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If you had the power

Started by usafcap1, May 01, 2015, 11:21:54 PM

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usafcap1

If you had the power to change the Civil Air Patrol, what would you change? For example would you change it structurally, change uniforms, change how we do business,  shut it down, whatever. What would you change?

Or would you keep it the same and not change anything?

Thank you
|GES|SET|BCUT|ICUT|FLM|FLS*|MS|CD|MRO*|AP|IS-100|IS-200|IS-700|IS-800|

(Cadet 2008-2012)

Air•plane / [air-pleyn] / (ar'plan')-Massive winged machines that magically propel them selfs through the sky.
.

JC004

It is likely a bad idea to include uniforms in that question.

lordmonar

Quote from: usafcap1 on May 01, 2015, 11:21:54 PM
If you had the power to change the Civil Air Patrol, what would you change? For example would you change it structurally, change uniforms, change how we do business,  shut it down, whatever. What would you change?

Thank you
YES!
PATRICK M. HARRIS, SMSgt, CAP

Al Sayre

Lt Col Al Sayre
MS Wing Staff Dude
Admiral, Great Navy of the State of Nebraska
GRW #2787

usafcap1

Quote from: JC004 on May 01, 2015, 11:24:36 PM
It is likely a bad idea to include uniforms in that question.

Yes it is bad to include that but I want to know what people would do.
|GES|SET|BCUT|ICUT|FLM|FLS*|MS|CD|MRO*|AP|IS-100|IS-200|IS-700|IS-800|

(Cadet 2008-2012)

Air•plane / [air-pleyn] / (ar'plan')-Massive winged machines that magically propel them selfs through the sky.
.

usafcap1

Quote from: Al Sayre on May 01, 2015, 11:30:36 PM
Who's got the popcorn?

GET YOUR Popcorn, soda, candy and chips get your t shirts your t-shirts here!
|GES|SET|BCUT|ICUT|FLM|FLS*|MS|CD|MRO*|AP|IS-100|IS-200|IS-700|IS-800|

(Cadet 2008-2012)

Air•plane / [air-pleyn] / (ar'plan')-Massive winged machines that magically propel them selfs through the sky.
.

THRAWN

Drop the 3 missions bilge. CAP is a public service and education organization (two wings can fly too...)

Beef up the AE programs for Cadets and SM. The Yeager is a good start for SMs, but if it isn't being taught, it's just another thing to hang on the wall.

Go back to good old fashioned Civil Defense-type roles. The SAR business is dead to CAP. The locals don't trust the inconsistent training, and won't open the playground. The EM types recognize CAP as a good DR resource, but only in the most extreme incidents is the phone ringing. CD is a way to keep visible between DR missions and to keep contacts with EM types fresh.

Scrap all the nonsense about ranks. Adopt a USCGAux style system. Squadron commanders wear captains bars, group wears major, wing the eagles. After their time in office is done, the pin comes off, and they're Civil Airmen again....
Strup-"Belligerent....at times...."
AFRCC SMC 10-97
NSS ISC 05-00
USAF SOS 2000
USAF ACSC 2011
US NWC 2016
USMC CSCDEP 2023

Holding Pattern

#7
Quote from: usafcap1 on May 01, 2015, 11:21:54 PM
If you had the power to change the Civil Air Patrol, what would you change? For example would you change it structurally, change uniforms, change how we do business,  shut it down, whatever. What would you change?

Or would you keep it the same and not change anything?

Thank you

1. Get common access cards or equivalent to streamline base access and uniform ordering.
2. Get rid of the degree requirements for all promotions and distance learning.
3. Get the SAR training normalized. This could be a thread in and of itself, and probably is 30 times already on these forums.
4. Reduce the amount of paperwork involved for activities.
5. Increase the amount of knowledge up front about activities.
6. Substitute the 5 year data destruction requirement for one that lets us keep relevant CAP cadet/SM info on file for historical purposes and hopeful eventual rejoining of CAP by former members.
7. For the love of Ghu, modernize our websites.
8. Add back Radiological Monitoring. (I like the badge, we can be useful to the EPA WRT taking readings near some superfund sites, and increasing knowledge about how radiation works is IMO important.)
9. Create a true domain/subdomain relationship of google apps to allow for proper information sharing between regions/wings without having to get a contact within that group to access documents/info.
10. Rebuild the OPSEC training.
11. Conduct UAV construction and flight training with local colleges and universities.
12. Identify and resolve bottlenecks to CAP involvement in local operations.
13. Expand cyberspace to be an actual 4th mission of CAP.
14. Figure out a way to get cadets into space. Partner with amazon?
15. Create a replica Stargate Alpha site for a SAR training location. Feature airsoft P90s and a Goa'uld invasion. I'm only half joking here.

These are my first thoughts. More later.

