CAP News

MINNESOTA – The pilot of a plane reported missing last Friday is dead.

The plane, a PA-28 Piper Cherokee, was discovered Tuesday southwest of Bemidji, Minn., by a private pilot. A Minnesota State Patrol helicopter and a CAP ground search team confirmed the find.

The Clearwater County Sheriff's Office announced that the pilot, Andrew Lindberg, died in the crash.

Over the course of four days, nearly 400 Civil Air Patrol members from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota wings, including ground team members and pilots, were involved in the search. They used 18 CAP aircraft to search for Lindberg, who was flying from Air Lake Airport to Hallock, Minn., Friday night. State and Department of Natural Resources helicopters also participated in the search.

The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., alerted CAP the aircraft was missing on Nov. 14. CAP air and ground crews from all parts of the Minnesota Wing joined CAP members from Fargo and Grand Forks, N.D., and Sioux Falls, S.D., in the search. The circumstances of the crash will be investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.

CAP’s Minnesota Wing consists of 24 squadrons located in every area of the state, with more than 1,200 members and 19 light aircraft.

Minnesota Wing routinely flies thousands of hours per year of operational flights and contributes more than 10,000 person-hours to search and rescue, counter drug, disaster preparedness, homeland security and other humanitarian mission flying.

Maj. Al Pabon
Director of Public Affairs
North Central Region

MINNESOTA – The Minnesota Wing continues to search for an aircraft and pilot that went missing Friday.

The aircraft -– a white PA-28 Piper Cherokee with yellow stripes and black highlights -- left Air Lake Airport in Lakeville bound for Hallock. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., alerted CAP the following morning that the aircraft was missing.

Air and ground search teams searched Monday between Wadena and Hallock, deploying nearly 70 members and 10 aircraft from Minnesota and surrounding states.

The air and ground search continued today at first light, with all operations based at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport.

The search is slowly growing and now encompasses several central Minnesota counties, including Becker, Mahnomen, Red Lake, Marshall, Hubbard, Polk, Pennington, Todd and Wadena.

Eighteen aircraft, some from the North and South Dakota wing, are searching for the missing plane and pilot, Andrew Lindberg. More than 50 CAP ground personnel are also involved.

CAP is asking that pilots stay out of the airspace between St. Cloud and Foston to avoid interfering with search operations.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact the local county sheriff's office, which is in contact with CAP and the search effort.

 

Capt. Jeff Carlson, Group 5 public affairs officer, discusses efforts to expand public affairs capability and capacity at the squadron level.


Capt. Jeff Carlson
Public Affairs Officer
Group 5
Florida Wing

FLORIDA – Two dozen Florida Wing members from across the state gathered Oct. 31 in Sarasota for a one-day public affairs workshop focusing on public affairs officer skill development and new trends in public relations.

The workshop was hosted by the Group 5 Headquarters public affairs team and featured five topic presentations by public relation experts.

Maj. Grant Meadows, Florida Wing director of marketing and public relations, emphasized learning about recent changes to the Civil Air Patrol regulation governing the public affairs program, including a requirement that an annual public affairs plan be developed for each unit. Meadows also reviewed the current Florida Wing plan and outlined future changes.

Maj. Steven Solomon, Southeast Region director of public affairs, guided participants through a session on writing effective news releases.

Other topics included presentations on:

• “Working with the Media” by Maj. Doug Jessmer, Group 3 PAO.
   
• “Making Better Photos” by 2nd Lt. David Bellis, assistant wing public affairs officer.
   
• “Social Networking” by 2nd Lt. Kevin McNulty of the SRQ Composite Squadron, president and chief executive officer of NetWeave Social Networking.

Capt. Jeff Carlson, event director and Group 5 PAO, welcomed the participants and briefly discussed the need to coordinate existing public affairs resources and to further expand the number of members involved with creating and delivering CAP’s message -- especially cadets.

Carlson emphasized the need for effective internal communication with members, calling it vital in maintaining morale and a high level of readiness. He also spoke about the important role that communication plays in developing strategic partnerships and strengthening relationships with CAP’s stakeholders.

Each participant received a completion certificate and credit toward the annual professional development training requirement for the public affairs officer specialty track. The workshop sessions were recorded on video by cadets from the SRQ squadron and will be made available on the Channel 5 multimedia Web page accessed through the Group 5 news site.


 

(1)
Capt. Steve Goldman leads a presentation on preflight checks for Hanscom Composite Squadron cadets.

(2)
A senior member works on communications proficiency.


