Personal and Professional goals

[FlyTiger77]

Attached and below are the goals for Group II, TNWG:

Do routine things routinely
•Meet suspenses 100% on time
•Maintain ≥ 90% safety education currency

Put the "Air" Back in Civil Air Patrol (AE)
•Maintain 33-50% orientation ride (powered + glider) completion rate
•Ensure all cadets receive their first orientation flight ≤90 days after joining
•Conduct Group-wide AE expo
•Conduct Group-wide model rocketry competition

Become the ES Resource of Choice in SE TN
•Field 5 complete mission aircrews (MP/MO/MS)
•Field 7 complete ground teams (GTL & 3 GTMs)
•Field 5 complete mission base staffs (IC, MC, MSO, OSC, PSC, LSC & FASC)
•50% of all senior members UDF qualified

Train to Lead (Cadet Programs)
•4 Spaatz cadets by FY16
•50% of cadets attend encampment during first year

Grow our Future & Remember our Past
•Add two squadrons by the end of FY15
•Retain quality members
•Publish histories for HQ, Group II, and each squadron

I am still pondering how to quantify "Retain quality members."

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

To live one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time, one second at a time.

Wouldn't just living one second at a time be easier?

Sometimes that's what it takes.

[AlphaSigOU]

Survive the Alabama Wing Compliance Inspection and Professional Development weekend in April.

Eligible to pin on Lt Col in July.

Attend the National Boards (Vegas, baby!)

[Private Investigator]

Grow our Future & Remember our Past
•Add two squadrons by the end of FY15
•Retain quality members
•Publish histories for HQ, Group II, and each squadron

I am still pondering how to quantify "Retain quality members."

Do you really need to add any Squadrons to your Group? When I was a Group Commander I had my hands full with ten and I envy the GPCC's that had five. You have too many and it becomes a 'span of control' issue.

I enjoy CAP history and that was a big deal especially for a Group HQ. When I was a GPCC we had a Group Historical report. We did not have one before me and now they do not have one after me. You really need to find a great Historian because everyone wants to be a Mission Pilot or a Ground Team Leader.

Now 'quality members' is like apples and oranges, everyone has an opinion of what is a 'quality member'.   

[Private Investigator]

Survive the Alabama Wing Compliance Inspection and Professional Development weekend in April.

Eligible to pin on Lt Col in July.

Attend the National Boards (Vegas, baby!)

More trips to Lost Wages in 2014 

[Eclipse]

More trips to Lost Wages in 2014 

I'm back there in March with a client trip, but won't likely be there for boards.

With that said, the Tropicana has actually gotten a fair number of accolades recently
with a remodel and re-branding, otherwise, 2-years ago that'd be the last place you'd want to stay.

[James Shaw]

Continue and finish Masters, support my wifes efforts to finish her degree.

OSHA 30 Hour Construction Class
ASP Safety Certification
CSHM Safety Certification
Do alot of Safety Audits.....
Work on book I am writing.
Attend CAPSOC


CAP wise I am not sure. Each new National Commander selects their own National Staff.

[FlyTiger77]

Do you really need to add any Squadrons to your Group?

While I understand your span of control concerns, I feel that the addition of 2 more squadrons would better serve my 22-county geographic area.

Now 'quality members' is like apples and oranges, everyone has an opinion of what is a 'quality member'.

I certainly agree, which is why I am still pondering how to quantify it. I have said for quite some time that CAP does not have a recruiting problem, we have a retention problem.

... we had a Group Historical report.

Prior to retirement, my last job was commanding an Army Military History detachment. I would be interested in seeing the format you used to collect your Group's historical information.

[Private Investigator]

More trips to Lost Wages in 2014 

I'm back there in March with a client trip, but won't likely be there for boards.

With that said, the Tropicana has actually gotten a fair number of accolades recently
with a remodel and re-branding, otherwise, 2-years ago that'd be the last place you'd want to stay.

A client trip to Phoenix is coming up but I may request lodging at the Tropicana. I did that once for a case in Oakland and the FBI put me up at a 4 star in downtown San Francisco.   

[Private Investigator]

Do you really need to add any Squadrons to your Group?

While I understand your span of control concerns, I feel that the addition of 2 more squadrons would better serve my 22-county geographic area.

Now 'quality members' is like apples and oranges, everyone has an opinion of what is a 'quality member'.

I certainly agree, which is why I am still pondering how to quantify it. I have said for quite some time that CAP does not have a recruiting problem, we have a retention problem.

... we had a Group Historical report.

Prior to retirement, my last job was commanding an Army Military History detachment. I would be interested in seeing the format you used to collect your Group's historical information.

#1, I added a Flight and told them if they could do 50% of their promises/desires they could be upgraded to a Squadron. Six months later they only had two people and then they blame me for not giving them a corporate plane. YMMV, good luck.

#2, I think the retention issue, is tough. We expect to much, i.e. everyone should stay for 20 years. Everyone has a 'sweet spot', we just have to hit it.

#3, I think CAPP 5 has an exceptional outline or format to follow. I have used it at the Squadron, Group and now at the Wing level. Every year you make it better, i.e. for 2013 I think I will list all the members who had passed on during that year. Something for their legacy, and our most valuable resource is our people.     

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

#2, I think the retention issue, is tough. We expect to much, i.e. everyone should stay for 20 years. Everyone has a 'sweet spot', we just have to hit it.

You made a valid and fair point here.

However, I would like to expand on it.

In some cases we expect too much - overloading a new Lieutenant with several "hats" (example: when I joined I was almost immediately appointed Assistant Aerospace Education Officer, Assistant Safety Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer and probably others I do not remember).  It is like trying to shove a boulder through a garden hose, many times they feel "I cannot do all this" and we lose them.

In other cases we get a new member signed up, give him/her CPPT, Level I, and fingerprint check - and then ignore them.  No wonder they get a bit disillusioned an do not come back.  This especially happens with members who may not be the archetypal "go-getters" who are not outwardly "enthusiastic"-seeming and who need encouragement.  Unfortunately some units will purposefully sign members like this just to inflate their rosters.  I remember one squadron who had several of these "ghost" members who I never met.  I asked about it and was told "those 'ghost' members are the difference between us remaining a squadron or being downgraded to a flight."

I agree with you that everyone has a "sweet spot," and we just have to "hit it."  However, in many cases we have to make the effort to FIND that "sweet spot," since the member may not even yet know what that "sweet spot" is themselves.

[Private Investigator]

^ very good ponits indeed Hauptmann 

Der Oberst   

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

^ very good ponits indeed Hauptmann 

Der Oberst   

Vielen Dank, Herr Oberst (Oberst oder Oberstleutnant?) der CAP.