THRAWN

Quote from: Starfleet Auxiliary on May 02, 2015, 12:14:17 AM
Quote from: usafcap1 on May 01, 2015, 11:21:54 PM
If you had the power to change the Civil Air Patrol, what would you change? For example would you change it structurally, change uniforms, change how we do business,  shut it down, whatever. What would you change?

Or would you keep it the same and not change anything?

Thank you


2. Get rid of the degree requirements for all promotions and distance learning.


Only thing I can think of like this is the restrictions on SOS, ACSC, and AWC. They're Air Force rules, not CAP. As for promotions, I know a wing commander who had little formal education beyond high school. What degree requirements?
Strup-"Belligerent....at times...."
AFRCC SMC 10-97
NSS ISC 05-00
USAF SOS 2000
USAF ACSC 2011
US NWC 2016
USMC CSCDEP 2023

Holding Pattern

Quote from: THRAWN on May 02, 2015, 12:25:42 AM
Quote from: Starfleet Auxiliary on May 02, 2015, 12:14:17 AM
Quote from: usafcap1 on May 01, 2015, 11:21:54 PM
If you had the power to change the Civil Air Patrol, what would you change? For example would you change it structurally, change uniforms, change how we do business,  shut it down, whatever. What would you change?

Or would you keep it the same and not change anything?

Thank you


2. Get rid of the degree requirements for all promotions and distance learning.


Only thing I can think of like this is the restrictions on SOS, ACSC, and AWC. They're Air Force rules, not CAP. As for promotions, I know a wing commander who had little formal education beyond high school. What degree requirements?

Sometimes I type too fast.

THRAWN

Quote from: Starfleet Auxiliary on May 02, 2015, 12:29:14 AM
Quote from: THRAWN on May 02, 2015, 12:25:42 AM
Quote from: Starfleet Auxiliary on May 02, 2015, 12:14:17 AM
Quote from: usafcap1 on May 01, 2015, 11:21:54 PM
If you had the power to change the Civil Air Patrol, what would you change? For example would you change it structurally, change uniforms, change how we do business,  shut it down, whatever. What would you change?

Or would you keep it the same and not change anything?

Thank you


2. Get rid of the degree requirements for all promotions and distance learning.


Only thing I can think of like this is the restrictions on SOS, ACSC, and AWC. They're Air Force rules, not CAP. As for promotions, I know a wing commander who had little formal education beyond high school. What degree requirements?

Sometimes I type too fast.

Think before you speak or you'll find yourself patrolling the Romulan Neutral Zone...
Strup-"Belligerent....at times...."
AFRCC SMC 10-97
NSS ISC 05-00
USAF SOS 2000
USAF ACSC 2011
US NWC 2016
USMC CSCDEP 2023

Holding Pattern

I always think before I speak. Just not before I type.

Also, let me tell you about that last Neutral zone patrol. Scanners picked up a runabout flying at warp 5 for the Zone from Romulan space with 10 warbirds after it in hot pursuit. Something about illegal ale running...

Panache

#12
Adopt a single set of uniforms (field, duty, "casual duty", and dress/class-A) that ALL Senior Members wear instead of the current hodgepodge of multi-forms.

Simply the grade structure.  Senior Members not in command or selected staff positions are Flight or Warrant Officers 1-5, based on their current Professional Development level.  Those in command or selected staff positions wear "regular" officer insignia based on their current job.

Try to get more airframes available for use.

Open up flight training programs for interested Senior Members.

Closer coordination with local/state SAR or ES agencies.

More opportunities for both cadets and SMs to train with our active duty cousins.

Eliminate a lot of the paperwork and pencil-pushing.

lordmonar

Okay....If I had the power to do anything.....with out having to deal with anyone else's objections or worry about things like the law, or physics:

1.  Fix base access...where the CAP issued ID card was good enough.
2.  Fix online access to AAFES Uniforms.
3.  Reorg CAP where the current structure was embrased with a more realistic and logical model.  (one region per FEMA region, one Wing per State, one group per 10 squadrons, one squadron per county......with enough flights, elements, detachments to accomplish the assigned missions).
4.  Create OPLANS, Manning Documents, Table of Allowances, and Training Requirements for each unit...so unit commanders know exactly how they should man, train and equip their units to accomplished assigned missions.
5.  One set of uniforms (or maybe two...one for cadets and one for seniors).
6.  A logical unified promotion system that reflects our parent organization's values and our needs as a volunteer organization.
7.  Flight Training for Seniors and cadets.
8.  Integrate ES as a core part of the Cadet Program.
9.  Regional Encampments that combine the ideas and models of our traditional encampments, NCSAs, and BSA summer camp.
10.  Fix E-services to automate all or our record keeping requirements.
11.  Centralized web hosting and document/record keeping and E-mail services.
PATRICK M. HARRIS, SMSgt, CAP

RiverAux

Spend a significant amount of time developing a list of specific ES-missions that we want to focus our efforts on and write a strategy for ensuring that we are properly trained and equipped and have the operational processes necessary to carry out those missions. 

