Massachusetts Wing

Wing Commander Colonel William Meskill Wing Vice Commander Lt Colonel Everett Hume Wing Chief of Staff Lt Colonel Ralph Shaver Public Affairs Office Lt Col. Keith Raymond Director Major Steven Ross Assistant Director

Civil Air Patrol Elects New National Commander

Civil Air Patrol National Vice Commander Brig. Gen. Charles L. Chuck Carr Jr. was elected national commander today by the CAP National Board, and Middle East Region Commander Col. Joseph R. Vazquez was elected national vice commander. Carrs election to a three-year term as national commander occurred on the first day of business at the 2011 Civil Air Patrol Annual Conference and National Board meeting, held this week at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Vazquezs election to a one-year term followed about two hours later. It is an honor and a privilege to be elected as CAPs national commander, Carr said. CAP has a rich history of 70 years of service to America, and I look forward to partnering with our 61,000 citizen volunteers to fill the emergency services, disaster relief, youth development and aerospace education needs of communities across the nation. As national commander, Carr serves as a two-star major general, the highest-ranking CAP officer; is a member of the Board of Governors; and leads the National Executive Committee and National Board the organizations governing and advisory bodies. Carr officially takes command Saturday during a change of command ceremony to be held at the conference banquet. He succeeds Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, who was first elected interim national commander in 2007 before to election for a three-year term as national commander in 2008. The National Board had elected Carr national vice commander Sept. 3, 2010. Before that, he served as the highest-ranking officer of the Great Lakes Region and also served on the CAP National Board and the National Executive Committee. Before becoming region commander, Carr served as Ohio Wing commander for 3 years. He joined the wing in 1989 as a member of Columbus Senior Squadron 801. He served as director of Ohio Wing personnel, commander of Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker Cadet Squadron 803, deputy commander and commander of Group VIII, wing air operations officer, vice commander of wing operations and wing vice commander. During his tenure, the wing received several national mission awards. Carr is a CAP senior pilot with an instrument rating. He also has a master

Mass Wing Headquarters 30 Patrick Loop Bldg 1121 Hanscom AFB 01731 781-377-7023 DSN: 478-7023 The Minuteman is published quarterly. Deadline submissions are:
1 Q 20 March nd 2 Q 20 June rd 3 Q - 20 September th 4 Q 20 January
st

Government Relations Officer Lt Col. William Duffey

rating in CAPs personnel and finance professional development specialty tracks. His CAP awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service, Exceptional Service, Meritorious Service (one bronze clasp) and the Brig. Gen. Charles E. Chuck Yeager Aerospace Achievement awards; Commanders Commendations; and Search Find, Air Search and Rescue (bronze propeller) and Command Service (bronze star) ribbons. He also holds CAPs highest academic honor, the Gill Robb Wilson Award. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Carr is a graduate of Columbus East High School. His education also includes management courses from the University of Maryland and military training that includes NCO Leadership School, Command NCO Academy, U.S. Air Force Senior NCO Academy, Military Police Investigations and U.S. Customs. He retired as superintendent of security police with the grade of master sergeant after serving 23 years in the Air Force.

2011 Summer Encampment Ruled Another Success

Motivated yes, sirs, accompanied by cheers, screams and yells echoed over Fort Devens obstacle course August 5 as more than 60 cadets, ages 12 through 21, wearing sharply creased green camouflaged uniforms, t-shirts and polished boots negotiated rope bridges, high walls and balance beams. These cadets volunteered a week of their summer to train with the Civil Air Patrol. More than 100 cadets and seniors participated in the Massachusetts Wing Summer 2011 Encampment at Fort Devens, July 24 through July 31. The encampment program is designed to mentor young Civil Air Patrol Cadets to give them a positive outlet to learn about aviation, military customs and give them a feeling of real camaraderie between peers as they spend a week training together. Ultimately, the goal is to take the lessons learned and apply them to life, giving these young volunteers an advantage for the future when looking for a career in the military, business, civic or government services. The cadets conducted hands on aerospace classes, built teamwork while overcoming hurdles on one of Fort Devens Leadership Reaction Courses, and got a chance to fly in an Army UH-60 Blackhawk. Also, true to their military roots, the cadets were trained to conduct military drilland-ceremony, or marching techniques, hold formations and report to their commanders, accounting for their ranks.

