ELT Find Criteria

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

You may already be aware of this, but Unit CC's do not have command authority during ES situations beyond authorizing your participation.  They can tell you to go home if you are in their unit, and have to OK you being there, but they do not direct operations or actions unless they have ES qualifications outside the command badge, and even then they need higher HQ approval to start doing anything.

Squadron CC approval for qualified ES people to participate in SAREXs or missions may vary from wing to wing. However once they sign into a mission release is the IC's call.

[Short Field]

Squadron CC approval for qualified ES people to participate in SAREXs or missions may vary from wing to wing. However once they sign into a mission release is the IC's call.

How do the Squadron CCs authorize participation?  Verbal, CAP Fm 17, or by exception?  Which Wings do this?  Why would a qualified ES member need his squadron CC to approve participation in a mission?  I just don't see any justification for it outside of extreme micromanagement and tin god syndrome.

If a Squadron CC wants to suspend a member's ES achievements, that is perfectly fine.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

Squadron CC approval for qualified ES people to participate in SAREXs or missions may vary from wing to wing. However once they sign into a mission release is the IC's call.

How do the Squadron CCs authorize participation?  Verbal, CAP Fm 17, or by exception?  Which Wings do this?  Why would a qualified ES member need his squadron CC to approve participation in a mission?  I just don't see any justification for it outside of extreme micromanagement and tin god syndrome.

If a Squadron CC wants to suspend a member's ES achievements, that is perfectly fine.

I was giving the benefit of the doubt that it happens in some wings. I've always considered any ES resources in the wing available to me as an IC.

[wuzafuzz]

Solarpilot: 

First, congrats on your efforts to help the folks you stumbled upon.  Many of us are here to help people and you got to do exactly that.

Second, I recently learned a find is only awarded if there is an actual mission number, and T missions don't count.  I found that out the fun way, when my ground team was dispatched on an actual ELT while we were out on a SAREX.  We drove about 40 miles and found the ELT in an airplane junkyard we didn't know existed, near an airport.  But...the ELT report wasn't routed through AFRCC and the incident staff didn't call them.  No M mission number.  No find credit.  A pile of disappointed cadets.  I did hear they may have worked something out for the cadets, so as not to demotivate them.  No such luck for me...plus I got stiffed for about $60 gas in the CAP van that day (still chasing that down).  I didn't join CAP to earn find ribbons (found tons of ELT's when I worked for an airport), but add that to the financial bite and it's a bit discouraging.

Anyway, kudos for helping.   :clap:

[a2capt]

That van gas should still be on the training mission funding though.

..and that scenario is much better than any faked up scenario the SAREX people can cook up. ;-)

[wuzafuzz]

That van gas should still be on the training mission funding though.

..and that scenario is much better than any faked up scenario the SAREX people can cook up. ;-)

True on both counts!