"It's not about how long you have, but what you do with the
time you've got"
-Various people
The history and origin of the Central Aid Agency
The Kid Marines
The origin of the C.A.A. is complex and lengthy. The idea and structure that is today the C.A.A. has been around since the mid-1990s. The first incarnation came around 1996 when a group of cousins and friends got together to form an organization that would be used to serve the community. They called it "The Kid Marines" because of the youth of many of the original members. This organization amounted to very little at the time, and existed only to those who considered themselves members. The point of mentioning it is because that was when the idea of creating an organization was born. This idea stuck with many members of this first organization, who would later move on and found the next incarnations.
The Lab
The second incarnation came in 2000. It was created by 3 members of the Kid Marines, and their 4 new friends. This time the main goal was scientific discovery. It was designed to be a scientific collective between the individuals involved. They called it "The Lab". The idea was that through collaberation, many great and new ideas could be discovered, and utalized. It existed mostly in a speculative sense, and would be more implemented as it's members grew and became more involved in the scientific community. This organization was more developed from the last, but still lacked a solid structure for which to operate on. However, the idea behind this organization never truly died. It lives on today as the Science and Engineering Division of the C.A.A.
The K.S.A
Time passed and the organization grew. Although it lacked a set structure, it did operate in it's own way, at least to those involved in it. Security became a major interest at this point. The development and study of security equipment and systems in specific, and ways to revolutionize and improve them. Thus the organization morphed into the K.S.A. It's main focus was the connection between science and security. Again, the same 7 people were at the core of it all. The main ideas behind the K.S.A. later became the basis for the I.G., SED, and SO.
The first C.A.A.
As the members began to all come of age, they were looking for something new. The original 7 that created the Lab and the K.S.A. realized they wanted to make a bigger impact on the world, and make a more positive influence. They needed a broader range of focus to do this, so the name was switched from the K.S.A to the Central Aid Agency. And for the first time, and overall purpose began to develop. This first C.A.A. was not the organization that exists today however. It had the most structure of all three predeccessors, but lacked a lot of key principles. Before this point, Christianity was not a part of the organization as whole. All of it's members were Christian, but the organization existed for worldy reasons only, at this point that started to change. Also before and including this level, the organization didn't really exist in a conventional sense. It was not recoginized by any but it's members, and since it lacked a purpose, it really acomplished very little. But the idea was there, and so was the foundation, the foundation for something great.
In 2003 the changes started outright. It started by adopting a primitive ranking system, accompanied by a primitive operating number system for organizing and classifying personnel. The C.A.A. Council was also created at this point by and for the first 7, to oversee the operation of the organization, and to manage the developing system. A structured operating system was adopted, and slowly the organization began to become more functional. It's overall purpose began to change as well. In the past the main focus was science, or security, it now was pointing toward serving God. Christianity was never a major part before, but began to be so at this point. Many were not so sure it would work, but as the organization was restructured, it was clear that God was the new priority.
The changes hit a major turning point in 2005. The Council got together, still consisting of the same 7 people. This was the first ever major Council meeting, and they had to make a major decision. Exactly how serious were they about this? As we said before, all previous "organizations" existed just for fun. They never really did anything, nor benefited anybody but it's members. But this time it was different, they actually had a great possibility of becoming something real now. How far did they want to go with it? After much discussion it was decided to continue, to make the C.A.A. into a real fully-functional, God centered, community serving, Christian non-profit. Because of this decision by the very first C.A.A. Council, we exist today.
This decision introduces the importance of the number 7 into the C.A.A. Story. The number 7 holds a great meaning to us. 7 has great biblical meaning and value, it also was the number of our 7 founding fathers, who were the first 7 members, and are responible for it all. At this time the rank of Black Commander was introduced into the top of the C.A.A. Ranking system, specifically for these 7 officers. That is where the origin of the Black-7 and it's importance to the C.A.A. comes from. 7 Units, led by 7 Black Commanders, fill the 7 seats of the C.A.A. Council, 777. The Black-7 are meant to honor and remember this important numerical breakdown.
The Great Reorganization
Two years passed with moderate growth within the C.A.A. Despite the monumental decision by the first Council, little had been done up to this point to implement it. The C.A.A. still only existed via word of mouth, and it's membership therefore stayed small. Many of the original Council members had retired or were forced to become inactive because of external reasons. Only 4 of the original Founding Fathers remained active, although all 7 remained in contact. But the organization did not die, in fact quite the opposite. The remaining active Black Commanders decided to innitiate what the Council had decided to do, but never had. To make the C.A.A. a "real" organization.
In 2007 that process was officially begun. The Great Reorganization was officially put into effect. What had been the C.A.A. was completly overhauled. Led by the Council a specific structure and system was developed and implemented. Every finite detail about operation and procedure was developed and documented. This was then organized into the first ever C.A.A. Constitution. Every last thing was thought out to great extent. In the the end the Central Aid Ageny Christian Service Army was officially created. It took over a decade to come this far, and 3 years just to reorganize the C.A.A. itself.
The end of the Great Reorganization
The year 2010 marks the end of the Great Reorganization. The restructuring of the old C.A.A. into the new C.A.A. has been completed. Now with a clear defined mission, and structure, we can operate as we were always meant to. The predeccessor organizations are little more then memories, but they served an important purpose. Through them the lessons were learned, and the questions addressed that led the C.A.A. as it is today. We embrace our past, and explain it here so that you may understand exactly how we came into being.
Januray 1st, AD 2010, the C.A.A. is officialy recognized by the state of Oregon, and the Department of Justice. Making the organization officially an organization, and a non-profit (although not at the time a 501 C 3 organization). From here all that is left to do is to actually carry out our mission, and attract more members to our cause. The cause to help others and serve God, for the betterment of all.
-So far have we come, and so far do we yet still have to go-