2nd Lt. Reid J. Leonard
Public Affairs Officer
Hanscom Composite Squadron
Massachusetts Wing

MASSACHUSETTS -- Cadet and Senior members gathered recently on the Civil Air Patrol ramp at Hanscom Air Force Base for an evening of recurrent training and aircraft familiarization.

Six Hanscom cadets and prospective cadets learned first-hand the basics of preflight aircraft inspection in a session led by a pair of mission pilots, Capts. Steve Goldman and Steve Hood. After a safety briefing, the cadets conducted a full preflight inspection of a Cessna 172, using the approved checklist.

They learned how to assess the proper condition and function of each item, such as the propeller, flaps, aerodynamic control surfaces and fuel tanks. They were also encouraged to discuss the reasons behind each step in the inspection, including potential risks to safe aircraft operation and factors critical to successful completion of a mission. 

After the preflight inspection, each cadet climbed into the cockpit to enjoy the view from the pilot or co-pilot's seat. They were encouraged to learn much more about CAP aircraft through the cadet orientation program.

At the same time the cadets were enjoying some hands-on time with the Cessna 172, instructors from the squadron were delivering scenario-based communications proficiency training in a Cessna 182 to mission observers from the Hanscom and Mount Wachussett Senior squadrons.

The Hanscom unit’s communications officer, 1st Lt. David Kent, and Capt. Jim Rottman, mission pilot, led a 45-minute classroom refresher on CAP aircraft communications equipment. Topics included hardware differences among Massachusetts Wing aircraft, recent updates to CAP communications channels, proper phraseology and best practices for cockpit coordination among mission pilots, mission observers and mission scanners.

Then the trainees were paired up in a G1000-equipped Cessna 182 with Lt Col. Bill Schillhammer, who acted as mission pilot for a simulated night mission. After the preflight communications check, the crew "ground-flew" a complete mission, using the aircraft radios to communicate with 1st Lt. Steve Cavanaugh, acting as mission base.

The aircraft and base crews practiced standard radio calls for navigation, tasking and emergency locator transmitter detection, with an emphasis on proper phraseology.

During the debriefing, all agreed that scenario-based training is a valuable tool to maintain mission readiness.

"Ground-bound simulations allow the crew to focus on specific training tasks using real-world equipment, without the stress of managing an actual flight," said Lt. Col. Bill Duffey, Hanscom commander. 
 

The Rhode Island Wing contingent beside the KC-10 tanker.

Col. Anthony Gagliardi
Commander
Rhode Island Wing

RHODE ISLAND – A full complement of Rhode Island Wing members -- 21 cadets and 11 senior members -- got a feel for flight in a KC-10 via an incentive ride Nov. 6 aboard a tanker from the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.

The trip was planned for three months through the McGuire public affairs in office. In addition to the incentive ride, the cadets received a tour of the 305th Aerial Port Squadron freight and passenger terminals and a tour of a C-17.

The cadets were able to watch actual refueling training from both the flight deck and the refueling station. Clear weather and light winds helped make the flight even more memorable.

Transportation from Rhode Island was provided by the Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Tactical Airlift Wing. Lodging was at the All American Inn at McGuire, and the Army Dining Facility at Fort Dix provided meals.


 

The Rhode Island Wing contingent beside the KC-10 tanker.

Col. Anthony Gagliardi
Commander
Rhode Island Wing

RHODE ISLAND – A full complement of Rhode Island Wing members -- 21 cadets and 11 senior members -- got a feel for flight in a KC-10 via an incentive ride Nov. 6 aboard a tanker from the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.

The trip was planned for three months through the McGuire public affairs in office. In addition to the incentive ride, the cadets received a tour of the 305th Aerial Port Squadron freight and passenger terminals and a tour of a C-17.

The cadets were able to watch actual refueling training from both the flight deck and the refueling station. Clear weather and light winds helped make the flight even more memorable.

Transportation from Rhode Island was provided by the Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Tactical Airlift Wing. Lodging was at the All American Inn at McGuire, and the Army Dining Facility at Fort Dix provided meals.


 

(1)
The Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron Color Guard presents colors during the National Anthem.

(2)
The Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron Cadet Color Guard – (from left) Cadet Senior Airman Michael Sowell, Cadet Capts. Kyle Zobel and Stephen Coogan and Cadet Senior Airmen Peter Soares.


2nd Lt. Marie Shanley
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing  

NORTH CAROLINA – The Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron Cadet Color Guard presented the colors at the Carolina Hurricanes’ Veterans Day game against the Los Angeles Kings as more than 13,000 NHL fans watched at Raleigh’s RBC center. 

