2009 Summer Encampment

In this issue . . .
H Alliance Air Show . . . Wi nte r
H Interview with Mr. Rob Brewer . . . 200 9-2010
. . . And Much More!

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Wing Civil Air Patrol. It is pub-
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Patrol Corporation. The opin-
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Texas Wing 2009
Summer Encampment
Take Care of My Boys
1st Lt. Rodrigo Saucedo
We watched as hundreds of cadet basics lined up to register for the
Texas Wing 2009 Basic Encampment. They came in droves, dressed in
their neat short-sleeve blues, looking well-groomed, all spit-and-polish.
Right behind many of the cadets were the parents. Their eyes wide open
as they watched their child disappear into the billowing lines, baggage,
and endless forms to be filled out. As good senior members do, we took
time to greet those parents, answering many questions and encouraging
them to visit the www.texascadet.org website, where they would be able
to read about encampment activities and maybe catch a glimpse of their
own child in the online photo album. In most cases, the parents thanked
us, said their good-byes and were soon on their way.
Observing from a short distance, I noticed a particular couple being
greeted by some senior members. The parents listened with their ears, as they
nervously peeked around the side of the senior members, keeping a watch-
ful eye on their two sons. As the senior members walked away, the mother
exclaimed to them, or to no one in particular, “Take care of my boys.”
Her statement touched me, and I was moved to the core. We train to
see these young persons as cadets, not boys or girls, not tall or short, just
cadets. To this mother, though, they were much more than that, because
they are her whole world. I walked up to the parents without hesitation.
Continued on page 23 . . .

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Texas Wing 2009 Summer Encampment:
The Tradition of Respect
Cadet TSgt Matthew Bruce, Ft. Worth Phoenix Composite Squadron

During encampment, basic

cadets hold their breath as they
hear the cadet officer they’d just
passed say, “Cadet, front and cen-
ter!” They have just realized that
they failed to engage the cadet offi-
cer in a formal greeting. Customs
and courtesies are enforced
everywhere on the ALERT cam-
pus. This is how cadet basics are
reminded to practice this tradition
and responsibility, and make it a
permanent habit. The greetings are
used to acknowledge staff, senior
members, and cadet officers.
Greetings change accord-
ing to the time of day, depending
on the person you’re talking to,
and whether you’re inside or outside. Cadet Officers “Customs and courtesies help in life and every young
and senior members are greeted outside as “Sir” or person needs to know them and use them. It’s a sign
“Ma’am,” following the appropriate greeting of the of recognition, and a short thank you with respect,”
day, as a hand salute is rendered. For example, “Good he said.
morning, Ma’am” or, “Good evening, Sir.” Inside, it is When it comes to practicing this tradition, there
the same, except that no hand salute is exchanged. is always a sense of honor. To be a part of an organi-
Points of view on using customs and courtesies are zation like Civil Air Patrol that uses these require-
somewhat similar, but can differ between cadet offi- ments, doing so makes it worth all the effort. It plants
cers and cadets basics regarding what they mean. C/ a seed of “rightness” and honor that eventually can
Maj. Sean Stewart said, “Customs and courtesies help grow into better leadership and professional devel-
keep tradition alive. They are derived from the Middle opment. It promotes the development of respectful
Ages, when knights would meet on the road and lift young adults and teens, preparing them for the future
the visor of their helmets with their right hand, so as of their choice, whether in the military or the civilian
to be recognized. This courtesy eventually evolved work force.
into today’s hand salute.” He added, “Customs and Finally, the hope of all involved is that Customs
courtesies also build respect and professionalism as and Courtesies, which are clearly explained in CAP
selfless acts.” However, cadet basics see it from a dif- Pamphlet 151, will become part of the cadets’ per-
ferent perspective. C/Amn Chris Landry believes that sonal life, where they will set the example of respect
customs and courtesies are “a way of giving respect in their homes and at their schools. As cadets grow in
to superiors with an emphasis on manners.” Respect age, knowledge and wisdom, they’ll pass on this valu-
is one of the main reasons for customs and courtesies, able heritage to everyone around them.
something that C/Amn Jacob Roberson also believes.

 
Texas Wing 2009 Summer Encampment:
My First Command at Encampment
Cadet 2nd Lt Christian Nelson, CAP, Apollo Composite Squadron
During the summer week of 13-20 June, Texas
Wing held an encampment at the International ALERT
facility outside Big Sandy, Texas. The Encampment
Commander was Capt. Robert “Skip” Smith, CAP, and
the Cadet Commander was C/Lt Col John Rios, CAP.
The Texas Wing Encampment, like many other
activities that have three hundred participants, starts
way before the Cadet Basics, or “Doolies,” show
up. In fact, for an encampment that takes place in
June, most of the planning and organizing goes into
high gear as early as late February and early March.
The first encampment staff member to be selected
for the cadet side is the Cadet Commander, who in
turn picks his executive staff. Once this is in place,
applications are opened for flight and support staff.
Flights are the basic training units, usually made up
of ten to twenty young cadets, plus their cadet flight
sergeant and cadet flight commander. As is custom-
ary in the Civil Air Patrol, a key participant is a
Senior Member TAC Officer - the advisor, guide,
and overseer of all that goes on.
With flight and support staff in place, an encamp-
ment really starts at the mid to lower levels. All of
a sudden, basic applications are due, flight staff gets
busy with preparations for teaching and motivating
their flights, support staff makes sure that it has all
necessary assets available, and everyone fills out and
 
sorts an enormous load of paperwork. As the applica-
tions come in, the “initiates” are divided into flights
almost randomly, except for gender. This year, the
encampment had enough cadets to form two female
cadet flights, plus seven male cadet flights – a very
respectable size.
Initially I had been accepted as a a member of
the Standards and Evaluation Team, but after a cadet
flight commander dropped out in late April, I was
offered the command of Hotel Flight, in the 60th
Texas Cadet Training Squadron. I accepted it readily,
not knowing what to expect. As it turned out, this was
by far the best training and leadership experience I
have ever had. Hotel Flight was one of the two female
flights in the encampment, and the cadets in my flight
were great. In the first three days of encampment they
performed so well that they earned four encampment-
wide awards out of the possible nine, garnering those
of highest uniform and barracks inspection scores,
the motivational factor, safety in all activities, and
general flight excellence.
I knew that the first few days would be critical
to their morale, and an important factor in how they
would approach the difficulties of the training they
were about to go through. As a means to boost their
morale, I encouraged the flight to sing cadences with
me. These are rhythmic ditties sung while marching
called “Jodies,” after a World War II soldier named
Jody, who supposedly was the first to have used them.
We sang them at the top of our lungs, and I could see
how the flight was getting into them – and enjoying
them fully.
These cadences also help cadets develop team-
work, as they must all sing together to make it sound
good. The initiative worked beautifully. Energized by
the rhythm and intensity, Hotel Flight went on to win
Warrior Flight of the Day for their motivation. I also
knew that relative success was essential to esprit-de-
corps, so I only corrected them on a few things a
day, picking from those most of them were missing,
Continued on page 23 . . .
The Long Blue Line
I spent Sunday, 13 June visiting the 2009 Texas
Wing Summer Encampment. This visit was long over-
due because, in my time as a Senior Member, I had never
served on encampment staff. Being a former cadet, I
was initially drawn toward the Cadet Program when I
rejoined CAP as an adult, and my initial CAP duty was
that of Squadron Activities Officer. Eventually I rose to
be a squadron DCFC and attained a Master Rating in
Cadet Programs, but over the years I was moved away
from my Cadet Programs role (my unit and group com-
manders needed me to do other things) and eventually
I found myself drawn to the challenges of many other
Civil Air Patrol activities. I’ve always felt that my choice
to focus my CAP experience in other directions (namely
our Emergency Services mission) was satisfactory, but
my absence from encampment has sometimes led cur-
rent and former Wing DCP’s to make their dissatisfac-
tion known to me; mostly, the current one. :-)
My visit was an interesting mix of excitement at
seeing the ALERT Academy facilities for the first time,
combined with the nostalgia of remembering my own
days as a cadet. It was a sort of dichotomy of the new
and old, presenting me with an excellent opportunity
to reflect on my own cadet experience, and the nature
of the Cadet Program. Those of you who read my edi-
torials know that I spend a lot of time reflecting. The
Program as we recognize it today was created in the
1960s, and while it has undergone many changes over
time, its mission has remained fundamentally the same:
to help prepare young Americans to grow into the lead-
ers of tomorrow.
While I was thinking about this, an image of a long
line of cadets came to mind. This line of cadets extends
back fifty years, and forward into uncharted paths of
the future – where new challenges await America and
the world. That Long Blue Line of cadets is not hypo-
thetical but real, and it leads into virtually all walks of
life, and even across the world. Right now, as you read
this, former cadets are defending America and our way
of life while deployed to a war zone in the Middle East.
Right now, as I write this (and you read it), somewhere a
former cadet is at the controls of a commercial aircraft
helping to safely convey its passengers or cargo to their
destination. Right now, somewhere, former CAP cadets
are working as accountants, doctors, firefighters, attor-
neys, judges, teachers and college professors, engineers,
or information technologists – to name a few. I’m will-
 
Lt. Col. Owen Younger
ing to bet that all of them without exception feel that the
Cadet Program enabled them to succeed in life.
The cadets we work with every day at our units, and
all cadets at the Encampment, are exposed to lessons
that they will be able to apply to the rest of their own
lives. We have this unwritten expectation of our cadets
that even after they leave us behind and begin their
adult lives they will continue to live up to the decades’
long tradition of achieving excellence in life that their
predecessors have striven for. While the expectation of
achievement lies on the shoulders of the former cadets,
ironically, the custodians of that tradition are not the
cadets themselves but, instead, the Cadet Programs offi-
cers who administer the program.
Every day at local units, every summer and most
winters at encampments, and at many activities in
between, a nucleus of officers who are willing to devote
time and energy to the program actually make it work.
Cadet Programs officers are frequently the unsung
heroes of Civil Air Patrol. Being a TAC officer at
encampment does not have the glory of being the Air
Ops Branch Director at a SAREVAL, or the glamour of
being a pilot, but the work is every bit as important. The
responsibility of serving as a Cadet Programs officer is
tremendous, and we owe those members our gratitude.
This is why the staff of the encampment has my heart-
felt thanks and deepest respect.
I didn’t really know it at the time, but the officers
who oversaw my progression through the Cadet Program
had a tremendous impact on the adult I became. The
names Hettich, Bryant, Desjardins and Douglas may not
be familiar to you, but when I was a young person these
people were giants to me. Each one of those names, and
many others, helped me find my way in the world. They
helped me earn my place in the Long Blue Line. And
I hope every senior staff member at the encampment
realizes that, whether they know it or not, they had an
impact on the life of some young person, and some day
that young person will look back at them and remember
them as giants.
For many of the cadets who will someday take their
place in that line, whatever success they achieve in life
will have some roots in the heat of an East Texas sum-
mertime, bound to those cadets standing on the shoul-
ders of the giants who made the Cadet Program happen.
It’s a privilege to serve with you.
 Save the Date. Get Excited!
Texas Wing Conference
April 23 – 24th, 2010
San Marcos Embassy Suites
We’re looking for Team Leaders and members; Helpers and Ideas. This is your conference. What do
you want to see done? Want to improve breakout sessions? Do It. Have you found a great solution to a
CAP challenge? Submit a paper.

We need TEAMS for Registration, Packet stuffing, Donation recruitment, Banquet and Award set up &
supervision, scheduling; IDEAS, IDEAS, IDEAS!

This is YOUR Conference. Take hold and have fun!

(Would it be possible to have someone make CD copies of the breakout sessions?)

Musicians, do you want to perform? We’d love to have you set the tone for the conference, but we
need volunteers! Back ground music, full performance, what is your niche? OOPS, we need a MUSIC
COORDINATOR!

