**CAPM SSS-02**

**04 Nov 2003**

![](media/image1.png){width="1.9833333333333334in" height="1.93125in"}

**Cadet NCO\'s Guide**

**AN UNPUBLISHED WORK FOR CADETS OF THE**

**CIVIL AIR PATROL**

**HEADQUARTERS: MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, ALABAMA**

**Contents**

[Page]{.underline}

Foreword [1](#foreword)

Introduction [2](#introduction)

The Importance Of NCO Leadership [3](#the-importance-of-nco-leadership)

What\'s Wrong With NCO Leadership? [3](#whats-wrong-with-nco-leadership)

What Should You Expect From Your Cadet NCOs?
[5](#what-should-you-expect-from-your-cadet-ncos)

The Role Of Cadet Officers In NCO Leadership
[5](#the-role-of-cadet-officers-in-nco-leadership)

The Role Of Cadet Programs Officers In NCO Leadership
[6](#the-role-of-cadet-programs-officers-in-nco-leadership)

Tradition [7](#tradition)

The Importance of Tradition [7](#the-importance-of-tradition)

A Short History Of The Civil Air Patrol
[7](#a-short-history-of-the-civil-air-patrol)

The History of the NCO [11](#the-history-of-the-nco)

Leadership Theory [13](#leadership-theory)

Why Learn Leadership? [13](#why-learn-leadership)

Why Do We Need Leaders? [13](#why-do-we-need-leaders)

Definitions of Leadership [14](#definitions-of-leadership)

The Elements of Leadership [15](#the-elements-of-leadership)

The General Responsibilities of Leadership
[15](#the-general-responsibilities-of-leadership)

The Leader\'s Code [16](#the-leaders-code)

The Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer
[17](#the-creed-of-the-noncommissioned-officer)

The Leadership Traits [17](#the-leadership-traits)

The Leadership Principles [18](#the-leadership-principles)

Practical Leadership [20](#practical-leadership)

Organization And Structure [20](#organization-and-structure)

The Authority To Command [21](#the-authority-to-command)

Assuming A Leadership Role [22](#assuming-a-leadership-role)

Orders and Commands [22](#orders-and-commands)

Leadership ≠ Yelling [23](#leadership-yelling)

Building Morale and *Esprit de Corps*
[23](#building-morale-and-esprit-de-corps)

Achieving Discipline [25](#achieving-discipline)

Training and Unit Proficiency [27](#training-and-unit-proficiency)

The Importance of Unit Integrity [28](#the-importance-of-unit-integrity)

Motivating Your Cadets [29](#motivating-your-cadets)

Balancing Work And Play [31](#balancing-work-and-play)

Pushups As A Discipline Tool [31](#pushups-as-a-discipline-tool)

The NCO Support Channel [32](#the-nco-support-channel)

You And The First Sergeant [33](#you-and-the-first-sergeant)

Professionalism [34](#professionalism)

Superior/Subordinate Relations [34](#superiorsubordinate-relations)

The NCO As Follower [36](#the-nco-as-follower)

The 'Sergeant-At-Large' [36](#the-sergeant-at-large)

The Prestige Of The NCO [37](#the-prestige-of-the-nco)

Sexual Harassment And Offensive Behavior
[38](#sexual-harassment-and-offensive-behavior)

Humility [39](#humility)

Flirting With Disaster [39](#flirting-with-disaster)

Fraternization [40](#fraternization)

Favoritism [41](#favoritism)

Vulgarity [41](#vulgarity)

Cliques And Cadres [42](#cliques-and-cadres)

Ethical Leadership [43](#ethical-leadership)

When Your Friends Succeed [43](#when-your-friends-succeed)

Cynicism and Gullibility [44](#cynicism-and-gullibility)

Rumors, Innuendoes and Things Left Unsaid
[44](#rumors-innuendoes-and-things-left-unsaid)

The Rest of the Story [45](#the-rest-of-the-story)

Military Customs and Courtesies [46](#military-customs-and-courtesies)

Pointers for Professionals [47](#pointers-for-professionals)

Duties and Responsibilities [50](#duties-and-responsibilities)

The Role of the NCO [50](#the-role-of-the-nco)

The Purpose of the NCO [50](#the-purpose-of-the-nco)

The General Responsibilities Of The NCO
[52](#the-general-responsibilities-of-the-nco)

The Duties of the Flight Sergeant
[53](#the-duties-of-the-flight-sergeant)

Inspections [54](#inspections)

A General Guide To Being Inspected
[54](#a-general-guide-to-being-inspected)

How To \'Host\' A Personnel Inspection
[54](#how-to-host-a-personnel-inspection)

How To Inspect Personnel [55](#how-to-inspect-personnel)

Suggested Inspection Items [56](#suggested-inspection-items)

Inspecting Hygiene [56](#inspecting-hygiene)

The Panic Button [56](#the-panic-button)

Counseling [58](#counseling)

Informal Counseling [58](#informal-counseling)

Formal Counseling [58](#formal-counseling)

Being Counseled [60](#being-counseled)

Uniforms, Clothing and Insignia [62](#uniforms-clothing-and-insignia)

Care and Maintenance of Uniforms [62](#care-and-maintenance-of-uniforms)

Care And Maintenance Of Footwear [63](#care-and-maintenance-of-footwear)

How To Instruct [67](#how-to-instruct)

Preparation [67](#preparation)

Talking to Your Class [67](#talking-to-your-class)

The Period Of Instruction [68](#the-period-of-instruction)

Drill [69](#drill)

Developing Your Command Voice [69](#developing-your-command-voice)

The Unit Leader [70](#the-unit-leader)

Instructing Drill [70](#instructing-drill)

Tips For Standard Drill [72](#tips-for-standard-drill)

Tips For Innovative Drill [73](#tips-for-innovative-drill)

Tips For Color Guards [74](#tips-for-color-guards)

Jodies [74](#jodies)

Practical Teamwork ExerCizes [75](#practical-teamwork-exercizes)

Famous Leaders\' Rules to Lead By [78](#famous-leaders-rules-to-lead-by)

Patton's Principles [78](#pattons-principles)

Colin Powell's Rules [78](#colin-powells-rules)

Time Management [79](#time-management)

Daily Planning [79](#daily-planning)

Sample Daily Planning Page [80](#sample-daily-planning-page)

Etiquette and Dining Functions [81](#etiquette-and-dining-functions)

Common Etiquette [81](#common-etiquette)

Military Etiquette [81](#military-etiquette)

Phone Etiquette [82](#phone-etiquette)

Table Etiquette [83](#table-etiquette)

Suggested Table Plan [84](#suggested-table-plan)

The US Air Force Dining-In [84](#the-us-air-force-dining-in)

CAP Birthday Ceremony [95](#cap-birthday-ceremony)

Military Service [98](#military-service)

Sources And Suggested Reading [100](#sources-and-suggested-reading)

Acknowledgements [101](#acknowledgements)

Attachment 1: Jodies [102](#attachment-1-jodies)

ATTACHMENT 2: Reading Lists [109](#attachment-2-reading-lists)

The Commandant's Reading for Enlisted Marines
[109](#the-commandants-reading-for-enlisted-marines)

The Chief Of Staff's Reading List for Enlisted Airmen
[115](#the-chief-of-staffs-reading-list-for-enlisted-airmen)

Attachment 3: The Panic Button [117](#attachment-3-the-panic-button)

#  {#section .unnumbered}

# Foreword

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# Introduction

**For the Noncommissioned Officer Corps of Cadets**

Why create a handbook for Cadet NCOs?

I feel that Cadet NCOs have the most important job in the Cadet Program.
The Cadet NCO is the one who works with the Cadets in the squadron on a
daily basis. Therefore, they have an incredible amount of influence on
their Cadets. Everything about them, their appearance, their bearing,
their command ability, and so on, directly effects the Cadets in their
charge.

This is especially true because NCOs are also in charge of new Cadets.
There is an old saying that "You never get a second chance to make a
first impression." If the first impression new Cadets receive is a
positive experience in the hands of a well-trained, mature and competent
Cadet NCO, they're far more likely to have a good opinion of CAP. Just
as importantly, a good Cadet NCO is a good role-model.

I can honestly say that when I first became a Cadet the Cadet NCOs made
a greater impression on me than the Cadet officers. The Cadet officers
seemed to be distant and superior beings that seldom even noticed me.
The NCOs were there constantly; correcting, instructing, cajoling,
challenging - whatever it took to get me to fall into line and do the
things that I needed to do.

This is the legacy of the NCO, not only of the military NCO, but of the
Cadet NCO as well. The strong, motivated, well-trained, hands-on leader.
I wrote this guide to try to help all Cadets achieve success as Cadet
NCOs.

This guide is the product of my years as a Cadet, a service member and a
Senior, and the decades of experience of those who taught me and wrote
the things I used for inspiration and reference. It is organized in a
way that made sense to me - hopefully it will make sense to you!

I have tried to include information that is not easily available to CAP
Cadet NCOs, yet is vital for success in the Cadet Program. You will not
find a lot of information that you can get from other sources. For
instance, there is nothing here about the wearing of the uniform or the
CAP Cadet Program or details concerning drill. You already have that
information.

My goal was to include information, tips and techniques that a Cadet NCO
could use on a day-to-day basis in the performance of his or her duties,
such as instructing drill, spit-shining boots, and evaluating and
raising unit morale. There is also useful information for Cadet airmen
and officers that can be passed down to your Cadets and help you get a
head start on becoming an officer. These lessons in leadership and
working with others are useful everywhere, not just in Civil Air Patrol.

The information in this guide, if learned and applied, will help make
you an outstanding Cadet and leader - you will be a pleasure to have as
a subordinate or superior, and will bring great credit to yourself, your
unit and the Civil Air Patrol.

# The Importance Of NCO Leadership

This section is written for the Cadet officer and Cadet Programs officer
who may be reading this and wondering "what's the point?". Many members
of Civil Air Patrol don\'t believe Cadet NCOs need to receive special
leadership training. They seem to feel that the type of leadership that
is the role of the NCO is better vested in junior officers. This section
will discuss why NCO leadership important and how not teaching and
encouraging leadership in our NCOs is harmful to every Cadet.

After many discussions about why NCOs are or are not important, there
seem to be just a few reasons for limiting the role and importance of
Cadet NCOs:

-   NCOs have too little experience to be effective leaders.

-   Cadet officers are often unreliable. NCOs are worse.

-   NCOs don't need to lead if the Cadet officers lead.

-   If the NCOs lead, what will the officers do?

Three of these reasons have to do with the relationship between officers
and NCOs and their separate duties. This is a common problem. NCO
leadership and duties are very easy to identify and perform, officer
leadership and duties are not. Cadet officership is a subject for
another guidebook, but the general duties of the Cadet officer can be
discovered from reviewing the duties of Cadet Commander and Cadet Flight
Commander in CAPM 20-1 and by reading of the leadership materials for
Phases III and IV.

The question of the NCO/officer duty split is difficult. Things don\'t
always go by the book in the Real World, but our jobs as leaders in the
Cadet Program is to know they way things s*hould be* and do our best to
make them happen. Give NCOs duties and goals and hold them accountable.
Make amends and adjustments where absolutely necessary, but hold NCOs
responsible for their jobs and let them drop the ball sometimes. The
Cadet Program will go on and your NCOs will learn.

#### What\'s Wrong With NCO Leadership?

##### NCOs have too little experience to be effective leaders. 

This can often be true, but there are several contributing factors to
this situation:

-   **Cadets can become NCOs far too quickly.** Commanders should
    seriously consider slowing the progress of Cadets who aren't mature
    enough or experienced enough in the Cadet Program to be NCOs. Take a
    13 year-old Cadet who\'s a C/SrA: He can take tests, but does he
    understand what an NCO should be or have the maturity to handle the
    responsibility? Probably not. He should probably sit at C/SrA for a
    while. The average Cadet should spend at least a year in the Cadet
    Program before putting on that fourth stripe. By promoting Cadets
    too fast, they\'re being set up to fail.

-   **Cadets often shoot through the NCO grades in order to achieve the
    Mitchell.** Sometimes you will have a Cadet who will move through
    Phase I & II in the absolute minimum time. This is almost always a
    mistake. You will often end up with a Cadet captain who is just
    getting to be a pretty good NCO. The ideal is for a Cadet to get
    plenty of time with the nit-picky details of NCO life before he
    promotes to officer. That will help to keep him from sticking his
    nose into the business of the NCOs. When Cadets move through the NCO
    grades too quickly they never really learn and get comfortable with
    the NCO aspects of leadership. This leads to problems when it is
    time to move on to officer style leadership.

-   **Cadet officers often don\'t allow their NCOs to grow.** This is a
    big problem. NCOs and officers have different duties that are
    clearly spelled out in CAP materials. Officers plan and organize,
    NCOs delegate and supervise. Sometimes when a Cadet promotes too
    quickly, or doesn\'t have enough \'officer duties\', or simply
    won\'t let go, he will take control of things that the NCOs should
    be doing. When this happens the NCOs never get the experience they
    need.

-   **Too much is sometimes expected of \'new\' NCOs.** See \"What
    Should You Expect From Your Cadet NCOs?\",
    page:[5](#what-should-you-expect-from-your-cadet-ncos) for more
    discussion of this topic.

##### Cadet officers are often unreliable. NCOs are worse.

This is a tough issue because you want to delegate and trust, but there
are some tasks that simply must get done. There are some rules of thumb
to use to motivate people to take their responsibilities and assignments
seriously:

-   Make sure they person you\'re assigning the task to is capable of
    accomplishing the task, knows that it is an important task and why
    it is an important task.

-   Give the assignee room to reach your goals in his own way.

-   Make sure that there is a reward at the end. Even if it is just an
    \'attaboy\'.

-   And, of course, let them know that there will be some sort of
    consequences for not coming through.

People tend to respond better when they feel responsible and important
to the success of the mission. They also like being challenged to come
up with a personal solution. Of course tasks can't always be handed off
when you're not sure they'll be accomplished. But start with small tasks
and work up as your confidence in the Cadet\'s reliability increases.
And if there are problems, make sure there are appropriate consequences.
For instance, if you put an NCO in charge of making sure the schedule is
followed and he doesn't follow through, take away some of their break
time and bite off a piece of his butt. He should get the message soon
enough.

##### NCOs don't need to lead if the officers lead. 

This is just nonsense, of *course* NCOs need to lead! Part of the
purpose of the NCO grades is to train Cadet officers. If Cadets don't
learn to lead as NCOs they won't be good officers.

Officers shouldn\'t be doing NCO leadership. It\'s just wrong. If the
officers are doing the job of the NCOs, who\'s doing the job of the
officers? Find things for your officers to do that don\'t put them in
day-to-day, hands-on contact with the Cadets. If you don't, you\'re
stealing valuable leadership experience from your NCOs.

The worst part is that this is a classic Catch-22. \"The NCOs can\'t
seem to do their jobs, so the officers have to do them.\" How will the
NCOs ever learn their jobs if they aren\'t given a chance to try? Tell
the NCOs what\'s expected, hold them to it and don\'t ever let them off
the hook by having the Cadet officers do it for them.

##### If the NCOs lead, what will the officers do?

This is a problem for the Cadet commander. There is always planning to
be done and classes to be taught. The Leadership: 2000 achievements are
named for various staff positions, so these are the types of jobs that
Cadet officers should hold. Of course some of them would rather be
playing with the Cadets than shuffling papers, but that\'s part of the
job. And it\'s an important part, because the world runs on paperwork!
Every Senior can use a Cadet for an assistant, and Cadet officers are
perfect assistants when they\'re not spending all their time hanging
around the Cadets.

#### What Should You Expect From Your Cadet NCOs?

This is a very subjective question. Every commander has different needs;
every Cadet has different abilities. But commanders should have a
general set of guidelines to measure their NCOs against. The following
table is mostly based on personal experience and the Leadership: 2000
materials. Feel free to accept or ignore it at your discretion:

+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+
| **Grade** | **Time** | **Abilities**                                |
+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+
| **SSgt**  | 1 yr. &  | Drill a flight, teach basic drill, teach a   |
|           |          | Curry class, do a call-out, assist Cadet     |
|           | 4 mos.   | airmen with administrative tasks.            |
+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+
| **TSgt**  | 1 yr. &  | Teach drill 'on the march', assume flight    |
|           |          | sergeant duties, run a PT session, perform   |
|           | 8 mos.   | in-ranks inspections, supervise junior       |
|           |          | Cadets at tasks, counsel junior Cadets with  |
|           |          | supervision.                                 |
+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+
| **MSgt**  | 2 yr.    | Assume staff duties (admin, supply, etc),    |
|           |          | teach complex drill movements, drill a large |
|           |          | flight, assume some autonomous leadership    |
|           |          | (move Cadets from place to place, stay on    |
|           |          | schedule, etc.).                             |
+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+
| **SMSgt** | 2 yr. &  | Assume first sergeant duties, drill a        |
|           |          | squadron, assist with innovative drill,      |
|           | 4 mos.   | assist in planning, plan minor events        |
|           |          | (cleanup, PT) without assistance, ensure     |
|           |          | schedule is met, counsel juniors without     |
|           |          | supervision, supervise NCOs.                 |
+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+
| **CMSgt** | 2 yr. &  | Assume first sergeant duties for a large     |
|           |          | activity (encampment), plan and execute a    |
|           | 8 mos.   | large drill movement (pass in review), plan  |
|           |          | innovative drill, closely advise the Cadet   |
|           |          | commander, plan major squadron activities    |
|           |          | with some assistance.                        |
+-----------+----------+----------------------------------------------+

#### The Role Of Cadet Officers In NCO Leadership

-   **Ensure junior officers have duties and responsibilities.** Keep
    your junior officers busy. They are the ones most likely to step on
    the toes of the NCOs. Since they were recently NCOs themselves, they
    may not have learned to step back. Wanting to personally make
    everything perfect is an NCO trait. Cultivate a more relaxed
    attitude in your officers.

-   **Rely on your first sergeant and flight sergeants.** They have
    specific duties and tremendous leadership potential. Use them.

-   **Give the NCOs the authority and latitude to accomplish their
    leadership goals.** The big part of this is to keep Cadet officers
    away from the NCOs and the Cadets. This more than anything else will
    give your NCOs authority and latitude they need.

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-   **Let them make mistakes and learn while providing correction and
    guidance.** While 'nothing succeeds like success', nothing teaches
    like failure. You often learn as much or more by doing something
    wrong as you do by doing it right. If it won't endanger Cadets or
    seriously impact some portion of your program, let your NCOs make
    mistakes. Correct them gently, not harshly. And make sure that all
    of your Cadets know that you don't expect your NCOs (or any Cadet)
    to be perfect, only improving. This will take some of the fear of
    making mistakes out of your Cadets and make them more willing to
    take charge, improvise and try new things.

-   **Make sure you show that you value your NCOs.** There's an old
    saying that goes "if you tell a group of guys that they're better
    than everyone else long enough, eventually they'll start to believe
    it, then they'll start to prove it." Let everyone know that you
    value the NCOs, expect them to perform to a higher standard and to
    carry their share of the load. If they believe that they're special
    because they're NCOs, eventually they should start going out of
    their way to prove you right.

#### The Role Of Cadet Programs Officers In NCO Leadership

-   **Reinforce the different duties of NCOs and officers.** Officers
    should plan and organize, NCOs should delegate and supervise. Help
    the Cadet commander to keep track of his junior officers and keep
    them busy.

-   **Provide guidance and assistance.** Sometimes, Cadet Programs
    personnel will assume some Cadet NCO responsibilities. This is
    completely wrong; let the NCOs do their jobs. Help them where it is
    appropriate and point them in the right direction, but never do
    their jobs for them.

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-   **Teach NCO leadership topics**. The duties of the Leadership
    Officer include instruction in leadership methods and techniques.
    The Leadership Officer also occupies the part of the Table of
    Organization normally reserved for the sergeant major or command
    chief master sergeant. This means that a lot of NCO leadership
    training is his responsibility. NCOs should be taught leadership
    separately from the Cadet airmen. Their concerns and topics are
    different. This will help build a team feeling among the NCOs and
    set them apart from the airmen, adding to their prestige.

# Tradition

#### The Importance of Tradition

NCOs are the keepers of tradition in the military. As a Cadet NCO it is
your responsibility and honor to know and pass along the history and
traditions of the CAP. This is important because it will help build
*esprit de corps* and shows new Cadets that they are the newest members
of a long, proud tradition.

It is also important that you maintain the traditions and 'legends' of
your squadron. Be sure that you know how many Spaatz Cadets, Unit
Citation ribbons, finds and trips to the National Cadet Competition your
squadron has earned. Be sure that you tell the newer Cadets the stories
you were told about Cadets and activities gone by. These are the types
of things new Cadets want to know! They want to know the squadron and
organization they're a part of is interesting and fun and exciting. It's
up to you as an NCO to make sure they see that side of CAP.

#### A Short History Of The Civil Air Patrol

##### In the Beginning

The Civil Air Patrol is a product of the tense international situation
right before World War II. In the early years of the second World War,
before the United States had entered, aviation enthusiasts watched with
concern as country after country fell to the Axis powers. And as each
country fell, civil aviation was eliminated.

These aviation-minded people believed two things: (1) That the nation\'s
air strength had to be improved, and (2) That civil aviation could play
an important part in the nation\'s war effort. Prior to the war, there
were 25,000 light aircraft, 128,000 certified pilots and 14,000 aircraft
mechanics in the United States.

Gill Robb Wilson made what was probably the first effort to organize a
civil air \'patrol\'. After a visit to Germany as a reporter in 1938, he
returned to his home in New Jersey and pleaded with Gov. Edison that the
civil air fleet be organized and augmented for the coming war. Gov.
Edison gave Mr. Wilson approval to organize the New Jersey Civil Air
Defense Services.

Mr. Wilson\'s plan, backed by Gen. H.H. \"Hap\" Arnold and the Civil
Aeronautics Authority, called for small planes for liaison work and for
patrolling uninhabited sections of coastline and important installations
to guard against sabotage. In addition, civil airport security measures
were to be undertaken by the Civil Air Defense Services.

The Civil Air Defense Services were used as a pattern for other
organizations. The Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) had a
\"Civil Air Guard\" with units in several large cities. Eventually Ohio,
Colorado, Missouri, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Texas all had civil
air patrols of one form or another. But it was Mr. Wilson\'s Civil Air
Defense Services that was the model for the Civil Air Patrol.

The first step to improve civil air strength nationwide was to give
refresher or advanced training to pilots. This would allow the military
to have a larger reserve of trained pilots to call on when the war came.
The second step involved organizing civilian aviation personnel to best
use their efforts during the war. This step lead directly to the
formation of the Civil Air Patrol.

There were dissenting opinions if such a program was possible, or even
desirable. Some thought that civil aviation should be stopped during
war. Some thought the military should use all the help from civil
aviation that it could get. Even those who thought civil aviation was an
asset couldn\'t agree whether it should be organized at the state or
national level.

##### 1941 - The Civil Air Patrol Is Born

Before a national Civil Air Patrol could be started, the federal
government had to decide how to use it. The Office of Civilian Defense
(OCD) was established on May 20, 1941. The head of the OCD was Fiorella
Laguardia, former Mayor of New York and a WW I pilot. Thomas H. Beck,
Chairman of the Board of Crowell-Collier Publishing Co., with the advice
of Guy P. Gannet, owner of a newspaper chain, prepared a plan for
mobilizing the nation\'s civil air strength. Mr. Laguardia recognized
the merit of the plan and assigned Mr. Beck, Mr. Gannet and Mr. Wilson
to work on it.

By June of 1941, the plan was completed, but many details had to be
worked out. Gill Robb Wilson and Mr. Reed Landis, a WW I pilot,
aeronautical expert and OCD consultant, worked to finalize the plan. By
October, it was mostly finished. Mr. Wilson left New York for
Washington, D.C. to select the wing commanders for the states and to be
the first executive director.

General \"Hap\" Arnold set up a board of Army Officers to determine the
uses of the Civil Air Patrol plan. The board approved the plan and
recommended that the Army Air Forces help set up and administer the CAP.
Because of the board\'s approval, Mr. Laguardia signed a formal order
creating the Civil Air Patrol on December 1, 1941. On December 8, Mr.
Laguardia published an order outlining the organization of the Civil Air
Patrol and making Major General John F. Curry its first commander. Mr.
Wilson officially became executive officer.

##### The War Years

Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, all civilian flights in
the U.S. were grounded. However, this restriction was lifted a few days
later. Only the west coast maintained flight restrictions throughout the
war.

Earle L. Johnson, later a commander of Civil Air Patrol, decided that
airport security was too loose and that U.S. factories were vulnerable
to saboteurs. To prove this, one night he took off in his plane with
three small sandbags, which he dropped on the roofs of factories near
Cleveland, Ohio. The following morning he contacted the plant owners and
told them they had been \"bombed\". Again, all civilian flights were
grounded until airport security could be tightened. This helped many
more pilots join the Civil Air Patrol because it was the only way
weekend pilots could get any flight time. These pilots were of both
sexes and all ages. The oldest was 81-year-old Lieutenant A.I. Martin,
of Montour Falls, N.Y.

Soon after war was declared, German submarines began sinking as many as
two or three ships a day along the Atlantic coast. This not only
jeopardized supply lines but it cut deeply into the nation\'s petroleum
supply. Civil Air Patrol officials offered to help patrol the coasts.
But the War Department was afraid that the young, undisciplined
organization might do more harm than good.

The Navy was strung too thinly along the 1,200 mile coast and German
submarines were operating nearly at will. The situation got bad enough
for the War Department to authorize Civil Air Patrol to patrol the
coasts in a 90 day experiment. The responsibility for this experiment
was given to Gill Robb Wilson. He had been replaced as executive
director by Army Captain Earle L. Johnson. The experiment went so
smoothly the General Curry gave up his post as national commander to
Captain Johnson. Captain Johnson (later Colonel) remained commander
until his accidental death in 1947.

Three CAP bases had been set up during the experiment. One in Atlantic
City, New Jersey; one in Rehoboth, Maryland; and one in Lantana, Fla.
Eventually, there were 21 different CAP coastal patrol bases. Conditions
at some of these bases were primitive. At one, the barracks was a
converted chicken coop. At another, CAP members shared an old run-down
hotel with a large colony of rats. CAP pilots received \$8 a day, ground
personnel received \$5.

Originally, CAP aircrews were merely spotters. Their job was to fly the
coast and look for submarines. When one was found they would radio in
and the Army or Navy would send out planes to destroy it. Naturally, CAP
members also wanted to destroy submarines.

One afternoon in May of 1942, a CAP crew spotted a submarine off Cape
Canaveral, Fla. The submarine spotted them and, not knowing the plane
was unarmed, grounded itself on a sandbar trying to get away. The CAP
crew radioed the sub\'s position, but by the time the bombers had
arrived, it had worked itself off the sandbar and into deeper waters.

Shortly afterward, Coastal Patrol planes began carrying bombs. The
smaller planes could only carry 100 pound bombs and the fins would have
to be removed so they wouldn\'t scrape the ground. A few of the larger
planes could carry a 325 pound depth charge.

One of these larger planes, a Grumman Widgeon seaplane, made CAP\'s
first \"kill\". Captain Johnny Haggins and Major Wynant Farr, flying
from Absecon, NJ, got a call from a CAP plane that had spotted a
submarine. They went to the area as the other plane left with low fuel.
They spotted the submarine under the water and decided to wait until it
came to periscope depth to drop their depth charges.

As they began to run low on fuel, the submarine finally rose to take a
look around. Captain Haggins made a low pass and Major Farr pulled the
release cable and dropped the depth charge near the submarine\'s bow.
The explosion shook the plane and blew the submarine\'s bow out of the
water. It submerged again, leaving behind an oil slick. They quickly
dropped another depth charge on the oil slick and were rewarded with
pieces of debris from the destroyed submarine.

The CAP Coastal Patrol operated from March 5, 1942 through August 31,
1943. During that time it reported 173 submarines sighted, two sunk, 83
bombs and depth charges dropped. It had flown 86,685 missions for a
total of 244,600 hours - approximately 24 million miles. It summoned
help for 91 ships in distress and 363 people in the water. Found 17
floating mines and flew 5,684 special convoy missions for the Navy.

During these missions 26 CAP pilots or observers were killed and seven
were seriously injured. Also, 90 aircraft were lost. However, CAP
members were rewarded with Air Medals and War Department Awards for
\"Exceptional Civilian Service.\"

The Coastal Patrol was stopped because the Navy and Army had sufficient
strength to take over these duties. This left the Civil Air Patrol to
pursue its other wartime missions. From January 1, 1942 through January
1, 1946, Civil Air Patrol flew 24,000 hours of assigned search missions.
It also flew 24,000 hours of unassigned missions, paid for by CAP crews.
No record or missions accomplishments was kept, but during one week in
February 1945, seven missing Navy and Army aircraft were located.

CAP search missions had three advantages over the AAF. First, their
planes flew lower and slower. Second, they were familiar with the area.
And finally, they had ground teams ready to rush to the crash site. In
Nevada, ground teams used horses and had water dropped to them by
parachute. In Florida, where Zack Mosely was wing commander, they used
flat-bottomed air-boats to search the swamps. In \"snow-country\", teams
used skis. And in Washington, a parachute team was created, but never
used.

CAP also flew cargo and courier flights for the War Department. From
1942 to early 1944 CAP airlifted 3.5 million pounds of mail and cargo
and transported hundreds of military personnel across the United States.
This experiment was first tried in Pennsylvania Wing in 1942 and proved
to be such a success that it was used fully. This freed many valuable
aircraft for use in the war.

The CAP Southern Liaison flew the Mexican border between Brownsville,
Texas and Douglas, Arizona. CAP members flew 30,000 hours over 1,000
miles of rough, rocky terrain. From July 1942 to April 1944, the CAP
\"Border Patrol\" reported 7,000 suspicious activities on the ground and
reported 176 suspicious aircraft.

CAP flights also performed target-towing missions for anti-aircraft
crews. Occasionally, the gunners would lead the targets a little too
liberally and punch holes in CAP aircraft. CAP also provided practice
for searchlight crews. On at least one occasion, a CAP pilot looked into
the searchlights, lost his night vision, became disoriented and crashed
to his death.

CAP flew many other types of missions, including: blood transport for
the Red Cross; cruising over forests looking for fires; flying mock
raids to test blackout procedures and air raid warnings; and supporting
bond drives and scrap collection drives. CAP pilots once flew a \'wolf
patrol\', killing cattle-eating wolves in the southwest by shooting them
from low-flying aircraft.

CAP also performed pilot training throughout the war. In early 1942 the
Cadet program was started. Each senior member could sponsor one cadet of
the same sex. The cadets had to be healthy, fit, American-born high
school juniors or seniors with good grades. The program was somewhat
similar to today\'s. It helped cadets because if they were drafted they
already had a concept of military life and were familiar with aviation.
Over 20,000 cadets were active during the war.

CAP performed so well that the War Department made it an auxiliary of
the Army Air Force. On April 29, 1943, command was transferred from the
Office of Civil Defense to the War Department. The War Department later
issued a memorandum giving the AAF command and control of the CAP.

By this time CAP membership was over 75,000 in 1,000 communities. Early
pilot training had created a corps of trainers to help teach future Army
aviation cadets. For this reason, the Army loaned CAP 288 Piper L-4
\"Grasshoppers\". These were used for aviation cadet training and
recruiting. In 1944, 78,000 aviation cadets and prospective recruits
were flown a total of 41,000 hours. By 1945, CAP had recruited an
oversupply of cadets and had taken over some screening procedures.

During the war, CAP had flown 500,000 hours of missions; sunk at least
two submarines; and located countless aircraft crash survivors and
survivors of disasters at sea. They spent their own money on missions,
occasionally constructed their own facilities, helped recruit air cadets
and assisted when natural disasters occurred. Many proved their
dedication by sacrificing their lives.

##### The Postwar Period

After the war, the future of CAP was in doubt. The Executive Order
making them an auxiliary of the AAF was invalid in peacetime. Also, the
AAF was resuming many of the tasks CAP performed. After March 21, 1946
monetary support was withdrawn because of a rapidly shrinking defense
budget. General \"Hap\" Arnold called a meeting with the wing
commanders. In January, 1946 they met and from that meeting came the
plan to incorporate.

On July 1, 1946 President Truman signed Public Law 476. This
incorporated Civil Air Patrol as a benevolent non-profit organization.
CAP\'s stated objectives at that time were to: (1) inform the general
public about aviation and its impacts; (2) provide its seniors and
cadets ground and preflight aviation education and training; (3) provide
air service under emergency conditions; (4) establish a radio network
covering all parts of the United States for both training and emergency
use; (5) encourage the establishment of flying clubs for its membership;
(6) provide selected cadets a two-week encampment at air bases; (7)
provide selected cadets flight scholarships; (8) encourage model
airplane building and flying; (9) assist veterans to find employment;
and (10) contribute services to special projects of an aeronautic
nature.

The Army Air Forces also asked CAP to perform other tasks. These had to
be done with no official AAF assistance. Obviously, a decision had to be
made about CAP and the AAF\'s relationship. After the Air Force was
formed (July 26, 1947), a CAP board met with air force officials to plan
establishing CAP as a USAF auxiliary. A bill was introduced to congress
and became Public Law 557 on May 26, 1948. This law made CAP an
auxiliary of the Air Force.

#### The History of the NCO

As long as there have been armies, there have been NCOs. The titles may
have changed, but there has always been a need for well-trained,
experienced people capable of directing and teaching troops.

We can imagine that even among the bronze-age armies there were the
grizzled veterans of prior campaigns. Their skin burned brown through
many years in the field, their weapons and harness well broken-in and
well cared-for, their bodies carrying scars from not-quite near-misses.
They probably would have walked about the camps with a swagger earned
through all those experiences, their eyes measuring the younger men
around them. It would be natural for these younger men to seek their
help. And, because the nobles who commanded would be spending their time
planning, these veterans became the on-site leaders.

We can see that NCO had to arise. It is normal and good that younger
people should turn to older and wiser people for help and guidance and
that higher-ups should have trusted subordinates to put their plans into
action. The NCO is merely the military\'s way of filling that role.

Many people are confused about the term \'Non-commissioned Officer\'.
Just what does that mean? And why did they choose it? What is a
commissioned officer, and why are NCOs 'non-commissioned'?

Centuries ago, during the time of the Renaissance, there were two types
of people who fought wars. They were officers and soldiers.

Officers were appointed to their post by their ruler, usually some form
of nobility. This appointment was called a \'commission\'. This
commission gave the officer the right to act on the ruler\'s behalf. At
this time the officer would either be placed in charge of some unit of
the ruler\'s army or sent off to raise his own army. The important thing
to remember here is that the officer was commissioned by the ruler to
lead troops. Officers were almost always nobility.