The crowd was the largest the cadets -- Cadet Capts. Stephen Coogan and Kyle Zobel and Cadet Senior Airmen Peter Soares and Michael Sowell -- had ever appeared before, and they were excited and nervous. They were especially concerned at having to walk on the ice in front of such a throng. 

Lt. Col. Paul Meade, North Carolina Wing vice commander, was at the game and remarked at how pleased he was to see the cadets. The team was also commended by Col. Roy Douglass, wing commander, who told squadron leaders that “your cadets look extremely sharp! Please pass on to them … my thanks and my congratulations to them for an obvious job well done.”

Accolades also came from Jon Chase, director of promotions for the Hurricanes. “Everyone did a great job and represented the Civil Air Patrol cadets very well,” Chase said.

"The group is well-spoken, very organized and quite professional.” 

Added Maj. Tim Tessin, Raleigh-Wake commander, “We are proud that our cadets were selected to display the colors on such an important day.”


 

(1)
Capt. Steve Goldman leads a presentation on preflight checks for Hanscom Composite Squadron cadets.

(2)
A senior member works on communications proficiency.


2nd Lt. Reid J. Leonard
Public Affairs Officer
Hanscom Composite Squadron
Massachusetts Wing

MASSACHUSETTS -- Cadet and Senior members gathered recently on the Civil Air Patrol ramp at Hanscom Air Force Base for an evening of recurrent training and aircraft familiarization.

Six Hanscom cadets and prospective cadets learned first-hand the basics of preflight aircraft inspection in a session led by a pair of mission pilots, Capts. Steve Goldman and Steve Hood. After a safety briefing, the cadets conducted a full preflight inspection of a Cessna 172, using the approved checklist.

They learned how to assess the proper condition and function of each item, such as the propeller, flaps, aerodynamic control surfaces and fuel tanks. They were also encouraged to discuss the reasons behind each step in the inspection, including potential risks to safe aircraft operation and factors critical to successful completion of a mission. 

After the preflight inspection, each cadet climbed into the cockpit to enjoy the view from the pilot or co-pilot's seat. They were encouraged to learn much more about CAP aircraft through the cadet orientation program.

At the same time the cadets were enjoying some hands-on time with the Cessna 172, instructors from the squadron were delivering scenario-based communications proficiency training in a Cessna 182 to mission observers from the Hanscom and Mount Wachussett Senior squadrons.

The Hanscom unit’s communications officer, 1st Lt. David Kent, and Capt. Jim Rottman, mission pilot, led a 45-minute classroom refresher on CAP aircraft communications equipment. Topics included hardware differences among Massachusetts Wing aircraft, recent updates to CAP communications channels, proper phraseology and best practices for cockpit coordination among mission pilots, mission observers and mission scanners.

Then the trainees were paired up in a G1000-equipped Cessna 182 with Lt Col. Bill Schillhammer, who acted as mission pilot for a simulated night mission. After the preflight communications check, the crew "ground-flew" a complete mission, using the aircraft radios to communicate with 1st Lt. Steve Cavanaugh, acting as mission base.

The aircraft and base crews practiced standard radio calls for navigation, tasking and emergency locator transmitter detection, with an emphasis on proper phraseology.

During the debriefing, all agreed that scenario-based training is a valuable tool to maintain mission readiness.

"Ground-bound simulations allow the crew to focus on specific training tasks using real-world equipment, without the stress of managing an actual flight," said Lt. Col. Bill Duffey, Hanscom commander. 
 

1st Lt. George Supan
Public Affairs Officer
Group 3
Minnesota Wing

MINNESOTA – Civil Air Patrol aircraft from the Minnesota and North Dakota wings and ground teams resumed searching today for a PA-28 Piper Cherokee still missing after leaving the Minneapolis area Friday evening for Hallock.

The Cherokee’s pilot, Andrew Lindberg, who flew out of Airlake Airport in suburban Minneapolis, was last heard from via text message about 6:30 p.m. Friday, when he said he was near Staples – about 140 miles from Minneapolis and 200 miles from Hallock.

Civil Air Patrol was alerted of the missing aircraft early Saturday by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.  Ground teams were dispatched, and as the skies cleared aircraft were dispatched from Minnesota and North Dakota to search the area.

On Sunday, ground search teams searched more than 2,000 square miles in the area between Wadena and Hallock. In all, 110 CAP members, eight ground search teams and 12 aircraft were involved.

CAP’s advanced imaging system, ARCHER (Airborne Real-time Cueing Hyperspectral Enhanced Reconnaissance), is being used during the search. ARCHER is a custom-designed system employing a hyperspectral camera and special software for search and rescue, disaster impact assessment and relief, and homeland security.

The search resumed today at first light, with operations based at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport.


