Funny Civil Air Patrol Pictures

[HuggyU2]

Phrog,
I'm a CAP pilot, but haven't been active in a few years. I got checked out in a C-206. Enjoyed it, but don't have the time right now. I do plan on getting back into it at some time in the future.
Frustrations deal with the fact that it's volunteers, and stuff gets done slowly. I didn't work at all with the kids, but the ones I've met are good kids, and do try. They learn a lot about volunteerism and helping others.

Too bad everyone bags on them, seeing as these are the kids that probably won't be spraying graffiti on walls, and flashing gang hand symbols for camera shots.

 

[FLYTPAY]

Too bad everyone bags on them, seeing as these are the kids that probably won't be spraying graffiti on walls, and flashing gang hand symbols for camera shots.

Argueable of course....I turned out fine and flash gang hand symbols for photos....JK. Which is tempting me to start a thread "Gang Hand Symbols...and the dorks flashing them"

 

[phrogdriver]

This may be a dumb question, but I'm just gonna use my ENS excuse and ask anyway (only have a year left to use it!): if a CAP salutes you, do you salute back? I guess the same question could apply to the "uniformed" security guards on base. FTR, I never have, but was curious what other people think. I mean, they aren't "really" military, no?

Someone salutes you, salute them back, civilian or quasi-military.

 

[invertedflyer]

OK, the ugly truth comes out. I was in CAP for about 3 years and earned my Mitchell. I considered it a good program, and agree with many that say some take it too seriously, others keep it real. Like anything else, its what you make of it. I tried to avoid the cadets that were power-trippin' and attempted to educate myself. Interestingly enough the drill that i learned in CAP paid dividends when I ended up in Marine boot camp because, although we call cadence differently, I already knew the drill. I also had the chance to go up in C-141s and KC-135s (the squadron was at March) and take some emergency services and survival training classes. Overall a positive experience, much of that due to the fact that one of our top senior members was a prior Marine. Unfortunately there were a few fellow cadets and senior members that were annoying on a good night, and down right intolerable on others.

I do tend to make fun of CAP cadets at airshows though, and if I somehow saw the younger version of myself walking around I'd most definitely point and laugh.

@Phrog. There is a SAR squadron that runs out of Riverside Municipal. They do SAR and work with the border patrol as well. A couple members of my aero club are pilots over there and apparently they get paid per diem to go down to the border and man missions.

 

[Cougar_62]

I'm a member of CAP, and two of my children are members also. I'll be the first to admit that there are a lot of real goobers and want-to-bes in CAP, but there is a lot of good about the organization also. I'm just glad when my kids got involved I decided to get involved also so I could point out to them who to respect and who to watch out for.

One of CAP's real success stories is this years Air Force Academy top graduate and Rhodes Scholar winner, Hila Levy. She was the CAP cadet of the year in 2004.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123100485&page=2

I'm sure she would have excelled without CAP, but we're still proud of her.

And to add more fuel to the fire, if a cadet achieves the rank of 2nd Lt ("the Mitchell Award") and then enlists in the military, they are an E3 right out of Basic Training. Not sure why, but it's a pretty good benefit.

 

[nzachman]

^^^Don't forget that of last years Thunderbirds, 3 of 6 were former CAP cadets, including Maj Malachowski (first female T-Bird). Blue Angel 6 (Lt CDR Davis) was also a former CAP cadet. And that is even more fuel for the fire.

 

[DanMa1156]

And to add more fuel to the fire, if a cadet achieves the rank of 2nd Lt ("the Mitchell Award") and then enlists in the military, they are an E3 right out of Basic Training. Not sure why, but it's a pretty good benefit.

Just as a slight threadjack - this is the same for Eagle Scouts too. Good deal.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Just as a slight threadjack - this is the same for Eagle Scouts too. Good deal.

And so does JROTC... (My bro is a Seabee and used this benefit... Now if he weren't so damn stubborn, I could get him in to an Officer program)

 

[invertedflyer]

^^ That only applies for the Army/Air Force side of the house. On the USN/USMC side E-2 is the highest you can attain out of boot.

 

[Cougar_62]

INVERTEDFLYER[/B]]On the USN/USMC side E-2 is the highest you can attain out of boot.

Maybe this has changed recently, because my daughter and I talked to a navy recruiter about two weeks ago and he actually showed us the regulation where it says CAP Mitchell Award = E3.

 

[FrankTheTank]

OK... Just talked to my Pops (Bro wasn't home) but he (my brother) did get E-3; however he came in to the Reserves first. My Pops who joined during Vietnam talked about some of the special entry programs straight to E-4/E-5s)and said that the 'Regular' Navy came in as E-2. So he thinks maybe because he was reservist that is why.. I will talk to my Bro tomorrow and get the facts.

 

[Harrier Dude]

USMC can get LCpl out of boot camp only if you were a "contracted Pfc" (like from CAP/JROTC) and honor man.

 

[Zissou]

^^ That only applies for the Army/Air Force side of the house. On the USN/USMC side E-2 is the highest you can attain out of boot.

In 1994 you could come in with E-2 in your contract and receive E-3 meritoriously.

 

[BACONATOR]

^^ That only applies for the Army/Air Force side of the house. On the USN/USMC side E-2 is the highest you can attain out of boot.

I thought if you had a degree, or at least a certain amount of college credits, you automatically got E-3 too?

Also if you were like #1 out of your recruit platoon I thought you got bumped as well?

 

[invertedflyer]

^^ Negative... like HD said, you have to be a contract Pfc. (E-2) and be an honor grad in boot camp to get E-3. something like 15 semester units gets you a win for E-2 (or CAP/JROTC). I can't really speak for the Navy, because my recruiting experience is limited to Marines, but I'm still pretty sure you can't attain higher than contract SA (E-2)