2011 MAWG Encampment Award Recipients:

The William H. Meskill Outstanding Cadet Award o C/Amn David Bui The PFC Bryan Lounsbury Outstanding Flight Sergeant Award o C/MSgt Joshua Perez The Colonel Thomas DeMilla Outstanding Flight Commander Award o C/2d Lt Tim Milch The Outstanding First Sergeant Award o C/SMSgt Anthony Carreon The Cadet Brian Dobrowski Outstanding Headquarters Staff Cadet NCO/Airman Award o C/SSgt Jonathan Larios The Outstanding Headquarters Staff Cadet Officer o C/2d Lt Kaitlyn McSweeney Lieutenant Colonel James Sacco Most Improved Cadet Award o C/A1C Beatrice Zhang Commander's Commendations for Outstanding Encampment Performance o C/2d Lt Julianne Braden o C/1st Lt Joshua Perreault Honor Cadets during the week: o C/SSgt Elijah Babcock o C/Amn David Bui o C/A1C Sean Donovan o C/SSgt Dylan LeMaistre o C/A1C Beatrice Zhang Outstanding Senior Member Award o Capt Steven Lauzon

Hanscom Squadron supports CAP response to Hurricane Irene

When to call for support came from Mass Wing Headquarters, Hanscom Emergency Services members answered the call and manned the CAP desk at the MEMA bunker before, during, and after the storm. Hanscom aircrews assisted in the relocation of CAP aircraft to safe hangers to insure mission readiness immediately following the storm. In addition, Communications officers and radio operators helped to maintain open communications channels throughout the storm and throughout the damage assessment mission. Hanscom Squadron incident commanders, aircrews and ground teams, working in cooperation with units from all over the Northeast Region supplied over 300 storm damage assessment photographs to MEMA and FEMA in the days following Hurricane Irene. As Squadron Commander, Major Steve Hood put it: Well Done, Team Hanscom!

Massachusetts Saddened By Death of Squadron Commander

This month we lost a valuable member of the Massachusetts Wing. Captain Michael Joyce, Commander of Camp Curtis Guild Squadron passed away in a tragic vehicle accident. He joined Civil Air Patrol as a cadet at the age of 12 and since then his enthusiasm and boundless energy in his service to CAP was an inspiration to us all. His tireless work with cadets in aerospace education and encampments as well as his support for emergency services will be greatly missed. While a cadet he was a member of the Squadron Color Guard and competed as a member of the squad. As a Senior Member, he actively supported and encouraged his cadets to continue the traditional. So as a lasting tribute to Captain Joyce, Massachusetts Wing has named the annual MAWG Color Guard Competition Trophy in his honor. The members of Massachusetts Wing are eternally grateful for his friendship and his unselfishness and commitment in service. All those that knew Mike and worked closely with him are much richer for the experience. Massachusetts Wing is proud to have had him as our colleague and friend.

COMMANDERS CORNER
Colonel William Meskill, Massachusetts Wing Commander

Volunteer ~ what does that word mean to you as a member of Civil Air Patrol and Massachusetts Wing? Webster defines "volunteer" as "one who chooses freely to do something, as entering military service". It is citizen volunteers that make CAP one of Americas premier humanitarian service organizations. It is citizens like you that save lives, find those who are lost, help fellow citizens in times of disaster, work to keep their communities safe, honor the nations veterans and prepare its future leaders. Volunteer service is a core value because, as volunteers, we ask for no payment or reward, giving it freely to those who need it, and service is at the heart of servant leadership. CAP members joined this program to serve, knowing that our reward would not be monetary but the knowledge that we had rendered service to aid others, our community, our state and our nation. Our mission is to train and maintain a high level of proficiency, to be safe ALWAYS and to have fun. I am proud of our wing and I believe every member is working hard to meet the goals of the mission or Civil Air Patrol. . . . Keep up the good work.

