Has Economy Hurt Your Squadron Yet?

[JAFO78]

Has the economy down turn started to hurt your membership?

Have you had any members that are not renewing because they can't afford it?

How about your units fund raising? Has that been effected at all?

I have been thinking about this for the last few days, and I just wanted to see if anything had changed with your squadron.

[notaNCO forever]

 We haven't had any problems yet; actually we have had an increase in members.

[Eclipse]

We haven't had any problems yet; actually we have had an increase in members.

Ditto for my units, however it may adversely effect some larger-scale fund raising we are planning for 2009.

[Flying Pig]

We have almost tripled in size.  When gas was high a few months ago, we had some members trimming back on meetings, but now that gas is back down we are in full swing.  I imagine if we are going to see it, it will be in a drop off in attendance during the summer, ie. encampments, NCOS, Special Activities.

[Timbo]

When gas prices reached their all time high......many would not participate in wing activities that required them to drive more than an hour.  Sucks being in large States with the Wing HQ a far far far way away.  Even for reimbursable activities.....I don't want to wait 4 to 6 weeks to get a check back to pay my credit card bill.....because by that time it has already cycled past due.

I am hoping above hope that we will see gas prices drop another 50 to 60 cents by summer.     

[notaNCO forever]

 If it drops another sixty scents where I live it will be about one dollar a gallon.

[RADIOMAN015]

The only thing I know is at our last Senior Member's Commander's Call I recommend that our quarterly dues be increased from $15 to $20 & NO one chimmed in to support me.  Commander mentioned something that we would OK IF all the senior members paid their dues on time.

After our unit inspection in January, it's going to be my intention to develop an equipment wish list (primairly ES support related)  for the squadron & than I'm going to go out to some local merchants and see what I can get for "in kind" donations.   Another avenue that involves more significant work is developing a grant funding request for enhancing one of our programs (e.g. cadet rocketry, emergency services, etc.).   Surely non profits are having difficutly in getting large corporate sponsorships.  Locally one non-profit had to cancel an event this fall because they couldn't get any large corporate sponsors for it. 

It's great that gas prices have decreased, BUT here in the northeast so far it's been a cold winter, so you got to pay your heating costs.  It has not been a great year for many companies, sales are flat or decreased, so even for a project pay raise, it may be small or not at all for many senior members.

Hopefully, CAP at the National Level, won't do anything stupid to cost members more money!!   I think an example of this is uniforms in general.  Cadet members might get blue shirt/pants BUT no outer jacket (and of course the purist on the list think that everyone has money to go out and buy an official jack to be official!!!).  Senior wise, I think the new long sleeve golf shirt is overpriced.   Generally the BDU's are available both for cadets & seniors, but outer jackets aren't.  It's darn cold here in the northeast.

Many people see CAP to mean "Come and Pay" and I think at all levels we need to look at how we can still meet our objectives, at the minimum cost to the membership.

RM       

[jimmydeanno]

I think CAP dues are pretty darn cheap!  I mean, if we aren't willing to support our mission, who is?

[Pumbaa]

We have cadets unable to purchase uniforms or uniform items since a father or mother was laid off... or is under-employed.  Money is tight there...

Thus far the attendance has not been effected too much at regular squadron meetings.  There has been a drop off at special events however.

Being in the Appalachia of New York does not help much...

[Gunner C]

We have cadets unable to purchase uniforms or uniform items since a father or mother was laid off... or is under-employed.  Money is tight there...

Thus far the attendance has not been effected too much at regular squadron meetings.  There has been a drop off at special events however.

Being in the Appalachia of New York does not help much...

We ain't seen nothin' yet . . . This is going to be a bad one (not getting political, just reading the writing on the wall).

[Pumbaa]

Agree'd gunner... I am starting to fear for my job too.  I am in the defense industry and I am seeing contract slow downs...

[DNall]

Agree'd gunner... I am starting to fear for my job too.  I am in the defense industry and I am seeing contract slow downs...

My job is pretty secure for the next couple years, but I don't know what the prospects for AGR will be like after that. I have a feeling defense budgets are going to get pretty tight in the next few years. I do think that'll turn around though after not too long.

[Timbo]

Agree'd gunner... I am starting to fear for my job too.  I am in the defense industry and I am seeing contract slow downs...

My job is pretty secure for the next couple years, but I don't know what the prospects for AGR will be like after that. I have a feeling defense budgets are going to get pretty tight in the next few years. I do think that'll turn around though after not too long.

My wife inherited a plastics manufacturing business, she runs the day-to-day now, and almost 90 percent of all her business is defense related.  She makes almost every plastic part found in the C-130 (and during the refit, it was crazy at the plant).  Honestly, Defense Contracts are always going to be a round, and anyone involved with defense manufacturing should be fine in the coming economy.

As far as AGR positions go, some states are thinking about bringing in minimum wage civilian type folks to fill slots.  Honestly, why is there an AGR staffer manning the phone in the billeting office at my local post??  I can be done by a civilian, for far cheaper, without providing all the benefits that are mandatory for an AGR type. 

However, we may see states so strapped that the first thing they cut are defense jobs.  IF that were to happen, I can see AGR stopping. 

[DNall]

It has a lot lot do with what pot the money is coming out of. The federal govt really pays for the majority of AGR personnel, even if it's title 32. Civilians would be cheaper, but would be paid completely from state funds. Right now we're expanding our AGR force by a bit over 300. A good part of that is in recruiting & counter-drug, but there's more around. Being in an Aviation unit, there's always a ton of AGR positions cause we're actually flying about 14hrs a day every day. They have said they'll bring me on in an operations officer position when I get back, and I also got offered a position at the state JOC, but I don't know that either of those will be able to back that up by the time I get back.