Sometimes the most difficult part of promoting is lack of motivation. Many cadets fall to the illusion that promoting is nearly impossible or that is takes massive amounts of time. This is not true- especially for your first stage of promotions. It's important to follow your promotion track so that you're making promotions on time, and to go to the cadets around you for support and motivation to continue pursuing excellence.
Civil Air Patrol Doesn't have to be Boring. While we practice professionalism and we must be respectful to our leaders, CAP is still a fun and awesome environment! There will be plenty of opportunities to have fun and to strengthen bonds as a team through awesome activities! Civil Air Patrol is also an awesome environment to make friends. Cadets all have one thing guaranteed to have in common: they're cadets. There will also most likely be other cadets that are your age and have other similarities with which you can relate to. CAP is a safe and awesome environment to make lasting friendships.
(left, Cadets from Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau and a Senior Member from Sitka bowl at the Juneau Bowling Alley on the last day of the Alaska Coastal Academy.
Cadets from Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau play frisbee golf at Faith Lutheran Church in Juneau, Alaska towards the beginning of the Alaska Coastal Academy.
You Don't have to Go it Alone. The awesome thing about Civil Air Patrol is that it automatically comes with a team- your squadron. And the great thing about a team is that everyone works together and supports one another. Your squadron is equipped with a knowledgeable team of staff and Senior Members that can assist you wherever you need, and you have other cadets in your flight that you can turn to if you need help or motivation to promote. Your peers are also your "cheerleaders"!
Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau Cadets work together on their first SAR training mission.
Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau Cadets celebrate the success of their first SAR training mission.
Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau Cadets use team work to get the squadron's Cessna 185 out of the Juneau hangar.
Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau Cadets train together as they learn how to plot a course by using a compass.
Support Others and Get Support! You're part of a team! make sure that you're motivating and helping others to make their promotional goals. You can affect your peer's attitudes simply by being kind or commending them for their hard work. If you're feeling unmotivated in CAP, reach out for support and for motivation. Often times you might just need to feel that others are there for you to push to get that next promotion, pass that PT test, or get the training that you've been working towards.
Southeast Composite Squadron's cadets work together to flag down the CAP vehicle to take them back to Juneau's Hangar during the Alaska Coastal Training Academy in August 2022.
Words Of Support and Advice From SE AK Squadron Staff
C/2d Lt Alexis Juergens
Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary
(M) (907) 209-5080
It might seem like the work towards promotions is long, hard, and boring, but this isn't the case! The online factor might make it intimidating, but believe me, once you get started you'll find it's really easy. Making your first promotions timely is really important in getting to your higher promotions. Take if from someone who started off really slowly, it's not fun to have to catch up. You got this, cadet! Get on eServices and crank out your promotions and before you know it we'll be calling you "sir/ma'am."
Southeast Comp. Sq. Cadet Deputy Commander
(M) (907)-723-7687
I have been a cadet for 4 years. During that time I have learned many things, but the most important thing I have learned is how not to give up. At times it might feel like you will never make cadet officer, or that you will never be selected as Cadre. But we must always remember, no matter how many times you get told no, or how many times you try your hardest and don’t succeed, you will get there eventually. Just. Never. Give. Up. In the words of Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"