Scheduling Capitol Hill Appointments

1. Scheduling Capitol Hill Appointments Lieutenant Colonel William Brockman, CAP Activity Director, Civic Leadership Academy 2010

2. Introduction • The Objective of this briefing is to prepare you to contact the office of your Congressional Representative to schedule your meeting “on the Hill” after contacting your Wing Commander to see if a meeting has already been scheduled • CLA staff cannot schedule these for you • You are the “constituent” – you live in their congressional district • You will need to call the schedulers to make the appointments • It is a good experience for you and it is part of the CLA experience

3. Coordinating with the Wing • CLA cadets and staff are not the only CAP members participating in Legislative Day. Your wing may also be sending a delegation. • Before scheduling your appointments on Capitol Hill, contact your Wing Commander and follow the steps on the next slides • Your commander’s contact info is available online. Go to www.gocivilairpatrol.com, click “E-Services,” log-in, and click “CAP Directory”

4. Talk With Your Wing CC • First, thank your Wing Commander for the opportunity to participate in the Civic Leadership Academy • Explain that part of the CLA curriculum includes helping with Legislative Day. • During times when your team of 3 CLA cadets does not have appointments, you may join your wing to maximize your Capitol Hill experience. • CLA escorts will be available to orchestrate the hand-off between meetings with your wing and meetings with other cadets’ wings. • Ask them if they have any appointments scheduled with your Representative (know the name of your Representative)

5. Talking With Your CC cont’d… • If the wing is scheduling appointments with other reps and wants you to participate in those meetings, great • Ask if the commander or the wing’s legislative liaison officer if they would provide you a schedule of those meetings for your planning purposes. If a schedule is not available yet, follow-up before departing for CLA. • You will attend the Legislative Day briefing on Thursday 25 February. There you will have an opportunity to cover any last minute details with your wing commander • Let your Faculty ‘Check Pilot’ (slide #10) know you’ve discussed Legislative Day with your commander and inform them of the times you have meetings scheduled

6. How to Contact a Legislator • You may need to schedule the meeting yourself • There is a citizen's guide to government available online use the link http://www.house.gov to obtain the contact information for your Congressional Representative • Call your Representative’s Washington DC offices by Wednesday 10 February • Identify yourself as “Civil Air Patrol Cadet (Name) from (Town)” • Call the office number listed for your Representative and ask for "the scheduler“ • Write down the scheduler’s name and phone number

7. Teamwork • Schedule meetings for Thurs 25 February between 1000-1600 • The 3 cadets teams will be together for their visits • Cadets should arrange to attend as many meetings together as they can • The priority is getting to as many of your legislators as possible • Let the scheduler know you will be delivering CAP’s Annual Report to Congress and discussing the work that CAP is doing in your State and District

8. How to Contact a Legislator • Cadets should confirm one meeting • If your Representative and/or their Staff person is not available to meet you, confirm a meeting with one of your two Senators • Follow-up by sending a fax to the offices confirming • Meeting date, time, and name of scheduler who helped you • Topic - delivering the Civil Air Patrol Annual Report to Congress and discussing CAP activities in their state / district • Your contact information • THANK THEM for setting up the meeting

9. CLA Staff Contacts • But, wait… We’re here to help! • Once you have reviewed these slides, please contact your assigned CLA Faculty Advisor for a pre-flight check (see next slide) • You should complete your ‘checkride’ before contacting your representative (or senators)

10. Lt Col John Erickson Joshua Carr, Nicholas Cocco Dannie Fountain, Jose Machuca Chester Newhall, Sarah Sill Mr. Curt LaFond Matthew Bricker, Jennifer Coisnman Brett Denehan, Vincent Van Dintel Johnathan Ernest, Bonnie Wilshire Capt Brenda Reed Benton Beasley, Jeni Crandy Heather Gould, Eashan Samak David Small, Mark Teubl Capt Sharon Weeks Joelah Bruccoleri, Colin Burke Alice Chan, Mary Herman Jordan Watson, William Woodham Faculty “Check Pilots”

11. Final Preparation for CLA • Obtain the Reading Guide (RG) from the CLA website • Thoroughly read the articles in the RG • Submit your answers the RG questions in writing by the specified times • Formulate at least 3 questions of your own, from any or multiple of the articles in the RG

12. Important Dates • 5 February Complete Check ride with faculty Advisor • 10 February Contact Representatives Office to schedule appointment • 12 February Notify Faculty Advisory of appoint time and location

13. Questions? Call your assigned CLA faculty Advisor or email: Lt Col William Brockman @brockmanzoo47@hotmail.com