Please submit ideas, paper abstracts or your availability to share your volunteer
spirit. Be sure to include your contact information!
Contact: TXCAPConference@gmail.com

Ft. Worth Senior Honored For

Distinguished Service
By 1st Lt. Lisa Gunnell

Bruce Wilson was recently honored by the
Elizabeth Crockett Chapter of the Daughters of
the American Revolution for his service with Civil
Air Patrol. As a member of the Fort Worth Senior
Squadron, he has participated in fire watch patrols,
search and rescue missions, and low-level route sur-
vey missions for the US Air Force.
He also participated in relief missions provid-
ing food, water, medicines, and other assistance
to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike.
Currently deputy Commander of his squadron, he
has worked with the Cadet Program and serves as
a Stan-Eval Officer.
Wilson has received a certificate of achieve-
ment from FEMA for his dedicated service follow-
ing a disaster, the Aerospace Educator Achievement
Award, Mountain Flying Training for Search and
Rescue Award, and the Gill Robb Wilson Award.

 
RECRUITING CHAPLAINS
By Chaplain Lt. Col. George S. Kelly
Every Squadron and Group
deserves to have a chaplain, and a
Character Development Instructor.
They are a valuable asset to
the unit in the areas of Morals,
Character Development, Ethics,
and Religion. Finding and recruit-
ing chaplains should be a number
one priority for units without one.
While requirements for
Character Development Instructors
enumerated in CAPR 265-1 are
different than the requirement for
chaplains, recruiting them is just
as important to your unit as well.
There are many ways to have a
chaplain for your unit, sometimes
on a temporary basis while you
are actively recruiting one. The
responsibility lays squarely on the
shoulders of the unit commander
to see that this happens in addition
to all the other responsibilities that
they may have, but this should be
the number one priority.
Begin where you are! Look
around and see if there is a
military installation close to
your unit, or a National Guard
or Reserve unit, or a Veteran’s
Administration Hospital. All of
these will have a chaplain that
can be contacted and engaged
for your Character Development
Program. They do not necessarily
have to become a member of the
CAP to do this. They can be clas-
sified as “Visiting Clergy” or in
this case “Visiting Chaplains.”
11
A Tribute
Also, don’t neglect to ask By Cadet 1st Lt Nicholas
about “Retired Chaplain’s” living Schroder
in your area.
Next: Look around at Nursing No, not today
Homes, Hospitals, etc., and dis- They fought for our country
cover if they have a Chaplain. No, not today
Hospice and Hospital Chaplains And they survived hell, only
are a good source of potential to come home
chaplains as it takes them out of No, not today
their environment of sick and dying
And they did and were
patients and offers them a change
happy that they did so
of pace in working with young
No, not today
people in our Cadet Program.
They came home expecting
Next: Poll the members of
your own unit to discover which peace
ones attend church in the area. No, not today
Ask them to join you in recruiting instead they found only
their pastor as a potential chaplain. death
Even if they are not interested in No, not today
becoming a member of CAP, shot by him they considered
they can be recruited as “Visiting comrade
Clergy.” Set up an appointment to No, not today
visit them with the unit member, They are now wounded or
in uniform, and present the chap- dead
lain program to them. No, not today
Next: Look in local newspa- clinging to life or already
pers under “Churches” and draft a lost it turning the ground red
letter to all the clergy of churches No, not today
in your area setting forth the need Their “comrade” shot down,
and challenge of Civil Air Patrol, but too late...
and how the pastor’s participation No, not today
will enhance and expand their 13 had already lost their
ministry. lives to the date
In all your recruiting efforts
No, not today
follow guidelines in CAPR 265-1
November 5th, the day of
which will help you to determine
the massacre
eligibility for pastors becoming
No, not today
CAP Chaplains.
of the warriors of Fort Hood
No, not today
to those who gave so all
would be good
No, not today
11
From The Wing PAO
Maj. Robert Brecount
We in the Civil Air Patrol show our enthusiasm for this
organization, this activity, this service by the way we talk about
it; our devotion to training, study and teaching; our constant
giving of time, talent and treasure to this one thing that fills our
minds and hearts with ideas and hopes to make it better, stron-
ger and more useful to our neighbors, communities and nation.
Passion is a simple word, just two syllables, easy to spell,
harder to explain. The Oxford American Dictionary defines
it as including 1. Strong emotion. 2. An outburst of anger.
3. Sexual love. 4. Great enthusiasm for something… This
fourth meaning is my subject, so let’s dwell on it for a bit.
I joined CAP to get some cheap flying, at the urging of
a friend who wanted to pass on his duty position to someone
else who had a like attitude. It soon revealed itself as a much
more expensive way to ‘go play airplane.’ The duty position
I assumed very quickly and well, but the flying part took me
several years of study and waiting for a properly qualified
instructor. Not just any qualified instructor, but one who had
the time and inclination to see that I was good enough, safe
enough and careful enough to be entrusted with an expen-
sive aircraft bought with public funds. Eventually it became
rewarding. The passion then, for me, was flying.
As time passed, and the number of missions flown
mounted, there grew within me an appreciation for the people
who were giving so much of themselves to seeing that we were
trained in all the aspects of service to the Civil Air Patrol, such
as Search and Rescue in the air and on the ground, Disaster
Relief and Damage Assessment, and other community and
law-enforcement support activities. One day, “There is a
lot more to this than just flying pretty airplanes” I thought.
Indeed, the passion has now become helping people.
More recently I’ve seen something else that makes me
proud to be in the Civil Air Patrol. It is the all-consuming
program to nurture, challenge and train our country’s youth.
We continually strive to mentor them as they become smarter
and stronger, giving them great ethics, morals and a sense
of duty and honor to their country. It is richly rewarding to
watch them develop and mature into outstanding young citi-
zens. We swell with pride at their every new achievement
and shout “Hurrah!” when our military branches or other
service organizations pick them up.
Behind these personal triumphs lie all the Civil Air
Patrol people involved in working so hard and long, and giv-
ing so much of themselves to help the youth of our country
become superior citizens who set the pace. They are show-
ing us all what passion really is.
Because passion without a future is not passion at all.
12
Maj. Allen Vaught, Newest
Member of the Texas
Legislative Squadron
By Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate
At the Texas State
Capitol on 2 July 2009,
Lt. Col. Gordie L. White,
Commander of the Texas
Legislative Squadron, pre-
sented State Representative
Allen Vaught (District 107,
Dallas) with his Civil Air
Patrol membership certifi-
cate, inducting him into the
unit with the CAP grade of Major. Besides being a former
Army Captain and a veteran of the Iraq campaign, he is also
a friend of Texas Wing and the Civil Air Patrol.
For the 81st Legislative Session (2009), he served as
the Vice Chairman of the Defense and Veterans’ Affairs
Committee, and also served on the Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee. A graduate of Baylor university with a law
degree from the South Texas College of Law, he is manag-
ing attorney of the Dallas office of Franklin, Cardwell, &
Jones, P.C. He has a diverse practice, ranging from defend-
ing doctors in medical malpractice cases to representing
cancer victims in environmental toxin cases.
A 2001 graduate of the John F. Kennedy Special
Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, NC, Rep. Vaught
was a reserve Captain assigned to the U.S. Army Special
Operations Command performing civil affairs and psycho-
logical operations missions. He served in Iraq from April
2003 to March 2004, and commanded one of the first units
to enter Fallujah. While serving as the de facto mayor of
Fallujah, he was responsible for operating the local govern-
ment and supervising programs to help its people.
During a mission in Sadr City, Vaught’s convoy was hit
by an improvised explosive device and small arms ambush,
and his back was fractured in the fight. He was awarded the
Purple Heart for injuries, and was honorably discharged from
the U.S. Army Reserve. In addition, Allen was awarded the
Combat Action Badge, Valorous Unit Award, and numerous
other awards for his service.
As a lawyer and a soldier, Maj. Vaught has spent his life
fighting to protect the rights and freedoms of others. He is
vice chairman of the Defense Committee, Texas House of
Representatives.
Texas Wing and the Legislative Squadron are proud to
count him as a member.
12
 O Canada!
An IACE Adventure
Cadet Major Sean Stewart, Pegasus Composite Squadron
Last year I had the honor of being selected an
International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) cadet escort
for Central Texas. During that time, I learned about
many nations, became more familiar with IACE itself,
and made many new friends. This year I learned about
IACE from a different perspective, as I was now the one
selected to go visit a different country.
On an early Wednesday morning, I woke up excited
about the new fun-filled 3 weeks to come, yet also filled
with an awesome responsibility. I felt extremely hon-
ored to represent my home country and home state to
the rest of the world. That morning I flew out of Austin,
Texas to see our Nation’s capital.
I had seen Washington, D.C. only once before,
at a very young age, so seeing it now was special to
me. In D.C., we had a few briefings on what we would
be expected to do and how we should behave abroad,
and were also able to tour the awesome metropolis. We
saw the Lincoln Memorial, the 9/11 Memorial at the
Pentagon, the White House, the Supreme Court, and even
got to sit in the audience quarters of the U.S. Senate in
the Capitol. Other sights were very important to me per-
sonally – the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War
Memorial and the new, beautiful World War II Memorial
all sent shivers up my spine. Meditating about the mem-
bers of my family who had served in these conflicts gave
me much room for thought. To cap it all off, the Arlington
National Cemetery humbled me more than anything else
I had seen in D.C.
Living in Austin, I’ve visited the State Cemetery
13
numerous times, and I always found it to be an amaz-
ing experience. At Arlington, though, we saw some of
our country’s most important heroes and events. There
was the mast to the USS Maine, the ship whose tragic
sinking sparked the Spanish-American War, and also
the Challenger Memorial, the Civil Air Patrol Memorial
Tree, the burial site of one of my heroes, Audie Murphy,
the most decorated American soldier in history…and a
Texan! The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was an awe-
some experience, as were the Sentinels and a Changing
of the Guard Ceremony. It gave me another reason to
reflect on what it really means to be an American.
Our D.C. tour also included the U.S. Navy
Memorial, the Naval Museum (where I learned that the
U.S. Navy Seabee’s mascot stole my name), the Library
of Congress where all of us got library cards, and many
other amazing sites.
A couple of days after we arrived in D.C. we got our
assignments. We were on our way to Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada! There we met the Canadian escorts and saw our
accommodations at Carleton University. In Ottawa, we
saw the Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, many
memorials and had an in-depth tour of the Canadian
Parliament. The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
was wonderful, and there we met our new host families
and left for Niagara, where I was lucky enough to stay
with Captain David Jeffrey who has been active with
the Royal Canadian Air Cadets for many years and is
just as active in IACE. In Niagara, of course, we saw
the beautiful Niagara Falls every day, and took a ride
13
IACE Adventure . . .
Continued
in the Spanish Aero Car over a monstrous whirlpool
that not even the Maelstrom of Nordic mythology could
produce. The huge canals were impressive, we ate at
an old fashioned 50’s diner called the “Flying Saucer,”
and saw many battlefield landmarks going back to the
American Revolution, American invasions, and the War
of 1812. On the following day, it was off to Ft. George
and eating at Navy Hall. One of the coolest parts of the
whole trip was the ride on the Maid of the Mist that took
us to the bottom of the falls. On Monday morning we said
goodbye to our host families. Throughout east Ontario
and western Quebec we had many fun activities. For
example, we visited the Air Cadet League’s facilities
at Trenton, saw numerous museums, climbed onto the
largest ropes course I’ve ever seen (I was dead tired
after the third quarter), rode in Gryphon helicopters,
saw the Olympic tower and Bio-Dome in Montreal, vis-
ited Canada’s Wonderland Theme Park and, of course,
went white-water rafting on the Ottawa River. All this
interspersed with many other fun activities.
In Quebec City, I re-united with a very good friend
I’d met during IACE 2008. Francis Thibodeau had been
one of the cadets who stayed at out home last year and
I had the pleasure of seeing him again, staying at his
home, and meeting his family. With the Thibodeau’s in
Quebec City, we visited the old Quebec City, both lower
and upper town; saw a movie about Quebec City on a
4-story high screen; visited La Citadelle; went bowling
and even had a Quebec delicacy called Poiton (French
fries with mozzarella cheese curds and brown gravy -
yummy). Come early Monday morning, it was time to
leave our host families yet again.
We spent the last couple of days in Montreal, where
we had a farewell banquet and I got to see Captain Jeffrey
one last time before leaving. Our visit to an aeronautical
engineering institute was fascinating. On August 5th it
was finally time to go home. I don’t think I’ll ever forget
all the good friends I made, from all over the world. They
came from Japan, Hong Kong, Israel, Turkey, the United
Kingdom, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, France,
Canada, the Netherlands and also from all over the
U.S. Neither will I ever forget Captain Jeffrey’s hos-
pitality, Francis Thibodeau’s friendship, nor even our
Canadian escort, Mr. Michel Lefort’s words with which
he concluded every day, “Isn’t Canada a great country?”
I had an awesome time, and highly recommend
IACE to any CAP Cadet. H
15
Apollo Cadet at National
Flight Academy
Cadet 2nd Lt Christian Nelson
During the period 18-28 July, I had the privilege
of attending the Civil Air Patrol’s National Flight
Academy, Southwest Region in Shawnee, Oklahoma,
working as the activity’s Public Affairs Officer. For
nine of the eleven days, we woke up at 0530, ate
breakfast by 0600, and the students were flying with
their instructor pilots (IP’s) by 0700. While they were
taking off, flying and landing, I was busy taking pic-
tures and writing articles for the day, managing the
website, and assisting the Activity Director, Lt. Col.
Ed Angala, by augmenting the Oklahoma Wing’s
staff for the event.
Just before the activity ended, we had the honor
of hosting cadets from the International Air Cadet
Exchange (IACE). Coming from France, Great
Britain, Canada, and Israel, they livened up the activ-
ity with a rousing and graceful visit. We gave them
rides in the planes, which they appreciated very much.
In return, they gave us good cheer, excellent company
and great conversation.
For me, the most rewarding part of the activity
was the filming of the solo cadets getting their shirt-
tails cut off and being doused by their fellow student
pilots. It was wonderful to see their joyful expres-
sion, after having risen to the challenge and flown
by themselves.
On the last day, on my way home in the air thanks
to a ride provided by one of the Texas Wing IP’s in
a CAP plane, I looked back through the many days,
packed with activity and memories, re-living them in
my mind. I loved every minute of it, as I wrote and
took pictures so the parents could follow their sons’
and daughters’ escapades. Were I given this oppor-
tunity again, I would do it again without any second
thoughts. I highly recommend the National Flight
Academy to any cadet who wishes to become a pilot.
The training, the staff, the camaraderie, and the facil-
ities were all outstanding.
To find out more about the NFA-SWR 2009 from
my perspective, please visit http://web.me.com/davi-
danelson1/NFA-SWR/ for photo galleries, staff com-
ments, daily articles, and more.
15
Texas Wing Powered
Flight Academy
Time literally flew by during
the short week of 18-25 July at the
2009 Texas Wing Flight Academy.
Accomplishing so much in such a
short time was difficult, but with
hard work came success. There
was so much to learn in a week! We
needed to know the rules and
regulations of flying, procedures
to taking off and landing a plane,
and just as important, how to
maneuver the plane in flight and
on the ground. This opportunity
and experience is meant as a start-
ing point, so that each cadet can
get a better idea about flying as a
career path, and pursuing a future
in aviation.  with the students. Although our
The day I soloed was one of
the most exciting in my life, and
something I will never forget. At
first I felt anxious and apprehen-
sive, but I soon left those feel-
ings behind. I had to put all I had
learned into action, and remain
calm but alert. Having practiced
airport traffic patterns all week
long, take-offs and landings had
become almost second nature by
now. Nonetheless, I did feel differ-
ent flying without my Instructor
Pilot sitting next to me – and I fully
enjoyed every moment of it. There
is a particular freedom to flying
solo, like driving a car alone for the
first time, but bigger, deeper and
better. After soloing I felt fulfilled,
and kept reminding myself that this
was just the beginning. I still have
many improvements to make, and
much, much more to learn.
Even though my soloing was
17
an individual achievement, it defi-
nitely required a team effort to get
me to that point. The students stud-
ied together, as well as supported
and encouraged each other. The
cadet staff also helped, by sharing
their knowledge and experience
group consisted of many different
personalities, we all had a com-
mon characteristic: determination
to solo and eventually become
pilots. During the first few flights,
a couple of cadets had a touch of
air-sickness, but that didn’t stop
them from flying and learning,
and they soon became accustomed
to being in the air. In fact, this
year’s Flight Academy consisted
of sixteen hard-working cadets,
all of whom had earned their solo
wings by the end of the week. As
the week wore on, both pilots and
students shared many moments,
and eventually started calling each
other by their call signs. Mine was
“Ditch”, for the Erie Canal’s sar-
castic nickname of “Clinton’s Big
Ditch,” since Governor Dewitt
Clinton had been the major propo-
nent of this expensive, unpopular
project (but, when it was finished,
Cadet Capt Raphael Erie
it became “The Eighth Wonder of
the World).
The instructor pilots were
truly amazing. All of them were
very experienced and always will-
ing to help. Although each pilot
was assigned one or two stu-
dents, all cadets were encouraged
to interact with other pilots as
well. Doing so, we learned much
about flying, and got pointers that
had worked well for each indi-
vidual pilot.  This helped us adapt
easily to whichever techniques we
found most comfortable. I was Lt.
Col. Bob “Wambo” McDonnell’s
student, but I often flew backseat
with Captain Lyle “Sunshine”
Sorenson and his student, Cadet
Chief Master Sergeant Brice
“Tarzan” Nix. To my surprise, I
learned just as much by paying
attention as I sat in the backseat. 
For me, none of this would
have been possible without the help
I received from The Texas Fly-In,
Inc. The Tony Bingelis scholar-
ship I was so honored to receive
was named after a great man who
served his country in the 1940s
and 50s, advancing the public’s
interest in homebuilt aircraft. He
became widely known for the arti-
cles he wrote for the Experimental
Aircraft Association’s Sport
Aviation magazine, sharing his
knowledge with many amateur
aviation enthusiasts.
I am fortunate to have received
this scholarship, and will always
remember this organization’s gen-
erous contribution to my future.
17
Cadet Officer School
Cadet 1st Lt Isaac Niedrauer

