So I have started CAP in motto flight (orientation)with 14 "motivated" cadets starting at the same time. Only six of us gradated, and the others are now inactive and still in motto. Two of the cadets who graduated are inactive now. There are cadets in my flight who attend every meeting and just promoted to C/A1c after a year being a airman because they saw me promoting. At every meeting 10-20 cadet show up, usually 10. There are 32 cadets in the squadron. We have inactive NCOs, too. Is there any way to make inactive active? I don't know their phone number. We have closed our obstacle course to now, and I wonder if that's why cadet quit because we just sit around at the meeting doing nothing sometimes and it js hard for cadets to promote to C/Amn
Sounds like the program isn't being run properly. Cadets should never "just sit around at a meeting doing nothing".
Quote from: usafaux2004 on December 12, 2012, 09:35:29 PM
Sounds like the program isn't being run properly. Cadets should never "just sit around at a meeting doing nothing".
Yeah, that's the job of Senior Members!
Quote from: JeffDG on December 12, 2012, 09:37:04 PM
Quote from: usafaux2004 on December 12, 2012, 09:35:29 PM
Sounds like the program isn't being run properly. Cadets should never "just sit around at a meeting doing nothing".
Yeah, that's the job of Senior Members!
Agreed, in a unit like that.
As the Cadet Staff Guide explains, CAP comes in waves. If it's a relatively small/new/low grade cadet unit, then the SMs have a lot of work. As the cadets progress, the SMs take a step back, and cadets pick up some of the work. That continues until the unit ends up in a lower point again, and SMs pick up the slack and start all over again. I have seen in just under 10 years "strong" cadet units end up in shambles, and start ups end up being better than ever. Ultimately it's on the SMs, and if my unit had a roster of 30, but only 10 showed up, I would be concerned.
Quote from: usafaux2004 on December 12, 2012, 09:39:31 PM
Quote from: JeffDG on December 12, 2012, 09:37:04 PM
Quote from: usafaux2004 on December 12, 2012, 09:35:29 PM
Sounds like the program isn't being run properly. Cadets should never "just sit around at a meeting doing nothing".
Yeah, that's the job of Senior Members!
Agreed, in a unit like that.
As the Cadet Staff Guide explains, CAP comes in waves. If it's a relatively small/new/low grade cadet unit, then the SMs have a lot of work. As the cadets progress, the SMs take a step back, and cadets pick up some of the work. That continues until the unit ends up in a lower point again, and SMs pick up the slack and start all over again. I have seen in just under 10 years "strong" cadet units end up in shambles, and start ups end up being better than ever. Ultimately it's on the SMs, and if my unit had a roster of 30, but only 10 showed up, I would be concerned.
Our squadron is over 60 years old. We have many cadets(now senior members) enlisting or attending the service academies once they graduate high school. We have a list of former cadets now in basic, ROTC, and Academies.
And yet the CP sucks by admission.
Quote from: Cadetcookies on December 12, 2012, 09:47:54 PMOur squadron is over 60 years old. We have many cadets(now senior members) enlisting or attending the service academies once they graduate high school. We have a list of former cadets now in basic, ROTC, and Academies.
Falling back on what you did yesterday is how units die.
If you do not have a 13-week schedule, or some formal form of it, you're doing it wrong.
With the small amount of contact time we have to begin, cadets should never be bored or milling about aimlessly. There should be expectations
and goals for every meeting, and someone making sure people are on track.
+1
If there is no program...then you will leak cadets.
If you want to take a hand in this...get with your commander and deputy commander for cadets and a copy of 52-16 and make a program. If you don't have enough senior cadets to run and plan it.....then they will have to fill in with senior members to get it started.
Find out what your cadets are interested in (ES, flying, rocketry, drill, etc) and tailor the program to meet their wants....and press on from there.
You have a brand-new squadron commander, who happens to be a good guy. I'm pretty sure that he is aware of the issues in the cadet program, and would be open to suggestions.
I would recommend working within the chain of command to offer suggestions. There might also be changes in the works that have not been made public, so don't be surprised if you're put off at first.
Quote from: Eclipse on December 12, 2012, 10:08:36 PM
Quote from: Cadetcookies on December 12, 2012, 09:47:54 PMOur squadron is over 60 years old. We have many cadets(now senior members) enlisting or attending the service academies once they graduate high school. We have a list of former cadets now in basic, ROTC, and Academies.
Falling back on what you did yesterday is how units die.
If you do not have a 13-week schedule, or some formal form of it, you're doing it wrong.
With the small amount of contact time we have to begin, cadets should never be bored or milling about aimlessly. There should be expectations
and goals for every meeting, and someone making sure people are on track.
+100
You have to play it forward. A famous astronaut was a Cadet there in 1968; so what does that have to do with 2012 & 2013?
One of my favorite movie quotes is "that was yesterday. What have you done for me today?" Kinda puts things into perspective for me.