| Group Commander |
Commander’s Thoughts
Group
III has been asked to host the upcoming Graded
Training Exercise (GTE) on 25 -27 August 2006, in
Tyler. This is a great honor for the unit, and I am
doubly honored in having been selected as the Incident
Commander (IC) for that exercise. This is a wonderful
opportunity to shine for everyone in Group III. Those of
you interested in working at the Incident Command Post (ICP)
and getting good training should let me know without
delay. The rest of you should work with your squadron
commanders to ensure that a confirmed Staging Area will
be available to you, or else you won't be able to
participate.
This
event will be like every other Distributed Search and
Rescue Exercise (DSAREX) with one very notable
difference: the finest staff has been assembled to run
the exercise. Our IC Staff have shown many times in the
past that they can get air and ground sorties launched
early and often. Be sure not to miss this opportunity,
review your Emergency Services (ES) qualifications, and
plan now to get a new qualification or renew an expired
one.
As you
know, we have three missions in the Civil Air Patrol:
Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency
Services. At this time of year we enter into storm
season, which we hope will be far less active than last
year's, but we need to be prepared. Last year, when
support for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita got started, we
found that many members scrambled to get qualified. It’s
too late at that point. We need you trained and
qualified before disaster strikes. During the recovery
phase, we lack the bandwidth to train as we are tasked
to execute an actual mission. As a result, training will
be postponed until the actual mission has been
completed. Last year’s mission lasted over 45 days. That
would be a long time to sit out, as you watch the
qualified CAP members work while you cannot. I hope you
won't let that happen to you.
But it
isn't enough to be
prepared through our CAP qualifications. We must also
prepare ourselves and our families for the possibly that
we might become victims. Please go online and brush up
on Emergency preparedness. Here are some interesting
websites:
Ask
your fellow CAP members what they are doing to get
ready. Just because we don’t live on the coast doesn't
me that we are immune to storm damage and disaster. Look
out for each other and, above all, be good neighbors
before, during, and after an emergency.
Finally, let’s all be aware of and cautious about the
dangers of summer heat. With the onset of high
temperatures, outdoor activities require greater
planning to avoid any heat-related health hazards. Drink
water! That is by far the most important action you can
take to stay healthy. Be aware of your surroundings and
seek out opportunities to be in the shade, rather than
in direct sunlight. Use sunscreen, wear a hat, and limit
exertion to what is necessary for the activity. If you
take time to rest and re-hydrate, the enjoyment you seek
won’t be interrupted by exhaustion, illness, pain, and
potentially fatal results.
Have a
great August!
Maj
Patrick L. Benoit, CAP
|
| Chaplain |
Are You Ready?
As Civil Air Patrol members we are constantly challenged
by the core value of excellence. This moral tenet urges us to make every
effort to provide the best service possible. But this is not a simple
challenge
— our resources are
limited, we are all volunteers, and many competing obligations make
heavy demands on our vanishing time. We seem to spend our day constantly
juggling work, family, CAP, church, and many other activities. Yet, the
only way to provide excellent services rests on our willingness to
invest our precious moments in training and improving our skills.
As my grade English teacher use to tell us, Only
perfect practice makes perfect.
This morning I read a very sad commentary on a recent
rescue attempt. A rescue that turned into a heart-wrenching recovery
instead. A young boy had been in the water for about twenty minutes
after his boat capsized. Unfortunately, the boy went under only seconds
before the rescue boat could reach him. Rescue workers believe that a
mere 30 to 45 seconds more could have made the difference. While most of
our missions do not involve life-threatening events, we all know that at
any moment we could find ourselves in a situation where even a few
seconds could weigh the outcome towards life or death.
Are you mission-ready?
As Group III Chaplain, I am very proud to be associated
with such a fine and caring group of volunteers. I know that the staff
is making every effort to ensure that we have access to the necessary
training, giving us the means with which to provide the very best
service. Yet it is up to the individual to take advantage of these
opportunities. When deciding whether to accept or decline an invitation
to a CAP training event, I’m often reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words
in Colossians 3:23.
“Whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and
not unto men.”
These words of faith and wisdom live on, almost 2,000
years after they were first written. And they mean just as much today as
they did then. With God’s help, we are becoming the best.
Chaplain (Maj) Ron Whitt, CAP |
|
Communications |
Training /
Practice / Application / Skills Development
- 26 &
27 August
Any
ROA-qualified member of Group III who wants hands-on experience
on the radios can join us at Pegasus CS (Camp Mabry) for the GT
SAREX of Aug. 26-27, at 0700.
E-mail me advanced notice of participation (and your current
qualifications) so I can schedule duty time and advancement
opportunities (such as Mission Radio Operator (MRO), Technician
level training, and so on). Bring your individual Communication
Specialty SQTR form, so I can plan your individual training.
Pegasus' Comm Room is now air conditioned for your
comfort. I will be the mission CUL, but MRO is open for the
qualified person(s) interested in advancing.
Capt Steve Barclay, DCA
HF Communications
In a time of need and devastation, the
existing, fragile communications infrastructure will no
longer be intact. Depending upon the size of the
devastated area and the amount of destruction, the time
it will take to restore traditional modes of
communication may be days or even weeks or
months. Phones, Internet, even satellite phones can be
unreliable or non-existent in such areas. As we learned
during Rita/Katrina, satellite phones were in use by so
many emergency responders as their ultimate
communications device, that the satellites were
overloaded and getting a dial-tone became a shot in the
dark. The CAP requires a method of communication that
will give command and control the ability to coordinate
our rescue and relief efforts in the affected area –
both quickly and efficiently. High
Frequency (HF) communications is the method used.