Soldiers were private citizens. They joined or were conscripted into the
army for a set period of time. It might be for a single battle, it might
be for the duration of the war, it might be for life. However, they
weren\'t nobility, they were just people. If they had been nobility they
would have received commissions.

Most private citizens, who made up the soldiery of any army, had very
little military experience. They were craftsmen and farmers who were
fighting briefly and would sooner or later return to their shops and
fields. In fact, campaigns were often halted because so many of the
soldiers needed to return home in the fall to get the crops in for
winter. They weren\'t used to military life or order.

Officers, as nobility, were more familiar with warfare. Most nobility
studied weapons and warfare from an early age, leading men and warfare
being the only decent occupations for a nobleman. They had training in
tactics and discipline and so on. However, there were far more soldiers
than a nobleman could hope to control at any one time. And a nobleman
was expected to do his share of the fighting, generally charging with
other noblemen at other noblemen on horseback. Therefore, someone was
needed who could combine the war experience of a nobleman with the lack
of nobility of a citizen. Thus the NCO was born.

Non-commissioned officers were \'officers\' because they were given
authority over other soldiers. However, they had not received a
commission from a ruler. And without that commission they didn\'t have
the same level of authority, they were \'non-commissioned\'. It would
probably be better in modern American English to say \'uncommissioned
officers\', but we\'re stuck with what we have.

An NCO\'s job then, as now, was to bridge the gap between the officers
and the enlisted. To be the eyes and ears of his superiors. To make sure
that the job gets done and that the troops are taken care of. To bring
orders down and concerns up. An officer can\'t be everywhere at once, so
he will have several NCOs working for him at various levels to make sure
the mission is accomplished and the men are cared for.

If officers are the brains of the organization and the troops are the
muscle, the NCO corps is the spine. It supports both the head and the
extremities. It also encompasses the nerves that carry commands to the
muscles and information back from them. A truer statement could not be
made: the NCO is the backbone of any military organization.

# Leadership Theory

#### Why Learn Leadership?

NCOs specialize in small group, hands-on leadership. That is their stock
in trade, their reason for being. If an NCO is not good at this basic
task, he isn't a good NCO. It is vital that every NCO make an effort to
understand the basic concepts of leadership and apply them to his
day-to-day situations.

This information isn't useless outside CAP. NCO leadership concepts are
used everywhere, everyday. In every company and organization there are
the managers and team leaders who supervise and are responsible for just
a few employees. These people need to know and use NCO leadership
techniques. Unfortunately, most people don't know these techniques.
That\'s why there is a movement in business today to bring this type of
training to the people who need it. Businesses want 'leaders', not just
'managers'.

So you can see that what you learn here can be of value to you no matter
what you do or where you go. The same things that make an outstanding
Cadet NCO are the same things that make and outstanding NCO in the armed
services. And these are the same things that businesses today are
looking for in their lower management.

#### Why Do We Need Leaders? 

Every Cadet (and Senior) from the newest member to the most senior
colonel needs leadership. Everyone at every level in CAP has things to
do. Because it would be difficult to do all of these things alone, unit
leaders are needed. In the Civil Air Patrol, these unit leaders form the
chain of command, from the National Commander down to the smallest unit.

Leadership is needed any time a group gathers to accomplish a set goal.
A group without a leader is basically a mob. There are three reasons why
leadership is so essential.

The first reason is to coordinate people and activities within a group -
that is, getting the right people to do the right job and making sure
that everyone is communicating. If a squadron is called for a mission,
certain tasks must be assigned and completed. The mission leader will
make sure that the communications officer is assigned to the radios
instead of dispatching vehicles. Also, rather than have each person
contact every other person, the leader has the responsibility of talking
with each team member and passing vital information to everyone. This is
why the leader is called the 'brains of the outfit'.

A second reason for leadership is to hold a group together. If a group
is going to accomplish its goals, it must be capable of working as a
team; not just a bunch of individuals. A leader should train and help
his people to work together as a team toward a common goal rather than
behaving like a mob or heading in different directions.

A third reason for leadership is to inspire and motivate a group to work
toward the common goal. People don't always need inspiration and
motivation, some groups take care of that themselves. However, most
groups will need the leader to occasionally remind them of what they're
working toward and why it is important. If a group loses sight of their
goal and fails to achieve it, the leader has failed as much as the
group.

#### Definitions of Leadership

***\"Leadership is the art of influencing and directing people in a way
that will win their obedience, confidence, respect, and loyal
cooperation in achieving a common objective.\"***

The first thing you should notice is that nowhere in that definition
does it mention or imply that a leader is some sort of tyrant. A leader
is someone who can *influence* and *direct* his people. Influence simply
means effecting their feelings and decisions in the way the leader
wants. When a leader directs his people, he is assigning them tasks, not
dictating their every move.

It also charges a leader with winning the *obedience, confidence,
respect* and *loyal cooperation.* These are the ultimate goals of
leadership - to be the kind of leader that people willingly follow. All
history\'s greatest leaders shared the ability to inspire those feelings
in their followers.

Finally, notice that the entire goal of leadership is *achieving a
common objective.* Leadership is not about making people do things they
don\'t want to do! Leadership is about organizing and inspiring people
to work together to do something they want to do. This may not always
seem to be true - for instance: who wants to clean a filthy shower area?
However, the common goal is the health and well-being of the entire
group. The individuals who are actually doing the cleaning should
understand that their contribution to the group at this point is to
clean the shower. It is up to the leader to create that understanding.

Another definition of leadership is: ***\"The sum of those qualities of
intellect, human understanding, and moral character that enables a
person to inspire and control a group of people successfully.\"***

This definition add some new ideas. It points out that a leader must
have **moral character** in order to lead people. This doesn\'t mean
that only people who have no flaws can lead, but it does mean that
people will not follow someone they find contemptible. In other words,
if your people think your behavior is disgusting, they won\'t respect
you and won\'t follow you. Luckily, most people are understanding of the
slight flaws we all have. However, \'leaders\' who lie, cheat, steal or
generally can\'t be trusted are not going to find themselves with
followers for long. People have to be able to trust those they follow.

This definition also mentions **intellect**. Intellect is important in a
leader because people want to know that their leader thinks about what
he\'s doing. No one wants to follow someone who charges blindly without
thinking about consequences. Eventually such behavior will lead to
trouble. Intellect is also important because leadership is something
that most people have to think about. Not only do most of us have to
learn leadership, we also have to think about it while we do it. Yet
leadership is something that can be learned. Leaders can improve their
leadership qualities and abilities by thinking about what they\'re doing
and why.

Finally, the definition mentions **human understanding**. This means
understanding that your people are people; they aren\'t machines that
can be turned on and off or animals to be lead about by a ring through
the nose. You need to understand their needs and motivations in order to
lead them. This also shows your people that you care about them; people
look for that concern in their leaders.

#### The Elements of Leadership

Three things are needed to perform as a leader. They are the leader, the
group and the mission. Of those three, the mission will be constantly
changing. Each situation is unique. In order to lead to the best of your
ability, your watchword for all three of these elements should be
\'knowledge\'.

As an NCO must know yourself and your weaknesses. If there is an area
where you are weak, you should try to improve or make sure that you use
the abilities of someone in your group who is more capable. If you
aren't sure of a drill movement you shouldn't fake it; either learn it
or find out if there is a member of the group that knows the movement.

This leads directly to the next element: the group. You should know your
group and their strengths and weaknesses. You should also know their
likes and dislikes. It is not only useful for you to know that your
group is capable of performing a mountain rescue, you should also know
that they prefer pizza to barbecue. Any weak areas in the group should
be attacked just as vigorously as you attack your own weaknesses, and in
the same way: training.

Finally, the mission is constantly changing, so you can't know the
mission as well as you know yourself and your group. However, you should
know the general types of missions that your group will be called for
and train for them. Also, when you do receive a mission, make sure you
get absolutely as much information as possible. This will help you to
make good decisions and avoid situations you're not prepared for.

This discussion about leaders, groups and missions may not seem to apply
to a squadron situation or to a flight sergeant, but it does. In any
situation where there is a leader and a group, there is a mission. In
the case of the weekly meeting, the flight sergeant's mission is to keep
control of the flight and carry out the training schedule.

Even if you are an NCO without a staff position you have leadership
duties. For instance, if you thing of all junior Cadets as the 'group'
and enforcing customs and courtesies the 'mission', then this section
even applies to a weekly meeting. As an NCO you should constantly seek
to lead and train your juniors.

#### The General Responsibilities of Leadership

With leadership comes responsibility. Your responsibilities as a leader
can be summed up in three short words. In order from most important to
least important they are: mission, men, and self.

The first goal of any group that needs leadership is to accomplish a
mission. It may be a group formed at the church to plan a bake sale or
it may be a ground team searching for survivors of a crash. In either
case, the mission is the reason for the group to exist. If the mission
is not accomplished then the group has failed utterly.

The mission is more important than the members of the group because
members come and go; the organization and its missions continue. There
is an old saying: "No one is irreplaceable." CAP is a perfect example of
this. No matter how many members CAP has or will ever have, it will lose
every single one of them. When they go someone else will step up and
take their place or other members will make extra effort to pick up the
slack.

The mission is even important to the point where a CAP member might lose
his life. This is because CAP members have made a conscious decision to
risk their lives to help others, while the people CAP helps are the
unwilling victims of accidents or disasters. In other words, the mission
comes before the men.

This does not mean that the men are not important! They are very
important because without them the mission can't be accomplished. There
are many ways that you take care of your people. You should make sure
they are adequately fed, clothed and housed. You should work to make
sure they have the tools they need to do their job. You should go out of
your way to free them from other concerns, such as administrative tasks
and interference from higher-ups. And make sure they are properly
trained, not only so that they can accomplish the mission but because
such training will help save your people from risk. For instance, men
with some training in rope work might be able to rescue a victim, but
men with good training will rescue the victim and minimize their risk.

You should also be sure that your men know that their efforts are
appreciated and needed. Don't take care of the physical needs of your
people and ignore their emotional needs! People who feel appreciated are
motivated to perform well, which in turn means they'll train harder.

Finally, you must take care of yourself. After the mission is
accomplished and your people are all set, make sure that you have enough
to eat and a place to sleep. Keep up with your own training, as well you
that of your people. A leader who is too sick or hungry to lead or too
untrained to make good decisions is ineffective and can ruin the chances
for a successful mission. And whenever you give your people a pat on the
back for a job well done, understand that some of that accomplishment
belongs to you and your efforts.

#### The Leader\'s Code 

***\"I become a leader by what I do. I know my strengths and my
weaknesses and I strive constantly for self-improvement. I live by a
moral code, with which I set an example that others can emulate. I know
my job and I carry out the spirit as well as the letter of orders I
receive.\"***

***\"I take the initiative and seek responsibilities, and I face
situations with boldness and confidence. I estimate the situations and
make my own decisions as to the best course of action. No matter what
the requirements, I stay with the job until the job is done; no matter
what the results, I assume full responsibility.\"***

***\"I train my men as a team and lead them with tact, with enthusiasm,
and with justice. I command their confidence and their loyalty; they
know that I would not consign to them any duty that I myself would not
perform. I see that they understand their orders, and I follow through
energetically to insure that their duties are fully discharged. I keep
my men informed and I make their welfare one of my prime concerns.\"***

***\"These things I do selflessly in fulfillment of the obligation of
leadership and for the achievement of the group goal.\"***

To be an effective leader, you must know your personal strengths and
weaknesses. The Leader\'s Code is a guideline to use in making an HONEST
evaluation of these strengths and weaknesses. This will help you to
improve weaknesses and use strengths.

The self-evaluation is simple. As you read each sentence, as yourself,
\"Is this what I do?\" You must answer HONESTLY! When your answer is NO,
you become aware of a personal weak area and you know it should be
improved. This evaluation is not meant to be the bible of leadership.
Yes and no answers do not make or break you as a leader. The Leader\'s
Code is simply a guideline to follow in the progress of
self-development.

#### The Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer

**"No one is more professional than I. I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a
leader of soldiers. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I realize that I am a
member of a time honored corps, which is known as 'The Backbone of the
Army.'\"**

***"I am proud of the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers and will at all
times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the Military
Service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find
myself. I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit,
or personal safety."***

***"Competence is my watch-word. My two basic responsibilities will
always be uppermost in my mind - accomplishment of my mission and the
welfare of my soldiers. I will strive to remain tactically and
technically proficient. I am aware of my role as a Noncommissioned
Officer. I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All
soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that
leadership. I know my soldiers and I will always place their needs above
my own. I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave
them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both
rewards and punishment."***

***"Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their
duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect
and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those
with whom I serve; seniors, peers and subordinates alike. I will
exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of
orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will
not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are
professionals, Noncommissioned Officers, leaders!"***

This is used by the U.S. Army. However, it is no less valid for CAP
Cadet NCOs. As you read this creed, remind yourself that you are
carrying on a proud tradition that has gone on for centuries - the NCO.
Carry the torch proudly and add something of yourself to the tradition
as you pass it to the Cadets you lead and train.

#### The Leadership Traits 

Leadership traits are individual characteristics. Understanding the
fourteen leadership traits will help you to gain the respect,
confidence, willing obedience, and cooperation of your Cadets. The
purpose of the fourteen leadership traits is to help you set guidelines
for yourself. By testing yourself against the leadership traits, you can
find your personal leadership strengths and weaknesses. By following the
traits as a guide you can exploit your strong traits and develop your
weaker traits.

-   **Integrity.** Integrity is the quality of absolute honest,
    trustfulness, and uprightness of character and moral principles.

-   **Knowledge.** Nothing will gain the confidence and respect of your
    subordinates more quickly than demonstrated knowledge.

-   **Courage.** Courage, the physical and mental control of fear, is a
    mental quality that recognizes read, yet enables you to meet danger
    or opposition with calmness and firmness.

-   **Decisiveness.** Decisiveness is the ability to weigh all the fact
    in a situation; analyze the facts and then arrive at a sound and
    timely decision.

-   **Dependability.** A dependable leader is one who can be relied upon
    to carry out any mission to the best of his or her personal ability.

-   **Initiative.** The trait of initiative is simply seeing what has to
    be done and doing it without having to be told to do it.

-   **Tact.** Tact is the ability to deal with people without causing
    friction of giving offense.

-   **Justice.** Justice is fairness, it must be impartial.

-   **Enthusiasm.** Enthusiasm is showing sincere interest and zeal in
    the performance of duties.

-   **Bearing.** Bearing is your general appearance, carriage,
    deportment, and conduct.

-   **Endurance**. Endurance has two distinct parts. Physical endurance
    means not giving in to pain and being able to function when tired or
    in pain. Mental endurance is the ability to think straight when
    fatigued, distressed or in pain.

-   **Unselfishness**. Unselfishness means not taking advantage of a
    situation for personal gain at the expense of others.

-   **Loyalty**. Loyalty is the quality of faithfulness to your country,
    the Civil Air Patrol, your superiors and your subordinates.

-   **Judgment**. Judgment is the ability to logically weigh facts and
    possible solutions on which to base sound decisions.

#### The Leadership Principles 

The eleven leadership principles are general rules that through the test
of time have been proven as guides to successful conduct and actions.
The purpose of the leadership principles is the same as for the traits,
that is to give you a proven set of guidelines to follow while
developing your personal leadership abilities.

-   **Be technically and tactically proficient.** Technical proficiency
    is knowledge of skills. Tactical proficiency is knowledge of what
    makes a good NCO.

-   **Know yourself and seek self-improvement.** Evaluate yourself using
    the leadership traits and determine your strengths and weaknesses.

-   **Know your people and look out for their welfare.** Knowledge of
    your Cadet\'s personalities will enable you, as an NCO, to decide
    how best to handle each Cadet.

-   **Keep your people informed.** To promote efficiency and morale you
    should inform the Cadets in your unit of all happenings and five
    reasons why things are to be done.

-   **Set the example.** As an NCO, your duty is to set and example for
    your Cadets. Your appearance, attitude, physical fitness, and
    personal example are watched by all your Cadets.

-   **Insure the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished.**
    Speak clearly, give the correct amount of supervision and, above
    all, accomplish the mission.

-   **Train your people as a team.** Teamwork is essential from the
    smallest unit up to the entire Civil Air Patrol. Insist on teamwork;
    train, play, and operate as a team.

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-   **Make sound and timely decisions.** You must be able to rapidly
    estimate a situation and make a sound decision based on that
    estimation.

-   **Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.** One
    of the best ways to show interest in your subordinates is to give
    them an opportunity to develop by assigning tasks and delegating
    authority.

-   **Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.** Biting
    off a bigger task than you can chew will only lead to discontent and
    resentment in your unit.

-   **Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.** To
    continue to develop, you must actively seek out challenging
    assignments. You must also take full responsibility for your actions
    and the actions of your subordinates.

# Practical Leadership

#### Organization And Structure

This is not about how organization and structure work, but why they are
important. Understanding this basic human need will help you better
understand yourself and your Cadets. People crave structure. People
throughout history and all over the world have formed orderly societies.
Societies differ from place to place and time to time, but they all have
a structure.

Why is structure so important? In part because it places us, sets
boundaries and gives meaning to our lives. When we are part of an
ordered society, we know what we should be doing, who we should be doing
it with, who leads us, who we lead, etc. These are all important for our
mental well-being and overall happiness.

An ordered society is also important for the benefit of the society
itself. Obviously, when everyone is doing their part everyone gains.
None of the great works that benefit all of us would be possible in a
place with no rules or order. How would roads, electric grids, sewers,
gas pipelines, the internet or cable TV have been put in place if
thousands and thousands of people weren't all doing their jobs and
working together according to guidelines?

Many people seem to feel that by making themselves a part of a larger
group that they are somehow making less of themselves. Wrong! Being part
of a team allows us to accomplish things that we couldn't accomplish on
our own. If you join the right team, the behaviors and goals of the team
will complement and enhance your own behaviors and goals, instead of
suppressing or changing them.

So, organization and structure are what people want, and it\'s good for
them. Civil Air Patrol is a hierarchically-structured organization. This
means that the organization has superior and subordinate parts. Everyone
in CAP has a superior. Most everyone in CAP has subordinates. These are
reflected in two ways: grade and position.

Grade is obvious. A C/staff sergeant outranks a C/airman. A C/captain
outranks a C/sergeant. You have been taught this lesson since the day
you entered the Cadet Program. By itself this gives a lot of structure
and order to CAP. By grade alone you are usually aware of who you should
take orders from and who should take orders from you.

Position is the other piece of the puzzle. A position carries with it an
expectation of respect and deference. This is because there is a level
of effort and expertise required for that position, so the position
would normally be held by a particular grade. For instance, a Cadet
commander is normally a C/LTC and a Cadet first sergeant is normally a
C/MSG. People in these position, regardless of their actually grade,
should be treated as if they held the grade their position commands.
(See "The Authority To Command\", page:
[21](#the-authority-to-command).)

Since everyone has superiors, everyone will eventually have to take
direction from those superiors. Is this a bad thing? No, it is a good
thing as long as the superior is giving appropriate direction. Who wants
leaders who don't lead? A leader who doesn't lead is worse than no
leader at all. An organization has to get its leadership from somewhere.
If it doesn't get that leadership from the right people, someone else
will step into the gap. This causes problems because the correct
leadership structure (the chain of command) isn't working. If a flight
sergeant is doing the flight commander's job, who should the other
flight sergeants go to for help?

#### The Authority To Command

Authority is: *the legitimate power of leaders to direct subordinates or
to take action within the scope of their responsibility*. Any discussion
of the roles, responsibilities and authorities of leadership are useless
if we don\'t understand what gives a leader the authority to command.

Civil Air Patrol is a volunteer, civilian organization. Within the Civil
Air Patrol we have a hierarchical command structure and a grade
structure that mimics the armed forces. In the Cadet Program
responsibility and authority rests with those who hold higher grades.
The entire program would fall apart without this basic concept.

Everyone talks about grade, and out-ranking someone. People new to CAP
seem to understand this concept immediately. They don\'t know how to
read the chevrons, but they know that the more stripes the better.
Understanding of a hierarchy or \'pecking order\' is very basic to our
nature. But there has to be a good reason for someone to hold authority
over someone else in any organization.

How does the Cadet Program justify that authority? Through the promotion
system, which is set up so that increased grade - and authority - are
granted as you complete achievements. Authority is given to those who
have proven they are capable of accomplishing ever more difficult
requirements.

But why should you take orders? As a Civil Air Patrol Cadet you have
sworn to abide by the Cadet Oath which says, in part, \"*I will\...obey
my officers\...\".* What is an \'officer\'? An officer is anyone with
the word \'officer\' in their title or grade. This includes Cadet
noncommissioned officers, Cadet officers and the various Cadet staff
\'officers\'. Which officers do you have to obey? The ones who hold a
higher grade than yours, hold a staff position to which you report or
hold a staff position and are acting in the capacity of that position.

It\'s simpler than it sounds\...

You must obey the orders of \'officers\' who have a higher grade than
you. You also must obey the orders of \'officers\' who hold a staff
position to which you report. This means that even if you outrank your
flight sergeant, you must obey his orders. Finally, you must obey the
orders of staff \'officers\' when they are doing their jobs. For
instance, if you outrank the Cadet admin officer, you can\'t order him
to fill out your paperwork for you; if he orders you to redo a sloppy
form, you can\'t refuse.

Now that we know what an officer is, how is an officer created? What
makes an officer an officer and gives them authority? Both the promotion
and the power are granted by the promoting officer. And the promoting
officer was given his authority by regulations and the officer who
promoted him. This concept carries the authority straight back to the
National Commander. The National Commander, of course, derives his
authority from the National Board and the Constitution and By Laws.

Every order given carries the full authority of whoever signed that
person\'s promotion. When a promotion is signed, the signer is passing
along the authority of the one who promoted him. In effect, every order
given by the newest Cadet staff sergeant carries the full weight and
authority of the National Board, conferred to the National Commander,
and through everyone who\'s signed a promotion in between,. When you get
an order or give an order, it is as if the National Commander were
giving that order. This is why the penalties for disobeying orders
affect your position with CAP as an organization, not just with your
squadron.

#### Assuming A Leadership Role

When you are new to a squadron or new to a leadership role within a
squadron, you have a special set of challenges to face and decisions to
make. It is important that you make a good impression with your
superiors, peers and subordinates. Part of that impression is, of
course, how well you do your job. But a big part of that impression is
going to be *how* you do your job.

Many people feel that the best way to assume a new position is to sit
quietly for a while, figure out what's going on and then begin to act.
Others believe that you should blow into a new position like a spring
thunderstorm and only back off once things are running your way.

If you are coming into a leadership position in a finely-tuned,
efficient unit, you don't want to immediately begin making big changes.
If things are working well try to understand how they work and why. Then
try to adapt your style to fit into the existing organization. When you
and the unit have learned to work together, then you can begin
considering changes you feel would improve the squadron.

On the other hand, if you are taking a position from a weak leader, a
misguided leader or an incompetent leader, you may need to begin by
putting things back into shape. Let it be known that there are standards
to be met and missions to be accomplished and that's what's going to
happen. Be firm and unyielding at first. Then, after things are starting
to go the right way, you can begin to relax.

Obviously, a path somewhere in the middle is going to be the most
commonly used. However, you should now have an idea of how to go about
settling in to a new position.

#### Orders and Commands

Although orders and commands are similar, they aren't the same. Knowing
the difference and using those differences is the hallmark of a good NCO
and a good leader and it will benefit you and your Cadets.

A *command* is an instruction that requires immediate, unquestioning
obedience. Drill is a good example of a series of commands. Another good
example is an NCO ordering a group of Cadets to unload a van. Commands
should be clear, short and distinct.

An *order* is an instruction that allows a little more leeway. An order
sets a longer range goal and leaves the method up to the person carrying
it out. For example, an NCO might be ordered to take the squadron and
perform PT, leaving the where and how up to the NCO. This gives the NCO
a chance to practice planning and show initiative.

Whenever time permits explain why you are giving an order and allow for
questions. People are often far more willing to do difficult or
unpleasant tasks if they understand why and how it is important to the
mission.

Make sure you give commands and orders at the right times. Whenever
possible, give an order to a junior NCO and let him give the commands.
You'll both benefit.

#### Leadership ≠ Yelling

Leadership does not equal yelling.

Never mind what you learned watching *\"Gomer Pyle, USMC\"* and *\"Full
Metal Jacket\"*, leadership is not about yelling at people. Yelling at
your people doesn\'t accomplish anything and usually does more harm than
good.

Inexperienced or unskilled leaders will yell at their people when their
people have made a mistake. They yell because they\'re trying to impress
upon their people that a mistake was made and that the leader would
prefer if they didn\'t make that mistake again. But keep in mind that
when your people make mistakes, it\'s either because they don\'t know
better or they don\'t care.

If your people don\'t know better - that is, if they don\'t know how to
do something right or don\'t realize how important it is to do something
right - yelling at them isn\'t helping because they already feel badly
about being wrong. Your people don\'t want to make mistakes, but
mistakes sometimes happen to the best of us. In this case, the solution
is not to yell, but to remind them what needs to be done, how and why.

Most of the time, people just need a reminder of what is expected and
then a chance to try it again. If you yell at them for making an honest
mistake, you\'ll only make them feel stupid and useless. This will make
them resent and dislike you; after all, who enjoys being around or
working for someone who makes them feel stupid and useless?

Sometimes people\'s mistakes will be your fault, not theirs. If you
don\'t train them properly or don\'t give them complete information on
what is expected of them, how can you yell at them for failing? The
fault is yours - and your people will know that as well.

Finally, what good does it do to yell at someone who doesn\'t care to do
the right thing? If he doesn\'t care enough about what he\'s supposed to
do in the first place, then he sure doesn\'t care about your yelling. In
fact, your taking the time to yell at him may be giving him a thrill.
You\'re certainly giving him a lot of attention, aren\'t you?

There are times when yelling is appropriate, but mostly those times are
when you want to get someone\'s attention when their mind is wandering;
for instance, if Cadet Jones is staring at the birds during drill. But
this is merely to get his attention so that you can explain his mistakes
in a normal tone and get on with the job at hand.

Yelling at people for their mistakes is for bullies, not for leaders.

#### Building Morale and *Esprit de Corps* 

Morale and *esprit de corps* are closely linked and they effect each
other. Both are very important and it is part of an NCO\'s job to do his
best to monitor them and increase them.

Morale is a mental condition that is comprised of things like how Cadets
feel towards each other; how they feel about their superiors, and how
they feel about the Civil Air Patrol in general. It is a Cadet\'s
attitude toward everything about CAP. When a Cadet\'s morale is good,
his attitude and outlook are good. When a Cadet\'s morale is bad, so are
his attitude and outlook. The morale of a squadron is the sum of the
morale of the members.

Morale is very important because it has so much to do with how a Cadet
works with the others around him. Good morale will give a Cadet a desire
to work harder and accomplish more. It will make him easier to get along
with. Good morale means that members will feel a greater sense of
loyalty and that they will be excited when the group succeeds. High
morale is essential to good teamwork.

Morale is important so it must be watched constantly. Sometimes the
morale of a squadron is obvious; squadrons with good morale are just
happy places. However, there are some things that you as an NCO should
look for when evaluating a squadron\'s morale:

-   **Appearance of the squadron\'s members and common areas***.* If the
    members of a squadron look sloppy and they don\'t take care of their
    areas, it probably reflects a \"don\'t care\" attitude.

-   **Personal conduct***.* Quarreling, disrespect, laziness, failure to
    follow orders, etc...

-   **Standards of military customs and courtesies***.* This is an
    instant indicator and is very telling. A squadron with poor customs
    and courtesies is almost always very low in morale. It also
    indicates that the NCOs aren\'t doing their jobs!

-   **Meeting attendance***.* In CAP, where we are all volunteers, this
    is an clear indicator of poor squadron morale. While no squadron can
    expect every member to be at every meeting, if you consistently have
    meetings with few members present, you have a problem.

Cadets who are suffering from a morale problem will suffer poor
performance in many of these areas. Some things, like appearance,
military courtesy and motivation during training, will slip because the
Cadets just don\'t care. Others, such as quarreling and response to
orders, will suffer because the Cadets are feeling stressed. Either
consciously or unconsciously they\'re reacting badly to the situation.

*Esprit de corps*, which is French for \"spirit of the body\" or \"unit
spirit\", is an important part of the morale equation. It is the pride
the individuals have in their squadron, a knowledge of the squadron\'s
history, traditions and honor. A squadron with a high *esprit de corps*
shows pride in itself, a good reputation, a competitive spirit and is
willing to participate and take up challenges. *Esprit de corps* is
something that is difficult to define but easy to recognize.

Both morale and *esprit de corps* are states of mind and both constantly
change. They may be high one week and low the next. Both personal and
CAP-related problems will effect the mental attitude of your Cadets and
the squadron\'s performance. As an NCO, you must always be aware of the
mental states of your Cadets. This can be hard to do, but there are
things to do to help keep morale and *esprit de corps* high. To maintain
high morale you should:

-   **Ensure that basic needs are satisfied***.* As has been stated
    before - take care of your people! If they\'re cold, hungry or tired
    their attitude and morale are going to suffer.

-   **Teach belief in the cause and mission***.* As an NCO you are the
    most immediate and direct example your people have. You have to be
    enthusiastic about everything that your squadron is doing and your
    part in it. Understand how you contribute to the success of the
    mission and make sure your people understand their parts.

-   **Instill a confidence in themselves and their leaders***.* Make
    sure your people know that you think they\'re capable and
    worthwhile. Give them confidence in their leaders by being the best
    leader you can and by never disrespecting your superiors. Your
    superiors deserve your support as much as you deserve the support of
    your people.

-   **Carefully consider job assignments to get a good fit***.* Don\'t
    assign the 90 pound Cadet Airman Basic to unload a truck full of
    bricks!

-   **Establish an effective awards program***.* This is part of making
    sure your people know that those in charge can see their efforts and
    accomplishments and that they are appreciated.

-   **Make your Cadets feel they are essential to the squadron***.* Make
    sure your people know that they are important to the success of the
    squadron and the mission. Everyone likes to feel that they\'re
    needed!

-   **Recognize your Cadets\' individuality***.* Don\'t treat your
    Cadets as a bunch of robots. Each of them has individual
    characteristics and likes and dislikes. Allow your Cadets to express
    themselves and their individuality when it won\'t harm with the
    mission or go against regulations.

-   **Maintain a professional atmosphere during activities***.* Your
    Cadets want to feel that they\'re part of a professional team
    accomplishing important goals. Don\'t treat them like a group of
    children you\'re babysitting or a bunch of your friends out at the
    mall.

High *esprit de corps* can be developed and maintained by following
these methods:

-   **Start new Cadets off right***.* Tell them about the history and
    accomplishments of the squadron. Show your pride. Make sure that
    they know that being a member of the squadron makes them special and
    that they\'re expected to live up to the squadron\'s high
    expectations.

-   **Develop the feeling that the squadron must excel***.* Set high
    goals and standards for your squadron and insist that your people
    meet them. The higher the standard, the better they\'ll feel about
    themselves when they accomplish that goal.

-   **Recognize and publicize the achievements of the squadron and its
    members***.* Make sure that the individuals in the squadron receive
    credit and recognition when it is due. Be sure to talk up the
    squadron as a whole - not just among yourselves, but to people
    outside the squadron.

-   **Use competition to develop teamwork***.* Competition is an
    incentive to excel. Use competition appropriately - don\'t try to
    outdo another squadron that is clearly superior in some area. Start
    slow and work your way up if necessary.

-   **Make proper use of decoration and awards***.* Giving too many
    awards is even worse than giving none at all; they lose their value.
    Go out of your way to make sure you\'re aware of your peoples\'
    accomplishments so that they can receive appropriate awards.

#### Achieving Discipline 

The Leadership: 2000 materials have a lot to say about discipline,
mostly self-discipline and the importance of discipline. Here the
subject is how to achieve and reinforce discipline and what happens when
your squadron doesn\'t have it.

As an NCO you must learn and teach high standards of personal behavior,
job performance, courtesy, appearance, and ethical conduct. Being a good
example will make Cadets more willing to perform their tasks thoroughly
and efficiently. Indicators of discipline are:

-   **Attention to detail.** If your people are too lax or lazy to take
    care of the little things they know they should do, you have a
    problem.

-   **Proper senior-subordinate relationships.** Beware if the junior
    Cadets don't care to address their seniors appropriately -- and the
    senior Cadets don't care enough to enforce an appropriate
    relationship.

-   **Standards of cleanliness, dress, and courtesy.** Cadets should be
    courteous as a matter of politeness.

-   **Promptness on responding to orders and directives.** If your
    Cadets don\'t do what they\'re told when they\'re told, that\'s a
    discipline problem.

-   **Using the chain of command.** Using the chain of command is a good
    sign because it takes patience. Undisciplined Cadets will go
    straight to the person they think is going to solve their problem.

-   **Ability and willingness to perform effectively with little or no
    supervision.** Cadets with discipline will work without someone
    constantly reminding them what they\'re doing.

Effective training, hard work and intelligent leadership can achieve
discipline. *Esprit de corps* and morale have a lot to do with
discipline. Discipline can be as much a source of pride for a unit as
anything else that a unit does well.

You can teach discipline. However, teaching discipline is more than just
yelling at your people to stand still. For real discipline, your Cadets
must understand why it is important for them to be disciplined. It is up
to you as an NCO to make sure your people have that understanding.
Remember: self discipline is the most important kind of discipline; it
is the basic building block for everything else.

Discipline is part of what gives a unit its \'snap and pop\'. Nothing
reflects good unit discipline like a sharp drill movement or an order
that is carried out after being given only once. That \'snap and pop\'
is yet another part of what goes into a unit\'s *esprit* and morale.
Since you should always keep your people informed, you should tell them
why discipline is important to their mission. It doesn\'t matter if that
mission is drill, a clean up, a class or a rescue.

For instance, if the mission is drill then Cadets will have to be
disciplined before they can learn or practice anything. It is hard to
teach drill to a group of Cadets who are moving, or joking around.
During a clean up discipline is necessary for the NCO in charge to trust
that everything is done. This is probably a job that is too big for a
single person. The NCO is relying on the discipline of his Cadets to
make the common areas livable for everyone. In a class, like in drill,
it is important for Cadets to be disciplined enough to pay attention and
not disrupt. The lessons they are learning could save a life someday!

