Civil Air Patrol - Headline News

Flying with the Conn. Wing's Thames River Composite Squadron

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

CONNECTICUT -- A video report from Megan Bard of The Day newspaper in New London, Conn., takes a closer look at the operations of Civil Air Patrol's Thames River Composite Squadron, one of 12 CAP squadrons in Connecticut Wing.

AFA awards aerospace education grants to 20 Civil Air Patrol squadrons

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Twenty Civil Air Patrol squadrons were awarded Air Force Association grants Monday. The $250 grants will allow the CAP squadrons to promote aerospace education for hundreds of students across America.

Combat vet shares Korean War experiences with Calif. Wing cadets

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

CALIFORNIA -- A group of about 50 Civil Air Patrol cadets from California Wing's Shasta Composite Squadron 126 in Redding, Calif., hosted a Korean War combat veteran Thursday. Jack Kilpatric, who served with the 7th Infantry Division, 32nd Regiment, 3rd Battalion, told the cadets he had "no fond memories" of the war, which marks its 60th anniversary in 2010. Kilpatric's visit with the cadets was well received. "These things teach us leadership," Cadet Airman Jacob Duncan told the Record Searchlight, "shows us what you might go through and gives us someone to look up to."

Fighter pilots practicing with Civil Air Patrol, others in preparation for Super Bowl

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Figher pilots will practice over the Greater Miami area from midnight until 2 a.m. Friday as part of exercises to coordinate protection of airspace over Sun Life Stadium for Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7. Pilots from Civil Air Patrol as well as from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command will participate in the Amalgam Virgo 10-Miami training flights. More on the exercises can be found in the latest 1st Air Force news release.

Two CAP-related features in March issue of 'Air & Space' magazine

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The March 2010 issue of Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine features two full-length stories with ties to Civil Air Patrol. Both are stories of interest to CAP's 59,000 members. "Don't Cross That Line: Would A Fighter Pilot Shoot Down A Private Airplane?" deals with the sensitve subject of homeland security, specifically the protection of American airspace through U.S. Air Force F-16 "intercepts" of suspicious aircraft flying illegally in the nation's "no-fly" zones. As Craig Mellow's Air & Space article points out, CAP's "low-and-slow" aircraft are often "targets" for F16s during exercises that train fighter pilots for real-life scrambles, which happen nearly every day. The Air & Space article takes a hard look at some of the more recent real-life scrambles and asks the hypothetical question "What if?" "The Other Harlem," meanwhile, features a 1930s Chicago airport where one of CAP's pioneering women, Willa Brown, learned to fly. Brown, the first black woman to earn a commercial pilot's license in the U.S., was married to Cornelius Coffey, the founder of Harlem Airport, for a time. Their small cottage near the airport doubled as a CAP unit. She later became CAP's first African-American officer and was a pioneering activist for equal aviation career opportunities for blacks.

Civil Air Patrol provides BMGR flight support

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

ARIZONA -- Civil Air Patrol provides flight support for the 1.1 million-acre Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) near Luke Air Force Base in southwest Arizona. Officials say CAP aircraft are well suited for surveillance of the federal property, providing excellent observation platforms for the task. They estimate the cost savings for two full years of CAP support at about $16,000.

Miss. Wing's Tom Simmons honored as 'Master Pilot'

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

MISSISSIPPI -- Tom Simmons, a captain with Civil Air Patrol's Mississippi Wing, is the latest recipient of the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the Federal Aviation Administration in recognition of his 50 years of safe aviation. Simmons lives in Gulfport and flies with the Mississippi Wing's Col. Berta A. Edge Composite Squadron in Biloxi. In receiving the Wright Brothers award, Simmons joins a unique fraternity of fliers. Only 1,473 pilots have received the award over the past 50 years.

Accounts of Civil Air Patrol's mountaintop rescue abound

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

CALIFORNIA -- News of Civil Air Patrol's mountaintop rescue of a Twentynine Palms flight instructor and his student pilot is spreading throughout the desert region of Southern California. Here are some print and broadcast news accounts of the rescue:

KPSP Local 2 News, kpsplocal2.com (with video)
The Desert Sun, mydesert.com
Hi-Desert Star, hidesertstar.com
KESQ NewsChannel 3, kesq.com
The Desert Trail, hidesertstar.com

Being a CAP cadet fueled airport exec's interest in aviation

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- The new executive director/CEO of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, Steve Grossman, fueled his early interest in the skies as a Civil Air Patrol cadet. In an online conversation with the Financial News & Daily Record (jaxdailyrecord.com), he talks about being a CAP cadet fostered his dreams of flying. At an early age, he says he knew he wanted to pursue his aviation dreams and one day be in charge of an airport.

'Our job is to save lives': Calif. Wing search team rescues flight instructor, student

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

CALIFORNIA -- A Civil Air Patrol ground search and rescue team working in a heavy rain reached the site of an aircraft crash in the Joshua Tree National Park late Monday night, in time to rescue a flight instructor and student who were trapped in the wreckage of a small plane in Joshua Tree National Park. The rescuers stabalized the two men until they could be airlifted to a nearby hospital, where their injuries are listed as critical. The rescue was all in a day's work, according to 1st Lt. Matt Scherzi, a public affairs officer from CAP's California Wing. "It's our job to save lives," Scherzi told KPSP Local 2 News of Thousand Palms, Calif. "We're there to save lives."

