Good Bye & Good Luck

[Cliff_Chambliss]

Seven months ago our old squadron folded and the members were looking for new squadron homes.  It was during this time that I realized that CAP just was not fun/rewarding any more and I decided it was time to fold my tent and go elsewhere.  Since the first of the year I have been in the Alabama Ghost Squadron, sometimes peeking into the e-services and the Alabama Wing Site just to see what was going on.  Tomorrow is my last day of membership and the card goes to the shredder.  I have already (months ago) removed/deleted as much information/skills/quals/etc for myself as I could.
  Seeing as I will no longer "have a dog in the fight" there will also no longer be a reason to return to Captalk either so the mods can feel free to delete my name from here as well.
  I have met some really outstanding folks in the CAP, both cadets and seniors and I wish them (and all those I have not met) well.  On the downside I have seen where CAP tends to run good people into the dirt until they quit.   
  Folks, I wish all you you well and blue skies. and with that said  I'm gone.

[AirAux]

Cliff, after 35 years I am also feeling unloved.  There just ain't any fun left in it.  It has gotten to the bean counting stage and has become as much drudgery as my real job.  I feel that we have lost touch with the cadets, we no longer have an ELT mission, and we train and retrain for non-existant activities.  I have worked the levels.  I have gotten the Masters.  It is not the program I joined as a Cadet in 1964 and rejoined in 1977.  As they say, don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out, because I may be right behind you...

[capmaj]

+ 1

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Clear skies and following winds, Cliff.

My membership is up in June 2015.  I may be following you out that gate by then.

[Eclipse]

It's sad that even in CAP's backyard, long-term experienced members are finding CAP "isn't fun anymore".

[PHall]

Clear skies and following winds, Cliff.

My membership is up in June 2015.  I may be following you out that gate by then.

Wasn't just a month ago you were debating with yourself to renew or not?

So you dropped the bucks and renewed and now less then a month later you're already saying you're not going to renew.

You shouldn't have renewed...

And there's no way to get your money back either.

[NC Hokie]

Clear skies and following winds, Cliff.

My membership is up in June 2015.  I may be following you out that gate by then.

Wasn't just a month ago you were debating with yourself to renew or not?

Buyers remorse? 

On a serious note, every goodbye post I read here is another reminder to ensure that my squadron (which is all of CAP that I can control) is an engaging place for cadets and senior members to spend their time and treasure.

[Eclipse]

Did you actually voluntarily terminate or are you just walking away?

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Wasn't just a month ago you were debating with yourself to renew or not?

So you dropped the bucks and renewed and now less then a month later you're already saying you're not going to renew.

You shouldn't have renewed...

And there's no way to get your money back either.

"Debating with myself," yes.  At that time the debate resulted in a decision to renew.

I did not say I am not going to renew.  I said I may not renew next time around.  There is a fair bit of time between now and then.

It is not about the money.

[Simplex]

Always sorry to see someone with your knowledge and experience hit the door. But I fully understand your frustrations. It's not the same CAP, as you said, and the old expression CAP = Come and Pay is one of my pet peeves.

Thank you for your service both with CAP and the US Army. I noticed the 11th ACR and 2nd ACR as well as the MI Bn.
We trained with the 2ACR in Germany way back in the early 60's and the 11ACR was south of us in III or IV Corps while we were up in the highlands in II Corps.

Good bye and good luck to you also, Sir.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Good luck.

I haven't been to a meeting since mid-May. I wasn't even on CAPtalk for most of that time. Didn't find out about the new 39-1 until July 26th. When you hit a slump...you hit it hard. I'm hoping to bounce back. Maybe next Tuesday. Been saying that for 8 weeks though.

[Panache]

Godspeed.  Hope things work out.

[AlphaSigOU]

Good luck and Godspeed, Cliff.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I think a large part of what is afflicting CAP is just a sense of ennui, combined with an almost-schizoid loss of identity of what CAP is/was/should be.

The AUX ON/OFF change was a big kick in the head.  I do not care what the "reason" is/was.  A big part of our collective identity has been as the USAF Auxiliary.  We had to remove the "USAF AUX" from our aircraft and change our command shield.

Our three Congressionally-mandated missions have changed, or rather the world around us has changed, and we have not.  Some in CAP say that we are "all ES, all the time," which is simply untrue.  Others say our AE mission is obsolescent and has no relevance - again untrue.  My squadron has a go-getter AE officer and we are very deeply involved in AEX.  Cadets - It could be said with some truth that compared to ROTC, our CP has little value, especially to the USAF, whose favourite child is definitely JROTC.  However, not all schools have JROTC.  We have done an extremely poor job of recruiting young people to our cadet programme.  I knew nothing of it (or CAP, period) when I was a kid.  I would have gone for it in a big way.  And there are the senior squadrons (not all, of course, but they do exist - I know from experience) who want absolutely nothing to do with cadets and will do everything they can to wiggle out of O-rides...or, if they do them, BMW about having to do it.

