TAC Officer Duties

[Briski]

Alrighty, we've got a little bit of info for future TACs (most notably The TAC Officer's Closet), but nothing to really discuss duties, responsibilities, do's and don't's of being a TAC Officer. So, some questions for discussion:

For those who have BTDT:
1. What advice do you have for the greener TACs?
2. If you could go back, what would you have done differently?
3. What are some of the things you know now that you wish you had known then?

For former Cadet Staff:
1. What did your TAC(s) do to make your job easier?
2. What did your TAC(s) do to make your job harder?
3. If you'd been given permission to speak freely, what would you have told your TAC?

For anyone who feels so inclined:
1. What would you say are the duties and responsibilities of a TAC?
2. What's the worst thing you have ever seen a TAC do?
3. What's the best thing you have ever seen a TAC do?
4. What is the most important thing for any TAC to remember?

Thanks,

[Pylon]

Great topic, Briski! 

For those who have BTDT:
1. What advice do you have for the greener TACs?

Don't be afraid.   

Seriously, even if you're new to CAP, you're not new to life.  You've got plenty of experience worth sharing.  CAP-specific experience is only one part of the equation.  People skills goes a lot farther than that.

Be prepared to deal with some emotions... maybe home-sickness, maybe ADD, maybe frustration, maybe sleep deprivation, maybe stress... maybe some super-cocktail of all of the above.   Listening will be one of your great assets, as will "being there;"  do your best to be available after hours to listen and be there for anybody who needs it.   Know when to call in the Chaplain, too - they're professionals and there's a reason we have them.

2. If you could go back, what would you have done differently?

Talked with the flight staff more about their leadership roles; been more of a mentor instead of just a wall-flower.

3. What are some of the things you know now that you wish you had known then?

Certainly some of the things that the rest of you will share later in this thread.  (You are going to share, right?)

For former Cadet Staff:
1. What did your TAC(s) do to make your job easier?

I never was line staff as a cadet, but did serve three or so times as cadet executive staff... Comm, Finance, Logistics... that kind of stuff.  We had senior member mentors assigned and they were very helpful.  I learned a lot from just being around them and wanting to make them proud of the job I was doing.

The best thing they could have done was talked to me as much as possible about what they knew.  Shared their infinite knowledge on their job area... on leadership... on planning... on life.

2. What did your TAC(s) do to make your job harder?

Never under-estimate what your cadets can do.  If they can handle the task, don't do it yourself.  Give them the chance to do as much of the work as possible; otherwise, how will they become the seasoned senior member mentor? 

3. If you'd been given permission to speak freely, what would you have told your TAC?

I wonder if they're members of CAPTalk...   



I'm going to be a TAC again this year, but at the Hawaii Wing Encampment in July.  Since we're always learning, I'm all ears for more tips and hints from those who've been there -- on both sides of the fence!

[Eclipse]

For those who have BTDT:
1. What advice do you have for the greener TACs?
   You are not in the Cadets chain of command, and you are (usually) not their parent.

For anyone who feels so inclined:
1. What would you say are the duties and responsibilities of a TAC?

We consider our TACs to be an integral part of the event, and therefore seek out members with
the ability to be both influential and invisible at the same time.

The TAC's basic mission:
         Insure at all times that the cadets are safe.
         Mentor and advise cadet leaders who need guidance.
         Act as a front-line counselor for cadets having difficulty with the experience.
         Provide feedback to the Senior staff regarding the "temperature" of the event.

That's the "influential " component.

The "invisible " part is more difficult.  Just as we hope our cadets excel, sometimes life's
most valuable lessons are learned from failure.  Effective TACs understand they are not part of the cadet
chain of command, and must walk the fine line between being helpful and letting situations unfold in safe
but "less than successful" ways to allow our cadet leaders to gain valuable experience.

2. What's the worst thing you have ever seen a TAC do?
Walk into a room / compartment / etc., bring the entire event to a halt, and dress down a Senior/Cadet, etc., (i.e. publicly, as in YELLING) outside their authority, common sense, and the ROE.

3. What's the best thing you have ever seen a TAC do?
Counsel a struggling cadet through their Flight Commander, with no one but the FC & the TC being the wiser, giving the FC the leadership mojo with his cadets,
while still correcting the issue.

4. What is the most important thing for any TAC to remember?
You are not in the Cadets chain of command, and you are (usually) not their parent.