 

(1)
Greenville Composite Squadron cadets inspect a salvaged Rockwell Commander 685 serving as part of a Halloween display as “aliens" look on.

(2)
Cadets with their Oct. 24 find – (from left) Cadet Airman 1st Class Mary Frietze, Cadet Tech. Sgt. Alexis Phares, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Sally Anderson, Cadet 2nd Lt. Cameron Taylor, Cadet Airman Rane Hardgrave, Cadet 2nd Lt. Kevin Czajaka and Cadet Senior Airman Hudson Cole.


Photos by 1st Lt. Chris Chapman


1st Lt. Orville N. Eastland III
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Greenville Composite Squadron
South Carolina Wing

SOUTH CAROLINA – Greenville Composite Squadron members searching for a crashed airplane Oct. 24 as part of a training exercise came across not only a downed craft, but also a flying saucer complete with little green men.

As part of a search and rescue exercise, the cadets and senior members on the ground team were assigned to look for possible signs of a crashed airplane in eastern Greenville County.

"We were told to look for an aircraft possibly coming down in a neighborhood, but we had no type of aircraft, so we were just looking for airplane parts," 2nd Lt. Ronald Hardgrave said.

Mission accomplished … and then some.

In a residential front yard the team found a Rockwell Commander 685 that had crashed in Mississippi in 1991. Greenville resident Kim Varner had bought it to use as part of his Halloween display.

Varner made an accompanying flying saucer by joining a pair of satellite dishes together. The alien craft’s little green occupants were costumes placed on poles nearby.

"My first thoughts were that it wasn't what we were looking for, and we thought it was just something someone had set up there, so we didn't think anything of it, really," said Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Sally Anderson.

After reporting the find to mission base, however, the team members were informed that the scene was, in fact, their target.

Capt. Charles W. Morris Jr., The incident commander overseeing the exercise, knew of the crashed plane in the Halloween display and decided to use it as part of the exercise.

"We became aware of it and realized that we were going to have bad weather in the morning, so we decided to set up an urban search, which is also very realistic," said Morris, also the Greenville squadron’s commander.

While Varner had not known about the exercise, he did appreciate his display’s being used as a search target.

"He was pleased to see them," Hardgrave said.

The exercise later involved a search in a different location for an emergency locator transmitter, which simulated a crashed aircraft.

Overall, "I thought it was a lot of fun," Cadet Senior Airman Hudson Cole said.

Asked if she expected to remember the exercise for awhile, Anderson answered in the affirmative.

“Little green men are kind of hard to forget," she said.

 

(1)
Cadet Airman Kyle Reed at the controls of a $650,000 rig at Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s firefighting and rescue center.
     
(2)
Capt. Tony Gutierrez, commander of Lakeshore 119 Composite Squadron, shares insights from his experiences as a firefighter/emergency rescue team member at Gerald R. Ford International.

(3)
Michigan Wing members and Sparta firefighters look over a few of Kent Career Technical Center’s airplane displays.

(4)
Kent Technical Career Technical Center instructor Dennis Stine and 2nd Lt. Bill Reed, Grand Rapids Senior Squadron emergency services officer, lead a presentation.

(5)
Second Lt. Bill Reed describes typical engine type and mounting configuration.


1st Lt. Kevin Jarchow
Public Affairs Officer
Grand Rapids Senior Squadron
Michigan Wing

MICHIGAN – The Grand Rapids Senior Squadron hosted a special training session Nov. 1 for the Sparta Fire Department in response to firefighters’ request for information and general training in fire and rescue matters involving aircraft.

Sparta, just north of Grand Rapids, is home to the popular Paul C. Miller-Sparta Airport, which the squadron often uses for training purposes. During various joint activities, the city’s firefighters expressed interest in a Civil Air Patrol-led training session.

The squadron’s emergency services officer, 2nd Lt. Bill Reed, worked with Lt. Dan Olney, the fire department’ training officer, in organizing the session, which drew 34 participants. It was held at the Kent Career Technical Center’s aviation maintenance facility at Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford International Airport. The facility’s displays of general aviation aircraft in various stages of disassembly made the site ideal for the presentation.

Reed, a CAP pilot and former volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician, worked with Kent Career Technical Center instructor Dennis Stine in presenting a general review of aircraft construction, materials, engines, fuel and electrical systems, as well as potential accident scene and victim injury scenarios. The session also included an overview of current technology and potential hazards at a crash scene.

Key members of the Lakeshore 119 Composite Squadron also contributed. The Lakeshore unit’s commander, Capt. Tony Gutierrez, is a firefighter/emergency rescue team member at Ford International and provided valuable insights for the Sparta team.