To achieve and reinforce discipline, you should:

-   **Demonstrate discipline by your own conduct and example.** This is
    the most important. Your Cadets learn a lot about being Cadets and
    what is okay by watching and emulating their leaders - especially
    their Cadet leaders. You must set as good an example of discipline
    as you can. Your Cadets won\'t have discipline unless you have it
    yourself! You will hear it again and again: leaders lead by example.

-   **Enforce discipline consistently and immediately.** Something that
    leaders often forget is that their people mostly want to do the
    right thing. If a Cadet - especially a new Cadet - shows a lack of
    self-discipline, it\'s probably because he\'s not used to being
    self-disciplined. He has either forgotten self-discipline is
    important, or he\'s forgotten he\'s supposed to exercise
    self-discipline. A quick and simple reminder of what is expected
    (\"Cadet Jones, stand still.\") should get his mind back on what
    he\'s supposed to be doing and reinforce the correct behavior.

-   **Strive for mutual confidence and respect through training.** If
    you train with your people and train often, both you and your people
    will benefit from the close contact and increased teamwork and
    proficiency. Your people will learn to trust and respect you because
    you do the same things they do and you will learn to trust their
    level of training.

-   **Encourage self-discipline among your Cadets.** Don\'t just force
    your Cadets to be disciplined - you\'re not there all the time. Make
    sure they understand the challenge and value of self-discipline. Let
    them know that you trust that they will do the right thing.

-   **Enable their success.** Don't set discipline goals for your Cadets
    that they simply can't achieve. For instance, don't leave your
    flight standing at attention for five minutes in the sun while you
    figure out where you should be. In such a situation they're almost
    certain to break discipline move around. Put them at ease! Or, if
    you are going inside for fifteen minutes to arrange something, put
    your people at rest or even have them fall out. It is almost
    guaranteed that they'll talk and move, so putting them at parade
    rest or at ease only sets them up to fail. Be practical, be
    compassionate.

#### Training and Unit Proficiency

*\"...and advance my education and training rapidly to be of service to
my community, state and nation.\"* Your Cadet Oath shows that training
and improvement is important. But why?

-   **Training prepares you and your Cadets for CAP\'s missions.**

-   **Training builds teamwork and *esprit de corps*.**

-   **Training exercises the mind and body.**

    Proficiency is a measure of how well your people accomplish their
    missions. Some thing to look at when deciding how proficient your
    squadron is are::

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-   **Appearance of equipment and the squadron area.**

-   **Professional attitude demonstrated by Cadets.**

-   **Abilities of subordinate leaders.**

-   **Degree of skill shown when accomplishing tasks.**

    There\'s an old saying for this situation (isn\'t there always?),
    and that is: \'practice makes perfect\'. This was never more true
    than where mission critical training is concerned. You must improve
    the individuals in your squadron, and by improving the individuals
    improve the team.

    To achieve proficiency, you should:

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-   **Provide training.** (See: How To Instruct, Page:
    [66](#how-to-instruct)) Obviously your people will never learn
    anything unless they\'re given an opportunity to learn. Train them
    yourself or find someone who can train them.

-   **Set high standards of performance and insist they are met.** While
    it is true that \'practice makes perfect\', it is also true that
    practicing something wrong won\'t help too much either. Perfect
    practice makes perfect - make sure your people do it right even when
    they\'re only training.

-   **Check proficiency by inspecting and testing.** Keep an eye on
    what\'s going on. Don\'t just give a training session and assume
    that they\'ve got it. Run spot checks. For instance, if all your
    people are First Aid qualified, run a spot First Aid quiz or
    practical test occasionally. If they do poorly you\'ll know you need
    to improve their training and they\'ll know they need to keep up to
    speed. After all, you never know when your mission skills will be
    needed!

-   **Emphasize teamwork through the chain of command.** Teamwork is
    obviously needed, but why the chain of command? Simple: you want to
    emphasize to your people that they are accomplishing their missions
    according to a plan, not just doing whatever they like.

One of the tasks of the NCO is to make sure that his people are well
trained and ready for their missions. This is true if the mission is
drill or performing CPR. Be aware of the training schedule. Be ready to
assist with training if you can. If you\'re not qualified in a subject,
learn all you can in class.

If there is an area where you think additional training would be
helpful, suggest it to the training officer. Better yet, be ready to
give that training to your people. Your superiors will think a
tremendous amount of you if you can go to them and say, \"I think we
need additional training in map reading and I\'ve prepared a half-hour
class.\" It\'s always better to approach someone with a problem and a
solution than to approach them with just a problem.

#### The Importance of Unit Integrity

Throughout this Guide, you will find the word 'team' or 'unit' repeated
many times. It is constantly stressed, sometimes mentioned directly and
sometimes indirectly. But it's there. Obviously, a strong, cohesive team
is important.

The reasons are obvious. A team is more than the sum of its parts. It is
an entity that can accomplish with ease things its members could only
accomplish alone with great difficulty -- if at all. A team can tackle
challenges that individuals could never face. Membership in a team -- a
group -- is as important to the individual as the individual is to the
team. The members of a team are strengthened through their membership.

But what can you do as a leader to build your people into a team and to
help keep that team feeling? A team member's performance is based on
discipline, a sense of duty, confidence and comradeship. These things
help people endure hardships and accomplish their missions. As a leader
you must work hard to establish these feelings in your people.

Discipline is absolutely necessary if your team is going to accept
instruction and behave properly. Good discipline leads directly to
comradeship and *esprit de corps* and it helps Cadets perform and behave
with confidence and dedication.

You must always train and lead your people as a team and work hard to
gain their confidence and trust. Apply the leadership tools and
principles you learn, be knowledgeable, patient and fair. Set a good
example and by all means be strict. Your unit will lose its *esprit de
corps* if you don't set a good example and will then be just a group of
individuals in similar clothing.

Finally, remember that all leaders should have confidence in themselves,
in their teams and in what they're doing. Confidence is just as catching
as any other part of an attitude. If your people know you think they can
do something it will help them think they can do it!

#### Motivating Your Cadets

Motivation is probably the most important thing you can ever achieve or
inspire in your people. This is because motivation is the drive we all
have to do things that are important to us. If the success of the group
or accomplishing the missions are important to your people, then they
will do these things because they are personally important to them. This
is where motivation comes into play.

It is important when motivating your people to give them a sense of
ownership of the group goals. They must feel that when the group
succeeds, they succeed and vice versa. Your people must know that they
are as important to the group as the group is to them. To create a
feeling of motivation, you should try to do the following:

-   **Make new Cadets feel welcome.** This goes right to the heart of
    giving people the feeling that they\'re important to the group. If
    new Cadets are left out of the group or forced to \'prove
    themselves\' in some way, they\'ll won\'t feel that they\'re part of
    a team and the team\'s goals won\'t be important to them.

-   **Assign useful tasks.** Before assigning a task make sure there is
    a reason for the task to be done. Nobody likes to waste time. Every
    task should be important to the goals of the group and therefore to
    the individual. Ensure that the person or group assigned even the
    lowliest or dirtiest of tasks knows why that task is important to
    the overall goals.

-   **Provide guidance and supervision without over supervising.** Over
    supervising is almost as bad as under supervising. While the task
    may get done, the person assigned the task has probably learned
    nothing new - other than the fact that his NCO is a nag. Steer your
    people in the right direction but give them some leeway and stay out
    of the way when the job is getting done.

-   **Allow the Cadet to try personal methods to accomplish a task.**
    Part of a feeling of success for many people is the feeling that
    they\'ve learned something or put themselves in the job. This is the
    difference between a craftsman and someone who just makes things.
    When your people put themselves into the task they are both learning
    new skills and showing initiative; something a leader should
    encourage and reward.

-   **Express appreciation for jobs well done and recognize efforts.**
    While it is important that your people understand that their tasks
    are necessary, it is just as important that they know you appreciate
    their efforts. Nearly everyone wants a pat on the back and an
    \'attaboy\' once in a while. But don\'t overdo it; you\'ll seem like
    a phony.

-   **Refrain from personal humiliation and embarrassment. Don\'t**
    **reprimand a Cadet in** **public.** Don\'t ever get in a Cadet\'s
    face in front of their peers. This is bad in two ways. First, it
    causes the Cadet to feel belittled, which will make it hard for him
    to work with the others in his group - and may encourage him to act
    out in order to regain respect. Second, it also shows the other
    Cadets that their personal feelings and self-respect aren\'t
    important to you and that you won\'t hesitate to destroy them.
    Behavior like this will make your Cadets resent you, not respect
    you. There are other, better ways to handle these situations!

-   **Challenge Cadets in accordance with their capabilities.** Don\'t
    assign tasks that are too easy or ones that the Cadet can\'t do. It
    is very discouraging to be given a task you simply can\'t
    accomplish. You feel like a failure and you know that you\'ve
    disappointed those who were depending on you. As a leader, you
    should never assign your people impossible tasks. You\'re only
    setting them up to fail. This isn\'t saying that you can\'t assign
    them difficult tasks - the most motivating accomplishments of all
    are those that were difficult and rewarding. But assigning an
    impossible task sets the motivation level to zero to begin with and
    there\'s really no place for it to go from there but down. At the
    other end of the spectrum is the easy task. Your Cadets want to be
    challenged and rewarded for their efforts. If there is no challenge,
    boredom will quickly set in and any reward will seem phony.

There are different ways to motivate your Cadets: both mental and
physical and positively or negatively. Each uses different methods and
each has different problems and advantages. Some should be avoided
because they may violate the Cadet Protection Program. We will briefly
discuss each method of motivation.

Positive motivation is by far the best. Positive motivation lets Cadets
satisfy their desires and creates initiative and a desire to succeed.
Positive motivation is accomplished by rewarding a Cadet for a job well
done. Rewards can be given in many forms, but be careful not to reward
Cadets when they\'re just doing their job, they\'ll come to expect it
and then normal praise will be worthless. Give special rewards for
superior achievement but not just for accomplishing the mission.

Positive motivation can also be achieved by telling the Cadet that his
performance is outstanding and that you appreciate the effort. Make sure
the Cadet knows that his efforts are worthwhile and that he\'s a valued
member of the team. Once again you must be careful to not praise efforts
that barely get the job done. But not praising at all makes a Cadet feel
that his leaders don\'t appreciate his efforts.

The negative method of motivation is threatening a Cadet with punishment
for failure to perform as expected or directed. This method may achieve
immediate results for a while, but in the long run it can hurt the Cadet
and the squadron. Threatened punishment can take both physical and
mental forms. Physical punishment can be in the form of a threat of
extra duty unless a job is properly finished. Mental punishment is such
that a Cadet knows he\'ll be punished by losing respect of his peers or
by not being promoted if the job isn\'t done properly.

Negative motivation can create problems in several ways. First, it may
kill the initiative of a Cadet. Second, it may instill fear in the
Cadet. Poor performance may not be a result of poor motivation but may
be because the Cadet can\'t perform the task. If a Cadet is punished for
not completing a task that is impossible for him, he won't want to try
because punishment is the only possible outcome.

#### Balancing Work And Play

Everybody wants to accomplish the mission. CAP Cadets tend to be
goal-oriented. They have things that they're working toward at all
times. As a leader of Cadets part of your job is to help your Cadets
achieve their goals while the squadron and you achieve yours. However,
while putting in all that time and hard work, don't forget to stop and
have fun.

You might find that they are people in CAP who believe that every minute
of every activity should be used strictly for completing the mission or
conducting training. Sometimes they will be Cadets, especially
higher-ranking Cadets. Most of the time this type of person will be a
Senior, and that can be a prickly issue.

No organization will survive for long if it ignores the social needs of
its members. Or, to put it another way, everyone needs some 'down time'
to relax and play.

Most organizations schedule social activities for members. Schools,
businesses and even the military set aside time to relax. This allows a
'kiss and make up' period when differences can be worked out. It also a
gives the group a chance to get to know one another on a personal level,
strengthening the social bonds between them. A social function such as a
Dining In or picnic, or even a weekend activity like a canoe trip, can
be a powerful tool for making an organization function smoothly. Use
them sparingly, but regularly.

Also, don't forget to schedule some 'down time' during activities.
Everyone needs a little time to relax, especially if they've spent a
long day training. In addition to regular breaks, set aside time for a
fun activity. Group sports such as volleyball are excellent. A good rule
of thumb is to set aside 10%-15% of your time. In other words, 10
minutes each hour and one-and-a-half hours in every ten.

It's just as important to make sure that you don't have too much fun.
CAP is not all games. There are serious missions to accomplish to save
lives and build for your future. If there is too much slack time and not
enough serious training or mission time, many things begin to suffer. It
may be surprising, but morale and *esprit de corps* will suffer from too
much 'slack time'. People want to feel like their efforts are
accomplishing something worthwhile and that they are drawing closer to
their goals. If you are sacrificing training time for the sake of
'having a little fun', you will definitely begin to lose people. And,
ultimately, driven, goal-oriented people are the kind you most want in
your squadron.

#### Pushups As A Discipline Tool

As an NCO and a leader, you may be a member of a unit or know of a unit
that uses pushups or some other exercise as a discipline or leadership
tool. There have been debates for years about the value, of this
leadership tool in the Cadet Program. In late 1998, the National Cadet
Programs office stated simply that pushups and other types of exercise
were not available as leadership tools for Cadets. This should have
ended the debate, but hasn\'t.

As easy as they are, there are problems with pushups as a leadership
tool. They lead to a laziness on the part of leaders. It is far easier
for an NCO to merely order a problem Cadet to: \"Drop and give me
twenty\" than it is to try to understand what the trouble is and to help
fix it. This also leads to a false sense of accomplishment: the leader
is not actually getting anything done. He\'s stopping everything to make
sure a Cadet is doing the pushups he was assigned.

If a Cadet learns that his punishment for almost anything is only a set
of pushups, he\'ll learn contempt for his leaders and their leadership
tools. A healthy Cadet has no fear of twenty or thirty pushups! In this
case using pushups is actually hurting the prestige of the leader. His
leadership tools are ineffective and so is he.

Or, if a Cadet who is punished with pushups just can\'t do them, his
peers will learn contempt for him because he doesn\'t have their
physical abilities - in spite of what other abilities he may have .
Cadets will also learn that their leaders don\'t care about their
self-respect or their standing with their peers. In either case, the
leader has lost prestige and the respect of his people.

If an NCO learns to depend on pushups as a leadership tool, he assumes
they\'re fixing things without really addressing the problems his people
have. He and his people will be very surprised when pushups stop working
and his Cadets are suddenly facing suspensions, demotions or dismissals.
Pushups give a false sense of actually solving leadership problems; they
don\'t.

#### The NCO Support Channel

There is only one 'chain of command'. However, there exists a structure
that parallels and reinforces it. This is called the \'NCO support
channel\'. The NCO support channel is often confused with the chain of
command. You will very often find the two incorrectly mixed into some
sort of weird mutation. They are two separate things, though they are
related.

The chain of command is the line of commanding officers from the
Commander-in-Chief on down to the flight commander. And vice versa,
going up. These positions are almost always filled by officers.
Sometimes an NCO will take a command position when there isn\'t an
officer for the job.

The other part of the chain of command is what is called the \'NCO
support channel'. These are the NCO positions that show on the
organizational tables as \'sticking out\' to one side of the commanding
officer. In the military, these are the command chief master sergeants
(or sergeants major), first sergeants and flight sergeants. They are not
in the chain of command, but they occupy a key position in the
organization.

Normally, the NCO support channel is used as the start of the chain of
command. This is just a convenience to lighten the load for the
commander, there is no need for Cadets to discuss things with the NCO if
they don\'t wish to. They should see the NCO before speaking with the
commander, but they can respectfully decline to discuss their issue with
him.

A key member of the NCO support channel who is often overlooked is the
Leadership Officer. He occupies the position that a sergeant major or
command chief would have in the military. He is in charge of all your
training in military and leadership skills. Don't hesitate to call on
him if your other attempts to solve a problem lower in the structure
have failed.

#### You And The First Sergeant

*(Note: For more on this subject, see the "Cadet First Sergeant's Guide"
from the same author, available over the internet.)*

As the senior NCO in the unit the first sergeant is in charge of all the
NCOs in the squadron. He should teach you what you need to know to be a
good NCO and maybe to someday take his place. Your goal as an NCO should
be to someday be the first sergeant. Even if you are never appointed a
first sergeant, as a good NCO you should meet every requirement for
being one; you should be ready to pin on the diamond at any time.

To do this, watch the first sergeant. Pay attention to what he does and
how he does it. Offer to help where you can. Ask him what he used to
help him learn how to be first sergeant. Was there a book he read? Was
there a movie he watched? Which of the Cadets and Seniors had the most
influence on him? Spend as much time with the first sergeant as you can.
He is the only one who knows how he wants his NCOs to perform and you
can\'t find out what he wants if you never talk to him. Also, since he
works with the Cadet commander and the Cadet Programs Office staff, he
probably has a pretty good idea of what\'s going on.

You should go to the first sergeant with any problems or worries even
before you talk to your flight commander. The first sergeant is likely
to be able to help you and it is his job to know what is going on with
his NCOs. The Cadet commander should never find out about a problem
except through the first sergeant. If you are having problems with an
officer or one of your fellow NCOs, it is most likely that the first
sergeant will be able to help you with your problem. He\'s probably
already had a similar problem in the past and can offer suggestions.
And, since he is in charge of all NCOs, he should be able to help settle
any differences you might have with another NCO in the unit.

# Professionalism

#### Superior/Subordinate Relations 

##### Your Relationship With Your Officers

Your approach to officers must be professional. As an NCO you should
always be friendly with officers, but not too friendly. If you are
friendly and cooperative, officers will trust you and you can work
together easily. If you are corrected, you must remember that officers
are there to guide and help you. The reprimand is not due to the
officer\'s personal feelings, but should show you where you can improve.
Nothing insulting is intended. Learn from the incident and continue to
greet your officers with a cheerful smile and a sharp salute. To do so
indicates that you are well adjusted to your work and that you want to
cooperate. If gives the officer confidence in you. His confidence in
your abilities is crucial.

Tact is another important part of working with superiors. An NCO should
study his superiors. Each will have different ways in which they do
things. You should adjust yourself to them.

In the services, where NCOs and officers progress along different career
paths, it is a fact that NCOs have more experience than junior officers.
It takes years to become a sergeant; it only takes months to become a
second lieutenant. Because of this, NCOs and officers are taught a
proper relationship from the beginning: *NCOs are subordinate to
officers and must show appropriate respect and deference, but should not
be trifled with or ignored because of their tremendous and sometimes
superior knowledge and experience.*

You can understand and maybe have seen yourself that a Cadet can have
more time as a C/MSgt than a C/2Lt has in the Civil Air Patrol.
Especially if the Cadet officer completed each achievement quickly. When
this happens the behavior of the Cadet NCO is very important. The C/2Lt
will probably rely on the C/MSgt for help. It is up to the NCO to be
respectful and obedient and at the same time helpful, all without making
the officer look bad. Truly, this is the mark of a professional NCO!

##### Your Relationship With Your Cadets

Without people to lead there can be no leadership. The relationship you
have with your Cadets is one of the most important things about being an
NCO. If your Cadets like working under you and with each other, your
assigned tasks will be accomplished with a lot more ease. As an NCO you
are in close contact with your Cadets on a regular basis. You have the
responsibility for making sure the day-to-day tasks of the squadron are
accomplished. NCOs provide the close supervision needed by junior
Cadets.

You hold your grade not only to direct subordinates to perform tasks and
accomplish goals, you hold your grade to help your Cadets. It is up to
you to make sure that your Cadets have what they need and that they are
taken care of. If you are given the task of cleaning an area, don't just
pass on the order and take a break. Make sure your Cadets have the
equipment they need. If they don't have it, use your grade and
experience to get it for them.

Don't use your grade to keep your Cadets away from you. While your grade
is important and should be respected, it should never be used to keep
your people from talking with you when they need something. Grade has
its privileges, but it also has many, many responsibilities. One of the
biggest is to be there for your Cadets.

##### Your Relationship With Your Fellow NCOs

It is often very difficult to maintain a correct professional
relationship with your fellow NCOs. After all, you\'re all NCOs
together, right? However, in any given situation one of you will be in
charge and the rest will be under him. This is normal and should be
understood and accepted.

From time to time you will encounter an NCO who seems to be incapable of
professional behavior. They refuse to cooperate, butt in during other
NCO\'s classes and are disrespectful, insubordinate or rude. Worst of
all, they will do this in front of the Cadet airmen. Fighting among the
NCO corps can mean disaster for even the most motivated of units. If the
Cadets see the NCOs being disrespectful with each other, they feel as if
they have the same privilege. It also removes some of the prestige of
the NCO. The Cadets can see that an NCO is just a Cadet with some extra
stripes who behaves just as childishly as anyone else. They should see a
motivated, accomplished professional who is trusted with a lot of
responsibility and deserves respect.

Don't ever refer to another NCO by their first name in front of your
Cadets. It practically gives them license to do the same. Don't just
refer to them by their last name, either. You should try to address all
Cadets by their grade, but always address NCOs by their grade in front
of your Cadets.

It will also effect how your superiors treat you. If they feel the NCOs
are behaving like children, or they can see that the NCOs no longer have
the respect and obedience of the Cadets, they\'re going to stop
assigning the NCOs their proper duties. How can the Cadet commander
trust the NCOs when they can\'t drill for five minutes without arguing
and correcting each other? How can the Deputy Commander for Cadets allow
the NCOs to run the training schedule when he hears that they\'re
disrespecting each other in front of the Cadets?

It can not be over stated how important professionalism and mutual
respect are in the NCO corps. Even if there is no real respect between
the NCOs, their professionalism should get them to act properly in front
of the Cadets.

If professionalism and respect is a problem, someone should fix it.
Normally that will be the first sergeant, who is in charge of the NCOs.
However, any senior NCO should be prepared to step up and solve the
problem. Try having the NCOs train apart from the airmen. This will add
to the to the prestige of the NCOs. It will also help the NCOs learn to
work together and remove the pressure of having the Cadets around.

You and your fellow NCOs should never forget that you\'re all in this
together. You are a band of brothers (and sisters). How you behave and
treat each other effects how your Cadets and your superiors see you and
treat you. Always try to be on good terms with your fellow NCOs, even if
you\'re not best friends. If you are not on good terms you should treat
your fellow with NCOs respect.

#### The NCO As Follower

An issue that Cadet NCOs often face is the question: \"Who\'s the
boss?\" When is an NCO a leader? When is he a follower? What are his
obligations toward fellow NCOs?

Every leader is also a follower. From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff to the newest Cadet staff sergeant, everyone with a leadership
position is someone else\'s follower. The role they take depends on the
situation and it is important to behave correctly.

You are subordinate - a follower - to anyone who has a higher grade or
holds position over you. You are required to be respectful of them. But
what if the person in question doesn\'t have a higher grade or hold
position over you? Are you their follower? Do you owe them respect and
consideration? If so, when?

Consider the following situation: *Your flight is practicing drill. You
are a C/TSgt and the flight sergeant is a C/MSgt, so you are an element
leader. The first sergeant is giving all his NCOs drill command
practice, and chooses a C/SSgt to lead the flight in drill. The first
sergeant leaves instructions with the C/SSgt to pass command to another
NCO after ten minutes, and leaves to attend to other duties*.

What are your obligations in this situation? Are you now a follower of
the C/SSgt, although you\'re just practicing drill and he doesn\'t
outrank you? The answer is YES! During drill, or any organized
instruction, you are subordinate to the person who has control of the
\'class\'. You must follow their orders and treat them with respect.
That C/SSgt is acting with the authority of the first sergeant. You
should behave no differently than if the first sergeant was drilling the
flight himself. That is true of the C/SSgt who is leading you in drill
and for the C/A1C that is giving a class on aerospace.

Or what about this: *A group of NCOs are the only Cadets left at the
squadron building after a meeting. An NCO who has a higher grade than
all of you says, \"The first sergeant forgot to have the building
cleaned. You guys get it taken care of.\" Normally the first sergeant
has two or three airmen do cleanup. Plus, the NCO who told you to clean
the building has no staff position.*

So, what do you do? Easy, you grab a broom and you clean the building.
The NCO who has told you to clean the building has a higher grade, you
are obligated to follow his orders. If you believe he has made a
mistake, you should take it up the chain of command...*later.* In the
meantime, get the job done. Now, it would certainly be more polite and
more professional if the NCO who issued the order pitched in, but he
isn\'t required to.

Examples aside, this issue mostly boils down to a simple rule of thumb:
*If you are in charge or the senior Cadet present, you are the leader.
If you aren\'t in charge or the senior Cadet present, you are a
follower.*

Let this simple rule guide your actions and you\'re almost certain to be
behaving correctly.

#### The 'Sergeant-At-Large'

Sometimes you may be in a situation where you won't feel very much like
a leader. Especially after an activity such as an encampment. At the
encampment, you might have been a flight sergeant. You were responsible
for twelve or more Cadets, twenty-four hours a day for a week or more.
You took pride in your position, your behavior and your appearance. You
left the encampment with a feeling of energy and purpose.

But, back at the squadron, you're not even a flight sergeant. Perhaps
the flight sergeant is an NCO junior to yourself who has been given the
duty on a rotating basis, or because he needs the experience. Or maybe
the flight sergeant outranks you based on when he was promoted. For
whatever reason, once back at the squadron you don't have duties in the
chain of command or the NCO support channel. Are you still a leader? How
can you show your abilities and professionalism without 'stepping on'
the NCO's who hold positions in the squadron?

This situation is a fact of life in the active duty military. Because of
the technical nature of modern warfare, people are promoted on the basis
of their ability in their jobs and don\'t have a leadership position.
For instance, an experienced avionics or computer technician will be an
E-5 or E-6. In a combat unit, this is a squad leader or platoon
sergeant. But, because the chain of command in the military often isn\'t
organized along work groups, that E-5 or E-6 probably doesn't hold a
true leadership position.

The Cadet Program offers a very similar problem. Your progress through
the Program is rewarded with increased grade and responsibility.
However, these are 'general' responsibilities. You won't always have a
leadership position at the squadron.

Yes, you're still a leader. But now you have to demonstrate a different
kind of leadership. One of the most important parts of leadership is
setting a good example and requiring the Cadets you outrank to follow
this example. So, you must set the example in the wearing of the
uniform, you must set the example in customs and courtesies and, most
importantly, you must set the example by being professional with the
other NCOs in the squadron and respectful of the NCOs that occupy the
NCO support channel.

You should also try to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the
squadron and the Cadets in it. If you see room for improvement, talk to
the flight sergeant or first sergeant about it. Keep taking care of
those 'little things' that are what NCOs are all about. Don't let a
Cadet skip a salute or grow his hair. Just because you're not the flight
sergeant doesn't mean that you shouldn't keep on the Cadets in the
squadron.

Acting like an NCO and a leader when not in an official 'leadership
position' will gain you the gratitude of the flight sergeant and first
sergeant. They need all the help they can get. Also, it will be noticed
and remembered when the time comes to pick a new flight sergeant or
first sergeant.

#### The Prestige Of The NCO

Part of being an NCO (or an officer) is prestige. Prestige is *standing
or estimation in the eyes of people,* or *a commanding position in
people\'s minds*. This means that an NCO should have an aura or air of
command in the minds of the people around him. You know what this is.

Think about your first few weeks as a Cadet or your first encampment.
Did the Cadet staff seem smooth, competent and polished? Were they
individuals you wanted to emulate and associate with? And yet, at the
same time, they probably seemed like they were somewhat \'above\' you.
They were more accomplished than you and had an air about them. Everyone
has had the experience of spending time in the command of a squared-away
NCO or officer. You were constantly aware of his presence, even when he
was standing behind you. Being around him made you want to stand a
little taller, march a little better and make sure your uniform was
straight.

Prestige is more than just being superior. Prestige is a basic
understanding in the minds of your Cadets that because you are an NCO
you are special. This doesn\'t mean that NCOs are god-like creatures
that should be bowed down to. It means that your Cadets should feel that
they can assume a high level of accomplishment and ability in any NCO,
including you. Everything you do as an NCO has an effect on your
prestige, and the prestige of the NCO corps as a whole. Just as each CAP
Cadet represents all CAP Cadets, each NCO represents all NCOs.

Part of what gives an NCO the ability to command is prestige. Without
that small measure of superiority that NCOs have, their commands are
worthless. Cadets will feel free to do what they like as opposed to what
they\'re told.

You\'ve heard the saying \"rank has its privileges\", and you\'ve
certainly seen enough examples of it in your daily life and in Civil Air
Patrol. For example, at most activities the Cadet Command Staff will get
\'midrats\' or midnight rations during evening staff meetings. This
privilege is associated with increased grade and responsibility. In
other words, the more you do, the more you get to do.

#### Sexual Harassment And Offensive Behavior

Unless you've been living in a cave for several years, you're aware of
an issue called 'sexual harassment'. This is discussed in this Guide for
two reasons. Knowledge of sexual harassment and hostile environment
issues are basic requirements of employment. Therefore, knowledge of
these issues can only benefit Cadets in and out of CAP. And, because
Cadets are teenagers, and unsure of their sexual behavior and adult
norms, they must be told what are minimum standards of behavior.

Sexual harassment and other hostile environment topics are Cadet
Protection Program issues. Obviously, behavior that would generate
problems in these areas would make a Cadet feel harassed or hazed.

Harassment comes in two forms \-- \"quid pro quo\" and \"hostile working
environment.\" The former is pretty straightforward: \"sleep with me or
you\'re fired.\" Essentially, \"quid pro quo\" harassment involves
making conditions of employment (hiring, promotion, retention, etc.)
contingent on the victim\'s providing sexual favors

Hostile working environment is speech and/or conduct, of a
discriminatory nature, which was neither welcomed nor encouraged,
committed by or permitted by a superior, which would be so offensive to
a reasonable person as to create an abusive working environment and/or
impair his/her job performance.

So, what does this mean to Cadets? It means, obviously, that you can't
promise that cute, new Airman that he or she can have a staff position
if they go out with you. It also means that you can't create an
environment that makes someone feel offended if a reasonable person
would be offended. In other words, if you're telling dirty jokes, or
ethnic jokes, or making rude remarks about someone's (anyone's)
nationality or religion, that's inappropriate.

It is also inappropriate to make unwelcome sexually-oriented remarks.
*Sexually-oriented* means something that would only be directed at
someone of the opposite sex. For instance, complementing someone on
their how their uniform looks is okay, you would say that to anyone.
Complementing someone on how their butt looks in uniform isn't okay,
because you wouldn't say that to someone of the same sex.

And it goes without saying that touching someone who doesn't want to be
touched is a Bad Thing.

However, this doesn't mean that anything and everything is harassment.
Harassment is something a 'reasonable person' would find offensive.
Also, one person can't be offended over behavior that affects someone
else. For instance, if a person enjoys a nickname that some might
consider offensive (i.e.: 'Dumbo'), it is perfectly all right to call
that person by his nickname.

The most important thing is to try to be sensitive to the feelings of
others. And, if you are not sure where you stand, or if someone says,
"Hey, this bothers me", *stop!* Your position as an NCO and leader makes
it even more important that you avoid even a chance that your behavior
is offensive. People often won't say what they're really feeling,
especially if they're in a subordinate position. However, they may tell
someone else and it could come back to bite you.

#### Humility

It is important as a leader that you understand how to be humble and
apologize.

No one likes a braggart or show off. Many people feel a need to knock
such individuals down a notch or two. And they often don't mind doing it
in public. Rather than lord your abilities and skills over others, you
should use them to try to raise others to your level. Train your people!

You don't know it all and you can't do it all. Recognize the abilities
of your people and let them do the things they're good at. It will build
their self-esteem and make them better members of the team. If you take
the time to show that you've noticed their abilities and allow them to
use them in public, you boost your Cadets' opinion of you. It will also
help you learn to use your people to their best advantage and accomplish
the mission.

If you do make a mistake and offend or hurt someone, apologize to them.
If you did this in front of the squadron, apologize in front of the
squadron. This will actually raise you in the eyes of your Cadets,
because they'll know that you're sensitive to them as individuals, that
you care about their feelings and that you're big enough to admit your
errors and make amends. This will give them more confidence that you
will treat them fairly and are someone they want to lead them.

Apologizing to superiors will give them the sense that you're not a
know-it-all and that you're willing to listen and acknowledge your
mistakes. This will let them know that you are eager to train and
improve yourself to become a better follower and, by extension, a better
leader.

#### Flirting With Disaster

This section is about sexuality and how it can affect you as a leader.
Humans are sexual animals. That means is that we're sexually dimorphic;
we have two sexes and each is needed for reproduction. As you know from
biology class, there are many other ways of reproducing, none nearly as
fun.

It is a given that girls mature faster than boys. For instance, at age
fourteen girls are busy selecting senior prom dresses while boys are
still thinking that wearing the same underwear for a week is pretty much
okay. For the same reason, girls figure out this 'sexuality' thing
faster than boys. If girls mature faster than boys then a fifteen
year-old girl could be as mature as a boy of sixteen or seventeen. So,
obviously girls will often try to attract the attention of older boys.
This is a safe conclusion and we have all seen that this is the case.

Studies have shown that human females, just as females of other species,
tend to be attracted to the 'best' males around; the biggest, strongest
and best providers. This is a natural tendency. In the Cadet Program,
the older a male Cadet is, the 'better' he looks from a 'male of the
species' point of view. Boys do a LOT of growing and filling out between
ages 15 and 18. Cadets are also more serious and self-assured than their
non-Cadet peers.

For whatever reason, female Cadets will often flirt with male Cadets two
or even three years older than they are. Teenaged boys, being teenaged
boys, naturally appreciate this attention. The problem is that generally
older Cadets will have a higher grade, which may also make them
appealing. So, if a fifteen year-old Cadet airman is busy making eyes at
a seventeen year old Cadet master sergeant and he's enjoying it, what's
the big deal?

Perhaps no big deal, but it could be a disaster. It really depends on
how the senior Cadet handles the situation. If he treats her any
differently from any other Cadet, he\'ll lose a tremendous amount
respect among his subordinates because he is showing favoritism. It can
also lead to jealousy among other Cadet who might want his attention or
favor.

The root of the problem is that this is all normal human behavior. The
trick is to resist those instincts (and hormones!) and do the
professional thing.

#### Fraternization

You must have a good working relationship with the officers in your unit
or you really aren't doing the job of an NCO. Having a good working
relationship doesn't mean you have to be best friends. The military is
full of examples of officers and NCOs who have worked together for years
and have great respect and fondness for each other, yet they still
address each other by their proper grades or titles. There is nothing
wrong with this. These formalities strengthen a professional
relationship because each person knows where they stand with the other
and with the organization.

