Civil Air Patrol vs. other Auxiliaries

[wuzafuzz]

CAP can be found in most places your career is likely to take you. County SAR teams, ARES/RACES, law enforcement reserves or auxiliaries, and CERT all interested me.  Since my job includes the possibility of relocation (already moved a couple of times), CAP seemed like a great way to stay involved in volunteering without starting over from scratch if I have to move again.  Food for thought if you don't know where you will land after college.

Good luck!

[skymaster]

I'd like to branch National Guard MP after I commission, work either as a LEO or in sports medicine full-time.

I did a few years enlisted in the CA Army Guard. I was already working as a policeman when they offered me a commission, I requested aviation or combat arms and all they had was Logistics.

Another thing ROTC does not guarantee a commission. If you read "Blackhawk Down" that is the story re: Grimes and that was the reason he knew how to type. 

Good luck.

While it is correct in most cases that ROTC at most universities does not guarantee a commission, that is not always the case. A person who is trying to seek a commission in these days of military cutbacks might want to become familiar with the following bit of the United States Code (especially sections (d), (e) and (f)):

10 USC § 2111a - Support for senior military colleges

(d) Termination or Reduction of Program Prohibited.— The Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments may not take or authorize any action to terminate or reduce a unit of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps at a senior military college unless the termination or reduction is specifically requested by the college.

(e) Assignment to Active Duty.—
(1) The Secretary of the Army shall ensure that a graduate of a senior military college who desires to serve as a commissioned officer on active duty upon graduation from the college, who is medically and physically qualified for active duty, and who is recommended for such duty by the professor of military science at the college, shall be assigned to active duty.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Secretary of the Army from requiring a member of the program who graduates from a senior military college to serve on active duty.

(f) Senior Military Colleges.— The senior military colleges are the following:
(1) Texas A&M University.
(2) Norwich University.
(3) The Virginia Military Institute.
(4) The Citadel.
(5) Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
(6) North Georgia College and State University.

If one were seeking a more "traditional" university experience, I would recommend either Norwich or North Georgia. I chose North Georgia for a variety of reasons. They have an  excellent academic program, a large Corps of Cadets, a Georgia Military Scholarship program that covers virtually all costs for persons seeking GA National Guard commissions; and is a place where the concepts of honour and tradition that I was introduced to as a CAP cadet are not just empty words, but are a way of life. (Also, the fact that the campus also had (at least back when I was a student), a nearly 2:1 (mostly civilian)female-to-(mostly military)male ratio didn't hurt situations at the time either). And, it is a fairly conservative school, where self-discipline and duty were just the "way things were done", in a Red state where military service is not derided, but actually looked upon as a standard to strive for. And, for those persons interested in entering the Medical field, just keep in mind that 100% of those students who complete their rigourous pre-med program gain acceptance to the Medical University of Georgia, and North Georgia has excellent Physical Therapy and Nursing programs. Not to mention the also outstanding Dual-Degree Engineering program with Georgia Tech, or Education program, or School of Business Administration. Also, for whatever it is worth, for persons considering military service as a lifelong career, remember that North Georgia has more flag officers on active duty than any other institute of higher learning, including the service academies.

[UH60guy]

Just to throw my 2 cents in, as an Army Aviation officer who got his commission through ROTC-

CAP is great, I'm enjoying it very much, but I would recommend keeping your focus on ROTC. If you're just starting in ROTC, the requirements aren't too bad. But by the time you're a 3rd or 4th year, you'll be running the show over in ROTC, and CAP will likely take a back seat. Not to mention the difficuties of learning two sets of regulations, courtesies, etc. I'd definitely join CAP, but after earning your commission.

You said you wanted the "real" military experience- CAP is not that. Take a look at CAP's primary missions and the duty positions for Senior Members, and see how they balance with what you want to get out of it.

In my opinion, I would recommend the Simultaneous Membership Program with the CANG. I did the SMP myself, and it was worthwhile without providing any extra stress on my studies and ROTC requirements. Not to mention, each year you are in the SMP counts for pay time when you commission. Not towards retirement mind you, but you will be paid as a 2LT with 2 years rather than a 2LT with <1 year when you commission.

[bosshawk]

Good advice from someone who has been there, done that and likely has the T-shirt.  I spent 30 years in the Army, then 18 in CAP and there are very few points of convergence.  CAP plays at military most of the time and rarely gets there.