Leadership Lessons from the Battle Road

Proving that history is relevant to the study of modern leadership, the Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol explored the battles of 19 April 1775 this weekend to reflect on leadership, decision making, and what makes an adaptive, agile, command climate. This was also largely about team building and developing a sense of unit cohesion, noted Colonel William Meskill, the Wing Commander. Any opportunity to step back and reflect upon the big picture, of who we are and what we do, pays tremendous dividends, he added. These CAP leaders conducted what is known as a "staff ride," a program that uses historic battles to study how commander's make decisions and how leaders and followers act when under pressure. The term "staff ride" originated in the 19th century when military leaders would literally ride civil war battlefields to teach leadership to new officers. At key points along today's route the 40 participants from the Wing staff to Squadron and cadet commanders - broke into small groups to tackle problems, answer questions, or share stories. For example, at the North Bridge they discussed adaptive leadership and at the final stop of the day, they wrestled with how to use After-Action Reviews to share tacit knowledge and develop a culture of continuous learning. Lt. Col. John Flaherty, the Wing's Cadet Programs Officer and part of the staff ride planning team, noted that the officers and cadet leaders alike got past clichs and superficial textbook answers. We sparked some great conversatio n, he said. The action of 19 April 1775 actually consisted of nine distinct battles, including the famous "shot heard around the world" at the North Bridge. These werent groups of farmers rising spontaneously to fight they were organized volunteer militias fighting coordinated and devastating small unit actions. For volunteer organizations like the CAP, this sense of selflessness resonates. "I remind our volunteers at every opportunity that this is our heritage - this is where it all began," noted Col. Meskill. The Minuteman National Park battlefields, otherwise known as the Battle Road, are located less than 10 minutes from the units headquarters at Hanscom Air Force Base, Bedford, MA

Local CAP member receives 9/11 Remembrance Award

During the afternoon of September 11, 2001, the Massachusetts Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) established and maintained a shuttle service, carrying medical equipment, blood products and other search and rescue resources from various Massachusetts airports to John F Kennedy Airport on Long Island, New York. CAP continued this shuttle service for over 18 hours and operated the only civilian crewed aircraft in the skies on 9/11 and 9/12/2001. One of the pilots who crewed the shuttle service was Berkley resident, Major Greg Leonard. Leonard was recently honored with a 9/11 Remembrance Medal at the Wareham 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. The medal was presented to first responders involved in the 9/11 rescue and recovery activities. When interviewed about the honor, Leonard said he felt humbled to be acknowledged and that he was proud that he and his CAP colleagues were able to a make a difference that day. I recall how eerie it was to be flying without any other aircraft in the sky. The Air Traffic Control radio was silent pretty much all of the way to Kennedy. Id never had an experience like that it is always busy! Leonard also recalled how satisfying it was to be able to do something. People wanted to help and through CAP I was able to contribute we really were flying missions for America. Major Leonard a long time CAP member and experienced pilot is currently serving as Squadron Commander of the Brockton Composite Squadron, which is headquartered at the Taunton Municipal Airport.

Northrop's Carrier Drone Tops 180 Knots in Navy Tests

By Colin Clark

The Navy is testing the first unmanned aircraft designed to take off and land on aircraft carriers. In recent tests, Northrop Grumman's X-47B was put through a rigorous set of tests in preparation for actual carrier landings and takeoffs, planned for 2013. During Flight Four, which occurred on Aug 12, the first of the two X47Bs supplied to the Navy reached an altitude of 7,500 ft (above mean sea level), and a top speed of 180 knots. These tests were designed to help validate software and hardware changes made to the jet during the spring and summer, spokesman Brooks McKinney said in an email. These tests are part of what the Navy has said is a year-long, 50-flight test program at Edwards. When the first aircraft flew in February the Navy said the first aircraft was scheduled to complete initial testing in late 2011. The two X-47Bs were built for the Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCASD) program.

