Air University Review: Civil Air Patrol the unknown player on the Air Force team

[Capt Rivera]

I have not finished reading this but I had to share right away. This is some powerful stuff here.

Air University Review: Civil Air Patrol the unknown player on the Air Force team
http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1974/sep-oct/thompson.html
written by:
Major Barry L. Thompson (M.B.A., University of Missouri) is a faculty instructor, Air Command and Staff College. Much of his career has been in the SAC ICBM program. Following 5 years as a Civil Air Patrol cadet, he served in squadron, group, and wing positions for a total of almost 20 years. He was Commander, Nebraska Wing, 1971-73, and holds the grade of CAP colonel. Major Thompson is a graduate of Squadron Officer School and Air Command and Staff College.

[mikeylikey]

After reading that, I noticed that CAP-USAF was obviously very huge with many Officers and NCO's assigned.  70% to fund CAP-USAF seems really high.  The 70's were a different time for CAP.  Lets not forget the CAP Commander was an Active Duty Air Force Officer (A Brigadier General in most instances). 

We need the AF to write modern versions of this.

[Capt Rivera]

After reading that, I noticed that CAP-USAF was obviously very huge with many Officers and NCO's assigned.  70% to fund CAP-USAF seems really high.  The 70's were a different time for CAP.  Lets not forget the CAP Commander was an Active Duty Air Force Officer (A Brigadier General in most instances). 

We need the AF to write modern versions of this.

Agree... I hope our members who go to AWC etc find ways to write about CAP for the projects....

[♠SARKID♠]

Wow....Just...Wow.

Thats got to be one of the best reports on CAP I have ever heard.

[PA Guy]

I think everyone needs to remember that this article was written over 30 yrs ago.  CAP is a very different animal now.  It was a great article for it's time.

[RiverAux]

Although we had approximately the same number of members then as we do now, CAP had almost three times as many corporate vehicles and 300 more corporate aircraft.   

[PA Guy]

Although we had approximately the same number of members then as we do now, CAP had almost three times as many corporate vehicles and 300 more corporate aircraft.   

That's true but the quality of the veh and A/C fleet are much better now.  When this article was written most corporate vehicles were DRMO surplus, they were junk when CAP got them and went down hill from there.  Many weren't road worthy.  We still had a fair number of surplus A/C (T-34s and O-1s) that had seen better days.  Bigger isn't always better. Maint. for the most part was completely up to the unit.