Professional Development to increase unit Prestige...is this significant?

[Major Carrales]

In our unit, as one of our self-assigned goals, we resolved to pursue all elements of Professional Development including...

1) Personal Professional Development- Advancing in rank, taking Courses, SLS/CLC et al...

2) Aerospace- Encourage peopel to take the Yeager, help with AE

3) ES- getting quals and becoming proficient in COMM, AIR OPS and GROUND.

4) Additional PD- like getting HAM Radio for COMM, working with RED CROSS for ES.

Now, does this do anything to increase the prestige of the unit?  I see it as an extention of the core values of "Volunteer Service" and "excellence."

Comments...

[arajca]

For now, I'd focus on CAP PD instead of additional stuff.

My unit has set a goal of 100% Yeager by 31 Dec 2007. We're at 75% now.

[Major Carrales]

For now, I'd focus on CAP PD instead of additional stuff.

My unit has set a goal of 100% Yeager by 31 Dec 2007. We're at 75% now.

My approach is, fous on CAP PD and do whatever else you can if you want to.

The way I see it, if a member has the time and drive to "do more" why stop them?  The improved skill sets only augment our unit's CAP Officers, also provides networking.

[SAR-EMT1]

If one wants "prestige" from PD - have your membership complete the AF PME - SOS, ACSC, AWC etc...
jmho

[acarlson]

For now, I'd focus on CAP PD instead of additional stuff.

My unit has set a goal of 100% Yeager by 31 Dec 2007. We're at 75% now.

I am very happy (and proud) to report we have 100% Yeager !  it IS possible... and do-able...
I present it as "an optional, but highly highly recommended" part of Lev II....  and that's because AE is one of our 3 missions in CAP! 

Excellent work!  job well done...  I salute you and your unit, sir!

[jimmydeanno]

In our unit, as one of our self-assigned goals, we resolved to pursue all elements of Professional Development including...

1) Personal Professional Development- Advancing in rank, taking Courses, SLS/CLC et al...

2) Aerospace- Encourage peopel to take the Yeager, help with AE

3) ES- getting quals and becoming proficient in COMM, AIR OPS and GROUND.

4) Additional PD- like getting HAM Radio for COMM, working with RED CROSS for ES.

Now, does this do anything to increase the prestige of the unit?  I see it as an extention of the core values of "Volunteer Service" and "excellence."

Comments...

Of course doing these things is going to help the 'prestige' of your unit.  If the 'officers' involved get what they should out of the courses, and programs, you will have increasinly trained seniors.  There value just went up by doing this.

On paper your squadron will look better as well.  Your squadron will be actively pursuing accomplishing CAPs missions.

[Psicorp]

For now, I'd focus on CAP PD instead of additional stuff.

My unit has set a goal of 100% Yeager by 31 Dec 2007. We're at 75% now.

I am very happy (and proud) to report we have 100% Yeager !  it IS possible... and do-able...
I present it as "an optional, but highly highly recommended" part of Lev II....  and that's because AE is one of our 3 missions in CAP! 

Excellent work!  job well done...  I salute you and your unit, sir!

Trick question, sir...

Is that 100% of your active Officers or is that 100% of all Officers on your roster?

If it's the latter, that is impressive.

[ColonelJack]

If one wants "prestige" from PD - have your membership complete the AF PME - SOS, ACSC, AWC etc...
jmho

Just don't expect them to be a walk in the park.  SOS was okay ... ACSC was hard ... and AWC just looked too danged difficult for me.  (Of course, that was before I went to graduate school ... now AWC would be a snap.)

Jack

[acarlson]

...My unit has set a goal of 100% Yeager by 31 Dec 2007. We're at 75% now.

I am very happy (and proud) to report we have 100% Yeager !  it IS possible... and do-able...
I present it as "an optional, but highly highly recommended" part of Lev II....  and that's because AE is one of our 3 missions in CAP! 

Trick question, sir...

Is that 100% of your active Officers or is that 100% of all Officers on your roster?

If it's the latter, that is impressive.

It is the former... and in my book THAT is impressive!     

Going after a SM who you don't see, who is not interested in participating in CAP any longer, and won't return your phone calls (or email) is pointless, and futile (and damaging to MY motivation)...  it's hard enough encouraging and motivating the SMs who just want to fly... or play with radios... 
much less to have them sit at a computer that deletes all your answers just before you click "submit"... to participate in a self-study, obsolete course, or to participate in a 2-day course, that takes them away from flying time, or their family on the weekends...

my goal is not to conquer the world... just those involved in our little corner of it.  ... and that's good enough for me, my squadron commander...  my group commander... and my wing commander!

Guidelines for goals:
Goals must be:

• conceivable: you must be able to put it into words;
  
• 
  achievable: you must have the attributes, energy, and time to accomplish it;
• 
  believable: you must believe you can reach it;
• 
  achievable within a certain time frame : you must be able to state how long it will take you to reach it;
• 
  clearly defined: you must know exactly what it is;
• 
  flexible: you must be willing to modify it as necessary;

but, please Lt., share your unit goals and stats with me... and let me know when you shake hands with 100% of all the Officers on your roster...  that, in itself, will also be a day to celebrate!                   

[acarlson]

oh... sorry I forgot the stats themselves:

I have 77 Officers on my squadron roster...  and 26 ACTIVE Officers.