Operation Fertile Keynote Continues

Pilots and crews from MAWG continue to serve in the defense of the United States. Recently FOX news flew with crews from MAWG to film an intercept of one of our aircraft in a mock attack on a power plant in up State New York. The intercept missions have been going on for nearly two years. Major Tim Nelson CAP, has been coordinating with the 104 ANG out of Barnes and MAWG since he pioneered the program several years ago. MAWG pilots fly a predetermined rout over New England using different scenarios developed by the AF. They include lost aircraft, terrorists attacks and incapacitated pilots. The fighters are scrambled out of Barnes Airport and are then radar vectored to the target aircraft. Our aircraft are fondly referred to as Target of Interest or TOI. We have had up to three aircraft flying at one time during these missions. Communications is maintained between the Air Force and our aircraft by radio. The communications link starts at MAWG Headquarters at Hanscom AFB. All safety of flight information and coordination is done via a High Bird lingering over the intercept area at 9000 feet or higher. The High Bird relays the information from Patriot 12 to the TOI via CAP radio. Most of the missions are held during the week in VFR conditions. Usually the VFR conditions can only be found above a cloud deck and are flown both day and night. So our mission pilots need to be instrument rated and highly experienced along with mission observers, scanners and radio operators. Major Tim Nelson continues to report that the AF is thrilled with CAP here in Massachusetts because of our professionalism, spirit of cooperation and a GREAT CAN DO attitude.
Photo: One of two F16s intercepting a MAWG aircraft recently over New England Photo by 2d Lt T Alexander CAP

College Bound!
Congratulations to Captain Jennifer Allard of the Pilgrim Composite Squadron who will be heading off to college in October. She will be starting her Master's program at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Captain Allard will be pursuing a Masters degree in Emergency Management. Best of Luck Captain Allard!!

Massachusetts Wing Welcomes New Legislative Member

The Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) officially welcomed Senate President Therese Murray of the Massachusetts State Senate Legislature into the wings Legislative Squadron during a meeting at the State Capitol. Therese Murray was elected Senator of the Plymouth and Barnstable District in 1992 and became the first woman President of the Massachusetts Senate in March 2007. In her role as President, she continues her mission as senator to support the rights of children and veterans, promote affordable housing, invigorate the Commonwealths traditional fishing and agricultural industries, and advance new technologies in the life sciences as well as reforms in health care, energy, transportation, pensions and ethics. In addition to being President of the Senate, Therese Murray has served as the Senate Chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Human Services and Elder Affairs from 1993-1999, and Senate Chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Insurance from 2000-2003. Therese Murray is currently serving her ninth term as State Senator of the Plymouth and Barnstable District, which includes the towns of Sandwich, Plympton, Plymouth, Pembroke, Kingston, Falmouth, Bourne, and parts of Barnstable. The ceremony took place in the Senate Presidents office where Massachusetts Wing Commander, Colonel William Meskill and Vice Commander, Lt Colonel Everett Hume presented Senator Murray with her Civil Air Patrol membership card, Certificate of Membership and a Massachusetts Wing Challenge Coin. Afterwards, Colonel Meskill provided Senator Murray with an overview on Civil Air Patrol capabilities within the Commonwealth with focus on the support that Mass Wing provided during the recent tornado's that struck Western Massachusetts

Massachusetts Wing Responds to Hurricane Irene

Fifty-five members of the Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol were mobilized to support damage assessments in the wake of Hurricane Irenes passage. Two CAP aircraft and 1 ground team surveyed areas throughout western Massachusetts. Damage assessments were conducted at the request of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Once weather conditions cleared in the western part of the state, CAP pilots and air crews took to the skies to snap high-resolution pictures of flooding and property damage. All photos were sent to the MEMA Joint Operations Center to be used for poststorm assessment. According to Col William Meskill, Mission Incident Commander, "I want to thank all of you who participated in the response to Hurricane Irene, who obviously was no lady. Those who supported our relocation and the storm damage assessment flights, ground team efforts, Mission Base FEMA Ops Center support, Hanscom Mission Base, and those who served in the MEMA facility". "Our state and federal customers are very, very happy with what we did, said Colonel Meskill". "Our photographs from Aircraft and ground teams were professional, delivered quickly, and met all of our mission objectives. We did what we were asked to do and we did it well".

