[Editor’s Note: According to the Internal Revenue Code, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporations are only allowed to lobby Congress 20% of the year. 501(c)(3) organizations are limited in the amount of lobbying in which they may engage and are prohibited from engaging in political campaign activity. Federal tax law permits lobbying by 501(c)(3) organizations, as long as lobbying is not a “substantial part” of an organization’s total activities. The CAP Congressional/Legislative Squadrons are year-round operational units made up of members of Congress, their staff, Legislative and Executive Branch officials and aviation professionals.]
The Eau Claire Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol has welcomed two new Legislative members to the Wisconsin Legislative Squadron. The awards were presented by the Wisconsin Wing Commander Col Rose Hunt, a Chippewa Falls native and business owner in the Chippewa Valley.
The squadron has presented Senator Terry Moulton [R] on Oct 13, and Senator Sheila Harsdorf [R] on Sept 22, with their Wisconsin Legislative Squadron Membership awards.
Please also add this to your Government Relations compilation.
If this isn’t excessive lobbying, than I don’t know what is….found this yesterday on CAPTalk…No other non-profit that I know of, has this in-house benefit to influence and procure appropriations and other perks. (see second paragraph)
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I’ll be there representing VAWG. I’ve been there for the last … umm … 4-5 years?
In general, the way it usually works is that your Government Relations Advisor sets up meetings with your Congressmen and Representatives. Your meeting is usually with a staffer. You have some materials with “talking points” that the team (usually two senior members and some cadets) needs to represent to the staffer and then you have a chance to talk with them about why CAP matters to America. Cadets should have the chance to talk about their experience and why developing leaders for America is a worthwhile cause. Before you leave, make sure you encourage the staffer to talk to the Legislator and other staff members about the benefits of membership in the Congressional Squadron.
They are able to join the Congressional Squadron and participate in missions, become CAP pilots if they have their Private Certificate, become aircrew members…etc… I meet a staffer last year who was already a member of the Congressional Squadron and had been to a Search and Rescue Exercise as a Mission Pilot! Pretty cool to have a staffer who already knows who we are and has worked with us.
In general, I hope you have someone with experience on your team. If not, ask to see the materials early so you can familiarize yourself with budget terminology and such. Get a clear picture of where the different office buildings are located and plan your schedule carefully. If you have “downtime” make sure you see some sites! I highly recommend the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. If you can only see ONE site, I’d recommend going in to see that.
Enjoy your time! See you there!
Capt Greg Fletcher, CAP
Commander, Fredericksburg Composite Squadron – MER-VA-108
Director Public Affairs, Virginia Wing
Just shut the whole damn thing down. It is waste of tax payer dollars. It is plagued with vast corruption and rampant with child molesters. It is beyond repair.
My observation is that people who do not have a lot of power, have low self-esteem and lack prestige in their day jobs respond well to the CAP. Lots of increasingly important-sounding job titles to be aspired to, rank with no power, lots of pretty pins, colorful patches, merit badges and endless awards. The CAP has uniforms for the slim & trim as well as the fatties & furies. It is a hodge podge combination of uniforms with no consistency that vary in the Wings. They have awards for just about everything to keep folks from leaving this sad organization in droves. It is bling heaven.
The CAP will gleefully waste member time on unfocused nonsense, redundant make-work, and the organization lacks essential agility. The CAP frequently can’t get out of their own way; most Wings have a good ol’ boy network, and the CAP pilot turnover outside the GOBN is large and constant.
Corruption in CAP? Surely not! Why, I’m appalled at the thought!
Well, the fact is, to find an honest corporate officer in CAP not guilty of corruption, blackmail and nepotism, one would have to look long and hard. You might possibly find a few. Maybe.
CAP needs to be cleaned out completely, starting at the top with Vazquez and Altieri. It is full of self-serving traitors who care nothing for the organization, nor the members.
Would the honorary rank of Major and honorary membership in the wing congressional units be considered a bribe to get funding and other accolades from Congress?