Emergency Services Qualifications -- More Participation to Retain?

[RADIOMAN015]

As we all know someone is qualified could conceivably go almost 3 years without attending ANY additional training (or actual missions) & retain their qualifications.  Also there's some members that seem to have many qualifications, many of which were obtained by minimum participation in that particular ES function.  (I've seen pilots qualified as MRO's yet, I never recall them ever being involved at mission base as an MRO for an exercise).

I know in our wing right now there's problems with MRO's and I've also seen UDF team members in the past that couldn't even remember how to change the batteries in a DF unit or even had the DF equipment on the wrong frequency.  I suspect the same situation with mission scanners, observers, and pilots (the wing has a priority for funded training of licensed pilots to be trained as mission scanners & observers, rather than others so they can become mission pilots).   As one IC recently told me upon the completion of an exercise on one aircrew "looks like they wanted to just go flying" (in the context of mission requirements & even radio comms (didn't change to the right frequency when directed)) .

Anyone dealing with other volunteer search, rescue, emergency medical, fire, etc. readily observes that each has specific training meetings/drills at least monthly that their membership is expected to attend in order to remain qualified to serve in those specific emergency functions.

Is CAP being realistic about members retaining the knowledge necessary for such a long period of time without participation?   Was a study actually done to come up with the time period of ES skills retention without practice or actual mission usage ?  Are we again as an organization more interested in showing large quantities of so called qualifed ES members, when in the the actual "quality" of this qualification is suspect
RM             

[tsrup]

This is a simple fix.

When a SAREX rolls around, start placing people based on their mission quals.

I may want to per sue and finish my MO, but since I'm the only GTL that showed up to the party, guess where I'll be.   

It's up to the IC to place essential people based on their ratings first.  After that, then its up to the people holding them to step and say they want to keep current on something.

They don't want to do the work to hold their rating, it will disappear and the problem will solve itself.

[HGjunkie]

Emoticons, emoticons everywhere.

[RADIOMAN015]

This is a simple fix.

When a SAREX rolls around, start placing people based on their mission quals.

I may want to per sue and finish my MO, but since I'm the only GTL that showed up to the party, guess where I'll be.   

It's up to the IC to place essential people based on their ratings first.  After that, then its up to the people holding them to step and say they want to keep current on something.

They don't want to do the work to hold their rating, it will disappear and the problem will solve itself.

The issue is many of them don't show up for ES exercises until they are due to expire.   So you aren't even seeing them

Also if you have someone that is a fully qualifed GTL and wants to become an aircrew member why should they be prevented from becoming a scanner/(aerial photographer) & than observer?  You just might get a better quality than a pilot just passing through to become a mission pilot.  IF that happens then many of them may just let their GTL expire so they can do the flying aspect, couldn't they?

Frankly, it seems to me that a lot of recurring proficiency training/task re-certification can be accomplished locally and doesn't necessarily need to be a full fledged SAREX.  That may very well be the actual issue that has to be addressed.   

Perhaps retention of various ES skills will vary greatly depending upon the ndividual member -- but I'd be suspect if anyone went over 1 year without using the skill.   I might add that in the past for airborne ELT proficiency I've set up the ELT simulator on the top of a vehicle right out at the squadron and also utilized the radio to talk with the observer/scanner trainees.  I have no issue with doing this close to the squadron for anyone in the wing (or even another wing) who needs that training and I've got some other locations on the military air base property that also can be used with some prior coordination. 

I think it's a great idea to review the major aspects of both ground & air crews prior to leaving mission base, e.g. radio equipment operations, airborne audio panels, df equipment, ground/air, etc, etc.
RM

[tsrup]

Also if you have someone that is a fully qualifed GTL and wants to become an aircrew member why should they be prevented from becoming a scanner/(aerial photographer) & than observer?  You just might get a better quality than a pilot just passing through to become a mission pilot.  IF that happens then many of them may just let their GTL expire so they can do the flying aspect, couldn't they?

My personal experience with this is simple.  You need a GTL to have a ground team, and at the very least be able to train someone else up on being a GTL.  It was more important for that to be accomplished than for my own personal gain.  It's part of having the qualification and the training that sometimes we have to do the job weather we want to or not.  Because sometimes it benefits something larger than one person. 

We may not like everything at all times, but its part of the program. 
And y'all thought Come And Pay meant just with money.

[arajca]

Following your idea, you end up with either the same people doing the same jobs all time, those same people letting quals lapse so they can train for something else, or they just quit coming out.

When I a vol. ff, we frequently cross trained. I ran the engine, but I was also qualified to run as a truckie. I didn't do that much (the ladder truck was a t a different station), but I did when I had the chance. Cross training not only helps the member develop, it also helps them see how more parts fit together.

[AirDX]

The issue is many of them don't show up for ES exercises until they are due to expire.   So you aren't even seeing them

This is a local issue that should be solved by the local squadron commander, not something that demands a total rewrite of the CAP regs & quals.

[JC004]

The issue is many of them don't show up for ES exercises until they are due to expire.   So you aren't even seeing them

This is a local issue that should be solved by the local squadron commander, not something that demands a total rewrite of the CAP regs & quals.

I tend to agree with that.  When I was ES officer, nearly the whole unit showed up to my exercises and other units did too.  I think that my folks and I put together some pretty good exercises using the FEMA way and by spicing things up.  That seemed to make sure that people weren't just showing up at the end of a renewal period.

[RiverAux]

I have proposed before that our standards for qualification renewal are too low and still feel that way. 

[Johnny Yuma]

I'm a Wing DC. I'm also qualified GTM, GTL, CUL, UDF, etc. I show up at a SAREX and where am I? CUL or providing some other Comm support.

That's fine, but I've got several quals that are about to lapse and several other quals I need just one or two sorties to complete that I haven't for years because I can't get out of the radio shack.

[coudano]

Used to be 2 years