For example, if we really don't have an interest in ground SAR, we should drop ground teams entirely.  I think this is actually the only area of potential mission growth, but CAP has never shown to me that it really cares about this aspect of SAR.  The other primary example is ground based disaster response operations -- is this something CAP wants to do or not?  If so, we need a coherent concept of operations.

Then make relationship building with county and state agencies one of our top priorities.  Perhaps even going so far as to require that Wings ensure that someone meets with the county sheriff and/or emergency manager in each county where we have a unit (and a decent percentage of counties where we don't) at least once a year to discuss our capabilities. 

Cliff_Chambliss

Eliminate the uniforms. 
Get rid of quasi military rank.  If it's that important resort to Star Trek color coded T shirts.  (Remember gold shirts die first).
CAP is not Air Force Lite, quit trying to make it so.  If it's that important join the AF Reserve or ANG.
CAP is not CG Aux, quit trying to compare the two.
Encourage closer ties between the Cadet Programs and the Scouting Programs, not JRROTC.
Senior training to be revamped more for DR and placed under opcon of the already established Emergency Services organization.
In short, the 1940's CAP is dead, it's time to bury it.
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
2d Armored Cavalry Regiment
3d Infantry Division
504th BattleField Surveillance Brigade

ARMY:  Because even the Marines need heros.    
CAVALRY:  If it were easy it would be called infantry.

sarmed1

Quote from: Cliff_Chambliss on May 02, 2015, 12:18:03 PM
Eliminate the uniforms. 
Get rid of quasi military rank.  If it's that important resort to Star Trek color coded T shirts.  (Remember gold shirts die first).
CAP is not Air Force Lite, quit trying to make it so.  If it's that important join the AF Reserve or ANG.
CAP is not CG Aux, quit trying to compare the two.
Encourage closer ties between the Cadet Programs and the Scouting Programs, not JRROTC.
Senior training to be revamped more for DR and placed under opcon of the already established Emergency Services organization.
In short, the 1940's CAP is dead, it's time to bury it.

More specifically, I would say decide which they want to be. Stop the Aux on/Aux off crap. 
If CAP is a military auxillary (even only "legally" when "on" orders) act like a military auxillary all the time.
-Military standards for uniform wear, promotion, NCO jobs, officer jobs, and airman jobs.  Drop the colored patches, do whatever else makes it more like a volunteer military organization (more like a SDF but on a national scale)

If not, be a civilain organization that provides the missions  they say they provide sans military-ism.   Sort of a FEMA auxillary rather than an AF one.  The down side is that I think this would kill the cadet program (at least in the numbers that it is: most cadets join for the JROTC-ness of the program, and if there wasnt a military affiliation/organizational structure to the senior side of CAP, I think it would be a confusing program)  I am not sure if two seperate programs could exist within the same organization.  a-A federally tasked SAR/DR/Comm program and b-an AF styled cadet trainnig program

I think that trying to be accomidating to everyone is what makes things complicated.  Too afraid to loose members if they are more military; too afraid to loose the link to the AF if they become too civilian.

MK
Capt.  Mark "K12" Kleibscheidel

sarmed1

I couldnt decide where to put this one, this thread or the "benefits" thread....here seemed more sense.

An inclusive uniform program-  Everyone (cadet and senior) gets a basic working and "dress" uniform.   With some sort of managable replacement program.   Every volunteer fire dept or EMS agency I was ever at provided these things to their members, I dont know why CAP cant find a way to make that happen.

I would (in case someone is counting) also agree with a number of the above ideas, specifically:

common access card/base access/AAFES onine ordering
senior member flight training
Reginalized encampment/special type activities, more of a BSA type model
Closer working with the USAF in regards to supporting them as well as cadet "learning" activities (more akin to the Sea Cadet type of summer career programs)

MK
Capt.  Mark "K12" Kleibscheidel

ZigZag911

Reduce administrative processes and staffing requirements at squadron level...some of the more bureaucratic functions should be handled at higher headquarters.  Our community level units should be focused on the program, training and missions, not paperwork.

Holding Pattern

Quote from: ZigZag911 on May 02, 2015, 06:23:24 PM
Reduce administrative processes and staffing requirements at squadron level...some of the more bureaucratic functions should be handled at higher headquarters.  Our community level units should be focused on the program, training and missions, not paperwork.

Part of the problem on that is offloading paperwork to volunteers with no buy-in at the local level becomes difficult in my experience.

THough perhaps we could create a chairborne membership option for people that just want to do paperwork for everyone?  :D