Planning Conference Activities

Planning Conference Activities

In preliminary planning to determine venue requirements, a good idea of subevents, time blocks and room layouts was needed to develop the RFP and to help drive contract negotiations. A sample room block schedule is in Attachment 5.

The Role of the Conference Committee

The primary role of the conference committee (of which the CPO is the Chair) is to do three things:

• Plan and budget for the conference.

• Oversee conference preparation and ensure the conference succeeds during the event.

• Draws and incorporates lessons learned for future events.

The composition of the team was discussed in the section “Planning to Plan a Conference.” The heavy lifting of conference planning though, begins here. Here is where the details are completed.

To Budget or Not to Budget First

Whether to budget or not budget before the events and activities are drafted is a matter of how the wing does business. Most of the time for the standard F2F conference, member attendance and revenues, and what the wing believes that members will pay and the costs of the previous couple of years factor into the planning of the current year’s event. For the purpose of this pamphlet, let’s assume that the conference plan is drafted first, and a budget created. Then, the conference plan is either beefed up or scaled back depending on the costs. More on the budget later.

Once the room block schedule is created, it is then known how many slots for meetings, seminars and other events can be placed into the venue at max capacity. Now is the time to bring a team together to fill those rooms and that time.

Following is a list of the major facets of a typical F2F conference.

• Budget

• Conference Registration (in advance and onsite)

• Hotel reservations (if possible, allow the hotel and the members to handle this themselves. All that is needed to do here is to provide the hotel’s group booking link).

• Awards

• Speakers.

• Seminar mix.

• Meeting schedule.

• Organizing hotel space.

• Cadet chaperoning and activities.

• Vendors, such as Vanguard.

• Preconference marketing.

• Conference A/V.

• Risk Management.

• Printed materials and SWAG (Stuff We All Get).

  • Conference Programs.

  • Banquet Programs.

  • Venue maps.

  • Name badges.

  • Tickets for special meals or meal choice (if more than one option offered).

  • Notepads and pens (if offered).

  • Tote bag (if offered).

  • Attendance rosters for special events/classes and to note in member records for Education and Training.

  • Onsite registration and receipt forms.

• Morning and evening emcee scripts.

• Morning and evening PowerPoint presentations, videos.

• Internet access for presenters as required.

• Recording and streaming for webinar and on demand.

• Protocol (especially if national leadership is present).

Event Mix

In general, what events are “must haves; “nice to haves” and “maybe we can work it” is determined by the committee, wing commander’s vision, the event’s duration, the venue’s capabilities and the added cost, if any.

Every wing has its own set of must have activities and events for their wing conference. These normally follow the three basic reasons why members attend conferences:

• To connect.

• To collaborate.

• To celebrate.

For most, getting this done includes

• a morning assembly with presentations and awards.

• seminars for enrichment and growth.

• A final evening event such as a formal banquet, buffet, or reception with a keynote speaker and awards.

Most wings use their wing’s color guard to post and retrieve the Colors; many have the wing chaplain perform an Invocation and benediction. Nearly all wings have a POW/MIA table at their banquet.

In many, if not all cases, members of the national command or national staff attend to bring national perspective and prestige to the conference. For many of our members, the wing conference represents the first and sometimes only chance to interact with the National Commander/CEO, Deputy Commander, Chief Operating Officer or other senior official. It is often a highlight of their membership, especially a cadet’s. More information about inviting national leadership or national staff is available by contacting CAP National Headquarters.

Nice-to-Haves

Nice to have activities and events provide additional entertainment and organized food and beverage, more opportunity for growth, as well as accommodate other CAP activities which can be run using the conference facilities either during the conference proper or the day before or after the official conference. The Conference Committee should rank order the nice-to-haves so that if there is space and time available, activities can be added. Some examples include:

• Cadet Advisory Council meetings.

• Commander’s Calls.

• Review boards.

• Official meetings.

• Multiple seminar rooms running at the same time.

• Receptions and hospitality suites.

• Coffee breaks with or without food.

• Meals included with registration.

• Cadet displays and competitions.

• Interdenominational or denominational religious services (or transport to local churches, mosques, and synagogues).