Civil Air Patrol on scene of deadly Ohio crash

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

OHIO -- A plane crash Monday afternoon claimed four lives, including that of an inventor and his wife. The Civil Air Patrol and other emergency-related agencies were on the scene of the Ohio crash, which occurred at the Lorain County Regional Airport.

CAP members among McGuire AFB relief volunteers

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY -- Civil Air Patrol members like Capt. Jennifer Williams of New Jersey Wing's Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. Composite Squadron were among those volunteering to help with earthquake relief efforts at McGuire Air Force Base over the weekend. Williams and her family, as well as other CAP members, were on hand to assist with processing American citizens at a reception center at McGuire AFB. The evacuees from Haiti were ferried home by airmen and aircraft from nearby Dover AFB in Delaware.

Fla. squadrons manage Haiti Relief Collection Station

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Two squadrons from CAP's Florida Wing managed the Haiti Relief Collection Station for the Best Of The Best Networking Group in North Palm Beach over the weekend. Members from the North Palm Beach and Lantana squadrons manned the station, where emergency supplies were collected for the people of Haiti. The Haitians are suffering from the effects of a major earthquake, which decimated the small Caribbean country last Tuesday.

Students, co-workers salute CAP teacher

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Karen Willis-Barrett, who established a Civil Air Patrol squadron at her middle school in the Tampa area, makes it her mission to help her students thrive. Her education initiatives are chronicled in a recent story posted online by tampatrib.com.

N.H. squadron 'absolutely thrilled' with new CAP aircraft

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- The Hawk/Lakes Region Squadron took ownership of "the latest and greatest" in CAP aircraft, a "glass cockpit" Cessna, Thursday at the Laconia Municipal Airport. CAP pilots from the New Hampshire Wing squadron, including retired U.S. Air Force Col. Bill Moran, were "absolutely thrilled" with the unit's new acquisition.

Tyndall airmen deploy to support Haitian earthquake relief efforts

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Liaison officers with the Joint Personnel Recovery Center and the 601st Air & Space Operations Center at Tyndall Air Force Base deployed Thursday to assist Haiti in its humanitarian aid efforts. The Caribbean country was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake three days ago. More on the Tyndall airmen's relief efforts can be found in the latest 1st Air Force news release.

CAP part of multi-agency search for missing Colorado woman

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

COLORADO -- The Civil Air Patrol and other agencies are scouring the Arkansas River in search of Beth Rice, a 49-year-old Florence, Colo., woman last seen Saturday. The search for Rice began on Sunday and is now entering its fifth full day, with authorities focusing on the river and surrounding woodlands where her shoes and an item of her clothing were discovered. Accounts of the multi-agency search can be found in two Colorado newspapers, the Canon City Daily Record and The Pueblo Chieftain, as well as a Colorado Springs TV station, News Channel 13-KRDO.com.

Restored Bader Field tower returns to naval aviation museum

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY -- The historic control tower from Atlantic City's Bader Field Airport returned to the museum at Naval Air Station Wildwood Monday, restored and reassembled. The tower, believed to date back to before World War II, has an impressive history, providing air control for the first field to be called an airport. Every U.S. president from Theodore Roosevelt to Gerald Ford flew into Bader. Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis landed at the field. More importantly, Bader Field is also recognized as the birthplace of the Civil Air Patrol, from where World War II-era "subchasers" conducted their coastal patrols for German U-boats.

Helping out, without fear of losing out

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

CALIFORNIA -- An article in the LA Daily News, written by columnist Dennis McCarthy, touts the wisdom of Assembly Bill 485, whick took effect Jan. 1, allowing Civil Air Patrol volunteers in California to respond to emergency missions without the threat of losing their jobs. The legislation was sponsored by state Assemblywoman Wilmer Carter, D-Rialto, and applies to the more than 2,000 senior members of CAP's California Wing.

Okla. Wing searches for missing coed

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

OKLAHOMA -- Aircrews from Civil Air Patrol's Oklahoma Wing joined the search for a missing University of Oklahoma student over the weekend. Julia Gilbert, 21, a senior at OU scheduled to graduate in May, was last seen around 3:30 a.m. Friday. A large search ensued for Gilbert, on the ground and in the air. Her wrecked car was found Sunday afternoon after a motorist reported seeing the car overturned in a creek bed along Waterloo Road west of Edmond, Okla. Gilbert did not survive the crash.

Minn. Wing cadets learn winter survival

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

MINNESOTA -- Members of Civil Air Patrol's Minnesota Wing spent the weekend dealing with frigid nighttime temperatures. Hosted by the Northland Composite Squadron, the winter survival weekend training in rural Bemidji near Hennepin Lake attracted more than 50 cadets from 12 Minnesota squadrons.

U.S. Air Force responds to Hawaiian Air incident

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

OREGON -- The work of Civil Air Patrol's parent organization, the U.S. Air Force, is highlighted in an AIM Points article published online today. The news release from the 1st Air Force about CONR's response to a Hawaiian Air incident can also be viewed on this CAP news site, capvolunteernow.com. Go to capvolunteernow.com, then click on the Media Center button at the top of the page. Go to "1st Air Force News Releases" and scroll to the bottom of the page.

