Ok Im going through two big shifts right now and I dont know how to deal with them.
At work my schedule is being tweaked with to the point that I may end up appearing late at CAP meetings or missing some entirely.
Thats bad enough.
The other thing is that the Commander at my Squadron just turned in his membership card for exactly the same reason. (Although he has a differant job)
I am the only person at my unit qualified to take the lead spot. I offered to do so, this week to keep the squadron from folding, however I have my hands full as it is with the PD/Seniors and no experience working with the cadets (my experience is solely Senior based and personnel/admin dispite being a former cadet) and cadets are what the /CC has focused on.
(Lead lab, moral leadership, Pt... really the whole cadet program)
Furthermore I am currently the TCO and Finance Officer. I cant do those as/CC.
I have one former NCO turned CAP Capt I can count on, but his experience with cadets is somewhat limited. (Has stated he does NOT want anything to do with command) Likewise our AEO who does not yet have his tech rating. The other seniors are either to green or do not attend regularly enough to be trusted with a staff job at the squadron. In addition we have 10 cadets, half of whom are regularly active.
Not sure how to proceed, although I expect I can count on group for support.
I'll have to learn all the computer programs - wmu, sims, E-services etc and get some crash refresher time in cadets.
Any suggestions about this, or in being a new /CC in general
::)
Sounds like a tough gig given the job issue.
You're biggest problem seems to be numbers. You got five active cadets, one squared away adult, one other in training & some raw recruits - green whatever you called them.
Sounds to me like priority one is self-assessment & recruiting your heart out.
You can pick a couple green adults & build them into cadet programs officers as you're building the program up. I'd go back to that outgoing commander & ask him if he'd mind working with your two victims soon-to-be CP officers, offline or otherwise. I'd also ask him to go patron rather than flat drop the membership. Regardless if that works or not, get them also hooked in with some leading cadet programs officers within the area/wing. They need quality experienced mentors. Really they need a diversity of styled CP officers to find their own balance/style and to learn how to be adaptable to what the situation demands.
Your NCO/Capt might need to help consult with some aspects of that program till you can get it off the ground. If he wants the lead CP job, I'd give it to him. But I'd probably rather have him take over your DCS/PD job and just consult the trainee on CP.
Meanwhile you need to develop that adult side also. You can't survive long running the show alone. You need those green members turned into staff officers. I'd like the NCO/Capt in this role. As an NCO he's had to develop young officers thru mentorship & guidance. That's what he needs to do with these newer adults & get them up to speed. You probably need to recruit some more adults. You'll pick up more as you add cadets, but in this situation you got a blank staff board. It might be good to target recruit adults for specific jobs. You need a comm officer, go to some comm orgs around the area & talk to them about CAP. You need a PAO, look in marketing, etc. You can build a real good foundation that way.
As for the rest, don't sweat it too much. Thing will work out. You just need to break it down. Set your quarterly & yearly goals for each area of the program & the overview, then break them down into accomplishable baby steps & divy it out. Let the team become a team first of all, and then help them to take ownership of the plan going forward. If they feel like they are contributing in a meaningful way, then you'll get plenty out of them. All you have to do then is expose new people to that energy & you'll get the Sq you need to function. Other then that, just keep your boss in the loop, make sure they understand you're rebuilding, will need some slack/help to make things happen, and really appreciate their help in assuring this Sq will be successful in the future.
One thing that you might consider is changing the meeting day or time. Although not a fix for all the issues, you've got few enough members that you can probably find a time that would still be convenient for everybody and this might solve some of your attendence problems.
DNALL is right about trying to get the former commander to maintain his membership. Heck, even if he can only make it once a month, he can still be a big help to the unit.
Even with the small staff, you have as many active seniors involved as I've seen in most cadet units, so you should be able to get by. Now, if you're a composite squadron with a plane, you've got a major problem on your hands.
While I'm not in favor of making staff officers of people who just joined CAP, you can still ask them to take on a few of the more basic tasks associated with some of the "easier" positions. Take a look at all the reports that you are required to make and see if any of the newer folks might be able to do some of them.