• Virtual conferences, web streaming and on demand access for those who can’t make it to the conference proper (known as hybrid).

• Vendors and/or historical displays.

Maybe We Can Work It

The “Maybe We Can Work It” activities represent dreams of what “the perfect” conference for the wing could be. This doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time to plan it out. In fact, this year’s “maybe we can work it” becomes next years’ must have. Wouldn’t it be nice to reach back to a plan that thinks through the possibilities?

Now that these lists are done, it’s time to work out the major events based on the must have’s and the prioritized nice to haves. Again, this pamphlet concentrates primarily on a F2F conference and for discussion’s sake takes place on a Friday night for arrivals and continues all day Saturday.

Major Items Around Which a Conference is Built

The following discussion represents typical minimum conference needs. Additional activities, such as a Friday night reception, hospitality suites, continental breakfasts, coffee breaks, etc., can certainly be included in your wing’s conference plan.

Registration Onsite

The majority of attendees will have registered prior to the conference. Assuming the event takes place at a hotel, the attendee list can be matched against room reservations for the group block. It’s a good idea to do this to see if there are names on one list but not the other; and also, to ensure that cadets don’t show up for hotel rooms or for the conference without the conference staff and commanders knowing about it.

If people are arriving the Friday night before, as a convenience consider offering a couple of hours of registration that evening. It gives members a chance to get situated and cuts down on the lines to pick up materials and any onsite registration sales on Saturday morning when those who aren’t staying at the hotel arrive.

Your on-site registration table is the first impression your guests get for the conference. The table should be organized and orderly, with sufficient and friendly help on hand to avoid long lines. Registrations should be completely processed, any handouts (tickets, program, receipts, SWAG) coordinated, and any issues (such as payment due) clearly marked. Ideally the person(s) processing the registrations should be in the registration area to assist with any problems.

Conference Dress Code

While the banquet dress code is discussed later, it’s worth taking a moment to discuss uniforms during the conference.

While dress codes are less formal in corporate and military cultures, Region and Wing conferences are, at their heart, a business occasion. Additionally, these events are held in public spaces where members are representing CAP within their communities. It may be inappropriate then for conference members to wear utility uniforms, flight suits or other casual attire. Try to aim for the dressier end of business casual. If Air Force- style uniforms are worn, members wearing them must conform to weight and grooming standards as well as know how to demonstrate basic military customs and courtesies.

However formal the dress code chosen, it should be prominently, clearly, and repeatedly communicated in conference communications.

Saturday Morning Activities (The Morning Assembly)

The Saturday morning general assembly is the official kick off for the conference. When is the right time to begin? Most wings start between 0800 – 0830 and rarely continue more than 2 hours (with an intermission about halfway through for a thorough leg stretch). If morning seminars are planned after the general assembly but before lunch, schedule to ensure that the assembly ends with about 15 minutes for people to find their seminar rooms.

If the general assembly is being live streamed or recorded for on demand consumption, consider having two breaks to allow for better segmentation of the video recording.

A typical general assembly schedule might look like this:

0800: Call to Order and arrival of head party, Posting of the Colors and National Anthem, and Invocation

0810:    Safety brief of the venue and administrative announcements

0815:    Introductions of Distinguished Guests

0850: Intermission 1 (10 minutes)

0900: National Staff presentation or National Commander’s Presentation

0915: Wing Commander’s Introduction of Keynote speaker (if the keynote is not the National Commander)

0917:   Keynote Address

0930:   Morning Awards

1000: Dismissal to break and seminars beginning at 1030

Of course, this schedule can be adjusted to specific needs. Smaller wings may prefer to have all of their awards presented at the banquet. Not all speakers listed above may be used. Additional items such as videos may be presented.

One thing to remember though is that no matter how a schedule is filled, it must start and end on time. Better to schedule conservatively and end on time than try to pack it in, end late and spend the rest of the day catching up.

Breaks

Breaks throughout the day and during the morning and evening programs are essential for the attendees. You want them to be invigorated after a conference, wanting more and looking forward to next year. You don’t want them to be exhausted when they leave.

If there’s budget for it, by all means serve coffee and tea during breaks. A tip gained from experience: if serving coffee, include a gallon of decaf. People do drink it and they really miss it when it’s not there.

