Future of CAP cadet program and AFJROTC

[RiverAux]

As everybody knows, the Air Force has been downsizing for quite a while and we're in a situation where the AF is supporting two cadet programs.  AFJROTC is about 4 times larger than the CAP cadet program. 

Both are supported by the AF primarily as youth citizenship and leadership development programs though I think we all know that the unwritten reason the AF is invovled with either of these programs is as a way to get middle and high schools kids interested in joining the AF at some point. 

Now, if the AF continues to downsize, which seems likely, their need for recruits and officers will also continue to decrease and at some point they're going to realize that they could probably cut back on one or both of these programs and still get what they need out of them.  After all, youth development is not an AF mission.

Incidentally, over recent years the AF has been trying to start more AFJROTC units according to a report mentioned in another thread a while back.  So, will that continue or change?

So we have 9 ways things could go (not counting less remote possibilities such as combining CAP and all service JROTC programs into a single national cadet program or starting a third AF cadet program, neither of which is likely). 

Whats your best guess at which way things will go in the near future? 

[PHall]

You need to keep up with current events. The Air Force is no longer down sizing.
Matter of fact, they may be growing a bit.
Just one of the many new changes brought about by the new management.

[DG]

You need to keep up with current events. The Air Force is no longer down sizing.
Matter of fact, they may be growing a bit.

If what you say is true, this is great news.  When did this trend reversal begin?

[RiverAux]

Yes, the drawdown has stopped for the moment (Gates stopped it this summer- they were supposed to take out some more people over the course of this fiscal year), but that doesn't change the fact that they still have two cadet programs and less of a need for recruits than they've had in the past.  

[DC]

If the Air Force were still downsizing, both organizations have their benefits. AFJROTC has the virtue of being larger than the CAP Cadet Program, so logically they get more recruits out of it. CAP's program also provides them with recruits, but cadets in the program participate in ES, saving the Air Force a significant amount of money in the process. Both programs are also good PR/Community Interaction tools.

But, I really don't know what they would do. I would hope that both programs would continue to be funded, as they are both excellent.

[FW]

Cadet Programs account for about 4% of our appropriated budget.  I don't think it matters that much to the AF, as far as dollars go.  

The cadet program does matter to congress however.  It also matters to state legislatures in many states.  Politically, the cadet program is as safe as ever, IMHO.

[RiverAux]

Cadet Programs account for about 4% of our appropriated budget.  I don't think it matters that much to the AF, as far as dollars go.  

The cadet program does matter to congress however.  It also matters to state legislatures in many states.  Politically, the cadet program is as safe as ever, IMHO.

Its not the percent of CAP's budget that matters to this discussion. The AF only cares what they spend their money on. 

By the way direct spending on cadet programs (not including DDR) was about 10% of CAP's O&M budget in 2007 (7% if you include procurement).  Of course, there is a school of thought (which I don't necessarily agree with) among some CAP members that spending on other CAP activities wouldn't be there if it weren't for the cadet program.  For example, some think the AF wouldn't really be buying us planes, which we use mostly for ES, if they weren't also being used for the cadets.     

[DNall]

Cadet Programs account for about 4% of our appropriated budget.  I don't think it matters that much to the AF, as far as dollars go.  

The cadet program does matter to congress however.  It also matters to state legislatures in many states.  Politically, the cadet program is as safe as ever, IMHO.

Its not the percent of CAP's budget that matters to this discussion. The AF only cares what they spend their money on. 

By the way direct spending on cadet programs (not including DDR) was about 10% of CAP's O&M budget in 2007 (7% if you include procurement).  Of course, there is a school of thought (which I don't necessarily agree with) among some CAP members that spending on other CAP activities wouldn't be there if it weren't for the cadet program.  For example, some think the AF wouldn't really be buying us planes, which we use mostly for ES, if they weren't also being used for the cadets. 

You're right that it's not the percentage of CAP's budget, or even of the AF's budget that matters. However, there is a strong political element in support of the program. It costs the AF almost nothing, and they get a lot of political capital in return. There's a lot more former cadets & supporters of the cadet program out there then there are actual CAP members or supporters of our ES operations. The cadet program makes everything else we do possible - politically speaking.

To answer your question. CAP is a little different than AFJROTC in that they produce a slightly different product. AFJROTC produces a generalized citizenship based product in quantity that's of equal value to all services. CAP produces a more focused quality product that's better prepared for, or at least more motivated to pursue, military aviation. Hence, we do a better job per capita of placing cadets in service academies as well as pilot slots of all services, but particularly the AF.

Now, less than 4% of the AF are pilots last I heard. It's not about quantity staffing, it's quality feeding that narrow but all important demand. While the AF may grow or shrink, their need for quality within their pilot ranks does not. That's where CAP comes in.