Should CAP consider opening up Emergency Service Academies (modeled on NESA) in every Region?
I can't help but thing that having several smaller academies would allow more time for individual instruction as well as making attendance a little easier for those far from Indiana.
As getting the staff to hold a full NESA-like academy allowing for training in base, air, and ground tasks all at the same location at the time, perhaps have 3 or 4 Air SAR Academies, 3 or 4 Ground Team Academies, and 3 or 4 Mission Base Academies scattered throughout the country.
This is being looked at. One of the issues that would need to be resolved, is ensuring that all academies are training to the same standard.
Not only is it being considered; our Vangard "commissions" are to be used to fund them.
Quote from: Who_knows? on January 23, 2010, 12:47:17 AM
This is being looked at. One of the issues that would need to be resolved, is ensuring that all academies are training to the same standard.
Well, since we all have the same SQTRs it shouldn't be an issue... though our history with a NCSA to remain un-named may suggest that this is something to worry about...
I have thought exactly the same as River on this matter and have written the same here. CERT pays for a CERTain number to be trained every year. Where possible that money could be spent on CAP to do CERT training. There are various other funds which CAP could draw in if we institutionalized our training.
The Coast Guard does the same and eventually got credentialing authority over thousands of programs and hundreds of items. It is the way to go.
I think coming up with funding to send people to such training for free would be a much bigger and separate issue.
I think regional Emergency Service Academies are a great idea.
I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.
So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.
Quote from: lordmonar on January 23, 2010, 02:08:41 AM
I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.
So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.
100% agree. Great thought.
assuming the un-named NCSA is HMRS...thats really a non-starter; GTM SQTR tasks are trained and tested using the same standards as everything else, they just add in their own Ranger specific tasks.
This same issues was actually discussed a few years ago (under Pineda)...Regional schools that would teach the basic "Ranger" school (similar to what Florida does) then students wishing advanced qualification would come to PA for it. PA would train the would be staff at either HMRS or as a traveling program, then likely assist with the first year school; then be let loose.
mk
Quote from: RiverAux on January 23, 2010, 02:22:32 AM
Quote from: lordmonar on January 23, 2010, 02:08:41 AM
I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.
So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.
100% agree. Great thought.
OMG was that one of the four horsemen riding by just a second ago? >:D
Florida Wing does NOT have a 'Ranger' Program any more....
Quote from: CommGeek on January 23, 2010, 03:44:50 AM
Florida Wing does NOT have a 'Ranger' Program any more....
When did the Glades school shut down?
For a while...Im sure they are still training , But the 'Rangers' in FL are no more....
We're not discussing Ranger schools, we're talking about schools that would be teaching only our standard mission curriculum.
Roger that. FL will more than likely be a regional school. Next Summer we will bring back AGOS, or Air Ground Operations School...Basically NESA for florida.
Academies and Credentialing have made Wild Land Fire, American Peace Officers, Coast Guard, Department of Justice Center for Standards and Practices, FCC, FAA, NRA, FDA, AMA, Red Cross, American Bureau of Standards, etc. THE Gold Standards, of standards.
If CAP wanted to have a long life without the Air Force pulling money, the government debating our relevance, the states cutting funding, and the world unsure what we do... run the darn credentialing program for AirBorne SAR, CERT Trainer Certification, interdisciplinary SAR, SAR Dog Certification, and ICS courses too... throughout the US. Run an Academy that sets standards and does real world field testing. A CAP approval stamping everything from GPS's to radios, from flight gear to SAR techniques and your funding is outside of the government control and debate, more or less. AND, if you are really good and if some one doesn't get CAPs approval jail and fines can be imposed... then you can run your piece of the planet like a god. Heck if Blackwater can train black ops boys from scratch beginning in 1998, then CAP can get this going in 10 years too.
For instance the American Medical Association Licensing Arms tests every hospital, all medical schools, every piece of medical equipment, waste disposal and treatment, licensing of nurses, barbers, and cosmetologists. It certifies procedures, drugs, stethoscopes, rubber loves, and medical tape... Sometimes directly and sometimes through control of State Medical and Licensing Boards.
