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New Cadet Guide

Posted on May 13, 2019 at 10:02 AM by Andrea Love

“New Cadet Guide” 2019 ed.

We’ve updated the New Cadet Guide that newcomers receive in the New Cadet Kit shortly after joining CAP. The Guide is now positioned to serve two purposes.

First, it’s a text and training aid for Cadet Great Start, helping prospective cadets work toward their Curry, especially during the roughly 5-week period between their first visit to CAP and their receiving the Guide in the mail.

Second, it’s a reference that new cadets would return to throughout their first cadet year for information on the coolest parts of cadet life, such as: CEAP, NCSAs, Cadet Wings, promotions beyond Curry, award programs, etc.  

The 2019 edition includes eight additional pages (vs. the 2017 edition). Here’s some highlights about the new content:

Curry Training

  • Wingman:  Adds content on the Cadet Wingman concept and briefly explains how to be a good wingman; prepares cadets for the Cadet Wingman Course.
  • Core Values:  Adds a 1-page introduction explaining what the Core Values mean and why they’re important.
  • Respect on Display:  Reproduces much of the introduction to military customs and courtesies found in CAPP 151, Respect on Display. That publication remains available electronically, but now cadets will receive the essential content in hard copy via the New Cadet Guide.
  • Grade Insignia: Includes images of grade insignia; another great example of Curry-related content that new cadets need access to right away.

Motivational & Informational Items

  • “Airmen” and the Total Force:    Adds an introduction to those terms, primarily to motivate prospective and new cadets to approach cadet life purposefully.
  • Cadet Flight Plan:  Offers a suggested path from cadet to pilot in three years; advertises the Cadet Invest financial assistance opportunities (CEAP, Cadet Wings, Take-Off Program, Cadet Lift).
  • Aviation Careers:  Includes a few articles that discuss the worldwide pilot shortage and the career outlook.
  • Cadet Badges:  Showcases some of the most popular badges available to cadets, including the relatively new Cyber Badge and Stem Badge.
  • Annual Cadet Awards:   Includes a synopsis of the various “of the year” awards.
  • Cyber Patriot:  Adds a special shout-out promoting the Cyber Patriot program.

Suggested Best Practice for Local Leaders

The suggested best practice is for squadrons to keep a supply of Guides on hand by printing

them locally or purchasing them from Vanguard.

Following the Cadet Great Start plan, a prospective cadet’s first visit to CAP occurs at an open house. When prospective cadets attend their second CAP meeting, thereby showing a sincere interesting becoming a cadet, the squadron should provide each newcomer with this Guide. Use it as a textbook, training aid, and take-home resource until the cadet’s New Cadet Kit arrives in the mail.

At that time, squadrons may want to recoup that fresh copy of the Guide to replenish their own

supply for the next Cadet Great Start cohort. (Yes, the Guide is also useful if you still use “trickle-in” recruiting, but yikes, it’s time to use the proven cohort recruiting model!)

Cadet Great Start

This revision of the Guide supports the Cadet Great Start program. We’re still working on a refresh to the Cadet Great Start curriculum guide, to include new social media tools and a more flexible set of implementation options.

Distribution

The New Cadet Guide, 2019 edition, will replace the 2017 edition when the latter’s inventory runs out. Cadets will see the 2019 edition included in the New Cadet Kit around July 2019.

Vanguard will carry the 2019 edition beginning in July. We’ve asked them to sell them individually and at a discount in packs of ten so that squadrons might stock-up.  

Finally, the New Cadet Guide, 2019 edition, is available online now as a PDF.

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