Senior Member Encampment

[mikeylikey]

I was asked into dropping off some of my historical trivia on the subject of the Civil Air Patrol Encampment.  Although I am familiar with the subject, I know more about the Pennsylvania Encampments than I do about Encampments held in other States.  Here we go, and let me know...

The Civil Air Patrol Encampment concept was created by a gathering of officers (both Army and CAP) during World war 2 (one of which created the infamous HMRS).  They primarily represented the 3rd Corps of the 1st Army.  This area encompassed the states of; Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.  They believed that those individuals volunteering for CAP service would benefit from gathering at a single location within the 3rd Corps for mass instruction, introduction to Army practices and procedures and familiarization with military equipment.  (It was also during this conceptual review that the Army manual on the single subject of CAP was created, a great read if you get the chance!) These Officers decided that the very first Encampment would be held at a location in Pennsylvania first, and would last exactly one week.  They decided upon what is now known as Olmsted Air Force Base, but was then Olmsted field.  It was located in the central part of PA, about 15 miles from the State Capital. 

The turn out was tremendous, as between 1,000 and 1,100 volunteers attended the Encampment.  The staff from each Wing attended and the Secretary of the army was the key note speaker at the closing formation.  During the week, the attendees learned first aid, radio communications, basic land navigation, military communication and writing, field and runway maintenance, basic flight theory, customs of the services and took part in various physical training activities.  The Encampment was very military structured.  Army Officers and NCO's along with CAP Officers and NCO's were the primary instructors, and the attendees held various student leadership positions.  When the Encampment concluded over 4,000 people came to attend the closing formation and ceremony. 

After the conclusion of the Encampment A review board met and it was decided that Each state that had the CAP program running would conduct it's own Encampment.  Pennsylvania once again held an Encampment a little less than a year later with an attendance of only 320 volunteers.   Between 1945 and 1957 Pennsylvania held their "Senior Member" Encampment at Olmsted AFB.  During 1957 the notion was brought up to hold the Cadet Encampment separate from the "Senior Encampment".  In 1958 the "Senior Encampment" was given the primary task of not teaching new member skills to Senior Members, but to support the Cadets at their Encampment.  Finally in 1959 the notion of a Senior only Encampment was found to be too troublesome and costly on the individual member and the program stopped. 

Other Wings picked up on having a Senior Member Encampment, but most did not last as long as PA Wings, and usually fell off to the reasoning that the Cadet's needed the Encampment more than the SM's.  In PA, and most of the other northern Wings, the Encampment was one of the reasons the modern Wing Conference exists.  When members were not meeting to conduct business at the Encampments, a new venue had to be created.  Granted there were some conferences pre-dating Encampment, but they were more of a casual get together and war bond sale.   

------- MY PERSONAL VIEWS FOLLOW ------------------

It is a real shame that a similar activity is not in place for CAP Officer's today.  The notion that the Encampment has allways been for and strictly about the CADET is wrong. 

I believe that Encampments can have a Senior Member side as much as it has a Cadet side.  Somewhere the focus fell off of the Senior Members and landed solely on the cadets.  I can understand reasons for that (such as the cold war needing youthful, military minded individuals to enlist), but we should look ahead to how the CAP Officer could benefit from having a similar program.

-edited to change spelling

[Ford73Diesel]

Would they be required for new SM's?

How many senior members would be willing to take a week of vacation (or a week off of work) to attend one?


My $0.02 (as a cadet, mind you)

[LtCol White]

Would they be required for new SM's?

How many senior members would be willing to take a week of vacation (or a week off of work) to attend one?


My $0.02 (as a cadet, mind you)

Well you already have many in each wing that do this to serve as the staff at the cadet encampments.

[Trung Si Ma]

We already have two types of SM encampments - RSC and NSC

[Ford73Diesel]

Would they be required for new SM's?

How many senior members would be willing to take a week of vacation (or a week off of work) to attend one?


My $0.02 (as a cadet, mind you)

Well you already have many in each wing that do this to serve as the staff at the cadet encampments.

Yeah, but about 40 (estimate) out of around 700 SM's (estimate again, I didn't look it up and eservices recently) show up at OHWG encampment. Thats about 6%........

