Cadet Officer's Guide
From CadetStuffWiki
Note: For specifics about the job of Cadet Commander, Cadet Flight Commander, Cadet Deputy Commander, and Cadet Executive Officer please see the Task Guides for those positions.
Where the Cadet NCO is a doer, implementing plans and training cadets, the Cadet Officer is the one making the plans, organizing and developing activities and training goals.
Contents |
How To Work On This
The first goal is to get a set of broad topics for discussion and expansion. If you think of an area that a Cadet Officer should be concerned about, go ahead and create a heading by clicking 'Edit' up above and typing in your topic surrounded by a single equals ('='). It's that easy!
If someone else has already created a topic that interests you, that confuses you or that you know something about, then click the 'Edit' hotspot next to that topic and start typing. Put in what you know, what you think or what confuses you. Don't worry that your thoughts aren't Pulitzer Prize material, there will be many other fingers in this pie before it's all said and done.
And if you see something that's poorly worded or simply wrong, go ahead and click the 'Edit' hotspot and change it. Just make sure you try to give a brief explanation of what your changes are about when you save.
Really, that's it! Oh, and make sure you register and log in so that all the participants can be properly credited when this is complete.
Introduction
While this guide is written primarily with Civil Air Patrol in mind, it is targeted toward cadet organizations like CAP & JROTC that have a cadet officer corps. It can also be applied to those cadet programs where the senior NCOs are the functional equivalent of cadet officers. You should be prepared to adjust fire accordingly.
Cadet Officer Ethos
"The relation between officers and men should in no sense be that of superior and inferior nor that of master and servant, but rather that of teacher and scholar. In fact, it should partake of the nature of the relationship between father and son to the extent that officers are responsible for the physical, mental and moral welfare as well as the discipline and military training of the young men under their command." - LtGen John A. Lejeune, 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, 5th Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute
"Rank is simply the authority to serve other people. The more military rank you have, the more people you have the authority to serve, but more importantly, the obligation to serve, support, and mentor. This is your primary responsibility that comes with your rank." - Lt Col Michael Marra, USAF
âÂÂCommand is lonely.â - GEN Colin Powell, USA (Ret.)
What does it mean to be a Cadet Officer?
Differences between Cadet Officers and Cadet NCOs
On the most basic level, officers lead at the strategic level while NCOs lead at the tactical level. Simply put, officers see the big picture while NCOs carry out the details that make up the big picture.
In the Cadet Program, it should be the Cadet Officers who define goals, policies, standards and expectations for their units. After the Cadet Officers define these, he or she passes them down the chain of command for the NCOs to oversee and carry out. An example of this would be a weekend FTX. The cadet in command of the activity would be in charge of planning the curriculum and schedule, finding instructors, and overseeing the execution of the activity. The Cadet NCOs should be the ones in charge of teaching the classes, moving the students from class to class, and helping keep things on schedule. (Note: Even so, the cadet commander must retain ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of the activity.)
Ideally, Cadet Officers would be the people running the Cadet Program, but all too often in the Real CAP, Cadet NCOs find themselves serving in officer billets such as squadron cadet commander or flight commander. In these situations, the cadet should be addressed appropriately based on grade, but should function as a Cadet Officer.
Activity Command
Picking Your Staff
Staff should be picked on a need rather than a want. If you don't need someone on staff don't assign them in the first place. One person can have numerous jobs if need be. Don't be bulky with your staff. Make sure that the people that you pick are more interested in the group than in their own advancment. They need to be working on their own advancment but not using their position to only better themselves.
The biggest thing to keep in mind when selecting staff is the dynamics of the staff as a whole. You need to look at the various applicants' strengths and weaknesses, background experience, and personality traits. If you know a given applicant would make a good Squadron Commander, try to pick his/her Deputy Commander and/or First Sergeant based on how well they will complement and work well with each other. This is the first step in building teamwork within your staff.
