Frequency and length of senior squadron meetings

[RiverAux]

If you were to start a senior squadron, what do you feel would be the best schedule for holding meetings? 

Here is my analysis of the options (I'm willing to add on new options if requested):
Weekly two hour weeknight meetings:  Would give you 8-10 total training hours a month, but that is a pretty rough schedule for many adults.  Your total time would be high, but I suspect that your attendence per meeting would be lower and that many people would only end up making 50-75% of the meetings.

Twice a month weeknight two hour meetings.  This seems to fit in a little better with most adults schedules

Once a month weekend meetings:  This seems to offer the most flexibility as people would be starting the day fresh and would be prepared for 4 hours of hard work as opposed to having already finished a day of work, barely had time to eat dinner, and ready to go to bed that you get with weeknight meetings.  Also, you would have the option of turning your meeting into a field exercise or offerring some "extra" after meeting training without anyone having to alter their schedule a lot.  With four hours of training all in one block you can really go in depth on a lot of topics that you just can't really address well when they're spread out over multiple meetings. 

Now, I'm not really considering senior schedules for cadet and composite squadrons since having to deal with the standard weekly cadet meetings puts some extra complications into the equation, so lets leave them out. 

[Short Field]

Twice a month for 45 mins to an hour.  We are trying to get them to go at least two hours so we can schedule and hold training during the second hour.

[RiverAux]

I would want to remind everyone that is voting that I'm not asking what your current senior meeting schedule is, but what you think the absolute best schedule for a senior squadron to use. 

[Short Field]

Twice a month for 3 hours a night.  That gives you enough time for a decent training session plus you have the off nights in case you really need to conduct other training.  It also reduces the amount of gas burned driving to and from the meetings.

[Ricochet13]

Twice a month for 3 hours a night.  That gives you enough time for a decent training session plus you have the off nights in case you really need to conduct other training.  It also reduces the amount of gas burned driving to and from the meetings.

Once per week for 90 minutes with augmented training sessions individualized when needed.

[Timbo]

^ Agreed.  One and one half hour is just enough time to get everything done.  If you start at 630 you can get done by 8PM.  Everyone can get back home before 9PM. 

Not to break topic, but when I was Commander in a Composite SQD, I dismissed all of the Seniors (not those involved in the Cadet Program) about 90 minutes after the meeting started.  It was appreciated.  If they wished to stick around and "shoot the breeze" or BS, they could. 

[Eclipse]

I think weekly contact is important, as is regular and recurrent training.  That takes good planning not to waste the members time.  A monthly cycle similar to the cadet schedule is a good idea, and making sure everyone knows in advance why they are coming is crucial.

Consider the actual face time your meetings provide to the LCD member.  Is 4 hours a month, 48 hours of total CAP involvement in a calendar year enough?  Because your LCD members will consider it is if that's all you have on the calendar.

It also depends on what else you are doing - 2 all-hands general info meetings a month, combined with 2 directed training nights, and a staff meeting is different from just 2 meetings a month.  Bottom line those lights should on each week, if only to keep their CAP juices flowing - maybe one meeting is a Skype conference?  At least they hear your voice and are thinking of CAP.

I had a commander who had been on the twice a month schedule for years, sprinkled in with a liberal amount of canceled meeting for election nights, weather, "just because", etc., along with a hiatus in December after the holiday party in late November.

Hit a cycle just right, cancel a meeting for weather, and have a member miss a meeting for whatever reason (imagine that!), and it was not uncommon for some members to be out of contact for 2-3 months at a time.

[TXCAP]

I concur on the weekly meetings but they need to have a purpose.  We now schedule the 1st meeting of the month, Monday's for us, for a Pilot Continuation Training block and the last meeting of the month for mission staff training (MSA, MRO, MSO, etc).  That leaves two or three meetings for major administrative issues and add ons.  The agenda is typically 15 - 30 minutes of updates and 1.5 hours of training.

We also do in depth training sessions of 2 - 3 hours on an alternate night of the week, Thursdays for us, to include mission aircrew training, aerial photography, UDF, GT, BCUT, etc.  Only those needing that specific training need attend.  This seems to especially energize and focus new members. 

We prepared a schedule for all of 09 and sent it out to our members last December.  With the caveat that it is all subject to change or modification as needed but they have a good idea of what to expect and when to expect it.

[lordmonar]

Twice a month....for about 1 hour.

[RiverAux]

You know, back in the old days the National Guard used to have meetings once a week in the evening, but they apparently determined that this was not the best way to do things, hence the one weekend a month. 

[Timbo]

You know, back in the old days the National Guard used to have meetings once a week in the evening, but they apparently determined that this was not the best way to do things, hence the one weekend a month. 

Reserve units did the same thing.  I will try and find the video the Army Reserve put together in the mid 1950's showcasing the differences of two high school graduates, one who joins the reserves and meets once a week at the local reserve unit, the other kid.....well a burger flipper.  I think that perhaps CAP units meeting once per week may actually be a throwback to how the military reserves did things in the late 40's and early 50's.

I would always advice meeting at least 4 times per month.  That way people who may miss a meeting can get back to speed.  Also there are numerous other advantages to that layout.  I will save that for another topic. 

[Ricochet13]

You know, back in the old days the National Guard used to have meetings once a week in the evening, but they apparently determined that this was not the best way to do things, hence the one weekend a month. 

This is an idea that has been discussed within the squadron.  One day of training with an administrative meeting two weeks before.   Additional individualized training as necessary.

