CAP Promotional Video

[Fubar]

The problem with phones is that phones are jittery. You don't want anything to look like someone just jumped out of the CAP airplane while trying to film a CAP airplane

I agree, but I've seen some very good results with either folks with a steady hand, the use of a tripod, and image stabilization in post-production.

The only audio I think we should go with is either interview audio (from the person directly speaking to the camera, in quiet building) or a voiceover.

I'm sorry, "field audio" means (to me) anything outside of a production studio. Even a quiet room won't cut it, again reference the videos our CAP/CC puts out where he is very clearly not wearing a microphone. The audio is horrible. Not to mention something apparently distracting him just to the left of the camera   (Hey, I wouldn't want to memorize the whole narrative of his speeches either)

[Capt Thompson]

Either way, CAP has dipped considerably in numbers and public awareness over the years. The only reason we're "the Air Force's best kept secret" is because we don't have a public image. The point of the thread is to change that.....so your input in doing so is greatly appreciated.

Your graph beautifully illustrates this point sir. What are we doing to change the downward slope in Cadet enrollment? If you have another graph that illustrates a solution I would be anxious to see it.

[Eaker Guy]

Either way, CAP has dipped considerably in numbers and public awareness over the years. The only reason we're "the Air Force's best kept secret" is because we don't have a public image. The point of the thread is to change that.....so your input in doing so is greatly appreciated.

What are we doing to change the downward slope in Cadet enrollment? If you have another graph that illustrates a solution I would be anxious to see it.

+1

[Mitchell 1969]

Cadets plus Seniors sir, reached well over 100K for many years according to the annual reports to Congress found on the Cap History website, which did top BSA at the time, according to BSA figures. Either way, we used to pretty much be a household name, and should be again.

Whoa!

You first claim that we were bigger than the Boy Scouts at one time. Then, when shown that our cadet numbers weren't bigger than Boy Scouts, you come back by rolling SENIOR numbers into the cadet numbers to inflate the size.

But...our senior numbers, missions, assignments don't correlate with Boy Scout adult numbers. Pretty much every adult in Boy Scouts is working with or for youth. Not true of CAP.

You could just as easily have rolled out cadet numbers in with the American Legion numbers if all you wanted was a big total without any "apples to apples" relevance.

[Capt Thompson]

^ Seriously?!  You guys are going to debate who had higher enrollment numbers 70 years ago? ...numbers which carry no true relevance today!  Where is that 'bang your head against a brick wall' smiley?

Nope, putting an end to this numbers conversation before it gets to a debate.  Just using real facts to demonstrate the history of the organization.

And the CAP side.

I'll admit that the reference I found regarding BSA numbers a while back was probably flawed.....however.....

In the graph MisterCD posted, it looks as though in 1950, we were at just over 70,000 total members.

In the 1950 Annual Report to Congress, Gen Spaatz reports that in Dec 1950 CAP had 189,532 members. (161,214 Seniors, 28,310 Cadets) http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/1950_F403C9F822E0C.pdf

Is MisterCD's graph inaccurate, or did Gen Spaatz falsify official documentation in 1950? I'm inclined to believe the General had more accurate data.

None of which has any relevance whatsoever to the current post, so while we can sit around all day and debate membership numbers of CAP vs the Masonic Lodge, the fact of the matter is that our numbers have been on a constant decline since the 50's, and something (i.e. better recruiting material and commercials) needs to be done.

[MisterCD]

Go check the 1951 report and you'll see the vast disparity between the senior member number. The cadet number reported in 1950 totals 28,310 and the 1951 report lists this as 28,310 at the start of 1951. For the seniors, Spaatz reports 161,214 seniors as of December 1950, and yet the 1951 report for January says 42,314. I'm inclined from looking at the numbers to say that the January 1951 figure is the more accurate number reflecting senior members, unless I am lead to believe that almost 120,000 senior members decided between December 1950 to January 1951 to leave CAP. Spaatz didn't write the report, he just delivered it, but this would not be the first time that CAP's own data is suspect.

