GWINNETT COUNTY COMPOSITE SQUADRON 09112

You and CAP
Cadets Seniors
As a CAP Cadet, your life will take on new and meaningful challenges.

Cadets have many roles to perform and duties to fill once they sign on. Honesty, integrity, hard work and dedication are all hallmarks of a successful cadet. Since CAP is voluntary, attendance is also voluntary, but cadets soon find that "you get out what you put in".

. . .but you will not be alone.

The CAP cadet unit is a team. It has cadet leaders and teachers whose success will be judged by how successful you are. Dedicated senior (adult) officers administer the program and help the cadet leaders guide and mentor you in your cadet career--until you move up into a leadership role yourself.

The cadet program is multi-faceted, presenting several areas of knowledge and skill to equip you for a successful future.

You will be heavily exposed to the wonder and intrigue of aerospace science and its history. You will learn about Air Force drill and ceremonies (marching) and proudly wear the Air Force uniform. You can also volunteer to help with CAP's Emergency Services mission and participate in Search and Rescue exercises, Ground Team Exercises, and (depending on age) you may even go on real life search and rescue missions!

CAP training can lead to appointments at military service academies, such as the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Being a member can also lead to CAP funded college and flight training scholarships.

Each weekly meeting is designed to present one major aspect of your overall training. During the meeting there are two hour-long periods; one for leadership training and one for specialized training.

During the leadership hour you will first learn how to be a follower. As you move up in the ranks, you will learn how to be a leader.

Here, you will learn Air Force drill and ceremonies, proper uniform wear and care, and cadet basic knowledge. This training will bolster your confidence and enhance your decisiveness--both essential to being a good leader.

In the second hour, depending on the week, you will attend a class on aerospace eductation, moral leadership, emergency services, or physical fitness.

  • Aerospace eductation is a mission of the Civil Air Patrol. Here you will learn from trained aerospace instructors about the fundamentals of aircraft and rocket flight. You will learn about cockpit instrumentation and aviation Weather. You will also learn about the history of aerospace, from the early efforts of pioneers like Orville and Wilbur Wright and Dr. Robert Goddard, to modern day aviation heroes.

  • Moral Leadership gives needed balance to your growing capablilities by presenting the concepts of authority and responsibility. CAP is one of the few youth organizations that stresses and teaches the ethics and moral principles of followership and command responsibility.

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  • Physical Fitness rounds out the moral and command leadership training by encouraging physical wellness. Cadets are required to run one mile and perform situps as part of their advancement in rank. Don't worry, though. It starts out easy with ever-shortening mile time requirements. Of course, cadets who are unable to perform the physical fitness course for medical reasons are exempt.

  • Emergency Services are another vital CAP mission. Although not required as part of a cadet's career, many cadets desire to participate in this CAP fundamental. Once per month, basic ES training is provided and can cover topics ranging from basic first aid and CPR, to advanced airborne search-route planning.
    • Special activities occur several times per year give you experiences that are simply unavailable in any other organization. CAP, in conjunction with the Air Force sponsors many activities that broaden a cadet's experience.

    		 Orientation flights on CAP and military aircraft, summer encampments, Parachute Jump Orientation courses, Cadet Officer School, Cadet Leadership School, and more are available to all who join.

    		  

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    GWINNETT COUNTY COMPOSITE SQUADRON 09112
    Being a CAP senior member is, for many, one of the most enriching parts of their lives outside of church, family, and work.

    Like most clubs and organizations, CAP will introduce you to new endeavors and you will make many new acquaintences--some of whom will become friends for life.

    However, unlike most organizations, CAP has a life saving mission, and fulfilling that mission provides our members with a deep sense

    		of satisfaction and accomplishment.

    As a CAP senior member you will be joining a highly motivated, all volunteer team. You will find that the other senior members of your unit are civic-minded, like yourself, and that professionalism, dedication and national patriotism are characteristics they have in common with you.

    A phrase often heard from CAP seniors, when asked why they joined is, "I wanted to give something back to my country. . . ."

    We are a composite squadron, which means we support the Emergency Services mission of CAP with an all-adult, or senior program, and we support the Cadet Programs mission of CAP with a cadet squadron, which is dedicated to helping young people learn about leadership and aerospace.

    Most seniors choose to join either the senior "side" or the cadet "side". Some even do both!

    Staff Position (your CAP job)
    After you decide which "side" you wish to serve, you will be assigned to a a squadron staff position, with duties and responsibilities based on your personal expertise, squadron staff vacancies, or based on your desire to serve.

    Corresponding to your staff position, you will also have a specialty track. Some specialty tracks are

    		Operations, Logistics (supply), Administration, Chaplain, and Public Affairs. There are also specialty tracks for CAP's three missions: Cadet Programs, Emergency Services, and Aerospace Education.

    There are many other specialty tracks (you can choose more than one!) and you will receive text material, ample practice, and in some cases, testing to refine your specialty skills.

    Emergency Services, besides being one of our main missions, is an exciting part of your CAP experience.

    . . .and you don't have to be a pilot to help out!

    While ES training is an optional part of your overall CAP duties, it is encouraged to help with our unit's effectiveness. With few exceptions, all CAP senior members are qualified at the basic emergency service level.

    		Emergency services has numerous different duty positions, much like the specialty tracks. They have precise skill sets that you can learn and practice at your own pace.

    You can learn the fine arts needed to locate downed aircraft, learn how to operate specialized equipment such as communication and direction finding gear, and many others.

    As your experience level increases, you will get the chance to plan search and rescue missions and even be the officer in charge.

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