Providing leadership, management, and ethics guidance
to the senior members of the Civil Air Patrol.

The growing demands of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the level of competency, and the need for dedicated professionals have all increased, thus it is necessary to have professional knowledge on how to handle difficult situations. CAP’s Professional Development (PD) in-residence schools benefit members with the education and training given to them in an interactive face-to-face environment. The course benefits are based on the quality, standardization and methodology applied, as well as, the effort one puts into learning these valuable lessons. HQ CAP’s PD staff provides courses to build confidence, promote professional development, and to ensure high quality leadership & staffing throughout the Civil Air Patrol.

Leadership of any group, be it volunteer or employee-based, requires a commitment to continued self-improvement and leadership skills development. For CAP members this means:

• Understanding leadership principles from both military and civilian sectors.
• Appreciating the expectations senior leadership has of subordinate leaders.
• Understanding the expectations subordinate members have of their leaders.
• Understanding the history and development of the United States Air Force (USAF) and Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
• Appreciating the level of commitment and responsibilities required of a CAP commander.

PD Tip of the Week
Consider giving your members a copy of CAPR 50-17 Attachment 1, so that they can plan their progress. Let them use it as a checklist.

The "Basic Instructor Course" is here!
There is now a way to obtain basic teaching principles and aids through a new course, the CAP Basic Instructor Course. The CAP Basic Instructor Course presents basic teaching principles and their application in CAP. It also discusses various teaching methods and techniques and ways to evaluate learning. Derived from the Air Force Guidebook for Air Force Instructors, the course provides practical information needed for any CAP member interested in learning more about teaching adults and adolescents. While it applies to most educational situations, the emphasis is on a military setting similar to that found in Civil Air Patrol.

Completion of the CAP Basic Instructor Course will show up in your PD training section of eservices upon satisfactory completion of an end of course quiz.

Click on this “Basic Instructor Course” link to take the course or you can also find it on the CAP University website.

Professional Development Library
Welcome to the Professional Development Library.

The PD Library is available for all CAP members with the purpose of encouraging self-motivated progression in the Senior Member Professional Development Program. Here, you have EASY access to the Forms, Publications and Regulations that directly relate to PD. This Library complies with the PD regulations PLUS includes other documents that will be useful through your advancement in CAP.