"The Carrot & the Stick"

All too often Group is accused to being there to merely be the “stick” of the Wing and that all we do is enforce the arbitrary will of those at Wing. I can assure you, that wasn’t what I signed up for as your group commander and there is more to being a group commander than being a bully.

One of the things I hear most often when we discuss a new policy or regulation handed down from national or wing headquarters is “they are making this way too complicated for volunteers” or “why can’t we do it the way we used to?” Both are valid points and both can be answered the same way: “It’s a much more complicated world.”

We live in a litigious society. Everything we do, everything we say is subject to scrutiny and possible legal action. The slightest misstep can land an organization or individual in court and jeopardize one’s personal or professional reputation and livelihood. To counter this, organizations like CAP have had to enhance their way of doing business as the times have changed. Let’s not forget we are a corporation and have fiscal duties and responsibilities like any other corporation. We are bound by fiduciary rules that govern our assets and standards of care to protect our members from harm. As a congressionally chartered organization, we are obligated to keep Congress informed of our activities and as the recipients of state and federal funding, we are obligated to those entities to show that we have used that funding prudently. That is why we must fill out those budgets, vehicle and aircraft usage reports, aerospace education reports and keep receipts for our expenses. It is complicated and probably not what most of us volunteered for when we joined, but as professionals we recognize that it is what must be done to keep our organization running efficiently.

One of the things that Group is here to do is to oversee and guide our squadrons to see that all are running smoothly and to the professional standards set by national and wing headquarters. At the same time, let’s not forget that we are a non-profit organization and that we don’t have professional or technical resources of a Fortune 500 company. Our computer systems aren’t as sophisticated as they could be and yes, maybe some of our processes are redundant but in the end, consider what do. CAP operated the largest fleet of general aviation aircraft in the world, flies thousands of hours every year in support of search & rescue, homeland security and disaster relief, all done by volunteers. We shape and build the leaders of tomorrow through our cadet program and the only compensation that is given is the satisfaction of knowing that, through our guidance and leadership, we have helped shape this country for decades to come.

So, let’s get back to the “carrot & the stick.” I have heard many say that all we do is threaten to “ground” or suspend squadrons when required paperwork isn’t submitted on time. I guess that is considered “the stick.” The paperwork has got to be done but how can we make doing that paperwork more palatable? How about the possibility of squadrons receiving funding for training and activities if they meet their required deadlines? That would be “the carrot.”

Effective January 1, Group 1 has initiated a compliance incentive program in order to improve our report submission compliance. At our January 9th commander’s call, all commanders were given a report calendar outlining when reports are due. If those reports are submitted on time every month, the unit will receive an entry for a lottery for a $250 quarterly cash award. If a unit submits their paperwork on time every month during the quarter, they will receive three entries for the lottery. The lottery will be held at the quarterly group commander’s call and the money awarded must be used for squadron training or activities. So far, with a week to go before the end of the month, two squadrons have already met the requirement and will receive an entry for the lottery. Six more are still eligible if their reports are submitted before the published deadlines.

Together, we can do this. By meeting our administrative obligations quickly, we will have more time to devote to our Missions for America. Thank you for all that you do for Civil Air Patrol and for the United States of America. Without you and your contributions, the world would be a much different place.

Semper Vigilans – Always Vigilant

Jon Stokes, Maj CAP