Squadron Meeting: 23 May 2013 - Subordinate Unit Inspection

The IG will be at our meeting this Thursday and we will undergo the biennial Subordinate Unit Inspection (SUI). A month of prep and rehearsal should stand us in good stead. Please be sure to arrive in uniform and presentable. Gray slacks and polo shirt are certainly authorized if you do not have USAF blues (class B please) or a pilot shirt and grey slacks combination. As a last resort you may wear your flight suit or BDUs.

For those meeting with the IG team from the various staff positions, I will be bringing your inspection materials to include the specific tab for your position as well as most of the additional documents you need. If we have not communicated about a document then PLEASE BRING TWO COPIES of what you intend to use in your presentation - one for your folder and one for the main inspection document.

See you there Thursday NLT 1930L.

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Commander
Long Beach Senior Squadron 150

Squadron Meeting: 16 May 2013 - Deja Vu All Over Again

"Hey, any you guys get the eerie feeling we've done this before?"

..ever get that feeling? Actually, CAPT John Hill, 1LT Dave Martin, 2LT Jim Grubb, and the rest of the ES crew will continue their effort of prepping the membership for the upcoming spate of SAREXes we are promised over the Summer. And we will wrap up our SUI review.

Dave's caveat still apply (as they do for every meeting):

You all are directed to bring your CURRENT 101 card and ALL SQTRs to these meeting so we can accomplish the above-enunciated goals. Also, bring any OTHER materials you will require to prepare.

Finally, it is imperative that you plan on attending these meetings. If you need to take a sabbatical, then please do so AFTER you have gotten yourself squared away.

See you this Thursday,

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Commander
Long Beach Senior Squadron 150

Squadron Meeting: 9 May 2013 - Skill Evaluator Workshops

As most of you know, CAP National and Wing are taking steps to eliminate the "pencil-whipping" of ES validation by imposing restrictions and augmenting oversight on the Skills Evaluator role for approval of our initial operations qualifications and subsequent renewal thereof.

There have been many announcements and publications dealing with this including the CAWG OPM 8 "Guidelines For Issuing Evaluator Appointments" (sent to unit members). It is recommended that this missive be read and digested. It outlines what CAP and CAWG are trying to accomplish but, alas, leaves many questions unanswered.

The main focus of our training is to develop our ES skills and -- with the supposed "Funding Money Bomb Drop" being imminent -- we will be faced with a flurry of Group 7 SAREXes and flying clinics. It is incumbent on EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US to be prepared for our training and to know who may or may not sign us off on SQTR tasks or missions.

While not likely, you might waltz up to someone who you think can sign off an SQTR task and get his John Hancock only to find he is not qualified/current as a Skill Evaluator. (I am, by the way, a classic example of this. While being a CUL, I have not as yet received the necessary sprinkling of holy water from the powers that be to say U can sign off MRO or CUL tasks missions. It's coming; just not here yet.

To that end, CAPT John Hill, 1LT Dave Martin, and 2LT Jim Grubb (and other members of the SQ 150 staff) will be conducting a series of active working sessions to wrest you all from the maelstrom of unqualified confusion and lift you up to the sunny slopes of ES Nirvana. It is important to emphasize that this will not be a dreary series of PowerPoint slides nor the incessant droning of some authority on the matter. It will be a cage match free-for-all wherein each and every one you you wrings out the last ounce of qualification that you possess.

Also, these work session meetings will continue until (1) we completely understand the new SE process and (2) everyone is prepped for the upcoming Summer training.

Pursuant to that, you all are directed to bring your CURRENT 101 card and ALL SQTRs to these meeting so we can accomplish the above-enunciated goals.

"What about the SUI?" you ask. Well, I shall be cutting folks out of the herd during this Thursday's meeting (16 May 2013) and next Thursday's meeting (16 May 2013) to review the SUI tab they are responsible for. If we play this right, we should be ready for the inspectors on 23 MAY.

Finally, it is imperative that you plan on attending these meetings. If you need to take a sabbatical, then please do so AFTER you have gotten yourself squared away.

See you this Thursday,

Bill

W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Commander
Long Beach Senior Squadron 150

First Flights Follow-up: more videos..

2LT Abrams offers the following videos re the Wrights, Lindbergh, and Yeager:

(For those of you who have not yet gotten their fill of Scott Joplin and do not want to sit though yet another viewing of The Sting.)

(This one was -- almost literally -- on the eve of "talkies" so there is no sound and, mercifully, no Scott Joplin. But one wonders if the terminally self-referential Bill O'Reilly was on hand in his knee britches doing the play-by-play for Fox News.)

..enjoy!