Should a person have to live in the WING / REGION where they are a Memeber?

[Major Carrales]

Should a person have to live in the WING REGION where they are a Memeber?

An intersting debate I think we could have.  We have alrady looked at Canadians in the CAP , but what about those folks that live on the border of some states.  Should they be made to live in their WING?  Is this an issue at all?

Two basic sides here...

RESOLVED:  That all persons be required to live in the WING and REGION where their primary residence is located?

or...

RESOLVED:  That a person can join any WING or REGION they desire?

I look forward to the debates.

Added / so it reads better - MIKE

[0]

Well I'm a fan of go to the closest unit. 

Plus what do we do for our members who are in college and not near their primary residence?  Should their membership be held at the closest unit and then you've got the two units working having to go back and forth to help that member progress while they are in school?

[Ned]

Or . . .

RESOLVED:  A member may be a member of any unit wherein the commander believes that the member makes a valuable contribution to our mission.


After all, how do we really know where a member "lives" anyway?  Some folks spend a significant amount of time travelling for their jobs, or have two or more homes in different locations, or are affluent enought to travel to their "home" wing/region for activities as necessary.

I'm not sure there is even a regulation that requires a member has to give us their "home address" anyway.  (Think PO Box and cell phone.)

Ultimately, this sounds like a unit commander's call.  If the member isn't contributing, it doesn't really matter where they live.  Similarly, if the member is making a valuable contribution, it doesn't really matter where they live.

Ned Lee

[Turk]

There's no requirement - regulatory or legal. Classic case - the Delaware Wing Commander lives in Rockville, Maryland!  

[MIKE]

Plus what do we do for our members who are in college and not near their primary residence?  Should their membership be held at the closest unit and then you've got the two units working having to go back and forth to help that member progress while they are in school?

Toyed with transferring to a NHWG unit WIWAC, while in college in NH so I could test... Didn't pan out so stayed assigned to MAWG.

I don't think it really matters... particularly if you are inactive and just holding your membership in somebody's squadron... or if you are actually closer to the neighboring wing.

[JC004]

States are small in this of the country.  I am closer to a couple of DEWG units than my unit.  I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to join any of them.

[mikeylikey]

States are small in this of the country.  I am closer to a couple of DEWG units than my unit.  I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to join any of them.

Plus.....DEWG is going to invade PAWG anyday now.  It may be better to be on the winning side......right?!?!

Anyway.....I don't think it matters for the average member type.  I do think it matters for the Wing Commander.  It would be best if the Wing Commander was a resident of the State he or she commands.  I know that sounds foolish, but it adds up to credibility, and trust between the State Agencies and the Wing.  What would be better.....giving money to a Wing Commander that doesn't even reside in the State, or giving money to the Wing Commander that does reside in the State.

I think living in one state and driving to a closer unit in another state for SQD meetings is fine (especially when fuel explodes above $5.00/gallon).  But the Wings actual leadership should be a resident.   

[ßτε]

What about those members of the NVWG units which are headquartered in California? I am sure most of them live in California.

[JohnKachenmeister]

In my former life I lived in Toledo, Ohio.  Toledo is adjacent to the Michigan border, and many cadets and officers in Toledo units (Ohio Wing) came from the smaller tows and cities in Southern Michigan because a unit in Toledo was closer than the nearest Michigan Wing unit.

[RiverAux]

Let them be in whichever wing makes most sense for them.    However, if we have a guy assigned to a wing halfway across the country that lives in my state, I'd be very reluctant in which activities they could participate in here since we wouldn't have their records. 

[FW]

Of course you don't have to live in D.C. to belong to NatCAP Wing.  There aren't any units in D.C. anymore.  They are in VA or MD.

[Shotgun]

Our squadron is based in Olive Branch, MS where the northern border just happens to be the southern border of on Memphis, TN. As such, I'd say that 60% of the membership lives in another another wing.

Along with that fact, the Wing Commander for Mississippi just happens to also live in Tennesee.

People come to our squadron because it is a shorter drive for them to reach the Olive Branch Composite Squadron than the Tennessee Squadron based in Memphis.

As a result we are the largest squadron in the Mississippi Wing and put the most hours on our planes.

