USAF

 

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CAP

June 2022   Volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.   Inside This Issue…New York, Alaska CAP Couples Restore Vintage Aircraft; Wings in Action as Colorado Assists Flying Legends of Victory Tour, New Mexico Aids Army Cadets, Minnesota Enjoys Aerospace Fling, North Carolina Attains sUAS Full Mission Capability; Alumni Spotlight; Final Salute, more …   Labor of Love: CAP Couples Restore Vintage Aircraft   (Top) The Neals’ 1941 yellow Stinson 10A and a red 1940 Fairchild 24 both bear the original insignia of Civil Air Patrol. (Bottom) The Maynards’ U-3B at their hangar in Tillamook, Oregon.   In its 80 years, Civil Air Patrol has never been in the business of doling out marital advice — until now. And we’re not about to start. But if you’re a pilot mad about aviation and buying or restoring vintage aircraft, find an infinitely patient spouse and heed this advice from CAP Maj. Deb Maynard on Rule One of aviation restoration: “Pilots should only marry other pilots if they want to stay married.”   From opposite ends of the U.S., connected by a common bond of aviation, Maj. Deb and Capt. Tim Maynard and their East Coast counterparts, Lt. Col. Sean and Maj. Sue Neal, offer two stories of patience, restoration, remembrance, and romance — with a bit of Santa Claus, Glenn Miller, and doppelgangers of Betty Grable and legendary U.S. Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur to set the mood. There’s also a dash of the New Frontier.  Click here to continue reading What types of hobbies do you have? I restore airplanes, cars or anything with an engine Select Sports are my game Select Marathon TV watching Select Arts and crafts – anything creative Select Cooking. I am a foodie! Select Travel by boat, airplane, train, or car Select Mine is not listed, but thanks for asking! Select   VIDEO CORNER   Highlights from the Colorado Wing’s Dakota Ridge Composite Squadron and Flying Legends of Victory Tour   Members of the Dakota Ridge Composite Squadron had a unique opportunity to volunteer with ground crews as they made their way through the Denver metro area recently. They spoke with the men and woman who keep these historic aircraft flying.   If Only You Were 16 Again!? Would You Join These Cadets?   A fun recruitment video by the cadets from the Colorado Wing’s Dakota Composite Ridge Squadron   Hawaii Wing’s Wheeler Composite Squadron Cadet Interview   Cadet 2nd Lt. Kanoelani Amantiad shares her reasons for joining CAP. She was accepted to the Air Force Academy and will begin her studies in the fall.   New Mexico Members Aid Army Cadets’ Rocket Launches   New Mexico Wing members recently stepped up to assist a team from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in conducting hypersonic rocket launches at Spaceport America in south central New Mexico.   Wing aircrews and a ground team participated in… Click here to read more about the joint activity involving Civil Air Patrol and West Point cadets   Have a Vehicle You’d Like to Donate to Benefit CAP? Click here for easy donation information   Minnesota Wing “Aerospace Fling” Shares Wonder of Aviation   Cadet Airman Trystan Seger of the Mankato Composite Squadron pilots a flight simulator in a dogfighting tournament with four fellow cadets.   A wide range of aviation-related exhibits and activities, ranging from flight simulators to a hot-air balloon and helicopters to vintage warbirds,  greeted more than 400 Civil Air Patrol members, families, friends, and prospective members visiting the Great Minnesota Wing Aerospace Fling at Fleming Field in South St. Paul on May 28.   The multifaceted event featured an array of aircraft on display, including … Click here to read more about  “Aviation Fling”   Saving Lives   CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.   North Carolina Wing Attains sUAS ‘Full Mission Capability’   Members of the North Carolina Wing drone team at Sugar Valley Airport – (from left) Maj. Neil Brock, Capt. Mark Mogavero, Majs. David Hartman and Al Griffa, Capt. Robert Rimmer, Lt Col. Michael Krueger, Col. Larry Ragland and Lt Col. Larry Katz. Photo by 1st Lt. Deborah Leighton, North Carolina Wing   The North Carolina Wing’s small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) program has reached Full Mission Capability status with 10 drone teams across the state – an achievement 4½ years in the making, according to the wing’s director of operations for UAS, Capt. Robert Rimmer.   With the support of Col. Jason Bailey, then North Carolina Wing commander, the program began with a Phantom 3 and F800 and has grown to include… Click here to read more about sUAS activities Give your editors some feedback…Are we droning on? Not at all! I really enjoy reading the monthly Alumni and Friends e-newsletter Select Yes! Please make the newsletter shorter. Select Not sure! But I always find something I like to read.

July 2021

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Save Lives and Shape Lives   Inside This Issue… CAP’s next national vice commander, cadets in action, 100th cadet achieves wings, Annual Report is released, Development announces new deputy director of philanthropy, Operations team win national awards, Alumni Spotlight, appreciated stock gifts, CAP remembers Malcolm Kyser, Final Salute and more…

Cadet Alumna Aye, Education Program Chief, Chosen Next National Vice Commander

Civil Air Patrol’s next national commander/CEO, Maj. Gen.-select Ed Phelka, has chosen Col. Regena Aye — chief of CAP’s Senior Member Education and Training Program, who developed Volunteer University — as his national vice commander. The announcement was made after Aye was approved by CAP’s Board of Governors.   Aye will join Phelka on Aug. 26 for a change of command ceremony in …

Click here for more of Col. Aye’s story

VIDEO CORNER

Excelling Cadets – Experiencing Aerospace Education

“It’s a good community, there’s a lot of people with similar interests, drive, and knowing what they want for their future.” Cadet Senior Airman Amber Ganger, North Valley Composite Squadron, Colorado Wing

Click here to watch the interview

Wisconsin Wing at Patriot 21

“This is one of our best exercises because we are able to work with disaster relief agencies that allow us to practice independently as an organization.” Lt Col Mark Niemi, Fox Cities Composite Squadron, Wisconsin Wing

Click here to watch!

Texas Wing’s Wilson is 100th Cadet to Earn Wings Through Air Force-Funded Program

CAPl is marking a major milestone after Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Wilson of the Texas Wing’s David Lee (Tex) Hill Composite Squadron became the 100th cadet to earn his private pilot certificate through CAP’s Cadet Wings program.   Wilson, 18, received his certificate following a check ride with a Federal Aviation Administration examiner on the Fourth of July at San Marcos Regional Airport, just days before reporting to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.   “It was a good day,” Wilson said. “I’m excited to have it done, and for what comes next.” He hopes to eventually become a…

Click here to read more about 100th Cadet Wings graduate Wilson and the  Cadet Wings program

Civil Air Patrol Releases 2020 Annual Report Thank you for your support!

We are pleased to share with you our 2020 Annual Report for CAP as an informative overview of a challenging yet inspiring time for our organization. Our response tempo during the last year was our single largest mobilization since World War II! Inside this publication is an opportunity to learn, in depth, the impact CAP makes in meeting the needs of the communities we serve locally and nationally thanks to your generous support.   Because of donors like you, we continue to embrace opportunities to build America’s future through cadet programs and scholarships, aerospace education, and our lifesaving and humanitarian operations. Your support makes a difference in the lives of our youth and the success of our missions. Thank you!

Click here to read CAP’s newest Annual Report

Did you find your name in CAP’s Annual Report? Yes, I did. Thanks so much! Select Still looking… Select Not this year, but please let me know how I can be listed next year. Select Not this year, but appreciate the information. Select

New Deputy Chief of Philanthropy, National Partnerships Joins Staff

Molly Longmire is CAP’s new deputy chief of philanthropy and national partnerships, Kristina Jones, CAP chief of philanthropy, has announced.   Longmire will primarily focus on creating and developing strategies to establish, cultivate and provide overall leadership and management of gifts from institutions to support budget and strategic planning priorities; leadership of organizational partnerships; responsibility for managing the national grants program and serving as a supervisor to the national staff grants team; and support for efforts in other areas of philanthropy, including individual, planned, major and annual giving efforts.   “We are so excited to have Molly Longmire join the CAP team,” Jones said. “Her energy and experience in fundraising, particularly her understanding of military and veteran communities, will assist us as we move forward with growing our corporate and foundation support across the country.”

We are new to Corporate and Foundation donations for CAP. Click here if you have a connection or are interested in helping us identify corporations and foundations to be supportive of our amazing programs.

Saving Lives

CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.

Is your state represented with a saved life? Yes, so glad CAP was able to help. Select Not yet, but we know CAP will be there, if needed. Select

Emergency Services Takes National Top Honors

CAP has captured the three highest national-level awards for volunteers and volunteer organizations from the International Association of Emergency Managers. The awards will be presented in October at the IAEM’s annual conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   Congratulations!   2021 National Emergency Management Volunteer Organization of the Year Award CAP’s Arizona Wing   2021 National Emergency Management Uniformed Services Auxiliary Emergency Manager of the Year Award John Desmarais, CAP Director of Operations   2021 National Emergency Management Volunteer of the Year Award, Lt. Col. Bob Ditch, of the Arizona Wing and CAP’s National Emergency Service Academy-Mobile Training Team

Visit the CAP Emergency Services website

Alumni and Friends Spotlight Capt. James Hadley Williams Missouri Wing

I was assigned as an Air Force liaison officer to the Jefferson City and Rolla squadrons from 1966 to 1968. My role as a CAP member did not began until 1999. It is essential to convey that flying is only a portion of CAP. The larger membership roles and activities are those of the cadets and senior members, many not flying. All are combined, however, for education, training and duty purposes serving safety and many responsible roles. In this capacity, young cadets become more mature and active while assuming responsible leadership roles.    My first five years of Air Force active duty began with remote geologic evaluation of terrain in southern Russia.  This was followed by assignment as second lieutenant responsible for initial geodetic surveys and missile guidance calculations in Western Europe and Libya. These surveys were a part of the first Air Force deployment of missile site locations and testing purposes.    My five active-duty years were followed by a five-year Reserve commitment. Once back home to Rolla, I started working on my PhD. I did continue personal flight training however. With work related flying adding experience and hours, I soon obtained my commercial rating and then with GI Bill financial support came additional ratings, instructor, instrument, and instrument instructor, single and twin- engine. Interestingly, in those days even graduate school was less expensive than flight training.  Little did I realize how much that flight training would add to the enjoyment of being a member of CAP.    Also during this period working with members relative to their instrument flight training rating was inspiring, such as a Vietnam veteran who obtained his instrument rating. During my GI Bill instrument training, I gained very little actual IFR experience. I made sure instrument students experienced some real IFR in their training experiences.   At age 82, my wife and I continued to enjoy flying. My CAP time was enjoyable and a unique opportunity. I retired from active CAP participation 2012.    Six years later, my last flight as was as pilot in command in our personal airplane. I have flown 50 years and 8,616 hours. I was privileged to receive the Wrights Brothers Award. Flying closes with a combination of gratitude for those years of flying opportunities but with sadness as flying time ceases. The same can be said with CAP participation.

We are looking for stories from Alumni and Friends!Click here to share your CAP story

A Tax-Savvy Way to Benefit from Growing Assets

Securities/Stocks are most often used to support our work in the form of:   An outright gift. When you donate securities to CAP, you receive the same income tax savings that you would if you wrote a check, but with the added benefit of eliminating capital gains taxes on the transfer, which can be as high as 20%. Transfer your appreciated assets today.   A transfer on death (TOD) account.* By placing a TOD designation on your brokerage or investment account, that account will be paid to one or more persons or charities after your lifetime. If you would like to transfer your appreciated assets you can: Use our online tool to walk you through the process in less than 5 minutes; or Access our transfer information and work directly with your broker to transfer your stocks.

Click here to visit our planned giving resources

Signing off… Remembering Malcolm Kyser

It is with heavy hearts that we tell you Malcolm Kyser passed away peacefully after a sudden illness. For those who didn’t know him well, Mal was CAP’s senior national program manager for command and control communications. Malcolm began work with CAP on the CAP-USAF staff in July 1993, and then he moved to the CAP staff in1995 when he retired from the Air Force. He was loved and respected by everyone. Mal’s passing is a tremendous loss to both his own family, and our CAP family.

Click here to share your “Malcolm” memories

Final Salute

CAP offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer. Click here for the July Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift

June 2021

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Save Lives and Shape Lives   Inside This Issue…., CAP’s next national commander, cadets in action, Board of Governors announces new member, Arizona members recognized for lifesaving valor, Final Salute and more…

Fast-Forward 30+ Years… Michigan Wing Cadet Alumnus Named Next CEO/National Commander

Brig. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, Civil Air Patrol’s national vice commander since 2017, is getting yet another promotion — the biggest of his 34 years of service in the U.S. Air Force auxiliary.   Phelka’s CAP career began as a Michigan Wing cadet in 1987. As a cadet, he completed all then-15 achievements of the cadet program, culminating with the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award — the organization’s top cadet achievement — in 1993.   On May 21, CAP’s Board of Governors selected Phelka to be the organization’s next national commander and CEO. He will assume command Aug. 26 in a ceremony with Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, current national commander/CEO.

Click here to read more about Brig. Gen. Phelka

Do you have a connection to Brig. Gen. Edward Phelka? Yes, I first knew him back when he was a cadet in the Michigan Wing Select Yes, I have met him in recent years within Civil Air Patrol Select Yes, I have seen his name in news stories, etc Select Not yet, but thanks for asking! Select

Click here to email if you have a memory about Brig Gen Edward Phelka you would like to share!

VIDEO CORNER

Cadets in Action   Cadet Program Helping Young Montana Member Soar

“They don’t just study leadership, they get a chance to be leaders while in the program.” Lt. Col. Al Nash, public affairs Officer

Click here to watch the interview

Vaughn College’s DeVivo Named to Board of Governors

The president and CEO of Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in New York has been selected to serve on CAP’s Board of Governors.   Acting Secretary of the Air Force John P. Roth and Maj. Gen. Mark Smith jointly appointed Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo to join CAP’s top governing board, effective immediately.   “Dr. DeVivo has significant executive-level experience in strategic planning and leading through change,” Smith said. “She is well-suited to help …

Click here to learn more about the newest CAP Board of Governors member

Ariz. Members Honored for Lifesaving Valor

“When I was on the ground begging and pleading for help, they were the only people that came to help me.” Destiny Bain

The Arizona Wing pair that responded in May 2020 to an active shooter incident in Glendale marked the event’s 12-month anniversary with not only prestigious medals presented by CAP’s national commander but also a reunion with one of the two shooting victims they assisted.   Maj. Randy Hammit and 1st Lt. Kelli Hammit, members of the Glendale-based 388th Composite Squadron, each received the Silver Medal of Honor from Maj. Gen. Mark Smith. The Silver Medal of Valor, awarded fewer than 150 times since it was established in 1960, recognizes “distinguished and conspicuous heroic action, at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of normal duty.”   Paramedics were not allowed on the shooting scene until it was secured by police, so the Hammits, who lived nearby…

Click here to read more about these CAP  members heroic actions

“Who Wants to Drive a Car, When You Can Fly a Plane?”   Cadet Gains Wings on 16th Birthday   Obtaining a driver’s license upon turning 16 is a long-awaited rite of passage for teens across the country … but not for Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Rylee Emaus. “Who wants to drive a car when you can fly a plane?” quipped Emaus, a member of the North Carolina Wing’s Hickory Composite Squadron.   Instead of heading to the Department of Motor Vehicles, she marked her 16th birthday by…

Click here to read more about this cadet’s sweet 16th treat!

By age 16, I… Was still riding my bike Select Obtained my driver’s license, but didn’t have a car Select Obtained my driver’s license, and had a car I could use (FREEDOM!) Select Like the cadet above, I was flying a plane! Select

Saving Lives

CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.

