FLWG ATS vs. encampment staff---Info and opinions wanted.

[cadetchris]

     With the introduction of the FLWG ATS for encampment, I have a few questions.
(For those of you who don't know, ATS is the Advanced training squadron at the Florida wing summer encampment, just established this year.)

      As a freshly promoted cadet senior master sergeant, I am looking for ways to advance my CAP career. I have narrowed my choices down to the two but have some questions as I have stated above.

---Would you recommend attending ATS first or attending encampment as staff first?

---Anyone who who attended ATS, would you kindly tell me about the differences between ATS and encampment? Detail is appreciated.

---Assuming I went as staff, what are the procedures for doing so?

---Also assuming I went as staff, could someone provide me with information about the different positions appropriate for my grade? (general duties, expectations, overall job description. [first hand accounts would be great])

---Would you say ATS is a significant advantage to holding a staff position at encampment, or is it just a minor advantage?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[HGjunkie]

ATS is basically advanced Basic training and some lower level staff training. I worked with some of the ATS staff this year, and let me tell you that ATS is pretty much nothing like Basic encampment. You have your own schedule, your own barracks, and your own chain of command and staff. ATS Cadets this year got tours of UAV facilities, flight simulators, had leadership seminars with Air Force Officers, PT'd on their own, and were self sustained with some nudging from their staff. As an ATS cadet, you become either Flight Sergeant or Flight Commander for a day, giving everyone the opportunity to lead and command a flight. You do leadership classes and other related topics in the ATS curriculum. Regular encampment cadets do nothing of this sort, except maybe some simulator activities. The ATS program is still being tweaked, since this was the first time FLWG has had one in several years.

Now that's speaking as the Command Chief Group Superintendent of the Encampment, meaning I wasn't directly involved with ATS.
Staffing is a whole 'nother Ball game. Being a C/SMSgt, you're eligible for all of the available enlisted line staff positions:
Flight Sergeant
First Sergeant
Command Chief (Group Superintendent)

And you're also able to go for the support staff roles, including but not limited to:
Medics
Logistics
Admin
PAO
etc...

I can speak for the Command Chief role. You're in charge of your first sergeants, and you report directly to the Cadet Commander. You enforce the standards, discipline and performance levels expected of your Enlisted line staff and the Basic Cadets, in turn. In plain terms, you're the First Sergeant on Steroids.  You are the standard of discipline and performance you expect to be met. It's more of a supervision position, but you still have a good amount of influence in encampment operations.

As to whether you should go ATS or Staff your first time, if you're confident in your leadership abilities, then go for staff. But, if you apply for staff, realize there's a chance you won't get what you want, so keep ATS an option if that happens. Applying for staff is filling out the forms with the essay prompts, medical forms, etc.

PM if you have anymore questions, I know I didn't cover a lot in this post.

[cadetchris]

     Sounds like ATS would be for me. Thanks! Now I just have to wait until next summer... 

[HGjunkie]

     Sounds like ATS would be for me. Thanks! Now I just have to wait until next summer... 

Actually, FLWG may implement it at Winter Encampment.

[cadetchris]

I'm the kind of person who enjoys not freezing my unmentionables off.

[SarDragon]

Oh, come on, it doesn't get cold in Florida. Just a bit nippy. 

[cadetchris]

Oh, come on, it doesn't get cold in Florida. Just a bit nippy. 

Must be why cadets in my squadron tell me that last year, pass in review was done in BDU's because of the cold...

[Spaceman3750]

Oh, come on, it doesn't get cold in Florida. Just a bit nippy. 

Must be why cadets in my squadron tell me that last year, pass in review was done in BDU's because of the cold...

Cold in Florida is <70F.

[HGjunkie]

Actually the BDU incident is true. During '09-'10 Winter, most of the cadets didn't have cold weather gear for their blues, which led to the decision to do PIR in BDUs (I had to tie extra boot socks I had around my hands because my Guidon pole was cold as ice...). '10-'11 PIR was cancelled flat out because of inclimate weather.

[cadetchris]

Actually the BDU incident is true. During '09-'10 Winter, most of the cadets didn't have cold weather gear for their blues, which led to the decision to do PIR in BDUs (I had to tie extra boot socks I had around my hands because my Guidon pole was cold as ice...). '10-'11 PIR was cancelled flat out because of inclimate weather.

Case, point, cold.   

I'll wait.....
(electric heating pads inside BDU's anyone?)



EDIT: Just realized my sig doesnt work when I'm an even numbered poster.... Any tips?

[SarDragon]

Actually the BDU incident is true. During '09-'10 Winter, most of the cadets didn't have cold weather gear for their blues, which led to the decision to do PIR in BDUs (I had to tie extra boot socks I had around my hands because my Guidon pole was cold as ice...). '10-'11 PIR was cancelled flat out because of inclimate weather.

Case, point, cold.   

I'll wait.....
(electric heating pads inside BDU's anyone?)



EDIT: Just realized my sig doesnt work when I'm an even numbered poster.... Any tips?

Looks OK to me, on both even and odd numbered posts.

However, you might think about reducing the size of the graphic a bit. It's a little large.

[cadetchris]

Yes but I have the blue background on the white numbered posts.

[SarDragon]

Yes but I have the blue background on the white numbered posts.

That's because that part of the image is not transparent. You need to make it a GIF, and make the two blank spots transparent.

[cadetchris]

I'll just avoid making even numbered posts lol. Oh crap. I just made one...