Hello all. I was a cadet from 2002 until 2005, when I let my membership end before my 18th birthday, as I didn't want to deal with the headache of CPPT and all that jazz since I would be moving away to college. I knew that with college I would be way too busy to progress in the cadet program and I wouldn't have the means to find a squadron in my city that was nearby my school.
Now I am 22, and taking a break from school and working full time. I have wanted to join CAP as a Senior Member now for a little while, and get into the ES and SAR type things. I am an amateur radio operator, and a certified storm spotter for the NWS, so I feel I could help out in some of that stuff, plus I didn't have the best cadet experiences, and I would like to give back and help with cadet programs as well.
At any rate, when I do find a squadron around here and sign all of my paperwork, what happens? Can I request my old CAPSN (which I still know by heart) be re-activated? It is still registered to me on the CAP e-Services site, I just can't log in because I'm not a member. Also, do any of my achievements still count? I earned up to the Doolittle Achievement, and earned both Red Service and Encampment ribbons. Or do I have to restart as a completely new person?
Thanks
I had a similar experience as you, but not identical; let me try to answer as much as I can.
You would have to join as a plain old SM just like anyone who had never joined CAP before. You'll go through the fingerprinting, CPPT, and all the Level 1 stuff.
I don't know if you can get your old CAPSN back as we were using SSN when I was a Cadet.
Any achievement that you can PROVE still counts. If you can get your old file, or have copies, you'll want them. If you can demonstrate to the personnel folks at National that you achieved something, you will get credit for it; I don't know of any exceptions to this. I was able to get credit for my Cadet encampment by showing a copy of the roster for that Encampment that I found on the Internet 25 years after the fact. I was able to get my Red Service credit from my Cadet days by showing newspaper clippings of articles about my Squadron that demonstrated that I was a member during years x through at least y. Didn't get my ROP converted to an ROA (couldn't prove that one at all), but as a ham myself I just went through BCUT and ACUT real quick.
As a ham there is a LOT you can contribute. Besides a lot of experimental and practical work in UDF, I also developed and taught a class that I call "Beyond ACUT" that goes into the more Macguyver aspects of keeping a station on the air such as emergency power, building antennas, etc.. It's essentially the material that I wish was required of a Comm Unit Leader but isn't.
Since CAP radios are hard to come by these days, and darn near impossible for a Cadet to get one, I encourage CAP members interested in Comms to become hams. This way, they can get inexpensive equipment that they can use without the restrictions of CAP comms. More operating, even as a ham, makes for a better CAP radio operator. Plus, they can experiment with different antennas and they will have lots of mentors/elmers waiting in the wings -- who might then want to join CAP. Win-win.
Welcome back!
If you sign up again, you will most likely be issued your old CAP ID.
As a general rule, once you earn an award, it's still good. Sometimes the documentation is an issue.
I had a member come back after a few years, and his records were intact at NHQ.
every thing listed would transfer directly. And because we are talking about less than 10 years there is a very high probability that you will only have to prove the doolittle. At that time it wasn't tracked by NHQ so you will need documentation to that effect.
At this point you would be eligible for red service, encampment, doolittle, and shortly after joining membership ribbons.
Good luck.
Once I become a Senior, should I try contacting someone at my last squadron to see if they still have my file? I had a slight oversight and never filled out a 2b for the request of my file. I filled one out when I transferred squadrons and hand delivered my file to the new squadron, but never made a copy of my records.
If red service is an issue (which it doesn't seem to be) can I send NHQ copies of my membership cards? Somehow I know where my membership cards are, but not my Encampment certificate or my Wright Award... Odd... ???
You should absolutely contact the last unit of assignment for your records.
Assuming they are doing things correctly they are required to hold records for 5 years after date of transfer or membership expiration
Do I have to be a current CAP member to obtain the records?
Yep.
They may give you copies though.
Quote from: kd8gua on October 23, 2009, 08:26:36 PM
Do I have to be a current CAP member to obtain the records?
No, but your membership status at the time of separation will determine if you are allowed the originals as a non-member. In limited circumstances you are allowed copies only. See CAPR 39-2 SEC. B 1-8. for further details.
