Is CAP Failing Miserably?

[Maj Ballard]

This past summer at Florida Wing Conference, I attended a session with one of the "strategic communications" guys at NHQ. I can't recall his name right now, but he was the big marketing hotshot destined to take the organization into the new century. 

I posed the very questions we're discussing here. I (right in front of then Brig Gen Pineda I might add) said that rather than a bottom up, "let the local units do the work" approach, it would work better if the local units had a national advertising push to get behind. I asked about the feasibility of billboards, national TV spots, etc. I boldly asked whether the $$$$$$$ that was spent on the race car could have better been spent on a campaign such as this.

The response was that basically that would cost too much money, that we could only get a few TV impressions with our budget, and that they want to concentrate in the future on internet marketing, "targeted email" (read: spam) and other "cheap or free" methods of advertising.

[Xeno]

The response was that basically that would cost too much money, that we could only get a few TV impressions with our budget, and that they want to concentrate in the future on internet marketing, "targeted email" (read: spam) and other "cheap or free" methods of advertising.

Are they out of their friggin minds? There's nothing wrong with an internet campaign but there are plenty of better ways to do this. Go ahead and check out www.airforce.com and www.af.mil. Do you see any CAP links visible on any of those sites? No, you don't. af.mil has links to the Navy and Marine Corps on its first page... but no CAP in sight.  And if we are such vital link in the nation's defense chain, then why is nothing ever mentioned about us on national defense websites such as www.defenselink.mil, which has an excellent photo gallery that we could submit mission and/or activity photos to. Even a google search for 'air force' hardly renders any CAP results if any at all. The point is, when kids become interested in the Air Force, these are the places they go to. Hell, one would be lucky find anything about us on military.com, even, without knowing what to search for.

Granted, in some places recruitment may be a local problem. In some places the average person just doesn't give a hoot. But when we members, on an internet forum, can come up with more effective and dollar friendly tatics than the "professionals" at NHQ, then things need to change. Big time. This IS national's problem, if the PR guys don't pull their heads from their rears and start listening to us common folk then things will only get worse.

[Five-seveN]

Good point Lt, but on recruting, we always took it into our ( Danieslon Cadet Squadron) own hands. a few cadets and a few seniors would to to a school during lunch and set up a booth, a few cadets in Bules and a few cadets in BDUs, but what got me to join was the cadet with his 24Hr Gear on (with no dangerous Gear in it tho) with the NVG Gen 3s on (witch are not exaclty alowed, but for those of you that used them, the ELT had a glowing pulse to it when it has been actviated). as far as not anough flyers and material from National, i wouldnt know that, ne ways... so ya =)

[Pylon]

Good point Lt, but on recruting, we always took it into our ( Danieslon Cadet Squadron) own hands. a few cadets and a few seniors would to to a school during lunch and set up a booth, a few cadets in Bules and a few cadets in BDUs, but what got me to join was the cadet with his 24Hr Gear on (with no dangerous Gear in it tho) with the NVG Gen 3s on (witch are not exaclty alowed, but for those of you that used them, the ELT had a glowing pulse to it when it has been actviated). as far as not anough flyers and material from National, i wouldnt know that, ne ways... so ya =)

I think you're missing the point of the discussion.  We've all done booths at schools during lunch and used the standard cookie-cutter pamphlets and posters from NHQ.  The dicussion is centered around the fact that most believe that recruiting from the squadron level isn't enough, without better support from above. 

More people would be inclined to check out your open house or recruiting booth or come visit a meeting if they had first seen a commercial, or read an article, saw a news clip, or otherwise heard what CAP is and has done.  Exposure on a national basis and better, professional clips available to the media would help immensely.

You can advertise all you want on a local level, until your budget is empty and you're blue in the face, but a large number of people will still go "Civil Air what?" and dismiss you as some local fraternal organization simply because they've never heard of you except for those cheesy flyers.  Re-read my post a page or two back about my experiences with doing as much local advertising as humanly possible and still not getting a response.  National-level support is needed.  They can't keep depending on each individual squadron to uphold CAP's recruiting duties.

[iowacap]

One of the things that get's me is that we put more emphasis on the our name just being the Civil Air Patrol. Pretty much everyone has no clue what that is. Lots of people know what the Coast Guard Auxiliary is, because they are the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and call themselves that. We on the other hand, are the Air Force Auxiliary, but(and yes, I know it's our name) we go more with the name Civil Air Patrol. When most people hear "Civil Air Patrol" instead of "Air Force Auxiliary", they think, oh, it's just a little group of people trying to help out by flying their planes and such. Just my .02 cents.

You hit that one right on the head. I dont understand that either and everytime I have to go through the whole schpeel about what we do and that we are the USAF AUX why not just consider us that people woudl be able to associate us with the airforce and why we wear military uniform otherwise we could be thought of as wanabees where we do a very important mission that people often take for granted. we do more than flight line at air shows or fly around in a plane and take pictures.

