Professional Development

Senior Members, just like Cadets, rise through the organization based on their merits and education. In the service, this is called Professional Development (PD). In CAP, this is looked at in two different lines. The first is the professional education that is focused on your rank from Senior Member, NCO, Warrant Officer, 2nd Lieutenant through Lieutenant Colonel. They are listed in levels, one through four.  Each level has a series of tasks and classes to accomplish and time in CAP to be accumulated. All of these can be found in CAP Regulation 40-1.

Senior Member Ranks

As a newly minted CAP Senior Member, you can choose to either follow the officer path, Flight Officer path or the NCO path. If you come into the program with previous military experience (doesn't matter the service), your grade will be reviewed by the promoting authority for that rank for you to obtain with the proper documentation. If you are currently serving, retired or a resigned officer, you can come in at your current/former rank, or chose to go to the NCO ranks. Same with the current/former NCOs. CAP Regulation 35-5 goes into greater detail and fidelity on what military rank obtained can transfer over. 

Progression Chart*

References
CAPR 35-5, CAP Officer and NCO Appointments and Promotions 
             (Includes ICL 19-08 2 Dec 19 and ICL 20-04 4 Aug 20)
CAPR 50-17, Civil Air Patrol Senior Member Education & Training Program, 4 August 2020

*Notes:
*Does not include NCO, Flight Officer, or Professional Appointments
1 “…or approved Professional Military Education (PME) equivalent” listed in CAPR 50-17, Attachment 2
2 Approved Courses & Activities are listed in CAPR 50-17, Attachment 3