Unit Goals

[Tollin]

Unfortunately for my unit, "fixing ROTC" isn't exactly an acceptable submission to HQ for the yearly unit goals. I'm sure most of you have read the guidelines for the goals, and I'd like to point how specific they want us to be.

With that said, I've got somewhat of a snafu with these goals. With the district putting barriers on us, our relations with the school not so great, and other hindrances, these "measurable" goals have proven themselves rather tedious for me and my staff.

What are some examples that your home units have come up with?

[Stryfe]

A few years ago my Unit started the goal of 700 combined community service hours per year. With it being a requirment (60% of your AS grade) to get at least 20 hours of community service per year, we have never not made our goal.

I think something like that would be a good thing to start off with in your Unit; not only does it help out the community, but it's a good time for new cadet's to get to know the old ones.

[Tollin]

A few years ago my Unit started the goal of 700 combined community service hours per year. With it being a requirment (60% of your AS grade) to get at least 20 hours of community service per year, we have never not made our goal.

I think something like that would be a good thing to start off with in your Unit; not only does it help out the community, but it's a good time for new cadet's to get to know the old ones.

That's a good suggestion, the community service hours. I doubt my corps could pull it off.

[Psybadek]

That's a good suggestion, the community service hours. I doubt my corps could pull it off.

Well you need to set goals that your unit can pull off. Don't set goals that other unit's use.

[Stryfe]

That's a good suggestion, the community service hours. I doubt my corps could pull it off.

I wouldn't say you're unit couldn't pull it off. Myself being a freshmen, I have over 45 hours for this year. It's definitely possible for anyone.

[Drill for life]

A few years ago my Unit started the goal of 700 combined community service hours per year. With it being a requirment (60% of your AS grade) to get at least 20 hours of community service per year, we have never not made our goal.

I think something like that would be a good thing to start off with in your Unit; not only does it help out the community, but it's a good time for new cadet's to get to know the old ones.

That is a really great idea. It would not work her in Atlanta because most of the teenager's that are my age don't go to the high school there zoned for (including myself). Our Governor made a bill called AYP that said if a school doesn't meets the AYP requirement's the kids that are zoned for that school can enter a lottery to go to a school that has met it's AYP requirement's. If that was a individual Cadet goal (20 hour's of community service) then I know there would be only a handful of people who would even attempt it. My unit's so lazy, we have our final exam tomorrow (in one of my JROTC Class's) and I know that only five people will make above a 70%.

[Psybadek]

I wouldn't say you're unit couldn't pull it off. Myself being a freshmen, I have over 45 hours for this year. It's definitely possible for anyone.

It has nothing to do with what grade your in. It's about motivation and the will to actually want to do it.

[Tollin]

It has nothing to do with what grade your in. It's about motivation and the will to actually want to do it.

Motivation is exactly what's killing my corps. The freshmen this year were of unbelievably poor quality. We have rumors that the next batch *should* be better, though.

I don't want to set a goal that I have no way of knowing that it will succeed. I can't run the assumption that I'll have high participation because things happen, as we've seen this year. Which is why I am stuck, any goal that doesn't seem completely pitiful may be too much to ask for from my cadets. And that's just the community service part.

I have absolutely no idea how we're supposed to do the cadet portion, with one of them being a recruiting goal. My district makes it impossible to "recruit" as I've said before.

And the school portion will be an issue too, our school is renovating itself and there's not too much that we can do that they aren't paying workers to do. What did you guys do to help your schools out?

[Stryfe]

I don't want to set a goal that I have no way of knowing that it will succeed. I can't run the assumption that I'll have high participation because things happen, as we've seen this year. Which is why I am stuck, any goal that doesn't seem completely pitiful may be too much to ask for from my cadets. And that's just the community service part.


You can't really do that with any goal to be honest. If you know for a fact that a goal you set will be reached, then it might not be the best idea. The idea is to get your cadet's to really try hard to reach something, and that concept is taken out of the spotlight if you know for a fact that a goal you set will be reached.


And the school portion will be an issue too, our school is renovating itself and there's not too much that we can do that they aren't paying workers to do. What did you guys do to help your schools out?

Well, you can start holding fundraisers, and stuff along those lines. Something my unit does every year is we sell universal gift cards that work at 100 different places. If you cant' find anything like that, then asking for donations and talking to the School Board/Parent Commitee would be the next best thing.

There are also somethings that you can also do yourself. I don't mean to put my unit in so many of my posts, but I'm just using some stuff we've done as examples. Last year our room was in much need or renovation, but the School Board wouldn't give us the money to hire people to repaint it, etc. So over the course of the summer we brought in our own paint and equipment and completly did the job ourself, and our handy work doesnt look that bad to be honest.

It's all about how far you're willing to go, and the level of dedication that you have.

[Tollin]

I don't mean to put my unit in so many of my posts, but I'm just using some stuff we've done as examples.

That's exactly what I'm looking for: examples from other units. Whatever information that you're willing to share about your unit may keep mine alive.

I'm looking for goals that could be mildly attainable. Something that doesn't seem very hard for your unit may be impossible for my own. Our freshmen don't participate, and we really have about five people who would be willing to participate. Five people isn't too many, and it's amazing that we've held it together like this.