[RiverAux]

I would always advice meeting at least 4 times per month.  That way people who may miss a meeting can get back to speed.  Also there are numerous other advantages to that layout.  I will save that for another topic. 

Go ahead and bring it up here -- thats why I started this.

I have to disagree a little with the statement that 4 times a week makes it easier for people to miss a meeting and get back up to speed.  That would only apply if each of the weekly meetings is totally independent from each other in terms of what you're training on.  If you're planning three meetings in a row of progressive work on ground navigation then missing a meeting is going to be a big problem.  If you're addressing 4 entirely different topics over the course of a month, then missing one meeting won't make a difference. 

The thing I factor in against weekly meetings is that it doubles or quadruples the amount of time that has to be spent by the member in terms of travel.  If you live 30 minutes away we're talking 1 hour per month (monthly meeting) vs 2 hours per month (twice a month meetings) vs 4 hours (weekly).  And if you figure that in many months there is likely to be something going on on at least one weekend, you're really starting to ask for a major committment in time.   

My Coast Guard Auxiliary unit meets once a month for about 2 hours of meeting time (and sometimes an hour dinner beforehand).  They have an extra training night once a month for those working on various qualifications.  I find that I'm just as "in touch" with my fellow Auxies as I am with my CAP buddies even though we only have that one meeting a month.  By the way, I wouldn't try to do a CAP unit with only 1 2-hour meeting a month -- thats clearly not enough given all the additional stuff we have to work on. 

[Eclipse]

The thing I factor in against weekly meetings is that it doubles or quadruples the amount of time that has to be spent by the member in terms of travel.  If you live 30 minutes away we're talking 1 hour per month (monthly meeting) vs 2 hours per month (twice a month meetings) vs 4 hours (weekly).   

What is the big deal with people traveling?  Gas is under $2 a gallon and the mileage is deductible (assuming its an issue).

You can't even use that as an assumption because people travel for work and a lot of members come to meetings direct from work, thereby reducing or eliminating the extra trips.

I really don't get why people make such a big deal about peeling themselves out of the butt-groove on the couch and going somewhere.

If you want to join something, great, let's play.  If its going to be like pulling teeth every time we need you for something, maybe CAP isn't for you.

And if you figure that in many months there is likely to be something going on on at least one weekend,you're really starting to ask for a major commitment in time.

Yep, comes with the uniform, though I disagree that 4 hours a week is a "major commitment" in time.
Most CERT teams will ask for more than that, and drop you if you don't show, as will the ARC, and most other professionalized volunteer organizations.

[RiverAux]

What is the big deal with people traveling?  Gas is under $2 a gallon and the mileage is deductible (assuming its an issue).

WASTED TIME is the issue.  If I can get the same amount of training done in one session a month isn't that better for everyone? 

If you want to join something, great, let's play.  If its going to be like pulling teeth every time we need you for something, maybe CAP isn't for you.

Thats not the point.  We're talking about the most effective schedule for a senior squadron to meet on. 

[Timbo]

What is the big deal with people traveling?  Gas is under $2 a gallon and the mileage is deductible (assuming its an issue).

hahhahah....you must not watch the news very much.  Be prepared for a $2.50 gas tax (minimum) if the economic plan is passed after Jan 20.  So when Gas is over $5.00, will you still have that same attitude. 

Heck my Squadron was actually thinking about going down to 2 meeting per month because of travel costs only 6 months ago.  We already setup car pools for cadets (which actually helped them become better friend I think).

[JAFO78]

While I add my nickle, used to be .02, but with everything going up in cost. My first squadron was a composite, it did not take me very long to realize that some of the Seniors seemed to be bugged by having to deal with cadets. I visited other composites and found the same thing. Mostly the pilots, who did not want the "kids" around. The cadets seemed to interfere with all the hanger flying. (My apologies to any here. if a fended.) I was 22 at the time.

At Level One Orientation, I found members of what would become my new squadron. They where very upbeat about working with cadets. I attended one meeting and that sealed the deal. I felt drawn to work with cadets always have.

Getting back to topic, the Seniors would meet same time as cadets. But not always at same location. Weekly for 2 hrs.

[Eclipse]

What is the big deal with people traveling?  Gas is under $2 a gallon and the mileage is deductible (assuming its an issue).

hahhahah....you must not watch the news very much.  Be prepared for a $2.50 gas tax (minimum) if the economic plan is passed after Jan 20.  So when Gas is over $5.00, will you still have that same attitude. 

$2.50 a gallon gas tax?

Do you just make this stuff up for conversation's sake?

More nonsense.

[LtCol057]

We'll be seeing how it plays out. Currently, my squadron seniors meet the 1st and 3rd Tues for about an hour and a half and cadets meet every Thur for 2 hours.  Starting next month, the seniors will be meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thurs at same time as cadets, just starting about 30 minutes later.  

I know some of the seniors won't like working around the cadets, but we'll be in different part of the building.  I remember not too long ago, when we only had 1 or 2 seniors working with the cadets. Now we have 3 regulars and sometimes 4 or 5 seniors working with cadets.

[lordmonar]

The Nellis Senior Squadron meets only 2 nights a month (2nd and 4th Mondays).

They try to keep it to just 1 hour.  It is more like a formal buisness meeting/commander's call.  Announcements are made for each staff officers, up comming events are discussed, maybe a quick (15 min max) AE/Safety/ML/Ops topic may be presented.

The off weeks we use for training (B-CUT, Gridding, Level I).  The adminstration staff meets for 2-4 hours each Friday morning at the officer to do all the paper work. 

It competely seperates the general membership meeting from the running of the squadron.