Creating a New Squadron

[lbumanglag]

Is there a CAP document out there that provides the necessary Steps and detailed requirements to create a new Squadron/Unit?  If there is not document floating out there, can anyone share their experiences, provide any checklists and/or tasks needed to create new squadrons or flights.

[NIN]

This is very old guidance, and there's been no traction from the field elements to help create a new one, so we're sort of at a standstill

[lbumanglag]

Thank you sir...I did get a chance to read this old document. It does have good information as a starting point.  I've contacted a number of folks at NHQ and they are unaware of this document or a request for the "Organizational Startup Kit". 

[NIN]

Like I said, old guidance.

An Organizational Startup Kit probably stopped being a thing around 1991.

[Eclipse]

See CAPR 20-3 Page 1, §2 (for manning) and §4 (admin startup tasks): https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/u_082203091831.pdf

CAPF 27: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/F027_B506A46B9736B.pdf

CAPR 20-1 Starting from Page 19: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/R_020001I_2_Jan_13_ICL_17_Nov_15_IC_AF3D3687D1D1D.pdf

CAP Subordinate Unit Inspection Worksheets: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/members/cap-national-hq/inspector-general/sui
(These will show you what is required to run a squadron at what NHQ considers the minimum standards)

You will need to appoint the following staff roles:
•   Finance Officer - Shall not be the commander (+Finance Committee, min 3, CC is chair)
•   Test Control Officer - Shall not be the commander
•   Safety Officer - Should not be the commander
•   Aerospace Education Officer
•   Public Affairs Officer
•   Communications Officer
•   Logistics / Supply

Appoint the following boards:
Membership
Complaint
Awards and Decorations

Obtain and review wing, region, and national policy letters and directives as soon as possible.
Make sure you have an adequate supply of current membership applications/hard copy forms and fingerprint cards

About 6 months after the new charter, perform a Unit Self-Assessment to identify areas of weakness in your programs.

Establish Actions plans for all three mission-focused departments as well as recruiting, with 6-month, and 2 & 3 year
deliverables.

Create formal programs and policies (in concert with Wing policies) for the following (among others):
•   Aerospace Education internal and external program, including Annual Plan of Action
•   Emergency Service program
•   Communications program
•   Cadet Program
•   Awards/Recognition program
•   Regular staff meetings
•   Policies and procedures
•   Unit calendar
•   Senior and Cadet training program
•   Unit safety program
•   Public Affairs program

[Lord of the North]

There is no such thing as a complaint board.  All complaints are handled through the IG or EO channels.

[lbumanglag]

Eclipse: Thanks for all the information you've provided.

[Eclipse]

Eclipse: Thanks for all the information you've provided.

I live to serve.

[Eclipse]

There is no such thing as a complaint board.  All complaints are handled through the IG or EO channels.

You're right, good catch.  This came from a transition guide my wing had and I think that the Complaint Committee
was someone's "good idear" that was kiboshed almost immediately for the exact reason cited.

At one point I had a very seasoned member whose yellowed, pre-F45 personnel records indicated she had been the
Wing Complaint Officer.  Presumably that was a position that predated IGs.

[arajca]

You did miss the Finance Committee.

[Eclipse]

•   Finance Officer - Shall not be the commander (+Finance Committee, min 3, CC is chair)

[Lord of the North]

and promotion board (cadet and senior)

[Fester]

This is very old guidance, and there's been no traction from the field elements to help create a new one, so we're sort of at a standstill

Wow.  1985.  This kit would be a FANTASTIC kit for NHQ to develop and implement.  Perhaps instead of being on FB preaching about "branding" and the "forthcoming re-work" of all the applicable branding rules?

[NIN]

While Eclipse has provided the usual laundry list of appointments and needs, I'm going to suggest a slightly different tack.

Much like the difference between trickle-in and cohort recruiting, there are different techniques/methods/schools of thought on unit formation.

The old method generally went like this:
"Group of people wants to start CAP unit"
"Group of people gets approval from wing to charter unit"
"Group of people start CAP unit knowing nothing else about CAP, and don't get much assistance from higher HQ"
"Group of people can't get any traction and discover CAP Is Hard™. Higher HQ wants to know why they're not doing better."
"Some of the group of people get fed up and leave, the unit bumps along on its backside and never does great."
(I'm speaking strictly about starting a CAP unit from zero)

A more successful best practice used by some wings has been more like this
"Group of people wants to start CAP unit"
"Wing or Group agree to commit resources to standing up a unit in that area, including conducting additional training in that area to support the new unit formation."
"Wing or Group meets with group of people, outlines the process, which includes not issuing a charter until there are a sufficient amount of trained senior members ready to start a unit."
"Group of people join CAP at nearby units and become smart about CAP, so CAP Is Less Hard™ when its their turn in the barrel." (SLS, UCC, TLC, et al)
"Willing CAP Members from other units are identified as key mentors to eventually work in duty positions in the new unit for a short period of time to help them get off the ground."
"At an appropriate time, from the group of people, a unit commander is identified and the Wing/Group sets a chartering date."
"Once the unit is chartered, they then conduct recruiting to bring in more new members to join the trained cadre. Only now should a cadet or composite unit begin to recruit cadets."
"New unit operates, learns, grows and becomes more self sufficient with assistance, and as they get better, the assistance lessens."

