I'm 26 and maybe thinking about seeing what these guys are about. Anybody have experience with them via the senior program and whether it's moronic or not
Civil Air Patrol
I'm 26 and maybe thinking about seeing what these guys are about. Anybody have experience with them via the senior program and whether it's moronic or not
It's basically JROTC but with nerdier kids, and boomers that are trying to gatekeep cheap flight hours.
Any kinda worthwhile training at least?
Not really worth your time unless you already have your pilots license and hit it off with the boomers that run your local group.
Depends on your CAP local. It's literally the aviation version of Boy Scouts. You COULD get some actual airmen with real experience willing to share. But you'll likely end up with some moronic fat boomer who watched Zero Dark Thirty and will simply waste everyone's time on a moronic camping trip as he utterly fails whatever dumb idea he came across as everyone gets smelly, sweaty and bug bit.
Well, we'll give it a shot at least. I've heard some good things about the one in my area. Fingers crossed
>But you'll likely end up with some moronic fat boomer who watched Zero Dark Thirty and will simply waste everyone's time on a moronic camping trip as he utterly fails whatever dumb idea he came across as everyone gets smelly, sweaty and bug bit.
Mirrors my time in my state's State Defense Force. Literal Cold Warriors trying to appropriate GWOT combat vet's clout because they also "signed the dotted line". I remember one person going on a rant about how non-prior service members shouldn't use military discounts because it's disrespectful to soldiers who died in combat. Like, yeah, getting 2 dollars off my Burger King order or 10% off on military shit i'll only use in the context of your SDF "service" is basically defrauding the government, I guess. I'm obviously only in this volunteer organization for the discounts, because I'm definitely going to recoup the ~$3000 I spent between gear and lost wages through miscellaneous discounts. Also the amount of people who became sergeants and thought that meant they should do their best impression of R. Lee Ermey was unsurprisingly high. And don't even get me started on the HAM radio lessons.
With that being said, California, New York, Georgia, and Texas have great SDFs. Other SDFs have nice programs too, but those are the best. Do your research if you go that route.
Also Texas and California have full time, paid roles. I think New York does too but idk.
>Also Texas and California have full time, paid roles. I think New York does too but idk.
Holy based. Makes me think some of the poking fun at SDF online is done by SDF members themselves, just to deter new people from joining SDF and competing for those nice full-time jobs.
I don't want to get your hopes up lmao. A lot (if not most) of criticism SDFs face is legitimate, but there are some genuinely good assignments and perks. Like in California, they also get access to the state's GI bill and tuition assistance program. I could legitimately see myself moving to California for grad school and to attend some private sector tactical courses if the state covers it. Program participants have to remain in state two years post graduation though.
Texas State Guardsman here. I like it. Pretty based.
lmao I'm in the ANG, and my leadership takes pity on my local State Guard and invites them out on drills and exercises sometimes to make them feel useful.
>base has a big open house and the State Guard is """""activated""""" to assist in parking
>being one of the few people on base with a bus drivers license (frick that shit) I get voluntold to shuttle nasty civilians around all day
>"it's okay anon, we're sending you one of the State Guard guys to help you out"
>pls_no.jpg
>a rusted out shitbox surplus Crown Vic pulls up with a set of extremely low poly magnetic decals of the state guard emblem
>dude turns on his amber dome lights and steps out, visibly struggling to clear the steering wheel
>an absolute hamplanet of a man emerges wearing unstarched or creased BDUs with food stains on his blouse
>also has on a shitty nylon police duty belt for some reason
>homie frickin salutes me and asks what the SITREP is
>I'm an E-6 but whatever, tell him his job is to stand there and help guide people into my bus
>dude salutes again, tries to about face and almost trips over his own feet, then goes off and starts screaming at the crowd of old grandmas and shit to start forming up for the bus
>jesus fricking christ
>guy keeps calling me Staff Sergeant Anon like a tryhard
>eventually there's a lull in the crowd and I get to take a break for a bit
>this absolute ham planet waddles over to me and asks me how I like wearing OCPs
>he tells me that the state guard used to wear them but the leadership decided that BDUs were more professional and were the last good uniform the military wore before the gays and women ruined everything
>he asks me how I like his car, and says he bought it himself for deployments
>lol
>he asks me if he could take a turn driving the bus
>I told him you need a military driver's license
>"yeah no worries bro, I can get one of those"
>well, you need to be in the military...