[RickFranz]

We have a college here in town and we had 3 Cadets that where students attending our meetings.  One from MO. one from NM and one from Maryland.  I was able to talk two of them into to transferring and one did not, I worked with their home unit on testing and Pt scores.  

I think we need to do anything we can to help Cadets that want to stay in the program but don't want to transfer to another Wing for whatever reason.  (All with in the Reg's of course.)

[brasda91]

I live just across the river from Metropolis, IL.  There is a composite squadron in Metropolis.  Any potential members from IL that hears about our squadron, I refer them to Metropolis.  Now if they do not mess with the Metropolis unit, they are welcome to join mine.

[Hawk200]

I don't think that it should matter where the person lives to be a member of a wing.

I don't think that a person should be a member of a wing, and "working" in another one. When out in California, the group vice commander was a member of Pennslvania wing. He paid dues to Pennslvania, wore the patch,but held a command position of what was then Group 9 in California (this was in '94).

No "TDY's". But joining a different wing and working there isn't and shouldn't be an issue. We're volunteers when it comes to joining up, people should be able to join where they want to.

[Camas]

Let them be in whichever wing makes most sense for them.    However, if we have a guy assigned to a wing halfway across the country that lives in my state, I'd be very reluctant in which activities they could participate in here since we wouldn't have their records. 

I gotta agree. How can you enter testing information for a cadet in e-services or look up a senior member's "quals"; either in professional development or emergency services? If she or he isn't registered with your unit - you can't!

Transferring from one unit to another is so simple and easy nowadays. There just doesn't seem to be any reason to remain with a wing when you're with a unit in another wing. Just my thoughts.

[IceNine]

I think this was answered very well above.

I believe it is a waste of administrative effort, and an inaccurate representation of our membership as an organization to allow empty shirts to occupy space on a unit roster.

However if a member of a different unit-> region was to prevent a useful service to said unit they are welcome to join 

For instance, if I had a web developer friend that lived 500 miles away from me, but wanted to work for my unit remotely I'd allow that.

But if Lt.Col. Usta Could doesn't show up to a meeting or present any value to my unit for a year or more they are not welcome to remain on my roster. 

Thank goodness 20-1 allows for exactly this situation with the "holding unit"

[Pylon]

College, frequent travelers, TDY, those with multiple residences, etc. are all great reasons to not bother even think about this.  Those who want to travel a bit farther for a unit that more closely focuses on their interests, those who want to belong to units farther away from their house than the closest unit due to nostalgia, personal friendships, resources, different unit types, proximity to work versus home, etc.  There are a million reasons.  I side with Ned's assessment.

Why exactly do you think this is needed?  Why are we thinking up rules to fix non-issues?

[Major Carrales]

College, frequent travelers, TDY, those with multiple residences, etc. are all great reasons to not bother even think about this.  Those who want to travel a bit farther for a unit that more closely focuses on their interests, those who want to belong to units farther away from their house than the closest unit due to nostalgia, personal friendships, resources, different unit types, proximity to work versus home, etc.  There are a million reasons.  I side with Ned's assessment.

Why exactly do you think this is needed?  Why are we thinking up rules to fix non-issues?

Are we looking for a solution to anything here, or are we just exploring the matter (incidently one that does not deal with UNIFORMS)?  While I do not live proximate to the border of any WING, I can imagine those in West Texas, the Panhandle or East Texas attaching to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas or Louisiana.

Why might I ask this, you have asked?  Because when I first took command a few years ago I got a request from someone from another region who wanted to join my Unit to circumnavigate some issue they were having in their circles.  I later discovered that this person had approached Brownsville and McAllen about the matter.  I took no action and never heard from that individual again.

Is there an "issue" in that?  I don't know, you tell me.

Your comments are hereby noted, take that for what you will.  In many ways this is a lesson in "Solevency" and "Inherency."So, are you for or against the idea of "working outside" your WING/REGION?

[Pylon]

So, are you for or against the idea of "working outside" your WING/REGION?

Your answer already in my previous post:

I side with Ned's assessment.

Which is:

RESOLVED:  A member may be a member of any unit wherein the commander believes that the member makes a valuable contribution to our mission.