In my experience, the former process has a much lower percentage of success.  The latter method, in the 3-4 times I've seen it used, as been 100% successful.

Some of this has to do with distance and geography. Chartering a new unit 250 miles from the next nearest CAP unit and 500 miles from Wing HQ is going to go about as well as you expect it to.  As I've said in the past "We successfully invaded Europe by landing on the coast and marching inward, not by parachuting the 82nd Airborne on Berlin, far beyond friendly lines and support, to 'work it out on their own'."  The island-hopping campaign of the Pacific is another great analogy.  So CAP groups & wings need to be smart about how they go about chartering new units, in a way that's supportable and sustainable.   

What that means is that when the nice people from the far [insert direction here] part of your state come and say "We have 5 people interested in CAP", you gotta look and say "Hmmm, yeah, this is more than 90 minutes drive time from the nearest CAP unit and about 180 minutes from where we typically hold training. Are these people going to join CAP and get trained at that next nearest unit?  Are they going to realistically make it to training when its held?"  (my 90/180 minute example is kind of extreme, but maybe not)  Someone might have to say "Sorry, we can't realistically support a unit there to the level that it needs to get supported to be successful right now."

Maybe you look at little closer to home, where you have some interest and there are 2-3 units equidistant and only 30 minutes away from your prospective member pool. Now you have a chance to get people joined, uniformed, trained, experienced and then unleash them on the world with some help from the folks in the other local units.

Here's the analogy that everybody gets right away:

When I was a kid, my dad came home one Friday with that new hot game, "Dungeons and Dragons."  We very excitedly peeled open the box and out came 5 or 6 sheets of paper, a couple funny looking dice, and a 3/8" thick book.  My dad was like "Where are the pieces? Where's the board?"  We got immediately discouraged because we didn't have a "dungeon master" and none of us had every even heard of a "role playing game," let alone participated in one.  D&D went on the shelf, never to be played.

Years later, a CAP friend introduced me to RPGs and I went to a few games. There, under the tutelage of my fellow players, in an established group, with an experienced DM, I learned how to actually play RPGs. I created characters, I rolled for combat, etc. Still later, I became a game master, running games at game cons even. (Not D&D, BTW).

Starting a CAP unit from scratch is like trying to learn how to play D&D by reading the book while playing and with a DM who knows just as much as the players. Chances are its going to end poorly and everybody's experience is going to be "not fun."  Instead, the way to learn how to play any RPG is to join an existing game, learn the ropes, get coached by your fellow players, learn the rules, the processes, etc, and then, if you've got the wherewhithal, go out and start your own game.

[NIN]

This is very old guidance, and there's been no traction from the field elements to help create a new one, so we're sort of at a standstill

Wow.  1985.  This kit would be a FANTASTIC kit for NHQ to develop and implement.  Perhaps instead of being on FB preaching about "branding" and the "forthcoming re-work" of all the applicable branding rules?

Yep.

There's a lot of stuff to do to make a CAP unit work, and everybody wants what amounts to "Squadron in a Box™":  You order it on Amazon Vanguard ($29.99, plus $13.99 shipping) and in a week it shows up at your front door.  You push the big fat "Easy" button on top of it and out pops a fully formed CAP squadron with $1000 in the bank and 15 uniformed CAP members (just add water, they're like sea monkeys).

Which everybody knows is silly. Can't work that way.

But yet, somehow, we want the squadron that creates itself.  There _way_ more to it than that.

I had the rewrite of CAPP4 on my list. It wasn't at the top but it wasn't at the bottom. I put it out to the recruiting officers "Hey, this is an important project that you can contribute to. Who wants to help with this?" I got one over-extended 2nd Lt who volunteered.  My successor has all the source materials, outlines, etc.  Perhaps they can run with it.

[PHall]

The last few units started in California Wing were started as Flights that were attached to an existing Squadron.
The Squadron helps them get off to a good start and after two years they were redesignated as Squadron.
This arrangement allows the new unit to have help available when they really need it.

[THRAWN]

The last few units started in California Wing were started as Flights that were attached to an existing Squadron.
The Squadron helps them get off to a good start and after two years they were redesignated as Squadron.
This arrangement allows the new unit to have help available when they really need it.

