DDR - Do's, don't, and legends...

[Eclipse]

Based on Maj. Gen. Courter's recent memorandum regarding DDR, we can expect to see a renewed emphasis and effort to
get this piece of our program rolling.

My wing has challenges in this regard that I am sure are not unique.

The only USAF base is far-removed from the major population centers, so only a few units and a small percentage of the membership
can reach for funding (the other major base, and the smaller facilities and Guard bases, don't qualify).

I personally believe that the program itself is a huge "anti-drug", and struggle as to how much more we can really do that doesn't just
bounce off glazed ears.

Should we consider this more an internal or an external program? 
To me, external makes more sense, as people not in CAP might benefit more from the message, and our ability to intersect with
local PD DARE and similar programs is easier, with the corresponding low-key recruiting as well (in fact, there's idea #1).

Looking for ideas that move beyond checking the boxes...

[jimmydeanno]

Based on Maj. Gen. Courter's recent memorandum regarding DDR, we can expect to see a renewed emphasis and effort to
get this piece of our program rolling.

My wing has challenges in this regard that I am sure are not unique.

The only USAF base is far-removed from the major population centers, so only a few units and a small percentage of the membership
can reach for funding (the other major base, and the smaller facilities and Guard bases, don't qualify).

I personally believe that the program itself is a huge "anti-drug", and struggle as to how much more we can really do that doesn't just
bounce off glazed ears.

Should we consider this more an internal or an external program? 
To me, external makes more sense, as people not in CAP might benefit more from the message, and our ability to intersect with
local PD DARE and similar programs is easier, with the corresponding low-key recruiting as well (in fact, there's idea #1).

Looking for ideas that move beyond checking the boxes...

We just do it "wrong."  The program is designed to provide alternatives to doing drugs, not just fund posters and lectures about not doing drugs.

A few years back I was a program manager for a base youth center.  Many of our summer camps, after school activities, etc were funded by DDR.  I put together one camp that was an amusement park hopping camp (Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, Laser Tag, King's Dominion, etc) that had significant funding from DDR with the rest covered by NAF funds.

The funding was approved because it gave the kids something to do other than doing drugs.  We didn't have to give speeches about not doing drugs or any of that jazz.  Just the completion of an activity was considered to have met the goal of the program.

The DDR Officer (actual paid employee) on the base was really helpful in outlining what we could and couldn't do with the money and made sure that all the paperwork was taken care of (we didn't have to fill out our own reports...)

DDR isn't a bad program.  The way we implement it is though...

[lordmonar]

What memo?

[Eclipse]

http://www.capmembers.com/file.cfm/media/blogs/documents/CAP_CC_DDR_Kickoff_Letter_07C920EE35BC1.pdf

"...CAP/CC MEMO   SUBJECT: Cadet Life & The Drug Free Ethic  18 Mar 2010
Command Intent. Mr. Don Rowland, CAP's Executive Director, and I believe there's a need to better articulate the Cadet Program's relationship to the Drug Demand Reduction effort. Over the years, a divide has needlessly separated Cadet Programs and DDR in many units. When DDR is seen as a stand-alone program cut-off from the larger cadet community, both the DDR effort and our cadet mission suffer. "Character Development" is one of the four major pillars of cadet life and we see DDR as an essential feature of character education. Like any youth organization, CAP's Cadet Program has included and always will include an anti-drug message. It is now time to create a stronger partnership between Cadet Programs and DDR so we can have an even greater effect upon cadets' lives..."

[lordmonar]

Cool....a move in the right direction

DDR is now clearly part of the cadet program (now let's get it added to 52-16) and is part of the Character Development part of CP.

We now have a mandate for an external program and a mandate to do atleast an annual wing level event.

That's cool.

Until now....there was no clear role of the DDR program in the CP.  The next step IMHO would be to fully roll the DDR into the CD/ML program and establish unit level requirements.

[Eclipse]

Until now....there was no clear role of the DDR program in the CP.  The next step IMHO would be to fully roll the DDR into the CD/ML program and establish unit level requirements.