The trick is to become the gold standard barer, the best of the best. In this we are talking paid positions and getting some scientists, engineers, professional teachers/trainers, and some real deal first rate governance. Run the shop like a business and you can make CAP live, grow, prosper, We don't need more parochial MOUs, we need a national plan, a national mission, a national vision and Gold Standard scope. I know this is a plan frought with many milestones but others have paved the way. Others have taken their little local or regional societies national...
Another thing to consider - If you don't do it, others will, and you will answer to them.
....Strangely enough at the time of the discussion, the "regional" school want going to be in Florida anyway....Georgia actually.
Anyone can set up an run a GSAR school. It doesnt have to be a NESA or HMRS sub school. The curriculum is CAP wide, the same standard teaching and testing materials. When I was in TXWG we set up our own school (which still goes open today more or less as designed) and we had NHQ approval as equivilent to NESA/GSAR basic and advanced including approval for award of GTM and GTL badges for course completion. Not to piggy back on another thread but we also taught to NASAR testing standard; the basic school completed SARTECH III at the end and the advanced school tested SARTECH II.
mk
PAWG is doing their second annual week-long MAS this year.
The key here, of course, is that it is a week-long full immersion MAS.
At Willow Grove NAS.
NESA MAS in Indiana is more than supportive. In fact, NESA is proud of the fact that most of the instructors at the PA MAS are graduates and former instructor pilots at NESA MAS. Some of the PAWG MAS instructor pilots instructed at NESA MAS for 8 years.
PAWG MAS this year will operate with 5 mission aircrews (MP and MO) from PA, and 1 mission aircrew slot open to each wing in NER (NY, NJ, MA, VT, NH, ME, RI, CT) and also from adjoining wings (DE, MD, OH).
Quote from: lordmonar on January 23, 2010, 02:08:41 AM
I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.
So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.
A Top Gun MAS is being planned to be located in FL.
In February. Was hoped for this year, but getting it started takes time to sort out all the details, and still send out notices inviting applicants nationwide. February timing will be like Sun and Fun in Lakeland is to AirVenture at OSH.
Patrick AFB.
Who is hosting this 'Top Gun" school in FL?
Quote from: CommGeek on January 23, 2010, 04:19:55 PM
Who is hosting this 'Top Gun" school in FL?
Send me a PM.
Quote from: Who_knows? on January 23, 2010, 12:47:17 AM
This is being looked at. One of the issues that would need to be resolved, is ensuring that all academies are training to the same standard.
Gee, I always thought that ALL of our ES training could be successfully completed at the squadron level with assistance from groups (where applicable) and the applicable wing. Generally "volunteers" (such as fire departments, CERT etc), get their training in their communities, or perhaps an area training facility, generally within 1 hour or less drive time for the volunteer. Most of this training is done week nights or on weekends.
Surely, a regional type "advanced" training capability would reduce the travel & expense. HOWEVER, most senior members can't afford to take off much time during the week to go to training.
CAP tends to go overboard with fixed hours training attendance requirements (versus just self study & demonstration that you have the skills), and hopefully we won't see a requirement for mandatory attendance at some sort of regional training.
Maybe a better approach should be to look at how local training (squadron/group level) can be enhanced?
RM
yeah....not too keen on the idea of "regional training centers" myself. If we need them then get an MOU from DOD to use military installations. CAP Corporate need not own anymore stuff.
I don't see how having regional academies invalidates the ability of squadrons to train folks. If anything it will enhance it. Not all squadrons have folks current and qualified in all ES specialties and are incapable of conducting all training on their own. Such regional academies offer their members a chance to go get trained in stuff that is not currently available locally and afterwards they will be able to pass that knowledge along at the local level. As it is now, they have to hope they can convince some other unit to train their folks.
And realistically, doing the training all at once rather than spreading it out over months or even years in some cases, is much more effective. I know that when I was recently presented the choice of getting some non-CAP related training that could either be done all in one week or spread out over several nights a week for two months, I took the week. Of course not everyone is going to have the option to take off a week for an emergency service academy, but it will give them another option.
Academies? Think small and grow them up. Run it like a one week region staff college with 1 week courses and train up the senior wing/region/national staffs - DOs, Comms, LOs, ES Officers, PIO/PAO, COSs, PDOs, Finance, Inspector Generals, Stan Evals, GSAR, Disaster Relief, then grow it to accommodate deeper subjects. Get into the field. Train subjects from medical triage and evacuation, to ARES level large Comm liaison and set ups, to full multi day 15 plane SARs with full GT coordination.
