coolest non-NCSA cadet activities

[Briski]

Over the past couple of months, I've heard about some pretty sweet group and wing level cadet activities. My question is primarily for cadets, but I'm interested in hearing all kinds of feedback:

What is the coolest group or wing (non-NCSA) activity you've ever attended? What made it so cool?

[Spartan]

The coolest non-NCSA cadet activity I attended is a tie between the NCO School that MNWG put together when I was a cadet NCO, and NCWG's Combat Control Orientation Course (CCOC) that I was staff at last year (and this year).

At the NCO school, I had the opportunity to learn better ways of teaching classes, establishing schedules, and evaluating the effectiveness of training.  I learned how to set goals and explain the goals in a way that made sure it was well thought out using the S.M.A.R.T. format, which is something I spent two weeks in a college class going over.  I gained practical experience in how to command a flight and squadron during drill and ceremonies, and how to teach drill and ceremonies.  The job descriptions for all NCO related positions was expanded from what CAPR 20-1 states.  If you haven't looked up your job yet, it's a great idea to do so.  I learned about the paperwork that was required for successful administration of a flight and a squadron.  There was a lot of things that I learned in the NCO School that I was reexposed to when I became a team leader in the Army, and in other college classes.  I feel that I learned far more from this activity than I did from almost anything else I did in CAP and strongly recommend that any cadet who has a leadership or staff position attend any staff or NCO training that is available.

At CCOC, I was a staff member.  I didn't get to do all the fun activities like partake in weapons familiarization and the trip to the rifle range, or get to jump out of a 34 foot tower.  I watched as the students went from a group of individuals to a fairly cohesive team in less time than my Infantry School platoon did.  Seeing the proverbial lightbulb above the student's head light as they comprehend a concept that was previously illusive to them was rewarding.  Watching students push themselves to new limits they did not believe themselves capable of doing was unequaled as they wanted to push themselves further to achieve more.  Students coming in on day one would not have believed the things they would accomplish by day 7.  Watching students trying to stay stationary in the air stream while they were in the vertical wind tunnel was pretty funny, especially when they didn't loosen up and needed to be repositioned by the experts running the show in the wind tunnel.  Overall, the most rewarding part of CCOC as a staff member was watching the mentoring of myself and my fellow staff members pay off as the students emerged at graduation more disciplined and with a better understanding of themselves and their abilities.  I suspect the students have a different perspective of why CCOC a good activity than I do.

[capcadetseipel]

Okay, well Spartan must not get out very much.  The All Time Greatest, Kewlest, AWESOMEST, most Fantastically Outstanding CAP NON NCSA Cadet Activity is Virtual Fighter Weapons School ( www.vfws.org ).  It is Top Gun for CAP Cadets!!!  You get to hang out with other cocky CAP Cadets, wear flights suits all day all week, dogfight each other, and it is all in a relaxed professorial environment!  Of course you have to have an encampment but you also have to know that YOU ARE the BEST!  It is a week long and is becoming more and more sophisticated every year.  You learn all the basics about how to be the TOP Dog fighter.  You learn the strategies to beat your opponent, while at the same time learning leadership and teamwork.  You also learn that you have to be number one because there is not even engraving on the bathroom wall for second place.  This CAP Cadet Activity is not ran by high ranking cadets that think that they know everything...no it is ran by only the Best of the Best and they know it!  It is a relaxed professional environment that anyone will hate to leave...I did.

[Spartan]

Okay, well Spartan must not get out very much.

I didn't get to do much as a cadet.  Most of what I did do was ES related or an NCSA.  VFWS sounds like fun.  Now if I could only figure out the difference between an Immelman and a split-S.

[WESSginger]

I would have to say the best non NCSA activity is cadet survival school. I have never attended it but I know the guy who runs it and it is a outstanding program. I would say it is probably the applicable of any program CAP has. It teaches real life skills like what to do at school shooting, what to do at a mass causality site, and other things of that nature. All the instructors are experts in their chosen fields and had tons of experience they are willing to share with cadets.

[Major Lord]

I would have to say the best non NCSA activity is cadet survival school. I have never attended it but I know the guy who runs it and it is a outstanding program. I would say it is probably the applicable of any program CAP has. It teaches real life skills like what to do at school shooting, what to do at a mass causality site, and other things of that nature. All the instructors are experts in their chosen fields and had tons of experience they are willing to share with cadets.

As a former and reformed  Philosophy Major ( and now a Philosophical Major) as well as one of the original CSS Staff ( Chief Tac and bottle washer, bunny wrangler, etc. ) I think I am am going to ask a friend to let me teach a class on "Mass Causality" ( I know he meant Mass Casualty but I thought the phrase was funnier his way!) As soon as I figure out exactly what it means. Yes, CSS is the most formative Program in CAP, and IMHO, and it should be one of the last a Cadet attends as a Cadet.

Major Lord
Warning, Cadet Survival School may not be available in your area. Not available in Kern and Inyo County, or anywhere else in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia. This is a non attorney spokesperson. May cause nausea, diarrhea, respiratory distress, sudden cardiac death, traumatic amputation, the croop, vapors and shingles. read label carefully before ingesting. Shake thoroughly before use. Not intended for human consumption, Do not attend  CSS if you are taking MAO inhibitors, or have experienced allergies to rabbits or lizards. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. May cause burns. Do not attend CSS if you suffer from crippling hydrophobia. Tick bites may cause illness and should be treated by medical professionals. Professional drivers operating on closed courses, do not attempt. Do not apply topically. Do not attend if pregnant or breast feeding. Employees of CBS and its parent company are not eligible for prizes. No Pansies! Reports of spontaneous human combustion and anal leakage have been associated with the ingestion of MRE's.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I have not found anything that I enjoy more in CAP than a good SAREX. As a cadet, I loved em, as an SM I love em as well. But one thing is, I enjoy the ones the most when you aren't just searching for an ELT laid next to the road, I prefer getting out and on foot to search.

[Ron1319]

The first one that comes to mind is a 200+ attendee, weekend long group SAR-Ex that we planned and ran as a group CAC in ~1996.  We ran about 40 O-flights in conjunction with it, did a lot of ES training for the group and incorporated an overnight bivouac into the event.

[exFlight Officer]

I have not found anything that I enjoy more in CAP than a good SAREX. As a cadet, I loved em, as an SM I love em as well. But one thing is, I enjoy the ones the most when you aren't just searching for an ELT laid next to the road, I prefer getting out and on foot to search.

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