Rising Army infantry officer cites CAP cadet experiences

 

 

(1)
U.S. Army Capt. Andrew Steadman speaks to an Iraqi man during a search in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad in October 2007.

(2)
Capt. Andrew Steadman in Baghdad with his younger brother, Staff Sgt. Ryan Steadman, during their last deployment to Iraq. Like his older brother, Ryan Steadman was a CAP cadet in the Georgia Wing’s Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron. He served in Iraq as a psychological operations team chief and Arabic linguist.

(3)
Andrew Steadman in 1994, when he was a Georgia Wing cadet.


Janet Adams
Contributing Writer

U.S. Army Capt. Andrew Steadman readily credits his experiences and training as a Civil Air Patrol cadet when discussing his military career.

Now on assignment with the Joint Multi-National Training Center in Hohenfels, Germany, Steadman was a member of the Georgia Wing’s Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron for five years before earning his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

After graduation, he transferred services to become an Army infantry officer serving in the 82nd Airborne Division. His next assignment was in a Stryker Brigade Combat Team, where he commanded an Infantry Company and a Headquarters Company in combat.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School, Airborne School and Jumpmaster School and has deployed three times, once to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq.

Steadman joined the Sandy Springs squadron as a teenager. “I attended my first CAP physical training workout in jeans,” he recalled in a letter to Maj. Michael Reed, public affairs and recruiting officer for the unit.

 “I was 14 and had no idea why a person would voluntarily want to run a full mile. Push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups followed. I survived the evening, tired but intrigued.”

Maj. Dan Fisher, Sandy Springs operations officer recalled that “when he joined (CAP), Drew was a typical early teen, unsure of himself, shy and unable to do a pull-up. I recall him coming to me on a field training exercise with concerns that he didn't have the stamina to keep up with the rest of the team if we went out on a second sortie. (I encouraged him to try and he did fine.)”

“Within a few short years,” Fisher said, “he was brimming with a quiet confidence, demonstrating clear-headed leadership and setting the standard in physical fitness. He was always very active in CAP, earning his qualifications as a search and rescue team member and participating in many Air Force-authorized SAR missions.”

During these weekly physical training sessions, Steadman was to discover that “fitness is not just a personal goal; it becomes the foundation for every critical mission that the Army (and CAP) must accomplish. While in a command position with the Army 12 years later, I used this mentality to lead and motivate my infantry company during preparation for combat in Iraq.”

Reed said all of the unit’s officers agree that Steadman was an outstanding cadet in many areas – achievement, demeanor and personality, as well as a clean-cut, All-American-boy appearance.

“He had the dedication and intensity required to be a success in whatever field of endeavor he might choose,” said Reed, noting that Steadman became squadron cadet commander before leaving for the Air Force Academy.

 “Steadman’s performance as squadron commander was top-notch,” Fisher said. “He was indeed a cadet on his way up, and it was a privilege to observe him as he rose to the highest levels a cadet can achieve – and he did it all with equanimity, poise and an overriding desire to do his best while setting an example of service to his unit and for his country.”

Reed said the fact that Steadman is being groomed for a top position in the Army, has been fast-tracked through several deployments and continues to be involved in multifaceted training opportunities is a strong, positive message for all CAP cadet squadrons – leaders and members alike
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Steadman, in his letter to Reed, recounted how important his CAP training had proven in his career, both as an Air Force Academy student and in the Army.

High on his list of important things learned as a cadet, Steadman remembered most his squadron leaders’ insistence on strict attention to detail.

“Making a ‘small’ mistake when navigating the steepest parts of the Appalachian Mountains (during a SAR mission) might put someone in danger,” he recalled. “This attitude proved critical for me during future challenges like the Army’s Airborne and Jumpmaster schools, where the simplest error could result in serious injury or death.

“Because of my years in Civil Air Patrol, I knew how to train, prepare for and calmly execute difficult tasks under stressful circumstances.”

Another aspect of his cadet training that continues to resonate during Steadman’s ongoing military career is the lessons on building character and good morals.

As he wrote n his letter, “Each week my cadet squadron’s senior members gave the cadets their first perspective of morality by providing lessons on moral leadership based on their own military careers and professional lives. Unfortunately, not every household in America is a conduit of moral values and, for some young adults, CAP may be the only exposure to character development they receive.”

Steadman had high praise for his cadet leaders. “My squadron’s adult leaders recognized that CAP is not a club that serves only to occupy teenagers’ time during the week, but that it is an opportunity to prepare America’s youth to become upstanding leaders and citizens,” he said.

“For me, this mentorship prepared me for the four years I would spend living under the Honor Code at the Air Force Academy. And I took this example into my Army career by consistently emphasizing the need for officers to mentor soldiers at every opportunity because they, like many CAP cadets, may have never had any exposure to moral development.”

Steadman said cadets who commit to the CAP program participate in activities with real-world consequences, develop a moral foundation not guaranteed in other teenage programs and learn a work ethic followed in America’s military for hundreds of years.

“While the Civil Air Patrol is particularly beneficial for young adults considering a life in military service, it is equally useful in giving its members valuable lessons that prepare them for life’s challenges,” he said.

“My experiences in Civil Air Patrol enabled me to succeed in my Army career and continue to impact lives well after my cadet years.”