Do you require ES involvment

[flyguy06]

Do you all require your members to be invovled in ES?

[es_g0d]

No.

Its only 1/3 of CAP.

[davedove]

Why would you want to require it?  If you did, you could be excluding some very valuable members who can't do ES work.  For instance, what if you have the individual who, because of physical limitations, can't participate in ES positions, but is very willing to come to regular meetings and keep the files up to date?

You can certainly encourage members to participate in ES, but I see no need to require it.

[flyguy06]

I dont want to require it. i was just asking. so many people on this message board are so ES gung ho. I wasnt sure if my unit was the only unit in CAP that doesnt do ES.

[notaNCO forever]

 My squadron doesn't require it, but I do try to strongly encourage people to participate.

[Ricochet13]

Yes.

[Stonewall]

Yes.

Because one meeting per month focuses on ES and since attendance at meetings is required, ES is thus required.  Just as AE, ML, D&C, etc. 

Are you required to attend weekend ES activities?  No.  But I have made GES certification mandatory by making it "class" during regular meetings.

[RADIOMAN015]

Do you all require your members to be invovled in ES?

Most of the cadets participate, we've got a few that do other things.  Most cadets like to get out into the field and do things like finding simulated ELT's doing line searches, etc.

Senior wise, the pilots like to do the ES flying activity (I'd personally like to see all of them at least trained in ground UDF activities).  Somewhat difficult on the ground side, generally because ES nights are during squadron meeting, and the senior staff is trying to complete their work.

I've had some success on the radio communications operators side with senior support.   Personally (as a senior member), I don't have an interest in hiking in the woods, camping etc, but do have an interest in the UDF type activity.
The cadet program senior members have help during field training exercise(s) in the woods/hills.

Personally on the senior side, I don't think one should force anyone to do anything they don't want to do.  Key point is to "sell" ES and the various functional aspects one can reasonably participate in.  Some people just don't like to go into the field & there's plenty of mission base/support positions that needed to performed. 
RM

[Flying Pig]

Its definitely offered.  We tend to lean more towards aircrews though for ES.  Primarily, before some of you get your panties in a bunch, is because we have a plane.  And we all know, you dont use it, you lose it.
The majority of our members are here for the cadet program right now because they all joined to spend time with their cadet.  We offer the training, but it just hasn't caught on yet as far as GT stuff.  We've had a large influx of new members.

[RADIOMAN015]

Do you all require your members to be invovled in ES?

The schedule is primarily for cadets, about every 4 weeks at the squadron meeting night.  Most cadets participate.  We've got a few that are doing "other things" squadron related.  Most cadets enjoy field training exercises.

Senior wise, the pilots basically have an interest in ES flying activities and not ground related tasks.  Personally I'd like to see all the pilots at least obtain & maintain qualifications in ground UDF.  Much of the senior staff is busy taking care of performing their assigned staff duties during ES training nights

I've had some success with senior support in the radio communications area.  As far as senior members participation, we should "sell" the program, and make sure they know that ES is not just flying in airplanes or walking in the woods, there's plenty of support jobs at the mission base that needs to be done. 

Some members do have medical conditions/impairments that would limit what they can do in ES, but they still CAN CONTRIBUTE, and it's important to at least try to get them involved in some ES aspect.
RM 
     

[es_g0d]

Personally I'd like to see all the pilots at least obtain & maintain qualifications in ground UDF.     

"Airmobile DF Teams" is an awesome concept.  I've been 3+ hours' drive from the nearest ground team on multiple occasions ... if I was ill-equipped or inadequately skilled, that poor ground team now has to drive 3 hours each way, plus callout time, plus the time to actually do the final location of the beacon.

That's really unacceptable.  So too is taxiing the airplane up and down the ramp to pinpoint a beacon.  Bottom line: Aircrews should all be UDFs! 

[SarDragon]

We have a set of sticks in our airplane, and all the regular aircrew folks know how to use them. During our scanner/observer training, we add a session or two on doing UDF stuff.

[RiverAux]

Personally I'd like to see all the pilots at least obtain & maintain qualifications in ground UDF.

In order to get and keep Mission Pilot qualifications you have to be able to find an ELT on the ground. 

[CadetProgramGuy]

I personally know of 2 or 3 cadets who became Spaatz Cadets, and did not attend any ES training.

ES is not required to progress through the CP system.

Knowing that however, I will emphasize ES training in my squadron.  as the Squadron Commander (not yet, but soon).

[Gunner C]

Personally I'd like to see all the pilots at least obtain & maintain qualifications in ground UDF.

In order to get and keep Mission Pilot qualifications you have to be able to find an ELT on the ground.

I'd think that would be the observer.

I'm not a fan of aircrews finding ELTs.  I saw an aircrew trying to DF an ELT on the ground using the DF equipment on board.  They were doing 360s between combat-loaded F-15s and didn't notice the Security Police pointing their M16s in their specific direction.  Aircrews need to work the air and leave the ground stuff to the UDFs.  If there's a situation where it's three hours to the site, then the wing has other problems.

[Flying Pig]

^When and where was this?

Ive DF'd ELTs on the ground taxiing in the airplane.  Its really not a big deal. When you narrow it down, you get out and pull out the sticks.  Now, if you have a GT on the ground, then sure, let them get it because everyone wants to play.  But I did an ELT last weekend where the aircraft was able to DF it to the airport then land and secure it.  Nobody else got bothered on their Saturday.

[RiverAux]

Personally I'd like to see all the pilots at least obtain & maintain qualifications in ground UDF.

In order to get and keep Mission Pilot qualifications you have to be able to find an ELT on the ground.

I'd think that would be the observer.

And you would think wrong.  Look at the Mission Pilot SQTR. 

[MikeD]

We're trying to encourage participation as much as we can, but we can't even get most of the cadets interested, and actually have more GT interest from some senior members.  Then again none of the local squadrons have an airplane...

[USADOD]

No, I don't...because CAP has more than one mission. Members may choose the track of their CAP career. I'm not a fan of aerospace, and if I was forced or limited to; I would not be with CAP presently.

[RiverAux]

Nope, haven't heard of it being required.  However, it seems at least on the senior side of the house that ES is the primary motivation for most to join and participate. Its sort of funny to compare that to CG Aux where participation in operations is much, much lower.  Perhaps it is because there are actually quite a few of specific programs for their members to participate in other than operations. 

CAP on the other hand doesn't offer seniors a lot to do, but thats not surprising given that the AF doesn't have anywhere near the variety of domestic missions that the CG has that it needs help with.  Maybe if the VSAF program really gets rocking and rolling you will see pockets near AFBs of CAP units that don't do much but that.