CAP stepmom says goodbye to three deploying sons

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

VERMONT -- Madeleine DiNunzio, a senior member with the Civil Air Patrol, joined with her husband, Hugo, and others this week in saying goodbye to their three sons, members of the Vermont National Guard deploying to Afghanistan. DiNunzio is the public affairs officer for Vermont Wing's Green Mountain Composition Squadron in South Burlington. Last month, she organized a Wreaths Across America memorial ceremony that featured one her stepsons, Jorge, laying a wreath in honor of the U.S. veterans buried at Fort Ethan Allen. (See video from the wreaths ceremony made by WCAX-TV.) Jorge and Omar DiNunzio will serve in Afghanistan along with Frankie DiNunzio, who has already on his way to the deployment. It is uncertain if the three brothers will serve together, but comforting, according to their father, that they will be in the same country, serving in the same theater.

Oregon Wing welcomes 'next generation' of CAP aircraft

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

OREGON -- Pilots with Civil Air Patrol's Medford Composite Squadron show off their new plane -- a Cessna 182 equipped with a Garmin 1000 "glass cockpit." Read about the squadron's latest acquisition in a newspaper story published in the Mail Tribune.

Civil Air Patrol's Tim Brutsche pilots L-39 Albatross

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

MICHIGAN -- Civil Air Patrol Kellogg Senior Squadron member and L-39 Albatross pilot Lt. Col. Tim Brutsche is featured in the current episode of Airspeed. For more about the Mach 0.8 jet trainer whose back seat awaits CAP cadets who make Spaatz, listen to Brutsche's Airspeed interview.

Conn. colonel still flying high after 49 years

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

CONNECTICUT -- Col. Frederick G. Herbert, former commander of Civil Air Patrol's Connecticut Wing and now historian for CAP's Northeast Region, is 80 years old, but still enjoys flying. In fact, he is an accomplished pilot who has been flying for 49 years. An newspaper story published by The Day in New London, Conn., chronicles Herbert's love of flying.

CAP cadets help hospitalized kids by handing out teddy bears

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Here is a heart-warming CAP cadet news story from Florida Wing's Group 5, courtesy of television reporter Christina Bailey of Fox4Now (WFTX-TV) in Fort Myers. Just in time for Christmas, cadets from the Lee County Cadet Squadron visited All Children's hospital and Healthpark Medical Center to give teddy bears to sick children away from their homes for the holiday. In all, the cadets gave out about 50 bears as part of a project conceived and led by Cadet 1st Lt. Theresa Quintana, who recently received a nomination to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, as well as Cadet Tech. Sgt. Nathan McNicol and Cadet 1st Lt. Jayson Beck.

Civil Air Patrol's ACE program expands at Fla. school

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Civil Air Patrol's ACE program recently made big news in Fort Walton, Fla., expanding to all the students at Okaloosa County's Kenwood Elementary School. To mark the occasion, school administrators and instructors staged a lift-off celebration attended by the entire student body.

Wreaths Across America featured on NBC Nightly News

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

GEORGIA -- The 2009 Wreaths Across America observances are featured in a "Making A Difference" report, which aired on "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" Friday, Dec. 18. "Holiday tradition honors fallen heroes" by NBC News reporter Roger O'Neil originated from Canton, Ga. The report didn't specifically mention Civil Air Patrol, but it does show many of our volunteers and one of our planes in the video footage. CAP members played a major role in the success of the 2009 observances, either leading or taking part in more than 300 of the 405 wreath-laying ceremonies held nationwide.

CAP-led Wreaths Across America events honor U.S. veterans

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

OHIO -- The Licking County Composite Squadron conducted its premier Wreaths Across America ceremony at Cedar Hill Cemetery Saturday. A Sunday article with a gallery of 16 photos in the Newark Advocate chronicled the event, one of hundreds of Wreaths Across America ceremonies led by the Civil Air Patrol this month. Other ceremonies, covered by print and broadcast media across America, included:

Missoula, Mont. (missoulian.com)
Longview, Texas. (news-journal.com
Dayton, Ohio (WHIO-TV.com)
Triangle, Va. (insidenova.com)
Rochester, Minn. (postbulletin.com)
Tyler, Texas. (CBS19tv.com)
Great Falls, Mont. (KRTV-montanasnewsstation.com)
Portland, Ore. (oregonlive.com)
Biloxi-Ocean Springs, Miss. (sunherald.com)
Eagle Point, Ore. (kdrv.com)
Worcester, Mass. (telegram.com)
Knoxville, Tenn. (knoxnews.com)
Dickinson, N.D. (kqcd.com)
Chattanooga, Tenn. (timefreepress.com)
Fernley, Nev. (RGJ.com)
Roanoke Rapids, N.C. (rrtimesherald.com)
Bay Pines, Fla. (CNNiReport.com)
Camp Ripley, Minn. (brainerddispatch.com)
Rexburg, Idaho (rexburgstandardjournal.com)
Littleton, Colo. (freerepublic.com)
Nashville, Tenn. (tennessean.com)
St. Louis, Mo. (ksdk.com)
Princeton, W.Va. (bdtonline.com)
Chattanooga, Tenn. (clevelandbanner.com)
Bakersfield, Calif. (tehachapinews.com)
Bemidji, Minn. (lakelandptv.org)
Pittsburgh, Pa. (pittsburghlive.com)
Norwich, Conn. (theday.com)
St. Louis, Mo. (suburbanjournals.stltoday.com)
Lewisburg, W.Va. (wboy.com)
Fort Mitchell, Ala. (therandolphleader.com)
Camp Ripley, Minn. (sctimes.com)

Volunteers help rein in rescue costs on Mount Hood

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

OREGON -- Much of the expense in time and effort for the recent search on Mount Hood won't be passed on to taxpayers, thanks to volunteers from rescue groups like the Civil Air Patrol. An article posted on oregonlive.com examines the cost of such mountain rescue efforts.

