Spring 2010 NEC Agenda & Winter 2009 NEC Minutes

[Pylon]

Here's the agenda for the 30 April/1 May NEC Meeting, as well as the draft minutes from the November 2009 NEC.

[Pylon]

With the exception of one agenda item about WMIRS, and one suggesting that unit commanders' personnel files be kept by the next higher echelon (not their own unit), the rest of the entire NEC's time is devoted to awards, ribbons, and ID cards... oh, and if we should go to Puerto Rico for our next NB conference. 

Maybe one step better than spending the entire NEC meeting talking about uniforms, but ribbon devices, ID cards, and awards still aren't exactly the long-range strategic planning expected of a massive non-profit's executive board.  In fact, there really is no long-range strategic initiatives in there at all.  And I'd personally argue that most of the awards stuff is similar to uniform stuff, in that, no other organization would spend this much time at the most senior executive level of their board discussing this.  It's a staff-level or executive director (in our case, maybe National Commander)-level responsibility at most.

[RiverAux]

Seems like a major waste of time and money based on the topics to be discussed.

Regarding the creation of an "Awards Officer",  it seems to me that the duties of our existing Personnel officers are very light and that there isn't any excuse for them not taking care of this.  What personnel officer is so overwhelmed they need an assistant to handle this? 

I do agree that CAP generally isn't very good about using our award system, but I'm not sure this is the way to fix it.  Not sure I have any better ideas though.

[Mustang]

Most NEC meetings are a major waste of time/money, when you consider the airfare, meals and lodging for the NEC plus all the attendant NHQ staff on-scene.

[RRLE]

Most NEC meetings are a major waste of time/money, when you consider the airfare, meals and lodging for the NEC plus all the attendant NHQ staff on-scene. ]

You are assuming that the purpose of the meeting is what is published in the agenda and hence the idea the meeting is a waste of time. There are those who believe the Real Purpose of these kinds of meetings is the 'meet and greet' and back-scratching to higher office that goes on before, during and after the meeting. And you cannot do the latter (at least not well) via video conference.

[bosshawk]

+1 on the post having to do with waste of time, money and energy.

In addition, why should we be paying for the members of the NEC to campaign for higher office at our expense?

[NCRblues]

Most NEC meetings are a major waste of time/money, when you consider the airfare, meals and lodging for the NEC plus all the attendant NHQ staff on-scene. ]

You are assuming that the purpose of the meeting is what is published in the agenda and hence the idea the meeting is a waste of time. There are those who believe the Real Purpose of these kinds of meetings is the 'meet and greet' and back-scratching to higher office that goes on before, during and after the meeting. And you cannot do the latter (at least not well) via video conference.

OH NOES...what would happen if the big wigs could not scratch each others back?

[FW]

Gentlemen, the published agenda is but a small slice of what goes on in an NEC meeting.  A large portion of business will be to approve the finance committee's recommendations and to discuss "new business" which the CS will bring up.  Remember, this is how the "CSU" was killed off.
Oh, yes,  we should not be surprised when this one is over.  I think we are going to find some real doozies in this one....

[wingnut55]

After over a 1/2 a century of being an auxiliary of the USAF we still have an ID card that looks like the membership card to the Ronald Reagan Library.

I have to pay $4.00 to get an ID card that will not get me Jacked up by the Cops when I am DFing an ELT.

All so sad and just pathetic, nothing changes we have found the perfect mass of do nothing attitude. well except making more uniform changes.

[PHall]

And nothing goes on here that couldn't be handled by a net meeting.
At a much lower cost to the membership and the taxpayers.

[JC004]

Do my membership dues pay for this?

"This card will help CAP be a more professional organization."
oh?

[bosshawk]

Oh, yes, your membership dues pay for this, plus mine and plus several hundred others.

It seems to me that the suggestion of a net meeting was put forth on this blog before the last meeting: looks like the "grin and grip" crowd won out over those who are concerned about how their membership money is spent.

[JC004]

Then I want either:

1.  A refund
2.  Them to talk about things that matter

[bosshawk]

Good luck on either or both.

[a2capt]

..and if you think thats a waste of money, try having that next meeting in Puerto Rico.

The types of hotels these people routinely book are even more obscenely priced on the island. Though I suppose they don't have to pay a portion of that 38% tax on top of it.

It would be cheaper to buy the airfare for those from Puerto Rico and bring them to the continent.

[JC004]

Sounds to me like maybe the NB just want an expenses-paid trip to PR.  NER or MER.  The expense is far too high...Are they STILL not getting this economic/unemployment problem?  Maybe, as with the uniforms, they are looking for additional ways to cost the members money?

[NCRblues]

So i had no clue what everyone was talking about so i went back and read the agenda...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

They want to host it in PR?

I will say this now...lowest turn out ever for such a meeting..... hope they can get the live link feed to work during that time, because their is going to be a lot more people watching from the desk's at home. 

[flyboy53]

Awards and decorations are a commander's responsibility and the tasking officer should be the personnel officer. Also, I thought that units already had awards and decorations and promotions committees.

It's sad to see that we need another level of bureauracy at the squadron level.

Did you people notice page 10. Is there now an Air Patrol Ribbon, or is it the new HLS Ribbon?

I wish they would devote their energy on things that really benefited the membership. How about the issue of reducing the dues of those members who chose not to receive the magazine? How about polling the membership about where to spend the kick-back from Vanguard? How about creating and funding real medals to go with all those fancy ribbons they keep dreaming up?

[FW]

How about paying attention to the 2nd largest paying customer base CAP, Inc. has: it's volunteer members.....

[heliodoc]

Wasn't another thread addressing the staffing cuts at NHQ and its timeliness of the annual budget?

Then another poster states the staffing cuts NHQ has "endured" the last few years...

It seems to me, for a "VOLUNTEER" organization on a "shoestring budget"....the least NHQ could worry about is a NB in Puerto Rico

As a2capt states a 38% sales tax.....where is the thinkin' of theses VOLUNTEER "officers" and the proper stewardship of "the corporation"

Its seems the ought to be worried less on where and what next fancy place they are going to hold a NB and start holding in the fancy issued USAF sponsored location called Maxwell.

'Bout time for some good old stay at home practices and the even more serious issue of stewardship of resources that CAP touts so well about core values and integrity

A vacation to a resort style hotel(s) for NB can hardly be an excuse for all the "hard work" that is being on the CAP members dime and then not being able to get a annual report on time.....

Can CAPTalkers really defend those practices in a a"professional volunteer organization?"  There ought to be some reigns pulled in on "those" people down there and across the country that put on a USAF style uniform and chirp about the RM and others while attending these "somewhat" lavish NB meetings that are put on.

I know, there are CAPTalkers that will defend this practice as....."Other 501(c)3 organizations do this, WHY can't WE"

Stewardship of resources, folks, for all those CAPers that want to address "core values", "integrity" and all those other buzzwords that seem to crop up while defending the actions of the few....