[PAO] New CAPP 201 - Public Affairs Officer Specialty Track

[Alice Mansell]

Who wrote it?  Who gets the thanks and credit!  If "we" think it can be
better, what better time to pool our collective wisdom than for Vegas next
week where all the real decision makers should be.

What do other similar organizations do?  I have been more active with the
Red Cross in recent years.  All their public affairs training is free for
their ES volunteers (aka "disaster services").  If deployed away from home
-such as to Hawaii for a minimum 3 weeks as a call-out request went out to
me this week -  all travel, room and board is covered.

Coast Guard Auxiliary.  Legally, it's essentially a voluntary reserve CG
unit with all training paid for by the regular CG.. These auxiliarists can
serve aboard CG ships and stations right beside regular CG personnel with
all training and duty time paid by federal funds.

CAP still insists on its "corporate" freedom to avoid USAF personnel
scrutinizing our budget from member dues and corporate for-profit sponsors,
holding our personnel files, reviewing our FAA medicals or providing us
"free" medicals from military flight surgeons, inspecting our aircraft as
"public aircraft" as USCGAux has for its member-provided aircraft, enforced
weight standards for uniforms, and such... but in return for that "freedom
" our organization makes the rank and file members dig and dig into our own
pockets for uniforms, training and duty assignments as well as the many
costs needed to keep a squadron open.

The irony is CAP, Inc. was chartered by Congress as a self-funded
organization when budgets were extremely tight after WWII with a primary
purpose of helping lobby Congress to create USAF... which the CAP, Inc.
first leaders did very enthusiastically and well with their wing members in
every state.  But, when USAF years later finally had the funds to
incorporate CAP as a civilian aux, CAP leaders hunkered down wanting their
"freedom" at the expense of members' pockets.

So!  While CAP chaplains can serve on military facilties, CAP IGs and
Safety Officers can at least train there, too, our PAOs and PIOs are
allowing themselves to be personna non gratis there.  I ask myself why....
and know many answers can be found in current military support of civilian
emergencies' laws and regulations.

Alice

Alice Mansell, LtCol, CAP
Former CAWG PAO
CAWG IG Legal Advisor


On Saturday, August 9, 2014, Terri Richards <terri at ncrichards.com> wrote:
> Paul,
> Most other VOADs require the FEMA training for PIO/PAO or their own prep
track.
> All:
> Some of the changes we are seeing could be related to the shift toward
being more in line with the USAF; which in my opinion would benefit our
organization in the long run.  As PAOs we should make a comparison between
USAF regs/expectations and ours.  Keep in mind that the USAF is the only
military division that has its Emergency Management in house.  The other
divisions have a civilian EM focus.  With draw downs due to budget cuts CAP
has a tremendous opportunity to take up an increasing role in USAF
activities.
>
> Terri Richards
> On Aug 9, 2014, at 14:45, "Cianciolo, Lt Col, Paul" <
paul.cianciolo at natcapwg.cap.gov> wrote:
>
> It would be different if one had to have a certain skill level rating in
order to be placed in a specific duty position. It works for paid
employees, but not sure the effectiveness with volunteers. What do other
organizations do like Red Cross?
>
> Lt Col Paul Cianciolo
> Sent from my Droid DNA
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