Throughout my CAP cadet career, I have

participated in many events in Texas Wing.
From Encampments and CTEPs, to LESA
and SAREXs, there has been no shortage
of summer weeks and weekends when CAP
kept me away from home. However, despite
being among the last of my peers not to have
done so, I still had not attended a National
Cadet Special Activity until this summer.
For that matter, I’d never attended a CAP
event or meeting outside Texas. I would
apply; but something else would always
come up and I’d have to withdraw.
Finally, I promised myself that this sum-
mer I would be part of one, and how reward-
ing this decision was -- Cadet Officer School
(COS) 2009 at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, at
the Air University facilities.
Present were 120 Cadet Officer students from
around the nation, and I was the only one from Texas On the following day, we were introduced to
Wing. In spite of the cultural differences among us, it the COS routine. We’d all meet in the lobby of our
was remarkable how much CAP had given us in com- housing building, and head as a group to the Dining
mon. These were the cadet leaders of squadrons in Facilities Administration Center (DFAC) for break-
every part of the country (including Puerto Rico) and fast. Next, we’d go to our “Flight Room” (or “Batcave”
I felt privileged to be among them, proudly represent- as we called it), which was a conference room where
ing my home wing. we’d meet and hold seminars with our two Flight
Upon arrival at Maxwell AFB, each person was Leaders, Lt. Col. Marc “Batman” Batway (USAFR)
assigned to a seminar (“Flight”), numbered from 1 and Lt. Col. Margarita Mesones (CAP). From there
to 10. When I checked in, I was assigned to Flight 10 we’d go to lectures, Troup Leadership Projects (TLPs)
and given my room key. Yes, that’s right. We had pri- or whatever the rest of the day had in store for us,
vate rooms. Almost apartments, in fact: bed, kitchen, always concluding with a three-game volleyball
bathroom and walk-in closet. The facilities were noth- match against another Flight. This transitioned into a
ing short of amazing. The Air Force definitely treats massive homework assignment that we’d work on as
its people right. a group until lights out, and then individually in our
Shortly after the “XO Briefing” during which the rooms -- sometimes well into the night.
ground rules were set, everyone headed to the lec- A huge part of the event were the TLPs (typically,
ture hall where I met for the first time the other ten competitions between flights, involving a complicated
members of my Flight. Our CAP grades varied from puzzle of information and required strategic plan-
a C/2nd Lt (who actually lived on base at Maxwell ning from each flight). Generally, it was an excellent
AFB), to a C/Maj. from New Jersey. Everyone dif- chance to put into practice what had been covered in
fered in political views, accents or terminology, but the lectures and seminars. Without going into detail,
those differences were quickly put aside. Often we I can guarantee that future students will find the TLP
debated one minute, and on the next we had to move concepts completely and utterly brilliant. Also, I wish
on as a team, and this led to strong friendships. future Flights the same success that ours had. In fact,