Other Lakeshore members participating were the squadron’s deputy commander for seniors, Lt. Col. Frank Roldan; its operations officer, Maj. Jason Sherwood; and its emergency services training officer, 2nd Lt.  Jeston Swarts.

In addition, Reed’s son, Cadet Airman Kyle Reed of the Boulle-Norman Cadet Squadron, helped keep things running smoothly. The younger Reed is a student at the technical center.
 
After the training session concluded, a small caravan of vehicles traveled to the east side of the airport for a tour of the airport fire and rescue facility, led by Gutierrez.

 

(1)
Senior staff listen during operations planning at the start of a mission.

(2)
Cadets listen closely during a mission briefing.


1st Lt. Robert Johnson
Director of Public Affairs
Connecticut Wing

CONNECTICUT -- The Connecticut Wing combined with staff from the neighboring Rhode Island Wing for a graded multi-incident simulated training exercise over the weekend under the watchful eyes of U.S. Air Force evaluation judges.

Members successfully located and secured a simulated aircraft crash site and treated the victims and also carried out a simulated missing person search in a Connecticut state park.

Participants were also called on to deal with other unexpected, concurrent operational emergencies. They airlifted emergency medications, secured the command facility from a potential outside threat, adapted to power and communications breakdowns, treated a senior team member’s emergency heart attack, located and inspected a potential hazardous waste dump -- all while providing updated multimedia information to the press, public and state agencies throughout the exercise.

To simulate the severity of real life emergency stressors, the missions were crammed into a very tight time frame involving five fully operational aircraft and more than 100 team members including base staff, pilots, observers, mission scanners, photographers and senior members and cadets in the field.

Hartford-Brainard Airport was established as the base of operations, with mission flights launched from that facility and other Connecticut airfields. Ground teams deployed from the Brainard command base and from other squadrons throughout the state.

Senior members served on the command staff, in aircraft and on ground teams.  They flew a number of different search missions, ferried packages and conducted advanced photographic and surveillance technology missions.

Cadets served as both mission base security and staff assistants, and they made up the lion’s share of the ground teams deploying in Civil Air Patrol vans to search their assigned areas on foot and with the aid of electronic tracking devices.


 

(Left)
Lt. Col. Jayson A. Altieri at the Nancy airport before a joint French-U.S.  airborne operation.
 
(Right)
Lt. Col. Jayson A. Altieri (far left) and fellow U.S. and French paratroopers over France’s Gueblange Drop Zone. 

Photos by U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Stephen C. Madrid


Maj. Rob Mason
Commander
Fayetteville Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing

FRANCE --U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jayson A. Altieri, who remains a member of the North Carolina Wing's Fayetteville Composite while deployed to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, recently participated as a Combined Joint Task Force-82 member in a joint French-U.S. airborne operation as part of a mission readiness exercise for a French brigade headed to Afghanistan.
 
Altieri and seven other officers from the task force deployed from Afghanistan to Mailly-le-Camp, France, to the Centre D'Entrainement Au Combat (Combat Training Center).  The U.S. team members worked with their French counterparts, conducting mission planning and command and control of the French 21st Mountain Brigade.

The brigade is composed of both regular French Army and French Foreign Legion soldiers. It is scheduled to be d for about six months to the Kapisa Province of Afghanistan. .
 
After the 10-day exercise ended, Altieri and the rest of the team moved on to Dieuze, near the city of Nancy, for pre-jump parachute training with the French 13th Dragoon Parachute Regiment, a cavalry unit that traces it linage to the late 1600s and which now conducts airborne reconnaissance  missions around the globe.

After a short flight from the Nancy airport the U.S. and French paratroopers exited their CASA 235 aircraft over the Gueblange Drop Zone, a few miles from 13th Dragoon Headquarters.
 
After a successful exit from 1,200 feet, both the team members and their French hosts rallied at the Dragoon's Officers Mess for a ceremonial lunch. The U.S. paratroopers were presented French Parachute Wings by the regimental commander of the dragoons. 

Stateside, Altieri is the Fayetteville squadron’s aerospace education officer. He holds the Civil Air Patrol rank of lieutenant colonel.

 
 

(1)
(Standing, from left) Cadet Staff Sgt. Andrew Gelbard, Cadet Airman Eddie Thompson and Cadet Airman 1st Class Ted Schroeders listen as Cadet Staff Sgt. Zackery Macdonald
practices his Patriot Pen speech.