[LtCol White]

Would they be required for new SM's?

How many senior members would be willing to take a week of vacation (or a week off of work) to attend one?


My $0.02 (as a cadet, mind you)

Well you already have many in each wing that do this to serve as the staff at the cadet encampments.

Yeah, but about 40 (estimate) out of around 700 SM's (estimate again, I didn't look it up and eservices recently) show up at OHWG encampment. Thats about 6%........

But this is for a strictly cadet program. If there were things being taught of value for the seniors as it is with cadets, I'm sure you would see large scale participation.

For example, if you ran a week long ES encampment where all training could be completed and complimented with extensive training missions, I'm sure you would have a successful activity. This type would also be one where Sr's and Cadets would work side by side.

It could be split in sections for people wanting aircrew vs those wanting ground teams vs those for mission staff, IC, PAO, etc..

[Eclipse]

We don't have the numbers, we don't have the motivation, and we don't have the need.

Seniors are not cadets, they don't drill, they don't need "basic training", and there is nothing to inspire them to participate.

The sad fact of the matter is that the culture of most of CAP has moved from "learning for learning's sake" to "ticket punching".  How many triple diamonds have >ONE< encampment?

For ILWG Spring RST, we have our seniors drill, just so they get a tiny taste.  Every year, either at RST or during the encampment, more than one of us will bring up the issue of how "cool" it would be to have a senior flight, or senior event.  The problem is that the majority of seniors who would be interested, are already on staff.  All chiefs, no Indians.

Look around the encampments near you...how many allow their seniors to stay at a BOQ or hotel instead of in the barracks/ship, etc., with the cadets?  How many allow seniors to leave at night and go off base for dinner / drinking / etc.?

We already have a fair amount of "away games" such as RSC, NSC, NBB, NESA, HAWK, etc., where seniors can receive appropriate training.  An encampment, just isn't the place.

[Flying Pig]

Im not seeing at all where any focus has fallen off from the Seniors to the Cadets.  Seniors have numerous training opportunities, more so than they ever had in the past. 

The  Encampment environment is geared to inspire motivation and establish a rite of passage  for the young cadet into relm of the cadet officer.  Not adults.   We as Seniors have a wealth of courses we attend.  Most Seniors I know go to great lengths to clear their calendar to get the basics.   I dont know many Seniors that are going to stand around and let another Senior or military NCO yell at them about hospital corners on their bunks.  Not to mention pay a couple hundred dollars to do it. 

The things that motivate Seniors are vastly different than what motivates cadets.  I attended 2 encampmants as a cadet, and looking back, running around singing cadences and and chanting your flight motto as you stand in a circle around your guidon isn't what does it for me anymore.  Then, yes, it was great, and it helped mold me into who I am now.  And there is a former Flight Commander guy out there with my name tag pinned to his guidon. (Do they still do that?) But since then Ive spent my share of time in the front leaning rest position.

  Cadets are learning to be young adults, and gaining the tools to be successful in their still unchosen careers, and life, what ever they may be.   Im sure you've noticed, the focus of the two, Seniors and Cadets can and are very different.  Our reasons for being in CAP are very different.  Most Seniors have already been there and done that.

The world was a different place when CAP was bombing Subs.  I dont see the Senior program benefiting from a traditional encampment environment in any way.  In looking back, you really dont learn much of anything at encampment that you didnt already know, or would not later learn in your cadet life.  It isnt what you learn per se at encampment, its that you now share the experience with your fellow cadets who have gone before you that makes it so unique. Encampment gives every cadet a bond.  Encampment being focused on the cadet is exactly how it needs to be.

I have every intention of going back to encampment as a Senior. Having  been that scared 13 year old cadet before I think makes me qualified in a certain way that another non prior cadet Senior may not be.   I can tell you now, a Senior-Basic at Senior Encampment would look at the staff and laugh in the same environment.  It doesnt affect us in the same way.

Picture this************

Senior standing in formation at close of the evening.  Cell Phone rings, he answers while in formation.  Encampmant staff decends to destroy Senior and "break him down".  Senior hold up his hand as in "shut up"  and says...Im talking to my broker, Im closing a major deal, Ill be with you in a minute.

