Predictions really, but what changes do you see - short term - in the Civil Air Patrol to correct the problems of the past?

No need to bash anyone, we all know that there is still widespread corruption in the system and that it appears that changes are continuing.

Change is happening, but in the future of the Civil Air Patrol, how do you see changes coming around to remove the cloud of stagnation of the past and the creation of a fun, rewarding program of the future?

Just wanting to see if those who read here having anything worth while to say, or if this is another website that discusses almost nothing of importance.

I caught a case of VIDOKEY over at CAPTALK.NET and thought I could get a shot over her to clear it up....


The Future is not to bright right now for CAP. All the Pineda POSSE members need to be 2b'd so that the threat is totally removed and then and only then can CAP move forward. CAP needs a good COLON Cleansing.

quote:

Originally posted by 14838378:
I caught a case of VIDOKEY over at CAPTALK.NET and thought I could get a shot over her to clear it up....

Well, I think you came to the right place. This is the only forum where you can truly tell it like it is about CAP and actually not get banned or temporarily suspended.

The moderators on CAPTalk and CadetStuff carefully monitor what is written to ensure that the posters don't bash CAP, even if what they say is true and backed with empirical evidence.

The moderators (all of whom use their real names in their online signatures) also don't want the CAP leadership to come down on them because they allow "dissenters" and "problem members" to voice their concerns and opinons. So for the sake of their CAP careers, the moderators on CAPTalk and CadetStuff have no choice but to suppress those who say it like it is about CAP and reveal what it hurting the organization and its image.

The CAP leadership don't want the public to know about the corruption in the organization and the ineffectiveness of the IG system and system of quality assurance. All they want the public to see is the positive stuff about the organization.

For example, CAP made a huge deal out of the Fossett search despite the fact that Fossett was never found. Everyone (with a right mind) who has followed this story knows that CAP not finding Fossett is a bigger deal than CAP getting more press than it has in years, but National doesn't think that way. For CAP, the Fossett Search was an "A for effort" endeavor.

quote:

Originally posted by 14838378:
The Future is not to bright right now for CAP. All the Pineda POSSE members need to be 2b'd so that the threat is totally removed and then and only then can CAP move forward. CAP needs a good COLON Cleansing.

I agree. Although general Courter is doing her best to pick CAP up off the ground and clean it up after the black eye Pineda gave to the entire organization, those who supported Pineda and continue to act in his place need to be 2b'd.

It goes further than that, however. The system in CAP needs to be changed so that it is impossible for people like Pineda and his cronies to rise to a leadership position. If the Pineda cronies are removed but the system remains the same, it won't be long before other people rise up to take their places.

For one thing, the National Commander needs to be elected by the membership. In fact, most commanders in CAP should be elected. This is how it works in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and they don't seem to have the kind of corruption problems that CAP has (and if they do, it's nowhere near as bad).

The future could be bright for CAP, but the leadership needs to start cleaning house, holding more people accountable and changing how the leaders are brought into command. Otherwise, things will get worse before they get better.

I would like to see a transition out of our outdated woodland BDUs. Since the use of these uniforms among military branches is limited, it is getting harder and harder for cadets to purchase these uniforms. Maybe we will see a transition to ACUs?

If we do change uniforms, then it will be ABU's not ACU's. ACU's is the Army Combat Uniform. The ABU's is the Airmen Battle Uniform.

Oh, sorry. Thanks for the pointer. I always confuse the two.

No problem. It's actually a common mistake to get the two mixed up.

The changes I'm seeing aren't good. It's complex. In the area of Emergency Services there are cliques that form: Pilots vs ground pounders. Of Former Military officers some seem to resent members of equal CAP grade who are either not military or are former enlisted Military. I have had at least one occasion where I came close to being 2B'd because I was about to give a difficult LTC a dose of the truth from my perspective. Our bigger challenge is with recruitment. We don't have enough female Sr Members. It hurts if you don't have a good Public Affairs staff who show up at air shows and help us not be such a big secret. Senior and Cadet Leaders need to lighten up. They sometimes get a hard core mindset which is unattractive to new members. They especially need to be careful with younger Cadets who feel like they are lowest on the food chain. Of course another dividing influence is the well talked about fact that you almost never see a CAP event where everybody wears the same uniform. I fit into the "fat and fuzzy crowd". I take the uniform thing in stride. It's no big deal to me accept for times when I seem to be the only one in the crowd who is not eligible to to wear the uniforms everyone else is wearing. For some in the fat&fuzzy crowd the uniform thing is a morale buster that makes them not want to stay. These folks more often have needed technical skills that they apply and a good old fashioned work ethic.

Your uniform situation sounds like a downer, but CAP is really not to blame. The USAF was generous enough to let CAP wear its uniform, providing members meet the requirments it respects its own to meet. In a sort of way to avoid too many hard feeling, CAP provides the alternative that those not meeting the requirments wear the CAP destinctive uniform. This is unfortunate for those in your case, because unless the USAF changes their weight requirments, there is nothing CAP can do to get you in their uniform.
On another note, recruitment and retention of cadets in my squadron is a big time problem. A major challenge for CAP units all over the country is that nobody knows about it! Any activity where a member is in uniform, someone will see them and ask if they are in the army. I think it would do our fine program well to increase its exposure.

We work traffic at a local air show every summer. What seems to help us is a recruiting style information table with Cadets working as recruiters. Our PAO always in Class Bs runs that activity. We also have a CAP A/C on static display usually attended by one or two seniors. We don't raise any money there but we generally do pick up a few members. When I work traffic in my BBDU most people think I'm in Law Enforcement. Whatever the uniform is it's a must that it look as good as possible. That's the first thing people see.

It is unfortunate that NHQ does not really advertise on the scale needed. The new website was a very good step, but there needs to be more...
I know when I was younger, I sent out the info cards to all branches in hopes to get a T shirt from all of them. Being 15, I wasn't surprised that I did not get much response. However, I did receive a letter from the Navy saying that I was too young to join, but there is a wonderful opportunity for kids my age called the Sea Cadets.
That was a very good way to reach out to kids like me who are interested in those sort of programs. I wonder why the Air Force didn't send a similar letter telling me about CAP? Mayhaps NHQ could pull some strings and arrange something like that with the USAF...?