CADET SPONSOR MEMBER (SENIOR)

Cadet Sponsor Member (CSM) is a membership category allowing parents, grandparents, and guardians of current cadets to assist their unit’s cadet program. CSMs may serve as chaperones, help with transportation, and support the Cadet Program at the unit commander’s discretion, but CSMs will not be assigned to senior member staff positions.

A cadet sponsor is a financial supporter who maintains current membership through payment of annual dues (national only) and may:

• Ride in or drive a corporate CAP vehicle after receiving approval and certification;

• Ride (as a passenger only) on CAP air transportation if available;

• Act as a chaperone at activities, meetings, and overnight events to maintain CAP’s two-deep adult supervisor requirements; and

• Wear any of the CAP-only distinctive uniforms if desired (and approved by unit commander), but not required, when assisting with cadet activities.

  • Adult Uniforms - See 'Corporate Uniforms'

Oath of Membership

Agreement with CAP’s Oath of Membership is part of the member application and is re-affirmed when you renew your membership. It means that you are committed to the mission, vision, and values of Civil Air Patrol.

Cadet Sponsor Membership Criteria

The following are requirements to join CAP as a Cadet Sponsor Member:

• Be a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of an active CAP cadet;

• Be at least 18 years of age or be a member of the Armed Forces on active duty at any age;

• Be a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence (a lawfully admitted non-citizen residing in the U.S. may have this waived by CAP’s National Headquarters); and

• Be accepted by the CAP unit’s membership board that you are joining.

Note: The Unit Membership Board is applicable to cadet sponsors, active senior, and patron members assigned to local units. The board assists in determining the eligibility of new applicants and consists of 1-3 members. Individuals in other membership categories that wish to transfer into active units must also be accepted by the local board.

Membership may be rejected, unless waived by CAP’s National Headquarters, due to a conviction of a felony by any court of record whether federal, state, or military; a pattern of arrests and/or convictions including, but not limited to, sex offenses, child abuse, DUIs, dishonesty, and violence; discharge from the Armed Forces under other than honorable conditions; falsification of information on the membership application; been previously terminated or non-renewed for cause from membership in CAP; or any other unfavorable information brought to the attention of CAP officials at any level.

Membership is on a year-to-year basis. Members may have their membership terminated for failure to pay any debt to CAP within 60 days of proper notification, which includes payments made resulting in returned checks, assessments for damaged/lost property, denied reimbursable expenses, and failure to provide substantiation for advances paid; failure to respond within 45 days to requests by national headquarters for additional background information; or for cause when conduct, behavior, or effectiveness fail to meet standards, which may be justified by conduct involving moral turpitude, conduct unbecoming a member of CAP, financial irresponsibility, insanity, habitual drunkenness, sexual perversion, or illiteracy, habitual failure to perform duty, making a false statement to or concerning CAP, serious or willful violations of CAP regulations or directives, substandard performance of duty over an extended period of time, failure to obey rules, regulations, and orders of higher authority, insubordination, and any other conduct, action, or incident which violates policy, provided the reason for termination is clearly stated in the letter of notification.

Once you are ready to join us, fill out a paper CAPF 12 senior application (PDF) — with “Cadet Sponsor” checked — to be mailed (with a check or credit card info) to our national headquarters along with the required membership dues and FBI fingerprint card. Your proof of identity will need to be confirmed by the squadron. You will need to know your squadron charter number to apply online, which will be “OK” for the Wing and the 3-digit squadron number.

Cadet Sponsor Members join at $30 per year.

Note: Cadet Sponsor Members may transfer to active membership status at no additional cost for the remaining membership year. The following year will be subject to the annual Senior Member rate which is $82 a year as of Jan 2022.