NEWS: 7,000 students introduced to CAP

FRIENDLY, Md. — Civil Air Patrol’s National Capital Wing displayed one of their Cessna 182 Skylane aircraft May 13 during National Transportation Day held at Potomac Airfield. The event, sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration, drew approximately 7,000 students and teachers from nearby schools in Prince George’s County, Md., and the District of Columbia.

“It was a great event,” said Lt. Col. Mark Bailey, wing director of operations. “There was good weather and a fun-filled atmosphere.”

National Capital Wing Commander Col. Richard Cooper, center, talks with visitors about Civil Air Patrol. Photo by Lt. Col. Mark Bailey

Staff members discussed the possibility of future CAP school programs with teachers and about the benefits of joining the organization as an Aerospace Education Member. The AEM program allows educators at all levels access to products and programs designed especially for teaching aerospace and integrating it into their curriculum.

Other displays included many private aircraft and helicopters from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County, Coast Guard, Army and Marines.

Civil Air Patrol’s National Capital Wing currently has 215 volunteer officers and senior members and 110 cadets in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Federal employees and military personnel can support CAP through the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area – CFC charity number 26757. 

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 56,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the Air Force with saving 91 lives in fiscal year 2008. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the nearly 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 67 years. For more information on CAP, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com.