No Shortage of Activity for Cadets This Summer

Civil Air Patrol's many cadet summer activities — wing encampments and an assortment of other outings, including about 40 National Cadet Special Activities, or NCSAs — are in full swing across America.

The encampments and cadet activities involve thousands of CAP youth as well as adult members. One such event is the Mississippi Wing summer encampment this week at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg. As billed in this pre-2023 encampment video posted recently by Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Grant Matheny, encampment is “where cadets push their limits.”

Check out Matheny's video, filmed during the 2022 summer encampment:

New Activity Marketing Pamphlet Now Available

Civil Air Patrol has published a new marketing and communications pamphlet to support public affairs officers for encampments, CSAs, and NCSAs — CAPP 150-12, Encampment and NCSA Marketing Playbook.

This pamphlet is a joint effort between Cadet Programs and the Marketing & Strategic Communications team to create a unique plan for marketing activities to help tell the Civil Air Patrol story across all CAP wings. You can download a copy to learn more. The partnership aims to increase the marketing reach of CAP as a whole. MAC is looking for regular and consistent encampment postings to wing Facebook pages within the guidelines detailed in the pamphlet — three to four photos only, a shortened link to the photos.cap.gov gallery, and a short caption telling a compelling story of the day.

Regarding NCSAs, regardless of whether it’s a wing-, region-, or national-level activity, CAP wants to capture the greater cadet experience and post it to the appropriate wing, region, or national social channels. This is a recruitment focus, a cadet program focus, and an overall MAC focus to showcase cadet activities as well as encampments.

North Carolina Pilots Train for Mountain Flying

Eleven North Carolina Wing pilots trained to fly over mountainous terrain as the Asheville Composite Squadron again hosted the wing’s 17th Mountain Fury weekend June 2-4 at Asheville Regional Airport.

Each pilot received four hours of classroom training on the intricacies of mountain flying, then conducted a rigorous, hands-on practical application flight with a seasoned Civil Air Patrol evaluator to put their new skills to the test in a predetermined flight path.

“The members at the Asheville squadron did an excellent job of preparing the mission pilots across the North Carolina Wing to conduct safe and efficient mountain flying search and rescue missions,” said Col. Larry Ragland, a member of the CAP Board of Governors and former national chief of staff who also was one of the participating pilots.

Teachers Fly to the 'TOP' with CAP's AE Program

Teachers at Holyoke Community Charter School in Massachusetts became Civil Air Patrol aerospace education members, providing the opportunity to participate in a Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flight.

The Holyoke teachers were among the more than 200 educators nationwide who receive TOP flights each year through CAP's Aerospace Education program. They shared their experience in this video:

Maine Members Train for Missing Persons Missions

The 10 Maine Wing squadrons gathered June 10 for a search and rescue training exercise simulating a lost person scenario.

In all, 52 members from across the state convened for the training, hosted by the Sanford Composite Squadron. Representatives from the Maine Warden Service participated as well. 

They worked together to locate the simulated lost individual and transport him after conducting a medical assessment and treating injuries.

Weather conditions pushed aircrew exercises — including direction-finding, aerial photography, and airborne surveys — to the following day.

The exercise “was a culmination of two previous training classes that allowed members to put their skills to the test in a real-world exercise,” said Lt. Col. Roger Plant, incident commander and the wing’s director of operations.

“We were very pleased with the many CAP members that supported the training,” Plant said.

Illinois Cadet Decides Among 3 Service Academy Appointments

Cadet 1st Lt. KatieMarie Anderson’s passion to serve at the highest level has left the Illinois Wing cadet faced with a daunting choice — namely, which of her three service academy appointments to accept.

Anderson decided on the U.S. Air Force Academy, having also received appointments to the U.S. Naval  Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

“My grandfather was drafted and served in Korea — other than that, I'll be a first-generation airman,” said Anderson, a member of the Scott Composite Squadron.

“I want to give back to the community that has given so much to me.”