Joint flying exercises planned on eve of Obama Christmas vacation

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

HAWAII -- Civil Air Patrol Cessnas will fly with Air National Guard F-15 Eagles and U.S. Coast Guard H-65 Dolphin helicopters off the north coast of Kane'ohe Bay. The joint exercises announced by the U.S. Air Force are being held prior to an expected Christmas vacation by President Obama and his family.

Cell phone forensic technology aids CAP search efforts

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA -- Civil Air Patrol's cell phone forensic expert, Capt. Justin Ogden, talked about his technology niche during a sit-down interview this week with a WJHG-TV reporter in Panama City. Ogden was in town to visit with staffers at the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, which is based at Tyndall Air Force Base. The AFRCC is responsible for coordinating on-land search activities for the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico. Civil Air Patrol, in its U.S. Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of those missions, as tasked by the AFRCC, and was credited with saving 72 lives in fiscal year 2009.

AFRCC Airmen aid in Ariz. search for 55 stranded people

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airmen at the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center aided local and state first responders while searching for 55 missing individuals stranded following a winter storm last week near Flagstaff, Ariz. AFRCC personnel responded by coordinating aircraft from the Arizona Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, who spotted eight of the stranded individuals and were able to helped redirect ground crews to their locations. In total, 54 stranded individuals were rescued while one person was found deceased. A news release published online in Air Force Print News Today details the mission.

Search for missing Mt. Hood climbers suspended

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

OREGON -- The search for two missing climbers on Mount Hood has been suspended and has become a recovery effort, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Hundreds of rescuers have participated in the search, which has been hampered by the bitter cold and "whiteout" conditions on the mountain. An aircrew from CAP's Oregon Wing took digital photographs of the mountain during a break in the weather on Sunday in an effort to assist with the search. Missing are Anthony Vietti of Longview, Wash., and Katie Nolan of Portland, Ore., both experienced climbers. The body of a third climber, Luke Gullberg, was found Saturday.

Minn.'s Sprouse named NCR Public Affairs Officer of the Year

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MINNESOTA -- Maj. Richard Sprouse of Sauk Rapids was recently named Public Affairs Officer of the Year for Civil Air Patrol's North Central Region. A story written by Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Lydia Wiff of Minnesota Wing's Viking Composite Squadron -- published in the St. Cloud Times -- profiles Sprouse and his accomplishments as a public affairs officer.

AOPA features Civil Air Patrol 'Master Pilot'

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Civil Air Patrol 'Master Pilot' Col. Gene Hartman, the Middle East Region's homeland security director, is now featured in a Flying For The Public Good feature on GAServesAmerica.com. GA Serves America is an educational campaign launched by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). GAServesAmerica.com is a Web site developed by AOPA to help decision makers and the public better understand GA's critical role in the U.S. economy and the essential role it plays in the daily lives of Americans.

Board of Governors' Bruce Whitman honored at annual USO gala

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW YORK -- A member of Civil Air Patrol's Board of Governors was honored Thursday night at the 2009 USO World Gala in New York City. Bruce Whitman, president and CEO of FlightSafety International, Inc., and co-chairman of the Medal of Honor Foundation, received the Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding efforts on behalf of the USO and the military. Whitman is one of 11 Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force and civilian experts currently serving on CAP's Board of Governors, which serves as the strategic policy-making and guidance body for the 58,000-member organization.

CAP pilot to head Calif. education association

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ray Peterson, a pilot in Civil Air Patrol's California Wing, has been named president-elect of the California County Boards of Education Association, a statewide organization that serves as a voice for public education policy at the state and federal levels. Peterson, of Petaluma, Calif., is a longtime member of CAP, currently serving with Group 5 of the California Wing (Squadron 445).

Trucks bearing Maine wreaths bound for Arlington National Cemetery

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MAINE -- Tractor-trailers loaded with 16,000 wreaths began their journey to Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday. The convoy, part of Wreaths Across America observances planned on Dec. 12 at Arlington, is traveling 750 miles in six days, making more than 20 stops along the way. Articles in three Maine newspapers -- the Bangor Daily News, the Portland Press Herald and the Morning Sentinel in Waterville -- report on the annual pilgrimage, recognized as one of the nation's longest veterans celebrations.

Aviation pioneer visits W.Va. cadets

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WEST VIRGINIA -- Civil Air Patrol Col. Mary Feik traveled to West Virginia last week to give certificates to cadets earning achievement ribbons in her name. Feik spoke to aviation students at the Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center and students at Lewis County High School as well. An article and video on wboy.com details her visit.