I was involved in a couple of units that started this way. Until cloning becomes more readily available, this really is a great way to do it. The squadron would support us as we were getting started, loaned some personnel, would come to our meetings with a cadet staff, etc. It works.

[Kayll'b]

You order it on Amazon Vanguard ($29.99, plus $13.99 shipping) and in a week [month or two] it shows up at your front door.

FTFY, vanguard doen't ship that fast.

[Fester]

While Eclipse has provided the usual laundry list of appointments and needs, I'm going to suggest a slightly different tack.

Much like the difference between trickle-in and cohort recruiting, there are different techniques/methods/schools of thought on unit formation.

The old method generally went like this:
"Group of people wants to start CAP unit"
"Group of people gets approval from wing to charter unit"
"Group of people start CAP unit knowing nothing else about CAP, and don't get much assistance from higher HQ"
"Group of people can't get any traction and discover CAP Is Hard™. Higher HQ wants to know why they're not doing better."
"Some of the group of people get fed up and leave, the unit bumps along on its backside and never does great."
(I'm speaking strictly about starting a CAP unit from zero)

A more successful best practice used by some wings has been more like this
"Group of people wants to start CAP unit"
"Wing or Group agree to commit resources to standing up a unit in that area, including conducting additional training in that area to support the new unit formation."
"Wing or Group meets with group of people, outlines the process, which includes not issuing a charter until there are a sufficient amount of trained senior members ready to start a unit."
"Group of people join CAP at nearby units and become smart about CAP, so CAP Is Less Hard™ when its their turn in the barrel." (SLS, UCC, TLC, et al)
"Willing CAP Members from other units are identified as key mentors to eventually work in duty positions in the new unit for a short period of time to help them get off the ground."
"At an appropriate time, from the group of people, a unit commander is identified and the Wing/Group sets a chartering date."
"Once the unit is chartered, they then conduct recruiting to bring in more new members to join the trained cadre. Only now should a cadet or composite unit begin to recruit cadets."
"New unit operates, learns, grows and becomes more self sufficient with assistance, and as they get better, the assistance lessens."

In my experience, the former process has a much lower percentage of success.  The latter method, in the 3-4 times I've seen it used, as been 100% successful.

Some of this has to do with distance and geography. Chartering a new unit 250 miles from the next nearest CAP unit and 500 miles from Wing HQ is going to go about as well as you expect it to.  As I've said in the past "We successfully invaded Europe by landing on the coast and marching inward, not by parachuting the 82nd Airborne on Berlin, far beyond friendly lines and support, to 'work it out on their own'."  The island-hopping campaign of the Pacific is another great analogy.  So CAP groups & wings need to be smart about how they go about chartering new units, in a way that's supportable and sustainable.   

What that means is that when the nice people from the far [insert direction here] part of your state come and say "We have 5 people interested in CAP", you gotta look and say "Hmmm, yeah, this is more than 90 minutes drive time from the nearest CAP unit and about 180 minutes from where we typically hold training. Are these people going to join CAP and get trained at that next nearest unit?  Are they going to realistically make it to training when its held?"  (my 90/180 minute example is kind of extreme, but maybe not)  Someone might have to say "Sorry, we can't realistically support a unit there to the level that it needs to get supported to be successful right now."

Maybe you look at little closer to home, where you have some interest and there are 2-3 units equidistant and only 30 minutes away from your prospective member pool. Now you have a chance to get people joined, uniformed, trained, experienced and then unleash them on the world with some help from the folks in the other local units.

Here's the analogy that everybody gets right away:

When I was a kid, my dad came home one Friday with that new hot game, "Dungeons and Dragons."  We very excitedly peeled open the box and out came 5 or 6 sheets of paper, a couple funny looking dice, and a 3/8" thick book.  My dad was like "Where are the pieces? Where's the board?"  We got immediately discouraged because we didn't have a "dungeon master" and none of us had every even heard of a "role playing game," let alone participated in one.  D&D went on the shelf, never to be played.

Years later, a CAP friend introduced me to RPGs and I went to a few games. There, under the tutelage of my fellow players, in an established group, with an experienced DM, I learned how to actually play RPGs. I created characters, I rolled for combat, etc. Still later, I became a game master, running games at game cons even. (Not D&D, BTW).

Starting a CAP unit from scratch is like trying to learn how to play D&D by reading the book while playing and with a DM who knows just as much as the players. Chances are its going to end poorly and everybody's experience is going to be "not fun."  Instead, the way to learn how to play any RPG is to join an existing game, learn the ropes, get coached by your fellow players, learn the rules, the processes, etc, and then, if you've got the wherewhithal, go out and start your own game.

D&D came in a box?  All I ever got was a book and some dice. 

[NIN]

D&D came in a box?  All I ever got was a book and some dice.

yep: