My 13 year old son recently joined CAP based on my recommendation that it is a great program. I was a cadet when I was in high school and enjoyed it immensely. However I went to the meeting with him tonight and the first thing they did was build marshmallow rocket ships. Literally they used toothpicks stuck into marshmallows to create rocket ships. As in elementary school level arts and crafts. Following that a chaplain came in and gave a moral leadership presentation. Unfortunately some senior members brought their young children (ages 7 to 10) to the meeting and had them sit with he cadets and take part in the lesson. As you can imagine, the younger kids managed to derail much of the conversation. I was shocked and disappointed by what I saw at that meeting. This is not the CAP I grew up with. This squadron seemed more like a daycare. I obvious want my son to follow through on his comittment to CAP, but I almost feel like I'm doing him a disservice by having him continue.
Although CAP has changed over the years and it is not what was a few years ago, that takes the cake and it is unbelievable.
Think about a transfer. Or better yet, rejoin and change the culture from within.
There are several ways to make rockets.
There are handouts on presenting model rockets.
And the Chaplain should not have allowed those kids in there.
Flyer
Quote from: flyer333555 on March 12, 2013, 12:02:12 PM
Although CAP has changed over the years and it is not what was a few years ago, that takes the cake and it is unbelievable.
Think about a transfer. Or better yet, rejoin and change the culture from within.
This is about the best piece of advice I've seen in a CAP-Talk thread (and could be used in many instances, not just this one).
Seriously: My son is 11, going to be 12 over the summer, and has become disillusioned with the Boy Scouts
(mostly a poor/weak local unit. I was a cubmaster in his Cub Pack before he moved to Boy Scouts, but I've stepped back from BSA as I have come to vehemently disagree with their membership stances. I digress...) so I'm going to let him take a look at my old CAP sq here in town.
If he decides that he wants to try CAP, I'll rejoin in a minor "support role" (I figure a Lt Col with 28 years of experience *might* know a thing or two. Esp with a master rating in CP & ES..) to contribute to the mission. I can't complain if I don't have skin in the game.
To the OP -
Was this the first meeting that both he and you attended? I'm going to assume that's not so, and that he has been to prior meetings since he's already joined as a member (as you stated). If that's the case, I guess he just didn't tell you and/or you didn't ask about what was going on in those previous meetings. This all seems to have caught you very much by surprise ("... shocked and disappointed ...").
Although it's not spelled out in either CAPR 39-2 or CAPR 52-16 as far as I can tell (I'm sure I'll be quickly corrected if I'm mistaken), at least in the squadron I'm a member of prospective cadets and at least one parent are required to attend three meetings before submitting their membership applications. It helps in determining whether it's a good fit on both sides (i.e., the cadet's/parent's and the squadron's) in terms of commitments and responsibilities. Not so in your example?
Pugman,
Thank you for sharing. This, too, concerns me.
I remember several years back on one of the annual Reports to Congress, my jaw dropped when I saw the front cover had kids, out of uniform, playing with model rockets. Yes, model rockets are a part of AE, but these were little kids; non-cadets. I was like "what they heck happened to my CAP?" I felt like that year's RTC was the first sign I saw where there was something tangible that proved we're starting to move towards a Kumbayah state of affairs.
Then I realized, it doesn't have to look like this, and it most certainly doesn't have to BE like this. As you probably know, being a former cadet, each squadron has its own personality, it's own drive or even it's own focus. As a squadron commander and/or a deputy commander for cadets, you can drive your squadron's cadet program in the RIGHT direction, and it has NOTHING to with marshmallows, I assure you.
Not all squadrons are like this. I assure you this. Our squadron has never had anything to do with marshmallows. Please do not lose faith in the Civil Air Patrol.
We spent yesterday's meeting working with our new robotic STEM Kit, building balsa gliders, having glider flight competitions, and doing orientation flights. Like most things in life it's about leadership.
If you don't want rejoin there is a middle ground - offer to form a Parent's Council. You can help with fundraising, offer feedback, and network with other resources. The council shouldn't be a "complaint forum"... There are others processes for that, but it can give you an avenue for being part of the solution. The key though is being solution-oriented.
Quote from: Pugman on March 12, 2013, 04:04:36 AM
My 13 year old son recently joined CAP based on my recommendation that it is a great program. I was a cadet when I was in high school and enjoyed it immensely.
I do not know where you live. In my area I had a choice of three Squadons 10 to 15 minutes away. Most of my children prefer the Composite Squadron and the youngest daughter like the Cadet Squadron.
In CAP we have some very exceptional Squadrons and others are quite embrassing YMMV