Quote from: IceNine on October 23, 2009, 08:29:29 PM
Yep.
They may give you copies though.
CAPR 39-2 SEC. B 1-8. spells it out in minute detail. Suggest you review it.
Excellent, thank you for pointing me to the right place. It's been a while since I've had a look at any of the Regs.
CAPID - you'll keep the same one.
Red service - that's approved locally, so no need to send proof to NHQ. Showing the local folks is sufficient.
As noted above, all the stuff appearing on eServices will cross over.
I went through this a while back, and I just went through my "archives" at home and retrieved anything that CAP and my name on it. I still have a gap or two in my history, but I've got it as close as I can for the moment.
Quote from: MIKE on October 23, 2009, 08:30:53 PM
Quote from: kd8gua on October 23, 2009, 08:26:36 PM
Do I have to be a current CAP member to obtain the records?
No, but your membership status at the time of separation will determine if you are allowed the originals as a non-member. In limited circumstances you are allowed copies only. See CAPR 39-2 SEC. B 1-8. for further details.
Quote from: IceNine on October 23, 2009, 08:29:29 PM
Yep.
They may give you copies though.
CAPR 39-2 SEC. B 1-8. spells it out in minute detail. Suggest you review it.
Which is exactly what I said without as many words.
Yep- AKA To get originals/hand carry you need to be a member.
They may give you copies- To get copies ask.
Thanks for clearing up my ignorant understanding, that was a close one.
I would suggest attaching a memo with your old CAPSN on it to make it easier for NHQ to find you, rather than expecting a "oh, he used to be a member" moment by accident.
As to the records, depending on when in 2005 you quit, the clock is ticking - retention is 5 years on former members, and disposing of them timely is something I harp on my own people about.
To make things easier on everyone, including you, I'd suggest contacting your old unit ASAP and telling them you intend to rejoin and to not dispose of your records. At least they won't be able to say you didn't notify them.
Quote from: Eclipse on October 23, 2009, 08:58:58 PM
I would suggest attaching a memo with your old CAPSN on it to make it easier for NHQ to find you, rather than expecting a "oh, he used to be a member" moment by accident.
The SSAN is on the app, and is the key field in the database. I've sent in a couple of rejoins, w/o the olde CAPID, and they popped right up.
Also, remember that there's a place on the app for prior membership info, including CAPID. That's where to submit it, if it's available.
Quote from: IceNine on October 23, 2009, 08:56:11 PM
Yep- AKA To get originals/hand carry you need to be a member.
Incorrect.
KD8GUA,
According to your profile, the nearest squadron to you would be OH-236 at the Burke Lakefront Airport. They meet Monday evenings from 1900 - 2100. They also have an alternate meeting location, but I'll let you contact the CC to get more information.
Actually... I no longer live in Cleveland. I am a Columbus, OH resident now. From what I see, it's a toss up between the Rickenbacker Composite Squadron OH-115, and the Rickenbacker ANGB Squadron OH-210.
well, I was in the same boat as you were except i parted ways in 2003 and came back this year.
At national they picked up my old Cap ID and pretty much my whole cadet record was reinstated.
Being that i earned my Earhart , my commander put me in for my 1Lt. and my technician rating in Cadet programs.
Other than that, I showed him my previous awards , and now i wear the authorized ones that i can wear as a senior member.
I will state that the conversion from cadet to senior member can be daunting. But the darkside ain't that bad.
So far I've enjoyed being a senior member, plus I get to fly CAP aircraft and actually use those skills to get involved in actual missions :).
I had a 17-year break in senior membership before rejoining in 2005. Still had my original Mitchell and Earhart certificates from my days WIWAC but unfortunately my personnel records were destroyed once the five-year mark after my membership lapsed hit. I was still able to get my grade reinstated through my Earhart, but practically all of my senior PD had to be started over. Some other early cadet records (mainly Unit Citation Award documentation) was reconstructed by some members who had copies of orders and historical photographs (the few I have).
But I'm well on my way to finishing up Level V - need to be staff at an RSC and attend NSC; everything else is completed. Don't pin on Major until July 2010.