 (2)
At the Republican Club’s Real Heroes Luncheon (from left) cadets Eddie Thompson, John Clark, Andrew Gelbard, Ted Schroeders and Zackery Macdonald pose for a photo with the guest of honor, retired Air Force Lt. Irwin Stovroff, a World War II Army Air Corps B-24 Bombardier, former prisoner of war and Distinguished Flying Cross recipient and founder of Vets Helping Returning Heroes, an organization providing service dogs to injured soldiers.

(3)
Cadet Staff Sgt. Zackery Macdonald speaks about honoring U.S. military heroes. Listening to the young cadet is retired Air Force Lt. Irwin Stovroff.

(4)
Cadet Staff Sgt. Andrew Gelbard delivers his Voice of Democracy speech.


1st Lt. Jackie Zarrilli
Public Affairs Officer
Cadet Programs
Florida Wing

FLORIDA – On the eve of Veterans Day, for Boca Raton Composite Squadron cadets the topic for discussion is heroes.

“Does America Still Have Heroes?” and “When Is The Right Time To Honor Our Military Heroes?” are the respective themes for this year’s Veterans of Foreign Wars high school Voice of Democracy and middle school Patriot Pen contests.

For the past seven years, cadets from the Boca Raton squadron have participated in these annual essay speech competitions. Each year cadets have taken first, second and or third place with local VFW Post 10556 and have moved up to the next level, where several have earned first, second and or third place awards. 
 
Squadron leaders sees this as a win-win opportunity for their cadets.  As they research their essays they learn American history. Senior members work with them to improve their writing and speaking skills. The cadets are given opportunities to delivery their speeches at Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies and local community events, such as the “Real Heroes” luncheon recently sponsored by the Boca Raton Republican Club.

At this event, eighth-grader Cadet Staff Sgt. Zackery Macdonald told the audience, “Personally I honor our heroes as much as possible, whether it’s thanking them for their service or striving for the best in school or Civil Air Patrol … I soon found out that honoring a hero tells them that they not only did their duty for their country, but that they also made an impact on the younger generation.”

“Heroes in America come in many different forms and are heroes for many reasons,” said sophomore Cadet Staff Sgt. Andrew Gelbard, also a featured speaker at the luncheon.
 
Cadet Airman Etan Vann said, “When a child thinks of heroes he thinks of Superman, Spider-Man, Fantastic 4, etc. … But a hero could be that fireman shooting the smoke-polluting monster of fire from destroying the structure, or that doctor that is saving a woman from the abominable black lump that affects one in eight women, called breast cancer, and, of course, the soldiers protecting the motherland from enemies.”

Cadet Airman Basic Diondre Noel said in his essay, “There are a few days that can be counted as a significant day for giving recognition to our patriots.”

Cadet Airman 1st Class Ted Schroeders wrote, “Does America still have heroes … in my eyes, the answer is: Absolutely! America has a long continuous line of heroes that dates back to its inception.”

For Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Judah Brown, “A hero is one who acts in the interest of others. They are constantly working and are oftentimes left unnoticed.”

As to why Americans should honor their veterans, Cadet Airman Austin Budney said, “When the time came that soldiers were needed, they stepped out of their lives and into a battlefield and fought bravely for our country.”
 
The squadron’s cadet commander, Chief Master Sgt. Zachary Weinbaum, said, “I believe that any human being that commits themselves to standing up and fighting for America and saving lives is a hero.”

Cadet Airman Eddie Thompson expressed a similar point: “In my opinion our military heroes are and should be important to us because of all the things they have done for us.”

Summing up the discussion, Cadet Staff Sgt. Alexander Falcone put into words the feelings of most of his Civil Air Patrol colleagues: “Those who have fought and died in combat have paid greatly for our freedoms today. Anyone who has ever taken an oath to protect this country is a hero to me.

“I thank them every day for my freedom of speech, my right to vote and my privilege to live in a democratic America. I thank them for what they have done, for what they do and what they will do in the future. I honor them for their courage, for their endurance and for the inspiration they give me as I prepare to serve my country.

“To me each and every serviceman and -woman is a hero.”


 

(1)
St. Cloud Composite Squadron cadets raise the flag for a program honoring U.S. veterans.

(2)
Cadets march in the local Veterans Day parade.


Maj. Richard J. Sprouse
Public Affairs Officer
Group 2
Minnesota Wing

MINNESOTA -- Cadets in the St. Cloud Composite Squadron marked celebrated Veterans Day three days early by participating in the annual Veterans Day parade Sunday.

The parade featured veterans, veterans groups and supporters of veterans and veteran issues. The procession’s route covered a half-mile from the St. Cloud VA Medical Center to Apollo High School, where a program and reception wrapped up the event.

More than 40 groups took part, many wearing uniforms, playing music and carrying American flags.