[MIKE]

I've been hearing a lot about CAP being the United States Air Force Auxiliary only some of the time... We're the USAF Auxiliary when conducting USAF assigned missions... Every other instance we are Civil Air Patrol Corp.

IIRC the USCG Auxiliary has a corporate entity like CAP... but it's emphasis is the complete opposite of CAP because the structure is different.

[iowacap]

Either way it shouldnt be about the name. That is a little thing if we focus on what our name is and not focus on the mission it is pointless so my belief is it really doesnt matter we know waht we do and we do it well everytime we are called apon. That is such a small thing to worry about lets not put member emphesis on this lets put emphesis on what we do and practice to do it well.

[shorning]

We've been called "Civil Air Patrol" since our inception.  Why give up a piece of our history for some flash-in-the-pan solution?  Changing our name won't solve the underlying problem.  My advice is quit worrying about what we're called and focus on the mission.  It shouldn't matter what we're called if our performance is there.

Personally, I think the units do have a responsibility to get their name out in their communities.  No different than any other organization.

[JAFO78]

Everyone has made good points. Yes HQ has made mistakes, but you have to realize HQ is like the Pentagon. Too many chiefs.

Your group or wing should help too. Why not have your cadets talk about recruiting at their CAC meetings. Isn't CAC meetings were all squadrons are to talk about all issues.

What about your wing conferences? Why should everything start at the top and run down stream?
Ideas and changes should start at the bottom and work there way up to the top.  Your Squadron commander should be bring up problems and  ideas to Group and or Wing.

Wing should talk to Regional staff, who in turn should bring it to National.  It think it is called chain of command. Squadron commanders should talk to each other. Plan your squadron activities and invite other squadrons. Make it fun, but use the other squadrons too.

[flyguy06]

Your Squadron should be a strong force in your community. Youdont need Wing or National  to d that. Imet with our county Airport Manager myself. I met with our county Fire Chief myself. I didnt make any deals withthem cause I cannot speak on behalf of the coorportation legally. But I did let them know who we were and that we were inthe community and what we do. I asked if they could come out and speak to the cadets sometimes and they agreed to whenever we need them to. My goal is for them to get to know the good positive things we do and possibly get some space on the airport grounds to hold our meetings.

[Eagle400]

I don't think CAP is failing miserably.  I think general Pineda is failing miserably.  It's time for a new National Commander.   

[Major Carrales]

I don't think CAP is failing miserably.  I think general Pineda is failing miserably.  It's time for a new National Commander.   

It's time you joined CAP again...you claim you neither "have the time nor the money" for thsi, yet you post here on an almost 24 hour basis.  Save a dollar a day from your loose change...join the NATONAL PATRON's squadron for $35, find some nearby unit that needs your service to help cadets and transfer there.  You will be instantly active!!!  $35 for the first year is alright and do-able.

Oops...but the NATONAL PATRON SQUADRON is likely one of HIS ideas and so you can't.

Why don't you "put up or shut up?"  There are ways to get in and take part without being a putz!  And believe me I think most will agree that your spamming of the forum with ANTI-PINEDA drivel is doing just that.

I can tolerate members critical of CAP leadership...but from the outside you are a toad and this falls in the realm of "none of your bloody business."

Grow up...get in...or get out of here.

[RiverAux]

Okay, I can't believe we're on page 3 and nobody has mentioned CAP's last national recruiting brainstorm --- the infamous $5 million NASCAR car. 

Now, CAP national should be spending money advertising in national pilot magazines and those free regional pilot publications you always see sitting around FBOs. 

Good local units will get enough recruits for their programs.  Poor units will not get recruits.  Cadet recruitment is based primarily on word of mouth from existing cadets. If your cadets are happy with the program, they will tell their friends.  If they aren't they'll complain to their friends.  Now, if you have local schools without any CAP cadets you do need to target them for recruiting booths, etc. 

At the senior level I personally haven't come up with an effective strategy at the local level.  Brochures at local airports, talks at FAA safety meetings, airshows, decent public affairs coverage etc. and none seem to really bring in more than a trickle of people.   

However, I have found that if you squadron has a good local training program and has interesting meetings you can get pretty good join-ups and retention from those few people who find out about CAP somehow and visit the meeting.

Regarding CG Aux, they do have national "membership drives" but they don't really translate to much other than an announcement that a membership drive is on.  They don't really have anywhere near the recruiting materials that CAP does.  However, the CG recruiting packets do include mentions of the CG Aux.  Not sure how much they help though.

Regarding CAP on the AF web page -- it is there right on the main page - lower right side.  However, it was missing for a long while until there was discussion about it on the public affairs discussion list and somebody who had a buddy got it done. 

[MIKE]

Since Smitty bumped this OLD thread to stir the pot... Lock.  

Also... engaging him when he does this will not help matters.