[Major Lord]

I would urge S/M's volunteering for Tac duty to:

1) Wear comfortable shoes or boots, even with your blues.
2) Intervene when someone's life is on the line, and don't interfere with your cadet staff-ESPECIALLY in front of cadet attendees.
3) Have lots of clean, pressed uniforms, you will probably not have any time for laundry.
4) Your principal duties in the first few days will be:
a) To keep your Cadet Staff from shouting themselves hoarse, and being unable to continue in their job.
b) To keep cadets from quitting.
5) Cadets will show every known stress symptom known to man, and will credibly mimic every disease from leprosy to east Australian wombat death syndrome. No matter what they say, just tell them that the encampment is all just a big stage play, that people can yell, but no one will actually hurt them, and to get their ass back into flight. Vomiting is a common trick, don't be fooled! wait for bleeding eye sockets or something really convincing!

I carry Glucose tablets to every high stress cadet activity. The little badgers are often jones'ing hard for sugar, and I tell them the Glucose is a chewable medicine tablet. I have cured everthing from migraines to mitral valves with glucose tabs!

Help the staff do what needs to be done, and for god's sake, don't try to do things the Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Coast Guard, or Salvation Army way. On the surface, encampment may look like something you have seen before. Don't screw with it unless someone is going to get hurt.

Have a good stash of personal goodies in your sleeping quarters under lock and key and armed guard. You  may not have time to buy Doritos, beer, other treats. Encampment food is usually pure carbs and sugar. You can live on this if you are 14 years old, but it will kill the rest of us. You will be too tired to go out at night, and you need to stay close in case the staff decides to go "Lord of the flies" on you. Remember, kids are just as evil, sick and demented as adults, but with lower impulse control....

I have found staffing Encampment and other cadet activities highly rewarding, and I believe there is not more satisfying area of the CAP program. Volunteer to staff: they can use your help.

Capt. Lord

[ZigZag911]

Coach your staff cadets to the best of your ability....it's their command, your job is oversight and supervision.

If you don't have a lot of CAP or military background, don't hesitate to ask more experienced officers for advice....the only dumb question is the one not asked!

Most of your job is looking and listening: for the physically sick, the homesick, the cadet struggling to learn, the 'class clown', and so forth.

Learn your cadets' names as quickly as possible.

Monitor morale, and do what you can to help keep it high (positive attitude,especially in adverse situations, and leading by personal example)

As far as possible, encourage cadet staff to use normal tones (command voice, not screaming), and to get a good night's sleep whenever they can....the biggest problem I encountered as a tac officer and as commandant was an exhausted cadet staff -- because they had difficulty prioritizing and  delegating....which of course is part of what we're all there to learn!

[PHall]

Try reading through the New York and California Wing Encampment Training Manuals.
They both have a chapter covering TAC Officers.

[Ford73Diesel]

For former Cadet Staff:
1. What did your TAC(s) do to make your job easier?

Made supply runs for important things such as foot products, insignia, uniforms, gatorade 

Also TACO's were present for every consuling and mentoring session and offered advice.

2. What did your TAC(s) do to make your job harder?

The one year, my TACO took things to much into his own hands and was trying to do our jobs.

3. What's the best thing you have ever seen a TAC do?

Het invovled with the motivation/ mascot. At the most recent encampment, my TACO went out, bought, and carved out coconuts (We had a Monty Python theme.)

[Psicorp]

I'm not the only one who uses "TACO"!   

This has been a source of amusement within and around my unit...when I was in FLWG, TACs were called TACOs. The hierachy for TACs was:

TACO Supreme
TACO Grande
TACO

I know a few people who will skin me alive if they hear me referring to TACs as such during Encampment
I'll be good, I promise  :angel:    (where's that emote with the halo suspended above the horns?)

[Briski]

I know a few people who will skin me alive if they hear me referring to TACs as such during Encampment
I'll be good, I promise  :angel:    (where's that emote with the halo suspended above the horns?)

If the use of the term "TACO" is your greatest concern with regards to ticking people off during Encampment next week, sit back and watch a pro. It'll be tough with some of the others, as the majority have several years' more experience than I do, but I might just stir the pot more than anyone else.

[Ford73Diesel]

At OHWG, they have some pretty creative names for taco's. They are each assigned to individuals after there first time TACO'ing. I won't list there names because I don't feel comfortable typing them online:

SuperTac
StickyTac
OneTimeTac (Active duty SrA that was transferred to some other state)
FlamingTac (firefighter in "real" life)
HuaTac or Hooahtac (unsure of spelling) (Army ROTC cadet commisioning next year, former CAP cadet)

Thumbtac
TicTac


Thats all I can think of for now.