What about your cadet goals?

[Stryfe]

. Our freshmen don't participate, and we really have about five people who would be willing to participate. Five people isn't too many, and it's amazing that we've held it together like this.



There's your main problem right there. You're not going to get anything done with a low participation level like that. Before you should even start to think about Unit Goals, you need to find a way to increase involvement. Give people incentives to participating, rewards, etc.

You could try making a certain level of participation mandatory, with consequences along the lines of: Demotion, Effect on AS Class Grade, poor involvement taken into careful consideration when promotion board time comes.

[Tollin]

There's your main problem right there. You're not going to get anything done with a low participation level like that. Before you should even start to think about Unit Goals, you need to find a way to increase involvement. Give people incentives to participating, rewards, etc.

You could try making a certain level of participation mandatory, with consequences along the lines of: Demotion, Effect on AS Class Grade, poor involvement taken into careful consideration when promotion board time comes.

While normally I would agree completely, none of those things matter to these kids.

[Stryfe]

While normally I would agree completely, none of those things matter to these kids.

From what I'm reading from you, it sounds like you've pretty much given up on your Cadets; save a few. If only around 5 kids care for the Unit, and the rest don't...then I don't see your Unit turning itself around anytime soon.

I've given you plenty of examples of what you could be doing with your Unit, but all I've heard back from you is how you know your Unit won't be able to accomplish it, or how none of your cadets care.

You're not going to get instant results in a day, and from the way you speak of your Unit, I don't see it happening even in a month.

You don't know what each of your Cadets are fully capable of when they put their mind too it, so don't put anything above them. It takes time.

[Tollin]

From what I'm reading from you, it sounds like you've pretty much given up on your Cadets; save a few. If only around 5 kids care for the Unit, and the rest don't...then I don't see your Unit turning itself around anytime soon.

I've given you plenty of examples of what you could be doing with your Unit, but all I've heard back from you is how you know your Unit won't be able to accomplish it, or how none of your cadets care.

You're not going to get instant results in a day, and from the way you speak of your Unit, I don't see it happening even in a month.

You don't know what each of your Cadets are fully capable of when they put their mind too it, so don't put anything above them. It takes time.

I'm pretty sure that I heartily accepted the community service hour idea, and I still do. However, do not think I am unjustified in my frustration with my CORPs. If these kids are the future of America, I want to move out. That's how bad they are.

I never expected to see results in a day, nor in a month. I'm watching the rest of this semester play out so I can get rid of all of the freshmen who are worth nothing, and start from scratch. This is where your ideas and advice plays in.

[StormCrow]

Your main objective from my personal experience should be to find a way to engage your cadets. Make them want to wear that uniform but don't let them run you either. Incentives are good such as pizza parties, field days, and things like that. Field trips are great but your boundary as Cadet Corps Commander lays right there with that because all you really can do is ask your instructor and then wait.

A great way to engage your cadets is have a competition, between squadrons or flights...Flight competition is better, because it builds loyalty to lower level commanders, and esprit de corps. You should have a reward at the end of it though. Field days are great to, usually on the weekends, just to show that being a cadet isn't about just marching and wearing a uniform. You can sell concessions at said field day and donate the proceedings to a local community charity or something to get the community on your side to...

Just a few suggestions...

Storm

[StarLifter]

Your peers have a point, Tollin. You need goals that are measureable, achieveable, and able to be worked towards.

For example,

"Enhance recruiting and retension to achieve a 10% increase in recruits, and a 10% decrease in loss of current student census."

"Enhance awareness and encourage participation in after school activities to achieve a fully functional unarmed drill team, armed drill team, color guard, community service group of at least 5 members, and public affairs team of at least 5 members."

Just some food for thought. Also, I made those up on the fly. They didn't come from a set of unit guidelines.

-- StarLifter

[StormCrow]

As far as Goals for HQ goes...I agree with, Starlifter. Use numbers, and say we a lot. But make sure those numbers are reachable. A good way to measure this is to take your goals narrow them down to the top five, then try to make an action plan that can reach those goals within your command time frame. Whichever works best should be sent to HQ. This doesn't mean you can't work on your other goals though...

Storm

[StarLifter]

As far as Goals for HQ goes...I agree with, Starlifter. Use numbers, and say we a lot. But make sure those numbers are reachable. A good way to measure this is to take your goals narrow them down to the top five, then try to make an action plan that can reach those goals within your command time frame. Whichever works best should be sent to HQ. This doesn't mean you can't work on your other goals though...

Storm


Coming from a former cadet IG who used to review these goals prior to sending them to HQ...

Avoid using identifiers such as I, we or they, when possible. Make the statements similar to what is posted above in my previous message, again if possible. Try your best to make your unit goals mirror the individual goals of each group within your program. For example, if your drill teams and color guard have in their goals, "Have a competition team for the duration of school year 2009 - 2010," then you integrate their goals into the unit goal in some way.

-- StarLifter

[Tollin]

We have inter-flight competition, it's called Rhino Days, I have no idea if that is something that we do or that all of us do.

For some reason I did not think of a retainment goal, and I like that a lot. We have a huge problem with retainment and I'd like to pick that up. Great suggestion.