CAP activities and coronavirus

[Kayll'b]

My wing has already cancelled several activities including the spring conference, and my squadron has cancelled a meeting. What are the chances that encampments and NCSAs will get cancelled?

[jeders]

The probability is very low, but not zero. That said, Texas Wing is still planning on holding encampment at Lackland this summer with no real backup plan in case the base commander disallows it; as a result, many Texas squadrons are sending their cadets to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and pretty much anywhere but Texas.

[Eclipse]

CAP needs to get in front of this and help knock off the hysteria.

Members don't need advice on washing their hands or not licking door handles.

[Holding Pattern]

CAP needs to get in front of this and help knock off the hysteria.

Agreed.

Members don't need advice on washing their hands

Disagree.

[etodd]

Cadet Orides this weekend. Close quarters in the plane. Not worried. The air is calling us.

[Fester]

I don't think I'd be as worried about activities and NCSA's being cancelled as much as I'd be worried about getting to those activities (especially NCSA's) if commercial air travel begins being effected.

[THRAWN]

Disease of the year. Been hearing the same about the sky falling since anthrax on 2001.

CAP needs to get in front of this and help knock off the hysteria.

Members don't need advice on washing their hands or not licking door handles.

[xyzzy]

People may be unwilling to take the risk of non-refundable airline tickets, and not be able to afford refundable tickets. Travel insurance is a possibility, but recent news coverage has been giving the impression that sometimes travel insurance covers COVID-19 related cancellations, and sometimes it doesn't. So some members may decide they just aren't flying anywhere until the problem subsides.

[baronet68]

My hope is that coronavirus has a seasonal cycle similar to influenza, where transmission DECREASES in spring/summer as temperatures and humidity increase, instead of a cycle like malaria, where transmission INCREASES in spring/summer as temperature and humidity increase.

[jb3]

Here in the Land of the Morning Calm (South Korea), we are following US Forces Korea guidance and have cancelled the last couple weekly meetings. We are still moving forward with planning our encampment and other activities but the situation changes daily. All of the US DoD schools here in Korea have been closed for two weeks already. Although the measures seem extreme, USFK and the Korean government have been aggressive in limiting the spread and we will likely be past the worst of it soon.

We will never know how bad the virus would have been if we do our best to mitigate it but that's a good thing. Of course there will always be those who second guess every decision, but I believe that prudent measures now will ultimately mean a healthier population in the end.

[Fester]

Here in the Land of the Morning Calm (South Korea), we are following US Forces Korea guidance and have cancelled the last couple weekly meetings. We are still moving forward with planning our encampment and other activities but the situation changes daily. All of the US DoD schools here in Korea have been closed for two weeks already. Although the measures seem extreme, USFK and the Korean government have been aggressive in limiting the spread and we will likely be past the worst of it soon.

We will never know how bad the virus would have been if we do our best to mitigate it but that's a good thing. Of course there will always be those who second guess every decision, but I believe that prudent measures now will ultimately mean a healthier population in the end.

Curious.... how large is your unit?  How many units in South Korea?  How large is your Encampment?

[jb3]

There is only one squadron in Korea and we have about 65 total members. For encampments we take turns hosting the Far East Encampment with the squadrons at Okinawa and mainland Japan. The encampment itself will have around 40 basic cadets another 15 or so cadet and senior member staff. Its not the largest event but we do a pretty good job. I know that the Europe based squadrons do a similar concept albeit somewhat larger.

I will say that there is no such thing as running a "small" encampment. It takes almost as much planning and support work to run an event for 60 as is does for 160. Legal reviews, coordination for barracks, chow, etc. And overseas units don't have corporate assets like vans and aircraft so we have to rely entirely on the host installation. With that said though, its worth the effort to ensure our cadets have the encampment experience.

Not sure if I answered your intended questions but hopefully I provided some insight into the uniques of CAP in Asia. Take a look at the Far East Asia Facebook page for some highlights from the last couple encampments:

 https://www.facebook.com/FarEastEncampment/

And if you can't tell by the pictures, all encampment participants (cadets and SMs) were given an o-flight in an HH-60 sitting at the edge with the doors open!

*** Lastly, we do allow anybody who wants to buy a ticket to Asia to come to our encampment. It is not restricted to overseas members.

[SarDragon]

There is only one squadron in Korea and we have about 65 total members. For encampments we take turns hosting the Far East Encampment with the squadrons at Okinawa and mainland Japan. The encampment itself will have around 40 basic cadets another 15 or so cadet and senior member staff. Its not the largest event but we do a pretty good job. I know that the Europe based squadrons do a similar concept albeit somewhat larger.

I will say that there is no such thing as running a "small" encampment. It takes almost as much planning and support work to run an event for 60 as is does for 160. Legal reviews, coordination for barracks, chow, etc. And overseas units don't have corporate assets like vans and aircraft so we have to rely entirely on the host installation. With that said though, its worth the effort to ensure our cadets have the encampment experience.

Not sure if I answered your intended questions but hopefully I provided some insight into the uniques of CAP in Asia. Take a look at the Far East Asia Facebook page for some highlights from the last couple encampments:

 https://www.facebook.com/FarEastEncampment/

And if you can't tell by the pictures, all encampment participants (cadets and SMs) were given an o-flight in an HH-60 sitting at the edge with the doors open!

*** Lastly, we do allow anybody who wants to buy a ticket to Asia to come to our encampment. It is not restricted to overseas members.

BTDT. When I was in Misawa, Japan, we ran a couple of encampments with 30 cadets total, and the logistics were daunting. Having the First Shirt of the base headquarters squadron as the squadron commander was a blessing. This wab back in 1987-1989.

[Майор Хаткевич]

CAP needs to get in front of this and help knock off the hysteria.

Members don't need advice on washing their hands or not licking door handles.

Dunno, I told my wife the same thing when there were "just" 20 or so deaths in China and a few hundred confirmed cases. This was back in January. 

Now we're at those numbers in the US, and look where China ended up so far.