Largest Squadron?

[CAPSGT]

I seem to recall a few years back NHQ used to publish the 10 largest squadrons with cadets in the nation every year.  With the recent discussion about membership trends nationwide as far as how many members we have across the country, I'm curious to see if the largest squadrons have tended to get larger, stay the same, or perhaps even shrink.

Does anybody know where these stats can be found anymore?

[Earhart1971]

I think I know the largest Squadron.

Sheldon Middle School Squadron, Houston, Texas

Talked to the Commander about a month ago, 220 Cadets, and has been operating 6 years, high was over 300 Cadets.

That has got to be the Record.

[IceNine]

The commander of that unit (at least I think he's still there)  won almost all of the recruiting incentive competitions and such that nationals used to offer.

And he boasts loudly the fact that he has as many or more cadets that quite a few wings

[Earhart1971]

L/Col Gerry Levesque is the Unit Commander.

He is GODFATHER of the NEW Civil Air Patrol, blessings be upon him!

We should face Houston and Salute every morning.

I am going to fly out and see him sometime.

[PA Guy]

He is GODFATHER of the NEW Civil Air Patrol, blessings be upon him!

"GODFATHER"? "NEW Civil Air Patrol"?  Would you explain that please.

[SarDragon]

I think he's been eating too many of those "special" Rice Krispie Treats. 

[Cecil DP]

If Gerry Levesque is connected to it, it's a class operation.

[Earhart1971]

He is GODFATHER of the NEW Civil Air Patrol, blessings be upon him!

"GODFATHER"? "NEW Civil Air Patrol"?  Would you explain that please.

No I am not going to explain.

I have tired of the Flame wars, you cannot type and have a conversation, its always tit for tat, nothing is settled, if I had 15 to 20 min of give and take talk time face to face, I could explain it, to most CAP Members.

Call Gerry and talk to him, he is a great guy, and approachable.

[SDF_Specialist]

I would assume that dealing with that many cadets would do that to a guy. Good for that unit. More power to them! They obviously have a great retention program.

[PA Guy]

He is GODFATHER of the NEW Civil Air Patrol, blessings be upon him!

"GODFATHER"? "NEW Civil Air Patrol"?  Would you explain that please.

No I am not going to explain.

I have tired of the Flame wars, you cannot type and have a conversation, its always tit for tat, nothing is settled, if I had 15 to 20 min of give and take talk time face to face, I could explain it, to most CAP Members.

Call Gerry and talk to him, he is a great guy, and approachable.

What flame war?  I simply wasn't sure what you meant and in what context. That makes it hard to have a conversation.  But that is your call. You have a great CAP day.

[Earhart1971]

He is GODFATHER of the NEW Civil Air Patrol, blessings be upon him!

"GODFATHER"? "NEW Civil Air Patrol"?  Would you explain that please.

No I am not going to explain.

I have tired of the Flame wars, you cannot type and have a conversation, its always tit for tat, nothing is settled, if I had 15 to 20 min of give and take talk time face to face, I could explain it, to most CAP Members.

Call Gerry and talk to him, he is a great guy, and approachable.

What flame war?  I simply wasn't sure what you meant and in what context. That makes it hard to have a conversation.  But that is your call. You have a great CAP day.

I'm gun shy, certain people on this site enjoy taking the contrarian positions on every post.

What I mean is CAP is missing the Boat, this Commander and his operation should be studied and duplicated. Call Gerry, he loves to talk about how his Squadron is doing.

Gerry is full time CAP, he works for the School District.

[Earhart1971]

I would assume that dealing with that many cadets would do that to a guy. Good for that unit. More power to them! They obviously have a great retention program.

Its a School Elective Program. As far as retention, I have found and so has Gerry, getting them to Encampment the first year is key.

Most units I visit have 10 to 15 Cadets, its a shame.

Wing Encampments down to 150 to 170 Cadets, I don't understand that.

Gerry has some new ideas, that work.

[PA Guy]

I have no experience with the MSI. Is what the Houston MSI sqdn doing reproduceable in the typical non MSI sqdn? 

[Earhart1971]

Sent you a message, check it and I will bring you up to Speed on some interesting things.

[CadetProgramGuy]

I had the pleasure of talking to LTC Levesque, when he literally dropped in to Iowa's WTA awhile ago.

He was with his battalion (he's Army) on training on Camp Dodge, Iowa.

VERY impressive man.  He gaev a standing offer to attend any of his meetings or encampments.

He also offered to help run ours, IF we gave a five year committment to him and CAP to run the encampment.  His direct quote...."Give me a list of your goals, make them impossible, and  will accomplish them within 5 years."

Oh BTW, its pronounced   La-Vou

[Earhart1971]

I had the pleasure of talking to LTC Levesque, when he literally dropped in to Iowa's WTA awhile ago.

He was with his battalion (he's Army) on training on Camp Dodge, Iowa.

VERY impressive man.  He gaev a standing offer to attend any of his meetings or encampments.

He also offered to help run ours, IF we gave a five year committment to him and CAP to run the encampment.  His direct quote...."Give me a list of your goals, make them impossible, and  will accomplish them within 5 years."

Oh BTW, its pronounced   La-Vou

He is the GODFATHER! Agree 100%

[capes]

L/Col Gerry Levesque is the Unit Commander.

He is GODFATHER of the NEW Civil Air Patrol, blessings be upon him!

We should face Houston and Salute every morning.

I am going to fly out and see him sometime.

Hate to rain on the Gerry parade, but many people (including myself and folks who worked with him at NHQ ) find Gerry very difficult to work with.  He isn't near the cult of personality that folks want to think - he gets results, very true, but often the cost is too high.

[Pylon]

Gerry is full time CAP, he works for the School District.

I wish I could be full-time CAP at the squadron level!

[cnitas]

I have no experience with the MSI. Is what the Houston MSI sqdn doing reproduceable in the typical non MSI sqdn? 

I think this might be an important question to answer in the open instead of PM.

I run a local squadron, not a middle school intuitive.  The 2 are quite different.  I cannot even get into my county middle schools, to recruit during lunch. 

[Earhart1971]

I have no experience with the MSI. Is what the Houston MSI sqdn doing reproduceable in the typical non MSI sqdn? 

I think this might be an important question to answer in the open instead of PM.

I run a local squadron, not a middle school intuitive.  The 2 are quite different.  I cannot even get into my county middle schools, to recruit during lunch. 

Its all local efforts that get this program going, and I believe, the School Program, should have a Squadron HQ Unit with weekend Volunteers to do the Weekend stuff, and the kids go to weekly meeting.

So, in theory, your unit gets a school, you get an instructor, and you have elective classes, they want you to have at least 150 students. That is Group Size, and that's also your own Encampment too.


And the Orientation Flights and stuff. AFJROTC does not have Aircraft. Gerry Levesque was the National Coordinator and opted for just being a School Instructor.

And them blocking you from even going to the school, why is that?

Is that Berkley type attitude?