I travel quite a bit for work and am curious about the etiquette of visiting squadrons meetings while on the road? Obviously I wont show up unannounced, and will check the UOD etc... But is this frowned upon? Would anyone from my home squadron/group/state potentially get butthurt about me visiting other units?
I've both visited squadrons in other wings and been visited by members of other squadrons and wings at my squadron. Never had anyone get butthurt. Now, YMMV depending on personalities, but it's unlikely to be a problem. Give your chain and the unit you're visiting a heads up. And bring patches/stickers/other swag to gift/trade. Always goes over well!
I have visited several squadrons while traveling for work. I always reach out in advance (a week or two of my anticipated trip) and let them know that I'm in the area and would like to visit.
If the squadron doesn't respond, then I don't visit.
I've visted a squadron or two when traveling over the years. Never had a problem. Let my commander know, contacted the unit and made sure it was OK, etc. All the usual.
Funny story: My inlaws wintered on the west coast of Florida in Pascoe County. We would go there for holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter... basically any time it was cold here in the GWN, I was OK to take a week in the warmth)
Every year we went down, I would reach out to the local sq. IIRC, it was the squadron in/around Lutz, FL, but its been 20 years so I don't precisely remember which unit. It seems to me that the units in that area have changed and none of the unit names seem familar so that sq may no longer exist.
The first time, it was Thanksgiving week, so yeah, they were not holding a meeting. Bummer.
The next time we were headed down the 17th of December till after New Years. No reply to my email. Huh. This was the pattern thereinafter: I'd call the unit commander, leave a message, no reply. I'd email. No reply.
I finally gave up visiting a unit while on vacation there.
Quote from: GroundHawg on January 24, 2025, 08:05:44 PMI travel quite a bit for work and am curious about the etiquette of visiting squadrons meetings while on the road?
As mentioned by others, get in touch with the unit your visiting a week or two out and let your own chain of command know. I've done this myself and have had others visit my squadron, it's never been a problem, but sometimes there are local procedures for accessing a meeting location or the meeting has been cancelled for that week, so it's always good to get in touch.
QuoteBut is this frowned upon?
In general, no. Cross-talk and the sharing of ideas and best practices should always be encouraged.
QuoteWould anyone from my home squadron/group/state potentially get butthurt about me visiting other units?
Not knowing your local chain of command, we can't say. While I would never have any problem with members from other squadrons/groups/wings coming to visit our unit while they are traveling, I have heard rumors of some commanders coming off the top rail because of it. Whether these rumors are true or not, I don't know; but in every case that I've heard, it was generally a commander who was a control-freak and didn't like anyone doing anything without their expressed permission (even when such requirement for permission is a pure fantasy).
So in short, be courteous, but go forth and steal all the knowledge you can to bring back to your home unit.
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on January 25, 2025, 08:20:31 PMI have visited several squadrons while traveling for work. I always reach out in advance (a week or two of my anticipated trip) and let them know that I'm in the area and would like to visit.
If the squadron doesn't respond, then I don't visit.
Yeah, same here. I have visited several units over the years, and have been mostly welcomed. Due to circumstances, I hit a couple unannounced, but had no issues. This was back in the '70s, when contact info was much harder to get.
The units I didn't get a warm fuzzy from were both in the SF Bay area, when I was shopping squadrons after returning from Japan when I left the Navy. I showed up with my new, freshly grown and well groomed beard, and pretty much got the stink-eye from both units. That said, i've been with CAWG for 25+ years, and haven't gotten any grief over the beard this time.