Limits on numbers of Ground Team Leaders per unit?

[Duke Dillio]

I'm still boggling over this situation.  I can't imagine why anybody in their right mind would even think about limiting their resource pool.  What if your GTL is a cadet?  (and yes it can happen.)  Last time I checked, cadets cannot transport passengers in a CAP vehicle.

I have also never heard that IC's could be limited by geographical area.  Those thoughts are simply absurd.  We need more qualified people, not less.  We are currently turning down missions because people don't want to go out and play.  I know that in this area, there are at least 7 IC's within 50 miles of me.  As for Ground Team Leaders and Ground Branch Directors, we have 4 GBD's, 6 GTL's and 3 GTL(T)'s in my unit.  There is only one IC in my unit although my squadron commander is working up to IC3 right now.  We do not have a CAP vehicle as it seems that most of the vehicles in the area are basically junk.  We do not have an aircraft nor pilots to fly one or aircrews to post to one.  As it is, we are more geared towards the ground side of things with a few members qualified in the different mission base staff positions.  As the operations officer, I try to make all training available to whoever wants it.  I feel that it's my job to promote ES and get the people that are interested qualified for the jobs that they want to do.

Why anyone would think that this was a kosher idea is beyond me.  I say bring out the CAP firing squad.....

[Duke Dillio]

For the record, since I started this post, I want to make it very clear that my unit commander is absolutely top notch.  The problem, as I see it, is higher up the food chain.

What frustrates me is that we're essentially being told that our service is not valuable to the Group/Wing because there are others members who are already serving in certain roles/ratings.

Someone is shoveling a big pile of doo doo here.  Everyone should be allowed to participate.

And of course, behind this is the well known issue of the same ground teams and aircrews being called first allowing very little opportunity for others in the Group/Wing to participate.

I've heard of the same thing happening in another wing.  A friend of mine who is a squadron commander showed up at his squadron meeting place (to work on some paperwork) on a Saturday and found a full blown REDCAP mission being run out of a trailer next to the squadron building.  He hadn't been called and was extremely peeved to find this going on.  He talked to the wing commander who didn't really seem to care.  This is the kind of thing that needs to stop.  It's like being the last kid picked in dodge ball.  It's immature and unprofessional.

I know, it doesn't make sense, and I'm more than willing to admit that I don't have the full story and to give the Group/Wing the benefit of the doubt.  But from what I've been hearing over and over again something is wrong here.

No offense but "Duh"...  To be honest, I don't even think a call to the group or wing IG would cut any mustard.  If you really want to follow this up, I would think that this might have to go higher like to the region or national level.  I would suggest that you not circumvent the chain of command.  Report it to the group and wing.  When they don't do anything, then go knock on the region door.  Before doing any of that though, I would probably suggest getting the whole story.  Maybe there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication.  Good luck to you on this one.

It's enough to make me post my gear on eBay.

And I'm the high bidder....  Prepare for that nonpayment dispute.  OH YEAH!!!   

[RiverAux]

I think there is a better than even chance that there could have been a misunderstanding somehwhere along the line.  Since a lot of times wings like to try to implement policies without putting anything down on paper, stories can get out of whack very quickly. 

[Short Field]

In CO, units are encouraged to stand up complete ground teams. Over the last couple years, the pages have gone out for GTL's/MP's to call in availablility ONLY with a full team/aircrew ready. The team/aircrew is handled as a single resource, not a strike team made up of individuals.

Variations on this practice are not that unusual.  It basically just delegates the responsibility (and workload) of getting a full up crew or team together.  It can speed up getting people together and take a load off the IC as an incident is spinning up.

A friend of mine who is a squadron commander showed up at his squadron meeting place (to work on some paperwork) on a Saturday and found a full blown REDCAP mission being run out of a trailer next to the squadron building.  He hadn't been called and was extremely peeved to find this going on. 

Either out of the loop or (more likely) not part of the "old boy network".  Not a good way to run an organization but all you can do to fight it is stay active, be a little vocal ( can't make them mad at you but you don't have to ignore it), and become too valuable to not call.  However this approach does take time...

[SarDragon]

Nice quote. No additional commentary?

[Short Field]

^^^ With age comes experience - and a need for reading glasses to avoid hitting the save button instead of the preview buttom while working multiple quotes.....

[MIKE]

n00bs. 

[Short Field]

^^^Well, it was only posted for 46 Seconds before the first response.