Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters - Proving Grounds

Program Finances -- How should we cope with our success?

clafond@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:56:02 +0000

How should the cadet community cope with its record-setting successes?

Fabulous news! Cadet enrollment is at a 47-year high. Metrics for encampments, flying, quality cadet units, and other important markers are similarly high. General Curry would be smiling.

CadetInvest has removed huge financial barriers for many cadets. Those changes correlate with gains in enrollment. However, success in enrollment means that sustainability is now a challenge. With every new cadet, CAP incurs costs for textbooks, uniforms, encampment, flying, etc. While growth presents a wonderful problem, it is a problem. What should we do? Some options include:

Cut existing services to cadets and transfer funds to the Cadet Invest programs having the greatest need. None of our programs is obviously fat or waste, so this approach would not be easy.

Somehow increase the cadets’ share of CAP’s federal money by cutting expenses in other departments, and/or increase donations.
Tighten need-based services to reduce the pool of eligible cadets, and/or require stricter rules where families must prove their eligibility.
Adopt more cost-sharing practices, such as $5 per orientation flight and $25 per CEAP cadet. This approach complicates the accounting, introducing a “program income problem.”

What other ideas should we consider? Sound off by entering comments below.

As we discuss this challenge, let’s remember that the Cadet Program is funded better than ever before, as shown in the table below.

NCOA Academy Guide

hweaver@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:14:48 +0000

This proposed Non-Commissioned Officer Academy Guide was developed by the National Cadet Advisory Council.

We have collected feedback via comment here as well as Units/Wings willing to share their NCOA or Airman Leadership Academy curriculum and will be providing some updates soon.

Please reach out to hweaver@capnhq.gov with questions or to share curriculum documents.

Thank you for supporting the cadets.

Regional Cadet Leadership School Guide

hweaver@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 14:11:07 +0000

This proposed Region Cadet Leadership School Guide was designed by the National Cadet Advisory Council.

We have collected feedback and are working on making updates to the curriculum.

If you have any questions, please reach out to hweaver@capnhq.gov. Thank you for supporting the cadets.

Cadet Drill Test Pamphlet Update

jlee@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 13:35:54 +0000

A new edition of CAPP 60-34, Drill & Ceremonies Practical Tests has been published with an effective date of 3 September 2024. This updated pamphlet will replace the current version from November 2019.

The new pamphlet is now available on the Publications, Proving Grounds, and Drill pages. Here are some of the key updates:

Clarity Improvements: Drill tests have been edited for better clarity, ensuring that instructions and expectations are more easily understood.
Milestone Addition: The Wright Brothers Award Comprehensive Exam Part 2: Drill & Ceremonies Performance Test has been added so all cadet drill tests are in one handy pamphlet. No need for Testing Officers to search for the instructions each time.
Adjustments to Achievements: Achievements 7 and 8 have been adjusted to focus on squadron drill, supporting and reinforcing the staff service expectations of Phase II.
Scoring Changes: The passing scores for Achievements 3 and 8 will change on 3 September 2024. All other passing scores remain unchanged.

CAPP 60-34, Sept 24, is available now for cadets and testing officers to prepare for the upcoming transition. Hard copies of the updated pamphlet will be included for all squadrons in the Fall Mailing.

If you have any questions, please reach out to cadets@capnhq.gov. Thank you for supporting the cadets.

Aerospace Content Order in the Cadet Curriculum

thallihan@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 15:06:44 +0000

The current cadet curriculum has each cadet engage with aerospace content for 13 of the 16 achievements and allows for significant flexibility in the selection of modules, giving cadets the autonomy to choose the order in which they complete them. However, the anticipated benefits of this flexibility have not been realized as frequently as expected. The impending transition to a new Learning Management System (LMS) in 2024 offers an opportune moment to reassess the cadet user experience, especially considering the recent additions of Cadet Interactive, honor credit, and test banking. This paper delves into the intricate dynamics of the cadet experience, technological concerns, and data analysis to propose a solution aimed at streamlining the aerospace curriculum for a more effective and user-friendly experience. Please see the attached paper that advocates for a shift towards a sequenced aerospace cadet curriculum, like the leadership curriculum, to enhance the user experience and streamline the learning process. Please share your thoughtful comments on this proposal here in the Proving Grounds or by emailing cadets@capnhq.gov.

Content Reduction for Cadet Packet 1

thallihan@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:46:49 +0000

Cadets receive a materials packet three times during their cadet membership: when they join, at their Wright Brothers, and at their Mitchell. Beginning this Fall, there will be a change to the aerospace contents included in packets 1 & 2. Cadet Programs will be rearranging the aerospace content in the first two packets to better serve our new cadets and save costs. Data shows that the majority of cadets complete the first two modules in sequence. Rather than receiving the full set of Aerospace Dimensions module in packet one, new cadets will receive Aerospace Dimensions Modules 1 and 2 when they join. The remainder of the aerospace books (Modules 3 – 7) will be included in Packet 2 when the cadet earns their Wright Brothers. Cadets can still complete the modules in any order, this only impacts what is included in the mailing.

Please see the attached paper that covers how this update will make the first packet more focused on what the new cadet needs for their first orientation flight and Phase I promotions while also helping CAP save money.

Cadet Merit List

jlee@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 09:42:32 +0000

Modeled upon USAF Academy program, proposed award would honor academic & fitness excellence

Leadership and aerospace are arguably the two thematic areas of cadet life that receive the greatest attention. How might we motivate cadets to excel in the other two areas, fitness and character? At the Air Force Academy, an award program called the Cadet Merit List recognizes high-achievers in academics and fitness. We’re proposing a Cadet Merit List for CAP that would encompass two awards, the Cadet Academic Award and the Cadet Physical Fitness Award. Every cadet would be eligible, and competition should cause the higher Merit List standards to become the new de facto standard — nobody wants to be left behind.