You are in exactly the same boat I am. I became the Sq Commander and my work schedule changed to where I had to work on meeting nights. I was able to keep the cadet meetings on the same night, but had to change the senior meetings to one Sat per month.
I spend a lot of time on the cell phone with my Deputy and DCC. Since everything in CAP is just about done online now, that makes it easy. Rarely does anything have to have an original signature on it anymore as long as it is forwarded from your email address that is on record.
Get all of your people together and explain to them that some things are going to be rough for a while, but you will make it if people pull together. You may loose a few or gain a few in the mean time, but if you can at least keep the boat from sinking during this time, hopefully someone will come along and take over CC full time if you dont want it.
Yes, I'd try to keep your former /cc around to help as much as possible.
I wouldn't recruit just yet; unless it's from another squadron with some "excess talent".
I agree totally with Flying Pig. I was also in the same boat. My squadron had 2 seniors and 10 cadets when I became cc. We changed the meeting night and with a little work and luck, I ended my tenure with 60 cadets and 22 seniors.
The fact of the matter is that there is a 80-90% chance I will soon be working a rotating shift 24 hrs on 48 off
I am going to miss meetings and there is no question about that.
As for recruiting- The numbers we have now are the result of a long arduous recruiting effort. -- When I turned Senior and became a flight officer there was 1 other Senior and 21 cadets. All our older cadets graduated, and due to a change several years ago by the IL dept of Education we can no longer recruit cadets at school. Because of this the local JROTCs are grabbing our kids.
It was a HUGE struggle to locate the seniors I have now. Beyond that, with the work schedule I will not I will have zero time for recruitung efforts personally.
We are in a fairly rural area and the nearest squadron to us is over an hour away.
Im going to rely heavily on my Capt and my 2nd Lt AEO to hopefully chop the cadet program up to something managable.
Being a former cadet the only aspect of their training that Im worried about is moral leadership. Ive got zero uh... ideas on how to conduct that particular item.
To tell the truth I cant even locate the MLO supplies at my squadron.
CAPP 265-2 (http://level2.cap.gov/documents/u_082503085345.pdf)
Thanks Mike.
Can anyone give me some tips on using the computer systems? SIMS etc...
I do have some ideas for you on the computer systems. Normally I am a huge advocate of using SIMS, but there is a learning curve there. It takes some doing and occasionally people seem to have database issues with it that makes them frustrated. I am heading to my remote flight next week to fix their SIMS. Just a thought to get started with an easier to use system, maybe you could try using the new Cadet Progression module in eServices first. Use the "admin" section to get started. From there, just enter details as the cadets get promoted. There is a good tutorial on it.
In eServices, there are also some good reports under the commander's corner as well. Those will help you track a lot of things. From there, it is on to operations qualifications. You can do all of your ES stuff in there. it has a good manual and is easy to learn. You will mostly use the 101 card table and SQTR entry tab. Don't use the single person entry selection unless you are processing renewals.
That should get you started. Another thing that may also help is see if there is a SQ/CC in another unit willing to be your mentor. Maybe you can e-mail questions to him/her and get answers. That is what I am doing with a flight I run in another location. We are getting them ready for their charter.
Where exactly is the Commanders Corner located?
Quote from: SAR-EMT1 on April 29, 2008, 03:11:44 AM
Where exactly is the Commanders Corner located?
Go to e-services (http://www.capnhq.gov), log in and you'll find the link on the right side menu of the homepage under "restricted applications" Only commanders will have this link displayed. Feel free to explore within this application as you're the only one in the unit who has access to it - if you're assigned within the unit as the commander.