When evaluating the candidates, you need to figure out who would be best for which position based on two main criteria: 1) past experience, and 2) growth potential. Obviously the candidate for Flight Commander with the most experience is the kid who served as Flight Commander at Encampment last year. But is he necessarily the most qualified person to learn from that position again this year? Would he be a better fit for Squadron Deputy Commander, where he can learn and grow from a new position at a higher echelon, while mentoring and training the people who are new to the Flight Commander position?
Also, remember that there is nothing wrong with selecting your friends or people you have worked with closely in the past to serve on your staff. This may actually be good, as it reduces the amount of time it will take for everyone to get to know each other and begin to work as a team. It only becomes an issue if you select people based on level of friendship, as opposed to level of competence and capability. As the leader, mission accomplishment is your responsibility, and no one else's. You may have to disappoint people or even make them angry, but you are morally obligated to do what's best for the organization as a whole.
Your staff is not made up of mere subordinates. They are your followers, and they are also leaders. It is your responsibility to ensure that they are fully capable of making decisions for you, because you cannot supervise them all the time, yet they still work on your authority. It's up to you to ensure they are properly trained, know what is expected of them, and receive the guidance and mentorship they need in order to learn and grow as they get the job done.
Setting a Schedule
Operation order format is the most organized and informative way of seting up a schedule.
Yearly
All yearly schedules should be set in a broad sense, a lot can change. Setting the goals for the year saves time and energy. With goals set, it is possible to contiually move forward instead of constantly going back trying to figure out where to go.
Quarterly
CAPR 52-16 provides a suggested quarterly meeting schedule based on a 2.5 hour meeting once a week.
Monthly
Monthly Schedules should be fairly detailed and planned out. This allows cadets to see in what direction they are going, and what is coming next.
Working with Seniors
Respect is the key thing to remember when working with seniors. No matter how good of a cadet officer you are, the newest senior member outranks you, and if you step on their toes, they will probably let you know it.
Seniors have life experiences that can compensate for a lack of military experience of lack of understanding about how CAP works. The key to working with seniors is to listen to what they have to say. Good seniors will let you make mistakes, but chances are that they're going to help you get yourself out of a mess, if they let you get into it.
Be willing to respectfully argue for what you want, but know when to drop it. If you concede on smaller matters, they will be more willing to work with you on the bigger matters, because you will have proven your willingness to work with them. Take extra care to remain respectful and professional at all times, and if at all possible, do it in private.
Cadet Protection
Never forget that your primary responsibility as a leader and Cadet Officer is to ensure the welfare of those entrusted to your command. This is an immense amount of responsibility. Your commander trusts you, or you would not have been given the position. Their parents trust you, or they would not have let their children attend your activity. Never, ever betray that trust.
Unit Command
A unit command structure is a necessary component of the full cadet experience. No matter what echelon you command.
Picking your staff
When picking your staff, include a wide range of information. Consider the cadet's leadership abilities, maturity, attitude, amoung other basics. Look at what the cadet has done for the squadron, and the cadet's participation in activities other than weekly meetings. Examine what extracurriculars the Cadet does outside the organization.
In the process of selecting your staff, perhaps an interview board would help. Have the cadet come and discuss why they feel qualified for the position. There is alot more to consider, just be sure to have a wide look at the cadet. Be sure to make a good evaluation.
You may also want to consider having your potential staff member write an essay on "Why they are best for______." Even in smaller squadrons where there isn't much competition for staff members, an essay can be a good indication of the cadet's attitude toward the staff position and the organization in general. Is the essay ridden with spelling and grammar errors? Does the cadet make a genuine effort at being original and interesting? Although good writing skills do not always reflect dedication and initiative, they usuallly reflect intelligence and willingness to learn, often facets of dedication and initiative--both good traits in staff members.
Setting a quarterly rotation schedule for cadet staff lets the commander:
- Change out staff without having to explain in much detail why (this helps by decreasing the chance of confrontation because of anger about losing the position).
- Give everyone the chance to be in a position of responsibility.
- Have a chance to pick and choose easier (If a cadet isn't performing up to standard they can be replaced in three months).
Unit Goal Setting
SMAC method:
Follow the SMAC rule for each goal.
