What makes a good ESO?

[MikeD]

I know this is broad, and that it'll also depend wing to wing, but what does it take to be a good squadron ESO? 

[RiverAux]

They don't necessarily have to have the highest ES quals, but must be extremely familiar with the SQTR system and know a little bit about how each qual works.  Ideally, they would be a good teacher, but if not, they should be good at finding other folks to do the teaching.  More broadly, you also want somebody willing to go and talk to other agencies in your area about CAP and how we can help them. 

[lordmonar]

Planning, planning, planning!

A good ES officer has to:

A.  Understand the requirments the wing/group may have on your unit to accomplish the mission.
B.  Know his people and their qualifications
C.  Effectively build a plan to make sure that B=>A

Everything else is gravy.

A is very hard to get a handle on because the wing ES officers do not know what their requirments are.
B is easy....E-services will give you a print out by name or by specialty.

Assuming you got a good handle on A, then is simply a matter of planning.  Getting the students and instructors together and getting the training done.

[IceNine]

Build your training program with the needs of your AOR.  Try to incorporate the wants of higher HQ.  And do whatever you can to ensure your people are able to get involved in the areas of their choosing while maintaining the direction that you need.

Make sure you read and understand the guidance provided by higher HQ about how the program actually works.  This is a 2 fold meaning.  If you understand the program you will be able to help your people get the credit they deserve.  You will also be capable of making an educated and regulatorily referenced argument when some goober at Higher HQ tries to challenge your program or training.

At the end of the day your job is to first and foremost provide an interesting program for your people.  One that will encourage active participation, and that just so happens to provide a valuable service.  It's easy to become complacent and repetitive.  To combat stagnation bring in "guest" instructors, task your trained people with providing instruction, etc.


And finally, make sure that you are having fun and learning something as well. 

[Eclipse]

Take the time to learn and understand the wing's real operational chain and SOP.

There's two ways you can live your CAP life - banging your head against the wall, arguing about "...what so-and-so can't make me do...",
and "...the regs don't say that, etc...", or simply learn your wing's tribal language, work the program, get things done, and keep notes for the day it becomes your turn to make the decisions.

You might be surprised how quickly that happens if you are recognized as a proficient team player.

[cap235629]

A good working relationship with the local Emergency Managers.  They are the customer more and more everyday.  Local MOU's are your best friend. 

[Short Field]

A good ESO understands the ES training program (task guides, etc) and makes everyone follow the program.  A good ESO does the following:
  -  Ensure his trainers know about and use the task guides when training new people, not just a SQTR.   
  -  Only uses trainers who are actually qualified in the tasks and capable of training other people
  -  Ensures trainees are actually evaluated  - and the evaluation follows the task guide evaluation
  -  Ensures the trainees are first trained on the task, and then performs the task unassisted.
-  Knows that "Qualified" means a person can step up and do the job without someone having to guide them
     through it each time.
  -  Looks for and schedules training opportunities - even if it is not a Wing SAREX.
  - Avoids "pencil-whipping" - and keeps his trainers from pencil-whipping.  That means not giving a Ground Team
    Leader trainee credit for two missions as a GTL just because he did two 30 min. ramp checks on a SAREX one
    Saturday morning.   

A good ESO is what makes our ES program work.  The not so good ESOs are what makes us fail.