You must have a professional attitude when working with your superiors
at CAP. While you may be very good friends with a superior when at
school or home, at the squadron you must present a picture of the proper
superior-subordinate relationship. There is a simple reason for this: to
be a good leader, you must first be a good follower. You must show the
same cooperation and respect toward superiors that you expect from your
subordinates. You have to set an example of proper superior-subordinate
behavior that they can follow.

Before an NCO can be trusted with the authority to lead others, a
commander must be able to assume that the NCO will carry out
instructions. If you are relying on a personal relationship with a
superior to \'get by\', that trust doesn\'t exist.

This is also true of your subordinates. Don\'t let your good friend who
just joined the squadron call you by your first name! It may seem harsh
but it will be better for everyone, including your friend, if you put
distance between the two of you when you are at CAP. It may be easier to
think of it like this: while you are \'on-duty\', treat your friends who
are superior to you in grade or position the same way you would treat a
Senior, or a Cadet officer you didn\'t know.

Even though your contact and relationships with your Cadets is often not
just at CAP, professionalism and proper customs and courtesies should be
the rule when 'on-duty'. Don't call your subordinates by their first
names. It\'s too familiar and unfair because they can't do the same to
you. They may resent you being more familiar than they are allowed, or
they may decide to just go ahead and call you by your first name anyway.
Either situation, resentment or familiarity, is bad for a leader. Cadets
will generally have less respect for a leader they feel too comfortable
with or close to. Remember the old saying: 'Familiarity breeds
contempt.'

#### Favoritism

Showing favoritism will destroy the prestige of a leader and the
integrity of a unit. People resent favoritism, especially when it isn't
being given to them. Some people even resent being the favorite, and
rightly so. In the case of your 'high-speed, low-drag' Cadet it can
appear that the only reason they are excelling is because of the
favoritism.

The person being favored can also take unfair advantage of the
situation. Either by using social status to throw their weight around
among their peers or by using their status with the leader to avoid
unpleasant tasks or situations.

Obviously favoritism is a Bad Thing.

#### Vulgarity

Simply put, vulgarity isn't needed and it isn't allowed. Military drill
instructors teach recruits and have a better reason to use vulgarity
than anyone. Yet the services frown on it and drill instructors will try
hard to avoid it.

Everyone sometimes slips and says something that they shouldn't. This is
understandable and excusable, as long as it doesn't become a habit. The
big things to avoid, even when you make the occasional mistake, are
sexual comments, such as calling someone a 'female dog' and blasphemy -
misusing religious words. Both of these can be very offensive and should
be avoided.

Now, this doesn't mean you can't use salty or colorful phrases. There
are plenty of ways to get your point across without resorting to
vulgarity or blasphemy.

Here is a list of suggested 'colorful phrases' that you can use:

-   **Doggoned or daggone.** "Dog-gone it! Will you people stand still!"

-   **Freaking.** "I can't believe what a freaking mess you left!"

-   **Pig-lipped son of a gun.** "Come on, you pig-lipped son of a gun,
    fly!"

-   **Gee whiz.** "Gee whiz, that sure hurt a lot."

-   **Jeez O'Pete.** "Jeez O'Pete you Cadets make me angry."

-   **Holy smokes.** "Holy smokes! We're going to crash."

Some of those are pretty lame, but the basic point is sound. You really
can't be vulgar toward or in front of your Cadets. It isn't necessary,
it isn't professional and it can be a Cadet Protection Program issue.
So, use the phrases listed above, make up your own, or don't use
colorful language at all. Just keep it clean.

#### Cliques And Cadres

When people group, they have an unfortunate tendency to form cliques
(pronounced: *clicks*). Cliques are small, exclusive groups of people
that have something in common. The problem with cliques is that they are
exclusive. Membership is often (mostly?) more of a matter of popularity
than anything else.

Cliques will damage a squadron for the very simple reason that a
squadron should be one large family and team, not a bunch of little
groups. Cliques discourage understanding among members of the larger
group and can be very damaging to the esteem of the 'non-members'
because they are exclusive.

You already know what a cadre is, even if you don\'t know the term. A
cadre (pronounced: *cah-dray*) is a group of experienced people who are
capable of leading and training others. The corps of NCOs is the cadre
of NCOs. NCOs and officers are often called the Cadet cadre, because
they are the most experienced Cadets.

While cliques and cadres are both groups of people, there are big
differences in how they are formed and how they effect people. The
members of a clique set themselves apart and see themselves as special.
Part of what makes them feel they are better than those around them is
the fact that they exclude those they don't want.

A cadre is composed of highly trained, accomplished people who's job is
to lead and train others. They aren't setting themselves apart to show
their superiority. Instead, their abilities set them apart. Unlike a
clique, a cadre is always willing to accept new members, and will do so
once someone has begun to progress their level of training and
expertise.

Members of a cadre will naturally tend to group together. Since they
have the most in common and have been together the longest, it is
natural they will want to spend time with each other. This normally
won't cause a problem with junior Cadets, as Cadets will understand that
they are different and a little bit special because of their grade and
time in the Program. Every Cadet should aspire to someday gain the
respect of the Cadet cadre and join their ranks.

The only caution is that the members of the cadre should be *very*
careful not to turn themselves into a clique. As an NCO, you will more
than likely be a member of your squadron's cadre. Make sure that you are
all open to welcome new NCOs into the fold. Don't work to exclude junior
Cadets from the group, but Cadet airmen shouldn't be spending too much
social time with Cadet NCOs anyway.

Finally, the cadre will sometimes include those Cadets who have been
with the program for a while but haven\'t made progress. They naturally
want to spend time with their peers - the people who joined at the same
time they did. But no matter how long they have all been in the Program
together their peers have promoted and they haven't. Don't allow these
'older' junior Cadets to hang around with the NCOs. That will seem to be
favoritism to the newer junior Cadets and will turn the cadre into a
clique. Besides, being cut off may force the 'older' junior Cadets to
think about their commitment to the program and either shape up or ship
out.

#### Ethical Leadership

*(Concepts from "Military Leadership" FM 22-100)*

Ethics is knowledge of right and wrong. Ethical behavior is doing the
right thing. Ethical leadership is doing the right thing when you are in
charge and teaching your people to do the right thing.

If you ever have any questions relating to ethics, you should talk to
your chaplain, your Moral Leadership Officer or your Commander. Your
ethical training in the Moral Leadership Program is their
responsibility. They should be able to help you answer any questions you
may have.

Ethical leadership is critical. If you fail to behave ethically when
leading your Cadets, you will either lose their respect or create an
environment of bad ethics. It is also important to teach your people the
correct ethical decisions in complex situations.

-   **Be a role model.** Always do the right thing, even when it is hard
    or costly. There is no excuse for compromising your ethics. It is
    essential for a leader to always behave ethically.

-   **Train your subordinates ethically.** Make decisions and give
    training that will help them develop ethical values. Whenever there
    is a decision involves ethics, discuss your decision with your
    Cadets. You should make an extra effort to discuss things when the
    wrong decision was clearly easier or attractive. Your Cadets need to
    know why you made the decision you made, even if you only tell them,
    "It was the right thing to do."

-   **Avoid creating ethical conflicts for your subordinates.** Don\'t
    ever violate the ethical values you have been taught and are
    teaching when you issue an order or give advice. For instance, if a
    piece of equipment comes up missing, don't tell your Cadets,
    "Replace it, I don't care how." If they are unable to find an honest
    way of replacing it, they will have to resort to dishonesty. This is
    a violation of the Honor Code, and clashes with your ethical
    training. It is also teaching your Cadets that unethical behavior
    has its rewards and is sometimes better.

#### When Your Friends Succeed

*(From "Finding Your Strength In Difficult Times" by David Viscott,
published by Contemporary Books.)*

We all wish our friends well, but not that well.

Don't be put off by this. You're only human. You want your friends to
succeed, but when they do and you are not sure of yourself, you fear
being shown up.

Whey you feel down about yourself, it's easier to tolerate hearing about
a friend's misfortunes than his or her successes.

Because your friends are closest to being like you, their success makes
you question yourself.

"Why not me?" you ask. We all feel this way.

Nothing alienates people quite like success.

It is lonely at the top.

Your friends need to celebrate their success without feeling that they
are intimidating you and to share their failures without your taking
secret satisfaction from them

Allow your friends to confide their success in you without becoming
envious of it or asking to participate in it.

Just say, "No one deserved it more."

You'll probably be right

You'll certainly be a friend.

#### Cynicism and Gullibility

One of the qualities of a good leader and a good NCO is openness.
Openness is a state of being where one is receptive to new ideas and
thoughts. An open person will try new ways of doing things and find new
ways of looking at things. Openness also allows leaders accept new ideas
from subordinates, peers and superiors alike.

However, you should be careful not to be gullible or cynical. There is a
fine line between openness and gullibility. Gullibility is when a person
will believe anything, no matter where they heard it or how wild it
sounds. The opposite of gullible is cynical. Cynicism is believing the
worst thing in every situation or believing nothing at all. It is also
important not to be too cynical. This section is about keeping yourself
from being too gullible or too cynical.

A gullible NCO will tend to make decisions and form opinions with too
little information or wrong information. A cynical NCO will not trust
anyone, or believe the worst in every situation, and make decisions from
that point of view. Opinions and decisions made for the wrong reasons
are something a leader should avoid!

#### Rumors, Innuendoes and Things Left Unsaid

We\'ve all heard someone say something completely outrageous that they
\'heard\' or \'read\' somewhere. Often it\'s about a famous person,
sometimes about a group, sometimes about someone we know. Often these
stories are funny, sometimes just unbelievable and sometimes they can be
harmful. Sometimes we\'d like to believe these things, sometimes not.
They can make events and the lives of others seem a lot more fun and
interesting. The bad thing is that they can also cause a great deal of
harm to people\'s reputations.

These are stories called \'Urban Legends\'; stories that everyone has
heard, but no one has ever seen it themselves or talked to someone who
saw it. You always hear it from someone who knows someone who is related
to someone whom it happened to. You\'ll never hear \'it happened to
me\'.

An example of an Urban Legend you may have heard is that certain drugs,
LSD in particular, are \'around\' as water-based tattoos. According to
the legend, children thinking these are the tattoos found in cereal or
crackerjacks might lick them get a dose of the drug. Authorities have
denied this story, yet it resurfaces in a different part of the country
every few months. You may have also heard that HIV infected needles are
being put into the change slots of pay phones with a note that says,
"Welcome to AIDS". This is also an Urban Legend.

To discredit these stories, it is important to try to find out the
original source. If you hear it from someone who heard it from someone
else, that\'s pretty flimsy; and don\'t take it seriously if you hear it
from someone who \'read it somewhere\'. Look for logical flaws in the
story. If needles were being put in pay phone slots wouldn't you hear
about it on the national news? These are the type of things that should
make you go, \"Hey, wait a minute. That sounds kind of stupid.\"

This doesn\'t just apply to Urban Legends. If you hear a rumor about
someone and it doesn\'t sound likely, or no one you\'ve heard it from
has first hand knowledge, it\'s probably not true. no matter how good it
is! The better the rumor is, the less likely that it is true. When you
hear something bad about someone you know, try to get to the bottom of
the story. How likely is it? Is it something you can ask them about? If
you can\'t even ask the person about the truth of the rumor, you
shouldn\'t spread it around. If you know it is incorrect or just seems
too crazy to be true, you should do your best to stop spreading the
rumor. People can\'t defend themselves against a rumor because they\'re
not there to tell their side. Plus, rumors often grow in the telling or
get garbled, like a game of \'telephone\'.

#### The Rest of the Story

As a leader, and as a citizen who will have the right to vote, it is
your responsibility to see all sides of an issue and make sure that what
you\'re hearing is fair and balanced. Without taking the time to find
out what\'s really going on, you could make a mistake that can have a
great effect on you and those around you. You have a responsibility to
yourself, your Cadets and eventually your country to be as well informed
as you can.

Partisan media is very popular right now. Partisan, in this case, means
slanted in one direction or another. There are both print and broadcast
forms of this media, but you\'re probably most familiar with the radio
personalities. Possibly the most famous of these is a man named Rush
Limbaugh. Mr. Limbaugh, and others like him with all sorts of opinions,
are not reporters. They are actually commentators or, to use a big word,
ideologues. They have absolutely no reason or interest in presenting
fair, balanced stories to their audiences. Everything you hear on these
types of programs and everything you read in these types of magazines
and newspapers is presented with the idea of achieving a goal. That
goal, of course, is to sway your opinions and get you to believe in
their particular views on things.

When getting news it is important to remember that news is a business.
All forms of media make money by getting people to buy their product.
The more interesting the news is the more likely people are to buy it.
This is a leading cause of sensationalism in the media. Sensationalism
is the reporting of items or stories that truly aren\'t ready to be
reported, but they\'re so interesting or sordid that they are rushed to
the public. At times they\'re minor stories that are blown out of
proportion. The rash of scandal reports, especially from government, is
a good example. These stories are featured because they\'re lurid. These
stories can go from rumor to national crisis in a matter of hours.

In the end, it often turns out that these crises were created over very
weak rumors and they turn out to be no big deal. Then the story quietly
goes away without any of the people who stirred up the fuss coming
forward and saying, \"Sorry. We were wrong. It was no big deal.\" This
is irresponsible because it leaves the public with the impression that
there really was something going on.

The point is to show that you should always take your news with a grain
of salt and from more than one source. When someone is presenting an
especially good or bad picture of *anything*, ask yourself what their
agenda is. \"What does that person, or his organization, have to gain by
me believing what he\'s telling me?\" If you know why people say the
things they say then you\'re a much closer to knowing what you can and
can\'t believe.

Gathering news and opinions for different sources is also a good way to
get at the truth and try to see both sides of an issue. For instance, if
there is a scuffle going on over the building of a dam, try to read
something about both the points of view. Then, based on your personal
feelings and your thoughts on what you read, you can make a good
decision.

#### Military Customs and Courtesies

Why are customs and courtesies so important? Who cares if you call the
Cadet commander by his first name?

Customs and courtesies are a natural part of the military lifestyle.
That isn't to say that they don't exist in the civilian world, they do.
Courtesies, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you' are called 'the
lubricant of life'. This means that they are the little phrases we use
to help us avoid getting hot when there is friction.

In the military, customs and courtesies are used to remind people of
their places in the organization, they make interaction between people
of widely different ranks easier, and they set the services apart from
each other and the civilian world - a reminder of their special
situation. These are all good reasons for CAP members to use proper
customs and courtesies at all times.

One of the best ways to check the *esprit de corps* and discipline of a
unit is a quick look at their customs and courtesies. Are they lax? Do
Cadets say \'sir\' and \'ma\'am\' when speaking with officers? Is
saluting done correctly? Are NCOs addressed by their grade, or just by
their last name?

Because customs and courtesies are one of the first things taught to new
members and are used constantly, if they aren't up to par it is shows
that the unit has serious morale and discipline problems. Morale and
discipline and customs and courtesies are so closely related that if one
isn't present it implies the other also isn't present. As an NCO, it is
your responsibility to reinforce the use of customs and courtesies among
your Cadets.

Begin by making sure you use customs and courtesies correctly. Always
address superiors, Cadet or Senior, by their grade and last name. Make
sure you salute when you should. Stand at attention when addressing a
high-ranked officer or Senior until they tell you to stand at ease. Only
use 'sergeant' when you aren't sure of an NCO's grade, say 'staff
sergeant', 'tech sergeant' or 'master sergeant' if you can.

If you have a problem with a superior Cadet who doesn\'t use correct
customs and courtesies, talk to them privately. Remind them that customs
and courtesies won\'t work if one of the Cadet officers fails to use
them correctly. If they don\'t fix the problem, see the first sergeant
or the Leadership Officer.

Likewise, if you are having an issue with a Senior not performing
customs and courtesies properly, you should talk to the Leadership
Officer. He occupies the slot in table of organization equal to the
command chief master sergeant, he can probably help you. However, you
should talk to the first sergeant first.

#### Pointers for Professionals

Don\'t be cocky. A little swagger and straight back are the marks of a
good NCO, but don\'t overdo it. Everyone in CAP has someone who outranks
him, including you. Don\'t force that someone to embarrass you to take
you down a notch.

Do your best to give your superiors confidence in you and your
abilities. Bring all of your skills and efforts to bear on each task and
problem presented to you.

Be friendly with everyone. This includes superiors, subordinates and
your peers. All of the best NCOs have a twinkle in their eye and a ready
sense of humor. If you walk around barking at people and being
unpleasant, no one will want to know you. That means superiors won\'t
want to work with you and subordinates won\'t want to work for you.
However, don\'t be too friendly! Among juniors this will lower your
prestige and among superiors it will seem as if you are currying favors
(kissing up).

Use your stripes to solve problems and get results, not to ensure your
own comfort or inflate your own ego. You were given those promotions
because you earned them and because CAP needs you. Do your best to
measure up to what is expected and the standards that have been
established by those who held your grade before you.

Don\'t make excuses. If there is a problem caused by a mistake or
oversight on your part, admit it. Your superiors will have far more
respect for you if you are honest and admit mistakes and ignorance.
Rather than punish you for failing, they are far more likely to try to
educate you and give you another chance. Your superiors want you to
succeed!

Keep you superiors informed. No one likes unpleasant surprises. Your
superiors are far more likely to take bad news in stride if they are
aware ahead of time that things are not going according to plan. Also,
if you do run into a snag or an issue comes up, your superior may have a
solution that will get everything back on track.

Don\'t complain or criticize, be optimistic. No one likes to hear
someone who does nothing but complain. An NCO who complains will
actually damage the moral and *esprit* of his people. On the other hand,
someone who is constantly upbeat and optimistic will help his people
keep going through difficult tasks.

Be attentive to duty and don\'t be afraid to work. Make sure you know
what your duties are and do them! Being a leader is work, make no
mistake about that. It is work to constantly be on the lookout for
sloppiness on the part of your Cadets, it\'s work to handle the extra
administrative duties that come with staff positions, and of course, as
an NCO you\'re low enough in the scheme of things that you often find
yourself doing the dirty work alongside your Cadets. None of this will
kill you, but if you excel it will not only make you a better NCO and
Cadet, but a better person.

Be easy to find. One of the most frustrating things for anyone is to
have to hunt high and low for a junior. This is especially true when
time is important. You should know this by personal experience! Be easy
to find! Avoid hiding out when you are \'on duty\'.

Think and prepare ahead of time. Try to know what you\'re likely to need
for a given activity or situation. This not only includes items, such as
equipment, but also training and knowledge. For instance, if you know
you\'re going on a winter bivouac, try to learn as much about
cold-weather survival as possible before going.

Learn to control and hide your feelings. This means in front of your
superiors and juniors. The amount of damage you can do to your
relationship with your superiors or the *esprit* and morale of your
juniors with your expressions is almost incalculable.

Be alert. Almost as important, always try to look alert.

Do everything thoroughly and enthusiastically. Apply your imagination to
every job. Don\'t confine yourself to doing just exactly what you are
instructed to do; try to do a little more than you are told to do. And
go out of your way to do it right.

If you are asked a question and don\'t know the answer, don\'t bluff or
reply, \"I don\'t know.\" The right response is \"I\'ll find out.\"

Don\'t procrastinate. Do your duties and tasks immediately and get them
out of the way. Be available for more assignments. Your superiors will
know that you can be counted on to get things done and they will entrust
you with more and more responsibility and authority over time.

Never pass an opportunity to keep your Cadets shaped up. Keep an eye out
for details such as haircuts, posture, correct wearing of the uniforms,
customs and courtesies, etc. These \"little things\" are the very things
that NCOs are supposed to attend to.

Stand up straight - don\'t lean. Keep your hands out of your pockets and
see that the Cadets around you do the same. Never chew gum when in
uniform or walk while drinking or eating.

Stay out of cliques, don\'t take sides, and don\'t gossip. While this
behavior may work you in with one group, it will certainly put you on
the outs with another. As an NCO you are a leader to all junior Cadets
and a follower of all superior Cadets and Seniors. You should have as
good a relationship as possible with everyone around you.

Don\'t \"tear down\" senior NCOs or any of your officers or Seniors. One
of your most important jobs is to support your superiors, not to
disrespect them.

Don\'t hesitate to make suggestions. No one knows all the answers or
always has the best way to do things. However, if your suggestion is
rejected, don\'t be petulant or get discouraged. Simply do the job the
way you were told and don\'t hesitate to continue making suggestions in
the future.

Don\'t criticize the organization in front of non-members. It is the
ancient right of \'soldiers\' to complain about their units, but it
should be done in-house; not in public.

Always keep your eyes open for likely new Cadets.

Know where to find information. Take the time to read through every
manual related to the Cadet Program. Don\'t try to memorize the
information, just try to get a feel for what\'s there and where to find
it. Then you\'ll have a handle on turning up pieces of information that
others will tell you isn\'t even in the books.

Make every order your own. Don\'t say, \"Captain Smith wants us to
unload this van.\" Go to your people and say, \"Let\'s get this van
unloaded.\"

As an NCO, you have the liberty to substitute a Cadet officer\'s rank
for the word \"sir\". For example, \"I\'ll take care of that right away,
sir\" could be said as \"I\'ll take care of that right away,
lieutenant.\" This only applies to Cadet officers, continue to address
Seniors as \"sir\" or \"ma\'am\". When your commanding officers says \"I
wish\" or \"I would like,\" or similar expressions, these have the force
of a direct order and should be treated as such.

The position of honor for one\'s superior is on the right. Therefore, in
company with a superior, you walk, ride, and sit on the left. When
entering a vehicle or boat, you embark first and take the less desirable
places; when debarking, the senior leaves first and the juniors leave in
order of rank.

# Duties and Responsibilities

#### The Role of the NCO

The NCO is many things to his superiors, his subordinates and his
organization. He is the helpful assistant, the wise advisor, the
knowledgeable mentor, the compassionate elder, the stern taskmaster and
the sharp-eyed inspector. He serves as both an advocate for his people
and the representative of his officers. He should be capable of both
demanding and supervising a full day\'s effort from his people. He must
also pitch in and providing that same effort himself. His appearance and
bearing should serve as an example for both his subordinates and
superiors.

For the NCOs and officers above him, an NCO should be eager to learn and
work hard. He should always be cheerful and willing to take on any
assigned task - regardless of how little he actually wants that task!
The NCO shouldn\'t hesitate to suggest different or better ways of
accomplishing tasks the he is given, part of his job is to advise his
superiors. No one knows his people better than he. His superiors should
know that a task assigned is a task accomplished. They should also be
confident that if there is a problem the NCO can\'t beat, he will return
to ask for advice only after he has exhausted all his options.

The NCO should make sure his people are well trained. One of the main
duties of any leader is to train because well-trained people are a
better resource and are happier with their skills. So, the NCO must have
a good understanding of all Cadet subjects. The NCO will normally be a
little older and should certainly be more experienced than his Cadets;
this should give him some insights that he can pass along.

Part of an NCO\'s job is to take care of his people; to make sure they
are well cared for and have the training and equipment they need to
accomplish their missions. He should be the first one to notice that his
people need a break or that they\'re running behind the chow schedule.
He should check on his people every chance he gets to make sure that
they have the things they need, and he should do all this before he
takes care of himself.

While an NCO should be compassionate and care for the welfare of his
people, he also shouldn\'t hesitate to be stern and demanding when it is
needed. It is the role of the NCO to be the on-the-spot inspector. To
point out discrepancies in uniforms and with customs and courtesies on
the spot. If an inspecting officer finds a problem with one of his
people during an inspection or doesn't receive a salute when he should,
it is as much the NCO\'s fault as it is the fault of the Cadet.

The NCO is the hands-on supervisor for his people. He is the one making
sure that the job gets done. An NCO shouldn\'t hesitate to demand that
his people work as hard as they can, but he should be in there with them
putting in just as much effort when the task demands it! To do otherwise
would present the worst imaginable example.

Another important role of the NCO is the one he assumes when he takes
control of new members. He will be the first example of the
professionalism and *esprit de corps* of the organization they see. It
is very important that in his appearance and behavior he be a good
example!

#### The Purpose of the NCO

The Civil Air Patrol\'s corps of Cadet noncommissioned officers exists
for four main purposes:

##### To decentralize command authority in an orderly structure down to the smallest element in an organization. 

Those are big words with a very simple idea: no one can be everywhere at
once. Someone is needed as a go-between to make sure that tasks go from
the people who decide what needs to get done to the people who actually
get the job done. This is one of the purposes of the NCO corps. The NCO
is charged with the hands-on leadership required to turn a plan into a
job well done.

Notice that the word \'orderly\' is included. This means that it is also
the role of the NCO to support the chain of command. In other words, an
NCO should never do anything that would diminish his superiors.

##### To train their people to be able to perform assigned tasks. 

It doesn\'t matter how willing a group of people are to accomplish the
mission, if they don\'t have the skills they need they will fail.
Because new Cadets need training in basic subjects, training them is
time-consuming and exacting work. Consider how difficult it is to teach
a group of new Cadets to drill properly; it can take dozens of hours.
Because officers are charged with planning tasks and coordinating
resources, it is impossible for them to do such detailed training. This
is the job of the NCO. The NCO must be able to demonstrate, teach, and
inspire a Cadet to want to learn required skills.

It is good for the NCO that his people be well trained. The NCO has to
make sure that his people get things accomplished, so he will have to
work harder if he hasn\'t trained them to do their jobs. In other words,
if something needs to be done and the Cadets don\'t know how, the flight
sergeant is probably going to end up doing it!

##### To ensure close supervision and personal guidance of juniors. 

No one can be everywhere at once, but juniors often need close
supervision. Officers will sometimes have several NCOs working for them
to make sure that their various missions are accomplished. Without a
supervising NCO many tasks would not be finished properly, if at all.
Their personal guidance provides a junior Cadet with someone else to
turn to for help with problems or for answers to questions.

It is also better for an NCO to provide close supervision than it is for
an officer. Part of the prestige of being an officer (as you will
someday learn) is that there is less need to get your hands dirty. Also,
there should be a separation between officers and airmen to prevent
familiarity. So, the NCO is the logical choice to perform close
supervision. He has the authority to give orders but he\'s close enough
in grade that daily contact isn\'t going to cause a problem in the
future.

NCOs are expected to work closely with their airmen, officers are not
(and should be discouraged from it).

##### To provide gradual advancement in the Cadet Program. 

In the military, officers are given months of training to teach them
their roles in the service. The Cadet Program has no \"officer candidate
school\". However, we do have the Cadet grades through the Mitchell
award. These achievements provide the training for future Cadet
officers.

It would be wrong for a Cadet officer not to have been an NCO. Most of
the drill and hands-on leadership skills are learned as an NCO. Without
this foundation, a Cadet officer would be unable to make sound
decisions, properly exercise his authority, or monitor the performance
of his Cadets in their basic Civil Air Patrol skills.

There are many lessons to be learned within the Cadet Program. The
leadership program makes it clear that by the time a Cadet has been
awarded the Mitchell, he should have a firm grasp on working with people
and be ready to begin working with plans and programs. So it is
important for a Cadet to spend time as an NCO so that working with
people is second nature. It is also important that a Cadet officer not
feel like he is missing something when his duties require that he give
up the close personal contact with his airmen that his NCOs enjoy.

#### The General Responsibilities Of The NCO 

##### To The Civil Air Patrol

Your responsibilities to the organization are many. Without CAP you
wouldn't be an NCO or have Cadets to lead; you owe it to CAP to be the
absolute best NCO you can in every way. Anything less is cheating. As an
NCO you should make sure that your Cadets follow all CAP regulations at
all times. For an NCO this is most often things like uniform regulations
and customs and courtesies. Since you have been promoted by the
authority of the Civil Air Patrol, you should be an NCO at all times and
to all Cadets. Don't let your responsibilities slide merely because you
are in a strange place. Any time you are participating in a CAP
activity, you should perform as an NCO.

##### To The Squadron 

Part of your oath as a Cadet is to participate actively in unit
activities. This is only part of your responsibilities to your squadron.
You should make sure you know squadron regulations and enforce them as
you do CAP regulations. Since you spend most of your time at your
squadron, you should try to be as useful there as you can. Keep
improving yourself so you can accomplish your unit\'s missions and
always be a positive example to your Cadets.

##### To Subordinates

As an NCO your subordinates will normally be Cadets who aren't NCOs.
They won't have a lot of experience with CAP or the Cadet Program. They
will rely on you to take care of them when they don't know how to take
care of themselves. You have to make sure they have what they need. This
includes everything from meals to equipment and uniforms to training. As
an NCO, you've been where they are; you know what they're going to be
facing as they progress and do their daily tasks. Make sure you think
about their needs and see that they're met.

Make sure they're trained correctly. We will talk about how to train
later in this manual, but you should know that basic training of new
Cadets is the job of the NCO. You should always be teaching and
reinforcing that teaching. And important part of this task is immediate
correction of the little mistakes that Cadets make, such as saluting
improperly.

Make sure they're not bothered too much. As an NCO, you serve not only
as a supervisor for junior Cadets, but as an advisor to senior Cadets.
Don't hesitate to point out when your Cadets are being overworked or
interrupted. Try to make sure that a decision is final before passing it
down, nobody likes too many changes.

##### To Superiors

As an NCO you are the 'middle man'. The bridge between the Cadet
officers and the Cadet airmen. You should be as dedicated to your
superiors as you are to your subordinates. Without that dedication
neither the officers nor the airmen can function effectively. Your
superiors should have your full support and loyalty. They have a right
to expect nothing less, as you should expect nothing less from your
Cadets. Now, this does not mean that you always have to agree with them,
or even like them. However, it does mean that you have to honor their
decisions as if they were your own. Do everything in your power to give
them the best you can get from you and your people.

No one has all the answers. So you should help your superiors by giving
them the benefit of your experience. You may have a better way of
accomplishing a task or a better idea on how to approach a problem. This
experience is the exact reason you are an NCO. Be sure that when you do
make a suggestion that you do it in a respectful way. Nothing will close
someone's mind faster than a know-it-all.

#### The Duties of the Flight Sergeant

One of your first staff and leadership positions will probably be flight
sergeant. The flight sergeant\'s job is the first true leadership
position in Civil Air Patrol. It is a good chance for a new NCO to
practice the leadership skills that will carry him forward through the
program. This section will be a short discussion of what your duties are
as flight sergeant.

-   **Inspections.** It will normally be part of your duties to inspect
    your flight during meetings. Even if there is no official inspection
    during the meeting, you should make it your business to give each of
    your Cadets a quick once over at the beginning of the meeting. Point
    out *any* discrepancies you see. *(See the section on 'Inspections'
    for a more detailed discussion.)*

-   **Instructions in military courtesy and drill.** Since you spend
    more time with your flight than any other leader, you must be the
    primary instructor when it comes to basic military courtesy and
    drill. This isn't just taught during formal teaching periods; it is
    constant. If a mistake is made in some courtesy correct it
    immediately. Teach and correct drill even when moving from one place
    to another.

-   **Maintenance of discipline.** Remember, you are closer to your
    Cadets than anyone. Problems in discipline should be pointed out and
    corrected immediately. *Discipline* here it refers to little things,
    such as maintaining the position of attention and reminders of what
    is appropriate behavior. More serious discipline problems should be
    discussed with the first sergeant.

-   **Flight administration and personnel matters.** You should be
    available to assist your Cadets when they need to complete paper
    work. You are also considered part of the office staff and should be
    available to assist the first sergeant if necessary.

-   **Flight commander (acting).** This means, simply, that if there is
    not a flight commander, a common occurrence if there are few
    officers in the unit, or if the flight commander is away, you must
    assume his duties. Briefly, the duties of the flight commander are:
    *Leadership of flight in squadron activities; leadership laboratory
    to include proper wear of CAP uniform, military courtesy and
    discipline, drill, ceremonies and formations; advisor to flight
    members.*

-   **Related duties as required.**

# Inspections

#### A General Guide To Being Inspected

Inspections are a fact of life in CAP, just as in the armed services.
They are generally considered disruptive and annoying, and they
certainly can be! However, they provide superiors with a way to see the
status and progress of their people; and to let everyone know what is
expected of them.

As a Cadet, you will mostly have personnel inspections - your standard
uniform and grooming inspections. There are other types of inspections.
Every department in CAP, personnel, supply, admin, testing, and so on,
is inspected. They all have standards that must be met. An inspection is
a way to make sure that everyone knows what those standards are and that
they are being met.

If you are getting ready to be inspected, think about what you would
look for if you were inspecting. Let\'s take an imaginary room
inspection at an encampment. You know that the squadron commander and
first sergeant are going to be inspecting each room. Review the
standards for cleanliness and arrangement of your room. Then inspect
your room as if you were the inspector. This should give you some idea
of what to look for as you help your Cadets prepare.

Involve your subordinate leaders. If you\'re the flight sergeant you
have element leaders who work for you. Get together with them and
explain what the inspection is going to be, what they\'ll probably be
looking for and why it is important. Then send them on their way to work
with their elements.

During the preparation, be visible and active. Check around and offer
advice and help. Be there for your Cadets. It will let them know that
you care about their success. It will also give you a chance to look for
things that need fixed.

When the inspector arrives, you should report that you are ready for
inspection and follow him through. Take notes! You want to have as much
information as possible. Ask for the inspector to explain if he says
something you don\'t understand.

After the inspection is finished, meet with your subordinate leaders and
turn your notes into actions. You may want to have a meeting with all
your people, especially if the inspection went particularly good or bad.
Have these meetings and start to fix things quickly, while the
inspection is still fresh in everyone\'s mind. Remember, if the problem
areas are not corrected, you have failed in your job as an NCO.

You should set the example for your unit. Your uniform should be the
sharpest, your room the cleanest. NCOs lead by example, be a good one.

Don\'t embarrass your Cadets during the inspection. Don\'t berate them
in front of the inspecting officer, don\'t point out problems the
inspectors missed. You job is to build your people up, not to make them
feel stupid.

Inspect everyone. If someone is ready for an inspection, make sure that
they get inspected. Nothing is more frustrating than wasting time. Also,
make sure that people who are normally overlooked are prepared, such as
people on work details.

#### How To \'Host\' A Personnel Inspection

You will generally present your unit to the inspecting officer before
doing anything else. You may walk on to the inspection area or the
inspecting officer may approach you. In either case, you should place
your unit at attention and report by saying, \"Sir, Alpha Flight reports
for inspection.\"

At this point the inspecting officer will instruct you to prepare your
flight for inspection. Follow the instructions in section 4-5, \'Open
Ranks\', of AFR 50-14. Keep in mind that the flight commander should
step off as soon as the command \'Open Ranks\' is given and that he
should proceed *by the most direct route* to align the elements*.*
Don\'t square those corners!

After the inspection is complete and the unit has completed \'Close
Ranks\', you are done and are free to move your unit off the drill deck
and continue the schedule.