- Specific. Make sure the goal is clear. "Increase membership" sounds nice, but is fuzzy. "Recruit 5 new cadets by 31 Dec" is specific. Looking at the goal you know what you are trying to achieve.
- Measurable. Make sure you include some way to know when the goal is met. Using the above example, you know exactly when you have met your goal - or failed. 5 new cadets by 31 Dec.
- Achievable. Make the goal something you can realistically do. "Train 5 mission qualified air crews by 31 Dec" may work for a large squadron with pilots and a/c, but won't work for a small cadet squadron.
- Compliant. Make sure the goal is compliant with the CAP mission(s). "Train 5 cadets as police snipers by 31 Dec" isn't compliant with CAP missions. "Provide three model rocketry launch opportunities by 31 Dec" is.
Goals and objectives aren't the same thing, although many people think they are. Goals are where you want to end up. Objectives are the steps to get there.
(Text copied from a post by Lt Rajca at cadetstuff.)(Who took it from the UCC.--65.38.129.130 01:12, 28 November 2005 (CST))
Your Relationship with the Cadet NCO Corps
Whereas in the Cadet First Sergeant's Guide the relationship between the First Sergeant and Cadet Officer was discussed, this will be that same discussion but looking at it in the opposite way.
The most important thing to remember as a Cadet Officer is to respect the NCO Corps. Respect, as they say, is a two way street. By showing the NCOs the respect they deserve they will in turn show you respect.
The Cadet Officer is a mentor of Cadet NCOs. Part of your responsibility as a Cadet Officer is not just to oversee the training of the in-flight cadets, but also to train the Cadet NCOs who lead them.
Keeping a professional attitude is the keystone of the relationship.
Food for thought: "All too often the powers-that-be get so caught up in the big picture that they forget about the people who make up the big picture." - Maj Christina Watts, CAP
Whats wrong with my unit? (The GLADE Effect)
Very often, unit morale is the key factor in unit success, membership retention, and whether or not discipline is maintained. However, most C/2d Lts don't understand morale very well, and that is completely understandable since Volume I of the Leadership Manual doesn't even mention it.
Morale is the feeling that the individuals of a unit have about the unit. A unit with high morale will generally be filled with disicplined cadets who are working for a CAP related goal under the the leadership of cadet officers. A unit with low morale will generally not have identified goals or have goals that do not require a team effort.
It is easy to discover if a unit has high morale or not. Look at the uniforms and customs and courtesies. A unit with high morale will look sharp, and the cadets will not need to be reminded to say "Sir." Then ask the airmen what the goals of the unit are. The cadets in a unit with low morale will almost always say "I don't know." Finally, look at retention. If cadets are not staying in for more than a year, you can bet morale is low.
The problem is, the cadet program doesn't teach cadet officers how to identify the causes of low morale, and it doesn't teach them what to do about it if they know morale is low. However, to figure out where the unit is going wrong, all you need to remember is G.L.A.D.E.
GLADE stands for Goals, Leadership, Activity, Discipline, and Esprit de Corps. No matter what kind of unit you belong to, if it is successful (good retention, active meetings, a good reputation around the wing), then it will meet these 5 criteria. We call this the GLADE Effect. Below is a brief description of each criteria and how to address them.
Goals
Without clearly defined, measurable goals, your unit will lack direction and the ability to be successful. It is actually pretty easy to figure out if your goals are helping or hurting morale. Just ask yourself and your cadets "What are the goals of the unit?" If a unit has low morale, then more often than not, your cadets will either not be able to identify any squadron goals, or they will say things like "increasing promotions", "have a lot of cadets at encampment" or "improve inspections".
None of these things are suitable goals for a squadron. Promotions are a personal thing. The unit should encourage attending encampment, but since cadets do not act as a unit when they get there, it isn't a good team based goal. Improving inspections is really an element leader's goal, or maybe the flight sergeant's. None of these goals is particularly motivating or inspiring.
Squadron goals need to be centered on the things cadets join CAP to do. Nobody joins so they can get promoted or so they can pass inspection. They join to fly, or do ES, or learn about the military.