AWARDS & PROMOTIONS

Senior Member Awards Paul Garber Award o Major James D. Taylor o Major John Horvath Cadet Member Awards Gen. Billy Mitchell Achievement o Julianne Bradeen Amelia Earhart Achievement o Kyle J. Muka

2011 AEROSPACE AWARDS CHUCK YEAGER RECIPIENTS

Member Benefits
As a CAP member you can take advantage of our many member benefits.

Robert McManus David Newman Brian Silva John Gusler John Flattery Raymond LaRose Sr. Albert Chang James O'Connell James Wolfgang James Dupuis-Menard Warren Delaria Daniel Lyszczak Bryan Zelley Steven Brown Samuel Westover Edward Teague Ronald Marotta Michael Barrette Richard Shafner Jason Moore Emily Oles Christopher Bates

MA-001 MA-001 MA-006 MA-043 MA-044 MA-015 MA-059 MA-015 MA-015 MA-015 MA-071 MA-071 MA-043 MA-006 MA-043 MA-007 MA-044 MA-000 MA-001 MA-006 MA-043 MA-043

All members receive a subscription to CAP Volunteer Magazine. CAP also offers a variety of member discounts and affinity programs including rental car discounts, term life insurance, pilot merchandise and more. With the exception of the Volunteer magazine, no member dues or other funds are used to procure and offer benefits to CAP members.

Congratulations!
Lt Col Lynne Putney, Hanscom Composite Squadron was awarded the National Commanders Commendation by Gen Courter for her work with the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE). Major William Duffy, MAWG Legislative Squadron received the Meritorious Service Award for working with IACE.

104th Squadron Participates in Annual Event

The Big MOE (Massachusetts Outdoor Expo) is the perfect opportunity to introduce young and old to outdoor skills and activities such as fishing, kayaking, shooting, building a bird box, mountain biking, tree identification, nature arts and crafts, New England Pioneer encampment, tomahawk throwing, and more! Attendees can see live birds of prey, native reptiles, and tree stand safety demonstrations, and much much more. This all-day family event is free, thanks to co-sponsors like the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife and the Hamilton Rod and Gun Club. The various groups sponsor a variety of skills stations, craft tables, and other exhibits relating to wildlife and the outdoors. Members of the 104th Squadron and MAWG Headquarters assisted with parking vehicles and parking safety.

Congratulations!
Hanscom Squadron announced that C/CMSgt Julianne M. Braden completed all requirements for the Billy Mitchell Award and was promoted Cadet Second Lieutenant. The Mitchell Award is only given to cadets of the highest caliber who have demonstrated outstanding integrity, maturity, and leadership ability. Cadets must pass comprehensive leadership and aerospace examinations, a physical fitness test, and other requirements in order to be eligible. C/2d Lt Braden has been an integral member of the Hanscom Composite squadron for many years and attends Georgia Tech where she is studying Aerospace Engineering as a Naval ROTC midshipman. Congratulations again, LIEUTENANT Braden!

WESTOVER SQUADRON VISITS WASHINGTON DC AREA

Ten cadets and four senior members from the Westover Composite Squadron visited the Washington DC area, August 14-19, 2011. Members had to opportunity to tour/visit the White House, Bureau of Printing & Engraving, Holocaust Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, Marine Corps War Memorial, Air & Space Museum (mall & annex), as well as other museums On The Mall in Washington. Billeting was provided by the USAF for a nominal cost at Andrews AFB MD.

Cadets Take to the Skies.

Cadets from several Massachusetts Wing Civil Air Patrol squadrons recently participated in cadet orientation flights at Lawrence and Plymouth Airports. The orientation flights introduce cadets to aviation and flight instruction. Cadets fly airplanes in the Civil Air Patrol. These flights are the first step in the cadets learning how to fly and becoming FAA certified pilots. The objective of the

aerospace education mission of CAP is to promote an understanding and appreciation of the impact of aviation and aerospace in participants' everyday lives.