Do 2-3 days of classes and 4 days in the field exercises (with instructors practicing mentorship along side of the students), develop table tops and instructional aids for the squadrons/ groups.
Then in a few years of shake out, hire professionals that are leaving the services: former FEMA employees, State disaster directors, etc... and go semi pro... meaning integration of the volunteer Patrol with the sophisticated applications of the best training the government has. Let a former FEMA Director, CAP-USAF General, or retired 4 star run the thing and grow it up. Do more with a little, then go for top down first rate training, and include the volunteer cadre as fast as you can.
Don't think it can be done? Here's an outsourced Air Force for profit Flight Academy in Pueblo Colorado.
http://www.baseops.net/militarypilot/usaf_ift.html
Make the Academy the best it can be. Then train the graduates higher standards. The and only then go all professional training at the academies, train the trainers, and send them to the squadron level (volunteers).
Inside this academy, develop standards that are the best practices. Draw from the community of scientists and engineers of NASA, Military, FEMA, DOD(Darpa) Give duty assignments to people who've recently returned from Afghanistan or Haiti and would like a break for a year or two. That way CAP can get some Dollar a year people with lots of real work experience... actually we already get a bunch of highly trained professionals for free, but we need to organize them.
Put the academy in the center of the country (so it is convenient travel) and grow it up through vision, enterprise, and sweat.
Take over some of the mom and pop training from various groups like SAR Dog, RACE/ARES, mid to small town county/city Disaster managers, etc. Rotate students on a progressions of one week at a time... so that most items are taught in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 progressive levels. One week gets you to level one. Two weeks goes to level 2, etc. That way student can some in for 1 week a year and reach level 5 over a 5 year span (OR) go 4 to 5 weeks in a row and finish the course in a month to 6 weeks. This way we could accommodate both retirees with lots of time or the fully otherwise employed members of CAP.
Teach subjects which are analogous but different from standard CAP so we get liaison associations as a side benefit.
Start with 20 subjects and 4 to 5 levels in one location, then expand as the need grows. Certify students, track their successes and failures, rewrite the courses over a 5 year period. Prove we can do it. Then expand it from one national site to various regional sites in the following 5 years.
There's the 10 year plan. I nominate Colorado as the first site for the CAP Service Academy. But then, I am in Colorado.
Regional academies are a way for wings with stronger ES programs help wings with some weknesses bring their mission training up to speed...one of the evident problems in some wings is not lack of willingness to do the ES mission, but rather lack of hjghly qualified trainers.
So, best case scenario, a wing's ES leadership takes the region level training, brings it back home, down to squadron level.
IMO, the best case would be NESA trains the cadre for the regional school and maintains a presence to ensure that the courses are taught to standard. Otherwise, we'll just water it down with personal techniques rather than a single standard.
Gunner;
^^^^
Regarding the syllabus and where the information comes from. Being that it is an "academy" by the book training to standards is important.
However, inside CAP is a vast array of tribal knowledge that is known only to a limited number of squadrons, ICs, ES Teams, etc. Having an academy to vacuum up all tribal knowledge into a centralized location is one of the virtues of this concept. Meaning a library of best practices that's field tested and expands then teaches and disseminates the knowledge is very valuable.
We lose a great deal of information when an old hand dies or retires. We've lost much because it wasn't ever codified. The Army's Ft. Irwin and Marine Field Trainers satisfy this in the military. We need a similar centralized
point of reference. In fact the best ICs, field craft experts, and practitoners... should be part of teaching corps for precisely this reason. They should be a ready reference for ICs in the field experiencing thorny problems. The teaching corps should be online and on the phone regularly as they will see much from Intelligence Central otherwise known as the Academy.
CAP needs not only to train the cadre but resource and distribute all tested and qualified information in a "best practices" manner.
Middle East Region has been doing a 1 week SAR College for quite a while they bring people from all over the region and offer lots of function specific training with highly qualified instructors. Air ops has 8-10 CAP A/C (a couple from each wing) to allow folks to practice searches with airspace concerns and Flightline ops like where we were found wanting during Katrina.
I loved it and miss it now that I am not in the region anymore. It is an awsome idea, it works great for ICS training and realy makes you work with people based on Qual not local history. It does require significant region support (DCS).
V/R
LT J.