COS Staff

Welcome to the 2018 COS Staff page.

Thank you for agreeing to serve on staff at Civil Air Patrol’s 2018 Cadet Officer School. Your contribution will affect many of our future leaders.

While the days are long and hot, the work is very satisfying and the people are great! For those of you who are new this year, the assigned prep work and staff training will give you the information you need to feel comfortable in this role. The key to a successful Cadet Officer School experience is thorough preparation. The readings and instructor guide will be available shortly on the left side of this page. You are personally responsible for reading and understanding all of the information described in the Instructor and Student guide. Read it carefully, bring it with you to COS, as you will refer back to it. The official COS email for general inquiries is cadetofficerschool@gmail.com.

Things you need to know Prior to arrival:

Staff travel day is on Friday, 22 June 2018. No training will be conducted on that day. Departure should not be scheduled prior to 10:00 AM Friday, 06 July, 2018.
Upload your copy of their itinerary and receipt to https://goo.gl/kXRBMt. The official COS airport is Montgomery Regional (MGM). Please indicate if you need a ride or if you already have a rental car. If you arrive early, we may need your help transporting other staff members.
Your packing list, Instructor Guide, and other readings will be posted on the left side of this webpage shortly.
A staff training schedule and master schedule will be emailed to you prior to your arrival.
Reservations at billeting will be made in your name. CAP members, your room is paid directly (AF Members, please use your GTC) by COS not including incidentals from 22 June to 06 July. Your room is equipped with at least a small refrigerator, microwave, iron, ironing board and internet. Laundry facilities are located in the lobby of your lodging building.
You will receive a meal stipend for the duration of the school and your dinner at the banquet will be covered by COS (CAP staff only, not AF staff).
We have a number CAP Vehicles that will be available throughout the activity. Please do your best to print a copy of your 101 card showing you are approved to drive a CAP vehicle. AF Members; we will have a limited number of U-Drive vehicles available.
Autographed Book (Optional) - Colonel John Warden, USAF (Ret) is currently scheduled to be one of our guest speakers. His book, “Winning in Fast Time: Harness the Competitive Advantage of Prometheus in Business and Life” will be available to you to purchase for $20.00 if you would like for him to autograph a copy for you.

Travel/Arrival Day (22 June):

CAP staff - Upon check in you will be asked for a credit card to cover incidental expenses. All rooms are pre-designated, please do not change your room number.
Air Force Staff - At check-in, you will pay for your room on your government issued card and request reimbursement. All rooms are pre-designated, please do not change your room number.
After you are checked in to billeting please call Capt Tran, our COS Administrative Officer (contact number to be announced) to report in, he will let you know how you can help prepare.
There will be an informal meet and greet scheduled and a no-host dinner available afterward for those interested (details TBA).

Staff Training:

Staff training will be all day on Saturday 23 June with a lunch break each day. Sunday, 24 June you will have time to set up your classrooms.
Uniform for both days is any CAP polo shirt, which will be issued to new staff members and Khaki pants. For returning staff, please bring your COS polo from previous years.
A light breakfast will be provided on Sunday morning for everyone.
Students will arrive on Sunday, 24 June.

Flight Instructors/Leaders are assigned in pairs, so you won’t be on your own. Normally, there are 10 flights with approx. 11 to 12 cadets in each. Lectures, flight time, and staff meetings begin early. Evening activities do not normally conclude until 2100 hrs (9:00 PM). Frequently, short staff meetings are conducted after volleyball.

For newcomers to Maxwell AFB, be advised to expect temperatures in the upper 90’s with humidity to match.

CAP Senior Members - Reimbursement of Travel

We are able to reimburse your travel expenses up to $375 ($450 if you are traveling from the Pacific Region). We will reimburse the lesser of your actual expense or the amounts noted above.

Flying – We reimburse the cost of an airline ticket up the maximum of $375 ($450 for members in Pacific Region). We require a copy of the receipt for the airline ticket showing method of payment along with the traveler's name, upload documents to https://goo.gl/kXRBMt. Reimbursements will be made to the individual that paid for the ticket. We do not pay for tickets that use any type miles or other rewards points to secure the ticket. Also, CAP does not reimburse flight change fees, insurance, business, reimbursable, or first class tickets or upgrades, such as extra room. Airline tickets must be purchased at least 21 days before the date of travel.
Driving – We reimburse at the rate of $0.565 per mile for one round trip or the cost of a standard airline ticket (if less). We require a printout showing your route and number of miles from your home address to 450 North LeMay Plaza, Maxwell AFB, AL 36112 (or just Maxwell AFB, or Montgomery). Feel free to upload pdf's to https://goo.gl/kXRBMt. Use MapQuest, Google maps or some other site that will show the route and number of miles one-way. We will pay for one round trip, from home to base and back home. If you are carpooling, we will only reimburse the driver. If your driver is using a CAP corporate vehicle, we will reimburse the actual fuel costs (receipts needed). If the cost of a standard airline ticket from your closest commercial airport to Montgomery is cheaper than the fuel reimbursement, you will only be reimbursed up to the cost of a round trip ticket. In addition, the reimbursement is maxed at $375 ($450 for members in Pacific Region).

Reimbursement will not occur until late July. If this creates significant challenges, please notify Col Joseph Winter directly at jwinter@cap.gov or Lt Col Margarita Mesones directly at mmesones@cap.gov.

COS DUTY PHONE NUMBER: 409-4CAPCOS (409-722-7267)
Updates to the site will be in red.