Nationwide, CAP is a major operator of single-engine general aviation aircraft, used in the execution of its

various missions, including orientation flights for cadets and the provision of significant emergency services capabilities. The civilian pilots who

volunteer to fly various missions for CAP come from various backgrounds, such as airlines pilots or retired military pilots.

GODDARD CADET SQUADRONS AEROSPACE ADVENTURE

Respectfully submitted by The Ghost of Goddard Cadet Squadron

Twenty cadets and five senior members of Goddard Cadet Squadron traveled to Colorado Springs in August 2011 for a six day tour. Met by foreboding skies and rumbling thunder, our first stop was Starbucks. This was a given, you see, as our squadron commander and deputy commander for cadets have their tasty brews running through their veins! Thanks in large part to CAP Captain Wendy Mullane, former U.S.A.F. captain and our units current deputy commander of cadets, we were able to tour two very secure military installations. Cheyenne Mountain Air Station was the hands-down favorite. Built into a mountain during the Cold War, the engineering alone was spectacular! If you get a chance, ask C/CMSgt Nicholas Swenson about the blast doors. Not only did he get to see them, he was actually allowed to operate one! Schriever Air Force Base was a very different facility, home of 50th Space Command and the Space Warfare Center. Did you ever wonder who operates GPS or who tracks and maintains satellites vital to our national security? Think Schriever! The base Commander gave us a private briefing and took time out of his very busy day to dine with us. The food was excellent, and our squadron commander was quite pleased with the final tab! Everyone got to see and hold the arsenal of weapons in the base armory. Our commander asked if she could pull the trigger, and that was a definite NO! The best part of the tour was having the opportunity to get close and personal with a huge satellite dish. The operators called out coordinates and the dish swung into various positions with grace and speed. It was awesome!

Lt Col Eric Waters, an engineering professor, provided a private tour of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He just happens to be Captain Mullanes brother. After touring outstanding athletic facilities, we visited the Astronautics Laboratory. There, Academy cadets not only design and build satellites but monitor them once launched into space. Not too shabby for an undergraduate experience! We visited Peterson Air Force Bases Air & Space Museum. While most enjoyed the military aviation displays, our commanders particular favorites were the ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) station and the gift shop. After invading a Subway shop, we traveled in a four-van caravan to Breckenridge, a popular mountain resort. Not only did we sight deer and horses along the way, our now infamous C/CMSgt Swenson sighted a flock of elk. Yes, he really did say that! Upon arrival at Breckenridge, the cadets were rather surprised. You see, rather than sharing hotel rooms, our commander had rented an eight bedroom mansion, complete with gourmet kitchen, billiard room, and two hot tubs. The following day, six members chose to go on a wild jeep tour in the Colorado Rockies, while the rest risked life and limb white water rafting on the Arkansas River! All recuperated by eating a steak dinner followed by homemade brownies and ice cream back at our humble abode. No trip to Colorado would be complete without a hike in the Rockies. Captain Mullane led the gun ho healthy-type cadets and seniors, while C/CMSgt Van Hoven led the not-so-athletic stragglers. Indeed, he took special interest in making sure that the commander stayed alive as she had a propensity to stop at every ledge to take photos of wildflowers and mushrooms! The cadets couldnt complain too much, however, as she held the Oreo cookies in her backpack! The next morning, it was up and out, piling onto a commercial airline for our return trip to New England. (Cadet Jose Feliciano managed to lose his airline ticket in Baltimore. Lets just say that a rather large pan of homemade flan arrived at the commanders home several weeks later!) This was the type of trip that one can tell ones grandchildren about. It was a fulfiller of dreams for some and, hopefully, a catalyst for higher aspirations for others.