Wash. governor proclaims Dec. 1-7 Civil Air Patrol Week

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON -- Dec. 1-7 is Civil Air Patrol Week in the state of Washington. Gov. Christine Gregoire made it so last week, issuing a proclamation honoring CAP and its Washington Wing. See details in an article posted on northcoastoregon.com.

Four CAP CyberPatriot teams qualify for national finals

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Air Force Association has announced the eight teams eligible for the final round of the National High School Cyber Defense Competition, scheduled for Orlando, Fla., in February. Teams from four Civil Air Patrol squadrons in California, Michigan, New Hampshire and North Carolina have qualified. An article on the AFA Web site identifies the final round participants and tells more about the national competition.

CAP trains pilots in mountain flying

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NORTH CAROLINA -- Members from Civil Air Patrol's North Carolina Wing recently trained pilots in western North Carolina on the rigors of flying search and rescue missions in the Appalachian Mountains. Read about the weekend exercise, dubbed Mountain Fury, in the Ashville Times-Citizen.

S.C. Wing creates hypothetical scenario as exercise

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

SOUTH CAROLINA -- A weekend training exercise crafted by the South Carolina Wing of the Civil Air Patrol was chronicled in an article in The Item. The Sumter, S.C., newspaper's senior staff writer, Joe Perry, rode along for the day-long exercise, which was designed to get airborne assets spread out over major bridges and intersections for damage assessments after a tropical storm dumped 10 to 15 inches on the state.

Civil Air Patrol gets 'prairie roses' for Minn. search

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A recent editorial in The Forum newspaper based in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn., awarded "Prairie Roses" to the Civil Air Patrol members and other pilots who conducted a huge search for a lost aircraft last week in Minnesota. In the end, the body of pilot Andrew Lindberg was found in the wreckage of his downed plane. Nevertheless, The Forum's editorial praised everyone involved in the expansive search, including the Civil Air Patrol. Over the course of four days, nearly 400 CAP members from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota wings, including ground team members and pilots, were involved in the search.

Cadet earns Civil Air Patrol Lifesaving Award

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MASSACHUSETTS -- Cadet Airman Allen Ellis, a recent recipient of CAP's Lifesaving Award, is honored in an article published in the Danvers Herald. Ellis, a resident of Danvers, was credited with using skills he learned at a New Hampshire Wing cadet summer encampment to help save the life of his 3-year-old brother. The youngster was burned while on a family camping trip but Ellis' quick actions helped him to make a full recovery.

Volunteering a lifelong passion for former CAP cadet

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW YORK -- Edith Marie Gonder Pernice learned the importance of volunteering while serving as a 15-year-old cadet with the Civil Air Patrol. Sixty-four years later, she maintains that same volunteer spirit, serving such organizations as the Business and Professional Women (BPW) and the American Legion. As a result of her volunteerism, the Business and Professional Women of Delhi, N.Y., are honoring Pernice as their 2009 Woman of the Year.

Barron assumes W.Va. Civil Air Patrol post

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WEST VIRGINIA -- Lt. Col. Dennis D. Barron of Martinsburg has been appointed commander of Civil Air Patrol's West Virginia Wing. He succeeds former wing commander Col. Rod Moore. For more on Barron and Moore, see Maj. Jeffery Schrock's change of command story published in the Martinsburg Journal.

Battle of the Bulge vet publishes book

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WISCONSIN -- Civil Air Patrol Maj. William Wenzel, a veteran of World War II's Battle of the Bulge, has recently published a book about his time as a young U.S. Army infantry medic. Now 86, Wenzel said his sons encouraged to write about his war experiences. The self-published book is entitled "A Time To Remember."

Fallen fighter pilot recalled as driven, loving family man

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY -- Air Force Capt. Nicholas Gigilio, a fallen fighter pilot with Civil Air Patrol connections, was remembered in a memorial service Sunday in his home state of New Jersey. Gigilio, a husband and father, died in October, when his F-16 collided with another jet during a training mission off the South Carolina coast. Five hundred people, many of them family and friends of the 32-year-old fighter pilot, turned out for his memorial service.

Medal of Honor recipient speaks to CAP group

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

ALABAMA -- Retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs kept Civil Air Patrol's 84 National Staff College students in stitches during a recent visit to Maxwell Air Force Base. The Medal of Honor recipient's address highlighted a full week of activity for the 84 students, who later graduated from CAP's National Staff College.

CAP aviatrix dodged a doomed flight in 1932

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

PENNSYLVANIA -- A Civil Air Patrol World War II-era pilot who died last month at the age of 99 -- Ida Mae Hampton Wassell -- turned down a transatlantic flight in 1932, just four months after Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the ocean. Wassell rejected the transatlantic trip because she favored scientific research over "spectacular ocean flights." The flight to Rome, Italy, was unsuccessful, ending in the death of a pilot, a physician and a nurse. All were lost at sea. The doomed flight and Wassell's aviation career are chronicled in a recent article in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

CAP's 'Mama Bird' celebrates 100th birthday

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Lt. Col. Evelyn Johnson

TENNESSEE -- Legendary Civil Air Patrol aviator Lt. Col. Evelyn Johnson celebrated her 100th birthday earlier this week. Johnson, known as "Mama Bird" to senior members and cadets in CAP's Tennessee Wing, turned 100 on Wednesday, Nov. 4. A pioneer among women aviators, Johnson has been inducted into six hall of fames, including the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Ohio. She was recognized this week, in celebration of her 100th birthday, with a story in her hometown newspaper, the Citizen Tribune of Morristown, Tenn. A video of the celebration can be seen at citizentribune.com. Just click on the second video, "Mama Bird hits 100."

