To the Civil Air Patrol Community,

As we approach the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of this great nation, I hope you will join me in reflecting on the ideals that make America extraordinary and on the role each of us plays in advancing those ideals.

The Declaration of Independence established not only a new nation but also affirmed that ordinary people, united by a common purpose and guided by shared values, can accomplish extraordinary things. Throughout our history, that belief has inspired innovation, exploration, service, and leadership across countless fields. It has strengthened this nation, enabling it to meet great challenges and seize great opportunities. It has even encouraged us to do the impossible, such as landing an astronaut on the moon!

That same spirit has guided Civil Air Patrol.

For nearly 85 years, CAP members have stepped forward to serve their communities, states, and nation. Whether responding to search-and-rescue missions, supporting disaster-relief efforts, advancing aerospace education, or mentoring the next generation of leaders through our Cadet Program, our members exemplify the very best our core values of volunteer service can achieve.

Every mission flown, every life saved, and every cadet mentored is a reminder that service matters. It underscores a simple, powerful truth. When people choose to serve something greater than themselves, they strengthen themselves, their communities, and this nation.

As part of America's 250th anniversary, we are proud to celebrate that spirit through our America 250: Stories of Service series, spotlighting members whose dedication, character, and commitment exemplify the best of Civil Air Patrol and America. Each feature tells the story of a CAP member whose service reflects the ideals we're celebrating this Independence Day.

To every member of Civil Air Patrol and everyone who supports the organization, thank you for your service, support, and commitment to our missions. Because of your efforts, CAP makes a difference in communities every day. As we celebrate this historic event, let's take pride in our past, remain committed to our purpose, and look toward a bright future. America's and CAP's stories are still being written, and I am honored to serve alongside each of you as we help write the next chapter.

Happy 250th Birthday, America!

Major General Regena M. Aye, CAP

CEO/National Commander

Civil Air Patrol America 250: Stories of Service

Civil Air Patrol's ranks are filled with Americans whose stories of service stand out. As part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, we're spotlighting those stories, one member at a time.

Maj. Gary Lewis: A Civil Air Patrol Story of Dedicated Service

CAP Maj. Gary Lewis's path to service began in St. Louis at 13, when he became a licensed ham radio operator. That path led him to the Marines and ultimately to Vietnam, where he flew more than 300 helicopter missions delivering supplies and evacuating the wounded before a North Vietnamese rocket attack on June 10, 1969, left him covered in shrapnel and certain he was dead. He survived, returned to duty, and came home a Purple Heart recipient, carrying the weight of friends lost and of soldiers who died in his arms on the battlefield.

Read the full story.

An American Hero — Committed to Serve, Protect, and Lead

CAP Capt. Angel Figueroa's life of service began with a childhood rescue by NYPD officers, deepened by 9/11, when he worked four months at Ground Zero, and continued through 15 years as a street cop and a stint in the NYPD's ceremonial unit honoring fallen officers. In 2017, he and his partner saved a bakery worker's life using a tourniquet from their patrol car, earning CAP's Certificate of Recognition for Lifesaving. Now commander of the New York Wing's Orange County Cadet Squadron, he leads alongside his family. His wife and three children are all CAP members or affiliated with the program. His daughter Angelina, the squadron's cadet commander, carries on his example: "A few words of leadership advice Dad gave me are to treat others the way I'd want to be treated, never give up, and pursue all I do with excellence."

Read the full story.

Civil Air Patrol NCO Advisor Reflects on America's 250th Birthday

Senior Master Sgt. Bill Jackson's path to leadership began in Civil Air Patrol as a cadet, spanned 30 years of Army service, and culminated on Dec. 19, 2003, when an IED struck his convoy in Iraq, wounding him and killing Specialist Charles Bush, who was riding in the same vehicle. Every December, he and fellow veterans gather online to share stories and photos of Bush, a tradition rooted in the belief that it is better to remember than to avoid. Now back in CAP as the South Carolina Wing's NCO advisor, Jackson works to build the same foundation for cadets that set him on his path. He returned home with a Purple Heart, a Legion of Merit, and a conviction he now passes on: "CAP gave me an early foundation in leadership, public speaking, and instruction."

Read the full story.

Decorated Army Career Gives Small-Town Boy a Chance to See the World

Growing up on a small farm in Pipestone, Minnesota, Lt. Col. Jason Smallfield learned to see the world, earned an appointment to West Point, and launched a nearly 35-year Army career marked by combat tours in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan and by decorations including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star. Now in Civil Air Patrol's Missouri Wing, he channels that same discipline into mentoring cadets. "It's kind of like farming and planting seeds," he said. "I'm doing a different type of farming than my ancestors did."

Read the full story.

One of America's Best Attorneys: Oregon Wing's Thomas Flaherty Sr.

Lt. Col. Thomas Flaherty Sr. went from California's beaches to the hell of Vietnam's Tet Offensive almost overnight, emerging with two Purple Hearts, a Legion of Merit, and a resolve to keep serving that carried him through nearly 30 years in the Marine Corps and the Reserves and into a career as a sole practitioner specializing in aviation law in Hillsboro, Oregon, where he was recently named one of America's best attorneys. Now serving as Civil Air Patrol's Oregon Wing legal officer and governmental relations advisor, he remains, in the words of Oregon Wing Commander Col. Scott Maguire, "an important voice," credited with helping CAP visit all eight of Oregon's congressional offices in a single day.

Read the full story.

From a Vietnam veteran mentoring cadets in Missouri to volunteers supporting FEMA flood response, CAP.news is full of stories about our members doing extraordinary things.

Take a few minutes this Fourth of July to see what Civil Air Patrol is all about.

Visit CAP.news for more information