19 19
the TLPs were a major strength of Flight 10, and it
was during them that the mutual respect, trust and
friendship we developed really paid off.
Throughout the week, the entire student body
attended lectures delivered by some very distin-
guished individuals. Col. John Warden, Dr. Hank
Dasinger, Dr. Tom Hughes, Brig. Gen. Theresa
Djuric, Col. Rick McDow, and many others delivered
fascinating presentations on everything from military
writing to a first-hand testimony of surviving captiv-
ity in a North Vietnamese POW camp. Col. Warden
used specific examples of his planning of Operation
Instant Thunder during Desert Storm to instruct
the class on Strategic Thinking and Planning. Dr.
Hughes presented a two-part lecture on the History of
Airpower. Many others with remarkable credentials
spoke throughout the week and answered questions
from the class. Generally, each lecture would be fol-
lowed by a Flight Seminar, where we would dissect
what had been said and even discuss points that we
might have disagreed with.
During the second half of the event, COS students
participated at Maxwell AFB’s “Project X,” a pro-
gram that is difficult to define; perhaps it could be best
described as “a problem-solving obstacle course.” Each
Flight would be given a certain amount of equipment,
fifteen minutes, and a list of rules. By the end, every par-
ticipating member of the Flight had to be across the obsta-
cle (or series of obstacles) and sometimes be required to
haul along miscellaneous objects across. There were ten
different rotations, each with a completely unique puz-
zle and often a very physically-demanding way to solve
it. Like every other event, Flights competed for points
based on each rotation’s success or failure.
Given the high number of competitions, there
were strong rivalries between Flights. For us, it was
Flight 9, our neighbors in the flight room next door.
In the give-and-take of friendly competition, it is easy
to fall into personal attacks, something we tried to
avoid. Flights 9 and 10 had their ups and downs at vol-
leyball, and in the end they achieved the same score.
However, when the rivalry heats up too much, it can
happen that the Flight becomes not so much bent on
winning as to see the other Flight lose.
As mentioned earlier, we (like all the other
Flights) were assigned both an Air Force and a Civil
Air Patrol Flight Leader. “Batman,” our USAFR
leader, was a B-52 pilot for many years serving at
Desert Storm and other small campaigns of that time.
21
For the past fifteen years, he has been an Air Force
reservist, and in his civilian life flies Boeing 777s for
American Airlines . He has been a part of COS at
each of those fifteen years, and was even the Activity
Director for several years, a position he gave up to
be a Flight Leader again, the job he preferred. Lt.
Col. Mesones, our CAP leader, is the current Director
of Cadet Programs (DCP) of the Florida Wing. She
has held that position for several years, and is quite
involved at CAP National as well. Between the two of
them, we had a pretty terrific team looking after us.
What it all comes down to is the competition for
the Honor Flight Award, that is actually a very big
deal at COS. The winner is the Flight with the high-
est score derived from all scores achieved in every
Project X rotation, speech performance, final exam
scores, volleyball record, TLP competitions, and
many other factors. During each part of the event, the
current standings are posted on a bulletin board just
outside the flight rooms. Right before the final exam
(the final factor), the board is removed and the scores
are not announced until the graduation dinner at the
Officer’s Club, later on that day. This year, at that
point, the race was way too close to call, and it was a
5-way dash between Flights 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10.
When the Activity Director stood up to announce
the final result, “And finally, the prestigious Honor
Flight Award goes to...” there was dead silence, as he
made a terribly cruel pause before revealing the win-
ner, “Flight 10!” The silence was shattered with loud
cheers, and every Flight 10 member was up pumping
fists and yelling in triumph. At least for us, it was an
awesome moment. Every member of the Honor Flight
received a COS Challenge coin and a certificate that
proclaimed in bold letters, under the activity’s design,
“Honor Flight.”
On the following day, as we said our goodbyes,
“Batman” told us that in his 15 years at COS, Flight
10 of 2009 had the best cohesion and teamwork of any
he had ever seen. My flight has already scheduled a
reunion at the Florida Wing Winter Encampment, and
possibly an epic road trip to get there. Every one of us
was so different, but that didn’t matter one bit. We
became a team, and now are close friends. COS was
a very challenging, but extremely rewarding school. It
was a terrific experience, and a program that I believe
every CAP Cadet Officer must attend.
Best of all are the memories. What an amazing
group of people to have gone through it with! H
21
Take Care of My Boys . . .
Continued from page 1
I had to meet them. I had to make an effort and tell
that mother that we cared, that we would do our very
best to protect her sons. As I came up to them, I
noticed their sweet disposition as I greeted them.
I explained how the senior members and cadet
leaders had just completed two solid days of cadet
leadership training, because we wanted to ensure that
the entire support staff would be ready for encamp-
ment week. Her eyes perked up as I described the
details of the Required Staff Training we’d held the
previous evening into the night. How each cadet
leader was made aware of safety issues concerning
the cadets, and how the encampment commander and
leadership considered the cadet basics “family”. How
the flight leaders – individually – would be respon-
sible for making sure their cadet squad was hydrated
with a minimum of 1 to 1.5 canteens of water per
hour. How the cadet leaders knew about “hazing,”
were aware that it is against CAP regulations, and
realized that hazing has many forms. I told her about
the safety program which included the new “Charge
of Quarters” unit, that replaced the old “Fire Watch”
concept and is much better, and how this would enable
a dedicated team to stand watch all night long and
sleep throughout the day, for the sole purpose of giv-
ing the cadets a full night’s rest, in complete safety.
How we had medics on staff to assist cadets with any
medical needs...
It was about this point that with a gentle gesture
the mother stopped me, and with a beautiful smile
on her face said; “God sent you to me, didn’t He?” I
almost couldn’t contain myself as my eyes welled up
with unshed tears. For the first time in my CAP career,
I realized that my roles as a squadron Finance Officer
and now the squadron’s Public Affairs Officer had
not been so much ends in themselves but my prepara-
tion for a far greater and kinder job. My purpose laid
out for me would be to make a difference to young
cadets aspiring to become part of one of the greatest
organizations in the world. My sudden awareness was
punctuated by the mother as she said, “I feel so much
better now. Thank you so very much.”
As I said goodbye and turned to walk away from
this very special mom, I heard my heart telling me,
“Take care of her boys.” H
23
My First Command at
Encampment . . .
Continued from page 5
making sure they got it right. That way, improvement
was constant and achievable, we were ahead of
our “rivals” on the learning and performing curve,
and this moved my flight to renewed efforts to
stay on top.
As encampment progressed, lack of sleep began to
catch up with my cadets. Most cadets got from six to
seven hours of sleep a night, and were actively train-
ing or taking classes for the other seventeen; a gruel-
ing schedule. The flight soon realized that they had
to come together as a fully integrated team, if they
were to achieve their objectives of the day – cadets
prepared each other’s uniforms, made each other’s
bunks, taught each other drill movements, quizzed
each other on their required knowledge, and took
turns carrying the heavy “pumpkin” which is really
a large orange water cooler. In fact, the “pumpkin”
became a sort of mascot.
As the week came to an end, Hotel Flight was
at its apogee in training. We won Knowledge Flight
(awarded to the flight that wins a general CAP knowl-
edge tournament) and were among the top competitors
for Drill Flight (awarded to the flight most proficient
in military style precision marching). To top it all, we
were awarded the highest honor a flight at encamp-
ment can earn: Honor Flight of Encampment. The
final score to earn this distinction takes into account
all inspections, all competitions, and all tests.
Looking back, I can honestly say that I was blessed
with such a great flight. My cadet flight sergeant, espe-
cially, was the leading teacher for the cadets – and she
did an outstanding job. Either because they brought
it with them or they developed it at encampment, the
Hotel Flight cadet basics exhibited very high moti-
vation and a willingness to learn that made our jobs
relatively easy. In common with every encampment, it
took some coaxing, a bit of yelling, occasional scold-
ing, and a lot of encouragement, but after graduation
they went home happy.
“It was definitely worth it,” said most of them. H
23
 Diamondback Squadron Attends
Vietnam Memorial Garden Dedication
By 1st Lt. Sharron Stockwell
While scouting out new and different field trip or
excursion opportunities for our cadets at the South
Fort Worth Diamondback Composite Squadron to
learn about aerospace and military history edu-
cation, on May 30, 2009, I attended The National
Vietnam War Museum’s dedication of the replica
of the The Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. in
Mineral Wells, Texas. Fort Walters was the train-
ing headquarters for helicopter pilots during the
Vietnam War. What a great opportunity to pay
tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for
America as evidenced by 58,260 names engraved on
The Vietnam Memorial Wall.
You cannot miss the massive display of the Huey
helicopter high in the sky upon a platform, which is
symbolic of the Vietnam War. Many attendees were
Huey pilots, mechanics, trainees and crews who
served in Vietnam, as well as friends or family mem-
bers. Veterans from all wars and military branches
enjoyed the moving ceremonies.
As the guest speaker, Joe Galloway, who served four
(4) Vietnam tours as a reporter, pointed out, these men
and women served honorably when asked by their coun-
try and returned home to be spat upon, trash thrown at
them, called baby killers and worse. They were heroes
and deserved a heroes’ welcome like all other war vets.
This represents but a small tribute of what should have
been shouted from the rooftops when they returned home
– “Good job and welcome home to our heroes.” Finally,
they got the honor and recognition they deserved.
Representatives from the local Fire Departments
were present and shared stories of rescues and service.
Bagpipe musicians played, the colors were posted, and
we recited the Pledge of Allegiance. We were honored
by the presence of Native Americans who ceremoni-
ously blessed The Wall. A children’s choir sang patri-
otic songs throughout the ceremony.
Civil Air Patrol officers and cadets from Texas
squadrons were present and I believe they assisted with
the posting of the colors and Pledge. It is an honor and
privilege to participate in such a noble project and I
hope to have our squadron participate in their next pub-
lic activity, if at all possible.
One of the highlights of the entire day was the
25
parachute jump made by celebrated parachutist Dana
Bowman who is a double amputee who lost his legs
during a midair collision in 1994. He was a Special
Forces soldier and a member of the U.S. Army’s elite
parachute team, The Golden Knights. He pointed
out that those maimed during the war are the lucky
ones—they were alive. He is living proof that you can
go on and not let anything stand in your way if you
are determined. He is now a world renowned moti-
vational speaker and skydive demonstrator. Check it
out at www.danabowman.com or danabowman@aol.
com. Wow! What an example for cadets.
What a mentor and fine example for our cadets
to learn from in their life’s endeavors, set their goals,
go for the brass ring and do not let anything stand in
their way. When the red, white, and blue American
flag deployed beneath Dana as he plummeted to
earth, red smoke appeared at his heels in the sky,
there was clapping, crying, yelling, cheers and tear
stained cheeks in the audience. We all stood in honor
of this display of patriotism and clapping seemed like it
lasted forever.
Finally, they unveiled The Wall. As I looked around
me, tears flowed everywhere, mine included. How can
one sit there and not be touched at seeing such a vast
wall with name after name of so many military dead. It
was simply awesome. As I walked from section to sec-
tion, I placed my hand on each section to touch names
and prayed. In one way or another, all of our families
were touched by some family member loss, a school
classmate, or friend during the Vietnam War. As for
myself, at a high school reunion I discovered that our
popular, well respected, and beloved band drum major
died in the Vietnam War.
We, as Civil Air Patrol members, need to always
remember to thank our veterans for their service, wear
our uniforms properly to pay tribute to and out of
respect for our fallen comrades. Copies of the DVD can
be ordered from Advanced Videography, 890 Brazos
Heights Rd., Mineral Wells, TX 76067 or www.jimf-
clayman.tripod.com or call 940.659.2182. To make a
contribution or become a member, write to The National
Vietnam War Museum, PO Box 146, Mineral Wells, TX
76068 or contact the NationalVNWarMuseum.org.
25

