Quality Cadet Unit Award
Any cadet unit that displays strong program fundamentals can earn the Quality Cadet Unit Award. This award motivates squadrons to pursue goals that will inevitably lead to their having a vibrant Cadet Program. The award is purely objective. Cadet squadrons, composite squadrons and flights who meet the challenging criteria below automatically earn the award. The award can serve as a helpful management tool. Local leaders can use its award criteria to gauge the relative health of their Cadet Program. Wing leaders can use the program data to identify squadrons that are flourishing, and perhaps use leaders of those outstanding units to mentor leaders in nearby units that did not earn the award.
2024 - 2025 CRITERIA
Award winners are determined by their performance from 31 August 2024 through 31 August 2025. The award criteria are entirely objective. Units with a minimum of 10 cadets that meet at least 6 of the 10 criteria listed below on 31 August 2025 earn the award.
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Enrollment: Unit has at least 25 cadets listed on its roster
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Onboarding: 70% of all new cadets from 31 August 2024 earned Achievement 1 in 8 weeks
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Cadet Achievement: 45% of cadets on roster have attained the Wright Brothers Award
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Orientation Flights: 70% of cadets on roster have first flight credit
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Encampment: 50% of cadets on roster have graduated encampment
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Emergency Services: 60% of cadets on roster have GES certification
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*Outside Activities: Unit hosted a Red Ribbon Leadership Academy, or met minimum participation requirements for a STEM Team activity listed here: AE ACE Plus Program, American Rocketry Challenge, CAP/NASA 2025 Mission, CyberPatriot, FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge, High Altitude Balloon Challenge, StellarXplorers, UAS4STEM.
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Aerospace: Unit has submitted a Aerospace Excellence Award (AEX) Completion Report or sent in an AAR after ordering a STEM Kit during this award cycle
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TLC Graduates: Unit has at least 3 current Training Leaders of Cadets graduates on its roster
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Specialty Track: Unit has at least 2 Senior Members with a Cadet Programs Specialty Track rating
* new or adjusted for 2025
Eligibility
All cadet and composite squadrons and flights with a minimum of 10 cadets are eligible
Outside Activities
Hosting a RRLA or a STEM Team as an activity outside your regular meeting night can enhance a unit's Cadet Program and help develop public speaking, techical writing and STEM skills in cadets. If you're familiar with another STEM competition that you think should be considered to be included for future years, please submit to cadets@capnhq.gov for future consideration. The following activities/competitions are approved for credit: RRLA will not be continuing for QCUA 2026 in the Outside Activities category.
Approved Activity |
Minimum Requirement |
How to Receive Credt |
Event must follow RRLA curriculum and have non-CAP middle schoolers in attendance |
Submit the QCUA Appeal Form |
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Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the CAP/AE program office and will be added to the QCUA Report by August |
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Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the American Rocketry Challenge program office for teams that submitted data and will be added to the QCUA Report by May |
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CAP/NASA Mission |
Details coming this Winter |
Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the mission coordinator and will be added to the QCUA Report by August |
Unit must participate in at least 2 of the 3 rounds |
Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the CAP CyberPatriot program office and will be added to the QCUA Report by March |
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Unit must host a team and compete in one qualifying tournament |
Submit the QCUA Appeal Form |
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Unit must host a team and compete in one qualifying tournament |
Submit the QCUA Appeal Form |
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Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the CAP/AE program office and will be added to the QCUA Report by August |
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Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the StellarXplorers program office and will be added to the QCUA Report by March |
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Credit is provided to CAP/CP from the UAS4STEM program office and will be added to the QCUA Report by June |
REPORT*
Pull the Quality Cadet Unit Report from Member Reports to see how your unit is doing. Please note that this is a tracking report and numbers change throughout the year.
Find a detailed breakdown of your QCUA numbers in eServices > Cadet Programs > Cadet Promotions > QCUA Details
PROCESS
1. Each September, NHQ will examine every cadet and composite squadron’s performance in the criteria above, as reflected in eServices. Every cadet and composite squadron is automatically considered for the award – there is no application procedure necessary.
2. Initial data is sent to all commanders for questions and corrections, as necessary.
3. NHQ will announce the winning squadrons on this webpage. Streamers will be mailed to the respective wing headquarters. Certificates will be emailed to each wing for printing and presentation at a suitable venue.
