What happens to former National Commanders

[flyguy06]

I often wonder once a National Commander is done with their term in office, what next? Do they stay in CAP and go back to the Squadronlevel, or do theyjust fade away? I remember a few years back I was at a local SAREx and this CAP guy with two stars was there. It was Maj Gen Harwell(sp) His step son was in the squadron hosting the SARex. I wasn't sure if former National Commanders stay active or not. That would interesting to see a CAP Gen in a local squadron. When I joined CAP as a cadet in 1984, the Natl CC was Brig Gen Cass. Wonder what ever happened to  him and there was a guy from Tn also. i met him when he was the SER CC.

[swamprat86]

They get deep-fried and served at the next National Boards. 

[JoeTomasone]

BGEN Cass is attached to a Tampa, FL Squadron (as the Chaplain) but does not regularly attend meetings.  He does, however, send prayers for them to read.   He was at the Group Banquet in 2008; I got to meet him.  He was the CAP/CC WIWAC (same time as you), so that was pretty neat.

[FW]

Well, they become members of the National Commnader's Advisory Committee.  Generals Bergman, Bowling and, Anderson became members of the BoG after serving as CAP/CC.  Gen Wheless does special projects for the CAP/CC.  Most though, have had enough CAP after their "tour".  Except for some participation at conferences, I don't think any are very active anymore.

[flyguy06]

What got me to thinking about this was I saw onthe CAP news onlinje a pictuer of Brig Gen Bobick presenting an award.

[Gunner C]

Well, they become members of the National Commnader's Advisory Committee.  Generals Bergman, Bowling and, Anderson became members of the BoG after serving as CAP/CC.  Gen Wheless does special projects for the CAP/CC.  Most though, have had enough CAP after their "tour".  Except for some participation at conferences, I don't think any are very active anymore.

Gen Anderson told me a couple of months ago that he'd just like to get back to being a mission pilot and flying cadets on o-flights.

[wuzafuzz]

Soylent Green.

[High Speed Low Drag]

Gen Cass became CC a couple of years after I became a cadet.  Met him at Blue Beret in '85 (I was a C/FO).  Real nice, willing to talk with anyone.

[lordmonar]

Soylent Green.

No that would be Soylen Grey!  Soylent Green is people!

[Cecil DP]

The Commander before BG Cass (Can't recall his name) stated that he would go back to California and work in a squadron.

[Johnny Yuma]

I heard that's one of the reasons they're renovating NHQ. Since it's the old base hospital they're adding a ward for use as an old CAP commander's home.

[vento]

I always thought that they get their memories zapped by MIB.  :angel:

[M.S.]

To paraphrase General MacArthur: "Old [national commanders] never die, they just... fade away..."    

[vmstan]

I always thought that they get their memories zapped by MIB.  :angel:

From the sound of things, it seems that happens right BEFORE they take the job.

[dwb]

If I were a former CAP/CC, I would travel around the country and visit squadrons.  I wouldn't announce I was coming, I would just try to sneak in to the back of a flight (during drill or something) and wait to be discovered by a terrified cadet NCO.

Actually, I would probably do that if I were the active CAP/CC.  A good time to try to slip into a squadron meeting is when they're reviewing general knowledge.  That way, when the flight commander asks the flight who the national commander is, I can jump up and shout "this guy!"

[High Speed Low Drag]

I always thought that they get their memories zapped by MIB.  :angel:

From the sound of things, it seems that happens right BEFORE they take the job.

   says,   "You will forget about all of your cadet experiences, you will forget about when you were a 2nd Lt.  You never were in the field, getting up at 5am as an encampment Tac Ofcr, or desperately trying to find someone to sign-off a SQTR.  You feel at home behind a desk and are compelled to make or change one policy a week.  ..... Oh, and design yourself a new uniform."   FLAAAAAASH

[ColonelJack]

The Commander before BG Cass (Can't recall his name) stated that he would go back to California and work in a squadron.

That would be Brig. Gen. Howard L. Brookfield.  I remember when he became CAP/CC we still got the annual paper membership cards with the National Commander's signature stamped on them.  Gen. Brookfield's signature was so long they had to put it on at an angle.

Well, I thought it was funny.

Jack

[Strick]

They start a para-military type unit

[Flying Pig]

I would have to say after being a National CC, I would want to petition CAP to let me go back to being a 2Lt Mission Pilot and the only staff position I would ever hold after that would be Local Level Assistant Vice Deputy Under Secretary of Snack Bar Operations.

[raivo]

They start a para-military type unit

Beat me to it.

[flyguy06]

This question goes for former Regionand Wing Commanders too. I know we had a Region C COL William Tallent. he was the SER  Commander for over ten years. this is before term limits. Wonder what ever hapened to him?

[RiverAux]

With CAP commanders at any level it is is usually an up or out deal.  Unless they move up in the organization they usually seem to quit entirely after a stint in command.  They either get burned by the "politics" or just get burned out.  In CG Aux on the the other hand, since every commander position is term limited (1 year with possibility of 1 year extension in most cases), pretty much all the former commanders stick around and continue to be active at the local level.  Being a leader is just seen as one phase in the CG Aux career rather than as the termination point which it basically is in CAP. 

[flyguy06]

We had a Wing Commander that went on to be the Region IG.

[bosshawk]

In Pacific Region, the favorite parking place for former CA Wing Commanders is the Region Staff or the Region Commanders position.  In my 17 years in CAP, two have become Region Commander, one the Region Director of Cadet Programs, another the Region Communications Officer, one the Region Director of Operations.

[Cecil DP]

Most Corporate officers are offered a position within the organization they just commander or at the next higher level. Though the finest Wing CC I ever worked for told me that after having his CV named as his replacement, he wasn't offered a position at all. 

[flyguy06]

Isnt it an unwritten requirement to be the Region Commander, you have to have been a Wing Commander?

[Cecil DP]

It is now! It's actually written into the preferred selection process.