[Psicorp]

I know a few people who will skin me alive if they hear me referring to TACs as such during Encampment
I'll be good, I promise  :angel:    (where's that emote with the halo suspended above the horns?)

If the use of the term "TACO" is your greatest concern with regards to ticking people off during Encampment next week, sit back and watch a pro. It'll be tough with some of the others, as the majority have several years' more experience than I do, but I might just stir the pot more than anyone else.

I don't plan on doing any "sitting back" and just watching isn't any fun, so I'll bring some spoons   

[SarDragon]

TACs have been called TACOs since my cadet days, and that was a loooong time ago.

[Briski]

At OHWG, they have some pretty creative names for taco's. They are each assigned to individuals after there first time TACO'ing. I won't list there names because I don't feel comfortable typing them online:

SuperTac
StickyTac
OneTimeTac (Active duty SrA that was transferred to some other state)
FlamingTac (firefighter in "real" life)
HuaTac or Hooahtac (unsure of spelling) (Army ROTC cadet commisioning next year, former CAP cadet)

Thumbtac
TicTac


Thats all I can think of for now.

Don't forget StickyTAC, SmokesTAC, ChickTAC, TallTAC, CadetTAC and the honorary GenieTAC. When Capt Goodreau met me at my last meeting before going back to school last summer and was trying to recruit me to be a TAC for OHWG this summer, he tried enticing me with the promise of the title GruntTAC.

I had a TAC at GLR-N last summer that I wanted to name MamaTAC, but no one else would have gotten it.

[Ford73Diesel]

At OHWG, they have some pretty creative names for taco's. They are each assigned to individuals after there first time TACO'ing. I won't list there names because I don't feel comfortable typing them online:

SuperTac
StickyTac
OneTimeTac (Active duty SrA that was transferred to some other state)
FlamingTac (firefighter in "real" life)
HuaTac or Hooahtac (unsure of spelling) (Army ROTC cadet commisioning next year, former CAP cadet)

Thumbtac
TicTac


Thats all I can think of for now.

Don't forget StickyTAC, SmokesTAC, ChickTAC, TallTAC, CadetTAC and the honorary GenieTAC. When Capt Goodreau met me at my last meeting before going back to school last summer and was trying to recruit me to be a TAC for OHWG this summer, he tried enticing me with the promise of the title GruntTAC.

I had a TAC at GLR-N last summer that I wanted to name MamaTAC, but no one else would have gotten it.

I can't believe I forgot TallTac.....

[Briski]

Real quick, before we run out the door to limited internet access...

Don't mess with cadets who aren't within your sphere of influence and don't do their jobs for them. I almost strangled a TAC last week for questioning the C/XO within clear earshot of the flight as to whether the measurements and spacing on the parade field for Pass in Review was correct (when the Encampment Vice Commander, Assistant Commandant of Cadets, and myself, with having "the official D&C and C&C advisor to the Commandant" written right into my job description, had watched him measure and remeasure the night before). And then there was the one who was running around giving more orders (in a far more disrespectful tone) to the flight during preparation time for the Final Morning Inspection, refusing to listen to any cadet staff member, to the point where the Sq CC of the flight approached me personally for help in handling the situation.

[ZigZag911]

Capt Briski, sounds like you ran into a pair reliving their'glory days' as cadets!

[Hobbsh1]

O.k., I've seen:
SuperTac
StickyTac
OneTimeTac
Tic Tac
Thumb Tac
TACO Supreme
TACO Grande
TACO
and ect.....

So I have just one question??

What is a TAC???

[Ford73Diesel]

TAC is short for tactical officer.

[Hobbsh1]

TAC is short for tactical officer.

That makes sense, Thanks

[SARMedTech]

As most of you know by now Im VERY gung-ho about EMS. One of our cadets said that if was ever a TAC, he was going to make sure I got labeled as "SERIOUS-AS-A-HEARTA-TAC"  In the short time I have been with them so far, they seem to like me, I think its because if they do well during PT, I tell them gory EMS stories  and sometimes share with the ES inclined cadets my simulated injury pictures off my lap-top from disaster and mass casualty exercise...nothing like 10 of them losing all military bearing simultaneously and squealing "EWWWWWWWWWW!!!!"