No one has said it... but one really can't be effective flying with mouse for sure, and probably some form of head tracking. We've had new pilots who had not one or the other (or both) and training was almost impossible. If you're serious, they're really a necessity (some pilots ... mostly old timers who flew well before headtracking... do really well with hatswitch for visibility, but it takes an enormous amount of practice.
That being said... Welcome Ian! I was a member of CAP many years ago and loved it. (Learned how to keep step, spit shine, what a "gig line" means, a proper salute... and did get to fly a bit. Got my Private ticket much later but have fond memories of CAP).
Hope to fly with you soon.
Happy Birthday!... soon