#### How To Inspect Personnel

Inspecting your people is a basic part of being a leader. Inspections
will not only show who doesn\'t care about regulations, but will also
let you know who doesn\'t know enough about regulations and needs more
training.

At activities, inspecting your people can also tell you if someone is
ill, tired or unclean. Part of leadership is taking care of your people;
you should know personally if any of your Cadets is having problems.

Finally, inspections are a good way for a commander to get some face to
face time with his people.

When inspecting, your eyes should take the same path on every Cadet. For
instance, start at the emblem on the flight cap, check the fit and wear
of the cap, check the hair, check the shave. On females check the
earrings and makeup. Check the shirt starting at the cutouts, then the
sleeve patches, and the press on the sleeves, the placement of the name
tapes or name plate and ribbons. Then the gig line, the belt and belt
buckle. Check the fit of the trousers or skirt at the waist, check the
press of the trousers or skirt, finally the length. Check the shoes and
hose or socks. Each Cadet should be inspected in the same manner to
allow you to fall into a rhythm.

As you finish with an element and pass to the next, be sure to inspect
the backs of the Cadets you just inspected. Look for haircut, press,
uniform fit and trouser or skirt length.

As you inspect, ask the Cadet questions. They can be about anything, but
should generally be about Cadet Program subjects. You should always ask
the Cadet if they have their ID card on their person.

If you see a discrepancy, you can ask the Cadet about it, but be
prepared to ignore the answer. The only reason you want to ask about a
problem is to let the Cadet know that there\'s a problem and to let the
Cadet know that you know there\'s a problem.

Create a grading sheet, but keep it simple. A Cadet\'s appearance is
either outstanding, average or unsatisfactory. If the uniform is
wrinkled, that\'s an unsatisfactory press. If it looks like it was
ironed, but that he\'s been wearing it this evening, that\'s average. If
it looks like the Cadet and the uniform just stepped out of the laundry,
that\'s outstanding. Your grading sheet should be based on that.

You will probably have someone taking notes for you as you inspect.
Regardless of who is taking notes, be sure that the Cadet hears his
grade. Don\'t keep it secret. And if you are going to give a Cadet an
outstanding or unsatisfactory rating on an item, be sure to briefly
explain why.

When you have completed your inspection be sure you give the unit leader
an overall opinion on how his Cadets looked. If he has followed you
through the inspection, he already knows what you think, but it never
hurts to make sure.

#### Suggested Inspection Items

-   ID Card - *He has it or he doesn\'t.*

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-   Uniform completeness -- A*re all required uniform parts present?*

-   Uniform fit -- *Is it too snug, too loose, too long, too short?*

-   Uniform preparation -- *Look for cleanliness, threads, press.*

-   Attachments to uniform -- *Complete, serviceable, worn properly.*

-   Hygiene -- *Body odor, bad breath, clean hair, fingernails, ears.*

-   Haircut/hairstyle - *In regulation, not too much in it.*

-   Shave/cosmetics - *Fresh shave, tasteful cosmetics.*

-   Jewelry - *Appropriate and regulation.*

-   Gig line - *Also known as \"military alignment\".*

-   Shoes or boots - *Shined, serviceable.*

-   Knowledge - *Cadet Oath, chain of command, etc.*

#### Inspecting Hygiene 

Cadets can be animals. You probably were one when you were a young
Cadet. This is especially true of Cadets who are young and away from
home for the first time. Without someone to remind them to take care of
themselves, they often won't. It is important, especially at activities,
to make sure that your Cadets are keeping themselves clean. While you
are inspecting them, if they have an unpleasant odor or if they smell
too much like deodorant or cologne, it might mean they\'re not showering
often enough.

A Cadet's hair should be clean and shouldn't have an too much 'hair
product' in it. Check their fingernails and the backs and palms of their
hands. Their hands should be clean and their fingernails should be
trimmed. Look in their ears and at the backs of their necks. These are
also places that will often be dirty if a Cadet isn't washing. If their
breath has a sour odor, ask them if they're brushing their teeth. It may
be they've forgotten to bring a toothbrush.

Check female Cadets as well as the males. While it is a given that
females will generally be better about such matters than males, equal
attention should be given to everyone.

#### The Panic Button

Rote memorization of important information and odd sayings is a
tradition of many organizations. It can be useful - such as memorizing
the Cadet Oath or Newton's Laws - and fun - as in "How's the cow?" and
"What is the Civil Air Patrol?".

These phrases are given to new Cadets and asked during inspection. The
Cadet should know them and to be able to shout them. Responding in front
of the flight gives Cadets reason to learn them and shouting them loudly
will help develop the command voice, build self-confidence and *esprit
de corps.* The flight can recite them together and the challenge of
being louder than another flight can be a source of fun, quick
competition on a meeting night.

The attachment provided (see Attachment 3: The Panic Button, page
[117](#attachment-3-the-panic-button)), has phrases that have been
handed down for decades. Use them, change them, remove them and add to
them as you will. You may want to add phrases that will help in various
aspects of the Cadet Program, such as the Newton's Laws or the title for
each regulation ("What is CAP manual 52-16?").

# Counseling

There are two kinds of counseling: formal and informal. You should do
informal counseling more than formal counseling. You may need to do
informal counseling at nearly every meeting or activity. As a rule, if
you are doing anywhere near as much formal counseling as informal
counseling, you have a problem. Either you have the worst behaved Cadets
in the history of CAP or you are far too eager to create paper on
someone.

#### Informal Counseling

Informal counseling is nothing more than pulling someone aside for a
quiet word about a problem they're having. It can be done on the spur of
the moment and be about something that happened only a second ago. This
is probably the best use of this type of counseling.

The important thing to remember about informal counseling is to praise
in public, reprimand in private. Don't ever bite a piece off someone\'s
butt in front of everybody. It will embarrass them and can destroy their
self-esteem. It will also make you seem like a complete tyrant. No one
wants to work for someone who will make them feel stupid in public if
they do something wrong.

There are only a couple things to keep in mind when informally
counseling someone:

-   **Counsel them for something immediate and specific.** When you talk
    to them, it should be about something that just happened and can be
    immediately corrected. Perhaps they're giving the instructor a hard
    time or not paying attention. Talk about just that and nothing else.

-   **Practice two-deep counseling.** If it is at all possible, have
    another NCO, a Cadet officer or a Senior member with you while you
    counsel just to keep everyone clear about just what was discussed.
    No one wants to hear later that they're accused of being abusive.

-   **Get it over with and get back to work.** Once you've said your
    piece, send the person you're counseling back to what he was doing.
    Don't stretch it out.

Informal counseling is short, sweet and to the point. If you need to
cover more ground or discuss things more in detail, then it's time for a
formal counseling session.

As an NCO and leader, you must make an impression the Cadets you
counsel. You have the most daily contact with your Cadets and the
informal counseling is a daily kind of discussion. Behaviors that need
an informal counseling - but don't get one - could easily lead to a need
for a formal counseling session. In that case, you've failed the
squadron and the individual you should have counseled.

#### Formal Counseling

Counseling is an important part of the responsibilities of a leader. No
one likes to counsel others, but sometimes it has to be done. If major
problems with conduct or performance aren\'t solved, your squadron can
suffer.

##### The Basic Counseling Steps

-   **Describe the problem.** Be very specific when you call someone
    into your office. Don't say "I've heard you've been a troublemaker."
    Say, "Last Tuesday you were insubordinate to C/1Lt Smith. You missed
    the PFT and you were late for the meeting three weeks in a row." You
    have to have be specific, people will try to cloud the issue.
    Written reports are probably the best solution.

-   **Explain why this is a problem.** The person being counseled may
    honestly not understand what you are so upset about. It is up to you
    to explain your point of view to him and make him understand why his
    behavior is incorrect. Tell him the whole story, why it's bad for
    him, the unit and the organization.

-   **Allow him to talk.** Tell him that what he says is completely
    confidential and won't get him in any more trouble and ask him if he
    has anything to say. Normally, he will either say nothing or he will
    attempt to 'weasel'. Listen politely and discuss his viewpoints.
    Don\'t forget that your goal is to get him to correct a *specific
    behavior*, regardless of the reasons for that behavior.

-   **Discuss corrective actions.** You need to very clearly describe
    the minimum acceptable behavior and when he is expected to meet that
    goal. If he is to pass a test within a month or not argue with his
    flight sergeant or be suspended, tell him that. There can't be any
    gray areas.

-   **Outline punishments.** Tell him what will be the result if he
    fails to correct his behavior. Be very specific. Again, there can be
    no questions or it might lead to trouble later.

-   **Talk up the good things.** Tell the Cadet why you would rather
    have him improve than fail. Remind him that counseling isn't any fun
    for you either. Review his past accomplishments. Tell him what you'd
    like him to do in the future and why you want him as a member of the
    squadron. Ask him what he'd like to accomplish in the next year.
    Talking about the next few months will lose that sense of 'impending
    doom' that the counseling has given.

-   **Review the entire conversation, complete any paperwork.** Briefly
    restate the entire conversation. If you have to take notes to
    accomplish this, do so during the session. If you are going to have
    the Cadet sign any paperwork, such as a counseling form, do so now.
    Make sure that the Cadet understands what he did wrong, why it was
    wrong, what you expect from him, what will happen if you don't get
    that and why you appreciate him.

-   **End on a good note.** The idea is to send the Cadet away with a
    desire to do the right thing. It's true that you have just
    threatened him with punishment, but you can motivate him before he
    leaves. Make sure you do.

##### Tips And Pointers For Successful Counseling

-   **Don't let him 'weasel'.** Don't let the Cadet change the subject
    or blame his actions on the influence of others. Unless someone put
    a gun to his head, he is totally responsible for his own behavior.

-   **Practice two-deep counseling.** Make sure someone else is there
    when you have a counseling conversation or meeting with a Cadet. A
    third party will prevent later problems with people remembering
    things differently.

-   **Advise your superiors that you counseled someone.** If you counsel
    someone formally you should inform your superiors. They need to know
    what is going on with the Cadets. Share any notes or paperwork that
    came out of the meeting.

-   **Keep notes.** Notes help you to think more clearly. If you jot
    down what you want to discuss before the session, you can check them
    off as you go along. Taking notes as you go along lets you look at
    what you've covered so you don't miss anything. At the end of the
    session, they are good for a quick recap of what you talked about.
    Finally, taking notes and having the Cadet or the observer sign them
    verifies what was discussed.

#### Being Counseled

Counseling, feedback, constructive criticism, a chewing out... Whatever
you call it, it\'s going to happen. No one is perfect! When it does, try
to make it a positive experience. Positive? Absolutely! If you handle
the situation correctly, you may actually come out smiling.

Nobody enjoys counseling others. People in charge mainly just want
everyone to be happy, to get along with each other, and to get the job
done. If something interferes with these goals, someone is getting
talked to.

The biggest hurdle in counseling is your ego. No one likes to be told
they were wrong. It\'s embarrassing and diminishes your self-worth.
However, the person who is counseling you *is not thinking about that!*
He doesn\'t want to make you feel like a bozo. He just saw something
wrong that he wants you to fix. Feeling bad is your perception of the
situation, not his.

There are things to do and things not to do when you are being
counseled. These hints can mean the difference between coming away
feeling abused and unappreciated or energized and redirected. If you are
called in for a little chat, take a minute or two to review and apply
these hints.

-   **Listen**. Far too often we close our ears and minds when we are
    being counseled. Instead of trying to understand, we\'re mentally
    arguing. Listen or you can\'t understand the problem and fix it.

-   **Don\'t be defensive.** If you are being counseled you probably did
    something wrong. If you\'re defensive you\'re trying to find ways to
    protect yourself instead of trying to find ways to improve.

-   **Accept responsibility.** Don\'t weasel or make excuses! Listen to
    what is being said. If you have made a mistake, admit it. Even if
    the mistake wasn\'t yours, accept responsibility for the solution.

-   **Don\'t try to control the situation.** If you argue, it will only
    get worse. You can\'t really win. All you can do is give the person
    counseling the impression that you\'re uncooperative and not willing
    to improve.

-   **Don\'t play the victim.** You\'re not being counseled because
    nobody likes you or the staff has it in for you. You got yourself in
    trouble. You\'re being counseled because you made a mistake and
    someone thinks you\'re worth saving.

-   **Be willing to learn and grow.** A counseling session should be a
    learning experience. You probably thought what you were doing was
    the right thing to do. Or you thought it was no big deal. Obviously
    you were wrong. Your job now is to learn - mainly about yourself.
    Try to understand how others perceive you and your actions.

-   **Give proper visual cues.** Body language is important. Smile, move
    your eyebrows, tilt your head, lean forward, relax your arms. These
    indicate that you are friendly, open and receptive. Don\'t frown,
    furrow your brow, lean away or cross your arms. These indicate that
    you disagree or aren\'t listening.

-   **Give proper verbal cues.** Certain phrases you use can help or
    hurt. Say: \"I\'m not sure I understand what you mean. Could you
    give me an example?\". Don\'t say: \"You\'re wrong. I never do
    that!\" The idea is to find the problem, but it\'s a matter of how
    you say it.

-   **Ask the right questions.** There are questions you always want to
    ask. These give you an idea how things are in general. It also tells
    the person counseling that you care and want his advice. Ask things
    like: \"What parts of my work am I doing well? Where could I
    improve?\", \"What would be the best way to solve this?\".

As a final thought, what about when you are *doing* the counseling? What
are your goals? What do you want to hear? How should the other person
act? Behave as you would like people to behave when you are counseling
them.

Remember that counseling is not about diminishing you or making you feel
bad. Counseling is about correcting behaviors to make you more of an
asset and more successful. If you fight the process, the only one who
gets hurt is you.

# Uniforms, Clothing and Insignia

Because the Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary of the Air Force, it has
the privilege of wearing the Air Force-style uniform. To keep that
privilege Civil Air Patrol members must wear the uniform correctly. You
should have a copy of the current CAPM 39-1 and be familiar with it. You
don't need to memorize it the entire thing. Make sure you are very
familiar with the basic Cadet uniforms and where to find other
information. For instance, if you don't rate the NRA shooting badge then
you don\'t need to know where it goes. However, you should know where
this information is so that you can look it up to inspect the Cadet at
encampment who does have that badge.

Civil Air Patrol Cadets have a long tradition of looking good in
uniform. CAP Cadets take as much or more pride in their appearance than
active-duty personnel. Every Cadet should look their best at all times.
A hallmark of all great organizations, such as the Marines, is how well
they perform in the field and how good they look in garrison. Don't
accept an attitude that makes excuses for bad appearance.

#### Care and Maintenance of Uniforms 

Proper care and maintenance ensure a long life for your uniforms and
that they may be worn with the pride that marks a Civil Air Patrol
Cadet. No uniform will look its best unless you care for it when you
stow it as well as when you wear it. Put on uniforms carefully, keep
them buttoned, and keep large or heavy articles out of the pockets, so
the shape won\'t be destroyed.

Before pressing, brush away lint and dust with a flat brush. Don\'t get
your iron too hot. Don\'t press over buttons - press around them; if you
don\'t they will eventually cause holes.

Don\'t wear an unserviceable uniform. If your uniform is worn, torn or
badly faded, get a new one.

Don\'t make any alterations to your uniform that alter the
serviceability or functionality.

Always wear trousers of the proper size. If you have grown and your
uniform is no longer long enough or big enough around the waist, get a
new one. Make sure there is enough room around the waist and thighs to
fit you. These should be the areas you concentrate on when going for the
correct fit. You can pick a uniform that is too long in the legs to get
the correct fit around your waist; trousers can be taken up. If a pair
of trousers seems too sort, there may be enough material in the cuffs to
let them down.

If your utilities BDUs don\'t fit, pull the patches off and get a new
set.

Hang your uniforms up when you are through wearing them. This will help
dissipate body odors and help the wrinkles fall out. A single washing or
dry cleaning should last through several meetings if the weather isn\'t
too hot. Trousers should be hung upside down with a clip-type hanger at
the bottom of the cuffs. Shirts can be hung on a wire hanger. At least
the second button should be buttoned to help the shirt hold its shape.
Dress jackets should be hung on a wooden or plastic hanger that has the
natural curve of the shoulders; they should never be hung for long
periods on wire hangars.

Remove belts and ribbons from your uniforms when hanging them. Put them,
along with your cover, into a small dust-proof box or a bureau drawer.
This will keep them dust-free between wearings, prevent sun damage, keep
them from being damaged due to \'laying around\' and keep them looking
newer longer.

Carefully clip all Irish pennants (threads) before wearing your uniform.
Take the time to thoroughly clip all threads after you first wash a new
set of BDUs.

If possible, send your BDUs out to the cleaners to be starched and
pressed. It\'s is worth the cost.

When riding in a vehicle or sitting for long periods, take off your
dress jacket and hang it or carefully fold it in half down the back and
lay it on a flat surface. This will keep it from getting wrinkled.

When traveling or going to a function out of town, take your flight cap
rather than your service cap. The service cap can be crushed and is less
convenient to take with you.

Don\'t tuck your ball cap into your trousers, or any other part of your
uniform. Hold it in your hand or lay it down when you aren\'t wearing
it. This will keep it from being crushed and losing its shape.

#### Care And Maintenance Of Footwear

##### Shoes

There are two types of shoes. Shiny plastic (Corfam) and leather. Caring
for Corfam shoes is easy. You simply shine them with Windex every once
in a while and keep the welts clean with a toothbrush. Viola! However,
Corfam shoes have disadvantages:

-   **They're hot.** Corfam shoes are not very healthy for your feet.
    Leather has pores, it\'s skin. This lets your feet dry and
    'breathe'. Your feet can sweat up to a pint of water a day - each.
    Shoes that allow more of that to evaporate are better, especially if
    you are spending a lot of time on your feet.

-   **They're expensive**. Corfam shoes cost an average of \$20 more
    than leather shoes. Sometimes you can find closeouts on leather
    shoes that brings the price down by as much as half.

-   **One bad scuff and they're ruined**. Get careless for a minute and
    rub the toe of your shoe across the bottom of a desk or chair and
    they're ruined. You can never get a deep scuff out of Corfam shoes.

Corfams are fine for the ceremonies or important inspections, but don\'t
wear them to meetings unless you can afford to replace your shoes on a
regular basis. Active duty personnel go through a pair of Corfams every
three to six months working in an office. Your mileage may vary.

Leather shoes are probably a better choice for a Cadet; in most cases
they're what is available in supply. The drawback to leather is it's
more work to make them look good.

##### Boots

Boots are different from shoes. They have a lot more surface area and
they take a lot more abuse. Also, it is much more important to wear
comfortable boots. Your boots will build up a lot more hard mileage than
your shoes.

There are three types of boots commonly in use.

-   **Combat or Jump Boots.** These are leather boots that rise above
    the ankle. 'Jump' boots will have a seam across the toe, 'combat'
    boots don't. The advantages to these boots are that the soles are
    generally sewn on and can be replaced when worn. The disadvantages
    are that they are heavier than other types of boots and they don't
    breathe as well.

-   **Jungle Boots.** These boots have leather lowers and uppers of
    various types of canvas. A good pair will have Gore-Tex sides. They
    will have either a lug or 'Panama' sole. The advantages to these
    boots are that they are lighter, they breath well and they dry
    quickly. The disadvantages are that they get wet faster (except
    Gore-Tex versions) and aren't as warm.

-   **'Hi-Tec' or 'Sneaker' Boots.** These boots have softer leather
    lowers and canvas uppers. The soles are made of a soft rubber, which
    provides excellent shock absorption. These boots are very light and
    the shock-absorbing sole makes them comfortable. The disadvantages
    are the soft leather lower shows damage easily and the uppers are
    sometimes padded, adding weight if the boot gets wet.

The type of boot you wear should depend on what you're doing. If you are
spending the day in garrison or expecting to get your feet wet and the
weather is not too cold, then jungle boots might be the best choice. If
you're going to be carrying a load a long way or doing a lot of
cross-country work, then the Hi-Tec might be the best choice.

If you are going to own one pair of boots, it should probably be a
standard pair of combat or jump boots. These are the most versatile,
even if they are heavier than either of the other styles. If you are
doing a lot of ground-pounding, being able to replace soles for thirty
dollars is better than replacing an entire pair of boots for sixty.
Also, issue combat boots with speed lacing are the most common boot in
supply and therefore the type you're most likely to get free.

Spit-shining boots is possible, but not a good idea unless you have a
pair that you can just wear in garrison and not into the field. This is
also true of the various Corfam boots that are on the market. Also, the
softer leather used in the Hi-Tec boots can't be spit-shined. If you do
decide to spit-shine your boots, the method is the same as described for
the shoes.

Generally, care of boots is the same as the first two steps for shoes,
the cleaning and the dyeing. After the second coat of dye, put a good
layer of polish on the boot using a 'dauber' brush. When the boot is
covered with polish, buff it off with a horsehair shoe or boot polishing
brush. There are good synthetic brushes, but horsehair is the best.
After dyeing, put on two coatings of polish. If your boots aren't too
scuffed after a wearing them, you can just put on another coat of
polish. However, you should clean and dye them a couple times a year.

It isn't unusual for boots to collect scrapes all the way down to the
leather, so that there is tan showing. This type of damage will be
covered during the dyeing process. If the scrape is especially deep, you
will have a nice, shiny scrape after polishing.

Wet boots should be allowed to dry without heat. Heating leather to dry
it is damaging. Pull the laces out and pull the tongue all the way
forward. Set them aside and give them a couple days.

##### How to Spit Shine

**Clean the shoes.** Remove the laces and scrub them with a soft scrub
brush and shaving cream or saddle soap. This will clean dirt and old
polish out of the pores in the leather. Make sure you scrub the welts
until they are clean and free of debris.

**Dye the leather.** Put two coats of black leather dye on your shoes.
Make sure you do this in an area where black specs of dye won't be an
issue. Outside or in the garage on newspaper is probably your best bet.
Shoe dye doesn't come out. Let the dye dry completely between each coat.
Don't forget to dye the tongue. If the soles are light colored, dye them
as well.

**The shining.** Find a soft old cloth. Diapers are the absolute best,
although old t-shirts also work well. Take your can of polish, put some
water in the lid and set the polish and lid next to you. Wrap a section
of your cloth around your index and middle fingers. Dip the tips of your
fingers into the water and then slide them through the polish,
collecting a layer of polish on the ends of your fingers. Using a
circular motion, rub the polish into your shoes. When all the visible
polish is gone from your fingertips, get more and continue. When your
cloth gets dry, dip your fingers in the water again. (*Or you could just
lick your fingers. After a while you'll get to like the taste of
polish!)* Continue like this covering the entire leather portion of the
shoe. This is a time-consuming process. But, after a while you should
start to see the shine building up.

**Finishing up.** After your shoes have a good shine and you can see
yourself in them, take a pair of nylons and buff out the toes of your
shoes with those. They can bring out a gleam in a pair of spit shines
like nothing else. Don't forget to edge-dress them and put in a new pair
of shoelaces.

##### Miscellaneous

**Always use shoe trees in your shoes.** Inexpensive plastic trees are
fine. The more expensive wooden trees carved out of cedar or redwood are
best. Trees help your shoes keep their proper shape between wearings.
They also help them to dry out, which will make them last longer.

**Shoelaces** are cheap, replace them whenever they look worn.

**Edge dress your boots and shoes**. If your shoes have light colored
soles, edge dress them as well. If you have a large build-up of edge
dressing in the welt of your shoes or boots, scrub them out with a
toothbrush and an ammonia-based cleaner. Edge dressing is best done
outdoors or in a garage or work room. If you have to do it indoors,
spread a generous amount of newspaper under your work area.

**Zippers and zipper boots.** Some people like them, some people don't.
It is a matter of personal choice. Many people have found that the
zippers, though tremendously convenient, don't hold up under rigorous
wear.

**Blousing your boots.** Civil Air Patrol, using Air Force protocol,
blouses its boots. There are a couple different 'devices' you can use to
blouse your boots, but you *must* blouse them. There are the green,
military-style 'boot bands'. These are cheap, but aren't particularly
tight and wear out quickly. There are also thick, black Velcro 'straps'.
These are expensive and the finished blouse looks 'weird'. Your best bet
is a two-dollar box of thick office rubber bands from the office supply
store. They're cheap, hold well, wear well and blouse well. They are
highly recommended.

# How To Instruct

One of the basic jobs of all leaders is teaching. A good leader is a
good instructor. Training is a big topic, but there are a few ground
rules for effective teaching:

-   People must be motivated to learn.

-   You have to communicate with people to teach them.

-   We learn mainly through sight (75%) and hearing (14%).

-   People learn best by doing.

This creates the classic teaching method of \"tell, show, do\". In this
method, students are told *what* to do, shown *how* to do it, and then
*participate in doing it.*

#### Preparation

If you don\'t prepare to teach, you\'re nearly guaranteed to fail. When
you are teaching, make sure you take the following steps:

-   Know what you\'re teaching and why.

-   Determine when and where you\'re teaching, how long you have, who
    you\'re teaching, what equipment the students have and what
    equipment is available to you.

-   Prepare or get a lesson plan.

-   Check that the scheduling is right, that the class area is cleaned
    and ready and anything you need is available right before the class.

##### Lesson Plans 

A lesson plan is an outline of what you\'re teaching, how and in what
order. It can be as simple or as detailed as you need. Even if you\'re
teaching something that\'s very familiar, you should a least have a
check list of items you want to cover to glance at as you teach.

##### Teaching Aids

Teaching aids are anything that will help you get your point across or
help your students learn. They should not be overdone or distracting and
they should have direct bearing on the teaching. Teaching aids should be
clearly visible, but covered before and after use. Don\'t stand behind
the teaching aid or directly in front of it. Use a pointer and talk to
your students, explaining the teaching aid and what they should learn
from it.

#### Talking to Your Class

##### Things To Do:

-   **Say only what you need to say.** Nobody wants to sit and listen to
    an instructor go on forever about things that don\'t matter. Stick
    to your subject and be sure that everything you say helps teach.

-   **Understand what you\'re teaching.** There is nothing more
    embarrassing than being asked a question by your class and having no
    idea what they\'re talking about. You have to know what you\'re
    teaching!

-   **Be enthusiastic about teaching.** If you have fun teaching
    there\'s a much better chance that your class will have fun
    learning. Enthusiasm is like any other attitude - it\'s catching.

-   **Act confident, relax.** Assuming you\'ve followed the advice about
    understanding what you\'re teaching, you have no reason to be
    nervous.

-   **Be dynamic with your voice and body.** Let \"Ferris Beuller\" be a
    lesson to you - if you\'re interesting to watch and listen to, you
    class will watch and listen to you. If not...

-   **Make sure everyone can see and hear you!** There\'s nothing more
    frustrating for a student that to not be able to hear the instructor
    or to be able to see the teaching aides. Ask your class if they can
    hear you and, if they can\'t, speak up or rearrange them if
    possible. Remember if you\'re in an outdoor setting that your voice
    won\'t carry as well.

##### Things to avoid:

-   **Stupid jokes and bad language.** Don\'t clown around and don\'t
    swear!

-   **Big words.** Even intelligent people find small words easier to
    swallow.

-   **Don\'t memorize or read from a script.**

-   **Don\'t bore your class with your exploits.** Unless they apply.

#### The Period Of Instruction

The basic concept of instruction is this: Tell what you're going to
teach them, teach them, and then tell them what you taught them.

**Introduce yourself and your topic.** "Good morning Cadets. I am Capt
Stanford, the Deputy Commander for Cadets. Today's period of instruction
will cover Effective Counseling Techniques."

**Tell them what they are expected to learn.** "Today you will learn the
basics of effective counseling. When to counsel, how to prepare for
counseling, what to say while counseling, how to close out a counseling
session, the steps of a counseling session, pointers and things to
avoid. When this period of instruction is complete you will be expected
to have a basic understanding of the counseling process and be able to
perform this process with little or no supervision."

**Teach them.** Use the techniques discussed here and teach them to the
best of your ability. Keep the goals of the instruction in mind.

**Tell them what they learned.** "Today you learned the basics of
effective counseling. We discussed when to counsel, how to prepare for
counseling, what to say while counseling, how to close out a counseling
session, the steps of a counseling session, pointers and things to
avoid." You don't have to repeat your introduction, say anything you
need to say in order to remind them what they learned.

**Thank them for their time.** "I thank you for your time and
participation, and I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to
instruct you."

# Drill

#### Developing Your Command Voice

An NCO must be heard! If you can\'t be heard you can\'t perform an
NCO\'s primary job, which is to issue orders to his Cadets. This is
critical on the drill deck.

Your commands should be distinct and loud. The air should come from your
gut and the words should be formed with your lips, teeth and tongue. If
you use your vocal chords to shout drill commands, you will get hoarse
at an activity within hours. One way to practice not using your vocal
chords and to build up a good volume is to shout 'HUH' while exhaling.
If you can do this reliably and loud, you are halfway to a good command
voice. After mastering the 'HUH' shout, you are ready to practice giving
drill commands and perfect your command voice.

This is best done at full volume, so you might have trouble finding a
place to practice. You don't want to do it while someone else is around.
First, it would (hopefully) be too loud. Second, you might sound really
dumb at first. There are two great places to practice. The first is in
your car while driving. When you're driving, the wind is blowing and
everyone else has wind noise as well. It is very unlikely that anyone
will hear what you're doing. If they catch a glimpse of you with your
mouth moving they'll assume you're singing along to the radio.

The second place is in the basement or bathroom of your home. While this
may not be as private, your family will understand and probably not
tease you too much. Also, the hard surfaces in those rooms will echo
your voice back so you can get a better feel for what you sound like.

Practice calling *every* drill command. Even the ones you are unlikely
to use, such as 'Pass In Review' or 'Eyes Right'. Eventually you will be
an officer and you may need these commands. Also, if you are
knowledgeable about drill, everyone will ask for your help, including
the Cadet officers.

There are three very important things about drill commands.

**First**, be clear and distinct. You want to be understood. If your
people can't understand you they have no chance of doing it right. If
your commands sound odd or seem to cause confusion, but they are
distinct, tell your Cadets what they will be hearing ("I am going to
give the command 'Column Right, March'. It will sound like this..."). It
may just be that they need to get used to you.

**Second**, stretch the preparatory command out an extra beat. This
gives the people you are drilling a little extra time to figure out what
they're supposed to do. This is especially important for new Cadets. How
does this work? Here's an example:

  ------------ ------------- ----------------- ------------ --------------
               **Pace 1**    **Pace 2**        **Pace 3**   **Pace 4**

  **Normal**                 Column Right      (Pause)      MARCH

  **Better**   Column        Right             (Pause)      MARCH
  ------------ ------------- ----------------- ------------ --------------

You don\'t always have time to stretch the preparatory command. From
time to time you may need to get them turned quickly and you won't have
that extra beat to play with. In that case, give the shorter version of
the command. Just be sure to do it distinctly so that your Cadets know
what you want.

**Third** and last, make sure that your command of execution is quick
and sharp. It should have a distinct beat, not be stretched out. You
might hear a command that sounds like: "Right, FAAAACE!", drawing out
the command of execution. This is incorrect. If the command of execution
isn't given sharply, it won't give the Cadets a beat to move on. This
will make it impossible for them to get it together as a unit. Always
'bark' out the command of execution.

#### The Unit Leader

There are things to think about when you are commanding a drill unit.
You are out front, therefore everyone can see everything you do. You
should be as close to perfect as possible. Your commands should be crisp
and loud.

-   **Maintain your bearing.** Whenever you are giving a drill command
    you should *always* be at a position of attention. Don\'t look
    around or bounce or rock on your heels. Pay attention to your people
    and where you are going.

-   **Get in, get out.** Movements such as flanks and to-the-rear should
    be executed for as little time as possible. Because the unit is
    moving in an odd direction, they can easily lose their interval.
    Besides, these movements are only for slight adjustments, not for
    long distances. For columns and close on the march get the unit out
    of half steps as quickly as possible.

-   **Call cadence!** A unit can get out of step very quickly, you
    should call cadence often and you should *always* call cadence
    immediately before and following a change of direction, such as
    column or flank movements.

-   **March at the rear of your flight.** The unit leader should
    position himself where he can best control his flight. Generally,
    this is at the rear of the flight, about three-quarters back. At
    this position you have a clear view of what all your people are
    doing. This position also allows everyone to hear your commands.
    When you are toward the rear of the flight the back of the flight
    can hear you better.

-   **Size your flight.** You should size your flight, except for
    hand-picked element leaders, before drilling. To size them, put them
    into column formation and have the taller people move forward ('If
    the person in front of you is shorter, take their place.'). When
    that is done, face them to the right (in a reversed line formation)
    and repeat. This will put the shorter Cadets in the front of the
    flight in line formation. This allows everyone to have a chance to
    see the unit leader and allows you to see all of them when marching.

#### Instructing Drill

##### Introduction

Instructing new members in drill is one of the oldest and most important
tasks traditionally assigned to the NCO. Bad habits learned on the drill
deck in the first few weeks of membership are the hardest to fix. It is
up to you to make sure you are instructing correctly and effectively.
Teaching good drill badly is nearly as bad as teaching bad drill well.

With the Leadership: 2000 materials, CAP removed the drill from the
leadership workbooks and created the CAPM 50-14 Drill Manual. This is
the Air Force's 50-14 with a CAP cover on it. The drill is still tested
on the Leadership tests, but it is described separately. This means that
it is more important than ever for the NCOs to train their Cadets in
drill. The drill manual can be hard to read and understand unless you
already know how the movements should look. The main source of drill
knowledge for new Cadets is their NCOs.

Unfortunately, the drill manual and the Leadership program don\'t tell
you how to teach drill. Hopefully, this section can help fill that gap.

##### CAPM (AFR) 50-14

You can't teach something you don't do well or understand. It is very
important that your drill be as close to perfect as possible. If the
NCOs who instructed you were good, then you should already have good
basics and a head start. If not, you might have some work to do.

First, read carefully through CAPM 50-14, paying special attention to
the drill terms and the individual drill movements. You also need to be
very familiar with drill of the flight and formations - these are what
will teach. As you review, make sure that is exactly what you do when
executing that movement. If there are any differences at all, *you are
wrong* and you should correct yourself. Don't ever teach a drill
movement incorrectly, it\'s the worst thing you can do to your Cadets.

Your Cadets won\'t know what you're talking about, so the first thing
you should do is to explain drill terminology. Words like 'cover',
'align', 'column', 'front' and 'depth' have different meanings in drill.
All your Cadets should know basic drill terms.

##### Cadence And Timing

This is the part that takes the most discipline and time to learn. You
cannot learn this by hearing it, you must learn by practicing. You can't
learn while doing because you have to have this down when you drill your
Cadets.