Alumni and Friends Spotlight   Mr. Robert Bradshaw New York Wing

I do not remember how I found about CAP. I have had a love affair with airplanes all of my life. I drew pictures, cut out pages from every book with airplanes on the inside. My favorite is the North American P-51. For part of my childhood, I was in a hospital being treated for tuberculous.    Airplanes were my way of being connected with life.  Airplanes provided my escape from being isolated.                         I was finally able to live out my dreams when I joined CAP. I joined the New Rochelle squadron and worked my way to cadet colonel and squadron commander. I also joined the Manhattan Drill Team that went on to win state titles. I was selected to the U.S. Drill Team which won the International Drill Team Competition.   I later joined the Bronx drill team and later still the Westchester County team as team drill master. I also was selected for the International Air Cadet Exchange, where I became the ranking cadet and leader for the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Exchange.   I met and made lifelong friends in CAP. As a group, we are diverse, but like-minded.   CAP gave me the chance to learn discipline and leadership.  I never let race dictate what and who I would become.     I am now a writer with a published book, ”Don’t Retire to Expire.” I also became a life coach, as well as a magazine writer.

Click here to share your CAP story!

You shop, Amazon Smile donates to CAP

Select CAP as your favorite charity while you shop on Amazon! Thanks to shoppers like you, AmazonSmile has donated $25,986.89 to CAP’s national scholarship program.

Shop Amazon Smile and benefit cadets today!

Civil Air Patrol Final Salute

CAP offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer. Click here for the June Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift

May 2021

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Save Lives and Shape Lives   Inside This Issue….Cadet alumnus awarded Antarctica Service Medal, cadets spring into cadet action with powered flights and encampments, Puerto Rico Wing demonstrates their robotic arm, Maj. Gen. Smith helps launch the Semper Vigilans Society, Spring Volunteer release, Oregon cadet alumni reunite while deployed, Col Sydow fills leadership roles, CAP’s EAA AirVenture booth, CAP remembers Rep. Lester Wolff, Final Salute and more…

CAP Cadet Explorer Awarded Antarctica Service Medal Decades Later

Dr. Robert N. Barger III salutes Brig. Gen. Ed Phelka, CAP national vice commander, after receiving his Antarctic Service Medal, newly pinned on his lapel.

Dr. Robert N. Barger III, 82, was awarded the Antarctica Service Medal on May 15 for his service as the official Civil Air Patrol participant in the U.S. Navy’s Operation Deep Freeze II nearly 6½ decades ago.   Barger, a retired professor at the University of Notre Dame, participated as a teenager in a yearlong U.S. Navy-led operation in Antarctica and the South Pole that would…

Click here to read more about Dr. Barger and his cadet Antarctic adventures

Two Have Been Recognized, Still Searching for Five Cadet Alumni…

There were SEVEN CAP cadets who participated in Operation Deep Freeze:   Cadet Maj Robert N. Barger III, Illinois Wing – 1956-57 (Deep Freeze II) Cadet Maj George P. Sheaffer, Washington Wing – 1957-58 (Deep Freeze III) Cadet Capt William G. Ehrlich, Nebraska – 1957-58 (Deep Freeze III) Cadet Don W. Sanborn, Maine Wing – 1968-69 (Deep Freeze 68) Cadet Jerry D. Fountain, Colorado Wing – 1968-69 (Deep Freeze 68) Cadet John A. Coefield, Montana Wing – 1969-70 (Deep Freeze 69) Cadet Alan H. Cockrell, Alabama Wing – 1969-70 (Deep Freeze 69)   Barger and Cockrell have received medals for their service in Operation Deep Freeze.    If you have any information on these CAP alumni, please click below and we will share your information with Col Frank Blazich, Jr., Col. Louisa S. Morse Center for CAP history director and national historian emeritus.

Click here to share info on these cadet alumni

When you were a teenager, would you have wanted to go to Antarctica? Yes, I would go any day you could send me. Select Yes, it would have been an adventure. Today, that is a little too far. Select Maybe, how cold is it there? Select No thanks, lots of other great places closer to my home as a teen. Select

VIDEO CORNER

Cadets in Action

Cadets from Michigan Wing’s Lakeshore 119 Composite Squadron received powered orientation flights piloted by Maj. Kyle Curtiss from the Central Michigan Group earlier this month.

Click here to watch cadets in flight

Nevada Wing Announces Summer Encampment

Click here to watch!

Puerto Rico Wing’s Lt. Col. Elsa M. Soto-Torres Cadet Squadron Members Complete STEM Project

After several Saturdays working on a robotic arm, this was the completed result. Thanks to Senior Member Isaac Vasquez and Capt. Billy Blanco, aerospace education officers, for their dedication and support for this STEM project.

Photos by: Cadet MSgt Aryam M. Godoy

Leading by Example: National Commander Helps Launch Semper Vigilans Society

“It makes a difference in the life of a young person. That’s the beauty and the power of philanthropy.” Maj. Gen. Mark. E. Smith

An expression that Maj. Gen. Mark Smith uses to describe a golden opportunity that shouldn’t be missed is “ticket to the game.” By including CAP in his planned giving, Smith is providing a fistful of tickets to hand out to young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to benefit from CAP’s leadership and enrichment programs. He’s pleased to be in a position to help financially.   “It makes a difference in the life of a young person,” Smith said. “That’s the beauty and the power of philanthropy.” Smith, who retired in 2000 after a 26-year U.S. Air Force career, will conclude his extended four-year term as national commander and CEO of CAP in August. Numerous advancements and improvements have occurred under his leadership, including the launch of the Semper Vigilans Society in 2020. The society was established to recognize those who include CAP in their estate planning

Click here to read about Gen. Smith’s gift to CAP’s legacy

Click here to learn more about the Semper Vigilans Society

Is Civil Air Patrol in your estate plans? Yes! Select Not yet, but I/we are talking about the possibility Select Would like more information Select No, but thanks for asking! Select

Civil Air Patrol Volunteer Magazine is Published

Click here to read the Spring issue of the Volunteer magazinevolunteer–spring20217

Saving Lives

CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.

Alumni and Friends Spotlight #1

Once, Twice, Three Times a Colonel: Va. Wing’s Sydow Forges Pattern of Leadership

Very few CAP members ever reach the rank of colonel. Even fewer do so three times – but that’s just what Elizabeth A. Sydow has done as the new commander of CAP’s Virginia Wing.   It was the third promotion to colonel for Sydow, who previously held the rank in…

Click here to read more about Sydow’s three times as a colonel

Alumni & Friends Spotlight #2

Friends in High Places: Former Ore. Wing Cadets Reunite in Unlikely Setting   “I got very excited about the program, and it started me on a path that made me who I am today,” Tristan said.

Long-lasting friendships in the military are special. Though separated by distance and years, friends can pick up right where they left off when they meet again.

Tristan

Paul

That was the case for a pair of U.S. Air Force first lieutenants, Paul and Tristan (last names withheld for deployment security), who met in the Oregon Wing as CAP cadets.   Paul became interested in the organization when he noticed…

Click here to find out how these Oregon cadets reunited

Civil Air Patrol Booth #55   Pick Up Your FREE CAP Alumni & Friends Sticker!   July 26 – Aug. 1, 2021

Will you be attending EAA’s AirVenture this year? Yes, I am attending and I will stop by Booth #55 to say hello! Select No, not attending, but I like seeing CAP supporting more events Select

Shop Amazon.Smile and Support CAP’s National Scholarship Program

Select CAP as your favorite charity while you shop on Amazon! Thanks to shoppers like you, AmazonSmile has donated $23,906.05 to CAP’s national scholarship program.

Click here to shop and support CAP!

CAP Charter Member and Advocate Wolff, Former U.S. Rep., Dies at 102

CAP Col. and former U.S. Rep. Lester Wolff, one of CAP’s earliest members, died May 11. He was 102.   Wolff began his CAP volunteer service early in World War II in the New York Wing, serving for the duration of the war and becoming a squadron commander. He later served eight terms on Capitol Hill, from 1965-1981, as a U.S. representative from New York. He was the oldest living former member of the House of Representatives.   “Rep. Wolff embodied all that is good about Civil Air Patrol,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, CAP national commander. “As a World War II volunteer, he helped …

Click to read Col.  Wolff’s CAP story

Civil Air Patrol Final Salute

CAP offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer. Click here for the May Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift

Civil Air Patrol – Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Col. John M. Knowles, CAP, Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations Donna Bass Maraman, Development Manager Rebecca Stovall, Donor Database Specialist   (334) 953-9003 Direct (833) IAM-4CAP Toll Free Contact: Giving https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving   Interested in talking about the legacy you want to leave? Contact Kristina Jones, Chief of Philanthropy, at legacy@gocivilairpatrol.org

Click here to shop the Vanguard CAP Alumni store

Visit our website Click here to email us

*NEW* Click here for Wing Reports Click here for Report to Congress

March 2021

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Save Lives and Shape Lives   Inside This Issue..Veterans mentor the next generation, South Dakota squadron commander inspires, Alaska Wing cadets highlight cadet life, cadets compete for CyberPatriot title, CAP announces cadet scholarships awards, Foundation and Board of Governors spotlight, Historical Journal issue, alumni spotlight, free resources, final salute and more…

We Celebrate Our Veterans Helping to Grow Future Leaders   “The nice thing about CAP is it gives you the opportunity to do what you want,” he said. “You can try something you never did in the military. Remember, it’s a group of volunteers.”

Maj. Stanley Nelson (left) of the New Mexico Wing’s Roswell Composite Squadron hands a package of COVID-19 test samples to Master Sgt. Jeffrey Barlow of the Falcon Composite Squadron at Albuquerque International Sunport. Photo by Lt. Col. Beverly Vito, Albuquerque Heights Composite Squadron.

U.S. Army veteran Michael Moore is CAP’s national recruiting and retention manager. He spent four years as a combat medic on active duty. He’s also been a CAP member for more than 30 years.   Moore initially joined as a cadet in his hometown in Washington state. Cadets are 12 to 21-year-old members.   During his time as a cadet, Moore served in multiple roles. He even served as an exchange cadet with an equivalent unit in England. He said his stint as a cadet and receiving guidance from military veterans influenced his decision to join the military.   After four years in the Army, he found himself as one of those military veterans influencing cadets. As a senior member, he was in a position to help others and continues to do so. Moore said he’s mentored cadets who have gone on to be a banker, a politician, military members, and graduates of the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy and West Point.

Click here to read the full story about veterans helping communities and mentoring the next generation

Are you? a current member of CAP? Select a CAP alumnus or Friend of CAP, but not an active member? Select a veteran, not previously a CAP member, who has thought about joining CAP? Select a former member who has thought about returning to CAP? Select Other-not interested in joining CAP at this time, but enjoy receiving news? Select

VIDEO CORNER

Meet Our New South Dakota Wing Sioux Falls Composite Squadron Commander   “It’s not the hurdle in front of you, it’s what you can do when you get over that hurdle.”

The CAP squadron in Sioux Falls has a new leader. As a high schooler in the 1990s, Travis Robinson wanted to enter the military. At 16, he was seriously injured in a car crash. Later in life, he found CAP.

Click here to watch his interview as new commander

Alaska Wing Provides a Tour of CAP Cadet Life and Highlights Warning: This Video Makes People Smile

From summer encampments to weekly squadron meetings covering topics in leadership, character development, aerospace education, physical fitness and more, the cadet program has it all!

Video courtesy: Alaska Wing

Click here to watch the Alaska Wing cadets in action

When I watch videos about cadets, I… Wish I was a teenager again-how fun! Select Am proud of what CAP cadets are experiencing. Select Both of the above! Select

Go Team Go! Meet CAP’s CyberPatriot XIII Finalists

Cadet teams from the California, Colorado and North Carolina wings will seek the All Service Division championship this week in the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot XIII National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.    The three CAP entries will face off March 20-21 against each other and the 10 other All Service Division competitors – Junior ROTC teams from each of the military services as well as the Naval Sea Cadet Corps. CAP teams won the overall All Service Division championship in 2011, 2012 and 2017.

Click here to read more about the CAP cadet team finalists

CAP Awards 93 Cadet Scholarships Worth $155,500

Click here to find out more about the 2021 cadet scholarship recipients

Nearly 100 CAP cadets from 35 wings are receiving academic and flight scholarships worth a combined total of $155,500 in 2021.   Twenty more cadets were recommended for acceptance to the U.S. Air Force Preparatory School in Colorado Springs.   In all, 61 academic scholarships account for $120,500 of the total amount, with 32 flight scholarships totaling the remaining $35,000.   “You had tough competition, and you should be proud of your selection,” Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, CAP’s national commander and CEO, said in a congratulatory message prepared for the scholarship recipients.

Did you know? You can now support CAP’s cadet scholarship program by donating appreciated stocks!

Click here to check out our free donor stock tool

Visit our website for more ways to donate

CAP Foundation Adds Women in Aviation Intl. Founder

The founder of Women in Aviation International (WAI) brings her unique voice for women to CAP as the newest trustee for the CAP Foundation.   Dr. Peggy Chabrian — a longtime aviation enthusiast and professional aviation educator who retired as WAI’s president in September 2019 — was appointed last month at the foundation’s February meeting. She joins nine other national leaders and influencers in helping the CAP Foundation provide general support for CAP and its programs and missions, direct financial support to CAP’s operations and scholarships to CAP members.

Click here to read more about Dr. Chabrian

Board of Governors Gains New Leadership

On Feb. 27 retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin McLaughlin followed Col. Bradford Lynn as chairman of the CAP Board of Governors.   “Col. Lynn has made exceptional contributions to Civil Air Patrol during his tenure as the chairman of the Board of Governors,” McLaughlin said. “His vision and team-oriented approach leave us positioned well for the future. We thank him for his outstanding leadership.”   Col. Curtis Boehmer, another CAP at-large member on the board, became vice chairman. The vacancy Lynn leaves is now filled by Col. John R. Longley Jr.

Click here to read more about CAP’s Board of Governors

Saving Lives Outside the Pandemic Arena

CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.

History is So Interesting!   Latest National Historical Journal Includes Feature On Legendary Subchaser

The January-June issue of the newly redesigned Civil Air Patrol National Historical Journal is now available online.   A publication of CAP’s National History Program, the journal features articles about the organization’s history-makers, the nation’s early experiences with powered flight and the pioneers who championed it over the years, civilian and military aviation, and CAP’s impact as a force multiplier for the U.S. Air Force.   The new issue includes an article on Col. Charles Compton, one of the last surviving CAP subchasers until his death in 2020 at age 104.

Click here to read the latest edition of the National Historical Journal

From Cadet to Astronaut Col. Eric Boe Reflects on Discovery 10 Spoiler Alert: 80’s Music Might be Involved

NASA astronaut Col. Eric Boe, who piloted the final flight of Space Shuttle Discovery 10 years ago, reflects on his historic flight.   Boe, who got his start in aviation as a Georgia Wing cadet and earned CAP’s top cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, recalls his 13-day mission to service the International Space Station in an interview this week with Avgeekery.com. He now holds the CAP rank of colonel in Texas Wing’s Ellington Composite Squadron.

Click here for more about Boe and his historic flight

Alumni & Friends Spotlight   Henry “Hank” Meiners   Cadet Alumnus, Ohio Wing

Your name: Henry “Hank” Meiners, CAP lieutenant colonel   Home state or unit: Ohio Wing Group 1 Headquarters   Why did you join CAP? I joined CAP in order to operate radio equipment and to fly missions.   What is your current career/retirement life? I am a retired aerospace engineer who moved up from being an auto mechanic, then machine tool assembler, then to a designer of electrical power systems for Proctor and Gamble, then to GE Aircraft Engines as an engineer, then to teaching in the Clermont County, Ohio school system.   What specific CAP experiences/mentors influenced your career or life? Back in 1956, I worked with an Ohio squadron to set up an SCR-522 radio for a mission based at Ohio State University. That inspired me to finally become a member in 1990 as a senior member and fledgling pilot.   Anything else we didn’t ask that you would like to share about the importance of CAP yesterday, today, and tomorrow? I’ve held an amateur radio license for quite some time and am now an examiner with extra class. I have retired from flight which started in 1980 when I joined up GE. I have also pretty much retired from the lay ministry with the Methodist Church and the Church of God, which gave me impetus to become an MLO (now character development instructor). After retirement from the engineering world, I went into 19 years of serving the Clermont County Educational Service Center as a substitute teacher and retired at the end of the school year in 2019.

Click here to share your story! Each month we feature our alumni and friends!

Take Time to Plan Free Resource for You!

