FAQs for Educators

An AEM is a special category of CAP membership that entitles educators to access products and programs designed especially for teaching aerospace and integrating this fascinating subject into the curriculum.

Any Pre-K through college teacher, retired teacher, administrator, counselor, librarian, Boy or Girl Scout leader, homeschool teacher, youth camp director or leader, museum educator or director, student teachers, aides, college education students, or other person interested in promoting aerospace education may join as a teacher member.

$35 annually

As an AEM, you will determine how to best utilize the many CAP aerospace education materials, programs, and products with your student(s) as you promote aerospace education. If a teacher wants to become more involved, there are many opportunities to attend workshops, to do a special activity with cadets or other community youth, and/or to assist in the development of new curriculum.

• A personalized Aerospace Education Membership certificate suitable for framing.
  
• A box of over 20 national standards-based educational materials to use in the classroom and to share with colleagues.
  
• The opportunity to take an orientation airplane flight over the community and school in Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) Flights.
  
• The opportunity to participate in the Aerospace Education Excellence Award Program (AEX) wherein the teacher completes seven AE activities and then receives a beautiful wood plaque for the classroom and attractive certificates of completion for the students.
  
• The option of earning Adams State College graduate credit for participation in the AEX program. 
  
• The opportunity to apply for a competitive $250 classroom grant in the spring or the fall.
  
• Quarterly AE Newsletters mailings with more educational resources.
  
• Watching the eyes and spirits of students rise to the skies through the excitement and motivation of aerospace education.

A teacher member is not required to attend meetings or to give any time to CAP outside of the time the teacher incorporates aerospace education programs and materials in the classroom. If a local CAP squadron requests that a teacher come and assist in teaching an AE lesson to the senior (adult) members or cadets, the teacher can determine if and when this is done.

CAP membership does not equate to membership in the military.  CAP is a private, non-profit humanitarian organization, which is the official auxiliary of the Unites States Air Force. 

Aerospace Education Members (AEMs), our teacher members, do not wear a CAP uniform.

As the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Civil Air Patrol members are given access to entry on military bases. For teachers, this means that there is easy entrance onto the base when being given an orientation airplane in the Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) Flights. Social security numbers are needed for entry onto military bases and to fly on CAP aircraft.

You will only have access to the base when participating in CAP events. You will be allowed to shop at the BX only when on official orders and housed on the base.

Aliens admitted for permanent residence are eligible. Other non-citizens must request a waiver of the citizenship requirement through the CAP wing (state) and region commander.

Teacher members do not have to submit fingerprints with applications for membership. If the teacher ever decides to become a CAP senior member, who wears a uniform, attends unit meetings, works with the cadets on a regular basis, and earns rank in CAP, the full application process, to include submission of fingerprints for security clearance checks, will be required.

Teacher members do not advance and earn promotions as the senior members and cadets do. If a teacher member decides he/she wants to begin in the promotion and advancement program, he/she would need to join as a senior member.

CAP’s organizational structure begins at the grass roots level, at a local unit, called a “squadron.” The “wing” is the state organizational unit which builds into the region and then the national organizational unit. Teacher members are not members of a local squadron, but members of the national organizational unit.

There are three basic categories of membership: senior members, cadets, and aerospace education members (AEMs).  Senior members are adult members (ages 18 and up) of CAP who actively participate in CAP, can achieve rank and promotions, and wear a CAP uniform. 

Cadets are younger members who are between the ages of 12 and 18.  Cadets participate in a squadron, can achieve rank and promotions, and wear a uniform. 

AEMs are educators who use CAP's aerospace education material with their students as they wish.  AEMs do not wear a CAP uniform, are not members of a CAP squadron, and cannot achieve rank.

Complete the application form online.  For more information about membership and to access the online application, go to www.capmembers.com/joinaem.  Have your credit card handy in order to pay the $35 due while completing the online membership form.   

After submitting the online membership form, you should receive an immediate email confirmation with your 6-digit CAP ID number.  In about 2 weeks, you should receive a membership card and your box of AE materials. 

If you have any questions, please email ae@capnhq.gov.

If you still have questions contact us at ae@capnhq.gov