I'd be wary of another unfunded mandate at the unit level until there is better momentum at the Wing / Region level, or the rules on proximity to USAF bases are relaxed to allow any unit with a good plan to reach for funding.

[Pylon]

Until now....there was no clear role of the DDR program in the CP.  The next step IMHO would be to fully roll the DDR into the CD/ML program and establish unit level requirements.

No thanks.  The cheesy character development scenarios we already have that smack of a DARE officers talk to 5th graders about why "drugs are bad, kids" are bad enough as it is.  Most of the CAP-provided character development scenarios get in the way of having an intellectually-challenging/rewarding ethics and morality exploration/guided discussion with the cadets.   They're below their level, cheesily pre-laced with moral lessons about drugs or doing bad things, and don't actually challenge cadets enough to build their decision-making abilities and sense of self-character.    Teenagers get it.  Especially the bright ones we already have in our program.  They've been harped on by school officials, DARE officers, and after-school specials on TV that drugs are bad since they could talk and walk.   

As was already mentioned, by virtue of being in CAP, our cadets are less likely to get into drugs and alcohol.  They're hanging out with positive peer role models, developing their character and integrity and sense of self, and less likely to be hanging with the shady kids who do drugs.  And the cadets who would choose to get into drugs would likely begin to stand out in many respects.   CAP Cadet Programs is the answer.  Not poorly-designed, wastes of moneyposters from NHQ that warn 13 year olds about crack cocaine and meth  and free lanyards and balsa airplanes with a poorly-designed DDR logo slapped on it as an after-thought. 


Jimmydeano points out that the DDR program does fund youth activities that, just by virtue of providing activities, satisfies their mission and requirements.   This DDR issue isn't a local problem, it's a National Headquarters strategy and policy problem that this memorandum has not resolved.   National should be seeking to quality DDR funds to fund cadet programs at the unit level (you know, those unfunded squadron things CAP has where we impact community teenagers through quality contact hours every single week) and allowing those funds to simply provide money for CP activities: Bivouacs, color guard, educational trips, aerospace activities, color guard, whatever.

But that's an issue that National hasn't actually worked out.  And so sending out a memo just encouraging units to "do more DDR" in an obscure and undefined way, without funding, might look really good on paper but is actually just smoke n' mirrors.  Get back to work on that one, NHQ, and let us know when DDR gets straightened out at your level.

[lordmonar]

Until now....there was no clear role of the DDR program in the CP.  The next step IMHO would be to fully roll the DDR into the CD/ML program and establish unit level requirements.

I'd be wary of another unfunded mandate at the unit level until there is better momentum at the Wing / Region level, or the rules on proximity to USAF bases are relaxed to allow any unit with a good plan to reach for funding.

BS on that.

The DDR program would be rolled into CD.....it would be part of it done in the same manner as the CD program is done.  Nothing ON TOP of what we already do.

The whole funding this is just a wash anyway....there has not been any real money in the DDR program since if first was implemented.

[RiverAux]

If we assume it makes sense to have a separate CAP DDR program (which I'm not convinced of myself), then the proposed change to put it under Cadet Programs makes a lot of administrative sense. 

As far as internal/external, I see no need to do anything extra internally beyond our existing character development program.  As has been said, the cadet program IS our DDR program.

However, I believe there may be opportunities to do DDR as an external program, which I believe is where we don't quite get the job done.  This is really a program that uses CAP to augment the existing AF DDR program (there is a thread on this particular aspect somewhere) to target teens that aren't in CAP.  However, I'm not sure we've really come up with a good program to actually implement this (at least I haven't seen one).

[lordmonar]

What Air Force DDR program?

[RiverAux]

The one referenced (and I assume exists) in CAP's DDR regulation.

[lordmonar]

The one referenced (and I assume exists) in CAP's DDR regulation.

The only DDR program I ever saw or heard about in the USAF was Random Urinalysis Testing!

In the over seas schools they used DARE....I don't know of a program aimed at off base populous here at Nellis....any other stateside AF types ever seen an USAF DDR program at their bases?

[tdepp]

Don't do drugs!