Thinking of joining CAP- Lets talk promotions

[USAFRiggerGuy]

I just moved and would like to help out my local composite in Greeley, CO.  They are struggling to stay relevant it seems and need a younger person and a Veteran to help mentor the Cadets.  If I join CAP will I be automatically a 2nd Lt?  I was in the USAF for roughly 7 years and separated as a SSgt, which means I completed Airman Leadership School which is a 6 week college credited course.  I also have received my B.S in Business/ Project Management and am earning my MBA.  I also served as a Budget Analyst for the US Army Corps of Engineers and graduated form a 6 month leadership development course with that organization.  I feel like with my Active military experience, education and leadership qualifications I should be able to walk into being a 2LT but I'm not quite sure.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

[lordmonar]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

[lordmonar]

Thanks for joining.  Have you considered keeping you stripes?

[USAFRiggerGuy]

Thanks for joining.  Have you considered keeping you stripes?

I have thought about it but I would rather go the Officer route.  I separated from the military to finish my degree and then go OTS.... Well too much VA disability banished that dream and now I am ineligible to rejoin.  So in a way being a CAP officer and helping mentor Cadets will have to be my trade-off.

[USAFRiggerGuy]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

[lordmonar]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Singing to the choir Brother!

[USAFRiggerGuy]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Singing to the choir Brother!

Glad i'm not the only one to see that discrepancy.... I wonder if I could take my stripes and wear them for 6 months until I'm eligable for my 2Lt so I have something on my CAP BDUs besides 3 Occ badges and some name tapes...

[lordmonar]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Singing to the choir Brother!

Glad i'm not the only one to see that discrepancy.... I wonder if I could take my stripes and wear them for 6 months until I'm eligable for my 2Lt so I have something on my CAP BDUs besides 3 Occ badges and some name tapes...

No....unfortunatly....under the current rules...you got to wait six months before requesting appointment to your former NCO rank.

[USAFRiggerGuy]

Well I guess either way I will be the most souped up non graded guy to ever enter the unit.. CAP should really look into some different ways to honor education and leadership experience (Certificates, etc.)

[LSThiker]

Glad i'm not the only one to see that discrepancy.... I wonder if I could take my stripes and wear them for 6 months until I'm eligable for my 2Lt so I have something on my CAP BDUs besides 3 Occ badges and some name tapes...

The only way would be to talk with your unit commander and wing chaplain about being a character development instructor.  It is required that you must have a minimum of 60 hours of college study and a letter of recommendation from a community or religious leader.  Once your CDI packet is approved, you are appointed a 2d Lt. 

[USAFRiggerGuy]

Glad i'm not the only one to see that discrepancy.... I wonder if I could take my stripes and wear them for 6 months until I'm eligable for my 2Lt so I have something on my CAP BDUs besides 3 Occ badges and some name tapes...

The only way would be to talk with your unit commander and wing chaplain about being a character development instructor.  It is required that you must have a minimum of 60 hours of college study and a letter of recommendation from a community or religious leader.  Once your CDI packet is approved, you are appointed a 2d Lt.

I have a Bachelors and i'm sure my pastor would write a letter for me. Great advice :clap:... I will talk to my "recruiter" tomorrow about this path.

[SouthernCross]

"The only way would be to talk with your unit commander and wing chaplain about being a character development instructor.  It is required that you must have a minimum of 60 hours of college study and a letter of recommendation from a community or religious leader.  Once your CDI packet is approved, you are appointed a 2d Lt."

Remember that you will have complete Level 1, which includes Orientation to Safety, CPPT, EO, et al. And don't forget that under current CAPR 265-1, you will have to have your college transcripts sent to the NHQ/HCA, in addition to having an interview with the wing chaplain. Once he wing chaplain has received CAPF 35A from the CDI candidate, he will forward it to the region chaplain, who in turn will send it to the NHQ/HCA. By the time everything thing is said and done, six month have easily gone by. Now, the soon-to-be-released CAPR 265-1 us purported to do away with college credit requirements, among other things.