AWARD ELEMENTS
Cadet and composite squadrons that qualify for the Quality Cadet Unit Award will receive the following:
1. An award emblem for the unit’s website, letterhead, recruiting materials, and other publications (available for download on this page)
2. A Quality Cadet Unit Award streamer and certificate that will be presented by wing headquarters at an appropriate venue
Streamer elements provided by NHQ starting in 2019. Wings or units may choose to purchase streamers for previous years from Vanguard.
COMMON QUESTIONS
1. I think our unit should be credited for something that isn't appearing on the report. How can I make sure we receive the credit?
The award and associated report pull the information directly from eServices. Most likely you'll need to make sure the information has been entered into the associated module correctly. Here's how the award elements are tracked:
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Adult Leadership: TLC courses should be organized through Registration Zone in eServices. The Wing DCP can add TLC In-Residence credit on the Credit Administration page of Registration Zone prior to the event date. The Course Director applies credit by using the Registration Zone Attendance Module after the event concludes. In-Residence credit is automatically applied to member records when using this preferred method. Alternatively, the TLC director can send a CAPF11 of participants to lmmeforms@capnhq.gov. Learn more about TLC at GoCivilAirPatrol.com/TLC.
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Aerospace Excellence Award: Credit granted through AEX module by completing an AEX Completion Report. AEX must be applied for during the current AEX Award Cycle, which starts on 1 October, and reported on before 31 August.
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STEM Kit: Credit granted by completing an after-action report on a STEM Kit. Credit will be given for the award cycle that the kit is completed, regardless of when the kit was ordered.
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Cadet Achievement and Onboarding: Cadet Promotions module
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Outside Activities: See Outside Activities chart on this website
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GES: CAPT 116 General ES in Absorb
If you cannot resolve the issue with one of the above links, email us at cadets@capnhq.gov.
2. How does the Quality Cadet Unit Award affect the Squadron of Merit Award program?
The Squadron of Merit Award remains in effect, but only one squadron per wing wins that award each year. The SOM program allows the wing commander to make subjective judgments about which unit is the “best” in the wing, while the Quality Cadet Unit Award is purely objective. One would hope that the SOM winner would also be a QCUA winner, but that is not a pre-requisite.
3. My unit experienced a special circumstance this year (new charter, spun off a new squadron, merged with another squadron). How can I make sure this is taken into consideration?
The criteria for the QCUA are set up cafeteria style, so that units can work to meet 6 out of 10. It is an objective award and all units are held to the same evaluation metrics. Data is taken on 31 August at 11:30pm and all active members count. Only 50% of the metrics (5) are percentage-based. The percentages leave room for units to onboard cadets later in the year that will not reach goal criteria. QCUA is marketed as an award that every unit can earn if they start in September with a plan. Earning QCUA requires some strategy. I recommend incorporating their QCUA plan into the unit’s Cadet Programs quarterly goals review that is required for the SUI. A cohort recruiting approach is recommended to help new cadets reach the onboarding goal during the award cycle. Each year the draft data is sent to all commander in early September. There is a link included to submit an appeal request. Please let us know if there's been an extenuating circumstance so we can make sure the data represents the unit.
4. Isn’t the Quality Cadet Unit Award basically a return of the “CAP-MAP” program of the 1980s?
Not at all. CAP-MAP measured administrative inputs – Did you complete a chaplain report?, Did you submit an encampment report?, Did you appoint a CAC representative?, etc. In contrast, the QCUA measures outcomes – Are you flying cadets?, Are you sending cadets to encampment?, Is your unit growing? It was conceivable for a CAP-MAP winning unit to be a paper tiger, while a QCUA winning unit will necessarily have an active, flourishing Cadet Program.
5. My unit is struggling with the Onboarding category. Can you share some best practices?
National Cadet Programs presented at the 2021 National Conference on just this topic! Please watch this video to learn more about squadrons who have implemented cohort recruiting to improve their onboarding process. Cohort recruiting is highlighted in the presentation and is an excellent way to onboard cadets and help them reach their Curry Achievement. Units are encouraged to choose the timing and frequency of their cohorts to work within the QCUA award cycle. Earning QCUA requires some strategy. We recommend using the Great Start program as an onboarding curriculum for new cadet members.
POINT OF CONTACT
Tammy Hallihan, Program Manager
Last update: 17 Sept 2024