When I joined CAP, I was told that the squadron is the heart of our operations.  However, if the ennui has pervaded the squadron where they just do not care any more, or worse, care about whether members are there or not, something is diseased with that "heart."  Even in my own experience with some units I have been part of, if a member does not show up without giving notice as to why, the squadron is too often content to either let them fade into the night and fog or just shunt them to the "ghost" squadron.  And if said member does show, too often it's "Oh, it's you again."  Not a good "we value our people" motivator.

And then there are - of course, you knew it would rear its ugly head! - uniforms.  The latest 39-1 demonstrates that NUC, NHQ or whatever alphabet-soup combination has responsibility for such has obviously decided "status quo is the way to go."  Like it or not, admit to it or not, we have a two-tier uniform non-system.  There is precious little anyone in CAP can do about the USAF uniforms - it is their uniform, it is our privilege to wear it, period.  However, the powers that be have elected to keep those who cannot/will not wear the AF uniform in a series of uniforms that follow the fallacious argument of "separate but equal," when they clearly are not.  A visitor to an average squadron meeting would probably have trouble recognising the members as part of the same organisation.

I have said this before, but unless there is a true top-to-bottom shakedown of this organisation - including the bitter possibility that we are not relevant as we are currently constituted - it is just going to be the same ol' [mess] and we will continue to haemorrhage members.

[AirAux]

CyBorg, your post hit a nail with me.  I hadn't thought about it, but I am older now, so much older than when I began this trek and somehow the pounds have increased.  I know it, it's all my fault and I should do something about it, but really?  I am 68 years old and with my arthritis, I doubt I will be busting out the exercise mats anytime soon.  When I get in the front leaning rest, I stay there until someone helps me up.  Anyhow, I still have a picture of me in my Air Force uniform getting my second Lieutenant bars pinned on in 77-78.  Well, I have been relegated to the second class uniform for many years, all the while thinking I would someday, somehow, slip back into my Air Force Blues.  Ain't gonna happen.  And yes, it bothers me.  Recently went to a Commanders Call and had to wear the Corporate Uniform.  Strange, the Wing Commander and several Squadron commanders and Deputy Commanders were in Air Force Blues and were definately over the weight limit.  Not a lot, but enough to look crappy.  You know, bellies over belts??  Anyhow, your post made me think, wouldn't we all be better with a Corporate uniform that matched for everybody?  We are not Air Force.  We will never be activated for the Air Force.  We have no need to ever wear the Air Force uniform.  Let the cadets wear them as a recruiting tool for the Air Force, but have all adults in the same uniform to make us, uhhhh, uniform??   Unless you have had to wear the Corportate Uniform while others are wearing the Air Force one, you do not know how it makes you feel like you don't really belong.  Since we are our own organization and have been around longer than the Air Force, why don't we try to develop pride in our selves with our own uniform.  I think part of the malaise we are now finding our organization in is that we recruit new members that see the Air Force uniform and think that as an organization we work with the Air Force.  When they realize we don't, they become disillusioned and drift away.  Anyhow, just the thoughts of an old dog, drifting away, and trying to make sense of it all.       

[catrulz]

I believe in most case CAP does an excellent job with the cadet program.  However, JROTC is funded and professionally taught by retired military officers and NCO's.  Many school districts also required teaching certifications (and always have) and the ROTC instructors are in some cases teaching other courses as well.

I was both a 4 year JROTC and CAP cadet, and I got much more from the JROTC experience (plus better rewards wwhen I enlisted after high school).  I had an excellent DCOC and I respected him just as much as I respected my JROTC instructors.  But, it was obvious which taught more, and provided better value.  You participate in ROTC 5 hours a week and CAP 2.5 hours a week.  So just in time spent, there is a huge difference between the programs.

Most of the problems with CAP stem from either healthy or dysfunctional relationships.  Most of this boils down to politics.  If there is a healthy command structure in place, then politics are minimized.  I have always found it interesting that in the military your Chain of Command at all levels, had an open door policy.  As a private I could talk to my Brigade Commander as long an I went through channels to get to that particular door.  This only seems to be the case in CAP to Group Level.  After that, if you do something wrong you are branded as trouble maker and no-one wants anything to do with you anymore.  Leadership is psycology 101.  Even when people mess up there was a motivation.  It's easier to alienate or ignore, than it is to make a phone call to figure out what actually occured and why.  Politics and dysfunctional relationships destroy what fun there is in CAP.

