So, we move into the second decade of the 21st Century and CAP has to adapt to the working enviroment thereof. This brings up two things that have been glanced on in other threads, 1) Interoperability with Sister Organziations and 2) the behavior of CAP Officers in that situation.
As to the prior, New adoption of NIMS should greatly help with interoperability. There are those that would fight this saying CAP should only work with CAP resources. I imagine that there are some issue involving insurance and the like. It should be pointed out that many RED CROSS chapters often seek CAP assistance, cadets to bag food or distribute storm relief; but that CAP units cannot (will not) respond because they would not be under direct CAP control...i.e. they are working as part of an combined effort.
Interoperability, my friends, is something that needs "work" among all the SAR organizations. There should be a world where CAP can supplement and be supplemented by other resources with much more ease. The Incident Command System is supposed to allow that. But most Organziation choose to operate in a "closed" system. In CAP, even inter-Wing cooperation needs development. To those ends, units should take steps in their area to be able to operate "alone" as much as possible, however, with protocols that allow the unit to be part of any greater effort."
I solicit opinions of this...should there be protocols that would allow CAP Officers and Cadets to be activited for such calls? Not just from the RED CROSS, but from Local Government. Is there room for Interoperability with organizations on a larger scale or should CAP only work within its own structure (basically a "parallel" versus "series" deployment.
Many believe that the real issue therein is exactally what the latter describes. There are those, as with all organizations, that extend their arrogance beyond the scope of their authority. The concept therein discussed, curmudgeonous ICs and ascerbic CAP Officers, is something that needs to be addressed. Any organziation that does not use "kid gloves" and/or treat its peer/mutual aid organizations respectfully, creates the preception of vainglorious arrogance.
As can be evidenced by the posting at various CAP forums, and I have conducted several tests in recent weeks to see if this is so, CAP Officers can, at times, behave in manner less than gentile.
My questions are thus... Do the actions of our people reflect CAP as a friendly organization? Should anything be done to provide training to those that would work as links to other organizations? Is this even an issue?
In about 3 weeks we'll have a combined SAREX with the Colorado and Wyoming Wings. This will be an Air Force guided exercise. I'm crewed with a great pilot and scanner on many missions. It's 3 full days of flying. I suppose at least 2 missions per day for my crew plus handling some Mission Base assignments when we are not flying. So I'll know more when this exercise is done. I think we're ready. Rocky Mountain Region has come through with training money and we've had some Group SAREXs for practice. I'll let you know. Myself and the other crew members are meeting this weekend to make sure our next training flight on Monday is stellar.
Interoperability is the key to our future. Simply stated -- if you can work with everybody -- we'll work. If we can't we'll be bled to death with smaller funding or elimination. I don't care what customer we have. The customer is right and we've got to prove ourselves on every mission (I'm not talking safety - we know our planes, terrain, and weather) BUT we've got to be flexible, committed, adroit, and ready to work through any problems.
Being competent and professional means being polite too boot. We are a national resource and asset. We are worker bees. We aren't in charge of much. Let's keep it ready, tight, skilled, and "working well with others" and we'll get good missons. Surly, mean, show-offs, bad attitudes, reckless behavior, lack of performance, and smugness are not going anywhere.
Quote from: Smithsonia on August 02, 2008, 06:28:47 PMSurly, mean, show-offs, bad attitudes, reckless behavior, lack of performance, and smugness are not going anywhere.
Indeed
I've been to the Pentagon a couple of times. I'm not doing anything but attending some meeting with a contractor. I am NOT anybody that needs impressing. I've been waited on by Generals. "How do you like your coffee, sir?".. when spoken by a General can make your A-Game up up a notch. I've been escorted to the bathroom by a Major who just got back from combat and was a War Hero. I felt like a VIP with every possible courtesy a matter of routine. I wasn't allowed to review the troops. I wasn't a VIP, but I was treated just like one.
People in charge don't need to yell a lot. People in authority can just be orderly and mannered. Everybody around them knows what to do and when to do it. Nobody moves too fast. Everybody is calm. Medium smooth works as a pace of activity. No messing around. Not casual, but smooth.
Flinching and eyeballing, brusk hand gestures and mean stares, are not the Pentagon style. Medium smooth seems to be the order of the day. Great courtesy and difference is the coin of the realm. Of course, I'm sure the after action debriefs can have a bit more tension. BUT, in the moment of the presentation... when expectations are the highest and sweat is pouring on the inside of your shoes, calm is the outside. Train yourself.
Train your people to respond to your commands without sounding like you're barking. Practice it. Be more military. Maybe some General making sure your coffee is just right is example enough... to be better as a CAP Officer.
Undersell and overdeliver.
Even before that - don't promise what you can not consistantly deliver.