Senior hangs up phone and says, ....OK, you were saying?

[fyrfitrmedic]

 Add to this the fairly fundamental differences between juvenile learners and adult learners...

[Flying Pig]

Yeah....what he said

[mikeylikey]

The Encampment can be a casual thing.  Everyone is referencing only what they know and have seen, the Cadet Encampment.  The Encampment would be a chance for all the members of a particular wing to get together for some valuable training, not to mention networking.  Like Iowa has done, Each wing Commander should be approaching his or her state governments to ask for a law that would allow time off from work.  There is no reason that each Wing not have an annual training.  Get some required schools out of the way during this same period for the members that may have joined since the last SLS..etc. 

[ZigZag911]

Why not a weekend environment rather than weeklong?

Perhaps in conjunction with SLS?

There ought to be at least some minimal drill & ceremonies.

There also should not be the "Mickey Mouse" that is sometimes a feature of cadet encampments...we are, as so many have mentioned, dealing with adults.

However, the opportunity to build teamwork & morale is invaluable.

[LTC_Gadget]

OK, it wasn't exactly an encampment, but I remember when my folks dragged me along, as a cadet something-Seargent, to the first Level 1 class held in Oklahoma. 

If I recall correctly, It was two full days, and it wasn't pencil-whipped, either.  You actually had to get out of your chair and *do* the stuff; and you kept doin' it 'til ya got it right.  You had to learn how to stand at attention properly, salute properly, report properly, and form up in a flight.  They demonstrated the proper wear of the uniform combinations, and walked you through the relevant portions of CAPM 39-1. I think dad brought me along just to guilt the seniors into trying harder -- "if that darned kid can do it, I know I can."    It was sure fun to watch a forty-something screw up the same as one of my basic cadets..They also spent time on CAP/AF history, a quick familiarization with regs, etc.,  and a whole lotta stuff I can't remember.

But the one thing I do remember is that people actually *knew* sic 'em from come 'ere about the basics, which doesn't seem to happen when it comes from a book, and they don't actually have to *do* anything.  We already give up weekends to do a variety of training, maybe it's time to put the meat back into some of the more important elements of the program, and stop pencil-whipping, dumbing down, and handing everything to people.. You could even do it over *several* weekends, like a lot of college classes are now taught.  Put the newbie seniors in a training flight and/or class at the squadron level and let the DCS and/or the PDO teach the stuff during the regular meeting.  In the beginning, since the don't have the competency or knowledge to do a job, much of what they'd be doing is 'hangar flying' anyway.  Put their time to use learning how to *be* a member.  In the local unit, you've got a vested interest in seeing that they learn this stuff well enough so as not to embarrass themselves, or you, when they go somewhere outside the squadron.  People seem to find the time and the money to do the things they want to badly enough, anyway. I dunno.. It's a thought.

V/R,

[Eagle400]

It is a real shame that a similar activity is not in place for CAP Officer's today.  The notion that the Encampment has allways been for and strictly about the CADET is wrong. 

I believe that Encampments can have a Senior Member side as much as it has a Cadet side.  Somewhere the focus fell off of the Senior Members and landed solely on the cadets.  I can understand reasons for that (such as the cold war needing youthful, military minded individuals to enlist), but we should look ahead to how the CAP Officer could benefit from having a similar program.

Perhaps we should look at how the SDF's do their basic training.  I think something like the Basic Orientation Course for the CA State Military Reserve would work quite well, provided it be tailored to CAP.

Another good program is the CASMR Officer Candidate School. 

[ZigZag911]

If this is going to be linked to new senior orientation (which makes perfect sense), then rather than re-invent the wheel, it would be simpler to adapt Iowa's very thorough and successful OTS for local conditions.

[isuhawkeye]

^^^ took the words right out of my mouth

[shorning]

Perhaps we should look at how the SDF's do their basic training. 

We?  When did you rejoin CAP?

[Eagle400]

Perhaps we should look at how the SDF's do their basic training. 