>"yeah so I'm good then, we're part of the military too"
>mfw the whole day
That sucks man. I'm in the MDARNG, and our State Defense Force is legit. They have a Chaplain attached to our unit and he's legit. He's a 60-something year man who still goes runs and ruck marches with us.
Lmaoooo I'm guessing you're in Virginia. There should really be a thread where people drop their SDF experiences/interactions
>guy keeps calling me Staff Sergeant Anon like a tryhard
People in my state were so adamant about this because they thought it would make us look more professional. That and DnC (which we were never good at). You know, instead of just being competent at our taskings. Also I remember I got chewed out by some 1SG from a different unit for not calling him 1SG when he wasn't even in uniform. And then when I saw him in uniform, he was wearing E-5 insignia. Shit was clown world, no doubt. When SDFs don't have a relevant mission, the only people that stick around are morons. Then the TAG rightfully doesn't trust them with anything because they're moronic.
>Also I remember I got chewed out by some 1SG from a different unit for not calling him 1SG when he wasn't even in uniform. And then when I saw him in uniform, he was wearing E-5 insignia.
I mean he could have still been a first sergeant. Some units are really down bad on personnel lmao
I'm in New England. I've actually got no beef with the SDF, I know they're filled with literal morons and guys who are too old/broken to pass MEPS, but I think they could really be useful with the right training and mission set. I know some states like CA where the government/NGB has them locked down pretty tight.
The problem in my state is that there's no real accountability for them, so they're staffed with a bunch of lolcows and get into hijinks like getting caught by the local liberal newspaper doing /k/-tier end-of-the-world larping on a training compound owned by a neo nazi who was investigated for being involved in the capitol riot.
>unstarched
>BDUs
the washing instructions say not to starch BDUs reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
This. More like a flying version of Boy Scouts.. I messed with them for a year early in High School. Got to go on two search and rescues of pilots that failed to close flight plans and people wanting compensated flight hours neglected to search the destination airfield for the reported tail number.
Why not just join the Air National Guard?
Military doesn't want me back after lying about medical shift in basic then trying to kill myself. So I'm exploring some options here
It's best to be honest about life
Damn well carry on then
You were such a sperglord you tired to off yourself in the fricking summer camp that is basic? Wtf annon
Stop that. Go do something not military otherwise every day will remind you that you're a failure.
lighten up. imagine using US military entry to determine whether or not you're a failure.
>I'm 26 and maybe thinking about seeing what these guys are about. Anybody have experience with them via the senior program and whether it's moronic or not
Former CAP cadet and current USAF AD here. You're 26 and a basic training eliminee? If you join CAP, your primary mission would be:
>Bust 1 or more child molesters within the Senior Member ranks. This would be your divine purpose.
Your secondary mission would be:
>Find a nice semi-autistic 16 to 18 year old female waifu. Note you WILL find yourself on the RSO list if you're exposed while still a Senior Member because CAP SMs are in the same legal category as schoolteachers and coaches (reference your primary mission above)
Bust the Chomos don't become a Chomo.
clear?
>bust child molestors
>mack on teenagers
Are you trying to eliminate the competition?
>gay senile old frick boomer nambla gay obese pedophiles
>cool, collected str8 millennial law-obedient goodguys
two separate categories in CAP, always will be.
I wouldn't call railing 16 year olds as a 26 year old "law-abiding".
>I wouldn't call railing 16 year olds as a 26 year old "law-abiding".
it depends on your state.
