Oldest news on a Wing web page

[Major Carrales]

Again, how many of you have got off your kiester to write stories for your webpages and pubic affairs houses?

I think we already have a tread knocking public affairs...enough already!!!

[RiverAux]

Actually, I think we're knocking CAP webmasters primarily here.  Its their responsibility to either get new news from their PAO and put it on the website or at a minimum, remove ancient news releases from it. 

[Major Carrales]

Actually, I think we're knocking CAP webmasters primarily here.  Its their responsibility to either get new news from their PAO and put it on the website or at a minimum, remove ancient news releases from it. 

Why not send the webmaster an e-mail or contact the SQUADRN, GROUP or WING command and have it changed in a more intergrity minded way instead of in this less than so manner?

What? Because some think that someone changed the wording of an article online that this is an accepted practice. That seems to be me to be the less than simple and direct way to effect change here.

People make errors, it is more important for those errors to be corrected in a manner in keeping with civility than to "roast" someone's work online.

If y'all want to be "self-appointed" mavens/guardians of good public affairs work, why not correct it in a manner more becoming of a CAP Officer instead of the Statler and Waldorf method displayed here?

[RiverAux]

This is not a simple error (which I do report to webmasters all the time). 

A webmaster that has let old information like this sit on their web page for 2.5 years already knows they've got old stuff on thier site and telling them that this is the case is unlikely to make a difference.  People doing their job in a less than satisfactory (which is the case according to me) manner don't like to be told that this is the case by someone outside their chain of command. 

I know you've been around CAP a long time and how well do you think a Wing Commander is going to respond to being told that their guy is doing a bad job by somone from another Wing?  Do you think that is going to really accomplish anything especially when the issue at hand relates to a personal opinion on web page/public affairs management than something direct like a violation of a regulation?

No, we bring subjects like this up on the board to highlight issues that affect CAP as a whole.  The situation with CA's web page and their news sections is just the most prominent example that I know about. 

The obvious solution is to have better direction on this included in appropriate CAP training programs. 

[Major Carrales]

The obvious solution is to have better direction on this included in appropriate CAP training programs. 

I agree with this, but I don't see how creating "Hey, let's point and laugh" threads basically in the style of the "Funny Uniform" threads helps in the proper way.

Guidance requires a degree of accountability, and I believe that if a WING Commander was getting input (privately) from persons outside the WING (done with tact and civility) that steps would be taken to insure that PAOs, especially WING level Public Affairs, would improve. 

This is all a form of "praise in public, condemn in private."  Sure, it lacks the theatrical explosion of an ON LINE FLAME, but it returns better more ethical dividends!!!

[RiverAux]

I have never yet seen a problem get fixed unless it is first demonstrated that there is a problem.  You always need to point to examples to show what you're talking about.  Heck, half the time when a topic is brought up for discussion here someone complains that no one has shown that there is a problem that needs to be fixed in the first place. 

Guidance requires a degree of accountability, and I believe that if a WING Commander was getting input (privately) from persons outside the WING (done with tact and civility) that steps would be taken to insure that PAOs, especially WING level Public Affairs, would improve. 

Unfortunately, I think that is a pretty naive view of how CAP (or any organization) works.  I'm about 95% positive that the immediate response to such an email would be (at the very minimum) the receipt of a very angry call from your Wing commander that you should mind your own **** business. 

Incidentally, while I agree that criticizing photos of random CAP members on this page isn't necessary (anyone who knows the uniform regs doesn't have to look far to find someone in violation, so specific examples aren't necessary).  However, it is entirely legit to criticize photos of bad uniforms in the Volunteer or CAP News Online.  Those are national publications that have an obligation to be doing things right.  From what I understand, historically they were very strict on those issues and it was almost impossible to sneak a violation past them.  Now, I'm not so sure.  But, as the visible face of CAP they have to take their chances. 

[Major Carrales]

I have never yet seen a problem get fixed unless it is first demonstrated that there is a problem.  You always need to point to examples to show what you're talking about.  Heck, half the time when a topic is brought up for discussion here someone complains that no one has shown that there is a problem that needs to be fixed in the first place.

My dear Sir, you began this as a "witchunt" asking CAP Officers to go about the web and point out the worst and post in here where it would be snickered at from the "balcony."  I too, believe in pointing out the problem; however, I believe more in pointing them out to the people who stand in a position to solve that problem.

Unfortunately, I think that is a pretty naive view of how CAP (or any organization) works. 

What is unfortunate is that you see my idealism, the idea of running CAP "as it should," as flawed in favor of giving into to certain elements of the status quo.  Unlike you, I do not believe in accepting the failings of organizations as the ONLY REALITY...I instead want those failigs addressed.