I am not sure if this will help or not, but I wrote this up for my Flight Commander who is getting people UDF and GTM3 qualified. I thought I would share it:
1. Enter the Curry Achievement in Cadet Promotions.
A. This is done by clicking on the cadet promotions module on the right hand of your screen in eServices.
B. Once you are in the application, click on Data Entry on the left side of the screen
C. Search for the cadet by his/her CAPID or name.
D. Once it comes up, enter the data for the Curry in the fields in the window and click submit.
E. You (the commander) might need to approve the promotion
2. Go back to the main eServices window and then choose Operations Qualifications.
A. Choose Emergency Services at the top of the screen
B. Pull up the cadet by name or CAPID
C. Click on SQTR Entry
D. Under Achievement, choose GES
E. You should see both the Curry and CAP Test 116 fields filled in with a date. *note this is if they have take GES 116*
F. Click Submit- You (the commander) will need to approve their GES
3. This step will allow them to begin training for GTM3 and UDF
A. Staying in the same screen (SQTR Entry), choose GTM3
B. Check mark the box that says GTM3 Commander approval for pre-reqs
C. Click Submit
D. Do the same for the UDF specialty track
E. This will bring in approvals for you (the commander) to approve. Once you check the approval, the cadets can begin training for UDF and GTM3 ratings. If you are up for it, do the same with MRO (mission radio operator)!!
Fam and Prep Training
While you are in the SQTR entry for GTM3, you should see the 12 items or so needed for the familiarization and preparatory section of the SQTR form. All of those items need to be completed prior to the cadets going out on a
Ground Team. There are slides and easy training for that entire section. It is about a 4 hour class. Once all of those have been completed, check the boxes for them and then click the commander approval box for Fam and
Prep. Once the commander approves, the cadets will be allowed to go out on missions.
Not sure if it helps at all, but give it a try!!
You sound like you think you have been left to flail by yourself! What is your relationship with neighboring Squadron Commanders and your superiors? I'm sure there is some other CAP talent available to help you. We're all in this together! Being new to the position, you will probably feel overwhelmed, at first. We've ALL been there!! There have been a lot of good replies made here - TALK with your senior members - explain your situation and that you need their help for you and your squadron to succeed. Have a heart-to-heart with your CAP boss, too. No Commander wants to see another fail hard. Asking for help is NOT a sign of weakness. It's a sign of a leader willing to use whatever resources available to him to succeed.
You'll have a steep learning curve. Face one fact: you WILL fail sometimes. The key is to learn from it and don't repeat the failures! You CAN do it, but you won't be able to do it all by yourself! I've seen too many in command positions try to do it all. Certain death!
You obviously care about what happens there, or you wouldn't have stepped up for the position. Focus, develop, delegate and do your best.
Oh - and one more suggestion: If you have to miss a meeting, let your staff know! The absolute fastest way for them to lose faith and respect in you is lack of communications. This can send a completely unintentional message that you do not respect them or care what happens. Commander = Communicate, communicate, communicate, then communicate some more.
I echo oneofmany's comments -- especially requesting assistance from your Group Commander and the Group Staff.
Dr. Dave
Group staff knows whats going on.
As for the getting help from local units, the nearest unit to me is a good hour off and there is no dialog present whatsoever because it is a flight assigned to my squadron and they are having problems worse then me. The nearest squadron that is fully functional is more alot farther off. Again no current dialog.
On a positive note, I am meeting with the former /CC to learn SIMS and the CC/Corner this week. Which is a good thing because i have a few cadet leadership tests, a PFT and several weeks of attendence sign-in forms to enter to the database.
Quote from: SAR-EMT1 on May 12, 2008, 04:48:44 AMAs for the getting help from local units, the nearest unit to me is a good hour off and there is no dialog present whatsoever because it is a flight assigned to my squadron and they are having problems worse then me. The nearest squadron that is fully functional is more alot farther off. Again no current dialog.
Umm.... ???
Sorry, let me rephrase.
There is no hope at getting advice or manpower from the flight. They are in worse shape then we are. Further, their meeting schedule is/was kind of screwy and as such I have yet to personally meet anyone assigned to that unit. ... To be honest i dont even have paperwork on them. (which I should have, if i understand correctly.)
If you can trust your cadets they can do AE safety classes and various other things to ease the burden.
Unfortunately I don't. The oldest is 15 and a SSgt