DOGE and CAP?

[RiverAux]

Some of you may have heard of the recent DOGE takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace.  It is a Congressionally chartered independent nonprofit and while chartered separately under title 22 of the US Code while CAP and other organizations are under Title 36, it has a lot of organizational similarities (and a few differences). 

One of the biggest differences is that their Board of Directors is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate while ours are from the SECAF and National Commander.  Federal employees can work there, but not all employees are, but many receive what sort of looks like the same sort of consideration CAP members get when on an AFAM. 

Makes me wonder if the DOGE folks may come calling someday...

[Майор Хаткевич]

Just tell them John McCain hated CAP, and a budget increase will be forthcoming. 

[CAP9907]

Quite frankly, an external review of the organization is long overdue as well as the mission and goals. What was relevant in 1947 is not necessarily what's real now.

[ColonelJack]

Quite frankly, an external review of the organization is long overdue as well as the mission and goals. What was relevant in 1947 is not necessarily what's real now.

I don't disagree, not in the least.  But for some reason, an old saying came up in my head as I read that:

"Be careful what you wish for.  You just might get it."

Jack

[RiverAux]

I suspect that any external review is probably going to recommend axing the cadet program.  I don't have anything against it, but its hard to argue that it isn't somewhat redundant with AFJROTC.  One of the primary differentiators used to be that CAP cadets were able to participate in missions and while that is still technically true that they are allowed, its just that the missions aren't there anymore. 

Now, if that was the recommendation and the cadet program was shuttered, the justification for the rest of CAP is even weaker....

The failure of CAP to try to weasel our way into more direct AF or AirNG support, even in the limited localities where this is possible, is someday going to bite us.

[Johnny Yuma]

I suspect that any external review is probably going to recommend axing the cadet program.  I don't have anything against it, but its hard to argue that it isn't somewhat redundant with AFJROTC.  One of the primary differentiators used to be that CAP cadets were able to participate in missions and while that is still technically true that they are allowed, its just that the missions aren't there anymore. 

Now, if that was the recommendation and the cadet program was shuttered, the justification for the rest of CAP is even weaker....

The failure of CAP to try to weasel our way into more direct AF or AirNG support, even in the limited localities where this is possible, is someday going to bite us.

The way NHQ, Inc. keeps adding new regs to the CPP the cadet program will die on its own from not having enough available senior members available at any time to do anything with or for the cadets.

I doubt DOGE would touch CAP at all, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if a couple DOGE workers weren't CAP cadets at some time in their youth who'd make the case for keeping us. I'd say if anything as far as CAP would be in jepoardy it would be the Aero Ed side of the house.  Cadets are a recruiting pipeline into all the services and ES is niche air support on the cheap. Compared to the other 2 missions AE is stagnant.

[murphey]

I suspect that any external review is probably going to recommend axing the cadet program.  I don't have anything against it, but its hard to argue that it isn't somewhat redundant with AFJROTC.  One of the primary differentiators used to be that CAP cadets were able to participate in missions and while that is still technically true that they are allowed, its just that the missions aren't there anymore. 

Now, if that was the recommendation and the cadet program was shuttered, the justification for the rest of CAP is even weaker....

The failure of CAP to try to weasel our way into more direct AF or AirNG support, even in the limited localities where this is possible, is someday going to bite us.

It's not redundant with AFJROTC. Altho there are 850 units, there's only 9 in Colorado, only 1 that I could find in Denver. If there's a large USAF presence in the area, there's AFJROTC. Most of the CO units are in Colorado Springs - for obvious reasons - 3 USAF facilities (ok, so Cheyenne Mtn is now Space Force but that's irrelevant for this discussion).

As for AE being unnecessary - you haven't been paying attention to your AEO these days, have you? Go ask them about CAP/NASA. Schools in rural or low-economic areas benefit from the AE STEM materials (thank you, your tax dollars at work).

With the increase in drones for emergencies, there's less and less reason for ES flights, even if the claim for air photography results in lots of missions. If a car or truck can get near a location, the drone is a better choice for photos.

[RiverAux]

I didn't say it was entirely redundant with AFJROTC, just that there is some.  And while I personally think all 3 missions (even if you forget the other missions in our Congressional mandate that we generally ignore), are worthwhile, they are chopping programs massively larger than the entire federal budget for CAP without doing any analysis of how worthwhile they are.  In that environment, any weakness could be enough....