Regional Emergency Service Academies?

[RiverAux]

Should CAP consider opening up Emergency Service Academies (modeled on NESA) in every Region? 

I can't help but thing that having several smaller academies would allow more time for individual instruction as well as making attendance a little easier for those far from Indiana. 

As getting the staff to hold a full NESA-like academy allowing for training in base, air, and ground tasks all at the same location at the time, perhaps have 3 or 4 Air SAR Academies, 3 or 4 Ground Team Academies, and 3 or 4 Mission Base Academies scattered throughout the country. 

[Larry Mangum]

This is being looked at. One of the issues that would need to be resolved, is ensuring that all academies are training to the same standard.

[FW]

Not only is it being considered; our Vangard "commissions" are to be used to fund them.

[RiverAux]

This is being looked at. One of the issues that would need to be resolved, is ensuring that all academies are training to the same standard.

Well, since we all have the same SQTRs it shouldn't be an issue... though our history with a NCSA to remain un-named may suggest that this is something to worry about...

[Smithsonia]

I have thought exactly the same as River on this matter and have written the same here. CERT pays for a CERTain number to be trained every year. Where possible that money could be spent on CAP to do CERT training. There are various other funds which CAP could draw in if we institutionalized our training.

The Coast Guard does the same and eventually got credentialing authority over thousands of programs and hundreds of items. It is the way to go.

[RiverAux]

I think coming up with funding to send people to such training for free would be a much bigger and separate issue. 

[lordmonar]

I think regional Emergency Service Academies are a great idea.

I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.

So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.

[RiverAux]

I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.

So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.

100% agree.  Great thought. 

[sarmed1]

assuming the un-named NCSA is HMRS...thats really a non-starter;  GTM SQTR tasks are trained and tested using the same standards as everything else, they just add in their own Ranger specific tasks.

This same issues was actually discussed a few years ago (under Pineda)...Regional schools that would teach the basic "Ranger" school (similar to what Florida does) then students wishing advanced qualification would come to PA for it.  PA would train the would be staff at either HMRS or as a traveling program, then likely assist with the first year school; then be let loose.

mk

[lordmonar]

I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.

So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.

100% agree.  Great thought.

OMG was that one of the four horsemen riding by just a second ago?   

[CommGeek]

Florida Wing does NOT have a 'Ranger' Program any more....

[Eclipse]

Florida Wing does NOT have a 'Ranger' Program any more....

When did the Glades school shut down?

[CommGeek]

For a while...Im sure they are still training , But the 'Rangers' in FL are no more.... 

[RiverAux]

We're not discussing Ranger schools, we're talking about schools that would be teaching only our standard mission curriculum.

[CommGeek]

Roger that.   FL will more than likely be a regional school.   Next Summer we will bring back AGOS, or Air Ground Operations School...Basically NESA for florida.

[Smithsonia]

Academies and Credentialing have made Wild Land Fire, American Peace Officers, Coast Guard, Department of Justice Center for Standards and Practices, FCC, FAA, NRA, FDA, AMA, Red Cross, American Bureau of Standards, etc. THE Gold Standards, of standards.

If CAP wanted to have a long life without the Air Force pulling money, the government debating our relevance, the states cutting funding, and the world unsure what we do... run the darn credentialing program for AirBorne SAR, CERT Trainer Certification, interdisciplinary SAR, SAR Dog Certification, and ICS courses too... throughout the US. Run an Academy that sets standards and does real world field testing. A CAP approval stamping everything from GPS's to radios, from flight gear to SAR techniques and your funding is outside of the government control and debate, more or less. AND, if you are really good and if some one doesn't get CAPs approval jail and fines can be imposed... then you can run your piece of the planet like a god. Heck if Blackwater can train black ops boys from scratch beginning in 1998, then CAP can get this going in 10 years too.

For instance the American Medical Association Licensing Arms tests every hospital, all medical schools, every piece of medical equipment, waste disposal and treatment, licensing of nurses, barbers, and cosmetologists. It certifies procedures, drugs, stethoscopes, rubber loves, and medical tape... Sometimes directly and sometimes through control of State Medical and Licensing Boards.

The trick is to become the gold standard barer, the best of the best. In this we are talking paid positions and getting some scientists, engineers, professional teachers/trainers, and some real deal first rate governance. Run the shop like a business and you can make CAP live, grow, prosper, We don't need more parochial MOUs, we need a national plan, a national mission, a national vision and Gold Standard scope. I know this is a plan frought with many milestones but others have paved the way. Others have taken their little local or regional societies national...

Another thing to consider - If you don't do it, others will, and you will answer to them.

[sarmed1]

....Strangely enough at the time of the discussion, the "regional" school want going to be in Florida anyway....Georgia actually.   
Anyone can set up an run a GSAR school.  It doesnt have to be a NESA or HMRS sub school.  The curriculum is CAP wide, the same standard teaching and testing materials.  When I was in TXWG we set up our own school (which still goes open today more or less as designed) and we had NHQ approval as equivilent to NESA/GSAR basic and advanced including approval for award of GTM and GTL badges for course completion.  Not to piggy back on another thread but we also taught to NASAR testing standard; the basic school completed SARTECH III at the end and the advanced school tested SARTECH II.

mk

[DG]

PAWG is doing their second annual week-long MAS this year.

The key here, of course, is that it is a week-long full immersion MAS.

At Willow Grove NAS.

NESA MAS in Indiana is more than supportive.  In fact, NESA is proud of the fact that most of the instructors at the PA MAS are graduates and former instructor pilots at NESA MAS.  Some of the PAWG MAS instructor pilots instructed at NESA MAS for 8 years.

PAWG MAS this year will operate with 5 mission aircrews (MP and MO) from PA, and 1 mission aircrew slot open to each wing in NER (NY, NJ, MA, VT, NH, ME, RI, CT) and also from adjoining wings (DE, MD, OH).

[DG]

I would like to see NESA change to a "top gun" type school where people who already have the qualifications are given advanced training and polish on normal skills and a heavy emphasis on being trainers and evaluators.

So people who want to just get their initial ES ratings would go to one of the RESAs and our top performers would go to NESA to come back as top quality instructors.

A Top Gun MAS is being planned to be located in FL. 

In February.  Was hoped for this year, but getting it started takes time to sort out all the details, and still send out notices inviting applicants nationwide.   February timing will be like Sun and Fun in Lakeland is to AirVenture at OSH.

Patrick AFB.

[CommGeek]

Who is hosting this 'Top Gun" school in FL?