One failing I see with CAPTALK is its ability to present problems with no recourse for solution.  That makes us "Statler and Waldorf."  Always the critic, never on the stage.

Well, in my opinion contacting he webmaster and unit command of the offending site is more a solution than lambasting it on a form like this.

[RiverAux]

Unlike you, I do not believe in accepting the failings of organizations as the ONLY REALITY...I instead want those failigs addressed.

And the only effective way to fix a situation like this is to address it here.  If you want to try to attempt to unclog the stovepipe that CAP prefers all communications follow, you're welcome to it. 

But, I think we've taken this as far as it is likely to go...

[Major Carrales]

Unlike you, I do not believe in accepting the failings of organizations as the ONLY REALITY...I instead want those failigs addressed.

And the only effective way to fix a situation like this is to address it here.  If you want to try to attempt to unclog the stovepipe that CAP prefers all communications follow, you're welcome to it. 

But, I think we've taken this as far as it is likely to go...

Yes, my friend, I think we have reached the end on this matter.  Let's work together in the same direction...though it be on two different paths.

[afgeo4]

Can this be helped by having one website template for all units in CAP that is managed by NHQ and where all other units are subordinates?

This has worked on Wing/Group levels with squadrons as "tabs" or "sections" on the main website. Could it work on a larger scale?

I mean if we create an easy to update templated website for each unit that works within the cap.gov domain and release clear instructions on how to update information in such website and the limit of information that can be stored by each unit, wouldn't it make it possible for most units to keep up with the flow?

Right now, most units need to create their own websites, often paying for the creating, maintenance, and domain; deal with any issues that arise from the IT end, train members in unit to use the site and then make sure the site is updated.

That's too much to ask for from squadrons where commanders operate with little help and put all their time and effort on the 3 primary missions.

We can't expect people to perform 100% without 100% support!

[Major Carrales]

Can this be helped by having one website template for all units in CAP that is managed by NHQ and where all other units are subordinates?

This has worked on Wing/Group levels with squadrons as "tabs" or "sections" on the main website. Could it work on a larger scale?

I mean if we create an easy to update templated website for each unit that works within the cap.gov domain and release clear instructions on how to update information in such website and the limit of information that can be stored by each unit, wouldn't it make it possible for most units to keep up with the flow?

Right now, most units need to create their own websites, often paying for the creating, maintenance, and domain; deal with any issues that arise from the IT end, train members in unit to use the site and then make sure the site is updated.

That's too much to ask for from squadrons where commanders operate with little help and put all their time and effort on the 3 primary missions.

We can't expect people to perform 100% without 100% support!

Now there is a solution!!!  I wonder if the CAP.GOV system could handle that.  I can imagine a place where each unit had a standard front page and a sort of "blog" style PAO page where one could post stories.

[Major Carrales]

Disclaimer: I must say that the "Statler and Waldorf" analogy was not of my original making and reflects/builds upon an old post by Robert Hartigan.

[RiverAux]

CG Aux provides web hosting services for all their flotillas if the flotilla wants to take advantage of it.  There is some talk about going to some sort of required format, but nothing definite has been said.

CAP certainly could go the same route.  Having CAP be the host of the web sites is very preferable.  Right now if some squadron member does the site on his personal page, if he leaves there is absolutely no way for CAP to ensure that the site is shut down -- it might continue out there for years until the (former) member decides to take it down. 

I don't think having a common template would solve the particular issue that started this thread.  Otherwise, I'm torn -- there are some really junky CAP web sites out there that would be improved by such a template.  On the other hand, there are some great CAP web sites whose overall quality would drop quite a bit if forced to use a template. 

[PhoenixRisen]

I don't think having a common template would solve the particular issue that started this thread.   Otherwise, I'm torn -- there are some really junky CAP web sites out there that would be improved by such a template.  On the other hand, there are some great CAP web sites whose overall quality would drop quite a bit if forced to use a template. 

No - but it would improve the overall professionalism of CAP websites (at least, in my opinion).  If you look at the branches of the military (especially the Air Force) they all follow the same (if not very similar) format.

I recall a CAPTalker (McLarty - sp?) created a CAP web template that mirrored the Air Force's design.  Pretty dang sharp.

IIRC, he said he was having some trouble putting it into a package with witch he could distribute to other units - so I gave up on that idea when I designed the site for my new squadron.

I wanted to make it similar to the Air Force's sites or a CAP site, and being that CAP.gov was much easier to use - I decided to go with that.

My squadron's temporary page:  http://gp7.cawg.cap.gov/school/esco_home.htm

EDIT - I see that NYWG decided to do the same thing (link).