Being a Cadet AND Active Duty?

thebeggerpie · July 16, 2015, 01:46:16 AM

Hey y'all,

I have a question that's been bugging me for a while, and I wasn't too sure where to look, so here I am.

Can one be a cadet in the CAP and be enlisted in the Reserves/National Guard/Active Duty? Or upon enlistment, would that instantly force you to become a senior member?

I want to say no, but I'm not terribly familiar with the regs.

rmutchler · July 16, 2015, 01:53:55 AM

CAPR 39-2, para 2-5

QuoteUpon Joining the Armed Forces. Cadets who join any branch of the active duty Armed Forces (this does not include military service academies) will furnish NHQ/PMM written notification along with a CAPF 12 and FD Form 258 (see sample at attachment 5), at which time they will be automatically transferred to senior membership status.

abdsp51 · July 16, 2015, 02:05:23 AM

If you go active duty you can no longer be a cadet. Reserves and guard you can stay a cadet.

MSG Mac · July 16, 2015, 02:34:22 AM

A cadet may stay a cadet while a member of a reserve component. However, if he/she is ordered to Extended Active Duty (EAD), they must transfer to Senior Member. Basic Training, Annual Training, and Professional Development are not EAD, no matter how long they last.

thebeggerpie · July 16, 2015, 12:29:04 PM

Quote from: rmutchler on July 16, 2015, 01:53:55 AM
CAPR 39-2, para 2-5
QuoteUpon Joining the Armed Forces. Cadets who join any branch of the active duty Armed Forces (this does not include military service academies) will furnish NHQ/PMM written notification along with a CAPF 12 and FD Form 258 (see sample at attachment 5), at which time they will be automatically transferred to senior membership status.

*sigh* I knew it was in there. :|

Thanks for all the replies! Question answered.

kcebnaes · July 17, 2015, 01:58:16 AM

To add onto OP's question: Does going to Basic, then Tech School count as Active Duty? At least for the question OP asked. We have several cadets in our squadron who were asking.

lordmonar · July 17, 2015, 02:09:52 AM

Quote from: kcebnaes on July 17, 2015, 01:58:16 AM
To add onto OP's question: Does going to Basic, then Tech School count as Active Duty? At least for the question OP asked. We have several cadets in our squadron who were asking.

Guard and Reservistsd are not on EAD for basic and technical school (AIT, what ever the navy calls theirs, etc).

goblin · July 17, 2015, 02:38:28 AM

Better yet, why would you want to do that

Storm Chaser · July 17, 2015, 04:04:23 AM

Quote from: kcebnaes on July 17, 2015, 01:58:16 AM
To add onto OP's question: Does going to Basic, then Tech School count as Active Duty? At least for the question OP asked. We have several cadets in our squadron who were asking.

That's consider active duty for training, which is different from other types of active duty status for reservists and guardsmen.

lordmonar · July 17, 2015, 04:13:05 AM

Quote from: Goblin on July 17, 2015, 02:38:28 AM
Better yet, why would you want to do that

Not germane to the discussion.

Flying Pig · July 17, 2015, 12:18:41 PM

Being a cadet on active duty would be totally awesome!

When I was in JROTC we had a senior who did boot camp between his junior and senior year. He was in JROTC and drilled one weekend a month with his guard unit. I think it was guard. May have been Army reserves. He wore his national defense ribbon at the top of his JROTC stack.

TheSkyHornet · July 17, 2015, 01:02:44 PM

Quote from: Goblin on July 17, 2015, 02:38:28 AM
Better yet, why would you want to do that

I hope you don't share that sentiment with your fellow CAP members in your unit, considering most cadets in CAP have at, the very least, a back-of-the-mind thought about joining the military some day.

goblin · July 17, 2015, 01:45:56 PM

Quote from: TheSkyHornet on July 17, 2015, 01:02:44 PM
Quote from: Goblin on July 17, 2015, 02:38:28 AM
Better yet, why would you want to do that

I hope you don't share that sentiment with your fellow CAP members in your unit, considering most cadets in CAP have at, the very least, a back-of-the-mind thought about joining the military some day.

The comment was in reference to staying a Cadet.

TheSkyHornet · July 17, 2015, 01:50:08 PM

Quote from: Goblin on July 17, 2015, 01:45:56 PM

Quote from: TheSkyHornet on July 17, 2015, 01:02:44 PM
Quote from: Goblin on July 17, 2015, 02:38:28 AM
Better yet, why would you want to do that

I hope you don't share that sentiment with your fellow CAP members in your unit, considering most cadets in CAP have at, the very least, a back-of-the-mind thought about joining the military some day.

The comment was in reference to staying a Cadet.

Noted and clarified.

Nothing wrong with wanting to stay a cadet either, even though it doesn't work that way in active duty scenarios.

xray328 · July 18, 2015, 11:39:25 PM

And just to add to that, from what understand you can remain a cadet while at the service academies. They would come in handy if you wanted to finish the program (Spaatz) but didn't have time in service (military term) to achieve it.

HGjunkie · July 19, 2015, 12:59:19 AM

Quote from: xray328 on July 18, 2015, 11:39:25 PM
And just to add to that, from what understand you can remain a cadet while at the service academies. They would come in handy if you wanted to finish the program (Spaatz) but didn't have time in service (military term) to achieve it.

Ding ding ding. But it's quite difficult to get the time to promote while at the academies.

xray328 · July 19, 2015, 01:03:00 AM

True. They'd have to do it on winter/summer break (false terminology). I'm assuming cadets going the service academies are highly motivated folks, but even then how important is the Spaatz once you're at the USAFA? At least they have a squadron there though...not sure if it's accessible to USAFA cadets though.

It's just nice to have the opportunity I guess.

HGjunkie · July 19, 2015, 01:04:39 AM

Quote from: xray328 on July 19, 2015, 01:03:00 AM
True. They'd have to do it on winter/summer break (false terminology). I'm assuming cadets going the service academies are highly motivated folks, but even then how important is the Spaatz once you're at the USAFA? At least they have a squadron there though...not sure if it's accessible to USAFA cadets though.

Depends on the person. I'd like to get to at least Eaker if possible since I have 2 years left until I'm 21, but it really isn't that much of a priority at this point. More worried about things like my PPL. The squadron on base is great, but hard for most folks to get to. They do have USAFA cadets attend on a somewhat sporadic basis.

xray328 · July 19, 2015, 01:07:37 AM

Are you at USAFA now? Does access become easier as a Junior/Senior? Or is it easier just to test at your home unit on break?

HGjunkie · July 19, 2015, 01:10:21 AM

Quote from: xray328 on July 19, 2015, 01:07:37 AM
Are you at USAFA now? Does access become easier as a Junior/Senior? Or is it easier just to test at your home unit on break?

I'm actually on my summer leave/break right now, so I can go back to my home unit for a couple weeks and try to get stuff done. It gets much easier as a junior/senior since that's when USAFA allows cadets to own cars on campus, but then its counteracted by having less time in general to go out and do things during the week due to increased workloads.