By AuxBeacon News Staff
[Editor’s Note: We received this contribution from an anonymous source. This is one method the CAP is using to preserve the appearance of their membership numbers and Federal funding. This letter represents significant policy change for CAP that inactive members can now stay on active rosters.]
HEADQUARTERS
CIVIL AIR PATROL, SOUTH DAKOTA WING
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AUXILIARY
4275 Airport Rd
Rapid City, SD 57703
27-March-2016
TO: All SDWG Commanders and Deputy Commanders
CC: All SDWG Personnel Officers
FR: SDWG/CC
SUBJ: Member Transfers to SD-000
1. Effective immediately, units are directed not to transfer members to the SD-000 squadron, commonly referred to as the Ghost Squadron.
2. Requests for transfer to SD-000 will be considered only if requested in writing/email by the Unit Commander. Unit Commanders will submit requests to SDWG Vice Commander and SDWG Chief of Staff for review. If approved by SDWG/CC, these transfers will be executed only by SDWG Chief of Staff.
3. SD-000 is intended only as a temporary holding unit for members. Members will only be transferred into SD-000 upon deactivation of their unit until such time as they find another unit. (CAPR 20-3, Paragraph 8) Members that have indicated that they plan to let their membership expire may be placed in the 000 squadron. Members that are have pending personnel action may also be placed in the 000 squadron.
4. Units will not be penalized for retaining inactive members on their rolls. Members conducting Subordinate Unit Inspections will receive guidance from SDWG/IG with respect to this directive
JOHN N SETEN, Colonel, CAP
Commander
One advantage to having been in CAP forever it never ceases to amaze me the repetition of problems. I guess as long as we survive by playing with membership numbers we don’t need to fix the problems.
It began a long time ago when they first started dropping the cadet age below 14, to increase the numbers. The older cadets didn’t want to play with their “baby brothers and sisters. They became to “old” for the cadet program and to young for the senior program so four years of experience and training simply dropped out and obviously that is what is happening still.
My suggestion is to create a third program for 18 to 25 year olds with some catchy title like “Advanced Youth Leader Program” or something along those lines, give them a program different from either cadets or Seniors to train them as future leaders. Offer specialized training programs such as Mission Pilots, Cyber Patriot, First Responder, Drone Pilot, STEM Educator, etc. This way they would have a challenging program more suited to their age group and would be more likely to transition to the Senior program after turning 25.
They are giving away CAP memberships to teachers?
[Admin: Yes.]
Historically, CAP was very good at recruiting and that is how it was able to maintain essentially static numbers for a decade while we watched an increasing number of experienced members leave or disengage.
It appears the front door is slowing while the back door is still wide open, hemorrhaging and resulting in a non-trivial net loss this fiscal 2016.
What is more frightening is that none of the published numbers, nor current accounting, have indicators of actual participation. How is it CAP still does not have a universal attendance app?
This story is stupid. Anyone that knows anything about CAP knows that moving members between units within the Wing has zero affect on Wing membership numbers or funding.
In response to Anonymous on this change of policy
If left without CAP Commander molestation in their local unit, inactive members are more likely to wait out a biased commander and pay their dues each year. This gives them bragging rights with friends wrt their nostalgia days.
If they get transferred to the Ghost Squadron, many drop out and stop paying their dues.
Its simple, the more hoops to jump, the less retention.
This is why safety has become a joke, with commanders pencil whipping those briefings in response to dashboard numbers.
Recruiting efforts only briefly stem the out-flowing tide. The findings that led to non-renewals in my CAP Wing/Region were:
i. attempts to setup and black-mail members or deliver reprisals
ii. inappropriate relationships between female cadets and male commanders, pilots and GT leaders
iii. aircraft and vehicle safety accidents covered up from the cadet parents
iv. falsified documents
v. unqualified personnel in multiple roles and nepotism
There was hope that Vazquez would be able to remove the old cronies in the IG system that were facilitating the massacres. Instead, some have been made Wing Commanders in exchange for burying evidence.
I am the one who authored the “Disabled Members of CAP” post. My (former) CC said that since I wasn’t performing for the squadron to his satisfaction I was to be transferred to the “ghost” squadron. Of course, “performing for the squadron” was more important than dealing with severe health issues both my wife and I were going through at the time. That’s when I told him what he could do with CAP.
Who is the man on the right that looks like Pepé Le Pew?