What's the first thing you should do? Delegate. However, you need a staff to delegate to, so pick one! There are quite a few ways to do this. You can just pick people based upon what you've seen them do in the past. Or you could have interested cadets submit resumes. This option is nice because it gives you information in hard copy form that you can review as many times as you want. Another option is to hold a review board, probably with your Deputy Commander of Cadets, Leadership Officer, and Squadron Commander. So you ask, what positions do I fill? Well, if I were you, I'd pick a Deputy, a flight commander (or two or three, as the case may be), a first sergeant, and a flight sergeants or sergeants. These are the key positions that should be filled ASAP. You can add specialized staff positions later on once you are more established and as the need arises.

Alright, you've picked your staff, now what? Delegate. Delegating is what is going to keep you sane. You probably can't do everything by yourself, so don't try. Just remember that while you can delegate authority (the power to do a job), you can't delegate responsibility (accountability for a job). Determine what you want each staff member to do. A good place to start is CAPM 20-1, which gives descriptions of what cadet staff members and senior staff members are supposed to do in their jobs. However, 20-1 for the most part gives vague descriptions or lists items which often aren't done at the squadron level. So where do you go from here? Talk to your DCOC, in many cases he or she was a cadet and can give you valuable insight. Talk to your squadron commander and C/CC's from other squadrons in your wing. However if it looks like you can't come up with duties for a particular staff position, you ought to re-think having somebody fill that position.

You've picked a staff, you've decided what they're going to do, now you need to organize. Organization is key as C/CC. Get yourself a notebook, a box of pens, some 3x5 index cards, Post-it notes, file folders, set up a folder on your computer just for CAP stuff, and whatever else it takes to get yourself organized. Why these things? Use your notebook to keep any ideas, notes, dates, or thoughts written down in. I like using 3x5 index cards at activities to keep information on. They fit in your pocket, they're more durable than regular paper, and they come in different colors for different things. Usually I'll keep an abbreviated version of the activity/meeting schedule on one color, rosters on another, specialized schedules for individual activities (such as a round-robin block of training where cadets rotate to different stations) on yet another, and I'll keep one more for taking notes on. Post-it notes are great for making putting a note on a stack of papers. I use them as a senior member to keep track of who gets what test. Just put their name on the note and stick it to the test. Use your file folders to keep hard copies of information in and your computer folder to keep electronic copies of documents stored in one place on your computer. These are just a few hints on how to stay personally organized.

Once you've got yourself organized, organize your squadron. Make an organization chart showing the chain of command and who holds what position. Assign cadets to flights and make rosters for each flight. This is a good job to delegate to a First Sergeant or Deputy Commander.

Plan your meetings at least a month in advance. Print a schedule for a month with each meeting broken down by time periods and say what is going on for a particular time period. Put the uniform of the day for each meeting on the schedule for those who forget from time to time. Give this schedule to your staff and cadets so that they know what is coming up and can be prepared for it. Keep in mind that schedules don't always go as planned. Instructors get sick, classes run too long or finish up too quickly, and a meeting might get started late. Be prepared for this by having a few classes that you can teach impromptu. Things like customs and courtesies, uniform wear, using a radio, basic aerospace information, and basic leadership classes are all things that can take care of 15-20 minutes of time that needs to be killed. They're all fairly easy and all need reviewing every now and then.

Finally, develop a good working relationship with your Squadron Commander, DCOC, Leadership Officer and other members of the Senior Staff. They all have a wealth of experience to draw from and should be consulted when you have questions. Also keep them informed of what you are doing. Check in with the Commander and DCOC a few minutes before a meeting starts and review the schedule and let them know of any changes that have been made. They may have changes for you. Throughout the meeting, touch base with your DCOC and let them know of anything that has come up, good or bad.

This is by no means a complete guide to being a C/CC, just something to get you started. The only way you will really learn how to do it is to actually get out there and start leading.