Teen takes flight as Civil Air Patrol cadet

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY -- "Taking Flight," a three-page article in the November-December 2009 issue of Johns Hopkins University's "Imagine" magazine, features one of Civil Air Patrol's 23,000 cadets, Tristan Kooker, of the Cape May County Composite Squadron. Kooker is a cadet fourth class at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Ex-AFB jet getting extreme makeover, courtesy of CAP cadet

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

SOUTH CAROLINA -- A Boy Scout/Civil Air Patrol cadet who wants to one day fly with the Marines is now hard at work on the ground, working to restore an old Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star at the Darlington County Airport. Frankie Slemmer says he hopes to give the jet, a 1954-vintage, two-seat trainer, a complete makeover, restoring it to the condition it was in when it flew out of Shaw Air Force Base, in nearby Sumter, S.C. The restoration effort is part of Slemmer's Eagle Scout project.

Tribute planned for former CAP cadet who died in F-16 collision

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY -- A former Civil Air Patrol cadet who became an Air Force fighter pilot will be honored in a "celebration of life" Sunday at the Lacey Township High School auditorium. A township native, Capt. Nicholas Gigilio, 32, died Oct. 15 when his F-16 jet collided with another fighter during a training exercise in South Carolina.

ACE students get a taste of space

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

ALABAMA -- Kindergarten through fifth-grade students in five Boaz schools learned about aerospace during NASA Week activities sponsored in part by CAP's Aerospace Connections in Education, or ACE. The CAP program focuses on aerospace awareness, character and physical fitness implemented as a precursor to Boaz's school-based CAP cadet program.

Earhart contemporary with Civil Air Patrol roots was quite an ace

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

CONNECTICUT -- A story in the Meriden Record-Journal chronicles the life of the late CAP wing commander and Col. Nancy Hopkins Tier, a female aviation pioneer and contemporary of Amelia Earhart. Like Earhart, Tier was one of the first women awarded a pilot's license. She died in 1996 after a 67-year flying career.

Civil Air Patrol plays role in finding lost hiker

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WISCONSIN -- Twenty-nine ground team members, an aircrew and five Mission Base staffers from the Civil Air Patrol were involved in the successful search for a missing hiker earlier this month. An article published recently by WiscNews.com chronicles the search for 59-year-old Diana Haley, who lost her way while hiking in the Baxter Hollow Preserve in Sumpter, Wisc. Citizen volunteers from CAP's Wisconsin Wing, despite below-freezing temperatures, helped find the woman alive and helped bring her to safety.

Wisc. governor signs CAP job protection bill

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WISCONSIN -- Gov. Jim Doyle has signed legislation protecting the jobs of the state's 1,119 Civil Air Patrol members. Seven hundred twenty-two of Wisconsin Wing's citizen volunteers are senior members, now guaranteed a leave of absence for their participation in CAP missions.

Wreaths to honor West Virginia soldiers

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WEST VIRGINIA -- Mercer County Civil Air Patrol volunteers plan to honor American military veterans with a Wreaths Across America observance in Princeton, W.Va, in December. The local CAP squadron is raising money to bring 700 live wreaths to decorate veterans' graves in Resthaven Memorial Park for the holidays.

Colorado CAP saved man's life 40 years ago

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

COLORADO -- A story in the Grand Junction Sentinel briefly chronicles the 40-year-old rescue of a Colorado man. F. Peter Simmons, now 83, recently told members and guests of the local Thunder Mountain Composite Squadron, "CAP saved my life." Simmons was seriously injured when his single-engine plane hit a tree. He was later rescued by the CAP.

Earhart author's mother was CAP pilot

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA – The new major motion picture about famed female aviatrix Ameila Earhart, set to launch onto movie screens this weekend, has a Civil Air Patrol connection. A story in the Orlando Sentinel reveals the film screenplay for Fox Searchlight’s Amelia was based on the acclaimed 1997 biography East to the Dawn, which was written by Lake Wales, Fla., journalist and writer Susan Butler, whose mother was a World War II-era Civil Air Patrol pilot. She helped patrol the Jersey shores during the early days of the war and was a member of the Ninety-Nines, a flying organization for women founded by Earhart. CAP also has a cadet achievement award named for Earhart. Receiving the Amelia Earhart Award represents the second milestone of CAP’s Cadet Program and carries with it a promotion to the rank of cadet captain.

Fox5 flies with the Civil Air Patrol

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEVADA – A reporter from Fox5 (KVVU-TV) in Las Vegas flew with a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue crew and filed this report on a recent CAP training mission in southern Nevada.

CAP aircrew finds wolf biologist plane crash site

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

ALASKA -- A Civil Air Patrol aircrew located the wreckage from a plane crash that apparently claimed the life of a noted Alaskan wolf biologist. Gordon Haber, who had spent 40 years documenting the lives and societies of Denali National Park wolves, reportedly died after the Cessna 185 he was riding in crashed into trees near the East Fork of the Toklat River, the locale of one of the wolf packs he was studying. According to a SanLuisObispo.com newspaper account of the crash, Harber’s pilot, Daniel McGregor, managed to free himself from the wreckage and tried to rescue Harber but the plane caught fire and he had to abandon his efforts. McGregor then hiked 20 miles to safety and is recovering in a burn center in Seattle.