And, if there’s budget, consider serving cookies or pastry during at least one of the breaks. Catering books say to plan for 1.5 pieces of pastry per person. Experience shows to plan on 2 pieces. It is expensive, but it is also appreciated.

Saturday Evening Event

The region’s or wing’s gala event. It is a wonderful and elegant affair, and most wings do a banquet or a buffet. It’s steeped in tradition and is a time to come together and celebrate like no other time during the year. For new cadet or 50- year member alike, it is a special occasion.

ELEGANCE ON A BUDGET

There’s no getting around that banquets are one of the top two most expensive items for a wing conference (with the other being audiovisual/room rental). There are ways to get the most for the wing’s dollar and to help make the event a special one.

THE RECEPTION

By all means, have one. If a region or wing decides to make alcohol available through a cash bar (and most will), choose also to have soft drinks available for designated drivers and for cadets. Some hotels will work with the wing to provide a soft-drink only bar for cadets at a reduced rate. It’s worth it to ask.

Choose a space that has natural light, if available and that isn’t overly dark. Try to make sure that the space has room for people to move around and not feel crowded. In addition to bar tables for people standing, try to have some seating available for those who need to sit for a minute, or who have mobility issues.

THE DINING AREA

It seems small but choosing the right tablecloths and napkins for the tables can really lend to the room’s appearance.  Most venues use white table cloths, though some venues are going with laminated tables and no table cloths. Either is fine. Take a minute though to consider the napkins. Try to make sure that the color doesn’t clash with the carpet, the chairs or the walls of the venue (sometimes it can’t be helped, but it’s worth a thought). Plan the table linens in advance, especially if you need a particular color that may need to be rented.

Banquet programs seem like a throwaway item, but for many attendees it is an annual souvenir, and a well thought and executed program can both be inexpensively made using a color copier and signal the quality and dignity of the evening. Here, the little things matter: spelling, spacing, grammar, and print quality. Make 15 more than the number of seats guaranteed to the hotel. Some are lost, some are soiled, and folks always seem to ask for one when none are left.

Table decorations can take many forms. Sometimes the venue will offer to put a mirrored tile on in the center of the table with some marbles, candles or pebbles. The wing might want to provide flowered centerpieces that people can take home (please, no fake flowers). Some place mini US and CAP flags. Many hotels no longer permit lighted candles so battery-operated candles may be needed.

In all cases, if using assigned seating, number the tables (be sure your guests have a way to know to which table they are assigned – such as a number on their ticket). This is necessary so that the staff can know who has special meals (based on the list and seating plan provided). If tables are reserved for specific people, then have place cards with names, grade and/or title at each reserved seat (double-check name spelling!)

POW/MIA tables are poignant way to honor those who gave so much for our freedom and were either captured or never made it home. CAP wishes to honor these brave souls and the loved ones they left behind. Please have a POW/MIA table. The ceremony script is contained in Attachment 8.

Head Table or No Head Table? That depends on wing tradition, the size of the room and the commander’s preference. Some commanders and wings like the formality of it. Others prefer to be seated in rounds with the attendees. There’s really no right or wrong answer on this one.

As a minimum, the flags present during the banquet are

• the Colors.

• the CAP Wing’s flag and

• the flag of the senior general officer present (they bring the flag, the wing supplies the stand, pole and topper).

Other optional flags and guidons which can add a lot of class to the room and recognition to the attendees include:

• the USAF flag.

• group and squadron guidons (squadron guidons can be trooped into the room by cadets as a ceremony).

THE FOOD

The buffet or plated meal choice is dependent on time, number of attendees, cost and tradition. Buffets can provide more choice without as much need to track who is eating what; but it can be time-consuming for large groups and incur additional cost. Many venues are changing how they serve buffets in light revised sanitary practices and health codes vis-à-vis COVID 19.

Every wonder why a lot of banquets serve chicken? Meal choices seem easy, but there are some things to keep in mind:

• Dietary restrictions

• Religious considerations

• Appealing to the widest possible audience

• Cost

Common food allergies include tree nuts, shellfish, peanuts, dairy, and wheat or gluten. The good news is that the chef can adapt many recipes to omit ingredients listed. An example is omitting the almonds on green beans (listed on the menu as green beans almandine) or omitting pine nuts on a salad. Where something cannot be omitted because it is the essence of the dish, another option can be substituted if they have advanced warning. This substitution can either be banquet-wide or dialed into the few people with the restriction.

