Becoming a senior memeber

[dman12323]

So in another year I will be turning 18 years old and plan on becoming a senior member.Im just wondering,once you turn 18 will you still be with the cadets?In the flights with cadets or stuff like that? And once you become a senior member do you get started out with the lowest senior member rank? And just one more question,How do seniors rank up? Thanks,sorry for all the questions!

~Don

[Eclipse]

Most of these questions will be better, and more completely, answered in-person with your unit Commander.

Senior members do not fall into flights with cadets, they have different duties and member experiences.  For the most part being a cadet is what you
can take from the program, while being a senior member is about what you can give to it.

Under 21, senior members may be appointed as Flight Officers, work towards the same professional development and ES training as over 21 seniors,
and then after 21 qualify to convert the FO grade to an equivalent CAP officer grade.  Promotion requires completion of specific training, staff service, and time in service to qualify.

Are you a cadet now?

[dman12323]

Right now,I am a cadet.Thanks!

[Major Lord]

Why in the world would you want to turn Senior when you turn 18? As a Cadet, you are a big dog at 18, even more so at 20 Years, 364 Days old.  (Assuming you have achieved anything as a Cadet . If you are still a C A/B, disregard) As a no-rank Senior Member, its going to be all work and no play. Your relationship to people who were your peers the day before is going to have to change dramatically, in ways you probably won't like. No commander is  likely to put  you in a leadership position of any kind with the cadet program unless your were seriously high speed as a Cadet, so if you are having revenge fantasies, kiss them goodbye.

When you switch to the "dark side" you will be a S/M without grade, and as Eclipse pointed out, with a little work you can become one of various flavors of Flight Officer. When you turn 21, you can become eligible to become a 2nd Lt. There is no meaningful comparison between Cadet grade and S/M grade; two animals of entirely different species.

Cadets have 99% of the fun in CAP, why give that up until the time is fully ripe?

Major Lord

[Eclipse]

I gotta go with Lord on this.

[Spaceman3750]

Plus as a flight officer many are going to think you are a cadet or compare you to one.

That's happened to me on more than one occasion.

[dman12323]

True,and as a senior member I wouldn't be able to go on any events or ftx's? I guess ill be staying as a cadet for a little longer.Thanks!

[RiverAux]

Uh, no.  As a senior member you could participate in just about any wing activity, just not as a cadet.  You could still go on FTXs and to encampment, but your function would be different.  Would have limited opportunities to go as staff to some of the national cadet activities but wouldn't really get to do any of the fun stuff. 

It all depends on whether there is more of the cadet program that you are interested in participating in.  If you have some goals left to achieve, stay a cadet.  If you've done all you really want to do as a cadet and are ready for a new challenge, go senior. 

[dman12323]

Uh, no.  As a senior member you could participate in just about any wing activity, just not as a cadet.  You could still go on FTXs and to encampment, but your function would be different.  Would have limited opportunities to go as staff to some of the national cadet activities but wouldn't really get to do any of the fun stuff. 

It all depends on whether there is more of the cadet program that you are interested in participating in.  If you have some goals left to achieve, stay a cadet.  If you've done all you really want to do as a cadet and are ready for a new challenge, go senior.

I thought so,Cause on my recent ftx there were 19 year old senior members.Thanks for the great answers!

[SARDOC]

If I were you I'd stay a cadet as long as possible...once you change there is no going back.  Work through your achievements and for the love of all that is just and good...Try and get some flight training as a cadet...once you become a Senior Member that door will for all intents and purposes will close for good.  HAVE FUN....stay a cadet.

[tsrup]

Stay a cadet.  Once you transition and realize the opportunities you missed you will regret it. 

I made the transition prematurely in coordination with transferring squadrons, however I always kick myself for not getting my mitchell before making the switch.  Not that I really regret it, I just feel like I missed out on a pretty big part of the program. 

1year as a flight officer, and a promotion to captain later (3 years total), I am still the young guy in the wing.  I am probably the youngest officer (read: not FO or SM), however there is a disparity between how a 40 year old 1st Lt and myself as a 23 year old Capt is treated.  I've almost given up on trying to get seniors junior in rank to me to even bother with customs and courtesies. 

It may seem like complaining, but I do truly enjoy what I do now, however it is not all sunshine and rainbows when you make the switch.  Be prepared for an awkward transition period, and you will be expected to make sure your actions are the loudest (in a positive way of course) if you want to gain status among your new "peers".

[DBlair]

As most of us former Cadets who are now SMs will tell you, stay Cadet as long as possible.

[coudano]

Here's the primary difference between being a cadet, and being a senior member.

Responsibility.

As a cadet, you are responsible for yourself, and to participate in the program, which may mean working with other cadets.

As a senior member, you are responsible to the parents of cadets, for the safety and well being of their children, which have been entrusted to you as an adult supervisor in CAP.