Looking back on 2020 reminds us of a year filled with changes. Through it all, what never wavered was our commitment to America’s communities. We are so grateful for the friends who lent their support to CAP, no matter the circumstances. Thank you!   We want to provide you with a resource that others like you have found helpful in taking control of their planning. Our personal estate planning kit is a tool that can be used to facilitate your future estate plans, document your intentions for your family and your loved ones, and support the causes most dear to you.

Click here to download your free personal estate planning kit

In regards to your estate planning, what is your status? I have everything in order for my estate plans. Select I am in the process of updating my estate plans. Select I am working on my estate planning for the first time. Select Um, what estate plans? Have not even thought about it. Select I would like to know more about CAP’s resources for estate planning. Select

Civil Air Patrol Final Salute

CAP offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer magazine. Click here for the March Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift

Civil Air Patrol – Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Col. John M. Knowles, CAP, Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations Donna Bass Maraman, Development Manager Rebecca Stovall, Donor Database Specialist   (334) 953-9003 Direct (833) IAM-4CAP Toll Free Contact: Giving https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving   Interested in talking about the legacy you want to leave? Contact Kristina Jones, Chief of Philanthropy, at legacy@gocivilairpatrol.org

Click here to shop the Vanguard CAP Alumni store

Visit our website Click here to email us

Click here for *NEW* Wing Reports Click here for Report to Congress

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January 2021

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Save Lives and Shape Lives   Inside this Issue…CAP Flies for Operation Warp Speed, Wisconsin Wing First in State Certified to Fly Rescue Drones, Aerospace Education Member Gives Students Tools to Solve Real-World Problems, CAP Provides Free Planning Resources, Call for Foundation Trustees, Former U.S. Representative and CAP Member Turns 102; Cellphone Team Ends Year with 4 Holiday Rescues, Cadet Recognized for Lifesaving Actions, Alumni Spotlight, Find your Alumni Friends for Our 80th Anniversary, Final Salute and more…

CAP Members Fly for Operation Warp Speed

When the Great Lakes Region received a request to transport the COVID-19 vaccine by air…

Click here to read the full article at Flying Magazine

CAP pilots (and former cadets) Maj. Rod Rakic and Lt. Col. Robert Bowden conducted the mission across the upper Midwest.

We hope you are doing well! We’re curious–have you signed for the COVID-19 vaccine? Already had it! Select I’m on the list and waiting! Select Not yet, waiting as patiently as I can to sign up… Select Not sure what I’ll do when the time comes… Select

VIDEO CORNER

CAP pilots talk about their vaccine delivery mission. As part of Operation Warp Speed, CAP aircrews flew COVID-19 vaccines to rural areas for the Indian Health Service in a GA8 Airvan.

Click here for the full Operation Warp Speed AOPA Live Interview

Wisconsin Wing’s La Crosse Composite Squadron First in State to Fly Rescue Drones

The advance of technology affects almost every aspect of life, and for CAP’s search and rescue activities this has also been true as small Unmanned Aerial Systems, more commonly referred to as drones, become a tool for saving lives.

Click here to watch this exciting technology

Aerospace Education Member Gives Students Tools to Solves Real-World Problems

Kids are brilliant, and allowing them to have more open-ended and hands-on experiences and opportunities lets that brilliance shine.

Kate Watson is a teacher on special assignment at a Title I elementary magnet school in Minnesota. “I know that having opportunities that provide the use of inquiry, asking questions, seeking answers, fostering creativity, teamwork and STEM is what is best for all our students,” she says. “Giving students lifelong tools to solve problems, especially real-world problems at any age, builds pride and confidence. ”    She is Curriculum Integration Coordinator for the school, and she is also the school coordinator for implementing CAP’s Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Program.

Click here to read about Ms. Watson’s work with aerospace education

Are You Planning for the New Year?

CAP now offers a free Personal Estate Planning Kit as a tool for organizing your estate — saving you time, protecting your assets and helping you establish your legacy.   Set family goals, create an estate plan, keep a digital record of important information and organize everything in one place.

Click here to download the FREE copy of your estate planning lit with lesson book and record book

CAP Foundation Seeking Qualified Trustees

The Civil Air Patrol Foundation is embarking on a strategic growth plan, and its Board of Trustees is interested in identifying qualified strategic individuals to fill a few vacant trustee positions.   The new trustees will champion the building of an endowment for the purposes of supporting cadet scholarships and the advancement of aerospace education, among other CAP programs and missions. Foundation assets have grown 700% in the last 18 months.   The board will consider each candidate’s willingness and/or ability to assist with the long-term financial stability of CAP, provide leadership for fundraising including the endowment fund, and promote CAP’s activities and programs.

Click here to submit a name for Consideration by Jan. 31

Happy, Happy Birthday! Wolff Turns 102; Former U.S. Rep. Flew CAP WWII Coastal Patrol Missions

CAP Col. and former U.S. Rep. Lester Wolff celebrated his 102nd birthday Jan. 4 on Long Island, New York.   Wolff, one of CAP’s founding members, began his volunteer service early in World War II in the New York Wing, serving for the duration of the war. During that time, he became a squadron commander and flew coastal patrol missions searching for German submarines in the Atlantic Ocean.    After a long career in the press and public affairs he was elected to Congress in 1964. He and Rep. Jerry Pettis established the Congressional Squadron in 1968 so members of Congress and staff could participate in CAP programs.

Click here to read more about Wolff’s legacy

Saving Lives Outside the Pandemic Arena

CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.

Cellphone Team Ends Year By Guiding Searchers to 4 Holiday Rescues

Reunited   Zelda Sudhoff-Clements, 4, was reunited with her mother Dec. 23 after she and her grandparents were rescued from the Willamette National Forest. Photo courtesy of Lane County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office

Click here to read about these incredible lifesaving missions

Lifesaving Certificate Recognizes Ohio Cadet’s Actions After Boating Mishap

December 2020   News for Alumni & Friends   Citizens Serving Communities to Save Lives and Shape Lives   Inside this Issue…An Air Force magazine highlight; Video Corner; you can save lives and shape lives this giving season; Adopt-a-Classroom launch; CAP achieves trifecta of charity trust; your holiday must-read; response maps; radar team finds missing planes; gifts with tax benefits; Final Salute and more..   Putting the CAP on COVID-19 Thanks for the highlight, Air Force Times!   When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and the nation called once again, Civil Air Patrol volunteers were ready. From March through October—and beyond—CAP logged its second-longest campaign ever, surpassed only by its missions in World War II.   CAP’s response has included… Click here to read the Air Force Times article about CAP’s COVID-19 response   VIDEO CORNER   Hands-on Aviation: Delaware Wing Resumes Cadet Orientation Flights Masks Required, Sunglasses Optional   Video courtesy of Middletown Cadet Squadron   With the Delaware Wing in the second phase of reopening, cadets were finally able to experience orientation flights.   The Cadet Oath: 2020 in Review   When CAP cadets recite the oath, they promise to serve their communities, state and nation. For many young people in cadet programs, the oath is one of the first things they learn that give them guiding principles for life. Do you remember when you took an oath? Can you recite the cadet oath? Yes, I sure can! Select Maybe, but I might have to practice a few times! Select Not today, but my cranium is full of great cadet memories! Select I am a Friend of CAP and really appreciate the oath as character development! Select   You Can Save Lives and Shape Lives   “To prepare myself for service to my community, state and nation.” — CAP Cadet Oath   Every dollar makes a difference in reaching youth through aerospace education and preparing cadets to serve their communities, state and nation.   We are experiencing a significant increase in applications to help deserving cadets attend encampments, focus on flight and academic scholarships and fulfill teacher requests to fund aerospace education in school curriculum.   Your gift of: $35 supports a teacher in accessing our aerospace education program, $50 pays for one school-aged child to participate in aerospace education, $125 provides one hour of flying time for a cadet, $250 funds a scholarship to attend an encampment, $500 funds a classroom for aerospace education, or $1,000 or more provides a full academic or flight scholarship for a deserving cadet.   Don’t delay. You can save lives and shape lives with a donation today. Donate today! Include CAP in your list of charities this season.   CAP Introduces Adopt-a-Classroom Program   CAP is launching a new program to connect squadrons with local sixth grade teachers to build relationships in the local educational community that stimulate interest in aerospace-related STEM subjects/careers and awareness of CAP and its youth programs.  Click here to learn more about squadrons adopting local classrooms   Your donation of $35 supports a teacher and your gift of $500 supports a classroom Click here to support a classroom   CAP Achieves Trifecta in Charity Giving Status   CAP has achieved accreditation by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance signifying it a well-run nonprofit organization deserving of donor trust, having met key standards of board oversight, finances, results reporting and fundraising appeals.   “We now have the trifecta of charity review recognition — GuideStar Platinum, BBB Accredited Charity and the ‘Give with Confidence’ Seal from Charity Navigator. It’s a really great way to enter… Click here to read more about CAP’s top charity status   Your Holiday Must-Read!     “An Honorable Place in American Air Power:” Civil Air Coastal Patrol Operations, 1942-1943   Researched and Written by Cadet Alumnus Col. Frank Blazich   Author Frank Blazich, who has a PhD in history, has spent years researching and compiling disparate records of CAP’s short-lived–but influential–coastal patrol operations of World War II, which he synthesizes into the first scholarly monograph that cements the legacy of this unique and vital wartime civil-military cooperative effort. [Dr. Frank Blazich / 2020 / 258 pages / ISBN: 9781585663057 / AU Press Code: B-168]   Blazich is the curator of modern military history at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and serves in a volunteer capacity as the director of the Col. Louisa S. Morse Center for Civil Air Patrol History. Click here to download the new book about CAP (for free)   as of Dec. 10, 2020   Saving Lives Outside the Pandemic Arena   CAP’s search and rescue missions continue. This map represents the number of saves since Oct. 1.   Missing Planes: An Inside Look at the Team That Finds Them   ‘You’re hoping you get there soon enough’   If you ever see Mark Young rush into a coffee shop and pull out his computer, odds are he is setting up to track a missing aircraft as part of a national recovery or rescue attempt. Young is commander of the nation’s only aircraft search and rescue radar team – a group of volunteer data hounds who can find a missing plane within minutes.   CAP formally established the National Radar Analysis Team as a national squadron in 2008. It is responsible for locating downed planes anywhere in the United States, and its members use everything from….

October 2020

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this Issue… Happy 100th birthday to Col. Gail Halvorsen, Video Corner – coin stories and a 20th anniversary tribute and the New Hampshire Wing relocates a new Cessna C172; ACE opportunities for the new school year; CAP is going to the dogs; another impressive year for saving lives; COVID-19 response to date, Alumni and Friends Spotlight, CAP’s Final Salute and much more!

Happy Birthday, Col. Halvorsen!

Happy 100th Birthday to “Uncle Wiggly Wings,” retired U.S. Air Force Col. Gail Halvorsen, USAF. In 2014, he was one of those recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal honoring Civil air Patrol for its volunteer service during World War II. Most know Col. Halvorsen as the Berlin Candy Bomber, who got his start in aviation with Civil Air Patrol.   In addition, CAP offers an early education curriculum called “Uncle Wiggly Wings” that tells more about Col. Halvorsen’s story. Share it with your children and your grandchildren!

Click here for CAP’s early education curriculum “Uncle Wiggly Wings”

VIDEO CORNER

Coin Stories

Lt. Col. David Odgen of the Texas Wing commemorates his 20th anniversary in CAP with a note of thanks and gratitude. Take a look at his challenge coin collection. We are wondering, what’s your coin story?

Do you have a challenge coin collection? Yes, I have coins from various military branches and CAP. Select Yes, I have coins from experiences with the military, but not CAP. Select Yes, I have coins from CAP, but not from military experiences. Select Thanks for asking, I don’t have any challenge coins. Select This is all new to me! Select

Click here for the 2006 Volunteer magazine story about CAP coins

Click here to let us know about your favorite coin story and send us a picture!

Enjoy your flight!   The New Hampshire Wing Relocates Its New Cessna C172 G1000 NXi from Independence, Kansas to Concord.

Video courtesy of YouTube: FalconImagery

Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE): Connecting Imagination with Opportunity

A new school year has begun, and the ACE program is making a difference in classrooms around the country: improving attendance and reasoning and critical thinking skills, increasing CAP cadet interest and enhancing aligned academic standards. This ACE third-grader is using the foam glider CAP provided his teacher, an aerospace education member.   The ACE team has been working diligently to modify the K-6 ACE curriculum to assist our public, private and home-school ACE teachers in offering fun, hands-on activities with lesson plans that meet national learning standards.  Click here for CAP Aerospace Education updates

Creating Your Legacy: A Webinar & Free Resource for You

CAP is hosting a new webinar to support the future of our community and supporters. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, we’ll be hosting an estate planning webinar so that you can learn more about the best ways to support the people and causes you love. Two times are available for your convenience– at noon CDT and again at 7 p.m. CDT.   The webinar will also share CAP’s free will-writing resource, to help make estate planning, quick, easy, and cost-free for our alumni and friends. If you want to get started right away, you can click here to start writing your will in 20 minutes or less.   We’ll also be using the webinar to launch our Semper Vigilans Society, a group of loyal alumni and other supporters who have included CAP in their estate plans to provide for the future of our missions and cadets.   You’ve helped to protect and support the futures of communities across America — I hope you join our webinar to learn how to best support your own future.   Free Estate Planning Webinar Oct. 21, 2020   Reserve my spot! Noon CDT Session Reserve my spot! 7 PM CDT Session

Gone to the Dogs: Idaho Wing Transports Search Canines

Members of the Idaho Wing and the Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue Unit took advantage of a break in the smoke-filled skies to come together for an unusual training exercise: transporting search dogs from Boise to Ogden, Utah, aboard a CAP Cessna 206.   The search dog transport was one piece of a broader U.S. Air Force-authorized training exercise for responding to large-scale disasters that might occur across multiple states in CAP’s Rocky Mountain Region. The 10-day exercise involved several CAP wings, including Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.

Click here to read more of the story

CAP Totals 130 Lives Saved in Fiscal 2020– 5th-Highest Mark Ever

CAP finished fiscal 2020 with 130 lives saved, making it one of the most productive years ever for the U.S. Air Force auxiliary’s search and rescue efforts.   “This is a top-five-of-all-time save year for us,” said John Desmarais, CAP’s director of operations. The 130 lives saved in 2020 ranks fifth behind fiscal 2018 (a record 158 saves), 1983 and 1994 (both with 154 saves) and 1986 (with 136 saves).

Click here to read about  CAP’s 2020 search and rescue missions

CAP COVID-19 Mission Map Our Missions to Date

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: CAP Cadet Activities are Limitless

Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jamison Satterlee (pictured above left), a dedicated member of the Alabama Wing’s Redstone Composite Squadron, has been a member for five years. His favorite CAP memory is volunteering for the National Blue Beret. His advice for CAP members facing challenges is to participate in every activity possible.

Alumni & Friends Spotlight   Maj. Carl Lindberg, CAP Northshore Composite Squadron Washington Wing

Why did I join CAP? My dad was a career U.S. Air Force pilot (B-25s in World War II and B-26 Night Intruders in the Korean War). In both these situations he was involved in the test applications of the SHORAN (Short Range Navigation System) in combat. He was stationed at Travis Air Force Base when I began high school in 1958. The base paper ran an article about the local CAP squadron and I went to a squadron meeting to see what CAP was all about. Back then, I was considering what career I wanted and was already thinking about the Air Force. I really liked what I saw at that squadron meeting and then joined as a cadet at the next meeting.   Specific CAP experience that influenced my career/life:  I learned many skills during my various CAP roles and duties, which included serving as a cadet officer and as a senior member. In 2014, I received the Pacific Region’s Maj. Gen. Jeanne J. Holm Aerospace Education Officer of the Year award. These CAP experiences and awards gave me the basic leadership skills and self-reliance that I needed to apply to various career leadership positions.   During my orientation flight as the squadron Cadet of the Month, we went up for an hour-and-a-half flight over northern California from my squadron at Travis in an Air Force T-33. Our squadron leaders would provide a navigation problem to each cadet on a T-33 flight. After the pilot flew through some simple aerobatic moves, we entered some towering cumulus clouds. I looked “down” out the canopy and asked the pilot “aren’t we about over Lake Berryessa?” He pointed up and said, “yes, it’s right there.” We were still flying upside-down! We ended the flight by flying over San Francisco. It was a foggy day in the Bay Area and we could only see the tops of the towers on the Golden Gate bridge. I enjoyed that flight!   Career experiences: I left college to serve on active duty during the Vietnam War. During my active-duty tour, I served as an intelligence analyst on both Pacific Command and Strategic Air Command headquarters intelligence staffs. I received the Joint Service Commendation Medal recognition for my service in my PACOM assignment. After my four-year tour, I left the Air Force as a staff sergeant and returned to my college studies.   After college, I served as a planner in local government and then had a great career with the Boeing Company. At Boeing, I worked in industrial engineering and was responsible for the development of manufacturing plans for the military versions of the 707 aircraft (Airborne Warning And Control System), tanker, and many special-mission birds). I eventually joined the team that developed and presented the company-wide quality improvement program. That led to my second Boeing career in the human resource development field. In that position, I developed and offered leadership and team-building courses.I was recognized as a Manager of the Year and served as the training director in the company’s national-award-winning Good Neighbors Fund program. I retired from Boeing in 1992 and became a part-time college instructor teaching graduate courses in management and leadership.   Additional observation: Service in CAP offers great opportunities to both strengthen leadership and people skills, and to explore other different career opportunities.

