80th D-Day Anniversary

Cadets from the Florida Wing's Clearwater Composite Squadron were front and center June 6 in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Selected as the official Civil Air Patrol color guard for the 2024 ceremony, the cadets and their escorts talked about their experience in a same-day interview with WFTS, the ABC affiliate in the Tampa Bay area.

South Dakota Wing Provides FEMA 'Best Ever' Drone Disaster Photos

The South Dakota Wing was praised for the quality of its drone photography after responding to a call for aerial imaging following deadly tornados in neighboring Iowa, where the Iowa Wing requested support from the South Dakota drone team.

The mission was conducted to collect aerial photography to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency with damage assessment.

Civil Air Patrol aircraft had already documented the scene extensively, but FEMA also wanted orthographic photographs taken with cameras pointed straight down with parallel lines to allow measurement and analysis. The South Dakota Wing’s large fixed-wing Wingtra photography drone is ideal for such photography.

By the time the wing’s small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) team arrived, FEMA determined it already had sufficient photo documentation of the damage. But the agency suggested the team perform Wingtra flights in a nearby area not directly affected by the tornado.

A FEMA official said the results were the best UAS imagery the agency had ever seen from Civil Air Patrol, yielding a resolution of less than an inch per photo pixel.

Indiana Teams Sweep Region Competition

Cadet teams from the Indiana Wing took all three top spots in the Great Lakes Region Cadet Competition, with the Valparaiso Composite Squadron placing first, the Anderson Composite Squadron second, and the Eagle Composite Squadron third.

Teams from the Illinois (Lewis Composite Squadron), Kentucky (Louisville Composite Squadron), and Michigan (Maj. Kevin A Adams Composite Squadron and Grand Rapids Metro Cadet Squadron) wings also competed at the event, held May 18-19 at Grissom Air Reserve Base near Peru, Indiana.

The six-member teams completed in events involving precision and teamwork, including indoor and outdoor color guard challenges, a written test of leadership and aerospace knowledge, a physical fitness test, team leadership problems (group problem-solving challenges), and a uniform inspection. 

The eight Civil Air Patrol regions are all conducting their own competitions, previously held to select teams for the National Cadet Competition. The national event has been discontinued, with a goal of increasing participation across CAP while reducing demands on time and resources.

Weather Support Team Seeks to Expand

As the 2024 hurricane season begins, CAP's Weather Support Team urgently needs reinforcements. The two-member team provides weather intelligence and forecasting for incident commanders and planners during major storms and other operations.

The team was born several years ago out of necessity after several weather-related mishaps during training exercises prompted a CAP member with a deep meteorology background to start providing forecasts — Maj. Gerry Creager (pictured), a computational scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Colorado.

Lt. Col. Darrin Lunsford of the Florida Wing’s Eglin Composite Squadron has since joined Creager.

“After terminating a couple of exercises due to inaccurate weather predictions from TV meteorologists, I was asked to start providing forecasts a week prior to the exercises,” said Creager, who in recent years relocated from Oklahoma to Colorado Springs. He serves as CAP’s deputy senior program manager for health services nationally and as the health services officer for the Southwest Region.

Phelka Selects Roberts as Next Southwest Region Commander

Col. David L. Roberts, former Oklahoma Wing commander, will be the next commander of Civil Air Patrol’s Southwest Region.

Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, CAP’s national commander/CEO, has appointed Roberts to succeed Col. Martha C. Morris, who has led the region since August 2021. Roberts, the Oklahoma Wing commander from 2017-2021 and region vice commander the last three years, will assume command Aug. 16 at CAP’s National Conference in San Antonio.

“Col. Roberts has distinguished himself in leadership roles inside and outside Civil Air Patrol,” Phelka said. “His character, passion, experience, and dedication make him an excellent choice to lead Southwest Region.”

Hunt Appoints Reynoso to Command Illinois Wing

Lt. Col. Al Reynoso is the next commander of the Illinois Wing, Col. Rose Hunt, Great Lakes Region commander, has announced.

A formal promotion to colonel and change of command ceremony is scheduled for July 20, the last day of the Illinois Wing Summer Encampment at Marseilles Training Center. Reynoso will succeed Col. Andrew Loy, wing commander since July 2021.

"Leadership is not just about commanding but about inspiring journey,” Hunt said. “A true wing commander knows that each mission's success lies in the unity, skill, and unwavering spirit of their team.

“We entrust this responsibility to Alfredo Reynoso, where courage meets wisdom and vision meets success. We look forward to the new heights he and his team will lead Illinois Wing." 

Cadet Pair from Louisiana Wing's Capitol City Squadron Headed to Service Academies

A pair of cadets in the Louisiana Wing’s Capitol City Composite Squadron have been selected to attend U.S. service academies.

Cadet Lt. Col. Cullen Chaney will attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, where he intends to pursue a degree in cyber science and space warfighting. He will be inducted into the academy June 26.