We?  When did you rejoin CAP?

Lack of attenion to detail can explain that, sir.  I was typing in a hurry. 

[flyerthom]

Let me bounce this hare brained (can't be hair - I don't have enough to spare) idea around. After all with tweaking it might not be that terrible.

Not so much an encampment but a senior oriented (not exclusive) national activity. The idea would be a very large scale training exercise to allow regions and wings to send candidates to learn and bring back skills and information to teach others. It would be sort of a CAP REDFLAG

It would involve air ops, ground ops, ICS, Comm, basically everything we do. A large, multiple tasking exercise, evaluate it, and then try it again using what we learned. The graduates take it back (like REDFLAG) to the wings and squadrons.  By doing it nationally, it can help bond the organization at the top level and bring in good stuff for everywhere. It can also help teach interoperability and build standardization.

Note, this should not be a school but a hands on teaching exercise. modeled on the Flag exercises. Participants should be selected by their commanders   with the obligation to come back and teach other members.

Not that it wouldn't be a blast...

If CAP wants something elite, this would be it. A chance to participate in something like this is a great incentive to rise to a standard.  It's a chance to practice and demonstrate what we can do, get PR, use our gear, and have a  ah bunch of fun.

Comments?

[RiverAux]

There used to be fairly regular Region-level SAR competitions that to some extent met these goals. 

[ZigZag911]

Region SAR Comps are coming back, at least in NER....I was asked to go, but couldn't get off that weekend...I was told that the mission management portion is 'table top' simulation only, not sure how I feel about that....how do you show your SAR skills if the air & ground aren't integrated under direction of mission management team?

Anyway, something like this sounds worthwhile, IF there is a degree of 'realism'....that is, when you task a GT or aircrew to go do something, somebody actually does it!

[sardak]

I was on a SARCOMP team twice in the 80's, once on the ground team and once on the mission management team.  Aircrew, management and ground team worked independent exercises occurring simultaneously.  The ground team was 2 seniors and 3 cadets performing field exercises, the aircrews flew different types of sorties and the management portion was a table top exercise.  I have mixed memories of them because they were poorly managed.

Tabletops in general can certainly task the participants' skills if designed properly.  For a SAR management team the idea is to test the team's ability to manage field resources, which doesn't actually require them.  One can certainly devise a realistic tabletop that results in the teams' sweating (almost) as hard as if they had real field resources to manage.

The latest in wildland fire management training are "tactical decision games" (TDGS) and "sand table exercises' (STEX) in which a tabletop exercise is implemented in 3D.  They can include terrain features, miniature trees, vehicles, etc.  Imagine your kid's (or your's) sandbox or model train layout being used to evaluate a team or individual's capability to manage a situation.  ICs are now being required to participate in TDGSs.  Here is a link to a TDGS site:
http://www.fireleadership.gov/toolbox/TDG_Library/default.htm

Mike

[SJFedor]

Let me bounce this hare brained (can't be hair - I don't have enough to spare) idea around. After all with tweaking it might not be that terrible.

Not so much an encampment but a senior oriented (not exclusive) national activity. The idea would be a very large scale training exercise to allow regions and wings to send candidates to learn and bring back skills and information to teach others. It would be sort of a CAP REDFLAG

It would involve air ops, ground ops, ICS, Comm, basically everything we do. A large, multiple tasking exercise, evaluate it, and then try it again using what we learned. The graduates take it back (like REDFLAG) to the wings and squadrons.  By doing it nationally, it can help bond the organization at the top level and bring in good stuff for everywhere. It can also help teach interoperability and build standardization.

Note, this should not be a school but a hands on teaching exercise. modeled on the Flag exercises. Participants should be selected by their commanders   with the obligation to come back and teach other members.

Not that it wouldn't be a blast...

If CAP wants something elite, this would be it. A chance to participate in something like this is a great incentive to rise to a standard.  It's a chance to practice and demonstrate what we can do, get PR, use our gear, and have a  ah bunch of fun.

Comments?

Yeah... it's pretty much what NESA is currently doing. Problem is, getting all the interested parties from across the country to one central location, without blowing too much of their own $$.