Click here to share your story! Each month we feature our alumni and friends

Attention Federal Employees! Support CAP through the Combined Federal Campaign

The CFC is a convenient and effective way for federal employees, postal employees and military personnel to contribute through contributions. The campaign is open now through Jan 11th. Consider supporting CA #24876.

Click here for questions about donations through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) #24876

Civil Air Patrol Final Salute

CAP offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer magazine. Click here for a recent list of names in our October Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift

September 2020

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this Issue… Airman honors 9-11 emergency responders, North Carolina Wing thrives during pandemic challenges, save the date for our fall estate planning seminar, Video Corner AOPA interviews CAP members from 9-11 missions, CAP announces partnership with CISCO, New Jersey Wing empowers cadets through virtual opportunities, cadet pilots soar high, Gen Curry makes his way to the Morse Center, spotlight on cadet alumni who make beautiful music, find out if your company matches gifts, our COVID-19 response and lives saved, and our Final Salute

Rhode Island Cadet Honors 9-11-01 Emergency Responders by Climbing 120 Floors with Gear

Cadet Senior Master Sgt Charles Prenaveau of the Rhode Island Wing’s Pawtucket Composite Squadron climbed 120 floors in uniform and full gear to honor the emergency responders lost Sept. 11, 2001. Cadet Prenaveauof was just 6 when America experienced the act of terrorism. We are proud of him for carrying the memory forward, aren’t you?

CAP cadets are taught character and leadership, would you like to see more stories like this? Yes, this is exactly the kind of updates I like to see Select Yes, but I like these types of updates to be mixed in with other stories Select I am more interested other CAP-focused news Select Not sure, but thanks for asking Select

North Carolina Squadron Thrives During Pandemic

The North Carolina Wing’s Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron is one of many Civil Air Patrol units not only surviving but thriving during the COVID-19 quarantine.   Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, national commander, announced March 14 that CAP would halt all in-person meetings because of the coronavirus threat. During the ensuing five months, Raleigh-Wake members have engaged, virtually and otherwise, in emergency services missions, training activities, cadet and senior member meetings, cadet-focused activities and more.

Click here to read more about squadrons finding successful ways to meet during COVID-19

Creating Your legacy — a Webinar and Resource, for You

Have you planned for your future? CAP is here to support our alumni and friends as much as possible, and that means ensuring you have the resources needed to create a safe, secure future for you and your loved ones.   One easy way to do just that is by creating an estate plan. To help share some information on this important life task, and debunk some common misconceptions around it, CAP will be hosting an estate planning webinar offered on Wednesday, Oct 21. Two time are available—the first at noon CDT and again at 7 p.m. CDT, so that you can learn how to best support your future, and the people and causes you love.   We’ll also be sharing our free will-writing resource, to help make estate planning quick, easy, and cost-free for our alumni. If you want to get started right away, you can click here to start writing your (free) will, in 20 minutes or less.   You’ve helped to protect and support the futures of communities across America — I hope you join our webinar to learn how to best support your own future.

Join us Oct 21 for a webinar during National Estate Planning Awareness Week Yes, I’m interested in attending the estate planning webinar, send me more info Select I will try to attend- please send me more info Select Not interested at this time, but thanks for these important resources Select

VIDEO CORNER

AOPA Interviews CAP Members Who Flew First Aerial Mission after 9-11

A CAP Cessna 172 flew through the column of smoke rising from where the twin towers of the World Trade Center had stood until the day before. Nineteen years later, members of that crew reflect on the somber mission to capture the first aerial images of the tragedy. Thanks to AOPA for highlighting the CAP members through this video interview.

CAP Announces Partnership with Cisco Networking Academy

Civil Air Patrol is partnering with Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad) to make cybersecurity support, training and curriculum resources available for free to all 60,000 CAP members.   The partnership with Cisco was announced at CAP’s recent 2020 National Conference to benefit CAP cadets, many of whom are already involved in cyber defense education and competition, and also generate excitement among senior members interested in cybersecurity.

Click here to read the Cisco NetAcad partnership details

New Jersey Wing Empowers Cadets to Create Virtual Aerospace Education Lessons

Earlier this year, after COVID-19 closed in-person meetings, Capt Jose Vergara led his unit, the Capt Bud Jackson Composite Squadron, to produce virtual AE lessons. “I saw the opportunity for members to start making videos about AE-STEM and other CAP topics and activities,” he recalls. “The NJ-102 Video Task Force was born” The squadron and its task force were featured…

Click here to read more about cadet created aerospace education videos

Wilson, Blace, Plasschaert Earn ‘Cadet Wings’

Click here to read more about all of the Cadet Wings graduates Click here to read more about the program

Civil Air Patrol is doing its part to help young people explore and achieve their career dreams — especially helping open doors for young women into careers in aviation.    Five female cadets earned their private pilot certificate through CAP’s Cadet Wings program in August, including Cadet 2nd Lt Rebecca Wilson (pictured above) of the Oklahoma Wing’s Broken Arrow Composite Squadron, who became the 55th cadet to receive her certificate on Aug. 28.

Two more female cadets earned their certificates on Labor Day – Cadet Airman Sadie Blace (pictured above with her flight instructor, Maj Cathy Plasschaert) and Cadet Senior Master Sgt Taylor Plasschaert (also pictured above), both of the Minnesota Wing’s Mankato Composite Squadron, who became the 56th and 57th cadets, respectively, to receive their certificates.   Plasschaert is the second member of her family to earn her certificate in Civil Air Patrol. Her mom and dad are also pilots and Mankato squadron members, so she is actually the fourth pilot in the household.

“Welcome to the Morse Center, Gen. Curry”

CAP recently received some incredible treasures for the National Archives and Historical Collections, the wartime uniforms and artifacts of Major General John F. Curry. His service uniform (minus the pants) is seen here. The uniform is still a bit wrinkled from shipping but will be steamed and conserved. The coat is dated April 25, 1944 and is likely in the state of order when the general retired in October 1945.

Click here to visit CAP’s National History Program Site

Alumni & Friends Spotlight Former Cadets Create Music as Adults

Over 15 years, three Miami Springs Optimist Cadet Squadron members used their CAP experience to pursue their musical interests and eventually became band directors in Florida.   During his cadet days, Maj Marcos Rodriguez recalled, “one night my commander asked to speak with me regarding my academic performance.” He encouraged Maj Rodriguez to follow his passion and the following semester Rodriguez changed his major from aerospace engineering to music education. He is now music director at Avant Garde Academy of Broward.   As a cadet, Claire Ramirez held various staff positions and attended several National Cadet Special Activities. Her drill team experiences motivated her to continue her involvement in marching band, and her band director gave her the opportunity to teach beginning band during her free time. After she graduated, she continued to work as an instructor during band camps. She subsequently majored in music education at Florida International University and is director of bands at Falcon Cover Middle School in Weston. She also privately teaches piano and works for the Miami Music Project.   His experience with the squadron drill team also motivated Fray Peralta to continue his involvement with his high school marching band and eventually major in music education at Florida International. He went on to obtain a master’s in instrumental conducting from Southern Mississippi University and is now director of bands at Tohopekaliga High School in Kissimmee.   “Everywhere I went to work, the first thing everyone would ask was, ‘Were you ever in the military? Because you sure take command and run this band like the military,’ Ramirez said. “What they never knew was the fact I learned a lot of my classroom and logistic training from Civil Air Patrol.”   All three cited their drill team experience. Drill team practice and performance pushed them to their limits, mentally and physically, and taught them to never quit. The physical training “inspired me to never give up, something that I would take with me for the rest of my life,” Peralta said. Efficient time management ensured every practice was productive, and every such session was planned so everyone knew exactly what was scheduled.   By the time they began teaching, all three felt confident in working with students and speaking before large groups, drawing on lessons learned through the CAP cadet leadership program. In addition, they incorporated CAP training in the logistics of command to create a core of leaders to whom they could delegate authority.

Click here to share your story! Each month we feature our alumni and friends

Current and Retired Employees Participate in Matching Gifts/Volunteer Hours Grant Programs

Click here to double your donation to Civil Air Patrol

CAP COVID-19 Mission Map Our Missions to Date

COVID-19 Mission Map Updated Sept. 18

CAP Stays Mission-Focused Still Saving Lives and Shaping Lives

Civil Air Patrol Final Salute

CAP offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer magazine. Click here for a recent list of names in our September Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift

August 2020

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this Issue… CAP alumna and U.S. Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost assumes command of Air Mobility Command, record-breaking National Conference success highlights alumnus Capt. Julian Gluck and CAP Innovations Initiatives, CAP Emergency Services gets international recognition, Alumni Spotlights U.S. Air Force Ben Vowell, FreeWill offers free resources, cadet for a day, Final Salute, and more!

CAP Alumna and U.S. Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost Becomes Military’s Only Female Four Star

U.S. Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, the new commander of Air Mobility Command and the only female four-star on active duty, is a former Civil Air Patrol cadet.   Ovost assumed command of AMC on Aug. 20 at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The command’s mission is to provide rapid global mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces.   Ovost was a CAP cadet in what is now the Florida Wing’s Treasure Coast Composite Squadron in Fort Pierce. She joined right before she turned 18, serving from July 1983 to July 1984 before entering the Air Force Academy. She recently told the Air Force Times it was CAP that sparked her interest in going into the military.   The rest, as they say, is history, which has led Ovost to a 32-year Air Force career that includes her recent promotion as a four-star general.

Click here to read more about Gen Ovost and her new command

CAP’s First Virtual National Conference Record-breaking Attendance and Success

CAP’s 2020 National Conference went virtual for the first time this year. More than 10,000 registrants gathered to connect, learn, and celebrate. Members and cadets were offered over 150 professional development sessions presented by external experts, national staff, and respected CAP members.   Keynote speakers were Dr. Todd Dewett, a TEDx speaker, best-selling author at LinkedIn Learning, and an Inc. Magazine top 100 leadership speaker, along with Air Force Capt. Julian Gluck, USAF. The event was hosted by CAP member and cadet alumnus 1st Lt. BJ Lange, who has been seen on MTV, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Comedy Central.

Conference registrants also contributed over $8,000 to CAP’s National Cadet Scholarship Campaign. You can help our cadets as they return to school by supporting this campaign, too. If you are interested in creating an endowed cadet scholarship, email Cadet Scholarships.

You can support the “Back to School” cadet scholarship campaign; click here

Click here to learn more about CAP’s Cadet Invest scholarship program

CAP’s Video Corner   CAP’s Innovations… Which Ones Did You Guess?

While many volunteer organizations address innovation based on top-down directives, CAP’s innovation program design originated with a grassroots collaboration initiative. As the vision grew, it became the basis for CAP’s comprehensive innovation program.

CAP Innovation Video   Guiding Principles Read more vimeo.com

Which of CAP’s Innovations is Your Favorite? Education and Training/Virtual Learning Select Cadet Invest – Scholarships for Cadets Select Training for Cyber Defense Select Advanced Technologies for Search and Rescue and Disaster Response Select Use of Enhanced Sensors and Artificial Intelligence Select CAPLink Radio Communication and National Radio System Select Creative Pandemic Response Select All of them! Select

Third Time is the Charm! Alumnus and Air Force Capt. Julian Gluck Highlights His Continuing Journey with CAP (and makes his third appearance in our alumni and friends e-news!)

This one is worthy of a popcorn movie night for the family! Capt Julian “Cosmo” Gluck, Air Force bomber pilot, international non-profit leader, CAP member and cadet alumnus and distinguished Air Force Academy graduate was a keynote speaker for our first virtual National Conference earlier this month. Named the 2018 Air Force Times Airman of the Year, received with the 2019 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award, and was selected to the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30, Capt. Gluck keeps shining the light on his journey with Civil Air Patrol.

Capt. Julian Gluck, CAP Keynote Speech   Capt. Julian Gluck – CAP Keynote Speech Read more vimeo.com

CAP Emergency Services Volunteers Receive International Honors

Maxwell’s CAP emergency managers get…   MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – High honors for Civil Air Patrol. The International Association of Emergency Managers awarded CAP with the Volunteer Emergency Management Organization of the Year award. Lt. Col. Rick… Read more www.wsfa.com

August Is “Make A Will” Month

August is National Make-a-Will Month, and CAP is encouraging all of our supporters to celebrate by writing their wills and taking this important step into their future.   Nearly 70% of American adults don’t have a legal will, including nearly half of adults over 55. To combat these statistics, CAP is sharing a resource to help you write your will without charge.   Everyone needs a will — it ensures the people and causes you care about are always protected. This tool makes an often complicated and expensive process a bit easier: it takes 20 minutes or less and is totally free to use.   Celebrate National Make-a-Will Month with CAP and get started on protecting what matters most.

Click here to write your free will

Alumni & Friends Spotlight Air Force Capt .Benjamin Vowell, Indiana Wing     CAP Cadet Alumnus Receives First U.S. Space Force 2020 Col. James Jabara Airmanship Award     Capt. Benjamin Vowell was recently announced as the recipient of the 2020 Col. James Jabara Award for Airmanship. Capt. Vowell works in the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Special Programs Directorate and is the first to receive the award in the U.S. Space Force.

Why did you join CAP?  I joined CAP after seeing some members at an air show in Indianapolis. This was around the time I started high school and had made the decision that I wanted to eventually apply to the Air Force Academy. I saw CAP as an avenue to better prepare me for the Air Force. Myself, my brother and my father ended up joining our local unit (The Shelbyville Composite Squadron). My father would actually end up becoming the unit commander a few years later.   Current career (or former/retired)?  I am currently a program manager assigned to the Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles, California. I’m hoping to transfer to the Space Force later this year. In my current role, I manage the development and fielding of next-gen space systems. It’s amazing!   Specific CAP experience/highlight that influenced your career or your life?  First and foremost, the community service opportunities I was given as a CAP cadet helped me realize the value of community service. Our unit would often support local parades or volunteer at air shows. The most notable Air Force specific instances occurred early on in my career, particularly during my time at the Academy. Basic training was made easier by that fact that I was familiar with military customs and courtesies and proper uniform wear. I was able to be a resource for my classmates as well because of this experience and knowledge. Surprisingly, the lessons I learned from search and rescue training as a CAP cadet helped me as a Combat Survival Training (CST) trainee and even led to me teaching it as an Air Force Academcy cadet.    Anything else we didn’t ask that you would like to share? I don’t think the value of CAP can be overstated. Many of my fellow CAP cadets didn’t join the military; the value of the education, training, and community service opportunities that CAP cadets are given is broadly applicable to any career. I’m grateful for the doors that CAP opened for me.

Click here to read more about Capt. Vowell’s service

March 2020

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue… A special message from the Commander, CAP Awards 95 cadet scholarships, Civil Air Patrol demonstrates sanitizing procedures for aircraft and vehicles, honoring a CAP WWII veteran, cadets launch rockets, mission support for the Tennessee tornado, alumni and friends highlight, final salute, CAP’s report to Congress and more!

