Cadets and officers from the 66th and Wheeler composite squadrons gather for a photo with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels pilots after the air show.
Photo by U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (Aviation Warfare Specialist) A.J. Johnson
Cadet 1st Lt. Abraham Cheng
66th Composite Squadron
Hawaii Wing
HAWAII – Cadets from the 66th and Wheeler composite squadrons did their part over the weekend at the 2012 Kaneohe Bay Airshow, working alongside U.S Marines and sailors from Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to help keep the event running smoothly.
Placed in Marine squads, the cadets made sure the trash cans were emptied regularly, picked up any debris that might pose the possibility of foreign object damage to the various aircraft flying throughout the day, and assisted with crowd control.
As the day went on, between shifts cadets were able to visit displays by members of the military and civilian aviation community, such as an F-22 Raptor, a C-5 Galaxy, various Special Operations tents and equipment from different branches.
The featured attraction for the air show was the U.S Navy’s Blue Angels. Before the weekend was over, cadets had front-row seats for the fliers’ maneuvers, and they also had a photo opportunity with the pilots afterward.
The cadets said they learned a lot and gained a tremendous amount of experience working hand-in-hand with military personnel to accomplish a mission.
Cadet Airman 1st Class Noah Crabbe said that “communication was vital to the success of this activity,” while his fellow 66th Composite member, Cadet Noah Senior Airman Xenos, mentioned how important accountability was as he served as a squad leader, responsible for his cadets’ whereabouts and well-being throughout the air show.
In turn, the Marines complimented all the CAP cadets on their professionalism, work ethic and motivation.