That is a pretty big difference.


Aside from that, senior members can do a lot, and have a lot of fun in CAP.  I am going to disagree with the all work and no play bit;  There is plenty of play.  It's just that the angle you approach the program from is significantly different than it was when you were a cadet.

I have advised a handfull of 18+ year old cadets to switch to senior membership; primarily it was cases where they were basically "done" with the cadet program.  Done to the point where they weren't participating satisfactorily, nor meeting the expectations of their rank.  They didn't want to quit CAP, but they weren't interested in participating fully in the cadet program, so we worked together to switch them to senior member status.


Another factor to consider, is that it's "best practice" for former cadets who have turned senior to get away from the cadet program for a year or so.  The main reason for this is that most of your peer cadets will still see you as a peer cadet.  You are still (about) the same age as some of them.  Some of them might have out ranked you as cadets.  That's a lot of drama when you switch your role from being "one of the cadets" to being an adult who has real responsibility and accountability.

You probably aren't going to garner very  much respect amongst senior members until you get to be something like 26-30 years old.  Of course that's mostly true in the adult world in general.  I am 34 now and I am still one of the youngest senior members in my wing, though that seems to get a little bit less true every year...  wierd.  (yet i am older than our current wing commander, heh)


How long have you been a cadet?  What rank are you?

[ProdigalJim]

Hi dman:

I'll pile on here with the rest of the posters and tell you that if it were ME, I'd stay a cadet as long as possible, unless you're already a Spaatzen and running out of things to do.

I was a cadet from 1979 to 1983, and those were some of the best times I ever had. When I dropped out of CAP because college was pressing down on me, I was a C/1st Lt. and getting ready to take my Earhart. I had been to a bunch of encampments, mostly on staff, did special activities, CAC, ground team/comms, the works.

I recently rejoined as a senior, and am looking forward to the new challenges. My kids are grown and I'm in a place now where I can give more to CAP, so that's why I came back in. But the paperwork is LOGARITHMICALLY more than you ever encounter as a cadet, and the ratio of fun to responsibility is way different. It's not bad...but it's definitely a different program.

As to the rank (or, for that matter, grade), it's not as meaningful on the senior side as it is on the cadet side. My CC is a Captain and a great guy...he's commanding a squadron with a bunch of Lt. Cols., fighter pilots, you name it. Unless you're GEN Courter or GEN Anderson, it kinda doesn't mean much (with absolutely no disrespect intended for any of my fellow CPTalkers who've worked hard for whatever grade they hold today).

If you're done with everything you can do on the cadet side, sure, move on. You'll be a "Limbo Officer," neither cadet nor fully senior, until you're 21. Depending on your skills and interests, you might find a role as a senior that suits you and you'd be happy doing the job, regardless of grade. But if you've got some more things to check off the Cadet Super Chart, I'd say do it and enjoy it.

Being a grownup ain't all it's cracked up to be...

[Reno]

I recently rejoined CAP after almost a year's hiatus. I moved away last summer and dropped out of the program. When I came back home and started college I was to busy to get back into CAP until this past March. Since a period longer than 6 months had elapsed without my membership being renewed I had to rejoin as a Senior Member. I'm enjoying the program and am currently serving as the testing officer for the cadet flight. In June I'll serve as a TAC officer at the ARWG encampment and make Flight Officer.

When I quit last May however I was one test away from my Mitchell. I wish with everything I could have rejoined as a cadet and at least attained that award. I'm having a ton of fun as a senior but if you haven't yet received your mitchell I would advise you stay in the cadet side of things until you've achieved it.

[dman12323]

Can you become a senior member at any of the ages 18-21? like if your 19 can you become a senior member or do you have to strictly wait till 18 or 21? And thanks for all the great answers!

[Spaceman3750]

Can you become a senior member at any of the ages 18-21? like if your 19 can you become a senior member or do you have to strictly wait till 18 or 21? And thanks for all the great answers!

You can become an SM at any point between your 18th and 21st birthday, at which point you become an SM regardless.

[MSG Mac]

Can you become a senior member at any of the ages 18-21? like if your 19 can you become a senior member or do you have to strictly wait till 18 or 21? And thanks for all the great answers!

You can become an SM at any point between your 18th and 21st birthday, at which point you become an SM regardless.

Weigh your decision carefully, because you cannot change your mind after you send in the papers.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I remember a Spaatz cadet (C/Col) one of my former squadrons produced - outstanding young woman.

She stayed a cadet as long as she could.

When she came to the "dark side" she was immediately a Captain - and outranked me as I had just made 1st Lieutenant! - and found the "senior" way of doing things so alien to what she knew that she didn't like it very much.

[SarDragon]

Maybe her cadet ways weren't as in line with the real rules as they should have been?