A Special Memo from General Smith   We’re all being bombarded by messaging from divergent sources. News broadcasts, friends, social media, everyone has an opinion, a factoid, or a perspective to share. The uncertainly of the rapidly evolving situation leads to great anxiety because we feel helpless and ill-equipped to fight an invisible foe.   The magnitude of anxiety being experienced across the United States, indeed worldwide, reminded me of something that Thomas Paine wrote in December 1776 during another period of uncertainly. Slightly modified, here is the opening line: “These are the times that try men’s [and women’s] souls.” Click here to read more of General Smith’s Message

Nearly all in-person cadet operations, worldwide, are on hold for the first time in our 77-year history. During this pause that extends at least until 11 May, the Cadet Program’s main goal for itself is to maintain cadets’ interest in CAP.   If you or your company is interested in offering a 30-minute virtual activity for our cadets, please contact us.

Click here to provide a meeting suggestion for our cadets which can be disbursed virtually. Perhaps your company can participate?

Our CAP Team Wants to Know How You Are Doing? I am good! All stocked up and prepared for whatever the world has to throw at us Select I am good. A bit nervous, but still healthy and safe. Select I am nervous, but appreciate your asking. Select It is a bit lonely at my house. It would be nice to hear from a friendly voice. Select Other – will send the team an email. Select

Click here to send us an email and let us know how you are doing!

Cyber Pride & Patriotism: Having Way Too Much Fun!

Capt. Roy Vestal, CAP Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron, North Carolina

A few years ago, my son was looking for a community service program he could participate in. We discovered Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a volunteer organization focused on emergency services and aerospace education.   Inspired by his grandfather, who is a retired major in the United States Air Force, it was the perfect combination of leadership opportunities and community service for him.   Six months later, I joined CAP as well because he was having way too much fun without me!

Click here to read more About Capt Roy Vestal and his CAP Story and Bridge Award from Cisco Systems

Creating America’s Future…Today! 95 Cadet Scholarships Worth $155,500 Awarded   Civil Air Patrol cadets from 34 wings have received 95 scholarships – 59 academic and 36 for flight – worth a total of $155,500 . Academic scholarships account for $116,500 of that amount and flight scholarships for $39,000. In addition, 20 cadets from 15 wings received recommendations for acceptance to the U.S. Air Force Preparatory School in Colorado Springs.   In 1979, the Air Force awarded me one of the two appointments that Civil Air Patrol has to the USAF Academy Prep School. My family couldn’t afford college at the time. There’s no way I could have gotten started without CAP! -Maj Ted Hartenstein, CAP Alumnus, PCR-WA-003

Click here to check out your state wing’s 2020 scholarship recipients!

You CAN Make a Difference in the Future of a Cadet

Every cadet holds the key to creating the future for our country. Your donation WILL make a difference in the life of an individual cadet. We raise funds year-round for these scholarships. However, we are asking that you help fund this program today. When summer comes and cadets can look to school and flight time, your donation will be a gift.

Support the Mary Feik Flight Scholarship Today! Click NOW to Support Cadet Scholarships!

Click here to receive more information about creating an endowed scholarship

CAP’s Video Corner Video #1 – Be COVID-19 Careful Civil Air Patrol Demonstrates Sanitizing Procedures for Aircraft and Vehicles

Video #2 – Honoring WWII Civil Air Patrol Veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal

Video #3 – Cadets Launching Rockets Before Social Distancing Became the Thing!

Saving Lives….   Tennessee Wing Photographs Nashville Tornado Damage

The Tennessee Wing generated thousands of aerial images of damage in the wake of the deadly tornado that struck Nashville and surrounding mid-state communities two days earlier.   In all, the wing conducted nine flights – four devoted to aerial photography, four to relocate key personnel and one to observation – and also deployed a pair of ground teams. Lt. Col. Rob Borsari, the wing’s director of operations, said the wing’s missions followed requests for aid from various agencies, as well as the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Click here to read more about the Nashville Tornado response by CAP

Even with COVID-19 – We Are Still Saving Lives

Oregon Unit Earns 3rd Trip to National STEM Competition Finals

The Oregon Wing’s Aurora Composite Squadron has again earned a national finalist berth at the Air Force Association’s national STEM competition, StellarXplorers.   This is the Aurora squadron’s fourth year as a contestant and third year in the 10-team finals. This year’s competition included 213 high school teams, with 13 representing Civil Air Patrol. Click here to read more about Cadets earning a spot in the STEM finals   AE California Member Named NASA “Solar System Ambassador”   Second Lt. Kailash Kalidoss, assistant aerospace education officer for the California Wing’s San Jose Senior Squadron 80, is NASA’s newest solar system ambassador. Kalidoss is the second member of the squadron to receive the honor since 2017, joining 1st Lt. Tara Samuels, a fellow assistant aerospace education officer as well as the unit’s activities officer, was named to the role. “I’m tremendously honored to represent both Civil Air Patrol and NASA, who fuel my passion for learning and sharing… “ Click here to read more about 2nd Lt. Kalidoss as a Solar System Ambassador     Alumni & Friends Spotlight Lt. Col. Robert Kenneth Kelly, USAF (Ret) Louisiana   Why did you join CAP? I joined the New Orleans Cadet Squadron in June of 1949 as step one of my aim to be a pilot. I participated in 3 summer encampments (Barksdale AFB, Keesler AFB, and England AFB). Untold hours of “close order drill” engrossed my time for the next 3 year. Also, I spent every Friday night at Delgado College with the “CAP Aviation Study Manual.”     Career Span: In 1952, I enlisted in the USAF with the rank of airman 3rd class based on prior CAP training and retired as lieutenant colonel in 1976. Service and assignments included Photo Radar Interpreter, Photo Radar Intelligence Officer, 15th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Wing, 67th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, 548th Reconnaissance Group, Defense Intelligence School, Resource Management Directorate Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence. After retiring, I took a position as a system engineering specialist with Bunker Ramo Corporation and served in various positions involving the bidding, staffing and management of intelligence support systems to the National Military Intelligence Center.     What specific lessons or experiences from CAP has influenced your career or life? Rewards were plenty: Participating in drill competitions at Billy Mitchell Field and Kirtland AFB and the International Air Cadet Exchange with the Canadian Cadet League; completing the navigation check ride and participating in Search and Rescue.     Anything else we didn’t ask that you would like to share? I met my wife because of Civil Air Patrol and we are both active in the Louisiana wing alumni gathering every few years. Click here to read Mr. Kelly’s biographical sketch Submit your CAP Spotlight Story or Photos   Civil Air Patrol offers friends and family the ability to make gifts in memory or honor of someone special. Tribute/memorial gifts made through the link below are listed in each issue of the Civil Air Patrol Volunteer magazine. Click here for a recent list of names in our March Final Salute Click here to make a tribute/memorial gift   Coming Soon!   We’ve had multiple requests in our office for FREE tools and resources to asist with estate planning. Would you be interested in estate planning resources? Yes, please. I am at home and this is on my mind. Select Yes, please. I am also interested in a free webinar on the topic. Select Maybe, I have not had time to think about this. Select No, thank you for asking. Select   Alumni & Friends Opportunities! Alumni Items Available for Purchase   Vanguard Industries is the exclusive provider of Civil Air Patrol Alumni and Friends merchandise. Every purchase goes to support the CAP Alumni Scholarship for Cadets. So buy a hat, pin, shirt, sticker, and more and support America’s future! Click here to visit the Vanguard CAP Alumni store   Civil Air Patrol’s 2019 Report to Congress is Published **NEW** 2019 Report to Congress 2020 Wing Reports

February 2020   News for Alumni & Friends   Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue…Love is in the air, saving lives every day, have you ever done this at an encampment?, cadet interviewed, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 9 gives scholarship, CAP honors fallen WWII veteran, black history spotlight, CAP history corner, final salute and more!   Love Is In The Air   It’s the month to celebrate love and partnerships.   We thought it would be fun to share stories from some of our alumni who met and fell in love in Civil Air Patrol. We are NOT suggesting or encouraging cadets to fall in love, but when you bring people together who share similar ideals and values, sometimes it happens.   We reached out to these alumni with a list of questions and a request for pictures. We hope you will enjoy what they shared with us.    – Col John Knowles, CAP Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations   Jorge & Virginia (Rivera) Montalvo New York Wing     How did you meet? As you can tell from two of the photos, we (Jorge Luis Montalvo & Virginia Rivera Pi) were cadets before Civil Air Patrol became “Blue.” A couple of years after these photos were taken, we met at a Manhattan squadron meeting in NYC. We married following a whirlwind courtship immersed in CAP activities that focused on drill practices and drill competitions.   Tell us about your family Moving forward, we concentrated on family and careers. Jorge earned his pilot license and I finished my degree in teaching. The third photo shows us with two of our four children. Our daughter, like her father, eventually earned her pilot’s license. Our son, who coincidentally was born a few days after Valentine’s Day, earned an A&P license and certification.   What we learned from Civil Air Patrol Volunteering for an organization that gave us many defining moments in our youth was invigorating.  Above all, we have been able to pass on to newer and younger members many of our experiences of patriotism, the love of aviation, the satisfaction of helping others, teamwork, the camaraderie, and yes, the fun.     Taylor-Made for CAP…   John & Terri Taylor Maryland Wing   How did you meet? My husband, John, and I met as cadets in the early ’80s. We were in neighboring Maryland squadrons and met through SAREXs. We have been married for 31 years.   Tell us about your family John is a Principal Systems Engineer for Monster Worldwide. He is a volunteer firefighter and a child passenger safety technician; I retired from Howard County Fire and Rescue and now work part-time in the fire marshal’s office doing public education. I am also a volunteer firefighter and a child passenger safety technician and serve as the deputy commander for cadets in our squadron.   All four of our kids have been through the cadet program. Our two boys are still members, along with our daughter-in-law. My parents and brother are also members.Our entire family is also involved in the fire service.   Advice? Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t work together and be married.   Left, all of our children served on encampment staff. Right, my brother, squadron commander, and our granddaughter, future cadet.   Saving Lives….   CAP’s Video Corner   Video #1 – The Joys of Encampment   Highlights from the inaugural Joint North Carolina – Virginia Winter Encampment 2019 held at Joint Base Langley – Fort Eustis, Virginia December 28 to January 4. Which one of these activities do you remember most from your time as a cadet or service member? Rolling out of bed at ohhhhhhh dark thirty! Select Push-ups, most definitely the push-ups! Select Chow-time, thank goodness I had 5 seconds to eat! Select Standing at attention! Select Another memory, and boy was it memorable! Select I didn’t have these kinds of experiences, but thanks for the video! Select   Video #2 – Shaping Lives… An Interview With A Hawaii Wing Cadet   C/1st Lt. Canaan T. Cortes of Hawaii Wing’s Wheeler Composite Squadron shares what it is like to be a cadet in Civil Air Patrol and how Civil Air Patrol helps him reach his life goal of becoming a fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy.   Vietnam Veterans of America , Chapter 9 Funds Michigan Wing Cadet ScholarshipsThrough CAP Foundation   A partnership between the Civil Air Patrol Foundation and a Vietnam Veterans of America chapter in Detroit will ensure that over the next five years, needs-based scholarships will be available to assist Michigan cadets who want to further their education. Click here to read more about the VVA chapter who sponsored a cadet scholarship Are you a member of the following groups that might support scholarships for our cadets? Civic Organizations (Civitan, Kiwanis, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce) Select Veteran Organizations (VVA, VFW, American Legion, etc.) Select Military and Military Spouse Organizations Select Other Select Click here to request more information about supporting cadet scholarships   Yes – CAP Is Overseas! Spangdahlem Cadet Squadron Honors Fallen WWII Veteran, Remembers Sauer River Crossing   Spangdahlem Cadet Squadron members, back, and U.S. Marine Corps members attached to the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg, front, pose on a bridge and in front of a plaque for U.S. Army Pfc. Vincent Festa, at Moestroff, Luxembourg, January 18. The cadets and Marines served as an honor guard detail for a ceremony dedicating the bridge in memory of Pfc. Festa. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kyle Cope)

January 2020   News for Alumni & Friends   Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue… CAP credited with saving lives, Spaatzen named Puerto Rico’s Secretary of State, call for sweethearts, video corner, Florida member serves despite health issues, Air Force Association partnership inspires STEM careers, from the history files, alumni and friends spotlight, what’s on your bookshelf?, CAP’s final salute, and more!   When We Say “We Save Lives” We Mean it! CAP Credited With 3 Saves in MA Plane Rescue   An incredible story of how far radar technology has advanced and a rescue behind it all.   But WAIT… There’s More! CAP’s Cell Phone Forensics Team Locate Two in NH and MT   Civil Air Patrol’s National Cell Phone Forensics Team began the new year by helping searchers locate missing men on opposite sides of the country, in New Hampshire and Montana, only a few hours apart. Read more about CAP’s cell phone team helping locate missing men in two states   But That’s Not All… Our Emergency Response Is Amazing, Too.   Civil Air Patrol members are conducting damage assessment in support of various federal, state and local agencies as part of the response to a series of earthquakes and aftershocks off the southern coast of Puerto Rico.   “Civil Air Patrol has a legacy of serving its communities in times of trouble,” said Lt. Col. Rick Woolfolk, CAP deputy incident commander for the Puerto Rico response.“ Our teams are in the field gathering information that will help in the rescue and recovery efforts underway.” Click here to read more about CAP’s assistance in Puerto Rico And, Speaking of Puerto Rico… Former Spaatz Cadet Named Puerto Rico Secretary of State   Puerto Rico’s new secretary of state and lieutenant governor, Elmer Roman, received CAP’s top cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, in September 1989 as a member of the Puerto Rico Wing. Less than one-half of 1% of all cadets achieve the Spaatz Award.   Roman previously served as Puerto Rico’s secretary of public safety, and before that he served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C., as director, Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, and oversight executive for Building Partnerships and Irregular Warfare.     Next Month: CAP Highlights Sweethearts!   Last year, we highlighted CAP couples who met through their work with Civil Air Patrol, either as cadets or senior members. Send us your story and a photograph of when you first met or married and now. We’d love to share with our readers. Did you meet your spouse through Civil Air Patrol? Yes, I sure did! Select Thanks for asking, but I found my spouse outside of CAP. Select I am not married, but thanks for asking! Select My child (or someone in my family) met their spouse through CAP! Select Submit your CAP or USAF romance story here!   FL Member Serves Despite Life-Threatening Condition     Capt. Chuck Vaughn is addressing his current difficult situation just like he’s addressed everything else in his life — head-on, with confidence and intelligence and a never-give-up attitude.   Vaughn serves as the public affairs officer of the Florida Wing’s Jacksonville Composite Squadron, as an aerospace educator and as an event planner. He has attended every squadron meeting for six years, and until recently very few knew of his health struggles… Click here to read more about Capt. Chuck Vaughn serving despite health challenges   CAP’s Video Corner   National Chaplain Corps Recruiting Officer Highlights Recruiting in Ads   Chaplain, Col. Charlie Sattgast, Chaplain Corps Recruiting, filmed this video spot during a recent marketing seminar. Did you know Civil Air Patrol is recruiting chaplains? Click here to learn more about the Chaplain Corps initiatives   Thanks to Air Force Association Partnership, Educators Guide Youth Toward Aviation-Related STEM Careers   Great partnership efforts with the Indiana Wing and Air Force Association Aerospace Education, P-47 Memorial Chapter. Photo Credit: River City Cadet Squadron-GLR-IN-220 Click here to support STEM programs for youth   From the History Files… CAP Coastal Patrol Base 10, Beaumont, TX   Photo Credit: circa 1941, submitted by James Parsley, Congressional Gold Medal recipient, Arlington, TX Have a historical photo or a fun photo to share? Click here to send it to us!   Alumni & Friends Spotlight Alexis (Wilson-Kirk) Ritter   Why did you join CAP? My mom actually got me involved in CAP. I was obsessed with the movie Top Gun and wanted to join the United States Navy via going to college at the United States Naval Academy, but I went to an all-girls school and Junior ROTC wasn’t an option for me. She found the local squadron and from my first meeting, I was hooked! I loved the Junior ROTC feel, and then I learned what we actually did, and being able to help people really appealed to me.   Current career? I currently work for The Boeing Company in St. Louis, MO. After rising to Cadet Commander within my squadron, I went away to Purdue University (unfortunately, my asthma disqualified me from serving in the USN) to pursue a degree in Aeronautical Technology. While at Purdue, I obtained an internship with McDonnell Douglas my junior year and was hired full-time upon my graduation. I began at the company writing technical manuals for the F-15, F/A-18, and AV-8B aircraft. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve spent most of my time on the F/A-18 platform working Integrated Logistics Support projects. I recently obtained my Project Management Professional Certification and currently work in our Program Management Office as a sort of “Project Management Consultant” to the F-15 Platform.   Specific CAP experience/highlight that influenced your career or your life? CAP provided me with experiences that helped shape my career in so many ways. CAP taught me valuable leadership skills that I have used to inspire a team to complete a project on time and help improve morale. Specifically, one of my first responsibilities within our squadron was as Special Activities Officer. As SAO, I learned how to utilize my network (really my mom’s network) to create interesting activities for our cadets, and making those activities successful meant utilizing project planning skills that I continue to employ to this very day!   Anything else we didn’t ask that you would like to share? CAP gave me skills and a circle of friends that I still rely upon 25+ years after my time as a cadet came to an end. I am so grateful for the senior members and other leaders that volunteered their time for us. We want to hear from YOU!  Share YOUR CAP story here!

