Senior Members

This guide focuses primarily on the operational specialty qualifications to participate in Emergency Services missions and, thus, complements the material in the Great Start material referenced below concerning CAP Professional Development, etc. The things you need to accomplish are listed more or less in the order in which it is recommend you complete them, but you can do most of them in whatever order you choose.

Familiarization with CAP e-Services and OpSec

• Sign-on to the National HQ e-Services web site, request a password and ID (click on New first-time user link)
• Complete the Operational Security (OpSec) course.
• If you are having trouble first refer to e-Services and Operations Qualifications Guide (CAPP 271), and then contact the Personnel Officer for assistance.
• Update your personal and contact information in Review/Edit My Member Info
• Upload your picture (review the submissions guidelines first) for your ID card and CAPF 101 Operational Specialty Qualification Card and email the Commander to him know to validate it.

Request an Office 365 Account

All CAP correspondence must be sent and received to a CAP account.  To request an account from Maryland Wing: https://mdwg.live/O365Request

Level 1: Orientation

You will need to complete the three Level I training blocks of: What We Value; Our Culture; and Your Future.  Go to CAP University: Level I to complete the Level I online.  Reference how to access Senior Member Education. When completed, contact the Professional Development team for approval and to develop your "Plan of Action". Note: You cannot do much more than participate in squadron meetings until you complete Level I. You should also look at the Great Start material and review it with your assigned mentor. If you don't have a mentor assigned, ask the Personnel Officer to assign you one.
 

  By completing Level I you earn the Membership Ribbon.

Customs and Courtesies

Your decision to join Civil Air Patrol (CAP) reflects a dedication and commitment to support this charitable, benevolent, nonprofit corporation. As a member of an Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, you are expected to follow the traditions, standards, customs and courtesies agreed to and accepted by the Air Force and the Civil Air Patrol. These apply to all of us and reflect our pride and professionalism as members of the Civil Air Patrol.  You will be required to attend a short class to provide you with the minimums on uniform types, uniform wear, wearing of awards, saluting, and reporting to a senior officer. 

Pick a job to do

Please review the job descriptions in the Great Start guide as well as the Speciality Track guides. Send the Professional Development team a list of three duty assignments you would be interested in.  It's mandatory for active Squadron 188 members to be assigned to a duty assignment. We normally start you out assisting someone already performing that function, if possible, to mentor you.  Don't worry, you won't be stuck doing that assignment for your entire CAP career -- we like to move people around periodically.

Get in Uniform

Get an appropriate CAP Uniform. The regular Senior Member duty uniform for attending unit meetings is the blue CAP golf/polo shirt and gray trousers. Vanguard Civil Air Patrol Store is the source for the golf /polo shirt. To start, get the less expensive blue golf shirt with screened CAP seal as you don't have an aeronautical rating yet to have embroidered on the Polo Short.

• Blue Golf Shirt/Polo Shirt (Vanguard) Blue Golf Shirt w/Screened CAP Seal -or- CAP Blue Polo Short with embroidered CAP Seal -or- Personalized CAP Blue Polo Short with embroidered CAP Seal (enter full name and aero rating in order comments)
• Medium Gray Trousers (not denim)
• Black shoes/black socks
• Black Belt

Apply for CAP Driver Permit

In order to operate a CAP corporate vehicle you need to have a CAPF 75 CAP Driver Permit issued to you. This allows you to drive one of the CAP owned vans or 4WD vehicles to transport cadets or on missions. Complete the following process:

• View this document in eServices for instructions
• Complete your online DMV Driver Record Request
• Apply for your Drivers License in eServices.  Upload your Drivers Record, copy of your Drivers License, check off: Sedan, 7 Passenger, 8 Passenger, 9 Passenger, 12 Passenger and Pickup Truck.
• Once submitted, the request goes through the approval chain: Squadron Commander (or designee), Group Transportation Officer, and Wing Transportation Officer.  As your request moves through this process you will receive automated email messages letting you know what stage your request is in.
• Once you receive notification that your request has been approved by Wing, print out your 101 Card

Obtain General Emergency Services rating

The pre-requisites for obtaining the General Emergency Services Rating (GES) are that you complete CAP Test 116 and have completed Level I training.

