No or Severely Reduced IMA Reserve Support for CAP?

[RADIOMAN015]

Interestingly I was at a Wing sponsored cadet activity recently & our very helpful AF Reserve NCO assigned to the wing, mentioned that he was going to retiree, and it didn't look good for a replacement, since AF Reserve Command was cutting back on this program.   I always thought these reservists were "points only" for retirement and didn't even get any money anyways, but perhaps I'm wrong.

Did I misunderstand what was said? Is he misinformed?   At one wing conference recently, the new AF Region Liaison Commanding Officer, indicated that he would be working to get more reservists assigned to assist CAP.
Anyone have additional information to either confirm or deny what is the status of AF reservists being assigned to CAP?
RM   

[afgeo4]

Working toward it and getting it approved and paid for are completely separate and often opposing matters.

Every commander wants more manpower. EVERY commander. Most don't get everything they want. Some get nothing they want.

[RiverAux]

I really don't get why there aren't dozens of folks beating down the doors in each Wing to get into this program.  It is such a great deal for them with very little time and work required compared to the other ways they would have to do it. 

Haven't heard of any cutbacks.

[Gunner C]

I really don't get why there aren't dozens of folks beating down the doors in each Wing to get into this program.  It is such a great deal for them with very little time and work required compared to the other ways they would have to do it. 

Haven't heard of any cutbacks.

Especially since the SAF has put an O-6 at the Pentagon to handle CAP/Reserve affairs.  If anything, I would think that reserve participation is going to rise.  Of course, the IMA pool is being tapped more and more for overseas deployments.  These guys/gals are a bucket o'folks that is becoming more important since the active force is getting smaller.  As afgeo4 said, every commander needs more bodies, not fewer.  The availability of these bodies will be in direct proportion to CAP's priority.

[Eclipse]

I'll comment here because I believe I know the answers, but they come from casual conversations with my SD, so if I am off-base, I'll buy that.

For the most part the Reserve Assistance Program is staffed by AFRES people who have assignments in the area and the time/willingness to assist CAP.  The majority of the objective compensation is, as mentioned, points towards retirement, which is why in many cases the RAPs we have are higher-grade, more seasoned people who may be just short of the next ladder for retirement benefits.

However they also receive travel reimbursement,  including hotel stays, etc., and in many cases Per Diem depending on what duties they are performing, especially for SAV's, evals, and CI's, etc.

As Reservists, they also are eligible for various benefits specific to being a part of the USAF community.

Bottom line, all of the above costs money - even maintaining a "points-only" RAP isn't "free", per-se.

As to whether or not the program is being reduced, hard to say, but budgets are tight so it wouldn't surprise me, especially in areas where the programs are not properly communicating how important the program can be.

[MIGCAP]

Here is the real story:
First the "points only" program for reservists has always been looked at as a holding tank for reservists "between jobs".  It was created for only three basic jobs; ROTC Liaison, AF Academy Liaison, and CAP Liaison. Some other reservists who had real positions with a unit, could also participate if they were in a job where getting enough points for a good year was difficult. When manning was high, they tended to look the other way when folks did extended tours in the positions. Now because of other manning shortfalls they are looking to cut the program or even eliminate it.

Second is the IMA position. There was a need for IMA, or Individual Mobilization Augmentee, when the Liaison Officer was active duty and would be called off to war if needed. The role of an IMA program is to fill in for Active Duty people who are called to combat units.  Now that the Liaison Officers are civilian State Directors, folks are at a loss to explain why civilians get IMA's.

We (USAF/CAP) have done this to ourselves by eliminating, or at least not fighting the elimination of,  the USAF positions in each wing.

The reserve command folks feel that having reserve positions that do not get orders to combat zones, especially now days is not good for the overall reserve program. They are probably right.  As far as payment for duty, that has been hit and miss for the last 20 years. The vast majority of the "points only" reservists were never fully paid for the time they put in for their duties. Sure there were points only stuff, but the days when you regularly got salary and per diem for things like encampments and other multi-day CAP activities went away when desert storm kicked off.

[RiverAux]

We (USAF/CAP) have done this to ourselves by eliminating, or at least not fighting the elimination of,  the USAF positions in each wing.

CAP had no control over it and no way to "fight" it. 

[DBlair]

Any chance the Reservist can be from another branch, or does it have to be AF? I know this is somewhat of a stupid question as it is the AF liaison, but just trying to get creative with ideas of where there might be willing Reservists.

[RiverAux]

Have seen Air National Guard.

[Cecil DP]

Any chance the Reservist can be from another branch, or does it have to be AF? I know this is somewhat of a stupid question as it is the AF liaison, but just trying to get creative with ideas of where there might be willing Reservists.

At one time they could be from any service, but a few years ago they restricted it to AF.