and the ones the do end up worse for it. The CAC situation that you mentioned is a very good example of what it is like at my squadron. I have a couple C/2d Lts who have the leadership competency of captains, but don't have the grade yet. I actually appointed a C/2d Lt as my cadet deputy commander with the understanding that she will promote as fast as possible to around C/Capt or so, because that's where I feel her leadership skills are at right now. I completely understand the concept of grade inflation, as this has happened I the past month or two. One our officers literally promoted every two months to C/Capt, and he was up for the cadet deputy commander slot. I passed him over because even though his shoulder boards said he was ready, he still has lot of work to do. I assigned him a temporary position while he gets some more leadership experience, but the moral is this. Unless properly used, grade and other contingent rewards are useless if they are randomly thrown at cadets, and current minimum promotion requirements are very deceiving.

Incidentally, why do you rotate your cadet commander every six months? Seems kind of early to me.

You're thoughts?

C/Man Kiss

Spam

I first need to clarify an earlier point of mine: when I referred to considering my ES-rated cadets "equivalent in achievement", I meant in terms of effort and all around accomplishment - "achievement" small a, not "Achievement" as in milestone awards. I do the same with those cadets not really into the (optional) ES element, but who for example earn their solo wings or even private pilot wings for example.  Again, the whole-cadet approach is what I'd advocate.

Next, and I'll try to put this politely, selection and promotion authority resides in the unit commander, per 20-1, not in Cadet Commanders (or in Leadership Officers, etc.).  As such, if you are currently a Cadet Commander, you still do not per the regs have authority to "pass over" anyone, select anyone, or relieve anyone; you should be preparing a well thought out staff plan, submitting it to your Squadron Commander for his/her approval, modification, or rejection as he/she sees fit. It is his responsibility, and it insulates you from any accusations by fellow cadets. (If I've mistaken your status as a cadet and C/CC, my apologies).

Finally, on our use of a six month term:  the guidelines suggest six minimum, which I augment by picking the selectee a further six months ahead, and having him get on the job training (OJT) as the incumbents deputy for six, for a total of a full years experience as both Cadet Commander and Deputy in his boss' absence. It tends to cut down on the wasted time as a new cadet commander with zero in line experience fumbles around trying to learn the ropes, and maximizes both his efficiency to the unit and his experience as a learner.

V/R
Spam






Eaker Guy

Spam,

I understand what you meant by "achievement." My squadron uses the same system with honor guard participation and experience. When compiling my staff plan, I used time in service, grade, leadership skill and potential, as well as honor guard experience.

As for "passing over" cadets, both the previous DCC and the current DCC give me great leeway when picking cadet staff, which I appreciate. Of course, the DCC has to approve my staff, but for the most part, the cadet staff in place is the cadet staff I picked. I am very familiar with CAPR 20-1. I know what it says with regards to authority. Here's how the process goes(at my squadron). 1) Myself and the DCC evaluate potential staff and put together a list of suggestions. 2) My DCC usually approves it. 3) If there is a conflict, like the one I mentioned, myself and the DCC discuss it. We reach an amicable solution. I very well realize that I have very little, if any, authority on which staff to pick. At the same time, I do have to give a list of suggestions, and "passing over" a cadet is part of that list of suggestions. In no way am I saying to this cadet "No, you can't have this position because I say so." It's more like "No, you can't have this position because myself and the DCC say so." The DCCs rely a lot upon my opinion of the staff, and when I am and wrong, they have done a terrific job of turning it into a growing experience for me, rather than just smacking down my suggestion "because I say so." You have not mistaken my position as a cadet and a C/CC. I probably shoot my mouth off  like a cadet, don't I?

As for the six month term, I see your point. However, my opinion of the role is slightly different. This may have to do with the fact that I'm sixteen years old and a C/Maj. I don't know. Anyways, I believe that the best person for the job should hold the position. That's it. A year term sounds pretty good to me, and if I'm still the right person for the job after that term, I go another couple of months. Cadet commander is not a position that should be held lightly, nor a position that I believe should be swapped out every six months. You never know what kind of cadet you have next in line, and the cadet next in line may not always be the right choice for cadet commander. When you have a year's stability, in my humble opinion, the squadron runs much more efficiently. The previous cadet commander was in for two years and no one complained(except me, because I was his deputy during that period ;) Just joking. I really liked serving under him. Cadets can get high level leadership experience and training without serving as cadet commander. I do like your method of switching out deputies. It gives high level cadets leadership experience without putting the burden of running the squadron completely on his/her back.

Thanks for your input,

C/Maj Kiss

Spam

You bet.

Another reason for why 6 + 6 (C/CD - deputy - then C/CC) is the number of cadet officers we have these days (I have six or seven on hand). I would extend it, if we had a gap in the program due to a lack of NCOs progressing through their Mitchell and onwards.  The selection process tries to balance awarding leadership opportunity to every cadet with what is best for the unit and with what slots are available in the time frame for cadets as they "age out" and graduate. I had one cadet officer shuttle between the XO job, then a flight commander (again) then finally the C/CD before taking command, because she was still a sophomore, and we had three upper classmen to offer the experience first. By the time she took command, she was well prepared, had her stuff screwed down tight and did an outstanding job. It did reward her patience.

Two years, I would counter, could have a suppressive effect on the motivation of subordinates to progress in the program, as they would see no "room at the top", with an apparent glass ceiling in effect. However, that might be good if you had only one cadet officer and all the rest were cadet recruits, who would take two years to grow into cadet officers.

I know a few cadet units which are fairly broken, not having had any Mitchell cadets in decades (but which continue to appoint Cadet Staff Sergeants as "Cadet Commanders", which effectively rewards the lack of accomplishment in my view). Not sure if they've understood the fundamentals of how to execute the program there.

Cheers,
Spam