[PAO] National Board

Sun Jul 20 12:57:51 CDT 2014

Sadly, this is an example of why people say sarcastically that CAP=Come And Pay. 

The comments about approaching retirement are true.  I've been retired since 1999 and can't afford to go to the National Boards, or rather, I choose not to spend my resources on something so expensive. 

My father, a CAP member for years said once when the subject of  the increasing costs of belonging, "The day I pay that kind of money, there will be a band on  Cloud Nine, playing, "Who I n T he H**** Would Have Thought It!" 

Looking at the number of our fellow blue suiters who have left our ranks should cause some serious discussions about the costs to members.  We now have less than half the members we had years ago.  Before some gets their panties in a wad because I'm not exactly correct, in the last 59 years that I've been a member, I've seen the numbers drop, and the sad thing is that there is no way to do an exit interview as most members who leave just fold their tent and never tell anybody.  They just don't renew, don't come to meetings, etc. 

That puts the decision makers in a quandary.   

Realizing how many people are gone should tell us that something is seriously wrong.  

The problem is above my pay grade. 

The Lt. said he didn't want to appear to be complaining, but maybe that is exactly what is needed. 

FWIW. 

David Moseley, Lt Colonel, CAP 
Commander Emeritus, Lake Composite Squadron, 
Leesburg, FL 

----- Original Message -----

From: "D Miller" <dtamnet at gmail.com> 
To: "CAP Public Affairs Officers" <cap-pao at lists.sempervigilans.org> 
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2014 11:39:53 AM 
Subject: Re: [PAO] National Board 

A few years back, the National Conference was held in Louisville, Kentucky, a smaller city.  Was also more centrally located so many members were able to drive. 

What did everyone think about that venue? 

DAVID A. MILLER, Lt Col, CAP 
Deputy Director of Public Affairs, MOWG 
dtamnet at gmail.com 

On Sun, Jul 20, 2014 at 10:24 AM, lockit3 < lockit3 at att.net > wrote: 

Thank you Lt. Col. Copenhaver for bringing this subject up. 

The fact of the matter is, that even if these rates are not "terribly out of 
line" for a conference this size, it is still unaffordable for many of our 
members, me included. If we pay for the meeting hall and any peripheral 
rooms needed for the breakout sessions, or whatever we are calling them this 
conference and the hotel knows it has "X" amount of rooms guaranteed, 
concessions should be able to be reached on the room rate for members. If 
the facility will not make such concessions because it is Las Vegas and they 
will get that rate from someone then let them get it from someone else. We 
do not have to conference in Las Vegas. 

First of all, it has been my experience that if you have time to go to the 
activities that are available outside of the conference, you are not 
attending the conference. My answer that would be take a vacation. While 
other cities may not have the outside venues, they could handle the size of 
our event and perhaps for a lesser price. I have concerns about meeting 
somewhere like Vegas anyway. As concerned as we are about the image of Civil 
Air Patrol and the image that casts on the Air Force, is this really a good 
idea. 

If we save on the price of the hall and classrooms, then maybe our fee could 
at least cover the banquet and everyone could attend. A Spaatz cadet from 
our Wing is National Cadet of the Year and most of our Wing members will not 
see him receive the award because we cannot afford the conference let alone 
an additional fee for a banquet that should be included. 

I did not intend this to sound like a gripe session, but sometimes I think 
in an effort to look like an organization of high prestige, we forget that 
our members are volunteers, mostly of middle America. We need to get back to 
servicing the needs of the members who service the needs of our country. 

With respect, 

Curtis "Wayne" Hooks 1st Lt. 
Civil Air Patrol 
FLWG Online Newsfeed Manager 
Group 1 Public Affairs Officer 
Group 1 Recruitment and Retention Officer 
Tallahassee Composite Squadron 
Ser FL-432 
Public Affairs Officer 
Recruitment and Retention Officer 

-----Original Message----- 
From: cap-pao-bounces at lists.sempervigilans.org 
[mailto: cap-pao-bounces at lists.sempervigilans.org ] On Behalf Of Wm and 
Kandyce Lewis 
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2014 1:31 PM 
To: 'CAP Public Affairs Officers' 
Subject: Re: [PAO] National Board 

I have done conferences for our wing and I don't have prices like that.  You 
can get hotels to not charge for the the rooms if you agree to so many rooms 
being rented by members, and guaranteeing so much in other costs.  I know as 
I have done that in the past.  You just keep telling them you need a less 
amount.  I didn't check the cost of the dinner but I thought $70 last year 
was out of line for our members.  And having gone many others must have felt 
so as well as there were lots of members eating at other places during the 
banquet as I saw them out and about.  I realize we have more guest we may 
pay for national conferences but it can't be that much more.  I suspect less 
and less members are going to national boards. 