Academic Excellence

A person of character practices the discipline of prioritizing higher obligations. For cadets, academic excellence at school is one such high obligation.

We envision a voluntary program where cadets who desire the Cadet Academic Award would need to show a school report card with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale). This criteria mirrors National Honor Society standards.

The award would expire after 6 months. To continue with the award, the cadet would need to sustain that cumulative 3.0 GPA.

The idea here is for the award to provide cadets yet another reason to excel at school.

Physical Fitness Excellence

To encourage excellence in physical fitness, we envision recognizing cadets who attain the Healthy Fitness Zone standard that’s set for one year above their age (e.g., cadets aged 13 would aim for age 14 standards) in all 5 CPFT events, unless medically restricted, in which case that event would be waived.

As with academics, the Cadet Fitness Award would expire after 6 months. Thereafter, cadets would need to re-earn the award or remove it from their uniform.

Applying for encampment cadre? Going for a scholarship? You’ll want to be on the Cadet Merit List to be competitive.

Easy Administration

We know that this program needs to be easy for squadrons to administer. We envision using eServices to record the Merit List honorees, with cadet personnel records showing all the instances where the cadet achieved the academic and fitness standards as well as the date that the next 6-month cycle ends.

The award takes the form of a shoulder cord, which is easily modular, allowing the cadet to add or subtract honor designations, depending on their performance on the Merit List. Cadets included on the current Merit List would earn the basic braided cord. If they earn the academic honor, they qualify for the aiguilette with silver tip. If they earn the fitness honor, they qualify for the single rope without tip. Cadets who earn both awards wear both additions to the basic cord. Cadets who do not qualify for the Merit List earn nothing, not even the basic cord.

The National Cadet Team welcomes feedback on the larger concept of the merit list, as well as the proposed finer details such as the form of the award, cord vs. badge, and the specific levels and time periods for earning these recognitions.

Increasing Opportunities for Community Service

jlee@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 08:58:49 +0000

Community service presents opportunity for cadets

Awards program & training tools are on the drawing board

What’s the biggest outcome cadets obtain from CAP? They develop leadership skills. In fact, cadets significantly outpace ordinary youth in the leadership domain.* But do our cadets apply those leadership skills to make their schools and communities better? The cadets say no. In fact, of the many possible outcomes youth reap thanks to CAP, cadets rated that the lowest scoring.

Restated, cadets know how to lead but they don’t lead outside of CAP. There’s an opportunity here. The CAP Strategic Plan calls for us to increase cadets’ opportunities for community service and service-learning. How might we do that?

First, we need to give squadrons some ideas for service projects that are especially suited to cadets. The National Cadet Advisory Council is generating interesting possibilities, so stay tuned.

Second, adult leaders need tools to make service activities meaningful. Service projects ought to help communities while cadets build leadership skills and put the Core Values into action. Look for a recipe-like guide, aligned to National Youth Leadership Council standards on service-learning, to become available.

Third, we need incentives to motivate squadrons and individual cadets to try community service. On the individual level, that will probably entail adjusting the Community Service Ribbon criteria to allow CAP-centered service projects to count toward the ribbon. On the squadron level, service projects should count for the Quality Cadet Unit Award. We’ll develop these three components of a service-learning program during the coming year.

Cadets possess outstanding leadership skills that their communities need. Service projects are a great way for everyone to win.

*Source: Annual Cadet Survey 2020-2021, using the Youth Experiences Survey 2.0 (Hanson & Larson, 2002). Cadets reported (and adults corroborated) their developing leadership skills as their highest outcome from CAP (3.58 / 4.0 scale). On a benchmark report about youth in dozens of other types of organized activities (Denault & Poulin, 2016), the median outcome in the leadership skills category was 2.9. When asked if they use leadership skills to improve schools and communities, cadets rated that outcome at 2.5, while their peers achieved at 2.67

Cadet Adventure

clafond@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 11:01:47 +0000

After two years of COVID, cadets are ready to go outside, get their hands dirty, and challenge themselves.

Adventure-based learning (ABL) consists of highly-structured physical activity with periods of reflection to promote personal and social development. They’re empowering and build physical and mental grit.

Our vision for Cadet Adventure takes inspiration from the CAP Strategic Plan, which calls us to increase cadet earning outcomes in character and fitness through a new emphasis on challenging, hands-on activities.

The attached presentation summarizes the approach we're envisioning for a new Cadet Adventure program. Let us know your thoughts below. Thank you.

CP Officer Training is Aligning with National Afterschool Association Standards

ehornbach@capnhq.gov (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters) — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:34:16 +0000

Adult leadership is the biggest factor affecting success in the cadet mission. Adult training programs such as Training Leaders of Cadet (TLC), Cadet Protection Program (CPP) and the Cadet Programs Specialty Track are the main resources for Cadet Programs Officers to gain professional development. As we endeavor to strategically position CAP for the future to Shape lives, build character, and ready young people for futures in aerospace and beyond, a goal in the strategic plan is to broaden adult leaders' capabilities as youth development professionals, equipping them to be champions of positive youth development practices proven effective in other youth organizations. With this in mind, we wanted to know how our CP adult training programs stacked up against other youth development organizations, while also determining if the programs meet the unique needs of our members.

Review the journey we have been on to Evaluate the Adult Training Programs for Leaders Who Work with Cadets. This document explains the process we have taken to gather research and insights prior to updating the adult education programs for Cadet Programs Officers.

After reading the above document, if you would like to provide your feedback to be included in the research, please complete the Adult Education Evaluation Questionnaire and return it to ehornbach@capnhq.gov