Hazing/Cadet Abuse

[CAPisAwesome]

I need advice.

A parent came to me recently and explained that over the past few years, the DCC in my squadron has been extremely abusive with the cadets, apparently behind the scenes. The DCC and assistant DCC are so aggressive with the cadets in my squadron. The treatment this cadet has endured has caused him to have nightmares. In his nightmares, the DCC is physically hitting him. I have personally witnessed this DCC treat the cadets in ways I strongly disagree with, but my hands are tied. But when a mother comes to me and tells me her son tells her about nightmares of a physically violent nature, I personally consider the treatment which causes these nightmares very inappropriate on the verge of criminal.

I've talked to a few others and they defined it as hazing. Hazing of course is a violation of CAP policy. It also is a criminal misdemeanor in our state.

So at what level do you consider treatment of children age 12-17 abusive and/or hazing? And what should be done about it?

One concern is that emotion violence can often be worse than physical violence.

What should be done to put a stop to it or is it truly a part of CAP Cadet programs and should it be ignored?

[jeders]

I need advice.

A parent came to me recently and explained that over the past few years, the DCC in my squadron has been extremely abusive with the cadets, apparently behind the scenes. The DCC and assistant DCC are so aggressive with the cadets in my squadron. The treatment this cadet has endured has caused him to have nightmares. In his nightmares, the DCC is physically hitting him. I have personally witnessed this DCC treat the cadets in ways I strongly disagree with, but my hands are tied. But when a mother comes to me and tells me her son tells her about nightmares of a physically violent nature, I personally consider the treatment which causes these nightmares very inappropriate on the verge of criminal.

I've talked to a few others and they defined it as hazing. Hazing of course is a violation of CAP policy. It also is a criminal misdemeanor in our state.

So at what level do you consider treatment of children age 12-17 abusive and/or hazing? And what should be done about it?

One concern is that emotion violence can often be worse than physical violence.

What should be done to put a stop to it or is it truly a part of CAP Cadet programs and should it be ignored?

First off, hazing is never a part of the CAP Cadet Program and should never be ignored. If you believe hazing is going on, it is your duty to report it to your commander.

That out of the way, I do need to ask, what is your position in the squadron? Do you work with cadets regularly or do only see them from a distance once in a while? It is possible that what you personally witnessed was not hazing. Though I do tend to believe that if cadets are having nightmares because of the DCC, then it's probably hazing.

[SARDOC]

Please see the link.


http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/R052_010_C5B73B2B78712.pdf

[CAPisAwesome]

We are a composite squadron. Although direct weekly interaction between the cadets and seniors is almost nil, we do observe on a weekly basis most of the activities of the cadets.

I am not the only senior that disagrees with the way the cadets are handled. They are often threatened to comply to certain things, like haircuts. The DCC brings out the clippers and demands that any cadet without the proper hair cut 'will' receive one from him. Although I have never seen the DCC touch a cadet.

The cadet having nightmares was once force up against a wall by this DCC and yelled and screamed at when no other senior was present. If I were that cadets father, that would prompt me to put that DCC in the hospital.

[coudano]

We are a composite squadron. Although direct weekly interaction between the cadets and seniors is almost nil, we do observe on a weekly basis most of the activities of the cadets.

I am not the only senior that disagrees with the way the cadets are handled. They are often threatened to comply to certain things, like haircuts. The DCC brings out the clippers and demands that any cadet without the proper hair cut 'will' receive one from him. Although I have never seen the DCC touch a cadet.

The cadet having nightmares was once force up against a wall by this DCC and yelled and screamed at when no other senior was present. If I were that cadets father, that would prompt me to put that DCC in the hospital.

coming from someone who has had a senior member thrown out of an activity for crossing the line with cadets...

in what way arenyour hands tied?
it is going to be your moral obligation to at the very least raise this concern to the squadron commander immediately (like put down the internet and call the cmdr on the phone right now)
make sure that you are clear about what you believe vs what you have heard vs what you KNOW or have seen yourself.  let the commander do his job here, but personally i would keep an eye on the situation and follow up.  if the situation is not addressed to your (and the cadets and parents) satisfaction, or if escallated behavior comes out on the part of the dcoc, you might need to escallate the issue up the chain of command...

it sounds like you havent seen anything first hand, which could weaken your case a little.  i think i would find myself hanging around the cadets a little more often as a chaperone/senior member, to watch things a littlw more closely.  if the dcc is infact a dirtbag, he will probably tell you to get lost, if you start snooping around.  that would be a tell tale sign that something may be wrong.