November 2019   News for Alumni & Friends   Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue… NC Wing acquires FLIR cameras, video corner, Cadet Programs hold inaugural development conference, SC Wing STEM event, PR Wing’s member pursues mission to change lives, CAP member honors late husband with named scholarship, alumni highlight, Vanguard CAP alumni store, and our final salute.     We’re Seeing Infrared And Superman Says He Needs Glasses to Keep Up!   CAP’s North Carolina Wing Acquires FLIR Cameras   The North Carolina Wing has expanded its airborne capabilities with two new forward-looking infrared (FLIR 8500) cameras, which create an image using a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation, typically emitted from a heat source.   The FLIR camera’s will be used on a variety of missions, including… Click here to read more about CAP’s use of Infrared FLIR cameras   CAP’s Video Corner   Ready to “Glide” Through the Weekend? See How These Cadets Spent Their Saturday…   Maryland Civil Air Patrol cadets traveled to Grant County Airport, West Virginia at the end of October for a weekend of glider flights. Have you ever been up in a glider? Yes, it was magical! Select Yes, and I am still involved with gliders. Love them! Select Yes, I am glad I did it at least once, but that was enough for me! Select Technically, yes, but only because my plane engine quit! (bad pilot humor) Select Nope, but it’s on my bucket list! Select No, I have not but I’m glad others have! Select       Leveraging Partnerships CAP Holds Inaugural Youth Development Conference with Boys & Girls Clubs of America   More than 60 region and wing directors attended CAP’s first Youth Development Conference at Boys and Girls Clubs of America headquarters in Atlanta.   Civil Air Patrol Cadet Lt. Col. Isabella Mollison, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Overseas Military Youth of the Year for 2019 and a finalist for the National Military Youth of the Year award, was the guest speaker for the inaugural event. Click here to read more about CAP’s youth development conference and the partnership with BGCA   #GivingTuesday Happens December 3rd!     Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities. It was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good.   Choose Civil Air Patrol as your charity and help us save lives and shape lives and create America’s future…today! Click here to support Civil Air Patrol for #GivingTuesday   From The History Files Maybe We Should Rename Them the “X Files”?! – Because “X” Marks the Spot!   Practicing radiation detection device operation at Sandy Camp near government cut marking a pin found in sand with Geiger counters are C/Major Arthur Giles and Cadet 3rd Class Karen Forshey. Overseeing work is C/Lt Col James Reagan and advisor Captain Robert J. Miller. At right are Cadet Daniel Williams, C/Lt Col Skip Ellsworth and Cadet Yevette Newton.” – Photo via Bob East, 6 November 1972. – Via the Morse Center (with original press caption) Want to see more photos? Click here to visit CAP’s national history program How are We Doing? Do You Enjoy Reading the CAP Alumni & Friends Monthly Newsletter? Yes, I always look forward to the Alumni & Friends email Select Sometimes I find interesting items Select Not yet, but thanks! Select   SC Civil Air Patrol Members Host STEM Stations At “Women In Aviation” Event   Members of the South Carolina Wing of Civil Air Patrol hosted six STEM-based learning stations—exposing over 175 young girls and nearly 100 other parents, siblings, chaperones, and teachers to aviation & related topics—at the annual Girls in Aviation Day hosted by Women in Aviation’s Palmetto Pride Chapter. Click here to read more about the SC Wing STEM event for girls   CAP Changed Her Life Now, Puerto Rico Wing’s Sanchez Pursues Mission to Mentor and Change the Lives of Others   Ask Capt. Angelymar Sanchez about Civil Air Patrol’s impact on her, and she doesn’t hesitate.   “Civil Air Patrol has changed my life,” she says. Now Sanchez, a 2019 Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award recipient who just earned her private pilot certificate, is on a mission to change the lives of others. Click here to read more about Sanchez’s mission to change lives   What a Legacy! CAP Member Honors Late Husband With Scholarship Fund

July 2019

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue… Miss. crash fatally injures cadet pilot, CAP video corner, cadet alumna assumes command, alumni and friends spotlight, WWII member in uniform, final salute and alumni and friends gatherings coming soon.

Mississippi Crash-Landing Fatally Injures Cadet Pilot

A Civil Air Patrol cadet died from serious injuries on July 6 when the CAP plane she was piloting crash-landed on the Ole Miss Golf Course in Oxford, Mississippi. The accident occurred on the 17th hole, not far from the University-Oxford Airport where Cadet Master Sgt. Elizabeth Lake Little was headed as part of cadet flight training to receive her private pilot certificate. Services were held this morning in Starkville, MS.   “Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, where never lark, or even eagle, flew; and, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God.”   (A sonnet written by John Gillespie Magee, Jr., an American pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second World War. He came to Britain, flew in a Spitfire squadron, and was killed at the age of nineteen on 11 December 1941 during a training flight from the airfield near Scopwick.) Read more about Cadet Master Sgt. Lake Little and her life Click here to make a tribute gift in Lake Little’s memory

CAP Video Corner

A touching video about the life of Cadet Master Sgt. Lake Little.

Click here to read more about Capt. Allison Irwin and her research opportunity

Pennsylvania Aerospace Education Member Sets Sail on NOAA Research Cruise   Capt. Allison Irwin, the Pennsylvania Wing’s internal aersoapce education officer as well as a high school teacher, is participating on a 19-day coastal pelagic species survey in the Pacific Ocean.   Irwin is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Teacher at Sea program, which bridges science and education through real-world research experiences.

Cadet Alumna Selected as Southeast Region Command for CAP   Col. Andrea Van Buren has been named the Southeast Region’s next commander, succeeding Col. Barry Melton, who has held the post since June 2015.Van Buren will take command of the six-wing region at the National Conference in August. She has been Georgia Wing commander since April 2017. Click here to read more about Col Andrea Van Buren and the SE Region Command

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Alumni & Friends Spotlight USAF Captain Julian “Cosmo” Gluck

What’s your history with Civil Air Patrol? I learned about CAP through my father, Brion, who had been a cadet in Texas Wing and as a senior member had restarted and commanded West Georgia Composite Squadron in LaGrange, Georgia. My decision to join in 2005 when I was age 14 was based on the opportunities that the Civil Air Patrol provides young adults to learn leadership and service. I was impressed by the discipline and confidence of the high-performing cadets and saw the cadet program as a way to prepare for a service academy and for military service, an important tradition in my family. I attended two encampments in Georgia Wing and served as the cadet commander of GA-153. I would finish out the cadet program by earning the Spaatz Award (#1801) before my 21st birthday. The reasons I am still in CAP today as a senior member and volunteer with the cadet program are largely the same as when I joined: I believe that CAP and the members of our organization can make a profoundly positive difference in the community and in the lives of the next generation as citizens, volunteers, and leaders.   Current Career? I graduated in 2012 from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with Japanese minor. After commissioning in the Air Force and a short stint as a second lieutenant with the Department of Political Science and Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies, I attended Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and flew the T-6 Texan II and T-38C Talon. Following pilot training, I was sent to fly the B-52H Stratofortress also known as the BUFF out of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. It has been my honor to have been given the opportunity to fly combat missions in Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and to deploy in support of United States Indo-Pacific Command out of Andersen AFB, Guam and Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. I currently serve as Executive Officer for the 2nd Operations Group, continue to fly the B-52, and also work with captains and lieutenants at 41 bases as the President of the Western Region Company Grade Officers’ Council.   What specific CAP experiences have influenced your career/life? The experiences I had as a flight commander at the Georgia Wing summer encampment and as a CAP cadet commander prepared me in ways that have echoed throughout my Air Force career and still make a difference today. As a cadre member twice for the Air Force Academy’s Basic Cadet Training, I built upon many of the foundational techniques I had learned at encampments to build up your subordinates and instill lessons and purpose effectively. As a group commander at the Academy, I was responsible for leading over 1,000 cadets, but it just seemed like a natural progression from CAP with running a staff, maintaining an effective chain of command, setting goals and operations, and leading drill and ceremonies. I also cannot think of any other program for young adults that allows students the chance to instruct their peers on diverse subject matter; those opportunities to teach aerospace education and leadership laboratories were beneficial for improving pedagogically, an important skill set for instructing as an Air Force officer or with flying. I am certainly grateful for all of the cadets and senior members who have helped me improve in these examples and countless others.   Today I am glad I get to give back to this great program through mentorship and cadet programs at Barksdale Composite Squadron in Louisiana Wing because of the difference it made in my life. I hope that many of you reading this are inspired by the countless others who feel the same way and choose to contribute with your time as a volunteer or financially as a donor to CAP.   *Captain Gluck was selected as the 2018 Air Force Times’ Airman of the Year “for exemplary achievement by a service member beyond the call of duty and a commitment to community service” and received the 2019 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award from the Honorable Heather Wilson as the number one graduate of Squadron Officer School for the academic year.

Who’s That Girl?

Hot off the Morse Center slide scanner. These were just acquired for the CAP’s national history collection. Interestingly, the insignia on the lapels is correct based on early uniform regulations. Should anyone be able to identify the woman in the photographs Historian Col, Frank Blazich, Director of the Louisa S. Morse Center for CAP History, would be grateful. The date of these images is somewhere in the mid-1942 period (based on the uniforms).

Click here to visit the Civil Air Patrol History Program Archives

Click here to e-mail the CAP History Program

A Final Salute to these Current and Former CAP Members

Click here for a recent list of names in our July Final Salute Click here to make a tribute gift

Alumni & Friends Gatherings Coming Soon!

Saturday, July 27 EAA AirVenture Alumni & Friends Ice Cream Social Civil Air Patrol Hangar – 1545 to 1700

Are you coming to the EAA AirVenture CAP Alumni & Friends Ice Cream Social?

June 2019

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue… New partnership is a touchdown, video corner with cadet testimonial and memorial video, alumni and friends spotlight is all in the family, 93-year-old donates uniform, final salute and alumni and friends gatherings coming soon.

Touchdown! Civil Air Patrol Forms New Partnership   Civil Air Patrol and the National Football League Alumni Association have joined forces to enhance current leadership development opportunities and physical training programs nationwide. Both organizations value and promote physical fitness as a core emphasis in personal development. Click here to read more about the CAP and NFL Alumni Association Partnership

CAP National Commander Honors Top Air Force Academy Graduates   Forty-five years after his own graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Civil Air Patrol National Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Smith was on hand to congratulate two 2019 graduates.

Click here to read story about Maj Gen Mark Smith honoring USAF Academy graduates

CAP Video Corner   We Love Cadet Testimonials! See What CAP’s First “Cadet Wings” Graduate Has to Say…   Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Emma Herrington, the first Civil Air Patrol cadet to earn her private pilot’s certificate through CAP’s Cadet Wings program, produced her own testimonial to the opportunities the organization provides for youth interested in aviation careers. So far five cadets have completed the Cadet Wings program; 40 more are participating. You can establish a Flight or Cadet Scholarship! Click here to learn more

Civil Air Patrol Leadership Shares Thoughts About Memorial Day We Just Had to Share This Video, In Case You Missed It!

What’s the primary reason you signed up for either the Alumni Association or Friends of CAP? To network with other alumni and friends of CAP Select To learn more about current CAP activities Select To re-connect with people I used to know Select Just a general interest in connecting with CAP information Select

Alumni & Friends Spotlight When CAP is Family…Literally! (Happy Father’s Day)   Maj Don Domke, PCR-CA-146

The Domke Family Maj Don Domke, active member Celeste Domke, cadet sponsor Children in age order: C/Capt Jori C. Domke, cadet alum C/Capt Derek Domke, cadet alum C/1st Lt Hans Domke, current cadet C/Capt Ethan Domke, current cadet C/TSgt Nikolaus Domke, current cadet

What’s your family history with Civil Air Patrol? I’ve been a member for 18 years, including 6 years as a cadet. Out of 7 kids, my 5 youngest have all been in CAP. It all started with my daughter wanting to be a pilot and astronaut, so I said CAP is the best place to start. Ask her any time and she will share her experience and tell how much of her success is due to what she learned in CAP. All of my kids achieved their Earhart Award, except my youngest who is 14 and C/TSgt. He also has autism, which has really improved since joining. My wife is also a cadet sponsor. I am also third-generation Air Force. My grandfather served in WWII in the Army Air Forces then 30 years in USAF as an electrician. My father served four years as a medic. I served as Security Police K-9.   Current Career? Senior Application/Product Support at AT&T. Working currently in the Product Development Engineering department supporting broadband internet data quality control within the customer’s home via wired and WiFi access.   What specific CAP experiences have influenced your career/life? Until I came back as a senior member and took on the role of Deputy Commander for Cadets, I never really associated my success with CAP. Now that I’m back, I see how over the years CAP has helped me as a leader in various management roles, including running my own business. Interviewing for jobs. Having self-discipline in all areas of my life. Seeing the quality of our Learn to Lead volumes, especially as cadets go through Phases 2-4. As a Business Management major in college, I see college-level education being implemented in our cadet program. You won’t see that anywhere else.   My reward as a senior member is watching my cadets succeed as they enter adulthood. I keep up with as many as possible. Some are well on their way in life, with one flying C-130s in Germany with his wife and kids and another now working for Qantas Airlines after graduating from the Australian Defense Forces Academy and serving in the Australian Navy assigned to protecting the coast of Africa from Somali terrorists. CAP in general has affected all areas of my life through self-determination to always do better and be successful in no matter what I do. I try my best to exhibit all the traits I learned as a cadet including volunteering in my community and supporting numerous nonprofit agencies financially. So far, my greatest achievements in CAP have been receiving my Garber Award, 3 Balsem Awards, and receiving the Quality Cadet Unit Award 6 consecutive years.

One of Maine’s Earliest WWII-era Civil Air Patrol Members Honored, Donates Uniform

Click here to read story about WWII veteran Richard Bubier, 93

Do you have old Civil Air Patrol uniforms in your closet or in storage? Yes! I have several… Select Yes! I have at least one or parts of one Select I have other uniforms but not Civil Air Patrol Select I am uniform-free at the moment, but you should see my other collections Select

A Final Salute to these Current and Former CAP Members

Click here for a recent list of names in our June Final Salute Click here to make a tribute gift

Alumni & Friends Gatherings Coming Soon!

Join us at EAA AirVenture – Saturday, July 27 Civil Air Patrol Hangar – 1545 to 1700

Click here to read more about EAA’s AirVenture and be added to the Alumni and Friends event invitation list

Save the date for an Alumni and Friends Gathering, Friday, August 9th, at 1830 in Baltimore, MD. Network with other CAP-minded individuals who live in the area or are in town. Look for more details in future e-newsletters or click below to be added to the notification list.

