Married Cadets

[Майор Хаткевич]

When you married its time to set your "cadet life" on the back burner.  I would never support having married cadets. Thats coming from a married guy.

Would a Private Pilot set his flying hobby on the back burner? Perhaps. Is he required to? No. I don't necessary think that being a cadet when married is a priority, but again, I think a blanket ban, without giving that choice is lame.

[lordmonar]

This all goes back to the same argument about over 18 cadets in the first place.

Bottom line.....if you do adult things...you are an adult and can't be a cadet.

The simple fix is to make it a hard line for all members over 18 to become seniors.

The problem is not whether the cadet has the time to do his hobby and the rest of his life....but whether we want an "adult" in the cadet program.

If we leave the option for being married....then we need to leave the option opened for joining active duty.

If we leave that option open...then why not leave the option for anyone over the age of 18 and less then 21 the option to join as a cadet.

It just messes up the whole system.

YMMV.

[ZigZag911]

As usual, Maj. Harris makes a lot of sense!

The age of legal majority in this country is 18; I believe CAP is unique in allowing members over 18 to continue to pursue its program designed for adolescent members.

[Flying Pig]

When you married its time to set your "cadet life" on the back burner.  I would never support having married cadets. Thats coming from a married guy.

Would a Private Pilot set his flying hobby on the back burner? Perhaps. Is he required to? No. I don't necessary think that being a cadet when married is a priority, but again, I think a blanket ban, without giving that choice is lame.

Terrible analogy.

[jeders]

When you married its time to set your "cadet life" on the back burner.  I would never support having married cadets. Thats coming from a married guy.

Would a Private Pilot set his flying hobby on the back burner? Perhaps. Is he required to? No. I don't necessary think that being a cadet when married is a priority, but again, I think a blanket ban, without giving that choice is lame.

Terrible analogy.

Gotta agree with FP, apples and sprockets.

There simply are no more adult choices that deciding to start a family. Whether it's getting married or getting pregnant, when these things happen you have to reevaluate what's important. CAP simply makes that evaluation a little bit easier. This rule isn't broken, so lets not worry about fixing it.

[Patterson]

Ya....the rule makes no sense.  Most of the reasoning from many of you in support of the rule also make no sense.

I could possibly see where a 19 year old CADET who (legally is an adult) gets married and is forced to become a Senior if he or she has a KID of their own.  Other than that, the 19 year old married kid is no different than the 19 year old kid with a girlfriend who he lives with and treats as his wife even though they have not been "married".

Marriage is way overrated!  All that $$$ for a few hours of ceremony and years of regret is slowly becoming not the "norm".

How many marriages end in divorce??  Single Parent Families out there?? 

I would very much like to see the percentage of the "two former CAP Cadets getting married and staying together" group compared to the rest of our Country!!

Honestly it is an arbitrary rule that is a throw back to a less politically correct society.

[Flying Pig]

Im all about a less politically correct society.

[Майор Хаткевич]

When you married its time to set your "cadet life" on the back burner.  I would never support having married cadets. Thats coming from a married guy.

Would a Private Pilot set his flying hobby on the back burner? Perhaps. Is he required to? No. I don't necessary think that being a cadet when married is a priority, but again, I think a blanket ban, without giving that choice is lame.

Terrible analogy.

Gotta agree with FP, apples and sprockets.

There simply are no more adult choices that deciding to start a family. Whether it's getting married or getting pregnant, when these things happen you have to reevaluate what's important. CAP simply makes that evaluation a little bit easier. This rule isn't broken, so lets not worry about fixing it.

How So? A pilot getting married isn't making the same choice as a cadet? Being a cadet costs significantly less, and is also less dangerous.

Like it or not, CAP IS a Hobby. It's just like the after school program or a club. You make a choice to give your time. Why don't we boot the 21 year old SM for getting married? Or why is it more acceptable than the 20 year old? And as compared, how is that different from the 20 year who lives with his girlfriend, or is engaged, for two years?

[lordmonar]

How So? A pilot getting married isn't making the same choice as a cadet? Being a cadet costs significantly less, and is also less dangerous.

Like it or not, CAP IS a Hobby. It's just like the after school program or a club. You make a choice to give your time. Why don't we boot the 21 year old SM for getting married? Or why is it more acceptable than the 20 year old? And as compared, how is that different from the 20 year who lives with his girlfriend, or is engaged, for two years?

On one level CAP is just a hobby.

But from a CP point of view.....we don't want to add the baggage a married cadet will bring to the program.
We already have enough problems with the over 18 cadets butting heads with the rules (that is they are treated like kids but are legal adults).  An over 18 married cadet!?!  Just too much drama.

Like I said before.....and continue to say....cadets of any age are more or less "kids" in regards to the the regulations and policies of CAP.  When you start acting like an adult then we make you move over to the "adult" program.

Our rules are confusing and inconsistent......I will be the first to accept that.....but adding to the confusion is not the way to go.

I have always been and continue to advocate a hard date age of 18 for the cadet programs.  That would take care of 99.99999999% of the "problems" with the regulations.

On the other hand.......leaving things the way they are......is okay too. 

[Майор Хаткевич]

I'm not advocating changing the rules, just having a discussion on the issue. The number of cadets over 18 is a tiny portion of all cadets. (I think I was one of either 100+ or 300+ cadets over 20). The portion of over 18 cadets who get married is even less so. But beyond the discussion, how do we find out about the marriage? Obviously the cadet should the chain of command know, but if they don't what's a way to find out?

[Flying Pig]

Its not an issue until your the Squadron Commander of that one cadet who decides to get married.  May work out well, may not.  Id rather just not deal with married cadets as a Sq.CC or DCC.

[Майор Хаткевич]

This goes back to Maturity.

I wouldn't want to deal with an over 18 immature cadet period. Hopefully, if a cadet gets married, they are mature enough. And again, the 2-3 cases per year that this might happen, I'm thinking those cadets roll over/leave the program anyway.