• Download and review CAPR 60-3 "CAP Emergency Services Training and Operational Missions".
• Review National HQ CAP General ES material.
• Take CAP Test 116 General ES questionnaire - September 2009 - (25 Questions) by log into eServices and selecting Learning Management System from the left side menu then under the Emergency Services heading select CAPT 116 - General Emergency Services.

Print your CAPF 101 Operational Specialty Qualification Card

• Print your Emergency Services Card: login to eServices > Utilities > My Operations Qualifications > Emergency Services > 101 Card > Print 101 Card, and bring this with you to all training and missions.

Obtain CAP Pilot rating (for pilots)

• Click Here for more information.

Obtain Mission Scanner (MS) Emergency Services rating

• Click Here for more information.

Obtain Urban Direction Finder (UDF) Emergency Services rating

• Click Here for more information.

Complete the Charles E. ‘Chuck' Yeager Aerospace Education Achievement Award

• Click Here for more information.

Get promoted

• Click Here for more information from CAP Regulation 35-5 or email the Professional Development team for more information.

Complete your Level II

• Click Here for more information from CAP's Volunteer University (VolU).

Obtain an Advanced Emergency Services rating

• Mission Pilot - Click Here for more information.
• Mission Observer - Click Here for more information.
• Ground Team Members:

  GROUND TEAM MEMBER (GTM3 - GTM2 - GTM1) Ground team members form part of organized ground search teams. These teams may be deployed to cover a defined search area, looking for the mission ‘target’. The mission target is generally a missing aircraft and/or person/s. Ground teams are normally deployed by road (very occasionally by air) to a Start Point. They then become part of a coordinated search controlled by Mission Base. They can also work in conjunction with search aircraft and other ground teams Ground team members need to be physically fit, able to carry personal equipment for an extended search, and may have to hike several miles in rough or steep terrain. GTMs receive extensive ground search training including map reading and navigation skills, personal survival skills, First Aid, communications, witness interviewing and search techniques. GTMs who display their skills can train through three progressively more challenging levels (GTM 3 thru 1). They can also aspire to becoming a Ground Team Leader (GTL) later in their cadet ES career.

  There are also specialist roles within a Search Team, such as Medic and Radio Operator. Ground Teams normally consist of 4-8 members, commanded by a Ground Team Leader This is a role suited to those who enjoy being outdoors – in any weather! NOTE: - GTM’s do require a fairly extensive personal equipment list. While many ‘outdoors’ cadets may already have some of those items (backpacks, wet weather gear), there is a cost involved in building up a good quality ‘24hr pack’ over time.

Promotion Requirements:

Level I - 2nd Lieutenant 

Level II - 1st Lieutenant

Level III - Captain

Level IV - Major

Level V - Lt Colonel 

Levels	Award	Requirements
Level I - Orientation	Membership Ribbon	1. Completion of Level I Orientation Course
Level II - Technical Training	Benjamin O. Davis Award	1. Choose a Specialty Track 2. Complete the Officer Basic Course 3. Complete the Squadron Leadership School
Level III – Management	Grover Loening Award	1. Become Senior Rated in a Specialty 2. Attend 2 major conferences (Wing/Region or National) 3. Complete the Corporate Learning Course 4. Complete the Brig Gen Charles E. Yeager Award
Level IV - Command and Staff	Paul E. Garber Award	1. Become Master Rated in a Specialty 2. Serve on staff : a. Complete on the the following below - 1.Prepare and deliver a CAP-related presentation to a non-CAP group. 2. Conduct a hands-on unit aerospace education program, or an external aerospace education classroom program. b. Occupy a command or staff position for a total of 2 years of service to CAP.  c. Serve as a staff member in a wing level course or conference, serve in a staff or  command assignment for at least two years, among other requirements. 3. Complete the Region Staff College or Equivalent.
Level V - Executive	Gill Robb Wilson Award	1. Serve on Staff for 3 years & serve on staff for a course. Leading and Managing. Serve on a staff in both of the following capacities: a. Perform in a command or staff position for a total of 3 years of service to CAP.  b. Serve in a director or staff member capacity in a CAP approved course  2. Mentor a junior officer or NCO through the Technician Rating in a specialty track. 3. Complete National Staff College