“SPIRIT OF
FLIGHT”
BOOM, BATTA BING! Wow, what a show! The 2009
Fort Worth Alliance Air Show was held October 24-25,
2009. This year’s air show featured the US Navy Blue
Angels and the US Army Golden Knights.
Every year Texans from North Texas take a break from
rodeo riding, calf roping, barrel racing, horse shows, and
the annual Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo to focus on
the skies. Thus, enters the Alliance Air Show at Alliance
Airport. What a magnificent sight to watch the many
gifted pilots soar upward into the sky while everyone on
the ground struggles to follow the powerful high speed air-
craft as they disappear out of sight and into the sun. All
eyes were in the sky, with necks craned, and expectations
of the spectacular performances of each day.
The US Army Golden Knights are the epitome of
valor through sport and competitive skydiving. Not
only are they the personification of honor and cour-
age for both men and women known as the US Army
Golden Knights, but they are the embodiment of preci-
sion and perfection. They are celebrating their Golden
Anniversary in 2009. Happy Anniversary to the US
Army Golden Knights! Your performance was spec-
tacularly breathtaking.
The exhibition in flight the US Navy Blue Angels
performed was choreographed in the sky by skilled avia-
tors who have spent their lives dedicated to do what they
love--flying. The graceful aerobatic maneuvering of these
aircraft by expert pilots excite and encourage cadets to
26
By
1st Lt. Sharron Stockwell
Local Civil Air Patrol Squadrons
donate time and talent at the
Alliance Air Show
achieve their goals in Civil Air Patrol so they can possi-
bly become a future US Navy Blue Angel pilot, US Army
Golden Knight skydiver or famous aerobatic pilot. The
US Navy Blue Angels performed a four-plane Diamond
Formation in concert with high-performance maneuvers
at a fast-paced speed by two Solo Pilots. During their
conclusion of the presentation, they amazed us with their
astonishing precision flying performing the six-jet Delta
Formation. What spine-tingling, on-the-edge-of-your-
seat performances by the US Army Golden Knights and
US Navy Blue angels. Exhilarating!
Some of the officers of the South Fort Worth
Diamondback Composite Squadron had the honor and
rare privilege of experiencing a personal tour of the KC-
135R by Crew Chief, WG-11 J. Porter early in the morn-
ing before the show opened. The US Air Force Plane is
from the Air Education and Training Command, 97th
Air Mobility Wing. Chief Porter’s knowledge about the
KC-135R and other aircraft was impressive. He shared
a video of his plane in action refueling a fighter in mid
air. His KC-135R is a magnificent aircraft, monstrous
in size and can transport over 50 individuals at a time.
Chief Porter was gracious to spend time explaining the
intricate details and complexities of each pilot’s preci-
sion flying and necessary coordination during the refu-
eling process while in the air. Any mistake in the proce-
dure can have disastrous consequences to both aircraft
and crew. A special thanks and our gratitude is hereby
26
extended to Crew Chief J. Porter on
behalf of our squadron.
Pilots Guido and Jewel answered
questions about the USAF fighter
trainer on display. Training is in
San Antonio, Texas. Both men are
graduates of the Red Flag fighter
pilot training. Many of you may
have seen the Omni IMAX theater
feature film about the Red Flag
fighter pilot training school at the
Fort Worth Children’s Museum of
Science and History. I had the plea-
sure of interviewing these pilots and
standing between them in a photo.
The two pilots tower over me and I
am the short one in the middle. Ha!
Dates for next year’s show will
be released in December at the
International Council of Air Shows’
Annual Conference. The conversion
of making a working airport into an
annual air show takes a tremendous
amount of effort. It takes hundreds
and hundreds of volunteers to coordi-
nate the annual Fort Worth Alliance
Air Show. This includes all types of
volunteers, performers, static dis-
plays, sponsors, and exhibitors. It
is successful due to fan response.
For information contact Alliance
Airport, 2221 Alliance Parkway, or
go to www.allianceairshow.com.
Thanks to the Civil Air Patrol,
USAF Auxiliary, and to Incident
Commander Lt. Col. Rick Woolfolk
for his willingness to serve as IC for
this event. Major Jay Workman, the
Commander for the South Fort Worth
Diamondback Composite Squadron
has time after time dedicated his
time, $$, and talents as mentor and
leader for the entire squadron and
motivates us to be the best we can be
and get out of our comfort zones to
grow as officers and cadets.
Great job! Great show! Up, up,
and away we go until next year. H
27
A Cadet’s View of the
Alliance Air Show 2009
By Cadet 1st Lt. Emily Crouse
The 2009 Alliance Air Show, held on October 24-25, was a spectacular
affair. On the ground, it featured dozens of military and civilian aircraft.
In the sky, it featured performances by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the U.S.
Army Golden Knights, and myriad other planes and pilots. Civil Air Patrol
cadets were given the opportunity to help make the air show a success.
All the cadets who worked at the air show were able to observe the
main attraction—the Blue Angels’ flight routine. C/AB Honeycutt, from
Diamondback Composite Squadron, stated, “The Blue Angels were captivat-
ing and well worth being called the highlight of the air show.” C/A1C Golden,
from Nighthawk Composite Squadron, enthusiastically said, “The Blue Angels
were awesome!” CAP cadets were able to do more than just watch the Blue
Angels fly; after the performance ended, the cadets formed a human corridor
for the Blue Angels pilots, who were returning to the terminal building.
Cadets from Nighthawk Composite Squadron, Johnson County
Composite Squadron, South Fort Worth Composite Squadron, Marauder
Composite Squadron, Rio del Fierro Composite Squadron, and Texoma
Composite Squadron formed the teams that staffed the five stations the first
day. Cadets from Phoenix Composite Squadron had a different task. They
assisted in setting up for the American Airlines Sky Ball, which began after
the air show closed on the night of the 24th. They set up tables and readied
the facility for the seventh Sky Ball, all the proceeds of which benefit the
families of local military personnel.
Shortly before the Blue Angels’ flight, the command staff was alerted
that a child had gone missing. When the cadets were given the child’s descrip-
tion, C/Amn Board, from Nighthawk Composite Squadron, stated that he’d
seen the boy. A team of four cadets went to search the area. Before long, two
of the cadets located the missing child and took him back to mission base.
From there, a senior member walked with the boy and the cadets to the ter-
minal building, where the child was reunited with his tearful mother.
After the Blue Angels flew, the mass exodus began. At 1700 hours,
faced with an area devoid of people, the cadets said goodbye to the Alliance
Air Show—at least until next year.
27
Texoma Cadet Awarded Mitchell
By Cadet CMSgt Tristan Wiese
The Mitchell Award is an achievement toward
which many cadets aspire and which is favorably
looked upon by the Air Force, businesses, and col-
leges. This is indeed a prestigious award. Cadets, how-
ever, achieve many awards in their quest as cadets, so
what makes this one so important?
Let me explain. During their time in the enlisted
ranks, cadets have to show followership, integrity, and
self-motivation. As they advance through the ranks,
however, their duties vary. Cadets begin CAP life as
Element Members, a position where they learn to fol-
low their leaders, but they soon progress to an Element
Leader, taking charge over a few cadets while remain-
ing under much authority. Then, after sufficient prep-
aration, cadets take the position of Flight Sergeant
and have a great leadership role, while continuing to
report directly to the Flight Commander and First
Sergeant. And the responsibilities increase.
When they reach First Sergeant, their duties are
many, and that is when they have to demonstrate all
the qualities they have learned thus far--leadership,
integrity, followership, self-motivation—but each is
used in a completely different way than when they
started as Element Members.
Now that they have
learned the skills neces-
sary to take care of the
flight and to solve any
unpredicted problems, they
must now pass both an intensive
written test and a grueling physical test.
Only then can they finally have that one round
dot (pip), C/2nd Lt, and begin to assume the duties of
a Cadet Officer. The ability to see the entire picture,
in addition to guiding the group as a whole, is the
responsibility of the Cadet Officer. They help achieve
long-term goals and push the complete cadet body to
excellence, while still reporting to higher authorities.
The Mitchell Award is not only a piece of paper,
but rather it is what that paper represents--the hard
work of the cadet and the dedication he/she has
29
shown. In August, Cadet Russell Mozingo of the
Texoma Composite Squadron TX-262 was honored
with this award. Lt. Mozingo has been in CAP for
four years and has served one of those years as the
Cadet Commander.
This being a special occasion, the squadron
hosted an Award Ceremony/Family Night, in order
to explain why Lt. Mozingo was receiving this award
and to inform the guests as to the recent activities
of the squad- ron. Commencing the cer-
emony, an Honor
Guard posted the col-
ors, and the Pledge
of Allegiance was
recited. Judge Drew Bynum
of Grayson County, TX then pre-
sented the award to this deserving cadet,
who accepted it with much gratitude, while his
family looked on with pride.
Now as a C/2nd Lt, Russell Mozingo has a bet-
ter opportunity to enter the college of his choice, or
even the Air Force Academy if he chooses to pursue
a military career. This is a great milestone in CAP
and does not come easily. Only after hard work and
perseverance is one qualified to call himself/herself a
recipient of the Billy Mitchell Award and be entitled
to be addressed as a Cadet Officer.
29
Crusader Composite
Squadron at Glider
Academy
By Cadet 2nd Lt Kendall Pruitt
On the morning of July 12, 2009, seventeen cadets
and many CAP and Soaring Club of Houston volunteer
instructors, poured into the clubhouse. In high spirits and
low on energy, we kicked off the fastest frenzy of flying
lessons that we had ever gone through.
After check-in, breakfast, the morning briefing, and
taking out the gliders from their hangars, it was finally
time to begin the cadet’s most memorable moment of the
academy, their first flight. The towline is attached, the
canopy closed, the wings leveled, the excitement height-
ens as the slack in the line disappears, and the glider hurls
forward behind the towplane like a roller coaster without
a track. As the glider climbs higher and higher into the
sky, the cadets are filled with the awe of soaring. For sure,
many cadets will remember their first flight in a glider.
Most of us have had some flying experience from our
o-flights in Cessna aircraft, however gliders are much more
different than powered aircraft. Although the Cessna’s had
the most of the same parts the gliders do, the principles of
lift were different. Instead of having an engine to keep us up
and pull us through the air, the glider uses thermals to stay
aloft and loses some altitude in order to move forward.
At the beginning of the week the instructors did most
of the flying. While flying, the cadets and the instructors
covered the basics, such as keeping the wings level and
coordinated turns. During ground school, we learned more
Lakeshore Cadet at National Cadet
Advisory Council Cadet 2nd Lt Addison Jaynes
How can cadets get their ideas resolved? Are cadets
really being represented? At the recent 2009 Annual
Conference and National Board in San Antonio, Texas,
the National Cadet Advisory Council (NCAC) took
these commonly asked cadet questions very seriously.
As Cadet Lt. Col. Zachary King – the newly-elected
NCAC Chairperson – spoke about the council’s future,
his listeners were assured that this year NCAC will
accomplish many things.
The NCAC addressed several cadet-related issues
31
about glider types, how the instruments work, and weather.
Between flights, we made time for ground school classes
to learn about flying without being in the cockpit. As we
made progress through the week, the instructors let us do
more and more of the flying. Continuing to expand our
knowledge and experience, we are trained on new maneu-
vers and skills, such as steep turns, stalls, spins, slips,
using thermals, take off and towing procedures, boxing the
wake, traffic patterns, and landing. By the end of the week,
we were all comfortable flying in the gliders. In fact, two
cadets with experience prior to the academy were able to
solo; C/Capt Roquemore, and C/Capt Maso.
The night before we left for home, we dined at a res-
taurant. After dinner, we went back to Camp Allen and
everybody came to one cabin for a while to study and
for some fun until time for lights out. The next morn-
ing, we packed our things after a few last minute flights
and headed toward Camp Allen for the graduation cer-
emony and luncheon, and said our goodbyes to friends
as we left for home.
that had been brewing for a time.
These concerned leadership top-
ics, chain of command, activi-
ties, recruiting, retention, and
other subjects. The NCAC is here
for cadets, and this NCAC term
promises to be unique, given
these representatives’ unwavering
energy and good judgment.
31
Newest Squadron in Texas Wing
Named after Former
President George H. W. Bush
Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate
Shortly after noon on 31 March 2009, former President
George H. W. Bush presented its Civil Air Patrol charter
to the George H. W. Bush Composite Squadron, the new-
est in Texas Wing and the first CAP unit to be chartered
with the name of an American president. (There is another
CAP squadron named after a president, originally char-
tered in 1951 as the Independence Composite Squadron, in
Independence, Mo., then renamed in 1973 after President
Harry S. Truman.)
Conceived 15 months ago and started as a remote
flight of the Lone Star Composite Squadron, the new
flight gathered strength and soon qualified to become
a squadron. Asked to suggest a name for the new unit,
the members settled on “George H. W. Bush.” Hoping
to make this a reality, early in 2009, the Lone Star
Composite squadron wrote to the former President
asking him for his sponsorship, to which he agreed
“with pleasure.”
With an eye towards the future, the squadron com-
mander, Lt. Col. Don Wheeler, asked Mr. Brian Blake,
Public Affairs Director of the George H. W. Bush
Library and Museum, to consider getting a new hobby,
and thus Blake has just become the newest member of
the squadron.
When CAP National Headquarters agreed to the
squadron’s name, the date was set for the president to
meet the squadron members and present to them their
official CAP charter. He arrived without fanfare, wearing
an affable smile, as if he were strolling into his own liv-
ing room, and immediately went to the assembled mem-
bers to greet them and chat with them. Ever the polite
and easy-going gentleman, he asked Wheeler, a 24-year
USAF veteran, pointing at one of the top ribbons on his
CAP uniform, “How did this one come about?” Wheeler
was speechless that the President would recognize the
war-time Air Force award, and for a moment was at a
loss for words. “Vietnam, Mr. President,” he replied, and
gave him the date.
Next to the lectern, on an easel, there was a large
drawing of the colorful unit patch, designed by Mr.
Jacob Haldeman, a graphic designer and heraldry expert.
33
Based on the Seal of the President of the United States,
it was modified to reflect the former president’s life of
service. Wheeler welcomed the President and guests
and then introduced Lt. Col. Brooks Cima, Texas Wing
Director of Emergency Services, who spoke briefly
on behalf of the Texas Wing Commander, Col. Joe R.
Smith. Her congratulations and good wishes were very
well received.
Representing Group IV were Capt. Bob Beeley,
Group Deputy Commander, and Maj. David Ogden,
Group Inspector General. Southwest Region was rep-
resented by Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Director of
Public Affairs.
“I wish you every success,” said President Bush to
the squadron members, and encouraged them to serve
the community and the nation. As he got ready to leave,
Woodgate said, “Mr. President, I campaigned for you.”
As the squadron members laughed, his eyes bright
with joy, the President turned to Woodgate and asked,
“When was that?” “When you ran against Yarborough,
Sir.” “Ah, that was a long time ago,” mused the elder
statesman, with a broad and kind smile, as he shook
Woodgate’s hand for the second time in 45 years.
Afterwards, Wheeler confided, “I won’t be happy
until I have a permanent cadre of about 15 senior mem-
bers who live in the area and are available to the squad-
ron year around. Right now, we’re close to that. We have
a good number of senior members drawn from Texas
33
Delta Cadet Participates in National
Honor Guard Academy
For two weeks in late July, cadets from 29 wings
around the country, including C/2nd Lt Carter Post of
Delta Composite Squadron, took part in one of CAP’s
most unique activities, the 2009 Civil Air Patrol National
Honor Guard Academy.
“This was one of the most beneficial things I have
ever done,” said Post. “The academy gave me the skills
I needed to start an honor guard at my home unit and
improve myself as an individual. The experience there is
unlike any other activity found in CAP.”
In all, 74 cadets converged on McDaniel College in
Westminster, MD for some intense instruction from an
experienced staff -- including four days with the U.S. Air
Force presidential honor guard -- in the four honor guard
elements of flag history, public speaking, etiquette and
the characteristics of an honor guardsman.  als to assemble,” said Post. “Everyone was nervous.
“It was a great honor to be trained by these men
and women,” Post said. “They perform ceremonies at
Arlington National Cemetery on a daily basis and gave
up their free time to train the cadets who came to the
Honor Guard Academy.”
Cadets who participate in honor guards provide spe-
cific honors and respect for events such as presentation of
the colors, burial details and greeting returning veterans
from their duties overseas. During the two-week academy,
the cadets actually performed these duties.
The highlight of Post’s training was the gradua-
tion ceremony, which was performed in front of senior
Newest Squadron . . .
Continued
A&M, some from the Corps of Cadets, but they leave
on breaks and vacation. To take care of the cadets who
come to us from the local community, I need leaders
who will be available all the time.”
The squadron’s cadets are uniformly young. C/A1C
Corey Schultz, who received his Arnold Award on this
day, said, “CAP and the squadron are great. I love it.”
C/TSgt Danielle Lamphear, who got her Rickenbacker
award after the President’s presentation, commented, “I
was so excited to meet the President!” 2nd Lt. Alicia
Garcia, who received her long-overdue General Billy
Mitchell Award, blurted, “This is so wonderful!”
C/Maj John Rios, a member of the Brownsville
Composite Squadron and a student at Texas A&M
35
officers from CAP headquarters.
“A sense of urgency hung in the air as we dressed
in the Honor Guard Ceremonial Uniform, a uniform
that requires assistance from three other individu-
Nevertheless, we were able to show those watching the
skills we had learned over the last two weeks and every-
thing went off without a hitch.”
“The experience I had while at the Honor Guard
Academy was a unique and wonderful thing. Learning
how to honor CAP and military members was a monu-
mental experience in my cadet career. I would recom-
mend this to anyone who takes pride in the way they
carry themselves as cadets and is willing to give up
some of their time to honor the services and sacrifices
of the members of the Civil Air Patrol and the Armed
Forces of the United States.”
University, lends his leadership to help train the cadets,
since he drills with the new squadron when school is in
session. “I like it here,” he said.
There were many family members present, as well
as a couple who is moving to College Station from San
Antonio. They had brought along their two sons who
are CAP cadets and will be transferring to the newly
chartered squadron soon.
The mood was festive, the excitement of having met
President Bush will last a very long time, and the future looks
bright for the new George H. W. Bush Composite Squadron.
NOTE: Portions of this article were contributed by C/Capt
Sean Stewart, a member of the Pegasus Composite Squadron.
35
Alamo Squadron Communications
Training-A Community Safety Net
By 1st Lt. Estelle Kelly
A long, thin line of kaki green stretched from the
tree line to just a yard shy of a dry creek bed. Slowly,
the search and rescue line moved across the field in a
training activity designed to blend ground team skills
and radio communication techniques.
The Alamo Composite Squadron cadets struggled to
overcome the issues that commonly plaque radio commu-
nications: accidental radio squelch, broken mike transmis-
sion and multiple communications over the mike at once.
C/MSgt Timothy Andre provides firm reassurances to the
squadron. “You can do this. Compress the mike, do a men-
tal 3-count and then respond in a normal voice. This is
important Alamo Composite Squadron. Let’s do it!”
The importance of Civil Air Patrol’s Radio
Communications Network cannot be undervalued even
as sophisticated communication makes radio commu-
nications seem outdated. When disaster strikes even
the most modern communications systems are strained.
Whether sever storms or a tornado strikes nearly all
power goes out; silencing our trustworthy television,
radio, and internet emergency advisories. Telephone
lines can be cut by up to 60% and cell phone towers
become overloaded with traffic. Radio communication
networks provide a safety net for communities, emer-
gency responders, and government officials.
Civil Air Patrol’s Radio Communications Network
is part of an intricately layer of radio operations which
comes to life when disaster strikes. These radio opera-
tions function like a ladder with each rung more spe-
cialized than the other:
• Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) ARES
groups are volunteer licensed, amateur radio operators
who come together for the common purpose of providing
emergency and/or auxiliary communications service to
public safety and public service organizations. They are
regulated by the American Radio Relay League and hold
Memorandums of Understanding with the American Red
Cross, the National Weather Service, the Salvation Army.
ARES is most active during natural disasters.
• Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES) is
a subset of ARES and regulated by the FCC. This group
of amateur radio operators have previously registered
with State and local governments to provide emergency
radio communications for them in times of emergency.
Situations that RACES can be used include: natural
37
disasters, technological disasters, civil disorder, nuclear/
chemical incidents, acts of terrorism or enemy attack.
• The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) is a
United States Department of Defense sponsored pro-
gram, established as
a separately managed
and operated program
by the United States
Army, Navy, and Air
Force. The program
is a civilian auxiliary
consisting primarily
of licensed amateur
radio operators who
are interested in assist-
ing the military with
communications on
a local, national, and
international basis as
an adjunct to normal
communications.
Civil Air Patrol’s Communications Network real-
ized its full potential when activated for a natural
disaster of national proportions. When responding to
Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
CAP communications teams set up staging bases in
the affected states and, by using airborne repeaters, pro-
vided CAP ground teams with direct communication
with their staging bases and CAP’s National Operations
Center (NOC) at Maxwell Air Force Base
in Alabama. And again, in 2008 when Hurricane
Ike impacted the Texas Gulf Coast and the CAP com-
munications team quickly organized at the Houston mis-
sion base. Cadets played an integral role in the success
of radio communications. Cadets established a mobile
radio system at mission base Houston, and manned
communications for almost two weeks.
The radio training exercises conducted by the
Alamo Composite Squadron cadets is vitally important.
As they consistently practice to make radio commu-
nications a natural part of their cadet experience, they
prepare themselves for participation in Civil Air Patrol
missions of national importance. When disaster strikes
Civil Air Patrol‘s radio communications network,
manned by well-trained cadets, will spring to life.
37
Father and Son
Soar at Texas
Glider Academy
This is not your typical teen summer camp story.
While it’s not unusual for teenagers to go to summer
camp, what is unusual is for that camp to be all about
learning how to fly gliders. Even more unusual is to
have your dad be part of that experience by serving on
the camp staff. Unless you happen to be a CAP cadet
with a dream of flying and your dad is a CAP officer
who shares your dream and, along with other senior
members, works to give those dreams flight.
Such was the case the week of July 13, as C/Capt.
Stephen Roquemore and his father, Capt. Darrell
Roquemore, attended the Texas Wing Glider Academy,
held at the Soaring Club of Houston (SCOH) near
Waller, Texas. The Roquemores joined 14 other cadets,
five tow plane pilots, six instructor pilots and four sup-
port staff for the weeklong camp that offered cadets the
opportunity to learn to fly a glider and possibly earn the
right to go on a solo flight.
This was a record-setting event. Between Monday
and early Saturday, there were more than 330 tows of
gliders into the skies over SCOH. The long-standing club
record of 62 tows in a single day was replaced by the
academy’s 73 on Tuesday. That record fell by the wayside
on Thursday, when there was an incredible 90 tows.
But the academy was not about the records, it was all
about the cadets, who ranged in age from 14 to 18. A few
came with some flying experience, most did not. Some
were fearful in the cockpit during their initial flights
and a few got airsick. They were not to be deterred,
however. Each and every one of them overcame their
obstacles and became fully confident pilots-in-training
by the end of the week. What a transformation! One of
the parents later said in an E-mail, “We gave you a kid
to look after; we’re getting back a young adult.”
And, what about the Roquemores? What was their
experience?
In the words of Cadet Roquemore, “The Texas
Wing Glider Academy was an experience not to be for-
gotten. We spent six days of exciting, non-stop flying
that made the time spent well worth it. I took part in
what every cadet agreed was one of the best experiences
of our lives.”
As for dad? “I had the privilege of serving on the
staff the entire week, with a cadet in the program.”
38
The academy had at its disposal two Schweitzer 2-
33 gliders, one Schwetzer 2-22 glider and two Blanik
L-23 gliders, and a reserve Grob G103 glider. While
some cadets were receiving their flights, others were
instructed on ground operations for launching and
recovering gliders.
Each cadet stayed in the same type of glider the entire
week, in order to keep the experience constant. Several
instructors rotated through the different gliders to give
their special brand of teaching. At the same time, differ-
ent cadets rotated through several jobs on the ground.
Each morning, the Flight Operations Officer would
give the cadets their order of flying. This was based upon
the total number of instruction flights each cadet had
accumulated throughout the previous day. For example,
a cadet who had flown only six times would be given
priority until they were caught up to those cadets who
already had more flights.
A break for lunch briefly interrupted operations and
then everyone returned to their jobs until around seven
o’clock, when enough time was needed to put up the
aircraft in order to be on time for dinner.
After dinner and a final round of logbook filling,
everyone retired to a nearby camp with comfortable,
air-conditioned log cabins. Most evenings, though, there
was little time for relaxation as studies continued there,
at least until exhaustion set in. Lights out, enforced by the
advanced cadets, was normally around eleven o’clock. At
quarter to six each morning, everyone rolled out of their
bunks, spent endless minutes waiting on each other to get
out the shower, and finally piled into the 15-passenger
CAP vans to return to the glider port for another day of
flight. Such was a typical day at the academy.
“Tuesday, was especially exciting,” said the younger
Roquemore. “We were told that the ABC television
affiliate from Houston was coming out to do a story on
the academy.”
“There was no overt sign that the cadets paid any
attention to them,” said the elder Roquemore, “but
somehow the tempo of operations inreased.”
“About eleven o’clock, the Channel 13 News truck
showed up and the basic cadets were told not to be going
out of their way to get in front of the camera,” said Cadet
38
Notes from Iraq
IRAQ (deployed) – Capt. Thomas Adams, CAP, an active
duty Army Sergeant, was deployed to Iraq last April. A
member of the 1st Cavalry Division, he was first held
back because of sand storms and poor weather (a dan-
gerous environment for Apache helicopters), then was
deployed to an undisclosed location in Iraq. Monotony,
danger, and lack of sleep are constant companions, until
something out of the ordinary happens.
This time, it was a pleasant break, as the Honorable
Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, spent the weekend of 18-
19 July visiting active duty Army and National Guard
troops, trying to reach the 4,000 soldiers from the Texas
Army National Guard deployed to the region. “It is
important for troops to know they have the support of
their home state,” he said.
Perry had joined the governors of Minnesota,
Missouri, Illinois and Nevada on a trip with the
Department of Defense. When his arrival was announced
with short notice, Capt. Adams’ unit asked who was
from Texas, and from the hands that popped up, who
was the closest to Austin. Thereupon, Adams was cho-
sen to meet the Governor and eat dinner with him (a VIP
meal, something a soldier will never decline), answer
his questions, and just be pleasant. A few years ago, as a
CAP officer, Adams had been instrumental in securing
Brigadier General David Lee “Tex” Hill’s permission
to use his name to name SWR-TX-435, in San Marcos.
Father and Son Soar . . .
Roquemore. “Everyone stayed focused on their jobs,
regardless of the news crew. However, there was an
increase in energy and operations sped up noticeably.”
“The news team, consisting of a reporter and a pho-
tographer, interviewed the Project Officer, Major David
Ayre, and 2 local cadets: my son and C/1st Lt. Juliana
Leano from Spindletop Composite Squadron near
Beaumont,” added Captain Roquemore. “The team had
every intention of doing a live broadcast from the field,
but was pre-empted at the last minute by another news
story. The story finally aired on July 20.”
And the highlight of the week? “On Thursday the
very last flight of the day was my solo, the ninetieth sor-
tie,” said Cadet Roquemore. “It wasn’t that long, just a
tow up to one thousand feet, enough to get into the pat-
tern. When I came down, everyone rushed to the cockpit
with all of their cameras, eager for a picture or a video.
Once I climbed out of the glider, two of the cadets dowsed
39
It was then that
his talent as a VIP
escort and liaison
officer was quickly
recognized.
Before dinner,
Gov. Perry suggested having a few pictures taken out-
side, and of course an Apache helicopter had to be in the
background. And the Texas flag as well. “I carry this
one everywhere I go,” he said.
Late Sunday on his way back to Texas, during a tele-
phone interview from Kuwait, he told the Associated
Press writer, “Their spirits are high. The morale is high.
They’re really starting to see the results of their effort.”
Perry, whose visit included a stop in Baghdad, said that
he noticed big differences in the country since his past
trips in January 2009 and in 2006.
He said Iraqis are living more normal lives now,
unlike 2006, when the war was gripping the capital
city. “Baghdad looked like Austin, Texas. Lights are on
everywhere. Traffic is moving through the streets,” he
said. “You see people going to the park.”
Capt. Adams and his fellow soldiers were delighted
for the visit, as it showed them that they felt appreciated
at home.
(Parts of this article were taken from an Associated
Press news release.)
me with five gallons of ice water! After I put the glider
away, I returned to the clubhouse for dinner and much
congratulatory conversation with everyone else.”
“Any parent watching their child do something
dangerous, no matter how good the training, cannot
avoid having their heart in their throat,” said Captain
Roquemore. “I know I did and it was made worse
because I, too, have been in the cockpit of a glider and
know what can go wrong. Thankfully, I was able to
keep myself distracted by being the photographer for
the event. When Stephen landed, I was as proud of him
and all that he has accomplished.”
The academy concluded with cadets averaging 22
flights in their logbooks. Those that return to the acad-
emy next summer should be able to solo in no time..
“Most of us traded contact information so we could
stay in touch with each other,” added Cadet Roquemore,
“and we all left the academy with a tremendous feeling
of accomplishment and experience that will stay with us
for the rest of our lives.” H
39
Lubbock Squadron
Flies on Air Force
Refueling Mission
Eleven cadets and six officers from the Lubbock
Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol traveled to Altus
Air Force Base in Oklahoma to fly on an Air Force KC-
135 tanker plane as it practiced refueling aircraft high
over the plains of northern Kansas on July 23. The plane
and crew for the mission belong to the 97th Air Mobility
Wing located at the southwestern Oklahoma airbase.
26,000 feet above ground, the refueling station
located at the back of the plane became very busy as pairs
of cadets and officers rotated through the tiny compart-
ment to observe. Outside the jet a massive C-17 cargo
plane practiced approaching the plane to connect to the
refueling boom. Cadets and officers alike marveled at the
site of two airplanes flying so close together.
“I never realized the planes moved around so much,”
commented Cadet Senior Airman Bryce Johnson, reflect-
ing on the difficulty the boom operator had in maintaining
a connection between the tanker and the cargo plane.
When not watching the aerial ballet going on behind
the plane the cadets also rotated through the flight deck
to observe the crew holding the tanker steady. Distant
mountains and stunning panoramic views through the
flight deck windows provided distractions to the cadets
along the route as the aircraft flew towards Nebraska
and South Dakota.
The squadron’s participation in the mission was to
allow cadets and adults alike the chance to see what the
Air Force does and provide insight into various military
career opportunities for those cadets considering join-
ing the military.
While air base tours are the staple for most Civil Air
Patrol units, the Lubbock Squadron’s flight was a rarity.
41
Only a small number of CAP squadrons across the nation
get the privilege to fly with the USAF each year.
Even though refueling was the focus of the mission it
wasn’t the only event on the flight. The tanker aircraft also
performed a tactical approach returning to the air force base.
“Dropped out the sky like a rock,” exclaimed Cadet
Airman Stephen Kolas as the flight spoilers on the wings
bled off airspeed and altitude at an accelerated rate.
“Not an airliner approach, by any means,” said
Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Cameron Varner regard-
ing the descent to land back at Altus, “however, the
touchdown of the jet was exceptionally smooth.”
“I couldn’t tell when we stopped flying and started
rolling,” said Cadet Technical Sergeant Robert Vernon
during the taxi back to the flight line.
Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Cameron Varner, Cadet
Technical Sergeant Robert Vernon, Cadet Senior Airman
Brenner Fox, Cadet Senior Airman Dillon Holloway,
Cadet Senior Airman Bryce Johnson, Cadet Airman
Stephen Kolas, Cadet Airman Jessica Kolas, Cadet Basic
“Bo” Duffy, Cadet Basic Daniel Hernandez, and Cadet
Basic Kathryn Vernon participated on the flight.
Officers that participated included Major Richard
Kolas, Captain Stephen White, 1st Lt. Terry Maroste,
Major Lee Little Soldier, and 2nd Lt. Kyle Vernon, who
also arranged for the flight.
41
Odessa Hosts
SAREX for Group I
2nd Lt. Vicky Bowen
Squadron from Group I assembled on August
22 and 23 at the Odessa Schleymeyer Field airport
for a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX). An
Incident Command Post was set up by the Kerrville
Composite Squadron and hosted by the Odessa
Composite Squadron.
Designed to increase competency levels, CAP
volunteers from nine West Texas units began their
assigned duties in a realistic simulation environment
of SAREX activities.
“The Civil Air Patrol Emergency Systems mis-
sions benefit local communities. Each mission has
a direct tie in with West Texas by practicing simu-
lated missions and preparing the volunteers to look
for fires, missing aircraft, and missing people,” said
Colonel Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander.
The squadrons represented were: Abilene
Composite Squadron, El Paso Composite Squadron,
Phoenix Cadet Awarded Billy Mitchell Award
Lyone Velez, an incoming junior
of L.D. Bell high school, was pro-
moted to the rank of Cadet 2nd
Lieutenant in the Texas Wing of the
Civil Air Patrol on June 19, 2009.
With his promotion, Lt. Velez was
presented the prestigious Billy
Mitchell Award. The General Billy
Mitchell Award given in honor
of Maj. Gen. William “Billy”
Mitchell, former Deputy Chief of
the Army Air Service and military
aviation visionary.
In order to earn this award, Lt.
Velez had to pass a series of leader-
ship, aerospace and physical fitness tests and attend
moral leadership training. In addition, Lt. Velez
attended a military-style encampment. Lt. Velez has
been an active member in the Civil Air Patrol for two
years. Only 15% of Civil Air Patrol cadets achieve the
43
Kerrville Composite Squadron, Lubbock Composite
Squadron, Midland Composite Squadron, Odessa
Composite Squadron, San Angelo Composite
Squadron, Bexar County Senior Squadron of San
Antonio and the Tigershark Composite Squadron
of Amarillo.
Seven CAP airplanes and fourteen qualified
mission pilots came prepared to simulate an actual
SAREX. Exercises included crew planning, use of
gridded charts, communications, flight briefing, sor-
tie execution and debriefing.
Cadet ground crews practiced mock distressed
or lost person searches with the assistance of air-
crews. Exercises included finding lost persons near
Pyote, Texas and locating several Emergency Locator
Transmitters (ELT).
Mitchell Award.
Lt. Velez said, “The Civil Air Patrol
has given me a tremendous amount of
knowledge of the military that will help
me on my dream to attend the Air Force
Academy. Not only that, but the Billy
Mitchell Award will give me a better
chance to be accepted there.”
Velez joined the Phoenix Squadron
(TX 388) in 2007 because, “My father
was a cadet when he was young,” Velez says with
pride. Yet, the Civil Air Patrol is not reserved for
just the men of the family. Velez’s sister, Destiny,
serves in the same Squadron as a Cadet Chief
Master Sergeant.
43
Tyler Cadet has
Interview with
Mr. Rob Brewer
Cadet 2nd Lt. Jesse Carr
 Established on 31 Dec 1959, the Frank G. Brewer
Sr. Awards have honored and rewarded the most
outstanding aerospace educators in the nation. The
awards are presented in four categories.
Category 1 - Civil Air Patrol Cadet Member,
Category 2 - Civil Air Patrol Senior Member,
Category 3 – Individual or Organization outside of
Civil Air Patrol, and
Category 4 - Lifetime Achievement.
Rewarded for their outstanding volunteer service
in creating successful aerospace programs for their
community, state, and nation, the recipients of the
four awards gathered Saturday morning at the 2009
Annual Conference and National Board meeting to
receive their plaques from the National Commander,
Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter.
The Cadet Member Award was presented to Cadet
2nd Lt Charles M. Hussey Jr. During the last year he put
together several aerospace education opportunities for
the cadets from his squadron in Tupelo, Mississippi.
The Senior Member Award was presented to
Captain Frank E. Merrill. He organized an outreach
program for schools in Indiana Wing. The result of
his aerospace outreach was the chartering of the Titan
Cadet Squadron, one of two school squadrons in the
Great Lakes Region.
The Individual or Organization outside of Civil
Air Patrol Award was presented to Space Education
Initiatives from De Pere, Wisconsin. This organiza-
tion has been dedicated to getting students interested
in science, mathematics and technology through the
wonders of space exploration.
Normally, the Lifetime Achievement Award is not
presented yearly, as it is often declared vacant. This
year, the accomplishments of Lt. Col. John J. Lynn,
spanning more the 50 years’ service in the U.S. Air
Force, aerospace industry, and CAP were so remark-
able that they could not be ignored.
In presenting the awards to the four recipients, the
45
National Commander, Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, was
assisted by Mr. Rob Brewer, son of the distinguished
Frank G. Brewer Sr. After the awards ceremony, I
went up to Mr. Brewer, introduced myself, and asked
whether he would agree to be interviewed.
I was interested in knowing what it was like to
grow up as the son of someone like Frank G. Brewer Sr.
“Well, my dad owned his own business, so we traveled
a lot,” he said. Had it been difficult, traveling and being
away from home? “Not really. We got to see the country
and there were many opportunities while on these trips.
They were a lot of fun.” Could he remember a favorite
trip, or did he have a great memory of one? “First grade,”
he laughed. “We went to Bar Harbor, Maine. That sum-
mer was one of the best trips we had.”
“Your father was a great man, very influential and
inspiring,” I said, “How do you feel about that?” “It’s
amazing to me. I was lucky to grow up with such a man
as my father. There were many lessons learned and yes
he was truly inspirational.” I could see resurfacing Mr.
Brewer’s tears that had been trying to hide themselves
after the presentation of the awards. Regaining his
composure, he went on to say, “One of the things that
really inspired me was that, after all those years and
when he retired, he stayed in CAP and remained true
and willing to serve the program.”
At this, with gratitude, I shook his hand and
thanked him for the time he had granted me, and for
having come to the Conference. I thought to myself,
“There is a very blessed man, having had someone
like Frank G. Brewer Sr. as his father, who inspired
him to reach for excellence. Mr. Frank G. Brewer Sr.
was truly a role model to look up to.”
45