Goals can be very different from unit to unit. Some units spend all their time doing aerospace. Their goal may be to hold at least 6 fly days a year, hold ground school at the meetings, and maybe even create a "flightline" team that would specialize in maintaining and marshaling aircraft during missions. A unit that was into emergency services would have goals like providing ES training at the meetings so cadets become qualified as early as possible, creating ground teams that go on missions, and holding at least 6 bivouacs a year. A military oriented squadron might have goals like winning cadet competition, increasing the unit's average PT score, and hosting at least 4 weekend activities centered on leadership per year (i.e. leadership schools, basic training weekends, drill instructor schools, cadet officer schools, etc...).
Another aspect of a good squadron goal is that it must require the efforts of the entire unit. Everyone must be involved in accomplishing the goal. Now there are all kinds of goals that are mandated by National or Wing HQ. Those are the ones like getting promoted, attending encampment, etc... Those are important things, but they should be seen as things that will help the unit accomplish its goals, not the goals themselves.
Finally, don't try to please everyone by adapting your goals to everyones' desires. If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. It is usually better for the cadet commander to decide what he or she feels passionate about, and then go in that direction. The main onus for accomplishing the goal falls on the leader, so if the goal reflects their passions, they will be more motivated to see it carried out. Most cadets will go along if the goal is achievable, cadet related and they feel progress is being made. The ones who aren't team players can always go join scouts or maybe start a garage band.
Leadership
This is where the cadet staff comes in. The leader makes sure that the other four elements are happening. In other words, the leader makes sure that the team is actively pursuing goals in a disciplined manner so that Esprit de Corps can increase. If you are a cadet leader just ask yourself:
- Am I providing clearly defined goals to my subordinates? Does everyone understand what our goals are, and am I telling them how the task we have just done is contributing to achieving our goal? Am I showing the cadets our progress towards our goal?
- Am I keeping my cadets busy with productive work that gets us closer to our goal. Am I keeping every single cadet active and involved with the team's work?
- Am I enforcing discipline as well as displaying self-discipline?
- Am I making sure that everyone is included so that everyone will feel the Esprit de Corps that is developing now that we are accomplishing our goals? Do I actively promote the idea that our unit is special and the best at what it does?
Remember, a unit reflects the cadet commander. If you have a do-nothing cadet commander, then you normally have a do-nothing cadet corps. If you are actively leading your troops and not acting like you are lord of the manner, the squadron will normally do what you need them to do. In other words, if you take care of them, they'll take care of you.
Activity
Notice that this says activity and not activities. While activities outside the weekly meeting are very important (in fact, they are 20% of the cadet program), what we are talking about here is the cadet corps being active when they are at any CAP function.
There is an old adage that a busy cadet is a happy cadet. This means that the average cadet would be happier digging a latrine than just standing around doing nothing. Intuitively this seems incorrect, but in reality this is very true (just think about ex-cadet commanders who end up "cadet advisors". They have nothing to do and are usually bored and frustrated). The key here is that the activity at the unit needs to be productive (meaning leading toward a goal that the team can be proud of), disciplined (because discipline ensures success), and led by someone who is known for taking care of their subordinates.
At your squadron meeting, a cadet should be busy from the second they arrive till the second they get into their car to go home. The cadet staff should arrive early so they are ready to go when the airmen arrive. If cadets are there before opening formation, then they should be inspected and quizzed by their element leader in a friendly manner. This will improve inspections and increase the element's esprit.
Never scheduled breaks in my meeting. If the cadets need a break then take it, but you should pack your schedule with classes, activities, and drill so that the cadets never get the opportunity to be bored. Scheduling a break just ensures that you will lose any momentum built up to that point.
End your meetings with Monkey Drill (also called O'Grady, Drill Down, Knock Out, etc...). Schedule 10 minutes for this little drill competition right before closing formation. If your other activities run long or short, Monkey Drill will give you the flexibility to ensure that the meeting is active up to the last minute without going over the normal time. Monkey drill is also fun and cadet related, so it always ends the night on a good note. If the meeting is filled with paperwork or a boring class, you don't want that to be the last thing the cadets do before they leave. They should leave thinking "What a great meeting!"