Yeah, I don't think CAP's likely to want someone who's liable to fly a plane into the ground/a government building because they're feeling sad that day either
RIP skyking
You know this being said explains why some of my senior members were fricking weirdos
Guy. Go on to do different things. Most of the quitters from my cycle ended up being more successful than the ones who stayed, you have no excuses. Stop the self sabotage.
One of my friends joined it last year, it's a second fricking job for him and takes up all of his free time. It costs money to join, you're just an air force larper, you have a furry mascot, it's all nerds and neverserveds. Just join the air force if that's what you're going to do, at least then you're official and you get paid to be there.
It's an absolute cuckfest, he's at encampment this week and in charge of training cadets but he's not even allowed to discipline them. Can't even make the fatbodies run, they have to be coddled.
I was a Cadet and then Senior member. It really depends on what Squadron you're in. So some are really into emergency response or even drug demand reduction, but others are into the Cadet program. The Cadet program ranges from 13 year olds in uniform to fairly high speed schools.
As a senior member it's best if you are a pilot and decent if you are a veteran. If you like volunteering, especially with young people, it's a good opportunity. It's not the military so take with that what you will.
bro if your not flying you're going to be a babysitter
the only worthwhile people were the diabetics and vets on sar teams
everyone else is a stooge that has autistic tantrums and plays politics
>diabetics
This is
here, Please tell more about these based diabetics?
I'm not the guy talking about diabetics, but I am
I was in for 10 years if you have any questions for me I may have an answer.
>I was in for 10 years if you have any questions for me I may have an answer.
Did you bust any Senior Member chomos? They must be stopped.
The air crew and the boy scout section don't really mix. Just get mission pilot qualed and it's a great way to build cheap hours.
Enjoy picking up my trash at air shows buddy
my son soccer team badge is better than that
I was only a senior member so I can speak to that aspect but basically it suffers from some of the same problems as the military as its ran by older boomers that were usually in and you're kinda fricked if you don't get a good spot. Despite me being a /K/ innawoods autist that can probably do better landnav then most the people who were running FTX'es or run the air history program I got stuck on recruiting and retention and basically languished until I left because I couldn't pull in numbers. Its a shame because I enjoyed helping the kiddos but I just couldn't do the job they wanted me to so I figured my time was numbered and left. If you get a good squadron though it'd probably be worthwhile.
There's a CAP Lt. Col that flies over the NTC to support exercises all the time. Depends on the unit sometimes you do useful things.
How good is the CAP for actually getting your license? I've been thinking about for years but the cost of 10k $ upwards has always been a bit too much for me.
I was a cadet around 15 years ago. Unless you're really into aviation, there is probably very little upside to it. My wing had 3 seniors, all they did was drink coffee and talk. One of them was a deputy and got us doing cool cop shit. The best was the weapon simulator. Think indoor golf but with guns. Also got to work an event for MOH recipients which was very cool. Probably depends on your wing though. Mine kinda sucked, but there were a few I thought about transferring to that were a lot more structured. One of them were building a hovercraft. I could tell that the seniors at those wings dedicated a lot, but most of them were parents. If aviation is you're thing, go for it, but there are probably better uses of your time.
My old boss was trying to get me to join it sounded super lame. His wife was a roasty and I think her nat gaurd got called up cause Ukraine and the AF n shit.
I'd say that 98% of it would be super lame unless you had your kid involved. The few things that were cool were very few and far between. Meeting the MOH recipients was cool, but it was a public event that anybody could have went to. Flying the plane was cool, but anyone can pay like $150 for an introductory flight at a small airport.
I'm 32 and have a bachalors degree, work in STEM could I still go to OCS or something like that? or am I too old??
I've been a contractor for the gov on lots of projects overseeing safety n shit.
>I'm 32 and have a bachalors degree, work in STEM could I still go to OCS or something like that?
yeah.
I was a bit of a military nerd in HS (weren’t we all), and was already in Marine JROTC at my school, but one time a friend and I decided to check out the local CAP chapter. I was never super cool or athletic or anything, but those fricking people made me look like Tom Brady. Even the adults. We never went back after that one time. I would imagine most other chapters are similar