Apollo Cadet
interviews Lt. Col.
Larry Mattiello
Cadet 2nd Lt Christian Nelson
At the 2009 Annual Conference and National Board,
I got to interview Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello right after he
had received his National Commander’s Commendation
from Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, CAP’s National
Commander, who recognized him for his outstanding
achievements and service. I caught up to him halfway out
of the conference room and asked if I could have the plea-
sure of interviewing him. “Go ahead,” he said.
He told me he was the Southwest Region Chief of
Staff. “What else, Sir?” I asked. With quiet dignity he
answered, “I am the editor for the Sentinel, and an execu-
tive of AirSure Limited, which is a major aviation insur-
ance company.” How did he feel about Public Affairs? “It
is the best way to tell the CAP story,” he said.
As I was conducting my interview, Maj. James
Nova, the National PAO of the Year walked by. Maj.
Nova is now the Arizona Wing Vice Commander and
he was very upbeat. Lt. Col. Mattiello greeted him and
I met him too. Lt. Col. Mattiello congratulated him on
his award, and was happy for Southwest Region, since
Arizona Wing is in the region.
After Maj. Nova had left, feeling that the interview
was going well, I asked, “Which area in the world of
Public Affairs would you suggest that I pursue?” He
though for a moment, then offered. “I would suggest
that you look into the cable news and media, and help
ensure that the public has the correct image of aviation,
and especially of the Civil Air Patrol.”
I thanked him for his time and he graciously replied,
“It has been my pleasure.” Although this was a very
short interview, it was the highlight of my day.
47
Apollo Squadron
Enters Robotics
Competition
1st Lt. Sue Kristoffersen
The 2009 Sumobot Competition took place in
Austin on August 8th. This year, the Apollo Composite
Squadron entered two teams for a double good time.
Team #1 entered Juggernaut, and team #2, Juggernet.
The Sumobot Competition is unique in that par-
ticipants can compete against engineers from the
University of Texas or young people dressed up like
pixies, since the event is open to all. It is extremely
diverse and a great deal of fun. Our teams did the
Mexican hat dance with several robots, waltzed with
several others, and then lost to the pixies after beating
the engineers.
Round after round, the teams would win one and lose
the next. It was fast and furious from start to finish.
This is just one of the events that the Apollo
Composite Squadron uses each year as a recruiting
event. The cadets go in uniform, answer questions
about CAP, and show off their team spirit, sportsman-
ship, and pride of membership.
The Apollo cadets, once again, did a great job. A
wonderful and steady participant was one of Apollo’s
newest members, Andrew Walker. He stepped up to
help out, attending many of the meeting in support, as
the teams prepared themselves for the competition.
47
 Black Sheep and Crusader
Squadron visit U S S Lexington
On 31 July 2009, Civil Air Patrol members from
the Black Sheep and Crusader Composite Squadrons
traveled to Corpus Christi to live on board the USS
Lexington for the weekend.
The legendary USS Lexington, tagged “The Blue
Ghost” by the Japanese, is one of 24 Essex class air-
craft carriers built during World War II for the US
Navy. This vessel, the fifth US Navy ship to bear
the name Lexington, was named in memory of the
Revolutionary War Battle of Lexington. She was origi-
nally to have been named the USS Cabot, but was
renamed while under construction to commemorate the
previous USS Lexington (CV-2) lost in the Battle of the
Coral Sea in May of 1942. She is now on display as a
floating museum in the bay of Corpus Christi, Texas.
Our first day began around 0300 Friday morning,
for the long trip needed to arrive at the Lexington by
noon for lunch. Once on board, the crew gave us a short
briefing and then we were shown to our berthing areas
(sleeping quarters). After getting our racks ready, it was
off to lunch, or “chow” as we called it.  wake up you sleepy heads!” Not very affectionate, but
That evening marked a very rare occasion, since we
were the only 17 persons aboard, enjoying full access
to all tours and exhibits without the crowds, interrup-
tions, and distractions. This opportunity was unique,
and gave us time to truly see, read, feel and experience
everything without being rushed through. Not all visi-
tors get such an opportunity.  three-hour walk-through that exposed us to not only the
For the evening, the Lexington’s staff had planned a
“Scavenger Hunt” for the cadets, and it turned out to be
both educational and fun. We learned the ship’s layout
very quickly by understanding the signage/numbering
system used by the US Navy. The cadets where able to
navigate from deck to deck, section to section, forward
to aft, and port to starboard using the numbering system
stamped on the ship’s bulkheads, hatches, ladders and
knee knockers. We found the ship was really a float-
ing city, as we made our way to the barber shop, the
dentist’s office, the doctor’s office, the mess halls, the
post office, berthing areas, and many other places.
Day one ended as Taps played on the ship’s intercom
system, which we came to know as the 1MC, meaning
the channel the staff uses to address the entire ship. They
use other channels to address specific ship areas, such
as the flight deck, the engine room, the bridge, and so
1st Lt. Jerry Barron
on. After Taps, it was lights out and everyone got into
their racks for some welcome rest after a very long day.
Day two began at 0645, as reveille came through the
1MC, the sounds of a trumpet shaking the sleep from
our eyes. We were awakened by our friendly Lexington
staff shouting on the 1MC, “Reveille, Reveille, Reveille,
quite effective. We had a full day planned, so we hopped
to it. Starting with “Morning Colors” (raising the flag),
we moved to chow in the mess hall, and then enjoyed an
hour of free time to tour more of the Lexington. 
During lunch that day, we had tickets to visit the
Corpus Christi History and Science Museum, a nice
history and technology of the area, but also some much-
needed A/C. On board the Lexington, only the tour and
mess areas had A/C, a comfort we missed as the first
week of August in Corpus Christi is hot and very humid.
After the museum tour, we went for a swim. The Corpus
Christi beach was literally below the fan tail (aft or rear)
of the ship. The senior members could stand on the flight
deck’s aft end and watch the cadets splash around and
have fun in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 
Soon it was time for evening chow: spaghetti and
meatballs were on the menu, a great hit, and then we were
given another rare opportunity. The cadets were asked to
participate in the ‘Evening Colors’ ceremony. We were
asked to present our country’s flags, including the first
US flag, The Betsy Ross Flag, National Flag, MIA/POW
Flag and all the flags of the US armed forces on the han-
gar deck, facing a crowd of about 300 people. There was
49

