Community Service / Volunteerism C.A.P.

Hello,
My son is working diligently on his academic and personal development to eventually apply at the Naval Academy. As for community service / volunteerism, he is currently in the "community service club" at his high school. Unfortunately, their activity in the community is limited.

He is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol and they provide emergency, search/rescue and community service opportunities, which unfortunately is also limited. So my questions is: Can the membership in the Civil Air Patrol be counted as volunteerism for the USNA?

Service

BGO told our kids to find a service they truly were interested in and stick to it. Commitment to one thing, where you can show dedication, growth, increase in skill and possibly leadership...and true, signifcant service, is better than signing up for random service opportunities with random organizations or clubs. So, maybe your son could offer to LEAD some service projects with groups he is already in to increase the amount of service he is doing? That also would add leadership to the service.


HTH-
S

stella said:

BGO told our kids to find a service they truly were interested in and stick to it. Commitment to one thing, where you can show dedication, growth, increase in skill and possibly leadership...and true, signifcant service, is better than signing up for random service opportunities with random organizations or clubs. So, maybe your son could offer to LEAD some service projects with groups he is already in to increase the amount of service he is doing? That also would add leadership to the service.


HTH-
S

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Significant service, is a very important component of community service. I would rather have my son contributing to a worthwhile cause rather than just filling that "block" on the application... even if it means that he's not accepted. Unfortunately, my limited interaction with USNA helicopter parents, has been somewhat unsettling. Many are extremely driven and have offered multiple ideas to fill the boxes. Many, and I mean MANY, don't understand what the real purpose of honest community service. Hopefully, community service develops the applicants personality. Just filling the box does not.
Thanks very much for the reply.

So, maybe your son could offer to LEAD some service projects with groups he is already in to increase the amount of service he is doing? That also would add leadership to the service.

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What an absolutely great suggestion...instead of waiting for the community service opportunity to come, be proactive and lead one. That is a great way to ensure you are giving back to the community on a more frequent basis, while putting one's leadership/organization skills to work. There are countless organizations who need volunteers and it is almost impossible not to find one who would gladly open their arms to any help.

I also was a cadet in CAP and there many leadership opportunities I had in the squadron, but I only received them through putting in the time and contributing to the unit. You get out what you put in.

MD11 said:

Hello,
My son is working diligently on his academic and personal development to eventually apply at the Naval Academy. As for community service / volunteerism, he is currently in the "community service club" at his high school. Unfortunately, their activity in the community is limited.

He is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol and they provide emergency, search/rescue and community service opportunities, which unfortunately is also limited. So my questions is: Can the membership in the Civil Air Patrol be counted as volunteerism for the USNA?

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This really interests me too. I am by no means low on volunteer work, but does stuff like campaign work count (114 hours/3.5 weeks)?

I work at the library too, and that gives me some time. I am also going to get some time this summer working at VBS at church. That is just some of the stuff that I do, but there are a lot of possibilities.

Could you tell me more about the CAP? I don't know anything about it, but it looks like I have a better chance of getting my mom to let me do that than JROTC, and it is also on the list of possibilities for High School, along with JROTC, so I am trying to find out about it.

Ashleigh

Hi Ashleigh,
I’m not sure about the campaign work but maybe somebody else can offer an opinion. I would say the library and VBS are definitely good.
The Civil Air Patrol was started just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor and is an auxiliary to the Air Force.
Cadets fly, learn to lead, hike, camp, get in shape, and push themselves to new limits. The CAP can help you learn about a career in aviation, space, or the military.
To become a cadet, you must be at least 12 years old and not yet 19 years old. Cadets meet 2 hours per week and one Saturday per month, on average, and also have opportunities to attend leadership encampments, career academies, and other activities during the summer.
Also, most flight wings offer up to four free flights in a Cessna 182 or 172. If you choose to progress and earn your private license, a CAP aircraft can be used for a fraction of the price of a flight school. It’s really a great deal for the aspiring aviator.
Go to gocivilairpatrol.com to learn more. Also, on the home page, right side, you will find a civil air patrol locator. Just look at Jr Cadet and Composite Flight Wings. The Senior Wings are for adults only. Hope this helps.

It does help. Thanks. I just wish that there was more of this kind of stuff I could do. This is the kind of stuff I love.

Ashleigh

MD11 said:

Significant service, is a very important component of community service. I would rather have my son contributing to a worthwhile cause rather than just filling that "block" on the application... even if it means that he's not accepted. Unfortunately, my limited interaction with USNA helicopter parents, has been somewhat unsettling. Many are extremely driven and have offered multiple ideas to fill the boxes. Many, and I mean MANY, don't understand what the real purpose of honest community service. Hopefully, community service develops the applicants personality. Just filling the box does not.
Thanks very much for the reply.

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MD11--IMHO, you have the correct attitude towards service. DS, presently a plebe, did what he wanted to do with respect to community service. Most of his volunteer hours were at a no-kill cat shelter and on mission trips and had nothing to do with making sure he'd look good for USNA as he didn't even decide he might want to attend the academy until the spring of his senior year--a bit too late to pad the resume at that point. As for CAP (DS participated for a couple of years), whenever they volunteer their time at activities that CAP supports, those are volunteer hours. Have your son be himself and if he's a good fit for USNA, he'll get in.

COmom- Thanks so much for the encouraging reply!

The CAP can be a big asset to your understanding of things military, and you can look to your church or some of the other service opportunities in your community. Does it have a food bank? Does your school have a Key Club (Kiwanis)? Is there a Senior Center in town? Is there a program in the local hospital or nursing home for volunteer service? Depending how far you are from graduating you might look into scouting. Work in an animal shelter. Does your school have a tutoring program where you can help other students who are having academic problems? There truly are tons of programs available for you, all you have to do is pick a couple that really appeal and pursue them.

DS did over 100 hours of community service in the PT dept at the VA hospital. It was an eye opennig experience and she got to learn about many aspects of the military serivce from those who were enlisted. Many of the experiences she had there lead to great admission essays. We are still waiting to hear from admissions, but the MOC interviews picked up of the VA service right away and that seemed to set her apart from other canidates.

Forgot to mention that the vets at the VA are so appreciative of service by young people. She really felt that she made a difference in their day!