Cadence should be called almost constantly when you are not marching at
ease or at route step. A unit can lose it's cadence and get out of step
very quickly without someone letting them know where they should be.
Think about it. It is incorrect for them to look down at the ground
while marching. You teach them that. And without looking down, how will
they know which foot they should be on? They don't. You have to tell
them. Always call cadence.

Timing is critical. You have to know which foot to begin calling drill
commands on if the command of execution is going to fall on the correct
foot. You can't figure this out on the fly, you have too much to do. The
only way to get this down is to practice it on your own. And you have to
be 'marching' to do it.

There are two ways to achieve 'marching' while you practice this. You
can do it while actually moving, whether it's around a drill pad or
while going from one place to another, or while marking time. When
practicing alone on a drill you march around, giving commands and
following them, making sure you are on the correct foot and avoiding
obstacles. Don't forget to call cadence! Moving from one place to
another adds the challenge of going around the corners by giving
yourself columns or flanks. If you are merely marking time, you can
practice in your room. Simply pick each foot up enough to make a step
and call commands. If the command calls for a pivot, pivot but don't
step.

The best part about practicing timing alone is that you can call the
commands in a normal voice. Practicing your command voice at the same
time is optional.

##### Correcting Drill Errors

Everyone has heard the phrase 'praise in public, reprimand in private.'
But what about drill? Isn\'t correcting someone\'s drill in front of the
flight \'reprimanding in public\'? Some people feel that any correction
made to their drill should be made privately. Senior Cadet NCOs or
junior Cadet officers who are weak in drill sometimes feel this way.
This attitude is simply incorrect. Errors during drill are inevitable.
No one is perfect, everyone is ignorant in some area or another. A
correction during drill is not a 'reprimand', it is part of the teaching
process.

There are very good reasons to correct the unit leader \'publicly\':

1)  Correction of drill errors must be made immediately to prevent them
    from becoming habit.

2)  The members of the unit should be made aware that the unit commander
    has made a mistake and what the proper technique is.

The only reason someone would complain about this is their ego and
pride, but they are losing sight of what is best for the unit. They
should try to understand the real needs of the unit and the goals of
unit drill.

##### Tips For Instructing

-   **When giving instruction, make them comfortable.** When you are
    going to instruct your unit or demonstrate the correct way to
    perform a movement, make them as comfortable as possible. Put them
    at ease. Make sure that the sun is behind them (lighting you and
    keeping it out of their eyes). If it is hot, make sure they carry
    canteens out onto the drill deck and give them a drink.

-   **Give regular breaks.** At least ten minutes an hour. If it is a
    hot day, then ten minutes every forty minutes to allow for water
    breaks.

-   **Practice 'perfect' periods.** Even in a competition or parade,
    they will only ever need to be on 'perfect' behavior for ten to
    fifteen minutes at a time. Tell them when a 'perfect' period is
    starting and point out every error during that period, no matter how
    small.

-   **Instruct everyone present.** If you are correcting an individual
    error, make sure that you discuss his error and the correct movement
    loudly enough for everyone to hear and benefit. If you are
    instructing a junior NCO in leading drill, make sure the unit can
    hear. This allows everyone to learn from each other's mistakes.
    Someone else could be having the same trouble and you just didn't
    notice.

-   **Keep them moving.** When they're moving, they're concentrating on
    what they're doing. This will keep them from getting bored or
    chilled when the weather is cool.

#### Tips For Standard Drill

-   **Don't allow any movement!** Movement means a lot more than
    adjusting position or scratching. Adjusting a toe a half inch after
    completing a facing movement is very clear to an observer. After the
    movement every Cadet should be absolutely still.

-   **Practice going slow.** Cadets have a tendency to drill too fast.
    This is especially true for Cadet Competition. When your Cadets are
    out on the drill deck their adrenaline is flowing and they're wired.
    Their natural tendency is to speed up. Unless you've practiced at a
    slow pace, they'll be going Mach 2 with their hair on fire before
    you know it. By slowing the cadence down during practice, you're
    adjusting their speed beforehand. Now, when they speed up they'll be
    going at quicktime and feeling like they're flying.

-   **Correct mistakes.** Mistakes happen in drill. Someone turns the
    wrong way or doesn\'t hear the command. Suddenly, you might have one
    or two guys that are facing the exact wrong way. They should stand
    still and wait for you to correct them and adjust their position. If
    they move without being told they are *wrong.* You should tell the
    Cadets their error and adjust their position. "Cadet Smith, the
    command was \'right, face\'. Do you know what you did wrong?" "Yes,
    sergeant." "Good. Cadet Smith: About, FACE."

-   **Point out errors.** Point out drill errors *immediately*, before
    they become a habit. A Cadet idly scratching his ear may not be a
    big deal at the squadron, but it becomes a big deal at Wing or
    Region when he does it because you have allowed it to become a
    habit. Also, if a Cadet keeps making the same error, call him by
    name. Normally, if one or more Cadets are looking around it\'s okay
    to say, "Don't look around, you're at attention" to the entire unit.
    But if it doesn't seem to be working say, "Cadet Jones! Stand still
    and stop looking around." The point is not to humiliate him, but to
    get him to realize what he\'s doing. Most Cadets won't purposefully
    do things they know they shouldn't; they just don't realize they're
    doing them. Saying their name helps.

-   **Correct body position.** Head should be up, shoulders back. The
    arms should swing from the shoulder, not bend at the elbow. The hips
    should be held fairly stiffly, preventing the head from bobbing up
    and down. The rule of thumb is to 'march from the waist down'. Hands
    should be held as if cupping a roll of nickels, not clenched. The
    thumb should rest on top of the second knuckle of the forefinger.
    The knuckles on the hand should be parallel to the leg, not turned
    in or out. Watch for a lean into movements like flanks and
    to-the-rear. Done correctly, an upright posture is maintained
    throughout the turn.

-   **Maintain cadence.** Most Cadets speed up half steps and marking
    time. These should be at quicktime, like every other drill movement.
    To prevent this, make sure they lift their feet up at least boot-top
    high on each step. In-place drill movements should also be executed
    at quicktime. Don't let them rush!

-   **Stress smoothness.** Drill should look smooth, unhurried and easy.
    If your Cadets rush, lean into movements, spin too fast when
    turning, etc. it will ruin that effect. Have them slow down and
    concentrate on being smooth.

#### Tips For Innovative Drill

Innovative drill is part of the National Cadet Competition. It uses
standard drill movements in innovative ways to create a short program.
There are many excellent examples of innovative drill available. For
instance, there are many videos available that show the United States
Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. CAP Cadets won't have rifles, but
there are still things to be learned from them, so study them for things
you can use to make your own program that much better.

-   **Keep moving.** Avoid having anyone stand still for more than a
    beat or two. If your first element or one side of your unit
    completes the innovative movement before the tail end finishes, have
    them start right into the next movement. Also, don't have people
    turning in place just to fill in time. If they can do a couple
    facing movements they can probably have a couple steps added here or
    there.

-   **Don't give commands.** After you report for innovative drill, your
    team should begin their drill movements a beat after you drop your
    salute without a single command. Remain in place facing the
    evaluators during the performance, unless you have a role to play.
    You should be confident that your team is doing their job without
    you even needing to watch them.

-   **Don't rush.** You have two minutes to fill. Don't rush. Do
    everything at a steady quicktime, or perhaps just a touch slower.
    You may even want to consider a couple of drops into slow time just
    for a change of pace. Occasionally during the performance, when your
    team drops back into the starting formation, have them pause a beat
    for dramatic effect before beginning the next movement.

-   **Develop your program slowly and cooperatively.** Start by
    sketching out the basic movements you have in mind on paper. When
    you start to work through you will find that what looks good on
    paper doesn't always look good on the drill deck. You will also find
    that you can't always get from one movement to another the way you
    thought you would. The people doing the movement will sometimes have
    a better feel for how to move through it than you do. This is fine.
    An innovative drill program is a cooperative exercise with room for
    participation by everyone.

-   **Practice, practice, practice.** Obviously... You will spend an
    entire month working through your innovative program. Most of that
    practice should come just before the competition, after you have
    mastered the standard drill.

#### Tips For Color Guards

-   **Don't spin the rifles.** While many Cadets insist that spinning
    rifles is cool, it really doesn't impress anyone but Cadets. Good,
    basic color guard movements executed with precision are far more
    impressive than needless flourishes.

-   **Don't rush, be smooth.** A color guard should look like they are
    being pulled along on wheels. Their heads shouldn't move up and down
    at all. The easiest was to accomplish this is to slow the cadence.
    Quick time is 100-120 steps per minute. Keep it at 100 or maybe just
    a bit less for a color guard.

-   **Lift your feet when marking time.** There is a lot of marking time
    in color guard movements. Marking time looks better and is easier to
    control when you lift your feet high. Four inches is the standard,
    which is about ankle high. However, about another two to four
    inches, boot-top high, is appropriate for color guards.

#### Jodies

NCO\'s have always been the primary keepers of tradition in military
units. One of the firmest and most popular traditions is that of the
\'Jody\'. Every NCO should have at least one or two jodies that he knows
by heart and can lead vigorously and with spirit. Jodies are one of the
best tools for an NCO to exercise the clarity and volume of his command
voice, since they need to be loud and distinct if people are going to
follow along.

See \"Attachment 1: Jodies\", page: [102](#attachment-1-jodies), for a
good basic selection of jodies. Pick a couple of your favorites and
memorize them.

#  Practical Teamwork ExerCizes

*Note: These team building exercises are courtesy of C/FO Greg Auerbach,
who compiled them and posted them to CAP-Cadet.*

Knitting your Cadets into a strong team is a very important part of
being an NCO and a leader. There are two goals in this effort: break
down individual barriers and build cohesiveness.

Breaking down barriers is important. Your Cadets have to know that they
have more in common between them than there are differences. All of them
have elected to be Cadets in the Civil Air Patrol. That takes a certain
kind of person. All of your Cadets are that person. It is important that
they see that in themselves. This is not to say that they aren't
individuals, but part of breaking down barriers means emphasizing the
common traits.

Building cohesion means giving your Cadets shared experiences and time
working together. This will give an understanding of how it feels to be
a member of a team, that it is rewarding, rather than constricting. It
will demonstrate that teams are 'force multipliers'. This means that
"the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Following are some suggested exercises*.* They are commonly called 'team
building exercises', a 'Leadership Reaction Course', or even 'Project
X'. Most require a few simple props and can be completed in a short
time. They can be used as part of an evening or weekend dedicated to
team building, or mixed in with almost any other event. They could even
be used as a 'time killer' on days when the planned outdoor activity
isn't possible.

##### Pole Carry

Have teams of cadets carry a flagpole (broom, stick, etc) around a cone
(chair) using only pencils. Race teams against each other or against the
clock.

##### Three Blind Cadets

Blindfold all of your cadets, then give them a long string, and tell
them to make an isosceles triangle with it. Every cadet must be touching
the string. Teams compete for the lowest time.

##### Squaresville, Man

Take a cardboard square, and cut it up into evil geometric shapes. Then
have teams put it back together. The must complete the exercise without
talking.

##### Cannibals and Marines

Three cannibals and three Marines must cross a river to get to
conference. They have only a two man canoe. If the number of cannibals
outnumber the number of Marines at any given time on the same shore the
cannibals will kill the Marines. Someone must row the canoe across the
river. This is best done with cadets impersonating Marines and
cannibals.

##### Team Push-ups

Line or square push-ups. Four cadets lie on the ground in a square
putting their legs on the next person's shoulders. To complete a
push-up, they must simultaneously rise (and usually fall quickly). The
same thing works with larger numbers in a long line, but it's best when
arranged according to height.

##### Night Moves

Blindfold one cadet, then have his buddy assume the front leaning rest
position. The cadet in push-up position then directs the blindfolded
cadet to recover an object (coffee can, ball, anything) using only drill
commands. Or blindfold all of them, except for the commander, then drill
them as a flight. Make sure to fall them in BEFORE blindfolding!

##### Radioactive Box

Find a radioactive box of a reasonable size. Teams of cadets must move
the box to the safe area. However, if they are within 15 feet of it for
more than 10 seconds, they\'re unconscious for two minutes. Any longer
than that and they\'re dead. You may allow them to use materials around
the area, if you wish.

##### Electric Fence

Find a fence of reasonable height for your cadets (chest height is
usually good). They must get over the fence without touching it, because
it\'s electrified. Putting a carabiner nearby makes things interesting
if they try to use that as part of the solution. You can optionally
provide a four foot long, notched log about the size of a fence post.
Getting the last Cadet over is always fun!

##### Square Dance

Tape a square onto the floor. Instruct the cadets that they must all be
standing on one foot, inside the square, to complete the exercise. Make
it pretty small, even considering the number of cadets in the group.

##### Plane Fun

You run the Lego plane corporate headquarters. The Cadets are to build a
plane out of Legos, the more complicated the better. Form the Cadets
into teams with the following designations: supervisor, engineer, and
builder. Each team gets a bag of Legos -- each bag is missing several
critical pieces for the plane. Only engineers can look at the plans and
supervisors can look at the plans. Only builders can touch Legos. Only
supervisors can communicate with others outside their team (and then
only with other supervisors). Only supervisors and builders can look at
the plane while it is being built.

##### Having A Ball

Form a circle with all of the cadets. Then have one person begin by
throwing a tennis ball to someone else. Each person then throws the ball
to someone who hasn\'t been thrown the ball yet. When the last person
has the ball, the next step is getting the ball back to the original
ball holder in reverse order as quickly as possible. If the ball is ever
dropped, the timing must be started over.

##### Blind Leading the Blind

Pair off your cadets and blindfold one. Scatter a bunch of ordinary
paper plates along an open area. A \"mine field.\" Make sure there\'s
enough of them out there that navigation is challenging. Have the
sighted Cadet talk the other blindfolded Cadet through from one side of
the minefield to the other. Either time each team or have several teams
race simultaneously. Each time a Cadet touches a mine he must freeze in
place for five seconds.

##### The River Wild

Make two lines on the ground about 20 feet apart. These are the banks of
a raging river. Give a group of 5 to 7 Cadet four cardboard squares
approximately a foot square. These are rocks. All of the Cadets must
cross the river to the other side without touching the water. If they
touch the water they have to start over. Once a square is in the river
it has to be touched by a body part at all times. They can pick up a
card but they must be in contact with it at all times (no pulling off a
foot before picking it up!). If a square is left untouched it floats
away.

#   {#section-1 .unnumbered}

# Famous Leaders\' Rules to Lead By

#### Patton's Principles 

-   We can always learn from each other.

-   Always do everything you ask of those you command.

-   A commander will command.

-   Keep a quick line of communications.

-   Punishment for mistakes must be immediate.

-   Say what you mean and mean what you say.

-   Any man who thinks he is indispensable, AIN\'T.

-   Always be alert to the source of trouble.

-   Select leaders for accomplishment and not for affection.

-   Every commander must have authority equal to his responsibility.

-   Protect the troops first. The wishes of the superior officer is
    secondary.

-   In the long run, it is what we do not say that will destroy us.

-   Talk with the troops! Get up front!

-   Never make a decision too early - or too late.

-   No good decision was every made from a swivel chair.

-   Never fight a battle when nothing is gained from winning.

-   An active mind cannot exist in an inactive body.

-   To gain strength, always go beyond exhaustion.

-   Pride in self starts with pride in appearance.

-   Never fear failure. never take council of your fears.

-   Know what you know and know what you don\'t know.

-   Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.

#### Colin Powell's Rules 

1.  It ain\'t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

2.  Get mad, then get over it.

3.  Avoid having your ego so close to your position that, when your
    position falls, your ego goes with it.

4.  It can be done!

5.  Be careful what you choose, you may get it.

6.  Don\'t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

7.  You can\'t make someone else\'s choices. You shouldn\'t let someone
    else make yours.

8.  Check small things.

9.  Share credit.

10. Remain calm. Be kind.

11. Have a vision. Be demanding.

12. Don\'t take council of your fears or naysayers.

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

# Time Management

There are many demands on your time. School, sports, jobs, friends, and
last but not least, Civil Air Patrol. This is especially true if you are
a Cadet leader or have a staff position. Because of these demands, it
can be very important for you to learn how to successfully manage your
time.

There are three basic pieces to time management. Task management,
schedule management and contact management.

Task management is simply managing your assigned tasks. How important
are they in your schedule? How far along are you with them? When are
they due? Will they be done on time?

Schedule management is where, when, why, and who.

Contact management is simply a list of the people you talk to regularly
or may need to contact. Basically, a phone list and a schedule of when
to call.

The basic tool in time management is a 'planner' or blank book. This
book should be kept with you as much as possible so that you can use it
properly. Obviously, you can\'t take it with you in the shower. However,
you should have it with you whenever it is reasonable. This includes at
school, at work, at the mall or in your car. The book isn\'t large, so
it shouldn\'t be a big deal carry.

It is also a good idea to have one of those small monthly calendars they
give away at Hallmark stores. This can be clipped to the inside cover of
your book. It should be used to note things happening in the next
months.

#### Daily Planning

Select an area free from distractions.

Review today\'s prescheduled events and appointments in your monthly
calendar.

At the top of the page, write the date. Along the left-hand side of the
page, write the things you need to do today. This should include things
you didn\'t complete from the previous day\'s list and things that are
due in the next few days and need to be prepared. Leave room at the edge
of the page to write in the priority. After writing in the things you
need to do, put an \'A\' next to the vital things, a \'B\' next to the
important things and a \'C\' next to the optional things. You can then
further break them down by numbering the items for each letter.

Leave a few blank lines and write in your appointments. The space at the
bottom is left for notes.

When you have completed a task, either check it off or put a line
through it. As new tasks are added during the day, write them in at the
bottom of the task list.

Below the appointments, you have space to keep notes during the day. You
may have to write over onto the next page. That\'s fine, just make sure
you write the date at the top.

Do the most important task first, not the one that is the easiest.

#### Sample Daily Planning Page 

> May 1, 1993
>
> A1-Paper due in science.
>
> A2-Call-out about 1st Ad Class.
>
> B1-Change oil in car.
>
> C1-Sign up for ski trip.
>
> 1600 Meeting in auditorium.
>
> 1830 Staff meeting at CAP.
>
> 1\. Suzy - 555-1234.
>
> 2\. Choose a historical novel to read for Eng.
>
> Must be at least 400 pages. By 5-7.
>
> 3\. Staff Mtg. - Hair too long. Cadets not
>
> saluting seniors outdoors. Classroom too
>
> noisy during breaks.

#  Etiquette and Dining Functions

The purpose of this chapter is to give you a brief introduction to
general etiquette, military etiquette and table etiquette. These skills
are seldom taught. This information, while not specifically good for
NCOs, is something you should be familiar with and certainly something
you should be able to do when required.

#### Common Etiquette

##### Rising

The habit of rising has fallen out of use over the last several decades.
It was once an important and basic part of common courtesy. You will
find that if you learn the basic rules on rising to your feet and add
them to your daily routine, you will begin to enjoy the formality.
Rising adds dignity to almost any event, and is never inappropriate.

In general, a gentleman or lady should rise to their feet when a
superior enters the room or when being introduced to someone. Gentlemen
should rise if a lady enters a room. This is true in an office or work
situation as well as at a dining function.

##### Shaking Hands

A handshake is as much a part of personality as the way we walk, and
although try to improve a bad handshake, it will still usually be just
like us, assured or timid, warm or cool.

The good handshake is elbow level, firm and brief. Once it was
unacceptable for a man to offer to shake hands with a woman, but with
the increase of women in business and the general equality in society
today, this is no longer true. Outdoors, it is acceptable to shake hands
with gloves on. When shaking hands you should look the person you are
greeting firmly in the eye and, at least, look pleasant if you don't
actually smile.

##### Speaking Respectfully

As a CAP Cadet you are taught to address your superiors respectfully,
using customs and courtesies. However, what you might not realize is how
far those courtesies will take you every day. Most people today consider
polite and respectful speech to be somehow demeaning to them. This is
simply nonsense. Politeness is merely the lubricant that keeps people
from causing too much heat when the rub against each other. The more
lubricant you apply, the better the rub. Got it?

You might not want to begin addressing people you've known for a long
time, like your parents or teachers, in such a manner. But think how
much more polite you'll seem to people you talk to on the phone, friends
of your parents, people working in stores or government offices or your
new boss. And it's a fact that people appreciate and want to help people
who are pleasant to them.

So, whenever possible, you should address people senior to you in the
respectful ways you've been taught at CAP. You'll be surprised at how
well it will work to get people to respect you or give you the help you
need.

#### Military Etiquette 

As an NCO, you have the liberty to substitute a Cadet officer\'s grade
for the word \"sir\". For example, \"I\'ll take care of that right away,
sir\" could be said as \"I\'ll take care of that right away,
lieutenant.\" This only applies to Cadet officers, continue to address
Seniors as \"sir\" or \"ma\'am\".

When your commanding officers says \"I wish\" or \"I would like,\" or
similar expressions, these have the force of a direct order and should
be treated as such.

The position of honor for one\'s superior is on the right. Therefore, in
company with a superior, you walk, ride, and sit on the left. When
entering a vehicle or boat, you embark first and take the less desirable
places; when debarking, the senior leaves first and the juniors leave in
order of grade.

When walking with a woman who isn't in uniform, it is appropriate to
allow her to take your left arm and walk on your left side. Holding
hands or placing your arms around each other is never allowed in
uniform. Having the woman walk on the left leaves your right hand free
for saluting.

An umbrella may be carried in the left hand. When walking with a lady,
it is appropriate to shield her. A gentleman will only take shelter if
the lady is well covered.

When in uniform, officers should be saluted regardless what they are
wearing. If you recognize an officer wearing PT clothes, you should
salute him. He will probably not salute you in return, in which case he
will either render a brief greeting or say carry on. Drop your salute
when he has acknowledged you or when several seconds has gone by.

#### Phone Etiquette

An overlooked but important social skill is phone etiquette. Too many
people assume that a simple, 'hello' is enough. This is only true at
home. Anywhere else, including at CAP, you must be more formal.

When answering a CAP phone you should always identify where you are, who
you are and volunteer to help. For instance: **"Richards-Gebaur
Squadron, this is Captain Stanford. Can I help you?"** Variations are
okay as long as the basic information is still presented. Another
example: **"Richards-Gebaur Squadron, Civil Air Patrol. Captain Stanford
speaking. How can I help you?"**

Make sure that you are ultra-polite and proper. Address everyone who is
an officer, an adult or someone you don't know as 'sir' or 'ma\'am'. You
have no idea how much it helps you when dealing with people if you
address them in a very respectful way.

Go out of your way to help the person on the phone. If they are asking
for someone who isn't available, don't just say "He's not here, sir."
Offer to take a message. If they are in the office, ask the caller to
hold and walk over and tell the person they're looking for in a normal
voice that he's wanted on the phone. Don't yell across the office. If
you are passing the call to someone, make sure you find out who's
calling first**. "Just a minute, ma\'am and I'll find him. May I tell
him who's calling?"**

When the call is complete, don't just say 'goodbye' and hang up. Wish
the other person a good day first. **"All right, sir. I'll tell him you
called. Have a good day, sir. Good-bye."**

Finally, don't tie up a working or business phone with idle chat. If you
are having a conversation that impacts the mission, then have it. But if
your call will wait until you're home, wait until you're home.

#### Table Etiquette 

Remain standing while a lady at the table is standing. The gentleman
should assist with the chair of the lady on his left.

Wait until several people have been served before beginning to eat, the
food shouldn't be allowed to get cold. If at a banquet or military
dinner, wait until the head table or the President of the Mess has begun
eating.

Your napkin should remain folded in half in your lap during the meal.
When using you napkin pat or dab your lips, don't rub or wipe them. If
you must leave the table, place your napkin in your chair and push your
chair in. When the meal has finished, you should fold your napkin and
place it to the left of your plate.

Never hold flatware in a fist. Always hold it more-or-less like a
pencil, except when cutting with the fork in the weak hand. The knife
and fork always change hands when cutting, that is, the knife in the
strong hand and the fork in the weak hand. But it is not necessary to
transfer the fork back to the strong hand before eating. Instead the
food may be put into the mouth with the weak hand with the fork held
tines down. The fork is always held tines up when being used in the
strong hand.

After using the knife, never put it down on the table. Place the knife
across the upper half of the plate or on the right side of the plate,
with the blade facing in. After using the fork, put it on the plate
below the knife, or at the left of the plate and parallel to the knife,
with the handle at the right and tines up.

Do not talk with food in your mouth, make noises while eating or
swallowing, chew food with your mouth open, or blow on hot foods to cool
them. Don't smack your lips or take large mouthfuls of food. Use your
napkin before drinking from a glass of water in order not to leave
smears of food on the glass. Never lick your fingers, use your napkin.

If something is out of reach at the table, do not rise out of your seat
to get it; ask for it to be passed. However, you may get anything you
can conveniently reach without bothering your dinner partners.

Avoid curling your little finger on a cup handle -- and be sure to
remove the spoon from the cup after stirring and before drinking. Place
the spoon in the saucer to the right of the cup, not on the table. Don't
blow on hot liquids to cool them.

You may tilt a soup plate away from you when the plate is almost empty.
Dip the spoon into the bowl *away* from you. Soup served in a cup or
bowl that has handles may be drunk. Anything floating on the top, such
as dumplings, should be spooned off and eaten first. Things on the
bottom, such as noodles, should be eaten after drinking the broth. Don't
put the entire spoon into your mouth, eat the soup off from the side.
You should leave a soup spoon in a soup plate, but never in a cup or
bowl.

Bread and rolls are broken in half, and then into smaller pieces with
the fingers, instead of cutting them with a knife. If butter is served,
you butter each piece of bread before eating. Jams and condiments go
onto the butter plate, not directly onto the bread.

Do not place you elbows on the table when eating. Between courses you
may momentarily place your forearms on the table -- if you do not turn
your back on your dinner partner. You should keep your elbows at your
sides when cutting your food; they move as easily up and down as
sideways and, if held in, cannot hit your partners.

Don't slump at the table, but don't sit at attention, either. Don't
twist your feet around the chair legs or stretch them under the table.
Place your feet flat against the floor.

When the meal is over, don't push back your plate -- leave it where it
was placed.

Table conversation should not include any controversial or offensive
topics. Do not talk about disgusting things at the table.

#### Suggested Table Plan

Presented in the figure below is a typical seating arrangement for an
awards banquet or military dining function. If present, the POW/MIA
table is placed to one side at the rear of the room.

+\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--+

\| Flag Stand \|

+\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--+

+\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--+

\| Head Table \|

+\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--+

+\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--+

\| Trophy Table \|

+\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--+

+\-\-\-\--+ +\-\-\-\--+ +\-\-\-\--+

\|X X\| \|X X\| \|X X\|

\| \| \| \| \| \|

\|X X\| \|X X\| \|X X\|

\| \| \| \| \| \|

\|X X\| \|X X\| \|X X\|

\| \| \| \| \| \|

\|X X\| \|X X\| \|X X\|

\| \| \| \| \| \|

\|X X\| \|X X\| \|X X\|

\| \| \| \| \| \|

\|X X\| \| X \| \|X X\|

+\-\-\-\--+ +\-\-\-\--+ +\-\-\-\--+

\^

Mr. Or Madam Vice, a junior officer.

#### The US Air Force Dining-In 

(From the Air Force Protocol Guide, via the Internet.)

The following is designed to serve as an abbreviated guide for planning
and conducting a dining-in or dining-out. If you require more
information the AFP 30-6, Guide for an Air Force Dining-in, though it
has been rescinded, is the most comprehensive reference for planning and
conducting dinings-in/dinings-out.

If you are unable to obtain a copy of AFP 30-6, this guide should
provide you enough information to plan this traditional Air Force event.
Some traditional customs and procedures may not be practical or desired,
depending on local circumstances. Commanders may modify the traditional
approach as local conditions dictate.

##### General Info 

Formal military dinners are a tradition in all branches of the United
States Armed services. In the Air Force and Navy, it is the dining-in;
in the Army, the Regimental Dinner; in the Marine Corps and Coast Guard,
Mess Night.

As with most ancient traditions, the origin of the dining-in is not
clear. Formal dinners are rooted in antiquity. From pre-Christian Roman
legions, to second century Viking warlords, to King Arthur\'s knights in
the sixth century, feasts to honor military victories and individual and
unit achievements have been a custom.

Some trace the origins of the dining-in to the old English monasteries.
The custom was then taken up by the early universities and eventually
adopted by the military with the advent of the officers\' mess. With the
adoption of the dining-in by the military, these dinners became more
formalized. British soldiers brought the custom to colonial America,
where it was borrowed by George Washington\'s continental army.

The Air Force dining-in custom probably began in the 1930s with General
H. \"Hap\" Arnold\'s \"wing-dings.\" The close bonds enjoyed by Air
Corps officers and their British colleagues of the Royal Air Force
during World War II surely added to the American involvement in the
dining-in custom.

The dining-in has served the Air Force well as an occasion for military
members to meet socially at a formal military function. It enhances the
*esprit de corps* of units, lightens the load of demanding day-to-day
work, gives the commander an opportunity to meet socially with their
subordinates and enables military members of all ranks to create bonds
of friendship and better working relations through an atmosphere of good
fellowship.

The dining-in and dining-out represent the most formal aspects of Air
Force social life. The dining-in is the traditional form, and the term
will be used throughout this document. However, most of the information
applies equally to both dinings-in and dinings-out.

It is important for the success of a dining-in that members enjoy the
evening, and that the ceremonies are done in a tasteful, dignified
manner. A dining-in should have a theme around which the decorations and
ceremony are built.

The purpose of the dining-in is to bring together members of a unit in
an atmosphere of camaraderie, good fellowship, and social rapport. The
basic idea is to enjoy yourself and the company. The dining-in is also
an excellent means of providing hail and farewell to members of a unit.
It is an excellent forum to recognize individual and unit achievements.
The dining-in, therefore, is very effective in building high morale and
*esprit de corps*.

##### Dining-in 

The dining-in is a formal dinner for the members of a wing, unit, or
organization. Although a dining-in is traditionally a unit function,
attendance by other smaller units may be appropriate.

##### Dining-out 

The dining-out is a relatively new custom that includes spouses and
guests. It is similar in all other respects to a dining-in. The
dining-out is becoming increasingly popular with officers and enlisted
members alike.

##### Combat dining-in 

The combat dining-in, the newest of the dining-in traditions, is
becoming increasingly popular, especially in operational units. The
format and sequence of events is built around the traditional dining-in,
however, it\'s far less formal atmosphere and combat dress requirements
(flight-suit, BDUs) have made it very appealing to the masses. There is
not a great deal written on the subject and the only limit seems to be
that of the imagination of the planning committee.

##### Dress 

Officers wear the mess dress uniform. Retired officers may wear the mess
dress or civilian attire. For enlisted members, mess dress or the
semi-formal dress uniform is worn. Refer to AFI 36-2903, Dress and
Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel for appropriate wear
instructions. Male civilians should wear appropriate black tie dinner
dress. The proper dress for civilians should be clearly stated in the
invitation.

##### The Officers of the Mess

###### President 

This officer is the center figure of the dining-in. Normally the
commander of the organization hosting the dining-in is the President.
The President is charged with the overall responsibility of the
dining-in. Specific duties of the president are as follows:

a.  Oversee entire organization and operation of the dining-in.

b.  Appoint any or all of the following project officers.

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(1) Vice President

(2) Arrangements Officer

(3) Mess Officer

(4) Escort Officers

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c.  Secure an appropriate speaker, set the date, and determine location.

d.  Arrange for a chaplain to give the invocation.

e.  Greet all guests before dinner is served.

f.  Opening and closing of the mess.

Many of the duties of the President are delegated to the arrangements
officer who must work closely with the President to ensure the success
of the dining- in.

###### Vice President 

The Vice President serves as the President\'s principle assistant. The
Vice President is traditionally the most junior officer of the mess;
however, the President may select another member to serve in this
demanding position.

The success of the evening hinges largely on the imagination and humor
of the Vice. Essentially a master or mistress of ceremonies and a
toastmaster or toastmistress, Mister/Madam Vice keeps the program moving
and stimulates table conversation through keen wit and impromptu
speaking ability.

The Vice President also notes and makes special mention of the
violations of the rules of the mess and breaches of protocol and
etiquette.

Traditionally, the Vice President sits alone at the back of the dining
room facing the President. This position allows them to observe the
proceedings in order to monitor the flow of the program. Convenience and
the physical layout of the dining area may dictate seating in another
location; however, the Vice President is never seated near or at the
head table. It is essential that the Vice be totally familiar with the
customs and traditions of the mess.

**Duties of the Vice President:**

a.  Open the lounge at the appointed time.

b.  Sound the dinner chimes at the appropriate time.

c.  Prepare appropriate toasts as directed by the President. Composition
    of appropriate poems or witticisms in good taste relating to
    personalities and organizations present is encouraged.

d.  Keeps the party moving, and is the last person to leave.

###### Arrangements Officer 

The Arrangements Officer is directly responsible to the commander for
the comprehensive planning of the dining-in and for attending to the
numerous details required for a successful event. The person selected
for this task should be a top planner and supervisor, as the
Arrangements Officer is the architect of the dining-in.

The Arrangements Officer should not make any final decisions on major
aspects of the dining-in without consulting the President.

**Duties of the Arrangements Officer:**

a.  After the facility has been reserved, establish the correct table
    and seating arrangement and arrange the necessary name and
    organization cards.

b.  Make sure that flags and any awards are in place before the opening
    of the lounge, unless posting of the colors is part of the planned
    ceremony.

c.  Arrange for a suitable public address system.

d.  A lighted lectern with microphone should be provided for the
    convenience of the guest speaker and chaplain.

e.  Place dinner chimes at the Vice\'s location.

f.  Arrange for a photographer if desired.

g.  Publish a detailed agenda and prepare a recommended guest list.
    Distribution and content should be determined by the president.

h.  Ensure hat/coat checker is available.

i.  After the dining-in, prepare letters of appreciation for the
    President\'s signature to the guest of honor and others who rendered
    service.

###### Mess Officer 

The Mess Officer is an optional player, however, it may be very useful
to appoint one. Once preliminary decisions are made concerning the
facilities which will be used for the event, the Mess Officer may take
over all responsibilities associated with the dining facility.

###### Protocol Officer 

The Protocol Officer\'s duties:

a.  Ensure formal invitations to all guests are mailed out at least four
    weeks prior to the event.

b.  Establish procedures for taking RSVPs.

c.  Make necessary billeting and transportation arrangements.

d.  Assist in determining the seating arrangement for the head table.

e.  Brief the escort officers on specific protocol requirements relating
    to the guests.

f.  Prior to the event, ensure biographical sketches of guests are
    distributed to the President, Vice, and other interested parties.

g.  Ensure a parking plan has been established.

h.  Assist escort officers as required.

i.  Advise and assist on flag arrangements.