Another consideration is religious. A primary example is the service of pork products, which are forbidden in Jewish and Muslim culture. If a box lunch is served, consider serving 2 options, or limit the choice to chicken, roast beef or turkey. If bacon is served for breakfast, consider also adding turkey sausage.

In many Jewish traditions, only kosher meals are consumed, Yet, few venue kitchens are equipped to prepare these meals because of the preparation and oversight (which must be done by a rabbi). Its important early in the process to ask the venue whether they can either prepare kosher meals or to contract to have these meals brought into the venue for service. If it is not possible, be sure to state this in the conference banquet purchase materials.

Stick to commonly preferred items and select items that can stay moist for a while. Garden salads or spinach salads are common fare and consider offering the dressing “on the side”. Include a sauce, gravy or an au’jus (herbed broth or stock) with the entree. If fish is to be served, offer another choice as it is not as preferred as chicken or beef (though beef is expensive).

Dessert is a highlight of any meal, and particularly at a banquet. Usually only one choice is offered, with a fresh fruit plate option for those who have a dietary restriction.

Avoid ice creams as they tend to melt by the time everyone is served. Cheesecakes and chocolate desserts (avoiding nuts) really do get the most compliments.

Please note that these same considerations are also useful for planning reception foods.

Finally, if multiple meals are served throughout the conference; please try to avoid having the same item twice.

NOTE: Many corporate conferences, and even the CAP National Conference have moved towards a Saturday evening event that is less structured with carving stations and heavy hot and cold hors d’oveures and dessert. Rather than assigned seating, a variety of standing and seated options are offered so that attendees can sit with whomever they wish. The room can include music and a dance floor. There are no speakers and is an excellent chance for everyone to relax. These events can even be held away from thew hotel at another venue, such as a museum. The point is that there are a lot of options out there to create a memorable occasion.

EVENING EVENT DRESS CODES

Because these events are held after 1800 hours and can be designed to be formal affairs, many regions and wings encourage formal wear. Mess dress, cocktail dresses, gowns, tuxedos or dark suits and the semiformal uniform for cadets greatly contribute an atmosphere of elegance and celebration.

Pack a few extra neckties, clip on bow ties and tie tabs for borrowing. And consider a “smart business casual” through formal dress option so that all may feel included.

State the desired wear for all activities at the time members purchase their event tickets. Remind them in any preconference communications and send a special e-mail to unit commanders asking for their help.

GUEST KEYNOTE OR NO GUEST KEYNOTE

Guest keynote speakers can be a valuable part of the banquet or buffet experience (though for a reception format it is not recommended). Such people are normally not from CAP, or very senior people from CAP who have not spoken during other portions of the conference. All should have some affinity with the organization, with one of the missions of the organization, or with the theme of the conference.

Keynotes should be set as soon as possible in the conference planning process; and continuously engaged throughout the period leading up to the conference. Make them familiar with the organization, the conference theme and the people with whom they interact. Other items of which to be mindful:

• If staying overnight, comp their room.

• If driving, comp their parking and fuel.

• Assign an escort (senior cadets are great for this) to assist them during their time at the conference. It’s extremely rude to leave a conference guest to fend for themselves or alone unless they wish to be.

• Provide an amenity basket or gift of water, a CAP-branded notepad and pen, and snacks of preference.

• Ensure they understand the topic, equipment available for them to use during the presentation; a deadline by which any presentation media needs to be submitted and a timeframe around which to schedule the talk (10-15 minutes is standard).

• Ensure that the presenter provides a biography for the banquet program. From this, a narrative for the emcee’s introduction in the script can be written. Tip: Be sure the emcee knows the proper pronunciation of the guest’s name.

• Provide a presentation gift for the wing commander to confer immediately after the address. This gift should be worth between $20-$25, but not more than $25 as many corporate and government ethics rules prohibit the acceptance of gifts priced higher than $25.

