How would I handle this?

[usafcap1]

You know what I hate, people who call CAP is a fake, a scam, or how we are just wannabes!!!!!!!! It just ticks me off!!!

So how would I handle this?

Thanks!!

[Private Investigator]

It depends on who it is.

I learned after 30 years in law enforcement you can not talk to ignorant.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I was called some pretty awful things when I was a cadet. You really just have to learn to ignore the stupid people. Tell them I guess saving more lives than I can count by CAP every year is being a wannabe, then just walk away.

[Eclipse]

FIMO - Forget It Move On.

[Stonewall]

Wait until your 10 or 20 year high school reunion and then point and make fun, like I did.

[johnnyb47]

What's wrong with being a "wannabe"?
when I was a kid we used to call "wannabes" "people with goals for the future".

As in, "I 'wannabe' more than most of my classmates will ever allow themselves to be."

Derned kids and their fancy new lingo.... get off my lawn!

[Critical AOA]

I assume the OP is a cadet talking to other young people, if so I'll expand on what Johnnyb47 wrote.  Tell them that you do want to be something and tell them what that something is and go on to tell them how your CAP experience can further that goal.  Then ask them what they want to be.  Based upon their response and your knowledge of CAP, if you honestly feel that there is an aspect of CAP that would benefit them in their own goal, explain it to them and invite them to a meeting. 

[Thrashed]

I get told I'm a wanne be pilot for flying in the CAP.

I just laugh. I fly for a major airline and have over 15,000 hours with lots of ratings and certificates. The only wannabe pilot part of me is that I want my glider rating now.

[Critical AOA]

Airline pilots are only wannabes if the fly airbus rather than Boeing.

[PilotMan]

My Reply - "We saved over a hundred lives this year that would have otherwise died.  If you were one of them, I bet you wouldn't be talking trash like that"

Im a SAR pilot that has been on many missions and has a find ribbon.   

[PilotMan]

Airline pilots are only wannabes if the fly airbus rather than Boeing.

That is funny!!!!

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I used to get that at one of my former employers - I'd often take my uniform to work and change in the men's room there before a CAP meeting, since it was closer to my workplace than going back to my residence would have been.  A few times one of the mid-level managers would say "go off and play Army now."

I don't rate people like that worthy of a response.

You could always say, "if volunteering my time, talent and treasure in support of my community, country and the United States Air Force makes me a 'wannabee', then I wonder what your attitude makes you."

If the OP is a cadet, you could always say, "remember that in the future when I buzz your house in a F-22."

[Thrashed]

Airline pilots are only wannabes if the fly airbus rather than Boeing.

Good, I've flown the 737/757/767/777, so I'm a real pilot.   

[bflynn]

You know what I hate, people who call CAP is a fake, a scam, or how we are just wannabes!!!!!!!! It just ticks me off!!!

I'm not sure why someone else's arrogance and ignorance should tick you off...a story:

          I once got on an elevator with a friend. A guy got on after us with an umbrella under his arm, 
          and when he started looking in his pockets for his keys, his umbrella started poking me in the 
          chest. Alas, I had nowhere to go.
 
          After he got off, I turned to my buddy and said, "man, that guy made me mad."
 
          And my buddy said: "No he didn't. He poked you with an umbrella. You got mad all by yourself.

               - Mark Horstman

The morale of the story of course is that we have no control over what others do, we can only control how we choose to react to it. 

You choose to get ticked because somone calls CAP names.  Because of that, you should not respond because your natural response will be hostile.

If you must do something, I'd suggest something this, delivered slowly and calmly in an impassionate voice - I see that you're not informed of the things that CAP does.  I'm a member of it and I'm proud to help out my community through that service.  There's nothing fake or wannabe about that.

Leave it at that.  If they can ask about what CAP does in a rational tone, then you can tell them about all the things you do to serve the community.

It's important that you not do this as an attack.  If you attack them then you turn them off and it's no good.

Work on it...

[Eclipse]

Don't forget to unfriend them - that's where most of these kinds of comments are made.

Few people are willing to say something like that to your face, but find no issue saying it online.

[usafcap1]

Don't forget to unfriend them - that's where most of these kinds of comments are made.

Few people are willing to say something like that to your face, but find no issue saying it online.

Funny thing is the person had the gall to say it to my face.

[Eclipse]

Don't forget to unfriend them - that's where most of these kinds of comments are made.

Few people are willing to say something like that to your face, but find no issue saying it online.

Funny thing is the person had the gall to say it to my face.

Your best bet is to feel sorry for them and move on. 

They are both misinformed and have self-esteem issues.  A combination which usually results in employment where
whether or not someone wants french fries is important.

[Flying Pig]

Just nod and smile. You cant communicate with them.   Thats how I deal with firefighters!

[Garibaldi]

My personal reply is "OK, so you think I'm a wannabe. What are you doing to help your fellow man/country?"

[stillamarine]

Just nod and smile. You cant communicate with them.   Thats how I deal with firefighters!

Or Sgts! ;-)