So, you joined a Squadron four years ago that had twenty members "on the books" but really had five cadets showing each week, and the Commander's dog, "Fuselage" an eighteen year old mutt. Well, Fuselage has gone to that big airport in the sky and you somehow have found yourself assigned as the new Cadet Commander. Even better, your Squadron has recruits coming out of the woodwork, and a pretty large selection of senior cadet NCO's and a couple Cadet Officers. You have two flights but you discover as you grow that there are more deserving cadets then positions available for them. What's a commander to do?

As the commander you have several different missions you are trying to accomplish at one time. From 30,000 feet you have the famous: Aerospace Education, Emergency Services, and the one closest to your heart-Cadet Programs. Let's zoom in on Cadet Programs, specifically Leadership Development.

In most Squadrons the best, most qualified, cadets will be serving on the Cadet Command Staff. You of course are the cream of the crop and hold the position of Cadet Commander. Your number two, Cadet Deputy Commander, is also right up there with you in terms of being an all-around poster boy (girl) for the cadet program. You have two good flight commanders and some fairly over qualified senior cadet NCO's as flight sergeants, but they the best leaders and they deserve a staff position, so they fill the Flight Sergeant slots. Your best NCO is the First Sergeant, and she (he) is your right hand girl (guy). Cadets are talking about leaving because they don't see any slots opening up for a position and they are fast burners, just like you.

It is time to drop back and begin to evaluate your staff. It is time to open the doors to slotting cadets into executive staff positions. Now I am sure you are saying, give me a list and I'll fill the slots. Whoa boy, it doesn't work (at least not very well) that way. Each Squadron is different and you have to pick and choose and grow as you "Develop a Cadet Staff" (I think I saw that phrase somewhere before?).

In the cadet program we have books and tests on leadership. We teach classes on leadership. We have schools for leadership. We go to encampment to learn about and practice leadership. We choose cadets for leadership positions, give them authority and responsibility, then we hold them accountable. (if we are doing our job correctly). Leadership is more then teaching drill and doing call downs. It also includes learning how a squadron works and doing some of that work to help it run smoothly. This is where we pick up on building a cadet executive (or support) staff to work with their Senior Member counterpart.

You still need to assign cadet officers as flight commanders, just like encampment. Focus their efforts on being leaders for their flights, including having them sit on the promotion review board for the cadets in their flights.

Assign cadets support staff roles with senior counter part. Logistics (supply), PAO (does the monthly newsletter), Admin, Communications, Aerospace Ed (he oversees the cadet mentoring program), Emergency Services (helps teach some ground SAR courses and helps keep rosters and logs updated), Safety, Operations (works on various things including special activities), and whatever other positions your Squadron has that perform a worthwhile function on a regular basis. The idea is for the cadets to learn about staff positions; we do that in writing and call it Staff Duty Analysis. (SDA) The key here is we are looking for opportunities for leadership for the cadets who need and deserve them. We are not looking to fill up a manning table with a bunch of names, i.e. assign C/A Jones to that job he's been in three weeks, got his first stripe fast, we need a large staff, and we don't really need anybody to do the job anyway.

When you get large enough, except for testing, each senior has a cadet counterpart. Some do more then others but a big part of that is how much the cadet wants to learn and do. If he wants to work hard he can almost do the job on his own with moderate supervision.

Move cadets in and out of line and staff positions to broaden their abilities. You have also opened up a new position for the Cadet Command Staff, because someone has to watch over these folks so you will need a Cadet Executive Officer to ensure that everything, and everyone, is working.

Build slowly, don't try and fill every little slot if you don't have the right person for it. Get buy in and help from your Senior Member's to make it work. Keep your cadets focused and learning, and build you Squadron into the largest in your Wing.