Click here to be added to the Alumni and Friends gathering list for Baltimore and read more about this year’s conference

Support Civil Air Patrol and Shop Through Amazon Smile!

MAY 2019

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives Inside this Issue… Small drones involved in official flood assessment, another cadet gets their wings, CAP Video corner, this month’s alumni & friends highlight, final salute, spring magazine link, save the date and are you at least age 70 1/2?…

It’s a bird, no it’s a plane, no it’s a drone!   Nebraska Wing Adds sUAS Imagery to Flood Damage Assessment Mission

What’s expected? Civil Air Patrol planes are in flight across the flooded terrain in Nebraska to provide aerial imagery, search and rescue and other aid in the air and on the ground.   What’s unexpected? For the first time, CAP’s response involved drone aircraft known as small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) — some as small as a basketball. CAP’s response could be the wave of the future..

Click here to read more about CAP’s use of drones to survey Nebraska flooding   Cadet Wings Program Progress Report …And Then There Were 5!   Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Tabitha Plasschaert is the fifth Civil Air Patrol cadet to obtain her private pilot certificate through CAP Cadet Programs‘ Cadet Wings program. She is a member of the Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol‘s Mankato Composite Squadron. You can establish a Flight or Cadet Scholarship! Click here to learn more Where did you receive your pilot wings? Civil Air Patrol Select USAF Select Flight School Select Local Instructor Select What wings? I have other great interests that keep me busy. Select None of the above, but thanks for asking! Select   CAP Video Corner   See One of Aerospace Education’s STEM Kits Unpacked   In April, Civil Air Patrol’s Aerospace Education program shared a video highlight of school educators unpacking one of the available “STEM” (science, technology, engineering and math) kits available to local teachers across the nation. With a focus on Earth Day, take a look at the renewable energy kit in use. Click here for an overview of our Aerospace Education program for educators in traditional and non-traditional settings

Surely Not. Has It Been Nearly 60 Years Since the USAF Created This CAP Promotional Video?   Recognize any one or any of those uniforms? And don’t call us Shirley.

We found this great video from 1950 promoting Civil Air Patrol in national defense and emergencies. See if you recognize (and can name) the types of aircraft in the video!

Alumni & Friends Spotlight Col Ken Goss Identified in Photos at CAP’s Col Louisa S. Morse Center

“This 1965 photo was taken at Otis AFB, MA where I was Cadet Encampment Commander and Colonel Benjamin Stone (a founding member of CAP) was the Encampment Commander. “   Special thanks to Col Frank A. Blazich, Jr., CAP Director of the Col Louisa S. Morse Center for CAP History, for finding these photos and sharing them with us.

This 1995 photo was taken at the Air Force Association Annual Conference at the Sheraton Washington Hotel.   “After the 1965 photo, I took flight training from Colonel Stone in overwater flights, emergency procedures, etc. Colonel Stone and his wife Jackie lived on Nantucket Island at the time and used to have groups of Cadets come for flight instruction and weekend stays on their very large estate.”

Click here to visit the CAP History website for more great content

Should we dig in the archives for more fun photos? Yes, I wonder what you’ll find next! Select No thanks, I would rather see features on current subjects. Select

Alumni & Friends Gatherings Coming Soon

Join us at EAA AirVenture – Saturday, July 27 Time/Place TBD

Click here to read more about EAA’s Air Venture and be added to the Alumni and Friends event invitation list

Save the date for an Alumni and Friends Gathering, Friday, August 9th, in Baltimore, MD. Network with other CAP-minded individuals who live in the area or are in town. Look for more details in future e-newsletters or click below to be added to the notification list.

Click here to be added to the Alumni and Friends gathering list for Baltimore and read more about this year’s conference

A Final Salute to these Current and Former CAP Members

Click here for a recent list of names in our Final Salute Click here to make a tribute gift

Spring Issue of Civil Air Patrol’s Magazine Available Online   You can view CAP’s Volunteer Magazine on your computer or mobile device. Full of great content–be sure to check out page 39 for a list of tribute gifts and page 63 for those who have left a legacy gift to CAP. Click here to read the latest issue of CAP’s magazine

Are You At Least 70 1/2? Make a tax-free gift from your IRA today!

April 2019

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this Issue… CAP family establishes a flight scholarship, first ever donor recognition list of the Commander’s Circle, ACE program hits new record, Cadet beats out AFJROTC cadets for the win, this month’s alumni & friends highlight, CAP-USAF has a new face, spring magazine is launched, “Scribe Says” and save the date…

This CAP Family Established a Flight Scholarship for Cadets! Read more about the Hanna family’s decision to start a flight scholarship You can establish a Flight or Cadet Scholarship! Click here to learn more   Civil Air Patrol Publishes First Ever Commander’s Circle Donor Recognition List for 2018 Click Here to see the list of contributors Click here to give today! Don’t miss out on Commander’s Circle for 2019   CAP Video Corner   Aerospace Education’s ACE Program Hits Record High!   Civil Air Patrol’s Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Program for grades K-6 set a new ACE participation record for the 2018-19 school year with 51,70 students and 920 teachers in 46 states! Click here for an overview of our Aerospace Education program for educators in traditional and non-traditional settings

She Has the Right Stuff! Civil Air Patrol Cadet Edges Out AFJROTC Cadets to Win Air Force’s WASP Essay Contest

Cadet Capt. Remy Lloyd of the Minnesota Wing’s Owatonna Composite Squadron submitted the winning entry in the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service’s essay contest on “How have the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) inspired you and why?” in honor of Women’s History Month.

Click Here to Read More About Cadet Remy’s Winning WASP Essay

We’re Curious…

What’s the Highest CAP Award You Have Achieved? Wright Brothers Award Select Gen Billy Mitchell Award Select Amelia Earhart Award Select Gen Ira Eaker Award Select General Carl A. Spaatz Award Select Grover C. Loening Award (Senior Members) Select Paul E. Garber Award (Senior Members) Select Gill Robb Wilson Award (Senior Members) Select I Wasn’t in CAP, But This is So Interesting to Read About Select

Alumni & Friends Spotlight

Lt. Col. George Fillgrove, CAP, Retired from NER-NY-001

Why did you join Civil Air Patrol?   I joined Oil City Composite Squadron 501 in December 1966 after the squadron commander, 1st Lt. Harry Jones, approached my parents. I was hooked because I had always been fascinated by all things Air Force and aviation, and the discipline seemed a natural fit. I would transition to the senior member program in 1971, and retired in 2015 as a lieutenant colonel and New York Wing Director of Aerospace Education. At the close of my career, minus two breaks, I had served 44 1/2 years of service in CAP   What is your current career?   I have served as a staff member of the New York State Legislature for two decades and am currently a Constituent Relations Manager for the New York State Senate. I am also a retired Air Force Master Sergeant whose career spanned security forces, public affairs, mission essential aircrew member and recruiting.   What specific lesson/experience from CAP has influenced your career or your life?   Through CAP, I would gain lifelong friendships, learning to set goals and striving to achieve them thought determination and perseverance. As a junior cadet, I walked in the shadows of CAP legends. Five of the Squadron 501 officers were charter members. One, Capt. H. Douglas Brown, was the wartime squadron commander and personal friend of Gill Robb Wilson. Eventually, I would build a level of knowledge from duties as an observer and assignments in seven CAP wings, CAPRAP NCO, and two tours as a base liaison to CAP.   What else should we know about you? My Air Force career would involve 24 months overseas, Desert Storm, and three other deployments. I would serve on military support teams for the Alaskan visit of Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping and the two Alaskan visits of President Jimmy Carter. I later authored all of the initial public relations materials on the debut of the Grumman EF-111A, and was invited to Washington, D.C., in January 1985 as a military photographer for President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration. Also, I would gain an interest in personal fitness and complete the 22nd Air Force Marathon 10K event.!

Looking for Stories of Mothers/Daughters or Fathers/Sons or a combination of Parent/Child to Highlight!   Mother’s and Father’s Day are just around the corner and we know you have a CAP or USAF connection or both. Share your story!

Click here to be featured in a future e-newsletter

Newest Issue of Civil Air Patrol’s Magazine Available Online

You can view CAP’s Volunteer Magazine on your computer or mobile device. Full of great content-be sure to check out page 39 for a list of tribute gifts and page 63 for those who have left a legacy gift to CAP. Click here to read the latest issue of CAP’s magazine

Col. Mark A. “Woot” Wootan Assumes CAP-USAF Command   “We welcome Col. Wootan to this new command post and look forward to his leadership,” said CAP National Commander/CEO Maj. Gen. Mark Smith. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to CAP-USAF. This experience is certain to help shape our organization moving forward.”

Click here to read more about the CAP-USAF Change of Command

March 2019

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this issue… If He Said It Once, He Said It Three Times, CSAF Remembers CAP Cadet Who Saved His Life, New Resource Highlights Women in Aviation, Board of Governors Member Supports Growth In Cyber, Cadets Flying Drones in Kentucky, and This Month’s Alumni Highlight

If He Said It Once, He Said It Three Times….   Can you guess who the Chief of Staff of the Air Force said is the answer to our Nation’s challenge?

General Goldfein Said This About the Pilot Shortage….   “We need to get America flying and one of the ways we get America flying is through the Civil Air Patrol. One of the ways we get America flying is by…lighting a spark in America’s youth.” – General David L. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force

You Can Light A Spark In Our Youth! To Support Cadet Programs, Click Here to Donate

You can establish a Flight or Cadet Scholarship! Click Here to Learn More

Oh By The Way… Meet the Former CAP Cadet Who Saved General Goldfein’s Life

Click Here to Read More About CAP PJOC Graduate Who DId Good

Did You Complete the CAP Pararescue and Survival Orientation Course? Yes, I completed PJOC and it was amazing! Select No, but what an important skill to have! Select

CAP Video Corner   It’s “Women in Aviation Month”   Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education’s newest curriculum “Women in Aviation” for grades 6-12.   This book provides an introduction to and a historical account of the contributions women have made to the field of aviation and aerospace since the beginning of the 20th century.   Project Manager Lt. Col. Randy Carlson from CAP’s California Wing focused on the stories of 12 diverse women, who made a contribution to aviation since the beginning of the 20th Century.   Watch the video to see a few highlights. Click Here for an Overview of our Aerospace Education Program for Educators in Traditional and Non-Traditional Settings

Emphasis on Cyber Continues, Former U.S. Cyber Command Leader Joins CAP Board of Governors

Click Here to Read More About Lt. Gen. McLaughlin’s Appointment

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. James K. “Kevin” McLaughlin, former deputy commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, is the newest member of Civil Air Patrol’s Board of Governors.   A 34-year veteran of the Air Force, McLaughlin currently serves as director of cyber policy, strategy and security at Texas A&M University’s George Bush School of Government and Public Service.   Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, CAP national commander and CEO, hailed McLaughlin’s appointment to the BoG as an important development in the organization’s continuing emphasis on cyber defense as a skill for cadets. “Gen. McLaughlin’s expertise in this area will help us focus even more on what’s already been a very strong program for our cadets,” Smith said.

Click Here to Read More About Civil Air Patrol Cadet Cyber Programs

Would you like to read more about CAP and Cyber programs? Yes! I would like to see future stories about CAP and Cyber Select No, but thank you for asking! Select I’m not sure, what is Cyber? Select

Alumni & Friends Spotlight Col. Regina Aye (née Bailey) – CAP

Why did you join Civil Air Patrol?   I joined CAP in 1989. One of my classmates was a cadet and invited me to visit a meeting. I had been going to airshows and flying remote control airplanes with my older brother for many years. Leadership was the part of the Cadet Program that appealed most to me, but I ended up loving all aspects of it. I also wanted to serve, and CAP was a way for me to do that. Due to some health issues, the military was not a career option for me. Two of my uncles served in the Air Force and provided me encouragement during my cadet years: one was a senior NCO and one was a WWII fighter ace.    What is your current career?   I am a professor in the Instructional Design and Performance Technology doctoral program at Baker University. I am also the Directed Field Experience Coordinator and IDPT Program Coordinator. I’ve only been at the university for a few months. Previously, I was an academic dean at a community college. Editor’s Note: Col. Aye is also the North Central Region Commander for CAP.   What specific lesson/experience from CAP has influenced your career or your life?   I can’t count the lessons learned in CAP that have helped me in my career and life. When I joined CAP I was a shy, seventeen-year-old with a very limited view of the world. CAP gave me confidence in myself and my abilities. Through National Cadet Special Activities (NCSAs) and International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) , Civil Air Patrol showed me the world beyond the town of 1,000 where I grew up.   The leadership lessons I learned in CAP have served me well in my career. Those lessons have helped me advance to positions of responsibility more quickly than others. CAP also provided some great leadership experiences that helped me build a stronger resume. Some of the strong female leaders who have been my mentors in CAP also provided a great example for me to follow. Finally, the Core Values provide a great foundation for success in CAP and outside the organization. !

We Want to Hear From You!

Click Here to Send Us the Name of CAP Alumni or Friends We Should Highlight

These Cadets Are Busier Than Bees and the Community is “Drone-ing On” About Their Work

Click Here To See Video and Read Story of Kentucky Cadets Flying Small UAS in Bowling Green, KY

New Civil Air Patrol Publications Available

Click Here for the New Report to Congress with CAP Highlights for 2018 Click Here to Read Highlights by State / Wing

Click Here for CAP’s New 2019 Fact Sheet / Missions Update

Click Here for Ways to Support Civil Air Patrol   Civil Air Patrol Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Donna Bass Maraman, Development Coordinator Col. John M. Knowles, CAP, Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations (334) 953-9003 Direct (833) IAM-4CAP Toll Free giving@gocivilairpatrol.org

January 2019

January 2019

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this issue… Martha and John King Talk CAP, Illinois is Seeing Spaatz, Alumni & Friends Spotlight, and CAP’s Newly Elected Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors

Illinois CAP Squadron 7th Spaatz Cadet Welcomed by Previous 6 Recipients

When Cadet Col. Samuel A. Ward received Civil Air Patrol’s highest cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, he was the seventh member of the Illinois Wing’s Scott Composite Squadron to do so in 50 years – and all six of his predecessors were there for the presentation…

Read More About Illinois Squadron is Seeing Spaatz (7 to be Exact)

Look Who’s Talking… It’s Martha & John King

Civil Air Patrol Member’s Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing Makes Aviation History   CAP Maryland Wing 2nd Lt. Peter Wilson recently made history as the first pilot to make a shipborne rolling vertical landing, known as a SRVL in naval aviation circles.   Wilson’s aircraft for the SRVL was a Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, a stealth multirole jet that he vertically landed on the deck of the new British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. His feat takes vertical landings to a new level…

Read More About the Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing in an F-35

Alumni & Friends Corner Highlight Major Geraldine “Jeri” Ostling neé Kwiatkowski

Jeri pinning Second Lieutenant’s bars on Alex Ian Ostling’s uniform in 1958. They met in CAP as cadets and married in April 1959.

Current Career? (or what you did before retirement.) I spent most of my career as a manager and executive in the health care industry. I retired as a senior consultant for Teradata, a data warehouse and analysis company. Before that I was president of Iris Health Information, a health software company. Earlier I was Vice President of National Accounts at Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, a health insurance company.   What specific lesson/experience from CAP has influenced your career or your life? As a business executive, I relied heavily on leadership and organizational skills and knowledge of when to delegate tasks; all learned as a Civil Air Patrol cadet officer and senior squadron commander.

Anything we didn’t ask that you would like to share? As a cadet I earned the Certificate of Proficiency; the highest award for cadets at the time. I was one of two New York Wing female cadets to attend the highly selective National All-Girls Encampment held in 1957 at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. (see photo right)   As a CAP Historian, I maintain a list of former Bronx Group, CAP cadets and seniors with contact information, including spouses names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers. The list also includes those that have passed away.

Did You Meet Your Spouse Because of Civil Air Patrol? Click Here to Share Your Story

Civil Air Patrol Announces New Chair and Vice-Chair of Board of Governors

Members of Civil Air Patrol’s Board of Governors have chosen CAP Col. J. Bradford Lynn as their new chair and Robert E. Corsi Jr. as vice chair, effective Feb. 27.