Historic rescue by Civil Air Patrol cadets remembered

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

VERMONT --Oct. 16 marked the 65th anniversary of the Camels Hump plane crash – one of Vermont’s most horrific aviation disasters. According to a WCAX-TV report, a U.S. Air Force bomber was on a routine mission in 1944 when it crashed into the side of the mountain with 10 crewmen onboard. Nine of the men died, but 18-year-old Jimmy Wilson was saved, thanks to the heroic efforts of five Civil Air Patrol cadets. Several of the former cadets and others gathered Friday on the mountain for a ceremony of tribute to the dead crewmen as well as the lone survivor and his rescuers.

Colorado Wing poised to participate in balloon search

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

COLORADO – Members of the Colorado Wing were poised to respond Thursday after being contacted about a runaway hot air balloon believed to be piloted by a 6-year-old Fort Collins boy, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Chico Enterprise Record reported. CAP never received an official call from federal authorities, but the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center actually did respond, sending two helicopters to follow the wayward experimental balloon, which broke from its tethers and flew haphazardly through the northern Colorado skies before landing in a field near Denver. The boy was not on board and was found safe several hours later, hiding in a box in the attic of his home.

Career Air Force NCO's CAP past cited

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA – A Panama City “News Herald” profile of Chief Master Sgt. Veronique Nicklas, 379th Expeditionary Medical Group superintendent, who re-enlisted for the final time Sept. 26 in southwest Asia after 30 years in the service, notes her involvement in Civil Air Patrol as a cadet during high school, including assisting at air shows in Oshkosh, Wis., and earning the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award, which gave her a leg up before basic training.

Former N.J. cadet killed in Afghanistan

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY -- Army Sec. Michael Scusa, a former Cape May Composite Squadron cadet, was one of eight soldiers killed in Afghanistan when insurgents assaulted outposts near the Pakistan border Oct. 3, the “Press of Atlantic City” reports. Scusa was serving his second tour of duty, having previously been deployed to Iraq.

Wash. squadron collecting care package items for U.S. soliders, Afghan civilans

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – The Peninsula Composite Squadron’s drive to collect items for care packages for soldiers in and residents of Afghanistan is the focus ofa ”Bremerton Patriot” article. The unit’s cadet commander, Cadet 1st Lt. George Nye, and Cadet Airman Dakota Fleck, are quoted, as is Fleck’s mother, Senior Member Janet Fleck, whose son got the idea to involve the squadron in the Operation Support Freedom campaign after his mother’s cousin, a contractor working in Afghanistan, told her of the hardships Afghans regularly endure.

N.H. brothers split top honors -- Spaatz award, Cadet of the Year recognition

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW HAMPSHIRE –Two brothers from the Gloucester County Composite Squadron were recognized with prestigious honors at the recent New Hampshire Wing Conference, as Col. Vincent Van Dintel of the Gloucester County Composite Squadron was presented Civil Air Patrol’s highest cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, and his brother, Cadet Lt. Col. Sebastian Van Dintel, received the 2009 New Hampshire Wing Cadet of the Year Award, according to “Foster’s Daily Democrat.”The brothers’ father, Capt. Arie Van Dintel, is the squadron’s character development officer.

Tsunami warning again finds Hawaii Wing members prepared

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

HAWAII – Hawaii Wing members’ response to a tsunami warning Wednesday is described in a Kauai “Garden Island” article in which the Hawaii Wing’s commander, Col. Roger Caires, and vice commander, Lt. Col. Ron Victorino, are quoted, along with Lt. Col. Neil Rapozo, emergency services officer for the Kauai Composite Squadron, which Victorino also commands. Had the watch not been subsequently canceled, the officials were ready to fly over remote coastal areas to warn residents of the potential danger, using warning sirens and microphones. Another such warning had been issued Sept. 29.

Calif. cadets rush to downed aircraft, children in takeoff mishap

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

CALIFORNIA – California Wing cadets were among those responding Oct. 3 when an airplane with three children aboard plunged to the ground during takeoff at the annual Wings and Wheels event at Westover Field, the Amador Ledger Dispatch reports, citing the quick reaction of Cadet Senior Airman Kyle Zimmerman of Westover Composite Squadron 119, who turned off the plane’s fuel switch and tended to its transponders. No injuries were reported.

Local paper turns spotlight on CAP's Feik

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MARYLAND – Col. Mary Feik, the aviation legend for whom a Civil Air Patrol cadet achievement award is named, is profiled in her local newspaper, the Annapolis “Capital,” in an article touching on her numerous accomplishments, her wide range of awards and honors and her involvement with CAP.

Kan. cadet recounts top CAP memories

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

KANSAS – Cadet 2nd Lt. Jonathan Tompkins, Bravo Flight commander for the New Century Composite Squadron, discusses some of his most memorable experiences in Civil Air Patrol in a “Kansas City Star” article that also includes remarks by Capt. James Vano, deputy commander for cadets, about the opportunities available to cadets.

CAP searchers help find crashed medical chopper in S.C.