Cadet Capt. Thomas Watkins has been selected to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he will be inducted July 1. He plans to pursue a degree in defense and strategic studies.

Cadet Earns Squadron's First Spaatz Award

Cadet Col. Jackson Scaletta of the South Carolina Wing has been recognized as the first recipient of the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award — Civil Air Patrol’s top cadet honor — in the Anderson Composite Squadron’s history.

Less than one-half of 1% of all CAP cadets have attained the Spaatz award, and only 27 South Carlina Wing cadets have done so since its inception in 1964

In addition to his Spaatz award, Scaletta has accepted an appointment to the Air Force Academy.

Delaware Wing Turns Out for Air Show

Four cadets from the Delaware Air National Guard Cadet Squadron presented the colors during the national anthem as rain fell at the First State Air Show. The cadets, standing firm in the face of challenging conditions, were unaware that a C-5A aircraft was poised on the nearby runway with engines idling. 

As they presented the colors, the massive aircraft's engines roared to life, taking off with a thunderous roar that provided a dramatic backdrop to the ceremony dedication.

Squadron Encounters National Guard Aircraft

Kona Composite Squadron members were able to visit the Arizona National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing aircraft June 4 by traveling just a few miles, rather than trekking across the Pacific and into the Sonoran Desert.

The Guard unit was temporarily stationed at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole while taking part in the annual Sentry Aloha Fighter two-week exercise hosted by the Hawaii Air National Guard.

NHQ News

Report Your 'CAP Health' Through eServices

Did you know Civil Air Patrol is catching up with the rest of the medical world?

CAP Health is a specially designed electronic health record intended to improve how Civil Air Patrol’s Health Services Program maintains important health-related information for encampments, National Cadet Special Activities, and even its missions.

“CAP Health is supported and approved by our national leadership,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Leighton (pictured), Health Services’ senior program manager. “It is intended to organize everything within a secure framework to protect personal health information, and to allow access only to commanders and health services officers assigned to CAP events, for the duration of the event.”

'Absorb' Launch to be Rescheduled

Civil Air Patrol’s learning team is re-calibrating the launch date of its new learning management platform, Absorb. The launch date was originally set for June 25.

“This adjustment is necessary to allow for additional work by our vendor for the transfer of information and to ensure compatibility with member records," said Jerad Peregoy, CAP's senior director of learning.

“We have been thrilled by the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from membership regarding the new platform,” he added. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this delay; however, we firmly believe that this extra time will be necessary to offer a smooth launch.”

Rest assured, CAP is committed to delivering a platform that exceeds expectations and supports its members learning effectively.

Further updates and detailed information will be provided July 16 in PROPS. “Thank you for your ongoing support and patience,” Peregoy said.

'Tis the Season: Time to Sign Up for Cadet Wings

Call it “Christmas in July," at least for CAP's young aviation enthusiasts.

Applications open July 1 for Cadet Wings — a merit-based Civil Air Patrol program for youth pursuing a private pilot certificate (PPC).

Cadets chosen for the program complete their training at a local flight school or with CAP flight instructors using CAP aircraft. The funding comes from the U.S. Air Force and other funding partners, such as the James C. Ray Foundation with the goal of developing tomorrow's aerospace leaders.

Learn more about how to become a pilot through CAP at this link.

The application window, to be available through CadetInvest, closes at noon Central Time Sept. 15.

Bronze-Level Sponsors Announced for Conference

Middle Tennessee State University and AC Supply are two of CAP's bronze-level sponsors for the National Conference Aug. 16-17 in San Antonio. Registration for the conference closes July 12.

Sponsors and exhibitors are welcome. Gain visibility for your brand while making a meaningful impact on aerospace education, youth development, and emergency services across our nation.

Help Support Civil Air Patrol by Donating a Vehicle

Donate your used car, motorcycle, RV, boat, or plane and embark on a journey of giving back. It’s free and tax-deductible and a simple way to make a big impact while clearing space in your driveway.

Call 888-299-8150 or visit Civil Air Patrol Vehicle Donation Program (careasy.org) to learn more.

Last Call for YAI Panel Member Applications

National Headquarters is accepting applications for a Youth Aviation Initiative (YAI) panel member through June 30.

Details and the desired requirements for this position as well as other national volunteer staff positions are available here.

Top Headlines

“In Observance of Flag Day, Dozens of Worn-Out U.S. Flags Retired During Cedar City Ceremonies”

-stgeorgeutah.com

“La, Wing Civil Air Patrol, Red Cross Team Up to Expand Disaster Relief”

-WAFB.com

“Three East Texas Cadets Fly Solo at Civil Air Patrol Flight Academy”

-dailysentinel.com

“Local High School Graduate Accepted into U.S. Air Force Academy”

-WLOX.com

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.