while you may want to coroborate what you have heard, before going to the commander, it is not your job, and you should avoid, conducting some sort of inquisition or info gathering against the dcoc.  getting the cadet who was abused (allegedly) to verify, or go with them to complain themselves, or an eye witness, may be prudent though so you dont look silly making wild accusations.  if you dont have any real evidence, dont make any wild accusations...  you are still completely legitimate in raising concerns.

while clearly any physical assault is wayyyyyy over the line, i have seen onlookers whose sensibilities were so fragile that they were offended by what most people might consider 'standatd' kind of stuff.  i am not saying that this is the case here, and from your description, things sound inappropriate to me on multiple levels, but i am working on 4th hand information here.  but there ARE two extremes to consider, here.  clearly one is the problem more often than the other...

[MSG Mac]

If a cadet is having nightmares he has already been subjected to psychological damage. This is HAZING! Report it to the Squadron Commander and inform him ASAP.
Refer to CAPR 52-10 Paragraphs 1 c and 2. These define hazing and what steps must be taken. DO THIS NOW!!!

[davidsinn]

The OP is suspended. Dual?

[SARDOC]

The OP is suspended. Dual?

Wow...Suspended in less than three posts

[MIKE]

Don't read too much into it, just an enforcement of policy... Which in this case does not invalidate the content of the thread.

[a2capt]

Except that while the content might be valid, the originator appears to have done something invalid and therefor possibly the scenario posted, too, contains material of questionable nature. 

Yeah, most likely someone wanting to conceal their existing personality within the forum already.

[EMT-83]

So, back to the OP...

If cadet abuse is suspected, you must report it. Nothing to think about, no gray area, you must report it. No discretion or judgment calls, you must report it.

By the way, did I mention that you must report it?

[M.N.]

So, back to the OP...

If cadet abuse is suspected, you must report it. Nothing to think about, no gray area, you must report it. No discretion or judgment calls, you must report it.

By the way, did I mention that you must report it?

You might have mentioned it in passing...

[Eclipse]

Ditto.

If you have first-hand knowledge, you have a duty to report it, but you are not allowed to do your own investigation.  Report and stand back until
asked for more information by a proper authority.  In nearly all cases the report is direct to the wing CC or an IG.

If you are getting "scuttle", you direct the person with first hand knowledge they have a duty to report, or at the least, report that "Joe indicated to
me he suspects a situation of abuse."

The problem in many cases is the reports are made 3rd hand by someone with no idea what they are actually talking about, and the details
are lost in the telling, and the details are generally important.  I can't tell you how many times I have dealt with "hazing" and "abuse" only to find
out it was neither.  In those cases it is usually either a poorly trained member filtering with his own bias as to our program's boundaries, or someone
with a personal ax to grind making more of something with an agenda.

However, even in those cases, the regs are clear, report immediately and wait.

Also, we need to stop using the terms "hazing" and "abuse" interchangeably.

All hazing is abuse, but not all abuse is hazing.

[davidsinn]

Also, we need to stop using the terms "hazing" and "abuse" interchangeably.

All hazing is abuse, but not all abuse is hazing.

This. I could really abuse a cadet if I was so inclined and not break a single CAP rule. It's amazing the power of words... Just for the record I would never do that. I really can't stand manipulative and abusive people.

[thatonekid]

You could do that with out breaking any CAP rules directly, but it's against the law and I'm going to take a wild guess that it is against regs to break the law in that manner. Either way you would have broken the law and will (hopefully) be punished accordingly.

[Eclipse]

You could do that with out breaking any CAP rules directly, but it's against the law and I'm going to take a wild guess that it is against regs to break the law in that manner. Either way you would have broken the law and will (hopefully) be punished accordingly.

Once the law is broken, that exceeds CAP's involvement, so not much point in discussing the finer points.

[thatonekid]

True, but I'm thinking that if you are convicted of assult/battery/whatever the convict you of, CAP will get rid of you i.e. kick you out.

[Eclipse]

Yes, if CAP is made aware of it.

[EMT-83]

I could really abuse a cadet if I was so inclined and not break a single CAP rule. It's amazing the power of words... Just for the record I would never do that. I really can't stand manipulative and abusive people.

Except that psychological abuse is clearly covered by CPPT. If you are abusing a cadet through the power of words, you are most definitely in violation of regulations.

[thatonekid]

Good point.