And yes as members get closer to retirement they are looking at those costs. 

Kandyce Lewis, Lt Col. 
WA Wing Staff 

-----Original Message----- 
From: cap-pao-bounces at lists.sempervigilans.org 
[mailto: cap-pao-bounces at lists.sempervigilans.org ] On Behalf Of Doug Barth 
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2014 8:50 AM 
To: 'CAP Public Affairs Officers' 
Subject: Re: [PAO] National Board 

I totally agree with Lt Col Copenhaver, 

In particular, as I move toward retirement and have more time to commit to 
my volunteer activities, I also am very cost sensitive. 

While I understand and encourage the value of face-to-face conferences, I 
think we should look more extensively into webinar/webex events, both to 
reduce cost to the membership and to increase the availability of these 
types of topics across CAP.  Or perhaps video tape the presentations and 
post them to CAP website.  I am not aware that we do that. 

Major Doug Barth, CAP 
Group II 
MDWG 

-----Original Message----- 
From: cap-pao-bounces at lists.sempervigilans.org 
[mailto: cap-pao-bounces at lists.sempervigilans.org ] On Behalf Of Karen 
Copenhaver 
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2014 9:44 AM 
To: cap-pao at lists.sempervigilans.org 
Subject: [PAO] National Board 

Dear Fellow PAOs, 

As we continue our volunteer commitment to an outstanding organization, we 
gladly donate our resources to train and participate.  Across the years, we 
have attended conferences for our wing, region and our national board, and 
the cost has slowly increased, mainly because of the economic posture of the 
time. However, after reviewing the current cost associated with our national 
board, personally I am voicing a concern of how many members can afford this 
astronomical cost.  Registration - $205 per person plus room of more than 
$100+ per night (don't forget tax and tax); (plus the extra days lodging for 
a total of 5 nights if you stay for the entire event) then if you plan on 
attending our PAO Academy it is $45,  and if you want to attend the FEMA 
course it is $20, then Incorporating the Medal of Honor Character 
Development Program into Character Development for $20 and Grant Writing for 
$10.  We can easily add these costs to be exorbitant for many.  I've 
attended many National Board Conferences, but never experienced such fees, 
and would like to know what the "registration" is suppose to cover, if not 
the work labs, and associated hand-outs. 

I would like to see a more reasonable cost for our National Board 
Conferences in the future.  We do not necessarily need a place like Las 
Vegas, Washington or Atlanta, or the like, as we do not have the numbers  of 
attendees to support that type of location as we once did 
with totals of upward of 2,000+ attendees.    We have some locations 
that could support the size of our event, with less expense to our members, 
such as Charlotte, NC,  and communities of that size across our country. 
Our overall cost has escalated to a level whereby one must truly set aside 
additional funds up to more than $1,000 to attend, and that does not include 
airline tickets, which are escalating too.  I don't know how many of you 
join me in these sentiments, but we need a more economical platform for our 
national board conferences. 

One other comment, wouldn't it be nice to have a non-military speaker like 
Bill Cosby to entertain and inspire us to continue our service?  As a 
volunteer organization, who gladly gives and gives so much to our 
communities and nation, I would hope that an individual like this would not 
charge, but to have airfare and other related costs (room and meals) to be 
covered to get him/her to be our speaker. 

Realizing our organizational funds are somewhat limited and reduced greatly 
across the board, we could certainly reduce our cost by holding our national 
conference in a less costly location, and it would increase the numbers who 
can afford to attend.  It indeed is a great experience that everyone should 
have the opportunity to attend.  The labs, breakout sessions, or 
workshops... what ever they are called, are always phenomenal.  The 
opportunity to network with your fellow members and national staff  is 
something that you will always remember as you also establish a contact and 
many times lasting friendships.  If you can..... 
please attend as it is an experience that you'll want again and again. 

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to one of the best 
organizations of which you could ever be a part. 

Respectfully, 
Karen L. Copenhaver, Lt Col, CAP 
Deputy Director, Public Affairs 
MER 

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