The St. Cloud Squadron has participated in the event since its inception three years ago.

(1)
Cadet Airman Basic Jessica Weimer and 1st Lt. William Hess inspect rockets before the first launch of the day.

Photo by Cadet Airman 1st Class Victor Valduvinos.

(2)
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Andres Rodriguez prepares his rocket for launch.

Photo by Cadet Airman 1st Class Victor Valduvinos

(3)
Orientation pilot 1st Lt. Allen Johnson of the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron describes the preflight inspection process to Cadet Airmen 1st Class Andrew Konopka (center) and James Nelson.

Photo by 1st Lt. William Hess.


1st Lt. William Hess
Deputy Commander for Cadets
Tar River Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing

NORTH CAROLINA -- Nine cadets and two senior members from the Tar River Composite Squadron more than made up for missing the North Carolina Wing’s Aerospace Education Day on Oct. 3 by enjoying an impromptu aerospace education day of their own Saturday.

The day got off to a great start at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport with a 9 a.m. cadet orientation flight out of piloted by 1st Lt. Allen Johnson of the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron.  Other cadets worked on model rockets or practiced their flying skills on aerospace education officer 1st Lt. David Nelson’s flight simulator while waiting for the second orientation flight of the day.

Shortly after the second flight left, 1st Lt. William Hess, the unit’s deputy commander for cadets, and six cadets piled into the squadron van and drove into Wilson to see their rockets in action.  A misfire and a parachute failure provided plenty of excitement, allowing the cadets to successfully show off their range safety knowledge and line searching skills. 

After five successful flights -- the sixth launch was scrubbed -- the rocketeers returned to base for testing, more time on Nelson’s simulator and the day’s final orientation flight of the day.

By the end of the day, the following cadets had experienced the thrill of flight in the air or from the ground:

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Andres Rodriguez.
   
• Cadet Senior Airmen Sean Gettys and Emily Watson.
   
• Cadet Airmen 1st Class Lucero DeLaFuente, Andrew Konopka, James Nelson, Crystal Rodriguez and Victor Valduvinos.
   
• Cadet Airman Basic. Jessica Weimer.

Their smiles and enthusiasm provided more than enough incentive for Tar River Composite leaders to look for ways to make the event a regular part of the squadron calendar.




 
 

Participants in the memorial service.


Capt. Akeem Innis
Commander
St. Croix Composite Squadron
Puerto Rico Wing

VIRGIN ISLAND – The Puerto Rico Wing’s St. Croix Composite Squadron conducted a memorial service Oct. 31 in honor of three Civil Air Patrol members killed in a plane crash 13 years earlier. 

The three – Capt. Normando Ortero, pilot, and 14-year-old cadets Natasha Ayala and Dorence Isidore -- were killed when their plane crashed just after takeoff during an orientation flight Oct. 26, 1996, on St. Croix. The memorial service was held at the crash site.

Many dignitaries were among those in attendance, including U.S. Virgin Island Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, Virgin Islands Police Commissioner Novelle Francis and Jonathan Smalls, chief executive officer of Sen. Sammuel Sanes’ office. Francis and Smalls are both former Civil Air Patrol members.

Also present were members of both cadets’ families, along with numerous former CAP members, family and friends of current members and well-wishers.

After the 1 ½-hour memorial service, the Virgin Islands Police Department Traffic Unit sent a police unit to escort about 20 cars in a silent motorcade from the memorial site to Kingshill Cemetery, where Isidore is buried.

The family and CAP members laid wreaths and flowers on his grave, and then the motorcade continued from to Frederiksted Cemetery, site of Ayala’s grave. Her family, friends and CAP members laid wreaths and many flowers. 

After the memorial Ayala's mother, Ema Ayala Miller, took the 20 St. Croix Composite members to lunch. 

The caring people of the Virgin Islands donated all of the floral arrangements and wreaths.



 

 
Pilot “Mr. Jack O'Lantern” is attended to by paramedics at base camp after being lowered down a mountain by a team of about 15 members using a belay line.


Capt. Alberic Bergeron
Public Affairs Officer
Virginia Wing

VIRGINIA – Nineteen members marked Halloween this year by participating in the appropriately named Operation Jack-O-Lantern multi-agency search and rescue exercise in the Jefferson National Forest near Blacksburg.

.The exercise scenario -- created by Col. Charlie Glass, Middle Eastern Region director of safety and a longtime Civil Air Patrol incident commander and pilot -- involved a missing charter aircraft with seven people aboardthat had disappeared from radar after declaring an emergency.