######  Escort Officers 

One escort officer should be appointed for each official and personal
guest.

**Duties of the Escort Officer:**

a.  Contact the guest in advance to discuss dress, location, meeting
    point, and composition of the audience.

b.  If the guests are from out of town, meet them at their initial
    arrival point and arrange for transportation and accommodations
    during their stay.

c.  Meet and escort the guest into the lounge.

d.  Brief the guest on the customs, courtesies, rules, and procedures of
    the dining-in.

e.  Make sure the guest is properly introduced to as many members of the
    mess as possible.

f.  Ensure the guest is always in the company of several members of the
    mess, yet take care that no individual or group monopolizes the
    guest.

g.  Upon the guest\'s departure, escort the guest to the point of
    departure and bid farewell on behalf of all members of the mess.

###### Guest Speaker 

The guest speaker\'s presentation is the traditional highlight of the
evening. By custom, the speaker should be distinguished either as a
military officer or official of the government. The speaker should be
contacted well in advance and advised of the nature of the evening.
Arrangements should be made for them and other invited guests as
protocol and custom dictate. Introduction of the guest speaker should
avoid remarks too flattering or too lengthy. The speaker\'s ability will
be evident.

##### Planning considerations. 

Start early. Two or three months should be considered a safe time to
start. Set a firm date, location, and general action plan. It is a good
idea to appoint a planning committee chaired by the Arrangements
Officer.

The size of the committee generally depends on the magnitude of the
function. A potential committee includes members responsible for the
following:

a.  Recorder

b.  Finance

c.  Invitations and reservations

d.  Food and beverages

e.  Decorations

f.  Publicity

The people appointed as committee members must be motivated and action
oriented. The best approach for appointing committee members is to draft
a letter for the President\'s (Commander\'s) signature. Where possible,
select committee members who have expertise in the area of their
responsibility.

The following is a general list of some of the more important committee
tasks:

a.  Setting date and location

b.  Choosing a guest speaker

c.  Preparing and sending invitations to senior officials and guests

d.  Preparing place cards

e.  Providing suitable appropriate music

f.  Developing a menu, including wine selection

g.  Providing seating arrangements

h.  Planning for decorations

i.  Developing a program

j.  Ensuring suitable financial planning is done

k.  Ensuring adequate bartenders are available

l.  Adequate Photo support

m.  Chaplain

n.  Gift for speaker

o.  Site inspection

##### Conducting the Dining-In 

Following is a general description of the chain of events:

[Cocktails]{.underline} - Each member of the mess should arrive in the
lounge within 10 minutes of opening time. Members should never arrive
after the senior honored guest. The cocktail period usually lasts
between 30 and 60 minutes. This time is intended to allow members to
assemble before dinner, and to meet the guests. It is not an \"attitude
adjustment\" period. Background music is appropriate. It should be soft,
classical, recorded or live.

[Assembling for Dinner]{.underline} - At the end of the cocktail period;
the Vice sounds the dinner chime and directs the mess to proceed to the
dining room. Members and guests assigned to the head table remain in the
lounge or assemble in an anteroom. All others should proceed in an
orderly fashion to their assigned seats and stand quietly behind their
chairs.

By tradition, drinks and lighted smoking materials are never taken into
the dining area.

There are a number of ways the head table members can enter the dining
area. Depending on the set-up and the circumstances of the arrival of
the head table, you need to pick one of these methods. Present the
options to the President and choose one.

1\. Have President and guest of honor enter first with the President to
the left of the guest of honor. Continue with the next ranking pair,
with the ranking person to the right until all members are out.

2\. Have head table members file into the dining area in the order they
are to be seated at the table. This order especially makes sense when
the platform the head table is on is narrow and does not allow members
to pass behind one another while taking their place at the table.

3\. Have the President and guest of honor enter the mess after everyone
is assembled.

[Calling the Mess to Order]{.underline} - Immediately following the
sounding of Ruffles and Flourishes, the President raps the gavel once to
call the mess to order. The President should then direct the color guard
to post the colors. The color guard marches into the dining area and
posts the colors. The National Anthem is then played or sung. If the
colors are in place, or there is no color guard, the National Anthem is
played or sung immediately following the President\'s call to order.

Following the National Anthem, the color guard departs the room. Since
protocol does not require the colors, once posted, be retired, some
commanders elect to dismiss the color guard at this time.

After the color guard departs, the President asks the Chaplain or an
appointed member of the mess to deliver the invocation. After the
invocation, the members of the mess and guests remain standing as the
next order of business is toasting.

[Wine Pouring Ceremony]{.underline} - Usually, wine glasses are already
filled, but if a wine pouring ceremony is observed, members of the mess
and guests will be seated immediately following the invocation. The
President removes the stopper from the decanter placed before them and
the senior officer at each table does likewise, following the
President\'s lead. Decanters are passed from hand to hand to the right,
with each member filling their glass. Decanters never touch the table
until all glasses have been filled and the President replaces the
stopper and places the decanter on the table. Club service personnel
should be ready to replace decanters as they are emptied, and to fill
the water goblets of those who prefer not to drink wine. According to
the traditions of Commonwealth nations, only port wine is used for
toasting, and another wine is used as the dinner wine. The choice of
wines is the Presidents prerogative. When all glasses have been charged,
with either wine or water, and the President has replaced the decanter
on the table, all members of the mess and guests rise for the toast.

[Toasting]{.underline} **-** The custom of toasting is universal. It is
believed that this custom came into wide acceptance after the effects of
poison were discovered. When two persons, who might be antagonists,
drank from the same source at the same instant an suffered no ill
effects, a degree of mutual trust and rapport could be established. With
this foundation laid, discussions could continue on a more cordial
basis. Today, toasting is a simple courtesy to the person being honored.

It is not necessary or proper to drain the glass at the completion of
each toast. A mere touch of the glass to the lips satisfies the
ceremonial requirements. Toasts should be proposed in sequence and at
intervals during the program of the evening.

Members of the mess and gentlemen stand to toast, but female guests
remain seated to drink the toast unless it is considered a standing
ovation. If still in doubt, the ladies should take their cue from the
members of the head table.

Toasts to deceased persons are normally made with water.

The President proposes the first toast. If a toast to the colors is
done, it is always the first toast, to which the members of the mess
respond, \"To the Colors.\"

The second toast, in order of precedence, is to the heads of state of
the allied nations represented. The toasts are made in the order
determined by the seniority of allied officers present. Remember that
Commonwealth nations toast the sovereign, not elected official. Consult
your local Protocol office for the proper terminology to be used in
toasting heads of state.

After the President of the mess has toasted the head of each Allied
nation represented, the senior allied officer then proposes a toast to
the President of the United States. The response is \"To the
President.\"

Following the President\'s or senior allied officer\'s toasts,
Mister/Madam Vice proposes a toast to the Chief of Staff of the United
States Air Force. The response is \"To the Chief of Staff.\"

Toasts to the Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, and
Commandant of the Marine Corps is appropriate if members of that service
are present at the mess. The senior ranking officer representing a
sister service would then propose a toast to the Chief of Staff of the
United States Air Force.

Excessive toasting can make for a long evening. While other toasts may
be appropriate, too many toasts can cause the evening to run behind
schedule and dampen the enthusiasm of the members of the mess. At some
locations there may be a number of allied officers present. In this
case, it is appropriate to collectively propose a toast to the heads of
state of all Allied nations.

Informal toasts are also an important part of the occasion. They should
be humorous, but in good taste. It may be advisable to \"plant\" some
impromptu toasts to set the tone of the evening.

After the welcoming remarks, the President introduces the head table and
the Vice proposes a toast \"To our honored guests\" response, \"Hear,
Hear.\"

Normally, toasts should be planned and approved in advance by the
President. To avoid confusion the toasts and responses should be printed
in the dining-in program booklets placed at the tables. However, at any
time after the toast to the Chief of Staff, a member may ask to be
recognized for any appropriate reason.

After toasts to officials are made it is an opportune time for the
President of the mess to explain the POW/MIA table and propose his last
toast \"One More Roll\" before their opening remarks.

[President\'s Opening Remarks]{.underline} **-** Besides setting the
tone for the evening, the opening remarks provide the opportunity to
officially welcome guests. When all guests have been recognized, the
Vice proposes a toast to the guests. Members of the mess stand, guests
remain seated. The response to this and all future toasts is \"Hear,
Hear.\"

The President then seats the mess and invites the members to eat.

The first course may be placed on the table while the mess assembles in
the cocktail lounge. However, soup should be hot and salad should not be
wilted. Consider the capabilities of the dining facility and the desires
of the President.

Courses are always served to the head table first. At other tables, the
highest ranking persons are served first. Although this means junior
members are served last, Mister/Madam Vice should be served immediately
after the head table. Toasts requested by the mess during dinner and
related activities take up so much of the Vice President\'s time that
they simply won\'t have a chance to eat unless they are served early.
The President always has the option to limit toasts in order to keep the
evening on schedule or to permit members to eat uninterrupted.

[Smoking Lamp]{.underline} **-** With the current trend being that of a
smoke-free environment, many dining establishments are non-smoking
facilities. Check with the President to see if one is desired or will be
omitted entirely.

[Recess]{.underline} **-** At the time scheduled for recess, the
President raps the gavel three times to gain attention. When the mess is
silent, the President raps twice and announces a short recess so the
dishes may be cleared and desert served. Members stand by their places
until the head table departs. Everyone then proceeds to the cocktail
lounge where the bars have reopened.

[Reconvening the Mess]{.underline} **-** At the end of the recess, the
Vice sounds the dinner chimes and directs everyone to proceed to the
dining room. Traditionally, lighted smoking materials and drinks should
not be brought into the dining area following recess.

When members reach their places they stand directly behind their chairs.
The President then leads the head table party into the dining room The
President then seats the mess with one rap of the gavel. Coffee and tea
are immediately served and dessert is eaten.

[Awards]{.underline} **-** Perform awards or recognition ceremonies as
applicable. A convenient time is immediately before the guest of
honor\'s speech. Under no circumstances should any ceremony follow
directly after the guest speaker\'s speech, which should be the
highlight of the evening.

[Guest Speaker\'s Address]{.underline} **-** After awards and any
scheduled entertainment, the President introduces the Guest Speaker. The
speaker\'s address typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes and should be of a
patriotic or entertaining nature. After thanking the speaker for their
time and thoughts, the President presents the gift to the speaker. The
President then asks the Vice to propose an appropriate toast to the
Guest Speaker. The Vice proposes a toast, \"To our Guest of Honor.\"

[Closing the Mess]{.underline} **-** After the toast to the guest
speaker, the President should recognize those who organized the
dining-in and thank the Vice. If desired, the colors may then be retired
by the color guard, The President encourages everyone to stay and enjoy
themselves, if post-dinner entertainment is planned, and then adjourns
the mess with two raps of the gavel. After the mess is adjourned,
members should remain at the dining-in until the guest of honor and the
President have left. If there is to be an extensive delay in leaving,
the President may allow members to leave at their discretion.
Traditionally, the Vice is the last member to leave the dining-in.

##### The Grog Bowl 

The grog bowl is an accessory traditional to dinings-in, although it is
not required. The contents of the grog bowl are best left to the
imagination of the planning committee. The contents should be
non-alcoholic so as not to dampen the spirits and participation of those
individuals who do not consume alcoholic beverages. It is permissible to
have two grog bowls, one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic.

Some organizations have successfully used a grog mixing ceremony where
the individual contents are combined with a humorous narrative by the
Vice.

Infractions warranting a trip to the grog bowl may be noted at any time
by the President, Vice President, or any member of the mess. Members
bring infractions to the attention of the President by raising a point
of order. If the validity of the charge is questioned, members vote by
tapping their spoons on the table.

When the President directs a violator to the grog bowl, the individual
proceeds to the bowl promptly. The bowl is usually located on or near
the Vice\'s table. Upon arriving at the grog bowl, the violator does the
following:

a.  Does an about face and salutes the President

b.  Does an about face to the bowl and fills the cup

c.  Does another about face and toasts the mess

d.  Drains the contents of the cup without removing it from the lips,
    then places it inverted on their head signifying it is empty.

e.  Does an about face, replaces the cup, about faces again, salutes the
    President, and returns to their seat. With the exception of the
    toast, \"To the Mess,\" the violator is not permitted to speak
    during this process.

[Rules of the Mess]{.underline} - The following is a list of rules under
which the mess will be conducted. They are designed to conform to
tradition and promote levity. Violators of these rules are subject to
the wrath of the Vice. All assigned penalties will be carried out before
the membership.

1.  Thou shalt arrive within 10 minutes of the appointed hour.

2.  Thou shalt make every effort to meet all guests.

3.  Thou shalt move to the mess when thee hears the chimes and remain
    standing until seated by the President.

4.  Thou shalt not bring cocktails or lighted smoking material into the
    mess.

5.  Thou shalt smoke only when the smoking lamp is lit.

6.  Thou shalt not leave the mess whilst convened. Military protocol
    overrides all calls of nature.

7.  Thou shalt participate in all toasts unless thyself or thy group is
    honored with a toast.

8.  Thou shalt ensure that thy glass is always charged when toasting.

9.  Thou shalt keep toasts and comments within the limits of good taste
    and mutual respect. Degrading or insulting remarks will be frowned
    upon by the membership. However, good natured needling is
    encouraged.

10. Thou shalt not murder the Queen\'s English.

11. Thou shalt not open the hangar doors. (talk about work)

12. Thou shalt always use the proper toasting procedures.

13. Thou shalt fall into disrepute with thy peers if the pleats of thy
    cummerbund are not properly faced.

14. Thou shalt also be painfully regarded if the clip-on bow tie rides
    at an obvious list. Thou shalt be forgiven, however, if thee also
    ride at a comparable list.

15. Thou shalt consume thy meal in a manner becoming gentlepersons.

16. Thou shalt not laugh at ridiculously funny comments unless the
    President first shows approval by laughing.

17. Thou shalt express thy approval by tapping thy spoon on the table.
    Clapping of thy hands will not be tolerated.

18. Thou shalt not question the decisions of the President.

19. When the mess adjourns, thou shalt rise and wait for the President
    and head table guests to leave.

20. Thou shalt enjoy thyself to thy fullest.

**A Final Word** - A dining-in is designed so that members of an
organization can have a good time together as a unit. Various forms of
skits or entertainment may also be included to add to the evening. The
decorations, ceremony, humor, and wit should be done in such a manner as
to make the evening a memorable event.

Two cautions should be noted; first, do not go overboard with expenses.
A good time does not have to be excessively costly. Second, prepare an
agenda and stick to the schedule. Too many skits, entertainment,
patriotic programs, and so forth can make the evening drag on. If the
mess is formally opened at 1930 and the guest speaker begins his speech
at 2330, most members will be more attentive to their watches than to
the guest\'s presentation. A formal program that lasts between 2 and
2-1/2 hours is ideal and allows sufficient time for informal
entertainment.

*(Previous text from the Air Force Protocol Guide, via the Internet.)*

##### Mixing the Grog Bowl

Grog may be concocted from anything that is edible. However, you should
keep some things in mind when creating your grog:

-   Alcohol is completely prohibited from any Cadet functions.

-   If the grog is enjoyable there will be no incentive to avoid a trip
    to the bowl.

-   If the grog is particularly nasty it could turn someone's stomach.

-   Be careful of potential allergic or intolerance reactions (such as
    milk or seafood).

    Grog can be mixed during the initial part of the meal. If the grog
    is mixed during the meal, Cadets should introduce the items being
    added to the bowl with an explanation of their (supposed) source.
    The following are example ingredients:

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-   From the Commander: A clear liquid, the *Tears of Frustration.*

-   From the Deputy Commander: A yellow liquid, the *Sweat of His Brow.*

-   From the Communications Officer: A brown liquid, *Battery Acid.*

-   From Admin, Logistics, PAO and Personnel: A blue liquid, *Ink.*

-   From the Safety Officer: A green ice, *The Green of Safety.*

-   From the Medical Officer: A red liquid, *The Blood of Fallen
    Members*

-   From the Pilots: A clear liquid, *Aviation Gas.*

-   From the Chaplain: A white liquid, *The Milk of Human Kindness*

##### Seeking Recognition from the Presiding Officer

From *\"Robert\'s Rules of Order\": Before a member can make a motion or
address the \[mess\]..., it is necessary that he* obtain the floor;
*that is, he must rise and address the presiding officer by his title,
thus: \"Mr. \[President\],\" who will then announce the member\'s name.*

This is the process for someone seeking the recognition of the presiding
officer for a toast or something else requiring the attention of more
than just his immediate neighbors. *Questions of order*, which might
result in a trip to the grog bowl, are handled differently; as outlined
below.

##### Questions of Order

From *\"Robert\'s Rules of Order\": A Question of Order ... must be
decided by the presiding officer without debate. If a member objects to
the decision, he says, \"I appeal from the decision of the chair.\" If
the appeal is seconded, the \[President\] immediately states the
question as follows: \"Shall the decision of the chair stand as the
judgement of the \[mess\]?\" If there is a tie vote the decision of the
chair is sustained.*

*It is the duty of the presiding officer to enforce the rules and orders
of the \[mess\], without debate or delay. It is also the right of every
member, who notices a breach of a rule, to insist upon its enforcement.
In such case he shall rise from his seat, and say, \"Mr. \[President\],
I rise to a point of order.\" ...\[the President\] requests the member
to state his point of order, which he does, and resumes his seat. The
\[President\] decides the point...*

*...The \[President} can ask the advice of members when he has to decide
questions of order, but the advice must be given sitting, to avoid the
appearance of debate; or the \[President\], when unable to decide the
question, may at once submit it to the \[mess\].*

During the meal, the President will generally assign the Vice to answer
calls for order. It is the duty of the President to serve as host to the
members of the head table. In this case members will address Mr. Vice.

Votes on appeals or approval for the decisions of the President are made
by tapping spoons upon the table.

If calls for order become excessive, it is the right of the presiding
officer to add rules during the meal. It may be advisable for the
presiding officer to insist that all calls for order rhyme or that they
be sung to the tune of \"Three Blind Mice\".

##### Field Dining-In

The Combat Dining-In is a form of dining in that has become popular
recently. Although it may have been pioneered by the Marine Corps (it
reputedly being a favorite of Commandant Gray), it is now in general use
throughout the armed services. The conduct of the Combat Dining In is
nearly identical to the traditional version. The major differences are
that the dress is utility (BDU) and there are often 'firefights' between
rival tables.

Of course, CAP is a non-combat organization. Therefore, the appropriate
name in the CAP association is 'Field Dining In', to reflect the fact
that members attend wearing field gear.

One of the biggest differences in the Field Dining In are changes in the
Rules of the Mess. These rules are flexible and at the discretion of the
President of the Mess, but here are some examples:

-   Rule 15 - Thou shalt consume thy meal in a manner befitting a hungry
    field rat.

-   Rule 17 - Thou shalt express approval by pounding thy fist on the
    table. Clapping thy hands will not be tolerated.

-   Rule 21 - Thou shalt low-crawl within 15 feet of thy table when
    returning to thy seat.

-   Rule 22 - Thou shalt NOT launch food or spray water towards the head
    table.

#### CAP Birthday Ceremony

##### Introduction

In the military, most notably the Marine Corps, the day Congress created
the branch is traditionally observed and celebrated as that branch's
'birthday'. This is an exciting and fulfilling tradition that allows
each member of the organization to share in *esprit de corps*.

The Marines take the birthday of their Corps very seriously and units
around the world pause on November 10^th^ of each year in observation.
It is a time of celebration, reflection, remembrance and camaraderie;
where 'Auld Lang Syne' is as much a part of the event as 'The Marines
Hymn'.

While no official celebration of the CAP birthday exists, there is no
good reason not to have some sort of ceremony at the beginning of
December honoring our organization. The ultimate ceremony, of course,
would be a banquet and dance; a 'Birthday Ball'.

##### Cake Cutting Ceremony

The presentation and cutting of the birthday cake is a key part of the
entire birthday celebration. It has deep significance and symbolism that
is explained in the cake ceremony speech below.

###### Cake Cutting Ceremony Description

If the cake cutting is part of a larger ceremony or a full ball, there
should be martial music playing in the background during the social hour
preceding the dinner. Marches and other music associated with the
military and military units are traditional.

Fifteen minutes before the ceremony is to begin, the bugle call
*Officer's Call* should be played. This is an indication to everyone
attending that the ceremony and dinner are about to begin. After
*Officer's Call* the martial music can be resumed.

When the ceremony is to begin, the Adjutant will command, "Sound
*Adjutant's Call*." *Adjutant's Call* will be played, followed by
*Attention.* At this point the official party (the Commander, his staff
and the Honored Guests) enters and marches up the aisle, faces about and
posts at the head of the aisle.

Once the official party has posted, the color guard enters and marches
up aisle, halting in front of official party. The Adjutant proclaims,
\"*Long live the United States and success to the Civil Air Patrol!*\"
*To The Colors* is played. The color guard posts.

At this point a fanfare is played and *Marching Song of the C.A.P. (or
other appropriate music)* is played at a slow tempo. The cake is wheeled
in on a cart by an escort followed by the youngest and oldest members
and the Adjutant. Optionally, guards can be posted along the aisle
before the cake is wheeled in. The cake is posted in front of the
official party. The cake escort posts at the rear of the cake.

Adjutant steps front and center between cake and official party. The
Commander commands, "Publish the Article." The adjutant calls *attention
to orders*, reads short remarks written by a notable for the C.A.P.
birthday and resumes his post.

The commander steps forward to make his remarks followed with remarks by
the honored guest.

At the conclusion of remarks, the adjutant picks up a knife or sword
from cake table and hands it to the commander. The commander offers it
to the honored guest. *Auld Lang Syne* plays**.** The youngest and
oldest members post next to the cake. While the commander reads the
introduction and biography of the youngest and oldest members present,
the honored guest cuts the cake and presents a slice of cake to each.

The youngest and oldest members resume their original positions after
receiving the cake. The cake escort posts back on the cake and marches
the cake to the rear followed by the adjutant. The official party
marches off. The color guard marches off. That is the conclusion of the
ceremony.

###### Cake Cutting Ceremony Remarks

*It is fitting that on this occasion, we Civil Air Patrol members should
pause to observe our birthday by sharing a cake and a meal.*

*A survival knife is used to cut the cake as a reminder that we are a
charged with helping people in situations in which their very lives are
at stake. We carry these knives in the field to help us help them.*

*The commanding officer passes the first piece of cake to the oldest
member; demonstrating the honor and respect accorded to experience and
seniority.*

*This year\'s oldest member is LtCol John Smith, who was born on
February 2nd, 1932 and joined the Civil Air Patrol in May, 1948.*

*Symbolically, the elder member passes that piece of cake to the
youngest member, just as since 1941 experienced members have nurtured
and led the young members that fill our ranks and renew our
organization.*

*The youngest member is Cadet Airman John Doe, who was born on April 19,
1986. He joined Civil Air Patrol in March, 1999.*

# Military Service

Military service is a proud and honorable profession going back to the
beginning of our nation. In fact, it is clearly thanks to the military
that we even have a nation at all. The tradition of the American
citizen-soldier has carried America through two centuries, three major
wars, several large conflicts and countless small actions. Eventually
you may feel that it is your turn to add your name to the rolls of those
that have done their duty as Americans and served our nation.

There have been times in our nation's history when military service was
seen as an obligation, a duty that every American owed to their country
to repay and guarantee their freedom. At other times military service
has been seen as a last refuge for the incompetent and for those who
wished to hurt people. Luckily, we seem to be in a period when the
opinion of the military as a career and profession is again positive.

There are, of course, four branches of service. These are the Army,
Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Each has it\'s particular missions,
established by congress. Each also has a particular \'flavor\' to it
that is a part of the branch. It is important to try to find the flavor
of service that you will like in order to be happy and successful as a
member of the armed services.

Viewing movies, such as 'Heartbreak Ridge', 'Top Gun', 'Strategic Air
Command' or 'The Green Berets' isn't going to let you know what the
service is like. Movies aren't a good way to learn about the military,
or really about anything, because they're an encapsulation rather than
an accurate reporting. Your best way to get a feel for the service
you're interested in is to read books by and talk to those who have
served. The more recently, the better.

Eventually, if you are serious about a career in the military, you're
going to have to make a decision between being an officer or an enlisted
man. There are advantages to both paths. Officers are paid better, get
more privileges and are in charge. However, a commission requires a
college degree and as a rule, officers are held to higher standards of
behavior than enlisted men. There are various ways to earn a degree and
a commission, the most common being attending a service academy or
through ROTC in college. Scholarships and appointments are available.

If you enlist, you will spend a few weeks in boot camp, a couple of
months in a school and then you are off to see the world. The drawbacks
are basically the opposite of the advantages of a commission: pay and
benefits. If you want to enlist, you're going to have to see a
recruiter.

A recruiter is a salesman. His job is to get you in the door with the
least effort possible. If he as to go through a bit more effort to get
his job done, he will. It is up to you to make him go through that
effort. Here are some suggestions on successfully dealing with
recruiters to get the most you can from the service of your choice:

**Get everything in writing.** Take it home and look it over review away
from the recruiter before signing anything. Write down any questions you
have and make sure you get good answers. Keep in mind, though, that
unless it is written on your *enlistment contract* it doesn't count.
Make sure what you want is all there or don't sign.

**Make sure you know all you can about what\'s available.** Examine the
brochures and other materials the recruiter has carefully. However, a
good way to find out what's available is to find out from someone who's
already in the service. A recruiter will try to get you in with as
little effort as possible. Make it a little harder for him.

**Talk to someone you know and trust who\'s in that branch of service.**
This is probably the most important thing. Each branch of service has
their own style. Someone who is there can tell you what it's like, what
kinds of programs are available and perhaps even what bonuses might be
possible at enlistment.

**Keep your parents involved.** True, this is a big step. It is probably
the first decision you have every made as an adult. But no matter how
much you'd like to make this decision without relying on your parents,
you should talk to them about everything. Have them meet your recruiter
and take them with you when it is time to sign the paperwork. Have them
look over everything you've brought home. They might know someone who
served in that branch and can tell you all about it and give you
valuable advice. Even if your parents despise the branch of service
you're talking to or don't want you to join the service at all, they'll
still help you to get the best deal you possible can if they know you're
serious. Your parents care about you and have spent a lot of time
raising you to be a good adult, they won't want anything less than the
best for you when you're ready to finally go off on your own. Let them
help.

**Take your time.** You're aren't in any hurry, the recruiter is. You
very seldom have *anything* to gain by rushing, in spite of the fact
that the recruiter told you you're going to miss out on a slot into a
really great school you want if you don't sign now. Don't do it. The
recruiter has a quota he's trying to make each month. You are just
looking for a job, an adventure or maybe a career. He sees and signs
perhaps dozens of people a month. You'll probably only sign up one time.
Make it your time, make it count...take your time.

**You're the boss**. The recruiter is trying to *sell* you his branch of
service. If for any reason you don't like what he's selling, don't buy
it. It doesn't matter if he as driven you all over the state, taken you
for fifteen different tests, taken you out to lunch and dinner or even
bought you a brand new car. *You owe the recruiter nothing.* Doing those
kinds of things is his job, and he'll do them for anybody. Until your
name goes on the dotted line, you are a free agent and can walk out the
door with absolutely no obligations. Most recruiters will tell you that
you don't owe them anything, but they'll still try to build up a little
guilt. Don't let them work you like that. Finally, if you decide you
don't want to sign up, tell your recruiter so that he can stop wondering
and investing time in you. You do owe him that much.

# Sources And Suggested Reading

**\"Power Quotes\"**

Daniel B. Baker

Visible Ink Press

Detroit, MI

**\"United States Marine Essential Subjects\" MCIO P1500.44A**

Marine Corps Institute

Arlington, VA

**\"Promotion Fitness Examination Study Guide\" AF P50-34**

Department of the Air Force

Headquarters US Air Force

Washington, DC

**\"Handbook for Marine NCOs\"**

Naval Institute Press

Annapolis, MD

**\"The Marine Noncommissioned Officer\" MCI 03.3j**

Marine Corps Institute

Marine Barracks

Washington, D.C.

**"Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Book Of Etiquette"**

Amy Vanderbilt

Doubleday & Co.

Garden City, NY

**"NCO Guide -- 5^th^ Edition"**

Revised by 1SG Frank Cox, USA (Ret.)

Stockpile Books

Mechanicsburg, PA

**"Military Leadership" FM 22-100**

Headquarters

Department of the Army

Washington, DC

###### "Five-star Leadership"

Patrick E. Townsend and Joan E. Gebhardt

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

###### "Leadership is an Art"

Max Depree

Dell Publishing

# Acknowledgements

There are words of thanks and acknowledgement at various places in this
Guide. The author would also like to thank the following:

William and Florence Stanford

-   *for the time, money and patience. God bless **all** CAP parents!*

Maj Daniel Lessard, CAP

-   *for all the things you did for all those years for all of us
    Cadets.*

Sgt William J. Farrell, USMC

-   *for showing me that leadership, friendship and compassion are
    **not** mutually exclusive; and for helping me see that being part
    of a group doesn\'t mean losing your individuality.*

SSgt Catherine Wiggins, USMC

-   *for the final opportunity to be a sergeant of Marines.*

LtCol Gary W. Gregory, CAP

-   *for teaching me to think like a Senior.*

Capt William Houston, USMC

Capt Virginia Bell, CAP

-   *for the impetus and inspiration to make this Guide a reality, and
    for letting the cadets come out to play.*

LtCol Robert B. Smith, CAP

-   *for talking to the field.*

Maj Todd Mandell, CAP

-   *for all your help and suggestions.*

Maj Jim Tynan, CAP

-   *for your time and efforts.*

Mr. James Garlough

LtCol Leo Burke, CAP

Maj Darin Ninness, CAP

Maj Tony Rowley, CAP

C/FO Chris Morris, CAP

-   *for the great quotes!*

#   {#section-2 .unnumbered}

# Attachment 1: Jodies

*Author's Note: Many of these Jodies are courtesy of C/CPT Jamie
Jackson, Indiana Wing.*

##### Mix-and-Match Cadences 

When you\'re feeling down and blue

Amyl nitrate is the one for you.

When you\'re twitching on the ground,

The combo pin will be the one to pound.

Birdie birdie in the sky,

Dropped some whitewash in my eye.

I won\'t fuss and I won\'t cry,

I\'m just glad that cows can\'t fly.

My grand daddy was a horse Marine.

When he was born he was wearing green.

Drinking all night and fighting all day.

Grandpa knew no other way.

My grand daddy was a brave old man.

And I\'m trying as hard as I can

To be like him in every way -

Funning all night and running all day.

My grandma is seventy-two,

Knows karate and a little Kung Fu.

Busting boards and breaking bricks,

Knocks big trees into little bitty sticks.

Grandma and grandpa were laying in bed.

Grandma rolled over and this is what she said,

\"The man I marry, he must be

U-S-M-C Infantry.\"

##### They Say That In The Army 

The say that in the Army the chicken\'s mighty fine,

One jumped off the table and started marking time.

CHORUS

Gee, Ma, I want to go,

But they won\'t let me go,

Gee, Ma, I want to go home.

They say that in the Army, the coffee\'s mighty fine,

It looks like muddy water and tastes like turpentine.

They say that in the Army, the girls are might fine,

They look like Phyllis Diller, they walk like Frankenstein.

They say that in the Army, the biscuits, they are fine,

One rolled off the table and killed a friend on mine.

They say that in the Army, the pay is mighty fine

They give you a hundred dollars and take back ninety-nine

They say that in the Army, the coffees mighty fine

It looks like muddy water, and tastes like turpentine

They say that in the Army, the meat is mighty fine

Last night we had ten puppies, this morning only nine

They say that in the Army, the shoes are mighty fine

You ask for size eleven, they give you a size nine

They say that in the Army, the pancakes, they are fine

You can try to chew them, but you\'re only wasting time

They say that in the Army, the beds are mighty fine

But how the hell would I know, I\'ve never slept in mine

They say that in the Army, the mail is so great

Today I got a letter dated 1948

They say that in the Army, the hours are just right

Start early in the morning and work on through the night

They say that in the Army, the buses, they are fine

One went round the corner, and left three wheels behind

They say that in the Army, the coffees mighty fine

Its good for cuts and bruises and tastes like iodine

##### Whiskey Jack 

Hey, hey, Whiskey Jack,

Meet me down by the railroad track.

With my suitcase in my hand,

I\'m gonna be a traveling\' man.

With my car keys in my hand,

I\'m gonna be a driving\' man.

With my bottle in my hand,

I\'m gonna be a drinking\' man.

With my rifle in my hand,

I\'m gonna be a fighting\' man.

With my woman in my hands,

I\'m gonna be a loving\' man.

With my cyclic in my hands,

I\'m gonna be a chopper\' man.

With my Bible in my hand,

I\'m gonna be a preacher man.

##### Chesty Puller

Chesty Puller was a fine Marine

And a fine Marine was he.

He called for his pipe,

He called for his bowl,

He called for his privates three.

\"Beer, beer, beer,\" said the privates.

\"Merry old me are we.

You might go far but you can\'t compare with the Marine Corps infantry\"

\"Hup, two, three,\" said the corporals.

\"Keep those men in step,\" said the sergeants.

\"That\'s a bunch of crap,\" said the gunnies.

\"We do all the work,\" said the louies.

\"Shine my boots and brass,\" said the captains.

\"Who\'s gonna drive my jeep?\" said the colonels.

\"Kill, kill, kill,\" said the generals.

##### She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 

In her hair she wore a yellow ribbon.

She wore it in the springtime and the merry month of May.

And if you asked her why the hell she wore it,

She wore it for that young Marine so far, far away.

(Chorus)

Far away, far away.

She wore it for that young Marine so far, far away.

In the church the pastor kept a wedding license

Behind the door her father kept a shotgun.

Around the block she pushed a baby carriage.

And in the drawer the sheriff kept a warrant.

##### Marine 

The Army\'s got the khakis,

The Navy navy blue.

But there\'s another fighting man

I\'ll introduce to you.

His uniform is different,

The finest ever seen.

The Germans called him Devil Dog.

His title is Marine.

He was born on Parris Island,

The land that God forgot.

The sand was eighteen inches deep.

The sun was blazing hot.

Up every morning,

Before the rising sun.

And march a hundred miles or more,

Until the day was done.

And when he gets to heaven,

To Saint Peter he will tell.