WESTOVER SQUADRON MARCHES IN EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION CHICOPEE DAY PARADE

Sixteen cadets, including the award winning Color Guard, supported by six senior members from the Westover Composite Squadron participated in the Eastern State Exposition daily parade on August 27th, 2011, honoring the City of Chicopee. The Eastern States Exposition (West Springfield, MA) is one of the largest regional agricultural fairs in the nation with attendance of over one million visitors over its 15 days. Chicopee Day had over 56,000 people in attendance.
Picture attached, Westover Composite Squadron March down the Avenue of States, picture courtesy of Lt Col Robert Seaton.

WESTOVER CADET EARNS GEN. BILL MITCHELL AWARD

Cadet 2nd Lieutenant (C/2Lt) Ryan Royer of Palmer, was recently promoted to Cadet 2nd Lieutenant and presented the General Billy Mitchell Award, the third highest achievement in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadet Program. In order to earn this award, cadets must pass a series of leadership, aerospace and physical fitness tests and attend character development training for each achievement from Cadet Airman Basic though Cadet Chief Master Sergeant. In addition, cadets must attend a military-style encampment before this award is made and have maintained active membership in the Civil Air Patrol for at least 18 months since joining. About 15 percent of Civil Air Patrol cadets achieve the Mitchell Award. Cadet Royer is the son or Richard Royer and Cherylee Hagge, and the grandson of Curtis & Louise Gendreau of Palmer. He graduated from Palmer High School in 2011 and will be entering the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the fall. He is current the Cadet Deputy Commander.

CADETS AND GLIDERS EQUALS A GREAT TIME

If you are in the area of the Springfield Vermont airport recently and looked to the sky, you could have seen the Civil Air Patrol in action. Four CAP squadrons, the Pilgrim Composite Squadron, 104th Composite Squadron, Hanscom Composite Squadron and the Worcester Composite Squadron participated in cadet glider training. As a cadet lets go of the glider's wing as he walked beside the plane, trying to guide it down the runway on a Saturday morning. The aircraft steadies and becomes airborne as the tow plane pulls it above the neighboring fields. The cadets sit at the helm of the glider planes, in front of an instructor who guides them through an orientation flight and take over the controls if needed. In this training, around 20 young men and women were taken up with an instructor in a Civil Air Patrol glider to practice becoming a pilot. The consensus from the cadets that flew, It was a lot of fun. said many of them.

Announcement of IACE Destinations

Posted by Steven Trupp | September 27, 2011

While we announce the summer national activities on November 1, we wanted to let you know that the destinations and number of cadet ambassadors for each destination for IACE is now available. We have added back Singapore, which has a different schedule (2 May through 10 June), and increased the number of cadets that can go to the Czech Republic. Also new this year, some countries have an age requirement. We will post the supplemental questionnaires on 1 November, when we announce all of the summer NCSAs. Go to www.ncsas.com to see the destinations.

Hot off the press: the DDRx Activity Guide

Posted by Becci Sundhagen | October 11, 2011

Announcing a new Drug Demand Reduction program for use by all squadrons: the DDR Excellence (DDRx) Activity Guide has been released online for download and viewing. The DDRx program rewards a CAP cadet for successfully completing activities related to making good choices, choosing good role models, avoiding substances that have a negative effect on human performance, and striving to live a drug-free lifestyle. The DDRx guides are currently being printed, and copies will be mailed out to all cadet squadrons before Christmas. AN ACTIVITY-BASED ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM A cadet who wants to enter the world of aviation must be willing to work toward goals that require excellence in human performance. For a Civil Air Patrol cadet to be successful in aerospace as a career, she must be prepared to meet the highest possible performance standards. This is expected by the military, the aviation industry, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The Drug Demand Reduction mission is dedicated to helping Civil Air Patrol cadets achieve excellence in life by making good choices and remaining free of drugs and alcohol. This is especially important if the cadet wants to become a part of the military or the professional world of civilian aviation. It is a known fact that drugs and alcohol can seriously compromise human performance. A young person who has a desire to become a professional in the world of aviation must start making good choices early and living a drug-free lifestyle. The world of aviation and aerospace has zero tolerance for anything less.