Click Here to Read More About CAP Board of Governors Chair and Vice-Chair

Click Here for a Full Listing of CAP Board of Governors

Ready, Set, Donate! Cars, Planes, Boats, RVs and More! Your donation can make a difference for Civil Air Patrol.

Civil Air Patrol has partnered with IAA Auction Sevices to make it easy for you to donate vehicles, planes and more. Each donation helps local units and supports our vital programs. Free Pick-Up, Fast Paperwork, Gift may be Tax-Deductible. Call 888-205-3420.

To Donate a Car, Airplane, etc….   Call 888-205-3420

Visit Our Newly Updated Website for Alumni & Friends for Information on Ways to Support Civil Air Patrol   Civil Air Patrol Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Donna Bass Maraman, Development Coordinator Col. John M. Knowles – CAP, Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations (334) 953-9003 Direct (833) IAM-4CAP Toll Free giving@gocivilairpatrol.org https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving/   Interested in talking about the legacy you want to leave? Call Kristina Jones, Chief of Philanthropy or email legacy@gocivilairpatrol.org

November 2018

November 2018

News for Alumni and Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Inside this issue… Donor Doubles Donations, USAF CSAF Visits Puerto Rico, Alumni & Friends Spotlight, and the Just Released CAP Volunteer Magazine

It’s a Special Opportunity – Only Once a Year Double Your Impact with Matching Dollars!

Donate Now and Your Gift Will Be Matched ($1:$1)

Air Force Chief of Staff Visits CAP Puerto Rico Wing

Cadets from the Puerto Rico Wing’s Muñiz ANG Base Cadet Squadron were enjoying a unit meeting – including uniform inspection, a safety briefing, character development class, testing and promotions – on Nov. 17 when the session suddenly turned very special.   The chief of staff of the Air Force, Gen. David Goldfein… Read More About Chief Goldfein’s Visit to Puerto Rico CAP WIng

Grab the Popcorn! Now Here Is A Video Worth Watching Civil Air Patrol: Aviation’s Greatest Ally

Sign Up and Shop at www.Smile.Amazon.com

Amazon makes it easy to support Civil Air Patrol! Start your shopping on smile.amazon.com today! The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of your purchase to CAP funding cadet scholarships, and what could be easier than that?

CAP STEM Kits Benefit More than Half a Million Students

Civil Air Patrol’s STEM kits are generating sky-high enthusiasm among K-12 youth and CAP cadets across America. “These kits are helping to reach a new generation of STEM learners, piquing interest in science, technology, engineering and math through curriculum driven by hands-on fun activities,” said Dr. Jeff Montgomery, CAP’s Aerospace Education director. Read More About CAP’s STEM Program

Alumni & Friends Corner Highlight USAF Captain Wayne S. Mowery

Why did you join Civil Air Patrol? I became interested in the CAP when my good friend from middle school, Mathew Smith, intrigued us all with his stories of flying. I thought to myself, “I want to do that!” and was addicted to the program ever since. I joined the Osprey Composite Squadron in Essex, Maryland in 2004. Having the honor of being the cadet commander for the 2009 Tri-Wing (Maryland-DC-Delaware) Encampment. The encampment taught me many lessons as a young cadet in terms of leadership, the hurdles of institutional change, and the importance of earning the respect of your followers. My experience with the Tri-Wing Encampment is only rivaled by the fact that I met my wife as a cadet in CAP, a fellow Spaatz Award recipient and Air Force Officer.   What is your current career? I graduated in 2012 from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in Arabic Studies and earned my commission as an Air Force officer from Detachment 330 (The Old Line!) I graduated from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training in 2014 and was lucky enough to go on to fly the mighty F-16. After a two year tour in South Korea, I now fly out of Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, NV.   What specific lesson/experience from CAP has influenced your career or your life? The CAP Cadet Program has had many effects on me over the years, but the two greatest that remain today are my love for aviation and my dedication to servant leadership. I learned leadership through summer encampments, squadron meetings, and putting the theory that we would learn through textbooks into practice. I learned to love aviation from orientation flights, special activities such as the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) Program, and most importantly, graduating from the Robert Ayers Memorial Flight Academy in Maryland Wing. Members of the Maryland Wing also had a huge effect, great mentors like Patricia (Filipiak) Limmer, Vernon Sevier, Marty Sacks, Brenda Reed, and many, many others.   Anything else we haven’t asked that we should? Today, I am an active member of the Las Vegas Composite Squadron and find great joy in mentoring the next generation of young aviators!

Click Here to Share Your Alumni and Friends Story

Civil Air Patrol Announces New Board of Governors Members

Martha King, co-chair and co-owner of a major E-learning-focused aviation school, has been appointed to CAP’s Board of Governors. Click Here to Read More About Martha King   Col. Curtis J. Boehmer, a former cadet and lifelong member of Civil Air Patrol, has been selected to serve on CAP’s Board of Governors. Click Here to Read More About Curtis Boehmer

Click Here for a Full Listing of CAP Board of Governors

Two Questions for You

This is the 5th edition of our e-newsletter – please give us your thoughts! It’s interesting… good stuff! Select I found one or two stories I liked… Select Wasn’t quite what I was looking for today.Thanks, though! Select I really signed up for this? Select

We are looking to connect on social media, where do you spend your time? (check all that apply) Facebook Select Twitter Select Linked-In Select Instagram Select Other Select No way – “social media is not my thing” Select

Just Released! Fall Issue of Civil Air Patrol’s Volunteer Magazine

Read about the former CAP member who left his estate to Civil Air Patrol (page 27) and find a familiar Air Force Association face and his surprising connection to CAP (page 64),

October 2018

October 2018

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Read about Civil Air Patrol’s Hurricane Response, Uncle Wiggly Wings Message for You, CAP Sets New Record, Advocate Passes, and more…

CAP Responds to Hurricanes

Civil Air Patrol’s Florida Wing flew six aerial photograph missions Thursday to document the devastating damage by Hurricane Michael’s landfall on the state’s Panhandle region.   Lt. Col. Bill Weiler, one of the wing’s incident commanders, said the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force was flying sorties until daylight faded. Click Here to Read More Hurricane Michael Response   Hurricane Florence hit home for so many on the coast of North Carolina. Corbin Endre and his family were lucky to have little damages, but Endre’s attitude of service has lead him to give more to his community in the face of such trauma… Click Here to Read More Cadet’s Attitude of Service

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CAP Breaks Modern Record for Most Lives Saved

A save off the coast of Florida launches CAP to a new record of saves in a single year – 155 – and most of those with the successful support of CAP’s National Cell Phone Forensics Team.

Click Here to Read How CAP Achieved 155 Saves

See What the Candy Bomber Says About Civil Air Patrol

Col Gail Halvorsen, CAP Congressional Gold Medal recipient, is an international hero whose aviation career began with Civil Air Patrol before WWII.   As the Berlin Airlift 70th anniversary is celebrated, Col Halvorsen shares his love of and appreciation for CAP.   The inspiring humanitarian effort of the Candy Bomber/Uncle Wiggly Wings is portrayed in CAP’s “Uncle Wiggly Wings” early learning book and teachers guide. YOU can help us share with other youth the amazing CAP Cadet and Aerospace Education programs to inspire them toward the skies. Click Here to See the Berlin Candy Bomber Student Booklet

Advocate for Civil Air Patrol Dies

Bruce Whitman, chairman, president and CEO of FlightSafety International and a charter member of Civil Air Patrol’s Board of Governors, died Wednesday at his home in New York. He was 85. Read More About Bruce Whitman Here Make a Memorial Gift to Civil Air Patrol

Meet Our New Deputy Chief for Alumni Relations Col. John Knowles

What year did you join Civil Air Patrol? As a cadet or senior member? And why?   I joined the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cadet Squadron in august 1972 as a cadet. Two reasons – the first is my sister, who was a cadet, wanted a recruiting ribbon so she recruited my twin brother and I. The real reason was I grew up in a military family and I saw it as a way to serve my country in a time when serving was pretty unpopular (Vietnam War)   Most Memorable Moment Rescuing two people while on a CAP mission during a flood in 1979.   Current Career? Vice President for Logistics and Equipment for a major US construction company.

What specific lesson/experience from CAP has influenced your career or your life?   The lessons that I learned about “followship” and leadership, practical and written, have been one of the keys to my success. Putting others before yourself and following the tenets of servant leadership was demonstrated by my first squadron commander, Capt Bill Hicks, and I have tried to live by them in everything I do.   Anything we didn’t ask that you would like to share? The best thing that happened to me was meeting my future wife – Teri Hanna who has been by my side for over 36 years. Click Here to E-Mail Col Knowles

Two Quick Questions for You!

1. How Many Generations of Your Family Have Served In Civil Air Patrol? One (1) Select Two (2) Select Three (3) Select Four or more (4+) Select None (0) at this time. Select

2. Share your Story in a Future E-Newsletter! (for Alumni and Friends of CAP) Yes – please contact me. Select Not at this time, but thank you for asking. Select

Go Ahead and Shop! Designate CAP As Your Charity & Your Amazon Smile Purchases Will Support Our Cadet Scholarship Program

Civil Air Patrol Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Donna Bass Maraman, Development Coordinator (334) 953-9003 Direct (833) IAM-4CAP Toll Free giving@gocivilairpatrol.org https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving/   Remember Civil Air Patrol in your Will

September 2018

Septemeber 2018

News for Alumni & Friends

Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Read about impact of the Hurricane Florence, CAP Members are having Double Vision, and how a Lost Mother and Child are “Saved by the Cell”… Plus it’s Aerospace Education Week

All Call. Stand By. Hurricane Florence Response by Civil Air Patrol

As Hurricane Florence takes aim on the Mid-Atlantic Coast, Civil Air Patrol’s North Carolina and South Carolina wings stand ready to respond to the storm’s predicted destructive assault on their states.

Click Now to Donate

Yes, You are Experiencing Double Vision! Twin Sisters are Active CAP Volunteers for Almost 70 Years

They are “The Twins” of the Washington Wing: Lt. Cols. Eleanor Baker and her younger sister — by seven minutes — Evelyn Lundstrom-Weiss. The two women, who will celebrate their 88th birthday in September, have volunteered in CAP for nearly seven decades… Click Here to Read about CAP’s Twin Sisters

Don’t You Wish We Were Back in School?   It’s Aerospace Education Week

Click Here to Learn More About Aerospace Education   The Aerospace/STEM Education Programs bring over 40 free fun and engaging products and programs to our members and to classrooms throughout the nation. We serve adults and youth in pre-K through 12th grades and have impacted more than 400,000 schoolchildren this year.

Mother and 4-Yr-Old “Saved by the Cell”.. CAP’s Cell Phone Forensics Team, That Is!   Civil Air Patrol’s National Cell Phone Forensics Team helped direct searchers early this morning to a 34-year-old mother and her 4-year-old daughter after they became lost while hiking and spent the night outside in north-central Arizona. Click Here to Read Cell Phone Team Points Arizona Searchers to Lost Mother and Her Child

Two Questions for You Today 1. Are you an International Air Cadet Exchange Alumni. Have you participated in an IACE Trip? Yes! I am a IACE alumni. Select No, I didn’t participate, but thanks for asking. Select

2. Will you be at the Air Force Association Symposium next week? If so, stop by CAP’s Booth! Yes – I look forward to seeing the CAP folks. Select No, I won’t be there – but keep me posted of other places I might see CAP. Select

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Go Ahead and Shop! Designate CAP As Your Charity & Your Amazon Smile Purchases Will Support Our Cadet Scholarship Program

Civil Air Patrol Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Donna Bass Maraman, Development Coordinator (334) 953-9003 Direct (833) IAM-4CAP Toll Free giving@gocivilairpatrol.org https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving/   Remember Civil Air Patrol in your Will

August 2018   News for Alumni & Friends   Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Read about Spaatz Cadet Alum picked for spaceship crew, Georgia Cadets surprise rescue and the 94-year-old who taught herself to fly…   This Spaatz Cadet Alum Is “Out of this World” Click Here to Read Spaatz Cadet Alum Eric Boe Picked for Space Mission   NASA astronaut and CAP Col. Eric Boe (3rd from right) was selected to fly the new Boeing Spaceship mission. Boe learned to fly as a cadet in the Georgia Wing and received the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, in July 1983. (His Spaatz coin accompanied him on the Space Shuttle Endeavour). Col. Boe serves as the Houston-based Ellington Composite Squadron’s assistant deputy commander for cadets; the unit’s cadet corps includes his son, Cadet Tech. Sgt. Anthony Boe.     Georgia Cadets In The Right Place At The Right Time   A late-night drive home from a squadron meeting quickly turned into a rescue scenario last week when two Georgia Wing cadets swam to a rapidly sinking SUV in the middle of a rural pond and extracted the dazed driver. Click Here to Read Cadets Surprise Rescue     94-Year-Old Who Taught Herself How to Fly Receives Medal   When Mary Pat Shely was young, she taught herself to fly in a Piper Cub bought for her by her father. On Sunday, she was given a replica Congressional Gold Medal for her service in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II. Congress awarded CAP with this prestigious honor in 2014. Click Here to Read 94-Year-Old Who Taught Herself to Fly     Cadets Explore Frontier of the FUTURE   If Cyber is the frontier of the future, CAP cadets are training to lead the expansion. Airmen from the USAF’s 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing assisted with Civil Air Patrol’s Cyber Defense Training Academy. More than 70 high school level cadets attended.   Click Here to Read CAP Cadets Trained on Cybersecurity   Tell Us Your Thoughts! What do you want to read next month? My favorite topic is… Cadets Select Aerospace Education Select Everyday Lives of CAP Alumni & Friends Select Not sure, but I’ll know it when I read it! Select   ‌ Go Ahead and Shop! Designate CAP As Your Charity & Your Amazon Smile Purchases Will Support Our Cadet Scholarship Program   Click Here for CAP’s Impact in Your State You Can Save Lives and Shape Lives Click Now to Donate   Civil Air Patrol Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Donna Bass Maraman, Development Coordinator (334) 953-9003 giving@gocivilairpatrol.org https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving/   Remember Civil Air Patrol in your Will   July 2018July   News for Alumni & Friends   Citizens Serving Communities to Shape Lives and Save Lives   Read about Capt. Gluck’s journey to “Airman of the Year”, 50 Years of Cadet Officer School, our newest Annual Report and more…     In recognition of Air Force Capt. Julian Gluck’s outstanding service, he is Air Force Times’ 2018 Airman of the Year. Over the course of his six years of service, he has given back to the communities in which the Air Force embeds him — be it foreign workers in Qatar, Japanese airmen over the Pacific Ocean, or local high school students outside his home duty station of Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Click Here for AF Times Article     50 Years of Cadet Officer School   Cadet Officer School marked its 50th year this summer, welcoming cadets from 35 wings and two overseas squadrons from Germany and Japan to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, home of Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters. Click Here for Cadets in Leadership     Florida Wins National Cadet Competition   The Florida Wing’s representatives in Civil Air Patrol’s National Cadet Competition topped the 16-team, 96-cadet field this year, with the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron’s cadets placing first overall and the Pines-Miramar Cadet Squadron finishing second. Click Here for Florida Wins Donate Now to Civil Air Patrol     Representing the US on the International Air Cadet Exchange   Thirty-eight Civil Air Patrol cadets from 22 wings gather at their launching hubs Monday before leaving to represent the United States on an international exchange of goodwill and a mutual love of aviation. Click Here for US Cadets on Exchange Click Here for the Cadet Who Learned Mandarin for the Trip     A 34-page version of the 2017 Annual Report, excluding the financial audit documentation found in the back of the full report, is now available for download. The publication features engagingly laid out and photo-intensive overviews of CAP’s core missions. Click Here for CAP’s Newest Annual Report   Also available is our 2017 Report to Congress. Each State has a customized report showcasing how we are Citizens Serving Communities. Click Here for CAP’s Impact in Your State   ‌   Civil Air Patrol Development   Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE, Chief of Philanthropy Donna Bass Maraman, Development Coordinator (334) 953-9003 giving@gocivilairpatrol.org https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving/   Remember Civil Air Patrol in your Will Civil Air Patrol | 105 S. Hansell St, Maxwell AFB, AL 36112