Coast Guard Auxiliary

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Dustin, Jan 5, 2022.

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  1. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    Did you know the US has two uniformed, civilian organizations that assist the active duty military? One of them is the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) which provides search and rescue, a Boy Scouts-like Cadets program and aerospace education. CAP is officially designated the Air Force's auxiliary to be used only for peacetime activities.

    The other civilian service is the Coast Guard Auxiliary (CGAUX).

    The CGAUX provides boating safety, inspections, search and rescue, among other things. You can also become trained as a watchstander to relieve a full-time Coastguardsman so they can focus on the military and law enforcement functions they only they can uniquely do.

    One requirement to join is US citizenship and the ability to pass a Personnel Security Investigation (PSI), so I can't join the CGAUX for a while until I get citizenship but I think it might help me scratch the service itch since I'm medically disqualified from both the military (scoliosis) and police/reserve police (less than 20/20 corrected vision.)

    Anyone ever joined CAP/CGAUX?
     
    MasterChief likes this.
  2. chris richardson

    chris richardson Active Member

    CAP I believe you can join with green card
     
  3. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    You're right! You need a waiver but it is permissible.
     
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  4. Charles Fout

    Charles Fout Active Member

    CAP is an incredibly well run organization. My daughter participated at middle school and high school ages. The organization does community service as well as prepare to assist in search and rescue. CAP summer encampments are no joke and can be quite challenging. I particularly enjoyed sitting in the back during one of her meetings when a space shuttle astronaut talked to her unit and answered questions.
     
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  5. Strongly encourage you t do so. It's a good excuse to own a boat. The local CG Aux tried to recruit me - no time.

    Get yourself a Macgregor 26X or M - under OB, they do 20 knots.

    https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for-sale/make-macgregor/sort-price:asc/

    ---

     
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  6. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    I have a lot of use for the USCG Auxiliary. The Coast Guard itself is an amazingly effective and dedicated organization and that spirit seems to rub off on their auxilliary organization.
     
    Charles Fout likes this.
  7. BruceP

    BruceP Member

    Yes. I was a member of the CAP for 35 years (1980-2015). It's a great organization, especially for kids. My brother was in the youth portion of the CAP and when he enlisted into the USAF he was advanced to Airman First Class (up two pay grades to E-3) and given a 'fast-track' through his basic military training, all based on the level of academic achievement he attained in the cadet program.
     
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  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    So is the CAP. One of my former Air Force ROTC students became a liaison to the CAP while he was still on active duty. He wasn't expecting to get promoted anymore, and this allowed him to stay near his hometown and to keep his family in one place for about 5 years while he flew with them on rescue missions. Great fun, great flying, and when he got passed over for promotion to lieutenant colonel, a great retirement. I'm sure he kept flying with the CAP (as a member) after his retirement from active duty. I'll have to check in with him!
     
  9. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Yes. If a student completes either the CAP program or the Junior AFROTC program in high school, they get E-3 upon completion of Basic Military Training (BMT, or "boot camp). This means they'll promote to Senior Airman (E-4) one year early as well. And so on. And yes, they're eligible to complete BMT in about half the time so they can move on to their technical training school.

    Similarly, CAP and JAFROTC graduates are extremely competitive for AFROTC scholarships and are a near-lock for entering into the Professional Officer Course (the last two years of AFROTC) when the time comes (whether or not they had earned a scholarship). All POC graduates receive commissions as second lieutenants and active duty officer positions.

    This is why the CAP cadet program and JAFROTC units hire retired Air Force personnel: so they can guide these young men and women towards wonderful opportunities in the military, if they so choose.
     
  10. BruceP

    BruceP Member

    I would add to Rich's comments that CAP Cadets are also very competitive for admissions to service academies (I have seen CAP Cadets accepted to West Point, Annapolis and the USAF Academy).
     
    Rich Douglas likes this.
  11. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Now that I'm retired from the Federal government (as of last Friday), I would love to teach in the cadet program. (I'm a retired Air Force captain.) But I'm probably too old and broken down by now. Too bad, since my specialty was education and training, including 4 years training officers. Que será será.
     
  12. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    Que Sarah Sarah? Who is Sarah?
     
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  13. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Oh, the memories both linger and falter. Good thing, too. They tell a much better story that way.
     
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  14. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

  15. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Not to be that guy, but this conversation is reminding me of a friend who thought that getting into boating would be great, and ultimately found out that the old adage is true that a boat is a hole in the water you throw money into.
     
  16. BruceP

    BruceP Member

    Go visit your local CAP Squadron... you just might fit in!
     
  17. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Hear hear. Rich, I'm sure they'd find a use for a man of your considerable talent and expertise.
     
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  18. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Too kind, too kind. But I just might....
     
  19. BruceP

    BruceP Member

    This is rather fitting... the adults used to joke amongst ourselves that CAP really stood for... Come And Pay. (We bought our own uniforms, supplies, paid to attend activities, some squadrons even collected dues... we groused over it but it never caused us to quit... working in Emergency Services and/or the Cadet Program was all the satisfaction we needed to understand that it was money well-spent.)
     
    Rich Douglas likes this.
  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Sometimes, very unusual types get into the CAP - like this person. He's posted here long ago - I think as Rayray1212, Latineducation, True Patriot and maybe a couple other handles. Rev. Dr. Academician Robert Ray Hill, formerly U.S. VP of WIDU (World Information Distributed University - A Belgian creation) and purveyor of several uh ... non-traditional educational opportunities.

    Here's something about him and the CAP - http://www.auxbeacon.org/desperate-cap-promotes-paper-goats-for-aerospace-education/

    Last I heard, Dr. Hill had helped found GEAC - Global Evangelical Accrediting Commission (not found in CHEA or USdOE) , then had moved on to become a Bishop of the Global World Fellowship Church - his 'see' was in the Philippines. His LinkedIn page would lead me to believe that he may now be in Costa Rica.

    Yes, I think, from what's here, it could be said that Maj. Hill did not present as "your average" CAP officer.
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2022
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