USS Lexington . . .
electricity in the air. Something about the ceremony on
board a ship where over 250 sailors had lost their lives
protecting our country in foreign waters made this cer-
emony extra special. That night, if your patriotism gauge
was not in the red zone, you were not American.
A couple of hours later, Taps played over the 1MC
at 2215, signaling lights out for everyone -- except Civil
Air Patrol, that is. On this night, CAP would step up
to the plate and ask to take care of “Fire Watch” for
the entire ship, for the entire night, by themselves. Nor-
mally, this task is spread out among every group on
the ship, with everyone taking a ten or fifteen-minute
shift walking the ship, looking for fire. On this night,
there were over 300 overnight campers on board. But
the CAP group wanted to do that duty unaided, as they
stood watch over The Lady Lex and her visitors. Selfish,
maybe, but this was the group’s way of paying their
respects to The Lady Lex and her crew for the years of
continued service and sacrifice she and her crew had
given to our country.  Development Officer, Lt. Col. Jack Birchum, delivered the
We knew what it meant when trumpets and,
“Reveille, Reveille, Reveille, wake up you sleepy
heads!” blared out of the 1MC. With every cadet and
senior member having taken a two-and-a-half-hour
cycle through Fire Watch on the previous 8 hours, the
sleepiness was a bit harder to shake off. However we
had “Morning Colors” this morning, and we were not
going to be late. Morning Colors and chow left a couple
of hours before debarking and beginning the nine-hour
drive back to Dallas-Fort Worth. What would the cadets
like to do? The answer was unanimous, “We’re going
swimming! Yes, again!” There was no doubt about it:
the heat was taking its toll.
Our trip was a great success. Cadets and senior
members alike left the USS Lexington with more respect,
pride, patriotism and historical knowledge than when they
had arrived. Not to mention a little more insight into the
lifestyles of US Navy sailors. Stairs were no longer stairs,
but ladders. Doors were now hatches; walls, bulkheads;
and floors, decks. What a great way to spend a week-
end.  While other teenagers are playing video games, eat-
ing corn chips, and sleeping until noon, Civil Air Patrol
cadets were “Living on Board” one of our country’s big-
gest hero vessels, The USS Lexington CV-16 (“The Blue
Ghost”, “Lady Lex” or just “Lex” to her friends).
Is the Lexington haunted, as it is rumored? Ask
any cadet who was there. You might be surprised at the
answers you get. H
51
Black Sheep Annual
Flag Retirement
Ceremony
1st Lt. Jerry W. Barron
On Tuesday, 16 June 2009, the Black
Sheep Composite Squadron held their
Annual Flag Retirement Ceremony
at their Squadron Headquarters, at
the Mesquite Metro Airport. The
event took place just two days after
Flag Day on June 14th. 
Cadet 2nd Lt. Andrew Smith
started the ceremony with his intro-
ductory speech. He quoted The United States Flag code
that reads, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is
no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed
in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
Following Cadet Smith’s words, the squadron’s Character
invocation and then placed into the flames the first flag to be
retired. Lt. Col. Jack Birchum is the squadron’s only “50-year
member,” meaning that he has served 50 continuous years in
Civil Air Patrol, having joined CAP 1951.
As flags were retired using the traditional method of
burning, Cadet Smith explained the segments of the flag
and their meaning: “The white color signifies purity and
peace; the red color symbolizes valor, courage, enthusi-
asm, blood and life; while the blue color indicates perse-
verance, justice, vigilance and respect for God. The stars
in the flag, according to tradition, are associated with
heaven and how the nation aspires to achieve it, whereas
the stripes are the light rays from the sun.”
Many of the flags retired on 16 June had flown proudly
over Mesquite homes and businesses during the previous
year. The ceremony concluded as the Squadron Commander,
Lt. Col. Michael Eberle, retired the final flag.
The history of Flag Day extends back to 14 June 1889,
when George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York
City, planned a ceremony for the children of his school, and
his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State
Board of Education of New York. On 14 June 1891, the Betsy
Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and
on the 14th of June of the following year, the New York
Society of the Sons of the Revolution celebrated Flag Day.
It wasn’t until 3 August 1949 that President Harry
Truman signed an Act of Congress designating the 14th
day of June of each year as National Flag Day.
51
 Gladewater Corsairs
Cadets take to the Sky
Capt. Harold Parks

