Commander's Awareness Program (CAP)

[Guest AB]

Can someone please explain what military cap and flying cap is? Thanks.

[Herk Mafia]

Are you talking about Civil Air Patrol or Commanders Awareness Program that you can get put on during UPT?

[Guest AB]

Commanders Awareness Program during UPT.

[Herk Mafia]

If you are consistently having problems with anything having to do with UPT such as testing, flying, or even officership qualities, you can be put on CAP. If its flying problems, they most likely will put you with more senior IP's that may be able to provide a little better instruction. It is supposed to be a little more one-on-one training and maybe some 87 rides. If its a testing problem, they should find someone for you that can help and maybe give you some extra study time. They tell us it can only help you, not hurt you, but who knows. Im not an IP so I dont know how true that is. Also, Im telling you info from the T-1 side of the house since I didnt go thru Tweets. Hope this helps.

[Guest KoolKat]

I can tell you my experience...

Flying CAP:

2 out of 3 rides with an Unsat grade put you on Flying CAP until a point determined by the Flt/CC (usually a checkride, or a certain number of Good sorties.) As far as getting to fly with different IPs based on it, that part is kinda bogus...since you can hook a sortie for anything from forgetting to stow the control lock to overshooting a straight-in. Get with your classmates and the class before and figure out the things you CANNOT do...i.e. not stowing the control lock...that will get you pretty much everytime!

Military CAP: This can happen to you for a number of reasons...I got put on it during Phase 1 for moving off-base when they said I couldn't yet. My dad lives with me and I have a dog, but when I arrived he wasn't yet declared a dependant and they wouldn't let me into anything other than a dorm room! Regardless, I spent all of phase 1 on Mil CAP and was taken off the day I started Phase 2. I'm sure you can imagine a MILLION other things that would land you on it, just an example.

ACADEMIC/PROCEDURAL CAP:

This one should be avoided, as its pretty painful. If you get "sat down" too many times in EP, continually fail EPQs, or demonstrate a consistent lack of knowledge regarding your -1, get get put on this. This will earn you the one-on-one attention that you are not craving with painful GK/EP sessions with your USEM (Emergency Procedure guy) that last for anywhere from an hour to three, depending on how much time he has, and how much ass pain he can handle from listening to you show your lack of which way in up and how to move the stick to get there!

That's a fairly broad stroke at what I experienced and saw. The procedural I only saw, but it was painful just watching it...STUDY YOUR -1, 11-249 and local pubs, YOU ARE FOREWARNED!

[Guest NoseArtGal]

I was never on CAP, but the guys that were in my flight years ago seemed to actually benefit from it. If it's a flying or testing related thing that lands you on CAP, you probably don't need to fear it. It should be helpful.

[Beaver]

I busted 2 rides in all of pilot training, but they were back to back in T-38's. I got put on CAP.

It's pretty sweet: you only fly once a day and you only fly with a couple of IPs. I enjoyed it. CAP is meant to help you, not hurt you.

I also busted 2 rides in IFF, also back to back. Guess what? CAP!!

Other than the bright red "CAP" sheet on the front of your gradebook, there isn't really an stigma attached. It's not something to worry about.

[Toro]

Originally posted by AFUPTstud:

They tell us it can only help you, not hurt you, but who knows. Im not an IP so I dont know how true that is.

As a former T-38 IP I can tell you that it does help, and there is no stigma attached to flying or procedural CAP. As NoseArtGal and Beaver mentioned, it just means you're not up to speed with your EPs and GK, and it requires the IPs and USEM (Unit Stan Eval Monitor) to spend more time with you and get you smart. It's obviously something you try to avoid, but as long as you continue to put forth effort, you'll be off quickly and there's no big deal with it.

I would argue that the worst one to be on is Military CAP. In general, this is done due to a student's ability to conform to AF policy and show proper customs and courtesies. In his example, I think KoolKat got screwed - that's not the kind of thing guys generally get placed on military CAP for. Usually it's things like having an attitude with instructors, consistently being late for show time, neglecting duties, etc. Unlike flying and procedural CAP, there is a stigma associated with this and there are no benefits to it (unless you consider a poor commander's ranking a benefit).

[matmacwc]

As a former T-38 IP I can tell you that it does help, and there is no stigma attached to flying or procedural CAP. As NoseArtGal and Beaver mentioned, it just means you're not up to speed with your EPs and GK, and it requires the IPs and USEM (Unit Stan Eval Monitor) to spend more time with you and get you smart. It's obviously something you try to avoid, but as long as you continue to put forth effort, you'll be off quickly and there's no big deal with it.

I would argue that the worst one to be on is Military CAP. In general, this is done due to a student's ability to conform to AF policy and show proper customs and courtesies. In his example, I think KoolKat got screwed - that's not the kind of thing guys generally get placed on military CAP for. Usually it's things like having an attitude with instructors, consistently being late for show time, neglecting duties, etc. Unlike flying and procedural CAP, there is a stigma associated with this and there are no benefits to it (unless you consider a poor commander's ranking a benefit).

And I hear you are back there...

[Toro]

And I hear you are back there...

Holy revival. And yes.

[Beaver]

Me,too.