Case in point:

There is guy in our unit that is up for LtCol meets all the training criteria, with 14years in the program, I have seen it said that promotions in CAP recognize PD accomplishment, but I have to demonstrate why this individual is over qualified, the statement of qualification on the form was not sufficient.  Too me this is a statement that this promotion is not to recognize accomplished training, but to decide politically if he desired with the LtCol's club.  This gets old because of the extra effort, but also becuase it makes it easier for the folks above to say no (just because!).   I will go through the effort, because in my opinion, we need to take care of our folks, break our backs if neccessary to make it happen.  It sure would more productive to work on something else however.

I've stepped away twice, and I'm never sure until the day I'm due if I'm going to rejoin.  There have been alot of valid opinions above.   

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

AirAux, I share many of your concerns.  I am just shy of 50, so I do not have your wealth of experience, though I have been in-and-out of CAP a few times over the past 20 years.  I do not want to turn this into a uniform thread, but I believe uniforms to be the most visible manifestation of the schizoid nature I talked about.

Really, except for the higher echelons, and a relative few fortunate units on AF/AFRES/ANGB installations, our Air Force connection is increasingly "in-name-only."

As far as our own uniform, I would be in favour of that.  We had a nice uniform (the CSU) and it was killed for, to me, no valid reason (MSgt Harris, I know how you feel about this opinion so you need not say so again).  I would not be in favour of the current "tricked-out-IACE-uniform-with-Realtor-jacket" being made our sole "distinctive" uniform.  As I have said several times on this forum, I hate it and think it is plainly ugly.  It has no connection with aviation, military or civil.

I actually have early-onset-of-arthritis because of a car wreck I was in and vigorous exercise is out of the question for me.

I think that the main interest the Air Force retains in us is cadets...because it means potential warm bodies through the gates of Lackland.  Outside that, most of them do not even know who we are.

Catrulz, you said some good things as well.  My first CAP squadron had several dual-status CAP/JROTC cadets.  Several quit CAP to focus on JROTC.

I remember way, way back in the mists of time at Air Force BMT my MTI asked if any of us had JROTC experience.  One recruit put his hand up and said "Sir, I have similar experience in the Civil Air Patrol..."   The TI descended on him in fury and said "I SAID JROTC!  I DID NOT ASK ABOUT THE [farg]ING CIVIL AIR PATROL!"

And you are also correct about the dysfunctional politics.  It seems that no matter what is done, the GOB/GN will remain in place in one form or another.

[Panzerbjorn]

I suppose I just have one thing to contribute to this as far as uniforms go....

If I'm not allowed to look like a soldier, how can you expect me to act like a soldier?

[catrulz]

Yeah, when I went to basic they knew the PFC's and PV2's were JROTC, so they ended up being squad leaders and platoon guide (trainee platoon sergeant). 

I think most vets probably feel, hey I served my country why am I barred from wearing a military uniform.  But, the rules are made by the parent.  I have commented in another thread CAP should develop a corporate uniform that is military like.  My opinion is everyone, cadets and Seniors should wear it (Once again I vote khakis, best uniform I ever wore).  Then we would be uniform.  But honestly, is the uniform the biggest problem faced by our volunteers?  You can't even get some people to wear a uniform!

I think we are a para-military organization with a volunteer identity crisis, and that prevents good communication within the membership.  Many different types of members have a totally different take on what CAP really represents or about.  For instance, what is the chain of command.  I can tell you that what most CAP members consider the CoC is not.  The military has two chains, a chain of authority (chain of Command) and a staff chain (the support chain).  another example, in some units, members address each other by rank and last name, but many units it's first name.  And even another example, some units are great at exercising and enforcing customs and courtesies and others don't worry about it (not even with the cadets).  The differences in the way the program is administered by various individuals and groups create friction when attempting to interface with non-like minded individuals and groups.  Yes, we have regulations and manuals, and yet no two people would administer the progam alike.

One of the problems we face, is a large core of our adult membership is cadet parentage that join to support the cadet (and we do need these people, without them we would be an incredibly small organization) who have no interest in the military aspect of the program.  Working with volunteers is also no comparable to military management.  Which is why standardization and communication up and down is so important.

[Eclipse]

Which is why standardization and communication up and down is so important.

How this simple concept continues to escape CAP is beyond me, especially when you consider the relative credentials and
experience purported across the echelons of the leadership. There's simply no way for an organization as large and distributed as
CAP to be successful without standardization, clear communication, and enforcement of those standards.

CAP's track record of success is anecdotal, circumstantial, and generally based on specific personalities, it is not
institutional in nature, nor is it due to any specific strategic planning or management, and it certainly does not come close to
living up to its potential, or even the investment made by the American people.  In nearly all cases it is because
"somebody" woke up and decided to "be in CAP" for a while, and was able to get some like-minded people locally to come along for the ride.
When that person or small group has had enough, the success wither and people tend to forget they even happened, meanwhile the
checkboxers who weren't doing anything before, or during, continue their doing nothing and hardly notice the difference.

It doesn't have to be that way, but it always has since I've been in.