[BillB]

In 1950, all members, membership year was from 1 January to 31 December. So it is possible, NHQ was still processing renewals on 1 January. To obtain an accurate figure for membership, a number in June would show a more accurate figure. Probably the 70,000 figure for seniors is more accurate along with the 28,000 for cadets. Over the years the number of seniors vs cadets is double or even triple. During the Korean War and Viet Nam, the number of seniors was much lower compared to the immediate post World War II figures which is shown fairly accurately in the graph. National also broke membership down into Active and inactive categories. so it's also possible the 70,000 figure is active members only. In 1951 I was based at Maxwell. The squadron had a large number of members, but only about half or less were active. Keep in mind the CAP NHQ in 40's and 50's at Bolling and Ellington was staffed totally by USAF personnel, with a few Civil Service secretaries and clerks.

[Capt Thompson]

So regardless of accuracy of numbers, at least we can all agree that our numbers in previous years were much better than they are presently, so my questions would be....

How did our recruiting efforts in the early years differ from what we are doing presently, and what can we learn from those early years that might be implemented today?

How was our program different back then, and what motivated the early Cadets and Seniors to stay from year to year?

In 52 they discuss an initiative to bring the Cadets up over 100,000, and that year they reached 48k. What does the historical record say they did to achieve these numbers in such a short time, and what can we learn from that to implement today?

From conducting oral histories of former members in my area, one thing that stands out is flight training....people knew that if they wanted to learn to fly, CAP was the place to go. Our Squadron just sent a Cadet to flight academy, where he soloed for the first time, but the activity isn't cheap. In the early years of the program, most Cadets had the opportunity to solo at their Squadron. In the early days CAP purchased aircraft just to be used for this purpose, and flight instruction was a big component of the program. What can we do to increase training at the Squadron level for interested Cadets and Seniors, and bring the focus back on aviation?

Looking at CAP's early PSA's (Jerry Lewis, Max Behr etc.), the quality was roughly on par with the quality of other commercials of the day. These days the quality of TV ads has changed dramatically, but National drafts PSA's for public release that look like an elementary school class project. What can National learn from past efforts, to help them make better decisions about our current and future efforts? How can the Chief Historian, who has a whole lot more pull than a lowly Squadron Historian, help bring this data to their attention, and positively impact our numbers going forward, and the future of our organization?

[winterg]

Civil Air Patrol doesn't operate in a vacuum.  And you can compare our general decline in membership to other organizations. The post war years saw a boom in membership for the many fraternal organizations as well that has since not been repeated.  There was, I believe, a culture of volunteerism in America that is not present today.
I have been a Freemason for almost 20 years and I can tell you that our Order has had all of the exact same discussions.
"How can we get membership numbers back up?"
"Do we need to make it easier to join or advance to get members?"
"Do we need to offer incentives to get people to stay?"

There were several strategies that have been tried, some more successful than others in the Masons regards recruiting and retention.  But you can't compare the numbers in the 1950s to today without looking at the culture in 1950s America as a whole compared to today.

[TheSkyHornet]

Times have changes. Culture has change. Social norms have changed.

CAP needs to be on top of the high-tech recruiting just like other organizations that have managed to either stay stagnant or have significantly increased over the years. Unfortunately, CAP doesn't have the financial resources to invest in intense full-motion simulators or combat assault interactive video gaming like the military.

The recruiting is down. The retention is down. I highly disagree with making it easier to join. Don't lower standards, which are pretty low for entry anyway, to make up for the numbers. Embrace our mission and share it through modernized means which can capture today's generations. We can't expect 12-year-olds to fall in love with a "Meet Mary Feik" PSA video. While educational, it is a drag for kids to sit down and watch and share with their friends.

I've been out of town for a few days and on top of that came back with a cold, so my level of energy isn't wear it normally is, so I haven't had a chance to get on here much lately. Where are we at? If people want to proceed with the storyboard, or offer up some more ideas, have at it. Let's keep on topic, please.

[winterg]

To be clear, I am not advocating any lowering of standards. In fact, the Masonic Lodges that have thrived are usually the ones who have maintained a strict adherence to high standards, thereby preserving the value of the membership. 

[A.Member]

Times have changes. Culture has change. Social norms have changed.

