SDA Staff Service

I read CAPR 52-16 and CAPP 52-14 as stating that an SDA Staff Service is required as one per phase, NOT one per achievement.  Is this correct?

So, in order to complete Phase III, not a particular achievement, you must complete one "staff service". 

The argument is:

Senior:  Before you can complete Achievement 11 (Public Affairs Officer), you must complete your staff service.

C/1st Lt:  You're mistaken, I just have to complete a staff service prior to completing Phase III, i.e. earning the Earhart.

Am I reading it correctly?  The staff service is not achievement specific, but rather phase specific.

One Staff *Service* per Phase. But each achievement has an associated SDA report. The idea is to introduce a different staff duty with each step. Not that the cadet must actually serve that position, just be familiar with it's requirements.

One Staff *Service* per Phase. But each achievement has an associated SDA report. The idea is to introduce a different staff position with each step.

Gotcha on the SDAs, I understand that part.  But for some reason our testing officer is telling three of our C/1st Lt's that they can't get past Achievement 11 wirhout doing their *Service*, but I believe this is incorrect in that they can't complete Phase III until the finish their *Service*.

Try another approach ..

What does eServices say? I don't see "Staff Service" on Achievement 11.. Just SDA Report.  



..and Earhart:



So.. No, it's not required.


Somewhere in the last three promotions, they're figuring one of those duty positions appealed to the cadet, or.. something else perhaps..  How better to introduce, than let them research one at a time..

Staff Service. Additionally, once during Phase III and once during
Phase IV, the cadet will participate in staff service, acting as an apprentice
to a senior member staff officer for 4-6 weeks (see Figure 1, page 3). To
fulfill this requirement, the cadet may serve as a staff assistant in any of
the staff positions associated with the Phase. For example, in Phase III,
the cadet may serve as a cadet flight commander, administrative officer,
or public affairs officer, under the supervision of the senior member
counterpart on the squadron staff. Which position the cadet serves in is
up to the squadron commander.

So could the cadet pass achievement 11,
and during the ensuing 56 days time in grade required for the Earhart, while passing the test,
serve 4-6 weeks in any one of the 3 positions, and check off the boxes for it?

Yeps.
I'm not sure that's the intent though, I always got the sense that the idea was that you do the 'staff service' for your phase, while you were working on that achievement.  Of course there is no written requirement of that, and practically speaking, rarely actually happens that way.

I can tell you that I have never (would never) put C/Capt on a cadet who did not, in the course of their normally assigned duties during phase 3, more than exceed the requirements for staff service for Flight Commander (including giving the annual scholarship brief, hehh --amongst many others).  Still a few of them chose (usually based on their own interest, to do PAO instead, just because, I guess)

Yep, reality is that most units are small enough with few enough officers that flight commander easily gets fulfilled. I would even credit encampment level participation if that was their only opportunity. That said PAO which was what I did wasn't that hard to do either.