Former CAP Cadet, Now Air Force Officer, Honored with Spaatz Award

He's now an officer in the U.S. Air Force, but before he wrapped up his Civil Air Patrol cadet career as a Massachusetts Wing member 2nd Lt. Luke Pongratz achieved CAP’s top cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award.

The former Hanscom Composite Squadron cadet commander received his Spaatz award (pictured above) from Brig. Gen. Virginia I. Gaglio, Massachusetts Air National Guard commander, at Hanscom Air Force Base.

California Wing Launches Chaplaincy Initiative

The California Wing is working to bolster spiritual support for members by recruiting more chaplains, especially from underrepresented groups – an effort launched last month with an opening focus on the Jewish community.

Chaplain (Maj.) Dovid Grossman (pictured above, center), 2022 Civil Air Patrol Chaplain of the Year, conducted a weeklong tour throughout California with Pacific Coast Region Chaplain (Maj.) Michael Morison and California Wing Chaplain (Maj.) Annamae Taubeneck.

“Civil Air Patrol is a pluralistic, diverse community, and together we are one Civil Air Patrol united by our mission and values,” said Taubeneck, who’s spearheading the campaign.

NHQ News

Ready to Raise Money for Your Unit Online? New Website Donation Module Rolls Out Before July 10

Civil Air Patrol is offering a live webinar from 7-7:45 p.m. CDT June 28 to introduce the new unit website online donation button and “ways to give” feature for all CAP units on Siteviz.

This webinar is for squadron commanders, public affairs officers, directors of development, finance officers, and fundraising team members.

Spaces are limited, so register now to reserve your spot and learn how to maximize donations with this new tool.

Interested in Serving on the Board of Governors?

The June 30 deadline is fast approaching for applications to fill the Board of Governors vacancy created when Col. Larry Ragland's member-at-large term ends in November.

All applications received before the deadline — midnight June 30, Central time — will be considered.

Minimum requirements are:

• Senior member in good standing.
• CAP grade of chief master sergeant or officer grade of major or above.
• Paul E. Garber Award (Level IV).
• At least five years' CAP membership.

Last Call for CAP Squadrons to Apply for AFA Grants

Funding for CAP Unit Grants has been generously restored by CAP aerospace/STEM education partner the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA). 

CAP aerospace education officers can submit applications this month for a $250 grant to promote AE and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) within their cadet or composite units. If the squadron desires to also share its project with youth who aren't members, that's a plus.

Grants can fund aerospace field trips, STEM outreach events, or equipment/materials for special STEM projects.

Applications are due by midnight (applicant’s time zone) June 30. The grant competition will result in STEM projects being funded for competitively selected units. All applicants will be notified by the end of July whether the project was selected to be funded.

New MAC Photo/Video Competition Coming Soon

The Marketing and Communications team is launching a new competition to find the best photos taken, and videos produced, by any CAP member.

Separate from the longstanding Balsem Awards competition, which is limited to public affairs officers, the CAP in Focus Awards are open to any current CAP member, including cadets, except for members currently serving on any national volunteer staff. The goal is to support MAC’s needs for photographs and videos for a variety of marketing programs and products.

Submissions for the CAP in Focus Awards competition will be accepted from Sept. 1-30 via an online portal, which will open Sept. 1.

All work submitted for consideration for an award must have been completed from Sept. 1, 2022-Aug. 31, 2023. Photos will be judged in five categories: community service, education, activities, fleet, and technology. Videos may cover any relevant topic and will be judged in two categories: video shorts (one minute or less) and three-minute videos.

'Volunteers,' Info Sheets Available for Recruiting

Extra printed copies of the last two issues of Civil Air Patrol Volunteer magazine — the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 editions — are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To order a box of magazines (75-80 copies), CAP recruiting officers should send their requests to this link.

A limited number of printed Information Sheets are also available. Send your requests to the same link — mac@capnhq.gov.

Tweet of the Week @Civil Air Patrol

For more information, go to Operation Pulse Lift's new webpage on GoCivilAirPatrol.com. There you will find the latest Blood Donation Center schedules, instructions on how to set up a BDC, and other mission information.