CAP needs to be on top of the high-tech recruiting just like other organizations that have managed to either stay stagnant or have significantly increased over the years. Unfortunately, CAP doesn't have the financial resources to invest in intense full-motion simulators or combat assault interactive video gaming like the military.

The recruiting is down. The retention is down. I highly disagree with making it easier to join. Don't lower standards, which are pretty low for entry anyway, to make up for the numbers. Embrace our mission and share it through modernized means which can capture today's generations. We can't expect 12-year-olds to fall in love with a "Meet Mary Feik" PSA video. While educational, it is a drag for kids to sit down and watch and share with their friends.

I've been out of town for a few days and on top of that came back with a cold, so my level of energy isn't wear it normally is, so I haven't had a chance to get on here much lately. Where are we at? If people want to proceed with the storyboard, or offer up some more ideas, have at it. Let's keep on topic, please.

In addition, there are quite simply many more options/programs competing for a person's participation today. 

We have a specific niche.  We need to focus on our core competencies as opposed to trying to be all things to all people.

[THRAWN]

Times have changes. Culture has change. Social norms have changed.

CAP needs to be on top of the high-tech recruiting just like other organizations that have managed to either stay stagnant or have significantly increased over the years. Unfortunately, CAP doesn't have the financial resources to invest in intense full-motion simulators or combat assault interactive video gaming like the military.

The recruiting is down. The retention is down. I highly disagree with making it easier to join. Don't lower standards, which are pretty low for entry anyway, to make up for the numbers. Embrace our mission and share it through modernized means which can capture today's generations. We can't expect 12-year-olds to fall in love with a "Meet Mary Feik" PSA video. While educational, it is a drag for kids to sit down and watch and share with their friends.

I've been out of town for a few days and on top of that came back with a cold, so my level of energy isn't wear it normally is, so I haven't had a chance to get on here much lately. Where are we at? If people want to proceed with the storyboard, or offer up some more ideas, have at it. Let's keep on topic, please.

In addition, there are quite simply many more options/programs competing for a person's participation today. 

We have a specific niche.  We need to focus on our core competencies as opposed to trying to be all things to all people.

Exactly. I've been saying that for years. We really only have 2 missions: service and education. If you need a specific type of member (cadets, ES types, chaplains, etc) target recruit them. Setting up a table at an airshow is not recruiting. Give members something valuable to do and you will have no retention issues. Granted, CAP isn't for everyone, but if you think before you act, you'll be able to meet the needs of the outfit and that niche.

[TheSkyHornet]

Times have changes. Culture has change. Social norms have changed.

CAP needs to be on top of the high-tech recruiting just like other organizations that have managed to either stay stagnant or have significantly increased over the years. Unfortunately, CAP doesn't have the financial resources to invest in intense full-motion simulators or combat assault interactive video gaming like the military.

The recruiting is down. The retention is down. I highly disagree with making it easier to join. Don't lower standards, which are pretty low for entry anyway, to make up for the numbers. Embrace our mission and share it through modernized means which can capture today's generations. We can't expect 12-year-olds to fall in love with a "Meet Mary Feik" PSA video. While educational, it is a drag for kids to sit down and watch and share with their friends.

I've been out of town for a few days and on top of that came back with a cold, so my level of energy isn't wear it normally is, so I haven't had a chance to get on here much lately. Where are we at? If people want to proceed with the storyboard, or offer up some more ideas, have at it. Let's keep on topic, please.

In addition, there are quite simply many more options/programs competing for a person's participation today. 

We have a specific niche.  We need to focus on our core competencies as opposed to trying to be all things to all people.

Exactly. I've been saying that for years. We really only have 2 missions: service and education. If you need a specific type of member (cadets, ES types, chaplains, etc) target recruit them. Setting up a table at an airshow is not recruiting. Give members something valuable to do and you will have no retention issues. Granted, CAP isn't for everyone, but if you think before you act, you'll be able to meet the needs of the outfit and that niche.

In that case, maybe we should focus on that in the promo video

Rather than sending out the message of being all-inclusive, as CAP often does with its "we don't turn away anyone" policy, which is fine and all, we target more to a specific audience. Just a thought.