• Ensure that the presenter is given a proper send-off when departing the conference.

• Write a thank-you note signed by the wing commander and sent not later than the week after the event. It can be sent via e-mail, but it is much more appropriate to send hard copy by regular mail.

Awards Ceremonies

The highlight of the annual conference is the awards ceremony (ies). CAP can’t pay people for their work; we charge for it. We do, however, have awards with which we say, “thank you” and “well done.” It’s very important to the members being recognized and to the other attendees watching that the awards presentations be done with attention and style.

TYPES OF AWARDS

Generally, CAP awards fall into the following types:

• Cadet and senior milestone awards

• “Of the Year” awards

• 30, 40, 50-year membership awards

• Personal decorations (Certificates for Lifesaving and above)

• Squadrons of Merit and Distinction

• Special recognition (plaques, trophies, contest winners, etc)

Sometimes a receiving member does not wish to have the award presented during the region or wing conference. These wishes should be granted. In other cases, they cannot be present. The unit commander could receive the award for the member, or the member can be mentioned in the program.

PROTOCOL

Whether received on stage or on a dance floor below, the standard is “Take, Shake, Smile, Salute.”

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Take: The member walks up to the presenting official. The presenting official either pins the award or hands the award to the member who receives it in their left hand.

2. Shake: Member shakes presenting official’s right hand, which is held.

3. Smile: while both face the camera for a photo.

4. Salute: Member salutes the presenting official (if the official is not a CAP or military officer in uniform, omit the salute, briefly shake hands, say thank you).

5. Member departs back to their seat.

It goes without saying that the script and the order of awards going up to the presenter should match. If a mistake is made, please remind awardees prior to the ceremony to take what they are given and return after the ceremony to get things straightened out.

TIMING

Most regions and wings try to split their awards between the morning general assembly and the banquet or buffet event (if they have one). If the conference serves lunch this is also a fine time to present awards. How the awards are split is dependent on the number of awards and the amount of time it’ll take. The key is not to keep the awards session so long that people check out.

Major awards (as the wing defines it) are usually presented at the banquet or the most formal general event. These typically include Cadet and Senior Member of the Year, Spaatz and Wilson Awards, 50-year Member awards, Distinguished Service Medals (DSM) and Silver and Bronze Medals of Valor.

Citations

DSMs and the Medals of Valor are accompanied by the award citation. These should be read. Other personal decorations have justifications rather than citations. Justifications serve a different purpose in that they are designed to inform an awards review board and command chain of the member’s eligibility and fitness for the award. It is not designed to be read like a citation is.

If one wishes to announce the reason why a decoration is being presented and there is no citation, rather than read the justification, briefly summarize the justification in a short paragraph.

Nice to Haves and Maybe We Can Work It Items

The items on these lists really add texture and engagement for the attendees. It’s also advantageous to the wing to blend some of the mandatory meetings with the conference to reduce cost and travel time, especially in the larger wings. While more and more meetings are becoming virtual, there are benefits to the occasional F2F engagement.

TOWN HALL STYLE CONFERENCES: THE SMALL SPACE CONFERENCE

A “Town hall” style conference offers the advantage of a reduced footprint in the hotel, thus lower facility costs. Historically, a town hall refers to the main government building in a town where citizens could meet to receive the news of the day or discuss pressing issues. The premise of a town hall style conference is based on the concept that most activities will be held in one large room or “hall”.

The General Assembly will remain traditional in arrangement. The difference between traditional and town hall style is that the break-out sessions will be in a townhall meeting format.  There could be up to three sessions.  Each session will have directorates from related fields present and center. Each will be allowed an established amount of time (5 minutes) to make a quick presentation. The remainder of the time will be for audience interaction. Visiting members from NHQ, national staff, etc. will be invited to participate. This type of conference leaves a very small footprint with the facility and reduces the cost of doing business. There is one projector and one screen each for the main hall and cadet activities, which will be held in a separate area; however, cadets are welcome to join the audience at any time.

Example:

• Period I: Wing/Region Command Staff, visiting VIPs

• Period II: Operations, Stan/Eval, Homeland Security, Safety, and Aerospace Education

• Period III: Admin, IT, Professional Development, PAO, Chaplains Services