Discipline
Being a paramilitary organization, you would think that CAP people would understand discipline better. Discipline is not punishment. Discipline is control. When a cadet first joins CAP, enforced discipline is very important because they need to learn how to be a cadet very quickly and because they have expectations about what a military organization will be like. Most expect to be barked at by a drill sergeant the first few weeks or even months. For a short time, they will take the yelling and most will thrive on it. However, after a maximum of 2 months, yelling will lose any utility and will be counter-productive. Even when enforcing discipline, forcefulness and not meanness is the goal.
We need to create self discipline in our cadets. After they have been in for two months, they need to be able to control themselves. Developing self-discipline in others is simple, but not easy. Everyone has heard the adage "Leadership by Example". Telling someone to lead by example is a bit pointless. You lead by example whether your example is good or bad. A better term would be "Leadership by the RIGHT Example".
Every once in while, leaders need to take a look in the mirror (both figuratively and literally). Are you being the cadet that you want your subordinates to be? Is your appearance what you expect from your cadets? Some cadet officers and sergeants think that they have the right to live like pigs while they require their subordinates to keep their personal areas inspection-ready. I've seen cadet officers eat McDonalds in front of airmen who had to eat cold pancakes and sticky oatmeal. Nothing breaks down discipline faster than unfairness and arrogance.
As I said above, creating a disciplined unit is simple, but not easy. It requires the cadet leaders to act in an impeccable manner. It requires the cadet leader to be the last to go to sleep, the last to get out of the rain, the last to eat, and the first to get up in the morning. To paraphrase "Dunks Almanac", if you have a cadet without a jacket, and you're wearing one, you aren't much of a leader. That cadet is certainly not going to make the effort to stay disciplined for a leader or organization that doesn't care about him or her.
A good rule of thumb is that the only privilege of command is command itself.
Esprit de Corps
Esprit de corps is an extremely important factor in morale. It isn't important that your unit be the best in the organization. It is only important that your people feel it is successful. It is not enough for the officer to just say it is. You need to show HOW it is. That means accomplishing goals as a disciplined team under the leadership of the cadet leaders.
Any task can be used to raise Esprit. Even digging a latrine or cleaning a barracks can do it. All that needs to happen is for the inspector or officer to say "Wow, that is one big hole" or "This barracks looks great."
An excellent way to raise morale is to set a standard that the unit will always exceed the expectations of the seniors. In reality, this isn't that hard to do in most units, but the cadets will feel a lot of pride when the senior members look so surprised at their performance.
The key to Esprit de Corps is for the unit to be known for something positive. Whether it be most locked on drill team in the region, only all-Cadet Ground Team in the wing, flight with highest average CPFT score, or element with lowest average gigs per inspection. If other people know that your team is good at something, the team members will have a reason to take pride in their accomplishments and will be internally motivated to continue working together. It all goes back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, fulfilling the Social, Esteem and Self-Actualization needs (review chapter six of Leadership: 2000 and Beyond, Vol. 1, 2 Ed.).
For more information on developing Esprit de Corps, check out Lt Col Ron Padavan's article Esprit de Corps - The Secret Ingredient for Successful Units.
Conclusion
An important thing to remember when dealing with low morale is that intuition isn't always a good guide. It doesn't make sense that cadets would rather do manual labor than sit around and goof off, but they do. It doesn't seem to make sense that a 10 mile road march with full packs, performed by the entire unit, in a disciplined manner, under the leadership of a cadet officer will do more to raise morale than a party, but it does. The reason that it does is that high morale is not the same thing as having a good time. High morale is about feeling good and being proud about what you are doing. I think this confusion over the meaning of morale is the main reason that units with low morale tend to stay that way.
Most of the time, units go on struggling with the effects of low morale because no one knows where to start. GLADE might give you the clues that you need to identify the weaknesses in your unit and then you can go about the task of correcting them.