Another Marine reporting, sir.

I\'ve served my time in hell.

##### My Girl\'s A Pretty Girl 

My girl\'s a pretty girl,

She is a city girl.

(Chorus)

But I\'ll buy her anything

To keep her in style.

She has a head of hair

Just like a grizzly bear.

She has a pair of eyes

Just like two custard pies.

She has a long, long nose

Just like a garden hose.

She has a pair of lips

Just like potato chips.

She has a pointed chin

Just like a safety pin.

She has a pair of thighs

Just like two railroad ties.

She has a pair of hips

Just like two battleships.

She has a pair of knees

Just like a summer breeze.

She has a pair of feet

Just like a parakeet.

##### Fourteen Kids Who Call Me Pa 

The prettiest girl

I ever saw

Was sipping bourbon,

Through a straw.

The prettiest girl,

I ever saw,

Was sipping bourbon through a straw.

Her hair was blonde,

Her eyes were green.

The prettiest girl

I\'ve ever seen.

I walked right up,

I sat right down.

And then I asked

For another round.

I placed my hand,

Upon her thigh.

She said, \"Marine,

You\'re much too high.\"

I picked her up,

I laid her down.

Her golden hair

Lay all around.

The wedding was

A formal one.

Her father brought

His white shotgun.

And now I have

A father in law.

And fourteen kids

Who call me Pa.

The moral of

My story is clear:

Instead of bourbon

Stick to beer.

##### I\'ll never be in Infantry

I\'ll never be in infantry

Queen of battle not for me

Chairborne, chairborne pogue I\'ll be

Staff platoon\'s the life for me.

Up in the morning, out of bed

Do some stretches, hit the head

Drink some coffee, settle down

Nothing like Colombian grounds.

From a desk I oversee

Typed reports and spilled coffee

Off to meetings I will go

Can I stay awake, Hell I don\'t know.

Early at night it\'s drizzling rain

I slip in the mud, I get a sprain

A purple heart they gave to me

What can I do for a D-S-C.

Armor and artillery

Are things I hear but never see

They frighten me and make too much noise

I\'m scared of big old soldiers\' toys.

Well dug in and over the hill

Is where I made and keep my still

Swilling hooch and playing cards

Is life for me and not too hard.

It\'s true that someday I\'ll be dead

With lots of gray hair on my head

It\'s hard to get a shot at me

Cause REMF is all I\'ll ever be.

##### Somewhere there\'s a Woman

Somewhere there\'s a woman

She\'s crying for her man

He\'s an airborne ranger

He does the best he can

Refrain: Don\'t cry for me

I don\'t need your sympathy

\'Cause I\'m an airborne ranger

And that\'s all I want to be

Somewhere there\'s a mother

She\'s praying for her son

He\'s an airborne ranger

And his work is never done

Somewhere there\'s a father

His head is bowed in grief

His son was an airborne ranger

And he died for his beliefs

Somewhere there\'s a mother

Flag folded in her hands

Her son was an airborne ranger

And he died for his land

##### The Infantry Song

Eighty-second

All-American

Pick up your \'chutes and follow me

I\'m the airborne infantry

One-oh-one

Screaming eagles

Pick up your ropes and follow me

I\'m the air assault infantry

Twenty-fifth

Tropic lightning

Pick up your rucks and follow me

I\'m the light infantry

First division

Big red one

Jump on your tracks and follow me

I\'m the mechanized infantry

Seventy-fifth

Black beret

Pick up your weapon and follow me

I\'m the ranger infantry

Sixth ID

Patch on my shoulder

Pick up your snowshoes, follow me

Arctic Light Infantry

ROTC

Patch on my shoulder

Pick up your books and follow me

I\'m the wanna-be infantry

##### I don\'t know why I left\...

I don\'t know why I left

But I must\'ve done wrong

And it won\'t be long

\'Till I get on back home

Got a letter in the mail

Go to war or go to jail

Sat me in that barber\'s chair

Spun me around, I had no hair

Used to drive a Cadillac

Now I pack it on my back

Used to drive a limousine

Now I\'m wearing Army green

Dress it right and cover down

Forty inches all around

Nine to the front and six to the rear

That\'s the way we do it here

Used to date a beauty queen

Now I date my M-16

Ain\'t no use in looking\' down

Ain\'t no discharge on the ground

Ain\'t no use in going back

Jody\'s got your Cadillac

Ain\'t no use in calling home

Jody\'s got your girl and gone

Ain\'t no use in feeling blue

Jody\'s got your sister too

Took away my faded jeans

Now I\'m wearing Army greens

They took away my gin and rum

Now I\'m up before the sun

Mama Mama can\'t you see

What this Army\'s done for me

Mama Mama can\'t you see

This Army life is killing me

##### Old King Cole

Old King Cole was a merry old soul

And a merry old soul was he

He called for his pipe and called for his bowl

And he called for his

Privates three

"Beer, beer, beer," said the privates

Merry men are we

But none so fair that can compare to the army infantry

"I need a three-day pass," said the corporals

\"File from the left, column right," said the sgts

\"I\'ll lead the way," said the lieuies

\"Charge that hill," said the captains

\"Who\'s gonna shine my boots?" said the majors

\"Where\'s my star?" said the colonels

\"War, war, war,\" said the generals

##### 1492

In fourteen hundred and ninety-two

A beggar bound for college

Was roaming in the streets of Spain

And selling hot tamales

Refrain: He said the world was round-oh

He said it could be found-of

The hypothetical navigating son-of-a-gun Colombo

He went up to the queen of Spain

Demanding ships and cargo,

He said I\'ll be a son-of-a-gun

If I don\'t bring back Chicago.

Said Isabel to Ferdinand

His plan sounds mighty hazy

Said Ferdinand to Isabel

I think the sucker\'s crazy!

The queen she gave him three great ships --

And they all were sea-worthy,

He was sure to sail to China first,

But his men, they all had scurvy.

##### Let\'em Blow

Let \'em blow let \'em blow

Let the four winds blow

Let \'em blow from east to west

The CAP is the best

Standing tall and looking good

Ought to march in Hollywood

Hold your head and hold it high

\_\_\_ Flight is marching by

Close your eyes and hang your head

We are marching by the dead

Look to your right and what do ya see?

A whole bunch of legs looking at me

Dress it right and cover down

Forty inches all around

Nine to the front, six to the rear

That\'s the way we do it here

##### Everywhere I Go

Everywhere I go

There\'s a Black Hat there (or Drill Sergeant)

Every where I go

There\'s a Black Hat there

Black Hat

Black Hat

Why don\'t you leave me alone

And let me go back home

(These are in place of \"Everywhere I go\")

When I eat my chow\...

When I comb my hair\...

When I brush my teeth\...

When I get my shots\...

When I do PT\...

When I see my girl\...

When I get out of bed\...

On an FTX\...

##### Count Cadence

Count cadence

Delay cadence

Skip cadence

Count

One - Hit it

Two - Kick it

Three - Stab it

Four - Kill it

One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four,

We like it here

We love it here

We\'ve finally found a home

A home

A home

A home away from home

Hey!

##### Ugly Cadence

Count cadence

Delay cadence

Ugly cadence

Count

One - For your momma

Two - For your daddy, too

Three - For your sister

Four - Cause she looks like you

One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four,

You ugly

You ugly

Your momma says you ugly!

Huh!

##### See that man in the black beret\...

See that man in the black beret

Ask him how he earns his pay

See that man in the black beret

Killing\'s how he earns his pay

He\'s the best the world will see

Airborne Ranger Infantry

See that man in the maroon beret

Ask him how he earns his pay

See that man in the maroon beret

Jumping how he earns his pay

He\'s the best the world will see

US Airborne Infantry

See that man in the green beret

Ask him how he earns his pay

See that man in the green beret

Teaching how he earns his pay

He\'s the best the world will see

Special Forces Infantry

See that man with the steel pot on

Ask him how he earns his pay

See that man with the steel pot on

Hand to hand he earns his pay

He\'s the best the world will see

US Army Infantry

##### Tiny Bubbles

Tiny bubbles

In my beer

Makes me happy

And full of cheer

Tiny bubbles

In my wine

Makes me happy

All the time

Tiny bubbles

In my soda

Makes me happy

Just like Yoda

##### Everywhere we go

Everywhere we go - oh

People wanna know - oh

Who we are

Where we come from

So we tell them

We are \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (Alpha, Bravo, etc\...)

Mighty Mighty Alpha

Rough - n - tough Alpha

Straight shooting Alpha

Better than Bravo

Big baby Bravo

Better than Charlie

Chicken chicken Charlie

Better than Delta

Dumb-dumb Delta

Better than Echo

Icky icky Echo

We are Alpha

Mighty mighty Alpha

##### Army Colors

The Army colors

The color is red

To show the world

The blood we\'ve shed

Blue\...that we are true

White\...that we are right

Black\...that we are back

Gold\...that we are bold

Green\...that we are mean

Brown\...that we get down

Gray\...that you will pay

##### We Like To Party

We are \_\_\_\_ flight

And we like to party

Party hearty

Party hearty all night long

Your left, your left, your left, right, get on down

Your left, your left, your left, right, get on down

Now drop, and beat your face

\_\_\_ flight\'s gonna rock this place

Boom, check it out, check it out

Boom, check it out, check it out

##### Pebbles and Bam Bam

Pebbles and Bam-Bam on a Saturday night

Trying to get to heaven on a paper kite

Lightning struck (BOOM) and down they fell (AHHH)

Instead of getting to heaven, they went straight to hell

Dino the dog (RUFF RUFF) was on the bone (CHOMP CHOMP)

While Fred and Barney rocked the microphone

I heard a scream, I heard a shout

It was old Mr. Slate busting Wilma out

There was nothing that Fred or Barney could do

\'Cept sing \"Yabba daba daba daba daba daaaaaba do!\"

##### Here we go again

Here we go again

Same old stuff again

Marching down the avenue

Few more days and we\'ll be through

I won\'t have to look at you

I\'ll be glad and so will you

##### Throughout the desert

Through the desert and across the plains

Steaming jungles and tropic rains

No mortal foe can stop me now

This is gonna be my solemn vow

I have honor and I have pride

Winning serves me as my guide

This Army shocks our enemies

Brings them crashing to their knees

Basic Training is plenty rough

To make it through you must be tough

Hey, Squad Leader, don\'t be blue

They\'re gonna make you a soldier, too

##### These boots were made for walking\...

These boots were made for walkin\'

And that\'s just what they\'ll do

If all you\'re doing is markin\' time

They\'ll walk all over you

These guns were made for shootin\'

And that\'s just what they\'ll do

And if we get a mission

Well drill a hole in you

This Armys trained for fightin\'

And that\'s just what well do

If you pick a fight with us

Well walk all over you

#####  A Yellow Bird

A yellow bird with a yellow bill

Was sitting on my window sill.

I lured him with a piece of bread

And then I broke (stomp with left foot) his little head.

The doctor came to check his head,

\"I\'m sorry to say, the bird is dead.\"

##### Air Force Basic

Basic, basic don\'t feel blue,

Six more weeks and you\'ll be through.

When you get there you will know

The Air Force is the way to go.

Look up, look up in the sky,

F-15 goes flying by.

Joined the Force to wear the blue

So I can fly an Eagle too!

##### Airborne Daddy/C-130

C-130 rollin\' down the strip,

airborne daddy gonna take a little trip.

When that plane gets up so high,

airborne daddy gonna dance in the sky.

Stand up, hook up, stumble to the door,

started to jump but I fell on the floor.

They picked me up and they pushed me to the door,

I jumped right out and I counted to four.

If my main don\'t open wide,

I\'ve got another one by my side.

If that one should fail me too,

Look out below I\'m comin\' through.

Slip to the left and slip to the right,

slip on down and do a PLF.

Hit the DZ with my feet apart,

legs in my stomach and feet in my heart.

Lyin here, lyin there, rollin all in fright,

wondrin\' if this is gonna be my last flight.

Nurse oh nurse you look so fine,

Airborne daddy gonna make time.

If I die on the old drop zone,

box me up and ship me home.

Bury me with speakers by my head,

so I can rock with the Grateful Dead.

Bury me with speakers by my toes,

so I can rock with Axel Rose.

Cause I\'m Airborne,

Ranger,

Death and,

Danger,

Paratroop,

Supertroop,

Everyday,

All the way,

Ah-ha,

Ah-ha,

Like it,

Love it,

PT,

PT,

Gotta be,

Like me,

HUA,

HUA!

##### Air Force

F-15 rolling down the strip,

Eagle driver gonna take a little trip.

Rev it up, taxi up, count to four,

Push the throttle forward and hear the engines roar.

Thirty thousand feet up in the sky,

Flying this baby is a natural high.

Took a look at six o\'clock and what did I see,

A Mig-21 was coming after me.

Pulled it up, rolled it out much to his surprise,

Should\'ve seen the look in that turkey\'s eyes.

Got behind him, set my sights, let my missile fly,

Blew that twenty-one out of the sky.

When you see an Eagle driver he will say,

\"Flying and fighting is the Air Force way.\"

##### Infantry

I say the field is pretty rough,

That\'s why the Army is mighty tough.

We\'re combat ready everyday,

That\'s how we earn our monthly pay.

I say we train pretty hard,

Your safety we will guard.

People, people can\'t you see,

That we are the unit called Infantry.

Everyday we run PT,

They run the sweat right out of me.

I say we run a country mile,

But we all finish with a great big smile.

You know this country\'s in a jam,

That\'s why we work for Uncle Sam.

To keep this country safe and free,

So we can live in Liberty.

##### Airborne #3

Soldier, soldier, have you heard?

I\'m gonna jump from a big iron bird,

Up in the morning in the drizzling rain,

Packed my chute and boarded the plane.

Raining so hard that I couldn\'t see -

Jumpmaster said, \"You can depend on me.\"

I looked with fear at the open door,

Then I stood up and fainted on the floor.

When I woke up, he hooked up again,

And that is when I fainted again!

##### Humility

Far above all the rest,

Aviators are the best.

True and proven by test,

Aviators above the rest.

Pilots when given any test,

Always prove to be the best.

If you doubt what I say,

Ask a pilot any day.

##### Old Lady #1

Saw an old lady walking down the street,

She had tanks on her back, fins on her feet.

I said, \"Hey, old lady, where\'re you going to?\"

She said, \"U.S. Navy Diving School.\"

I said, \"Hey, old lady ain\'t you been told,

You\'d better leave the diving to the brave and bold.\"

She said, \"Sonny, sonny can\'t you see?

I taught RECON, UDT.\"

##### Burger King

Down in Honolulu at the Burger King,

First Sergeant \_\_\_\_\_\_ was a doin\' his thing.

Hamburger, hot dog, chocolate shake,

There isn\'t much that he can\'t take.

Stand up, hustle up, shuffle to the door,

Back to the track and run some more.

##### Look Sharp, Be Sharp

Look sharp, be sharp is the word

At Camp Atterbury it\'s always heard.

Hey, Hey, what do you say?

Doing my best in every way.

Look sharp, be sharp is our cry.

At Camp Atterbury we aim for the sky.

Hey, Hey, what do you say?

Doing my best in every way.

Look sharp, be sharp-it\'s pretty rough.

If you wanna be a Cadet, you gotta be tough.

Hey, Hey, what do you say?

Doing my best in every way.

##### Mean First Sergeant

Woke up this morning \'bout a quarter to four,

Couldn\'t believe what I saw as I stood in the door.

My First Sergeant with his feet on his desk,

Had the LT in the front leaning rest.

Hey, First Sergeant, can\'t you see?

This little run ain\'t nothing to me.

Hey, First Sergeant, you\'re turning green,

Must be what\'s in your canteen.

##### Civil Air Patrol

Hey Army,

Back-packing Army.

Bring your packs and follow me;

Come and join the C.A.P.

Hey Navy,

Deck swabbing Navy.

Bring your mops and follow me;

Come and join the C.A.P.

Hey Air Force,

High-flying Air Force.

Bring your jets and follow me;

Come and join the C.A.P.

Hey Marine Corps,

Trench-digging Marine Corps.

Bring your shovels - follow me;

Come and join the C.A.P.

Hey Boy Scouts,

Bed-wetting Boy Scouts.

Bring your beds and follow me;

Come and join the C.A.P

#   {#section-4 .unnumbered}

# ATTACHMENT 2: Reading Lists

*(Author's Note: I am neither endorsing nor condemning the contents of
these lists. They are merely being passed along as an example of
professional reading designated for NCOs in the armed services. They are
considered beneficial for service NCOs and therefore may benefit the CAP
Cadet NCO.)*

#### The Commandant's Reading for Enlisted Marines 

Many of the descriptions in this section were captured on the world wide
web from Amazon.COM, the world's largest bookstore. These books can be
ordered from them by visiting WWW.AMAZON.COM.

###### 

###### Battle Leadership

by Adolf Von Schell

Synopsis by Chris Wade (cswade@onslowonline.net): In the mid 1930\'s
German soldier and First World War veteran, Captain Adolf Von Schell,
found himself on an exchange program at Fort Benning, Ga. During his
tenure there he lectured extensively on his wartime experiences which
included first hand knowledge of the maneuver battles that had
characterized the war against Russia and the early stages of the war in
the west. These lectures and two contemporaneously written articles on
the U.S. Army and the Army of the Weimar Republic have been compiled
into a remarkably provocative little book that should interest scholars
and warriors alike. More than a handbook of infantry tactics, \"Battle
Leadership\" is a remarkably personal and unintentional account of how
the German experience of the First World War forged the Wehrmacht of the
Second.

###### Fix Bayonets! 

With the U.S. Marine Corps in France, 1917-1918

By John W. Thomason

Synopsis: Writer, artist, and US Marine Corps officer Thomason recounts
his experiences of the final months of World War I on the western front
of France with a chronological narrative and the battlefield sketches
and drawings that made him famous. A best seller in its original 1929
edition.

###### General Smedley Darlington Butler

The Letters of a Leatherneck 1898-1931

by Anne Cipriano Venzon (Editor)

Synopsis: Major General Smedley Darlington Butler was a maverick marine,
the emblem of \"the old corps,\" and one of the most controversial
figures in Marine history. He was a high school dropout who became a
major general; a Quaker and a devout family man who was one of the
toughest of the Marines; an aristocrat who championed the common man; a
leader who thought of himself as striving to help the oppressed of the
countries he occupied as the commander of an imperial fighting force.
This work is an annotated edition of his letters covering the period
from Butler\'s commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine
Corps to his retirement as a Major General.

###### Lincoln on Leadership

By Donald Phillips

Synopsis: With its emphasis on the rights and power of the individual,
Lincoln on Leadership is destined to become the must-have handbook for
executives in the nineties.

###### Starship Troopers

By Robert Heinlein

Synopsis: Starship Troopers is Heinlein's manifesto on the importance of
individual responsibility and the obligations of citizens to their
society. It is also a fascinating and tremendously illuminating glimpse
into the inner workings of a military unit. And it manages to be a
rip-roaring interstellar adventure at the same time! While the society
depicted can at times be harsh, Heinlein's thoughts on the dangers of a
society that gives too much to its members has proved frighteningly
prescient.

###### Buffalo Soldiers 

A Narrative of the Negro Cavalry in the West

by William H. Leckie

###### The Middle Parts Of Fortune

Somme & Ancre, 1916

by Frederic Manning

###### To Serve With Honor

A Treatise on Military Ethics and the Way of the Soldier

by Richard A. Gabriel

International Social Science Review: \"To Serve With Honor should be
required reading for all members of the officer corps of the United
States military. Beyond that, it should be made required reading for all
United States military academies, ROTC and officer candidate programs.
This treatise on military ethics goes a long way in bridging the gap
between the military and society\'s understanding of the military\'s
ethical dilemma. It is a must for the student of military affairs.\"

###### A Message to Garcia

by Elbert Hubbard

###### All Quiet on the Western Front

by Erich Maria Remarque

###### Battle Cry

by Leon M. Uris

From the Publisher: Moving, shocking, tense, and glorious, here is a
magnificent saga of men at war\--Leon Uris\'s famous novel about life in
the jaws of death, in the U.S. Marine Corps. Here are the men from the
cities, farms, and whistle-stops. Here are the tough kids and the
mama\'s boys, the liars and the lovers, the goldbricks and the heroes.
Here are the men who made up the most courageous fighting force on the
face of he earth\--in the best novel about them ever written.

###### Defence of Duffer\'s Drift

by Ernest Dunlop Swinton

###### Fields of Fire

by James Webb

Synopsis: The classic novel of the Vietnam War The Philadelphia Inquirer
hailed as \"one hell of a good read.\" In the tradition of All Quiet on
the Western Front, The Naked and the Dead, and Platoons, James Webb\'s
savage, poignant novel, a classic of the Vietnam War, returns in
stunning immediacy to seize a new generation of readers.

###### Fire in the Streets

The Battle for Hue, Tet 1968

by Eric Hammel

The courage of common soldiers and the agonies of death cure him of his
romantic notions. He returns to his regiment and continues to fight on
with true courage and without illusions.

Synopsis: The Red Badge of Courage is one of the most powerful
statements against war that can be found in all of literature. A
stirring tale of action in the Civil War, this deeply moving story of
one soldier\'s battle against his own cowardice has become an enduring
classic.

Synopsis: Long considered the first great modern novel of war by an
American author, this classic work is set in the time of the Civil War
and tells a powerful, psychological story of a young soldier\'s struggle
with the horrors\--both within and without the war.

Synopsis: Meet Henry Fleming, a youth who dreams of glory as a Union
Army soldier during the Civil War. In the middle of his first battle,
Henry runs from the fighting in terror. He begins to grow up when he has
to face his fellow soldiers, some of whom are wounded and dying. Now,
Henry knows that war is not as glorious as he thought. An another major
battle begins, will Henry flee or find the courage to stay and fight?
(Digest)

Card catalog description: During his service in the Civil War a young
Union soldier matures to manhood and finds peace of mind as he comes to
grips with his conflicting emotions about war.

From the Publisher: First published in 1895, America\'s greatest novel
of the Civil War was written before 21-year-old Stephen Crane had
\"smelled even the powder of a sham battle.\" But this powerful
psychological study of a young soldier\'s struggle with the horrors,
both within and without, that war strikes the reader with its undeniable
realism and with its masterful descriptions of the moment-by-moment riot
of emotions felt by me under fire. Ernest Hemingway called the novel an
American classic, and Crane\'s genius is as much apparent in his sharp,
colorful prose as in his ironic portrayal of an episode of war so
intense, so immediate, so real that the terror of battle becomes our own
\... in a masterpiece so unique that many believe modern American
fiction began with Stephen Crane.

\"The Red Badge Of Courage has long been considered the first great
\'modern\' novel of war by an American\--the first novel of literary
distinction to present war without heroics and this in a spirit of total
irony and skepticism.\" \-- Alfred Kazin

###### Rifleman Dodd 

by C.S. Forester

###### Strong Men Armed 

The United States Marines Against Japan

by Robert Leckie

###### The Sum of All Fears

by Tom Clancy

Amazon.com: The Gulf War is over. and an Israeli nuclear warhead is
missing. The balance of power in the Mideast - and the world - is about
to change forever\...

Only Tom Clancy could create an international scenario so real, so
dramatic, so intense as the epic crisis portrayed in The Sum of All
Fears. CIA Deputy Director Jack Ryan - hero of the \"The Hunt for Red
October\" and \"Patriot Games\" - returns in this breathtaking tour de
force of military action, cutting-edge technology, and raw emotional
power.

Publisher\'s Weekly: A nonstop roller coaster ride to a nail-biting
climax\...ingenious. \--This text refers to the cassette edition of this
title.

Boston Globe : Clancy knows how to build a thriller\...stirring and
vivid.

Synopsis: As Jack Ryan prepares the groundwork for a new Middle East
peace plan, a terrorists strike throws the world into an instant nuclear
crisis.

Synopsis: The chilling, action-packed #1 bestseller The New York Times
Book Review calls\" a whiz-bang page-turner\"\--from the author of The
Hunt For Red October and Clear and Present Danger. As Deputy Director of
the CIA, Jack Ryan faces the challenge of his career when his proposal
for a Middle East peace plan is thwarted by terrorists who intend to
destroy Israel\--after detonating an atomic bomb on American soil.
\"Very nearly scoops reality.\"\-- Chicago Tribune.

Simon & Schuster : A new world order\... on the brink of destruction\...
Peace may finally be at hand in the Middle East\-\--as Jack Ryan lays
the groundwork for a plan that could end centuries of conflict. But
ruthless terrorists have a final, desperate card to play; with one
terrible act, distrust mounts, forces collide, and the floundering U.S.
president seems unable to cope with the crisis. With the world on the
verge of nuclear disaster, Ryan must frantically seek a
solution\-\--before the chiefs of state lose control of themselves and
the world. The author of five consecutive #1 bestsellers, Tom Clancy now
offers his timeliest, most explosive novel yet, presented here in a
special, expanded four-cassette program\-\--six hours of the exceptional
realism, authenticity and unrelenting suspense that make him the
undisputed master of the contemporary thriller.

###### Tarawa 

The Story of a Battle

by Robert Sherrod

###### The Bridge at Dong Ha

by John Grider Miller

Synopsis: In his desperate attempt to blow up the bridge at Dong Ha and
keep some 30,000 men and 200 tanks at bay, Ripley endured three hours of
direct fire to rig some 500 pounds of explosives. Such a story of raw
courage and personal resolve is rarely encountered.

Booknews, Inc. , 12/01/89: Fictionalized account of an (until now)
obscure action in the Vietnam War, April 1972. John Ripley destroyed a
strategic bridge, holding at bay 30,000 men and 200 tanks. Annotation
copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

###### Forgotten Soldier 

The Classic WWII Autobiography

by Guy Sajer

Synopsis: As a member the elite Gross Deutschland Division, a teenage
German foot soldier sets off on an exciting adventure that turns to a
desperate struggle for survival. This unique World War II memoir gives
readers an eyewitness account of the savage war in Eastern Europe. An
eloquent narrative, likened by critics to Erich Maria Remarque\'s All
Quiet on the Western Front.

###### The Killer Angels

by Michael Shaara

Military History Editor\'s Recommended Book, 10/15/97: This novel
reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned
nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara\'s account of the three
most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of
all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and
Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua
Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the
Union\'s left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit\'s
bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against
the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense
of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so
much fun as on these pages.

Synopsis: Penetrating portraits of Lee, Longstreet, and other Civil War
leaders are interwoven with historical detail to provide a fictional
recreation of the bloody battle at Gettysburg. Winner of the Pulitzer
Prize.

Synopsis: A sweeping journey to the heart of a country sundered by
war\--a dramatic and unforgettable novel that brings to life the Battle
of Gettysburg. Now a four-hour Turner Network Television movie produced
by Neufeld and Rehme (The Hunt for Red October) and starring Tom
Berenger, slated for broadcast in April 1993. Winner of The Pulitzer
Prize.

Synopsis: The Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War novel, now an exciting
TNT miniseries, Gettysburg. In the four most bloody and courageous days
of our nation\'s history, two armies fought for two dreams. One dreamed
of freedom, the other of a way of life. \"My favorite historical
novel.\"\--James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom.

###### The Right Kind of War

by John McCormick

Synopsis: John McCormick has crafted this haunting, unforgettable novel
from his own World War II service with the U.S. Marine Corp\'s elite
Raiders\--the men in the vanguard of the island-hopping campaign to
wrest control of the Pacific from the Japanese. In spare, unadorned
prose, McCormick depicts early small-scale battles and the later massive
assaults in telling the story of a gallant band of young Marines coming
of age.

Synopsis: Only the third novel published by the Naval Institute
Press\--joining The Hunt for Red October and Flight of the
Intruder\--this is the epic story of the bloody struggle for island
supremacy in the Pacific during World War II. From Guadalcanal to
Okinawa, it is a chilling and explosive story of men who place duty and
honor above all.

###### The Soldier\'s Load and the Mobility of a Nation

by S. L. Marshall

Synopsis: This fascinating book investigates the relationship between
what a soldier can carry and how well he can carry it -- both into and
out of combat. It also conjectures on the real cost to an army -- and a
nation -- that invests too heavily in materiel.

###### The Village

by Francis J. West

Synopsis: An account of the experimental mission conducted by the U.S.
Marines reveals how twelve Marines advised and encouraged local farmers
to defend themselves against Viet Cong.

#### The Chief Of Staff's Reading List for Enlisted Airmen

General Fogleman announced a professional reading program designed to
promote the development of Air Force personnel. Summarized below is the
reading list for enlisted personnel.

##### Basic List

###### 10 Propositions Regarding Air Power

Philip Meilinger,

Air Force History and Museums.

###### The Passing of the Night

My Seven Years As a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese

Robinson Risner,

Random House.

A thought-provoking, introspective account of Risner\'s military career,
from his dream to be a pilot in 1942 to his return home in 1972. His
perspective of seven years in a North Vietnamese cell gives a unique
dimension to the past and the future\--not just Risner\'s but
America\'s. A classic story of strength and compassion.

##### Intermediate List

###### Lincoln on Leadership

Donald Phillips,

Warner Books

###### They Also Flew

Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press

Tracing the history and achievements of enlisted pilots from 1912 \--
when a corporal volunteered for pilot training\-- through 1942, They
Also Flew records the personal sagas of men determined to serve their
country in the air. Using the stories about and reminiscences of those
few enlisted pilots who have left a record of their careers, the book
provides a readable and entertaining record of a proud group of
aviators.\"

##### Advanced List

###### Makers of the United States Air Force

John L. Frisbee,

Air Force History and Museums Program.

This volume commemorates the contributions of twelve airmen who laid the
foundation for the modern Air Force. Highlighted are some of the most
famous leaders including Benjamin Foulois, Frank Andrews, and Bernard
Schriever. Also featured are other heroes and leaders such as Robinson
Risner and Benjamin Davis who deserve greater attention for their lives
too set great examples for airmen today.

###### Profiles in Courage

John F. Kennedy

Harper Collins.

This classic by President Kennedy discusses those men who had the
courage to go against the flow, stand up for what was right, and
ultimately prevail. Organized around short biographies this book
provides lessons for today\'s airmen and for Americans in general and
has the advantage of being an easy and enjoyable read.

###### The Killer Angels

Michael Shaara,

Bantam Doubleday Dell.

One of the best novels about the Civil War, details the \"High Tide\" of
the Confederacy - the Battle of Gettysburg. Besides being an absolute
\"page-turner\", Shaara explores the high responsibility of command, the
burdens generals must bear when they send men to their deaths, showing
that even generals can make mistakes in the heat of combat. The real
test is how leaders react and recover from mistakes.

###### Winged Victory 

The Army Air Forces in World War II

Geoffrey Perret,

Random House

The first single-volume history of the mightiest air armada the world
has ever seen, from its creation to its triumph in WWII. Drawing on
hundreds of newly available oral histories and papers, this fascinating
story bursts with the valor, drama, and heroism of combat in the skies.

# Attachment 3: The Panic Button

##### Q: How is the cow?

A: She\'s fine sir.

Q: Tell me about her.

A: Sir, the cow, she walks, she talks, she\'s full of chalk. The lacteal
fluid extracted from the female of the bovine species his highly
nutritious to the nth degree, sir.

##### Q: What time is it?

A: Sir, I am deeply embarrassed and greatly humiliated that due to
unforeseen circumstances over which I have no control, the inner
workings and hidden mechanisms of my chronometer are in such great
disaccord with the Great Sidereal Movement above by which all time is
commonly reckoned, that I cannot with an great degree of accuracy state
the correct time. But, sir, without fear of being too greatly in error,
I would state that it is \_\_ minutes past the \_\_ hour, sir.

##### Q: What is the definition of drill?

A: Sir, drill is the organized movement of the mass, sir.

##### Q: What are the Six P\'s?

A: Sir, the Six P\'s are: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor
Performance, sir.

##### Q: What is the Civil Air Patrol?

A: Sir, the Civil Air Patrol is that hard nucleus of ever-ready
volunteers around which the United States Air Force forms in times of
great national emergency, sir.

##### Q: Where are you now?

A: Sir, I am in the known universe in the right-hand quadrant of a
galaxy known as the Milky Way on the third planet of a class G-5 sun in
a system known as the Solar System. I am in the western hemisphere on
the North American continent of that planet in a country designated as
the United States of America in the state of \_\_\_, the county of
\_\_\_\_ and the city/town of \_\_\_\_ at the site of the \_\_\_\_
Squadron, sir.

##### Q: What is the CAP Motto?

A: Sir, the CAP motto is *Semper Vigilans* - Always Vigilant - Sir.

##### Q: What is the Cadet Oath?

A: Sir, the Cadet Oath is \"*I pledge that I will serve faithfully in
the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program. That I will attend meetings
regularly, participate actively in unit activities, obey my officers,
wear my uniform properly and advance my education and training rapidly
to prepare myself to be of service to my community, state and nation.\"*
Sir.

##### Q: What is the mission of the Civil Air Patrol?

A: Sir, the mission of the Civil Air Patrol is to voluntarily use its
resources to meet emergencies, to encourage aerospace education of the
general public, and to motivate selected young men and women to ideals
of leadership and service through aerospace education and training, sir.

##### Q: What is the Cadet Psalm?

A: Sir, Blessed is the cadet that walketh not within the limits of this
headquarters, nor standeth in the way of Seniors, nor marcheth off
demerits. But his delight is in the law of the Regulations, and in this
low doth he meditate both day and night. And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of knowledge that braceth upright in all seasons\'
his uniform shall not wrinkle; and for what so ever he doth wrong, he
shall payeth dearly. For the Commander knoweth the way of the 7.0 troop,
and the way of the non-req shall perish, sir.

##### Q: What is Skinner\'s Constant?

A: Sir, that quantity which, when multiplied by, divided into, added to
or subtracted from the answer you got give you the answer you should
have gotten, sir.

##### Q: What is Zymurgy\'s First Law of Evolving Systems Dynamics?

A: Sir, once you open a can of worms, the only way to re-can them is to
use a larger can, sir.

##### Q: What is the Law of Selective Gravity?

A: Sir, an object will fall so as to do the most damage, sir.

##### Q: What is Jennings\' Corollary?

A: Sir, the chance of the bread falling with the buttered side down is
directly proportional to the cost of the carpet, sir.

##### Q: What is Barth\'s Distinction?

A: Sir, there are two types of people: those who divide people into two
types and those who do not, sir.

##### Q: What is the Rule of Projected Schedules?

A: Sir, the first 90% of the task takes 90% of the time and the last 10%
takes the other 90%, sir.

##### Q: How do you feel?

A: Sir, I am full of joy, boundless enthusiasm and endless good cheer,
sir.