Civil Air Patrol...what I have learned so far

[Hacker15e]

They are volunteers, let them get whatever milage they want out of it. Its not taking anything away from what you do.

It has absolutely nothing to do with me.

Look, the CAP is a good organization that makes some important contributions, both with the cadet/aerospace education program and with the senior member/SAR program. I was a cadet and I got a lot out of it. I've participated in some Noble Eagle practice sorties with CAP pilots playing the bandits. I've thought of joining the organization myself once I get back to the US.

I'm not on a tirade against the organization.

Unfortunately, there are many things that really bring discredit (or, more correctly, take away from the credit earned by the good work) to the organization, too.

We've talked about "hitler youth" wannabe cadets. We've talked about out-of-shape salute-mongering senior members. We've talked about flight-gear-wearing wannabe-military Cessna SAR pilots.

To the discussion, I was adding this overly-zealous lament of a couple relatively minor contributions to the war effort during WWII.

That's all.

 

[Area 5150]

Always said by people who don't wear flight suits for a living.

Oh, but Hack, I DO wear a flight suit for a living!! It goes with my, J.O.B.:buck:

 

[aloft]

Still not buying it. Still seems like the ol' "glory days" guys relishing great work that was done in the past.

As the song goes, "what have you done for me lately"?

I'm not arguing the utility of the CAP.

I am just saying that it's sad how much mileage the CAP continues to get out of a couple of events a long time ago.

Dude, you can't be serious. It's not like the WWII stuff is the only thing CAP ever did, and you know that as well as I do.

 

[Hacker15e]

Dude, you can't be serious. It's not like the WWII stuff is the only thing CAP ever did, and you know that as well as I do.

Aloft...listen to me....I'm not saying the CAP hasn't done anything noteworthy...I'm saying that the CAP TALKS ABOUT A COUPLE TORPEDOES 60 YEARS AGO INCESSENTALY as if it were the D-Day Landings or something.

 

[Area 5150]

Ehem, that's "Skyhawk." I just tell people that because it sounds cooler. haha

Pilot: "Hey baby, what's your name, I'm a pilot....yeah, that's right, I fly a Skyhawk 172.....and, oh yeah....check out my flightsuit? Fancy, huh baby?????"

Chick: "OMG.........here is my number. I have a girlfriend too....."

Pilot: "Chu-ching"

 

[aloft]

To the discussion, I was adding this overly-zealous lament of a couple relatively minor contributions to the war effort during WWII.

It's all dependent on your perspective, bro. We could just as easily say that your unit's OEF deployment was a relatively minor contribution to the war effort. The enemy is still going strong, so what you did really didn't put a dent in their ops.

But you know, I'm not really interested in a tit-for-tat here. I do find it interesting that the Navy holds CAP's coastal patrol efforts in higher regard than the AF does; it's still discussed in their PME curricula as some of the earliest anti-submarine warfare efforts. The AF, on the other hand, with its institutional inferiority complex, seems never to be content with giving it's red-headed civilian stepchild props of any kind--which says more about the AF than it does about CAP.

 

[aloft]

Aloft...listen to me....I'm not saying the CAP hasn't done anything noteworthy...I'm saying that the CAP TALKS ABOUT A COUPLE TORPEDOES 60 YEARS AGO INCESSENTALY as if it were the D-Day Landings or something.

Incessantly? I think you're blowing it out of proportion a tad. Go read the last several CAP Annual Reports to Congress and tell me if you find a single mention of it:

http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/cap_national_hq/cap_annual_reports/

 

[Joe Gremlin]

Aloft...listen to me....I'm not saying the CAP hasn't done anything noteworthy...I'm saying that the CAP TALKS ABOUT A COUPLE TORPEDOES 60 YEARS AGO INCESSENTALY as if it were the D-Day Landings or something.

I do? When people ask me what CAP does, I tell them. But I don't think I've ever mentioned torpedoes thing to anyone unless they specifically asked me about it. In addition, I often hear quite a few other members of my squadron giving the usual intro speaches to perspective new members at meetings and I think I can count the number of times I've heard the torpedo thing mentioned on a one hand with fingers left over.

It probably gets mentioned a bit more often during these internet CAP bash sessions but even then, I don't really see people making as a big a deal about it as you claim. :shrug:

 

[Boris Badenov]

We could just as easily say that your unit's OEF deployment was a relatively minor contribution to the war effort. The enemy is still going strong, so what you did really didn't put a dent in their ops.

You just jumped the shark, Col. Skyhawk

But you know, I'm not really interested in a tit-for-tat here.

Because there's no tit-for-tat to be had. < redacted >

 

[aloft]

And with Boris resorting to his usual childish behavior, I'm done with this thread.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Aloft...listen to me....I'm not saying the CAP hasn't done anything noteworthy...I'm saying that the CAP TALKS ABOUT A COUPLE TORPEDOES 60 YEARS AGO INCESSENTALY as if it were the D-Day Landings or something.

I've been to a CAP squadron exactly 4 times in my life (3 when I was in the AF), and I think I've heard or read about those 2 torpedoes at least 100 times.

 

[SteveC]

< nevermind - you already did >

 

[Ian_J]

Ah yes, appearance. Which, as we all know, is the real measure of any pilot. It wasn't Sully and Skiles' skills, it was their mustaches. lol

Easy there, killer. I wasn't talking about you, CAP, or flying ability. I was making fun of fat guys in flight suits.

 

[Roger, Roger]

I was making fun of fat guys in flight suits.

A worthy cause!

 

[Boris Badenov]

I'm gonna have to buck ya on this one, Steve. No personal offense intended. But...

< that's a good place to cut this one off. See my response later in the thread. Steve >

 

[aloft]

Easy there, killer. I wasn't talking about you, CAP, or flying ability. I was making fun of fat guys in flight suits.

I *am* one of those fat guys in a flight suit.

 

[Area 5150]

If the flight suit fits, I say, "WEAR IT"!!!!!

There is my fashion statement for this week.

 

[Area 5150]

< redacted by Steve >

Good luck with that, Tiger! :whatever:

 

[SteveC]

I'm gonna have to buck ya on this one, Steve. No personal offense intended. But...

Tell ya what, if you have a problem with the moderating, take it to Doug. Duking it out here will get you zilch.

 

[Ian_J]

I *am* one of those fat guys in a flight suit.

Oh.

In that case - and my intent with this is NOT to poke fun at you or tick YOU off, Aloft - I firmly believe anyone who is in a military-eque organization and is wearing military uniforms should reflect the same professional appearance actual service-members must adhere to. To the untrained eye we look the same - a uniform is a uniform to the general public.

Doesn't mean you're not a good pilot or a good CAP officer. I personally signed the paperwork to discharge a number of overweight Army soldiers. It sucked to lose some of them, but the standards are there for a reason.

I don't get involved in CAP debates because I have no experience with them and I respect their role. This is just a pet peeve of mine for anyone permitted to wear a military uniform - my IPs from flight school included - and is not a reflection on how I feel about larger people in general.