By Captain Jay A. Sliwinski, CAP
STAFF DUTY ANALYSIS:
CAP’S RUBIX CUBE
SENIOR MEMBER TRAINING
What is SDA?
 Staff Duty Analysis
 Official answer from CAPP52-14
 Improve critical think skills
 Improve communication skills
 Comprehend Leadership and Teamwork
CAPP52-14 PAGE 1
What is SDA?
 Staff Duty Analysis
 My Answer
 To give the cadet officers a more global view of the
squadron by learning how a variety of senior staff
positions work and evaluating what they do.
 Teach cadet officers WHERE and HOW to find
answers to their own questions.
Different Phases of the
Cadet Program
 It is important to understand the four phases
of the cadet program and their training goals
Phase 1: Learning Phase
 Achievement 1 – 3
 Ends with Wright Brother’s Award
 Stresses “Followership”
Phase 2: Leadership Phase
 Achievement 4 – 8
 Ends with General Billy Mitchell Award
 Stresses Supervisory Leadership
Phase 3: Command Phase
 Achievements 9 – 11
 Ends with Amelia Earhart Award
 Stresses Junior Management
Phase IV: Executive Phase
 Achievements 12 – 16
 Ends with General Ira Eaker Award
 Stresses Upper Management Skills
General Carl A. Spaatz Award
 Completion of the Cadet Program
 Comprehensive Leadership Test
 Comprehensive Aerospace Test
 Written Essay
 Physical Fitness Test
 Often transition to Senior Member
Leadership
Who Should Administer the
SDA?
 It should be a team effort.
 “SDA Coordinator” should be a senior member
who has studied the operation of the SDA
program.
 Frequently a former CAP Cadet Officer
 Someone who understands how CAP Manuals and
Regulations work.
 Does NOT have to be in the cadet chain-ofcommand
 Often will be the Deputy Commander for Cadets or
Senior Member Leadership Officer
Who Should Administer the
SDA?
 It should be a team effort.
 “Job Specialist”
 A senior member who is currently or has worked in
the job position the cadet is studying.
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Flight Commander (No Senior Counterpart)
Administrations Officer / Personnel Officer
Public Affairs Officer
Leadership Officer
Aerospace Education Officer
Operations Officer
Logistics Officer
Cadet Commander (No Senior Counterpart)
Two Facets To The SDA
 Staff Duty Report
 Staff Service
CAPP52-14 PAGE 1
Staff Duty Report
 For each achievement as a cadet officer, they
must complete a Staff Duty Report.
 Non-achievements that don’t require SDA:
 Amelia Earhart (Cadet Captain)
 Ira Eaker (Cadet Lt. Colonel)
CAPP52-14 PAGE 1
SDA Reports By Achievement
Phase III (C/2Lt – C/Capt)
 Achievement 9: C/2Lt Dead Rank
 Cadet Flight Commander
 Achievement 10: C/1st Lt
 Administrative Officer
 Achievement 11: C/1st Lt Dead Rank
 Public Affairs Officer
CAPP52-14 PAGE 3
Materials
 Cadets will receive some materials from
National on the SDA Process. It is quite
confusing to sort out.
 CAP P 52-14 Staff Duty Analysis Guide
 Tools I will provide you
 SDA Phase III Checklist and Promotion Review
 SDA Phase IV Checklist and Promotion Review
CAPP52-14 PAGE 1
CAPP 52-14: Instructions for
Seniors:
 Intent of the SDA Program
 Exposure to Squadron Staff
 Not a memorization drill in policies / procedures.
 Not to train them to fulfill senior staff position
 Opportunity to learn to think critically, develop
communication skills and improve their
understanding of teamwork.
CAPP52-14 PAGE 4
CAPP 52-14: Instructions for
Seniors:
 Mentoring Duties
 Senior staff should explain how their duties relate to
the overall mission of the squadron
 What leadership skills are essential for their job
 Create an environment where the cadet can ask
questions.
 Demonstrate the skill then LET THE CADET DO IT!
 They learn by doing, not by watching.
CAPP52-14 PAGE 4
CAPP 52-14: Instructions for
Seniors:
 How to Evaluate the SDA Report
 National does not provide formal evaluation
materials.
 Evaluated by Leadership Staff or Staff Officer
1.
2.
3.
4.
Does the cadet answer the questions asked?
Are the performance requirements completed?
Are they in the cadet’s own words?
Is the report neatly prepared?
 Doesn’t have to be a Doctoral Thesis, but should be
grammatically correct.
CAPP52-14 PAGE 4
Format of the SDA Report:
 Part A: Overview of Requirements:
CAP Publications
2. Suspenses Required
3. Performance Requirements:
1.
 This will vary from SDA to SDA
 This is a little confusing in CAPP52-14 in Attach 1
 The SDA Report items 1,2,3 etc are all part of section 3
of Part A.
Format of the SDA Report:
 Part B: Narrative (300 – 500 words)
What are the essential duties of the … officer?
2. How does the … officer help the squadron fulfill
its mission?
3. How do … officers affect cadets or the overall
Cadet Program?
4. What leadership skills to … officers need most to
succeed?
1.
Review and Evaluate
 Class will look at some examples of SDA
Reports and evaluate them using SDA
Checklist and Promotion Review Forms.
Staff Service
 Required Once Per Phase
 During each phase, a cadet must service in a staff
position that was studied in that phase.
 4 – 6 weeks required.
 This allows the cadet the chance for an in-depth
look at what that job does and assures they will
learn more about the position than just the
bookwork aspect.
CAPP52-14 PAGE 3
Staff Service: Which to Pick
 The decision is up to the squadron
commander.
 Often delegated to the Deputy Commander for
Cadets (CDC).
 What is in the best interest of the cadet?
 Often they want to do “Flight Commander”
 Will this really expand their horizons, or enforce
what they’ve always done.
 Pick one that is out of their comfort zone.
 They will learn more.
CAPP52-14 PAGE 3
Staff Service: How to
Evaluate?
 Not formally evaluated.
 Offer mentoring to the cadet.
 Use the following guidelines:
Performance requirements completed?
2. Cadet was attentive to staff officers OJT?
3. Cadet actively assisted in completing routine
tasks as opportunities arose.
1.
CAPP52-14 PAGE 3
Checklist and Promotion
Review Form
 To evaluate Staff Service, there are to
sections to check.
 Each promotion worksheet has a list of what is
required for the staff service at the bottom of the
page.
 This only needs to be completed if that staff service
is selected.
 The last page under Amelia Earhart or Ira Eaker
lists common tasks for all Staff Services.
Review and Evaluate
 Class will look at some examples of SDA Staff
Services and evaluate them using SDA
Checklist and Promotion Review Forms.