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

SOUTH CAROLINA – Civil Air Patrol searchers and emergency crew members located a fatal crash site about 2 a.m. Saturday in woods in Georgetown County, where a Carolina Lifecare helicopter went down about three hours earlier after changing course to land at Georgetown County Airport because of rainy weather, the Myrtle Beach “Sun News” reports. The helicopter, with a crew of three aboard, was returning from taking a patient to Charleston, according to the article.

Ga. unit featured in local paper

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

GEORGIA – “The Augusta Chronicle” examines the Augusta Composite Squadron, quoting Capt. Charles Robertson, deputy commander for cadets; 2nd Lt. 2nd Lt. Jennifer Montgomery, public affairs officer’ and Cadet Sr. Master Sgt. Stuart Hembree about the unit’s activities, Civil Air Patrol’s overall mission and the benefits of belonging to the organization. Mary Hembree, the cadet’s mother, also remarks on what CAP has meant to her son.

N.M. cadets surprised on camera by father, back from Kuwait

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW MEXICO – During an interview on camera by a reporter for KOB-TV, the NBC affiliate in Albuquerque, a pair of Thunderbird Composite Squadron 4 cadets – Cadet Senior Airman Asa Ruth and his brother, Cadet Basic Eric Ruth – were surprised by their father, Army Staff Sgt. Chris Ruth, who hadn’t been due to return from Kuwait until days later. The cadets were participating in Military Veterans Day at the New Mexico Sate Fair.

TV news site showcases CAP aerial photos of Tenn. flooding

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

TENNESSEE – Numerous photos of flooding damage from Chattanooga Municipal Airport to the Tennessee-Georgia state line in Hamilton County, taken by Group 2 aircrews and provided to WTVC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Chattanooga, are featured in a slideshow on the station's Web site.

Local paper takes look at N.J. squadron

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JERSEY – The Allentown Composite Squadron, which has been meeting since 1968 at Allentown Presbyterian Church, is profiled in an Allentown Examiner article that includes remarks by Maj. Gregory Putnam, deputy commander for cadets, about Civil Air Patrol in general and its impact on cadets in particular. The article also features photos from the squadron’s regular meeting Sept. 17.

Former Tenn. cadet killed in Afghanistan

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

TENNESSEE – Army Spec. Corey Kowall, a former Murfreesboro Composite Squadron cadet, was killed Sept. 20 in Afghanistan's Zabul province after serving only five weeks with the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, when his vehicle overturned while responding to a call for assistance from a convoy that had encountered an improvised explosive device, the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal reports. He was 20.

Capt. Charlie Watson, Murfreesboro commander, told the newspaper that Kowall’s death “was a tragic loss to his family and to our squadron" and called the fallen soldier “an exemplary cadet” who had served as the squadron’s cadet commander.

Mass. squadron commander, cadets discuss CAP

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MASSACHUSETTS -- Several Phoenix Baypath Composite Squadron cadets – Cadet Staff Sgt. Javier Melendez, the unit’s first sergeant, and Cadets Basic Joseph Hastings, Xavier Lopez and Austin McIlveen – discuss their experiences in Civil Air Patrol in a feature in the "Worcester Telegram & Gazette," and the squadron’s commander, Lt. Col. Les Dutka, addresses some of Civil Air Patrol’s core values and missions.

Fla. unit tours Air Force Special Operations Command

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

FLORIDA – A report by Capt. Justin McElvaney, deputy commander of cadets for the Eglin Composite Squadron, on the unit’s tour of Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field appears in “The News Herald” of Panama City. During their visit, sponsored by the Air Force’s 19th Special Operations Squadron, cadets were able to try their hands at the MC-130E Combat Talon and MC-130H Combat Talon II.

Newspaper focuses on N.C. squadron

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NORTH CAROLINA – “The Daily Advance” of Elizabeth City turns the spotlight on the Elizabeth City Composite Squadron, describing the unit’s membership, missions and history and quoting its commander, Maj. William Isbell, about Civil Air Patrol’s goals.

Ark. member subject of newspaper profile

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

ARKANSAS -- Capt. Jeremy Hudson, commander of the 97th Composite Squadron, describes his introduction to, and experiences in, Civil Air Patrol in a profile published by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The feature also includes remarks by 1st Lt. Michael Young, deputy commander for cadets, and Joel Wood, father of a cadet.

W.Va. squadron hosts search, rescue exercise

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

WEST VIRGINIA –The Boone Composite Squadron hosted a search and rescue exercise featuring scenarios involving two simulated aircrashes as well as lost all-terrain vehicle riders, the Coal County News reports. Along with West Virginia Wing squadrons, several local agencies and organizations were represented, with about 70 participants involved.

Md. member discusses CAP benefits in 'Plane & Pilot' feature on 'Affordable Flying'

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The cover story on “Affordable Flying! Creative Ways to Make It Happen” in the October issue of “Plane & Pilot” magazine features Capt. Marty Sacks, assistant safety officer for the Maryland Wing’s Fort McHenry Composite Squadron, discussing the flying opportunities Civil Air Patrol has made accessible and affordable to him, as well as the satisfaction he has derived from flying with cadets. Another CAP member, 2nd Lt. Bill Monroe of the Hawaii Wing’s Lyman Field Composite Squadron, also remarks on aviation discounts available to members.

Col. search for lost hiker ends with discovery of body