In all, 19 members from Middle East and Virginia Wing headquarters and the Danville, Montgomery and Roanoke composite squadrons joined with more than 150 participants from more than 10 organizations, including Commonwealth Search and Rescue, South Western Virginia Mountain Rescue, the American Red Cross, Angel Search and Rescue and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

The weekend began with a Friday night planning session, as CAP air operations and command staff worked closely with the other agencies to investigate clues and create tasks for the next day’s search and rescue operations. In addition, an airborne electronic locator transmitter search was launched Friday evening from Roanoke to provide real-time position information to the search planners.
 
Early Saturday morning, CAP established air operations at the Blacksburg and Roanoke airports, while ground search and rescue operations were established at Caldwell Fields in the Jefferson National Forest. Search and rescue teams from across Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee were involved. and participants included equestrian and dog teams, as well as mountain rescue and CAP direction-finding personnel.
 
Two high-birds radio relay flights were flown from Roanoke to ensure communications among the assorted ground teams.  The air operations staff had to improvise, however, when the high bird could not be in position because of fueling or pilot constraints and low visibility.

By substituting a CAP vehicle as a low bird relay when the aircraft was not available, the members were able to maintain communications throughout the 10-hour exercise period.
 
In all, 28 ground search tasks, one airborne ELT search, two high bird radio relay flights and two transport flights were completed. CAP flew 9.9 hours and four corporate vehicles providing ground support, all in poor weather conditions.
      
 

(1)
Showing off their CyberPatriot II T-shirts and challenge coin are (from left) Cadet Airmen Ephraim Mattos and Ben Sandlin (with coin), Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jonathan Carballo and Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Sgt Leggett.

(2)
(Clockwise from left) Cadet Airmen Ben Sandlin and Ephraim Mattos, Cadet Chief Master Sgt.  Jonathan Carballo and Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Leggett.


Lt. Col. Jo Stys
Public Affairs Officer
Milwaukee Composite Squadron 5
Wisconsin Wing

WISCONSIN – Four Milwaukee Composite Squadron cadets pitted their online acumen against teams from across the U.S. and Japan on Nov. 7 in CyberPatriot II, a national high school cyber defense competition sponsored by the Air Force Association

The four -- Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jonathan Carballo, Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Leggett and Cadet Airmen Ephraim Mattos and Ben Sandlin -- were coached by Lt. Col. Jo Stys, project officer..

Likely the largest live high school cyber defense competition ever staged, CyberPatriot II involved more than 100 Air Force Junior ROTC and Civil Air Patrol teams from American and Japan in simultaneous competition.

The cadets were racing against the clock and their opponents, with six hours to find and correct vulnerabilities in the virtual computer provided by the Science Applications International Corporation through a virtual network. 

The team was able to use only part of the six hours allotted, having marched in Milwaukee’s 46th Annual Veterans Day parade earlier in the day.

“The cadets really got involved as a team in solving each situation they faced,” Stys said. “I am proud of their optimism and enthusiasm for this new challenge.”

Asked if they had fun, the cadets’ reply was unanimous: “Yes!” 

The team is looking forward to Round 2 on Nov. 14, when they hope to take what they learned and apply it more quickly. A fifth team member, Cadet Senior Airman Morgan Murphy, will be present to add to the group’s technical knowledge. 

The cadets said they enjoyed the challenge of learning new skills in real time on the virtual computer. Online and PowerPoint instructions helped them prepare for the competition.

“Congratulations to all the competitors and continued good luck to all the teams over the next two Saturdays of competition,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, AFA vice chairman of the board for aerospace education. “CyberPatriot II is proving to be a fantastic hands-on learning experience. It’s a great way to encourage new interest in this crucial career path.”


 

Dear CAP Volunteer:

For all Americans, especially Civil Air Patrol’s combat veterans, Veterans Day serves as an important reminder of the 25 million courageous men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who valiantly served their country. In other parts of the world, Veterans Day is celebrated as Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day.

Regardless of what you call it, Veterans Day is commonly celebrated on Nov. 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. The major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. By always observing Veterans Day on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls, Americans preserve the historical significance of the date and the importance of the holiday.

Veterans Day is and should be a day of national celebration, set aside to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Let’s keep that in mind when we gather with family and friends on Nov. 11 to observe Veterans Day.

Embrace the opportunity afforded to us on this day. Make time to visit with CAP members who are veterans. Reflect with them on the freedoms we have in America and the sacrifices made by all our nation’s veterans to ensure those freedoms. Their devotion and dedication in defense of our country, in times of war and other military duties, must always be remembered – not just on Veterans Day but each and every day.

Veterans, we salute you! Thanks for your great service.

Always vigilant!
 
Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter
CAP National Commander