On Sunday, 12 July 2009, the Gladewater

Composite Squadron cadets were treated to orienta-
tion flights. As the arrangements were made without
a great deal of advanced notice, and because a num-
ber of cadets were away at camp or on family vaca-
tions, only three cadets were available and eligible
to fly. Two additional cadets came out to the squad-
ron to provide any assistance that might be needed
on the ground.
Originally, two aircraft had been scheduled to
come to Gladewater and to fly our cadets. However,
the one from Dallas was scrubbed because of mechan-
ical problems. The other one, N8410E, arrived from
Austin on time, and the O-flights were underway
shortly thereafter. Luckily, as there were only three
cadets to fly, the absence of the second aircraft was
no problem at all. Our pilot was 1st Lt. Ferrell Ford
from the Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron (SWR-
TX-352) and he was a conscientious and kind instruc-
tor. We really appreciated his giving up his Sunday to
help our cadets. To make the sacrifice even greater,
it was a terribly hot day, and any time spent on the
ground was truly uncomfortable.
C/SrA Matt Brown and C/AB Jade Lampley
had not yet had their first O-flight, so naturally they
had priority. The remaining cadet, C/SrA Preston
Pietrzykowski, was to enjoy his fifth (and last) orien-
tation flight. As the aircraft needed refueling before
returning to Austin, it was decided to take up the two
first-timers on the flight to Mount Pleasant Airport
to top off. Cadet Lampley got his front seat ride on
the journey to Mount Pleasant, while Cadet Brown
got his on the return leg to Gladewater. This worked
out perfectly, as Cadet Pietrzykowski’s ride had to be
made without anyone in the rear seat.
In spite of the heat, Lt. Ford did not rush any
part of the O-ride experience. He made certain that
the check lists were followed exactly and completely,
particularly with the two taking their first flight.
As items on the checklists were encountered, Lt.
Ford let the cadets struggle a bit, hunting for this or
that switch or gauge, before giving them any hints.
Before their rides were completed, he made sure that
each cadet had a solid understanding of all of the
checklist items.
While waiting for each sortie to be completed, the
remaining cadets decided to practice with the ELT
transmitter and El-Per. Because the Gladewater han-
gars are all-metal, this made for excellent training,
as the reflected signals turned a simple search into a
challenge. It had been some time since the squadron
had practiced at the airport, so the good training was
very welcome.
The O-flights went off without a hitch, and our
cadets had a really great time. Lt. Ford was thorough
and very patient with them, even though it was prob-
ably tempting to take some short cuts and get up into
the cooler air at altitude. He did not do that, and we
really appreciated his efforts on our behalf. Thanks
also go to Maj. Cheri Fishler for making the arrange-
ments to get our cadets flown. There are probably
others who were involved in making this great time
happen, so we would like to thank them too.

52 52
 TEXAS WING PRSRT STD
CIVIL AIR PATROL U.S. POSTAGE
MAGAZINE PAID
SALEM OR
P. O. Box 154997 PERMIT NO. 526
Waco, TX 76715