New Members Guide

New Senior Member’s Guide

Welcome to the new and exciting life of being a CAP Senior member. Take a look at the Senior New Member Welcome Booklet found at https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Senior_Member_Welcome_Booklet_20161_8A5918870E3B7.pdf for some great starter information.

The rest of this guide focuses primarily on the operational specialty qualifications to participate in Emergency Services missions and thus, complements the information in the Great Start material referenced below concerning CAP Professional Development, etc.  The things you need to accomplish are listed more or less in the order in which it is recommended that you complete them, but you can do most of them in whatever order you choose.

Familiarization with CAP e-Services

Sign-on to the National HQ e-Services web site. Request a password and ID (click on New first-time user link).

  • If you are having trouble refer to the Operations Qualifications WMIRS & eServices User’s Guide.  Then contact the Personnel Officer for assistance.
  • Update your personal and contact information in Review/Edit My Member Info
  • Upload your picture (review the submissions guidelines first) for your ID card and CAPF 101 Operational Specialty Qualification Card using the Upload Photo link on the left side of eServices main page.

Getting Started — OpSec and Level 1

The first time you login to eServices, you will need to complete Operational Security (OpSec).  The next step will be to complete Level I Orientation which includes, CAP Core Values, Cadet Protection, Equal Opportunity & Nondiscrimination, Essentials (organization, customs and courtesies, professional development, etc.), and Expectations.  Go to eServices>Learning Management System (LMS) (Soon to be AXIS) to view all available courses and take the Level I course. Contact your squadron commander once you have the online training done.  There is a conversation that has to take place and recorded in eServices to get credit for Level I. You have to ‘sign’ the nondiscrimination agreement.  You cannot do much more than participate in squadron meetings until you complete Level I so now is a good time to decide what you want to do!  As part of the in-person part of the course, you will pick a specialty track and be assigned a mentor.

By completing Level I you earn the Membership Ribbon.

Customs and Courtesies

Your decision to join Civil Air Patrol (CAP) reflects a dedication and commitment to support this charitable, benevolent, nonprofit corporation.  As a member of the Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, you are expected to follow the traditions, standards, customs and courtesies agreed to and accepted by the Air Force and the Civil Air Patrol.  These apply to all of us and reflect our pride and professionalism as members of the Civil Air Patrol.  You will be required to attend a short class to provide you with the minimums on uniform types, uniform wear, wearing of awards, saluting, and reporting to a senior officer.

Get in Uniform

Obtain an appropriate CAP Uniform.  The regular Senior Member duty uniform for attending unit meetings at Nighthawk Squadron is the blue CAP golf/polo shirt and gray slacks or tactical pants.  Vanguard Civil Air Patrol Store is the source for the golf/polo shirt.  To start, get the less expensive blue golf shirt with screened CAP seal as you don’t have an aeronautical rating yet to have embroidered on the polo shirt.  The regulation covering uniforms is CAPR 39-1. (Google CAPR 39-1)

  • Blue Golf Shirt/Polo Shirt (Vanguard) Blue Golf Shirt w/Screened CAP Seal -or- CAP Blue Polo Short with embroidered CAP Seal -or- Personalized CAP Blue Polo Shirt with embroidered CAP Seal (enter full name and aeronautical rating in order comments)
  • Medium Gray Slacks (not denim), chinos or gray (charcoal) tactical pants
  • Black shoes/black socks
  • Black Belt

Apply for CAP Driver Permit

In order to operate a CAP corporate vehicle you need to have a Driver’s privileges on your CAPF 101.  This allows you to drive one of the CAP owned vans or 4WD vehicles to transport cadets or Senior Members on missions.

  1. Copy both the front and back of your Drivers License.
  2. Obtain a copy of your driving record for the past three years. (3-year History Record (Type 2))
    1. On-Line at https://www.texasonline.state.tx.us/tolapp/txldrcdr/TXDPSLicenseeManager
    2. At your local DPS office
    3. Some insurance companies will give you a copy for free if you ask.
  3. Go to eServices > Operations Qualifications and enter your CAPID.  In the left column click on Driver’s License.  Click on the boxes and uploaded the copies of your state driver’s license and driving record.

Obtain General Emergency Services rating

The prerequisites for obtaining the General Emergency Services Rating (GES) are that you complete CAP Test 116, the FEMA IS-100 online course and have completed Level I training.  https://nesa.cap.gov is an excellent resource for all ES training material.  https://www.preparingtexas.org is an excellent source for all ICS and FEMA training.

  • Download and review CAPR 60-3 “CAP Emergency Services Training and Operational Missions”.
  • Review National HQ CAP General ES material.
  • Take CAP Test 116 General ES Questionnaire Part 1 at eServices>Learning Management System (LMS) (Soon to be AXIS)
  • Take FEMA IS-100 Introduction to Incident Command System, IS-100. Enter your completion of this online course using eServices->Operations Qualifications->Entry/View Worksheet->IS100, entering the date of the exam and clicking submit at the bottom of the page.  Upload the scanned copy of the IS-100 certificate using  the View/Upload Documents link at the top of the page and select IS100.

Print your CAPF 101 Operational Specialty Qualification Card

  • Print your Emergency Services Card: login to eServices > Utilities > My Operations Qualifications > Emergency Services > 101 Card > Print 101 Card, and bring this with you to all training and missions.

Start your Mission Scanner (all aircrew and pilots) and CAP Pilot rating (for pilots)