[USAFRiggerGuy]

"The only way would be to talk with your unit commander and wing chaplain about being a character development instructor.  It is required that you must have a minimum of 60 hours of college study and a letter of recommendation from a community or religious leader.  Once your CDI packet is approved, you are appointed a 2d Lt."

Remember that you will have complete Level 1, which includes Orientation to Safety, CPPT, EO, et al. And don't forget that under current CAPR 265-1, you will have to have your college transcripts sent to the NHQ/HCA, in addition to having an interview with the wing chaplain. Once he wing chaplain has received CAPF 35A from the CDI candidate, he will forward it to the region chaplain, who in turn will send it to the NHQ/HCA. By the time everything thing is said and done, six month have easily gone by. Now, the soon-to-be-released CAPR 265-1 us purported to do away with college credit requirements, among other things.

I almost thought that might be the case.  I am a good fit for the position because our SQ Chaplain travels quite a ways away to get to meetings and I could be a suitable fill in for him during the times that he can't make the meetings.  I guess we shall see how this all plays out.  Thanks for the insight

[SAREXinNY]

If I can just throw my two cents in here...

USAF and CAP are apples and oranges.  There are some similarities but it's a whole different ballgame.  Starting out as a SM and working your way through the ranks isn't a bad thing.  I joined CAP after having many years in the workforce, having a Masters degree, leadership roles in other organizations, etc.  I could have qualified for advanced promotion based on my profession but I opted to earn my bars the 'hard' way.  I don't regret it.  Don't get too hung up on rank.  But, that's just my perspective.  Either way, I hope you find your service with CAP rewarding, interesting, and worthwhile!

[EMT-83]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Get promoted first, then learn about the organization you just joined. Sounds like a plan.

[Майор Хаткевич]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Get promoted first, then learn about the organization you just joined. Sounds like a plan.

Was going to say...if you went to OCS, you wouldn't be a butter bar until you received training. The same applies here.

[USAFRiggerGuy]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Get promoted first, then learn about the organization you just joined. Sounds like a plan.

Well coming from he military and then working in the DOD as a civilian is why I read up on the regs first.  I read about CAPs mission, the promotion structure and specialty tracks before I ever went to a meeting to see what it was all about.  I worked with CAP while I was Active Duty giving the Cadets tours of the flight-line and such.  I am a researcher by nature.  I just thought that I would throw the question out there incase I was missing something that more seasoned members would know about.

[USAFRiggerGuy]

No
It takes six months as a SM before promotion to 2d Lt. And you don't seem to qualify for one of the advanced promotions.

I read that as well in the reg... I just think it is a little crazy that someone with 6 months and a GED can be a 2LT but someone with 7 years of USAF related military leadership experience and a bachelors isn't advanced strait to 2LT.

Get promoted first, then learn about the organization you just joined. Sounds like a plan.

Was going to say...if you went to OCS, you wouldn't be a butter bar until you received training. The same applies here.

I guess I will try and look at it like that.  Thanks for some perspective Capt.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I'm in year 13 of membership, closing up 3rd ACTIVE year as a Senior. Still learning. It's a big organization with many missions and operations.

[USAFRiggerGuy]

If I can just throw my two cents in here...

USAF and CAP are apples and oranges.  There are some similarities but it's a whole different ballgame.  Starting out as a SM and working your way through the ranks isn't a bad thing.  I joined CAP after having many years in the workforce, having a Masters degree, leadership roles in other organizations, etc.  I could have qualified for advanced promotion based on my profession but I opted to earn my bars the 'hard' way.  I don't regret it.  Don't get too hung up on rank.  But, that's just my perspective.  Either way, I hope you find your service with CAP rewarding, interesting, and worthwhile!

I will raise your two cents by a quarter!  I agree that they are different, there are just so many similarities when I am discussing things with CAP members that I have to step back and realize that it is different than the REG AF.  This is not a bad thing,  I just have to remember that even though individuals wear the same rank as the REG AF that it isn't the same.  I like your perspective,  I joined to help a composite that seems to be floundering with very aged members and no younger mentorship to connect with the cadets.  I'm sure I will find the experience rewarding as desired!