Has anyone noticed a change that National doesn't say is a change? Look up the CAC section and you will find that all CAC representatives at all levels are APPOINTED. No longer are they ELECTED by cadets at that level.The entire concept of the CAC was to provide cadets an avenue to bring suggestions and report local problems to higher levels (Group or Wing usually) This is taken away if commanders appoint. For example, the Commander of the Mickey Mouse Cadet Squadron, appoints his son/daughter as the Squadron representative. Do you think Group or Wing will hear of any problems in the Mickey Mouse cadet Squadron? I was one of three seniors (all former cadets that drew up the original regulation for CAC back in the 1950's. The CAC had it's own chain of command to bring up issues and suggestions OUTSIDE of senior control. With commanders appointing their favorite cadets as CAC representatives, this chian in broken.
It is not lowering any bars.This is allowing for more people to participate at levels appropriate for them. Which has been denied in a lot of organizations for a long time.The "bar" as you put it should continually be set by yourself. Starting at what ever level of which you are able and then pushing yourself to work to your best potential.If you want your cadets to achieve a higher "bar" then show them the way. Offer them more. You are not limited to teach only from the books that CAP provides. In fact CAP encourgages members to expand in all educational areas. Especially Aerospace Education.When did everyone get limiting in their views of the outside world.Look out side the box and allow for modification for any individual preference.
Considering that TLC is mostly a hazing recognition and reaction seminar...
I never knew CAC reps were elected. Usually, the cadet who volunteered/voluntold for the job got it. The only CAC reps that I thought were elected were those who represented lower CAC's to higher CAC's, i.e. group to wing.
How many Master Rated CP seniors do we have in CNY Group?
How conveeeeenient. For me that is. You... well... you're umm... you're going active duty as the group's TLC instructor. hehehehe
Are you saying there should be no standards? That cadets should be able to design their own program but everyone should get the same awards? Lowering the standards so low that everyone achieves the goal is no achievement at all.
The fact that a total of 1521 Spaatz awards having been giving since it's inception (in 1964) as apposed to the Eagle Scout Award (established 1969) being earned by 50,377 in 2004 alone.
I think the percentages are different because Eagle Scout is the only progression path in Boy Scouts. If you're in the Boy Scouts for that many years, you are clearly there for the sole overarching purpose of making Eagle Scout.
Don't get me wrong, I don't view Eagle Scout as something people just get for vanity or ego. I hope you didn't read that in my remarks. I know there is the "greater good" factor as well (as there is in CAP).However, I would still say that people who stay in scouting that long, by and large, are there to finish up what they started (i.e., get Eagle Scout). The same is not true for long-time CAP cadets, who are often still in the program for different reasons.It's just a guess, and I could be way wrong here, but it seems to me that Boy Scouts are probably on a path to Eagle if they're still in the program through high school. At least, that's my perception. Whereas, your average 18+ CAP cadet is probably nowhere near Spaatz, and for many, it's not even on their radar.Anyway, it's all hand-wavy generalizations, because I don't have statistics in front of me (and I doubt CAP has statistics on what 18+ cadets do). I was just fishing for ideas on why the percentages are so different. I think it's because the focus of the program is different for cadets/scouts approaching the "age out" point.
I just finished reading the book "Get Off My Honor", written by an Eagle Scout. He is trying to defend the Scouts from the Homosexual Onslaught. What I found particularly interesting was the discussion of the history of the Boy Scouts and why it started. At the turn of the 19th century a man in England noticed how the boys were becoming lazy, crude, rude, and morally corrupt, and he started a group of young male scouts in England. His goal was to get the boys back into being morally clean, and to become the leaders that the country needed for the future. Vision StatementThe Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.In the future Scouting will continue toOffer young people responsible fun and adventure; Instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law; Train young people in citizenship, service, and leadership; Serve America's communities and families with its quality, values-based program.I doubt if the author ever knew about CAP and what we offer boys. Our leadership program has so much to it, but unlike the local boy scout groups, the training for the cadet can also be ongoing through encampments, Wing events, and National events. Yet, as Justin and Julie Anne says, there is so much to offer the cadet, that he (also she) can spend seven years doing things that won't automatically get you to Spaatz if you don't push the pencil. But you can be a pilot, a whiz at search and rescue, color guard expert, you name it - these things can be used as employment opportunities and aren't found in the Boy Scouts. You get the Eagle Award and you don't have a qualification to be an Eagle....you get a pilot's license and you are on your way in the blue sky! I'd say the comparison of a boy scout vs a CAP cadet can be closely similar, or vastly different - it all depends on how much the cadet wants to learn and work in the leadership program. If the scout doesn't do much, he's like the cadet who doesn't do much. But for the Scout who becomes an Eagle Scout, he still can't compare to a cadet who's done it all. The Boy Scout only does Leadership, which is just a third of our program! CAP has three different paths and the Boy Scouts has only has one path, so its comparing apples to oranges! And Matt, being an Eagle Scout is great too!
Has anyone sent in comment to National about the 52-16 Draft?