I'm headed to Syracuse next month for a week of the escort mission as a MO.
Off topic...Quote from: etodd on July 12, 2016, 06:59:04 PMI'm headed to Syracuse next month for a week of the escort mission as a MO.That's great to hear! The Reaper escort mission is a textbook example of using CAP as part of the Total Force. It took a long time to get that setup, but it's going great so far and I'm really excited to see it succeed.The relationship between CAP and that ANG unit has been a model of CAP-USAF cooperation for a lot of years (IMHO). I was happy to do my part to nourish it when I was assigned to the Group HQ there.
Sorry as I ramble too long. Just thinking out loud as to how we could 'spice up' meetings somehow to make them more broad, covering more areas, so as to hit on something that might tickle a visitor's ear.
Again, recruiting for fit is a big aspect of this.
Quote from: etodd on July 12, 2016, 06:59:04 PMSorry as I ramble too long. Just thinking out loud as to how we could 'spice up' meetings somehow to make them more broad, covering more areas, so as to hit on something that might tickle a visitor's ear.That wasn't a ramble, that was actually quite good.Something I've been rolling around in my head is how CAP is a "fit for some people, but not others."When we try to make CAP "all things for all people," I think we definitely sell ourselves short. CAP is not a fit for everybody.Part of that is ascertaining whether a person will be a good fit for the organization at the outset. "I just got my private pilot's license" guy is not the guy you "sell" mission flying to up front."Well, you can be an MO to start with in the right seat, and then once you have over 200 hrs PIC, move to the left seat as an MP.."not "FREE FLYING! FREE FLYING!"because then that guy is going to go "Where's my @#$%$% free flying?"same goes for a guy who, say, runs a retail store and had 7 kids all under the age of 9. That guy's time is not his own for the next 10 years or more."I can't be at a Thursday meeting, I work every weekend. I'm with my kids after 6pm..." Again, recruiting for fit is a big aspect of this.
"Well, we want to get ES up---""Okay, hold up. What part of ES?""All of it. Let's get a ground team. Let's get a comms station. Let's figure out how to get members signed off as aircrew (we don't have a plane). There's also the AE program we want to have on the senior side." "Okay, hang on....you're covering a lot of stuff, few of which is feasible right now. Why not focus on one thing? Like, ground team.""Well, we want to recruit people who want to train with our ground team so we can have one.""And?"
I don't know. I guess I'm just saying there needs to be specific goals in mind when recruiting. Not just raw numbers.
I purposely use the word "expectations" more then I do "opportunities" when recruiting, at least no one is surprised, and so far I haven't had too much issue. People value things which take effort to achieve or maintain.
Quote from: Eclipse on July 12, 2016, 08:17:42 PMI purposely use the word "expectations" more then I do "opportunities" when recruiting, at least no one is surprised, and so far I haven't had too much issue. People value things which take effort to achieve or maintain.+1. I always stress expectation to both prospective cadets and prospective Senior Members. We also don't sell what we don't have....no aircraft at our unit, we're a Composite that's basically a cadet squadron and our GT assets are rarely called for.
So I think it's a recruiting failure to right out address the interaction with cadets. If you're going to recruit new seniors to focus on SAR, don't talk to them about what their relationship will/won't be with cadets. They are separate programs. I think it scares off some of those gung-ho SAR guys who aren't so keen on working with teenagers because they don't understand how the cadet program interfaces. They don't want to be stuck being babysitters.
Eclipse, there is a difference between a babysitter and working with cadets. And I believe you've acknowledged that above.I'd wager Sky Hornet is merely saying that, like most things, we should be careful how we present our image to ensure there are not misconceptions. But then, he can answer for himself.Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Quote from: RNOfficer on July 12, 2016, 03:53:58 AMRecruiting is not the problem in CAP. Retention is the problem with one-fourth of Senior members not renewing each year.They are both problems, and I daresay the former is currently in a greater state of stress than the latter.
Recruiting is not the problem in CAP. Retention is the problem with one-fourth of Senior members not renewing each year.