[alexalvarez]

26 active officers. That is wonderful!

[sardak]

Guidelines for goals:
Goals must be:

• conceivable: you must be able to put it into words;
  
• 
  achievable: you must have the attributes, energy, and time to accomplish it;
• 
  believable: you must believe you can reach it;
• 
  achievable within a certain time frame : you must be able to state how long it will take you to reach it;
• 
  clearly defined: you must know exactly what it is;
• 
  flexible: you must be willing to modify it as necessary;

Another way to express these guidelines.  The goal is "To become a...." or "To earn the...."
Objectives are the steps to achieve the goal.  Objectives should be:
S - specific. The objective needs to be task oriented and include enough detail to be clear, yet concise.
M - measurable
A - assignable, attainable or action-oriented. All three words are really covered by the other letters.
R - reasonable or realistic.  Can the objective be completed in the time given, is the objective really do-able, etc.
T - time specific

Mike

[O-Rex]

If one wants "prestige" from PD - have your membership complete the AF PME - SOS, ACSC, AWC etc...
jmho

"prestige" aside: it's a great education in organizational leadership (you can't beat the tuition rates!)

Did SOS & ACSC, and am now in my second sememster of DL Naval War College, which is ALOT more work than ACSC (In the orientation they tell you "Graduate-Level performance is expected-and they mean it!)  There are online chats and submission deadlines for 6 to10 page "mini-papers" (footnotes & all) I had four of them to do in the first course. You must re-apply each semester, total couse length is about 75 weeks, courses are 17, 24 and 34 weeks, respectively.  Applicants must be college grads. 

Applied online as a CAP member, got the telephone call "You're who??"  The welcome mat didn't come out right away, so I had AU send my ACSC transcripts, which got me in the door. 

A few weeks later, a box with ten textbooks arrives.  yes, ten....

15 CD's too.  Exciting stuff (think: Ben Stein, "Bueller........Bueller?")

Great course, but ALOT of work-I came close withdrawing midway through the first course (mind turned to mush after the first 300 pages of Clausewitz-and that's just the first module) until a fellow CAP member "shamed" me into sticking it out "Nice going, dude: first CAP member to enroll, and you want to drop out!"

what are friends for, right?   

Upside: even DL students are invited to the commencement ceremony in Newport, RI.

I'm shooting for June '09, allowing for one semester off.

**CAP/USAF OPENS THE DOORS TO SOME UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES-TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM**

[arajca]

Tagging on to this, the AF plans to open the ACSC Master DL program to personnel eligible for ACSC in Jan 2008, as capacity permits. Still a little way off, but it provides for a fully accredited Master's degree for $0.00 (beside incidental expenses like internet access and text books [est $50-$75/course]).

More information on the ACSC Online Masters Degree program.

[Al Sayre]

Cool Beans!  I've been looking for an affordable Distance Learning Masters program that isn't a scam or diploma mill. 

[SAR-EMT1]

Question: since losing my ROTC scholarship I havent had the fundage to finish my bachelors if I take this masters course, will any of the credits drop down? Can I even take the course... Anyone who can understand the intent of my question, feel free to provide guidance.

[arajca]

1. I believe having a bachelor's degree is a requirement.

2. The normal ACSC courses have been evaluated for graduate degree work, so they probably wouldn't step down for a bachelor's. Then again, if they did, you'd lose the ability to apply for the master's degree program later on.

3. The SOS/DL has been evaluated for either 9 or 12 upper level under-graduate (jr/sr) credits.

Look at some of the EMI residence courses. Most of them have been evaluated for 1-4 college credits.

Depending on how far you got, you may want to consider going to a community college to fill out your fresh/soph requirements.

[SAR-EMT1]

If one wants "prestige" from PD - have your membership complete the AF PME - SOS, ACSC, AWC etc...
jmho

"prestige" aside: it's a great education in organizational leadership (you can't beat the tuition rates!)

Did SOS & ACSC, and am now in my second sememster of DL Naval War College, which is ALOT more work than ACSC (In the orientation they tell you "Graduate-Level performance is expected-and they mean it!)  There are online chats and submission deadlines for 6 to10 page "mini-papers" (footnotes & all) I had four of them to do in the first course. You must re-apply each semester, total couse length is about 75 weeks, courses are 17, 24 and 34 weeks, respectively.  Applicants must be college grads. 

Applied online as a CAP member, got the telephone call "You're who??"  The welcome mat didn't come out right away, so I had AU send my ACSC transcripts, which got me in the door. 

A few weeks later, a box with ten textbooks arrives.  yes, ten....

15 CD's too.  Exciting stuff (think: Ben Stein, "Bueller........Bueller?")

Great course, but ALOT of work-I came close withdrawing midway through the first course (mind turned to mush after the first 300 pages of Clausewitz-and that's just the first module) until a fellow CAP member "shamed" me into sticking it out "Nice going, dude: first CAP member to enroll, and you want to drop out!"

what are friends for, right?   

Upside: even DL students are invited to the commencement ceremony in Newport, RI.

I'm shooting for June '09, allowing for one semester off.

**CAP/USAF OPENS THE DOORS TO SOME UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES-TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM**

Just wondering how the course was going for you O-Rex.

Has anyone attempted to take the Army Courses?