HF communications provides the backbone
of our long-distance communications infrastructure. In
times of emergency and distress, HF equipment expands
our capabilities and lets us communicate over long
distances – sometimes hundreds or even thousands of
miles, depending upon conditions.
As with all of our radio assets, our HF
radios run on 12V DC power. A power supply or deep cycle
12V battery is all the power required to operate
it. Combined with the proper antenna (the B&W wide-band
folded dipole is a great choice) and an experienced
operator; HF provides our best method of communicating
over great distances. This simple station can be set up
in the field very quickly with limited resources, making
it an effective and efficient means of communications in
the area of operations.
The distance an HF frequency can cover
will vary based upon several factors. One is the actual
frequency being used during certain times of the
day. The Earth’s atmosphere is broken into layers; as
communicators, the layer we are most concerned with is
the
ionosphere and its “E” layers within. There's a
reason for this: the ionosphere reflects many of the HF
signals back to Earth. While some of these signals are
absorbed and others pass into space, the reflecting
property of the ionosphere allows our HF signals to
bounce around the planet, and this is how we derive our
long-distance communications capabilities. This layer
splits during the day, and combines at night in an
ever-changing condition. So, as the day progresses,
conditions change – and so may the frequencies we use.
What else affects propagation? The sun
and its
solar-cycles do. Our sun goes through a cycle of
sun-spot activity that lasts about 11 years. This period
runs from high instances of sun spots and solar flares
(that energize our atmosphere making HF propagation
better) to low points during which propagation is not as
good. We are currently in the low point of solar cycle
23. This means that our ability to communicate over long
distances with HF is diminished, but it will improve
over the next several years.
How do I know which frequency to use,
and when? The best way is to coordinate with a station
you can communicate with. As conditions worsen
throughout the day, coordinate with the other station a
time and channel to change to for a fixed period of
time, then see if conditions are any better. If you
haven't heard from the other station by the end of the
time period agreed upon, return to the previous
channel. If conditions are better, return to the
previous channel and coordinate with the other stations
to change to that channel as well.
Is there another, easier way?
The answer to that question lies in a new type of HF
radio being introduced to the CAP,
Automatic Link Establishme, or ALE,
radios. An ALE-equipped HF radio does many things for
you. First, you can program the radio to join a “net”
with other ALE radios. The radios then only listen and
communicate with those radios programmed to join that
specific “net”. When turned on and told to join, the
radio will try all available frequencies in order to
find other ALE radios on the net, then link up with them
automatically. All radios on the net will monitor
signal propagation and conditions, and automatically use
the proper frequency for best radio reception each time
you key the microphone. No work on your part! You are
assured of the best frequency conditions possible at
that moment in time. These radios also give you a visual
read-out of the stations you can speak with. They
haveother features as well, but they must wait for
another article.
We hope you understand our CAP HF
communications capabilities a little better, and want to
learn more. To do so, getting your amateur radio license
is an excellent start. Also, you can pose questions to
fellow CAP members on the Texas Wing Amateur Radio Club
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/texaswingarc),
your local HAM club, or the Amateur Radio Relay League (http://www.arrl.org).
Of course, your first and best source of information is
your squadron Communications Officer.
Don’t forget, practice makes perfect. An
unexercised element is a useless element. Make sure that
you and your fellow CAP members practice using your
radios. Attend an ACUT class. Spend some of your time
between sorties learning about being a Mission Radio
Operator. Get some mic-time under your belt, and give
yourself better mission skills.
|
| Group III
Operational Outreach |
GA-8 & ARCHER System
Demonstrated
 OKWG
requested through channels that the GA-8 located at Addison, TX
take part in the Star Spangled Salute Air Show at Tinker
Air Force Base, OK from June 30 to July 1st. A Group III crew
—
Lt Col Owen Younger (Dallas Stealth CS),
Maj David Wilson (Waco CS), and Maj Frank Seigler (Addison Eagles
CS)
—
flew the aircraft to Tinker for the
event. They were billeted on the base, and enjoyed excellent
hospitality.
The air
show provided an outstanding venue for Maj Seigler, the ARCHER
operator, to demonstrate the capabilities of the ARCHER system to
USAF personnel and air show attendees. (The image was taken at an
earlier event.)
(Lt Col Owen Younger)
|
|
Honor Guard |
Group III Honor Guard News
 On
3 July, the Honor Guard did themselves proud as they presented the
colors in front of 30,000 people, kicking off the welcoming ceremony of
Kaboom Town
in Addison. Mayor Chow introduced the Honor Guard and then led the
audience in the pledge of allegiance. The Honor Guard stayed and watched
the fireworks — cut short by rain.
On 21-23 July, the Honor Guard held a
training bivouac at
Purtis Creek
State Park in Eustace, TX. It was attended by 8 female and 5
male cadets from Anderson County Composite Sq, Black Sheep Composite Sq,
Dallas Composite Sq, Red Oak Cadet Sq and Waxahachie Composite
Sq. Cadets set up their tents on Friday evening before supper, the
latter followed by an introduction to the basic elements of Honor
Guard. Saturday began with optional PT at 0630 and drill practice at
0700.
   Cadets
spent the remainder of the day practicing Rifle Drill and Colors. By
mid-afternoon, the cadets got 2 hours of personal time for kayaking,
swimming, and enjoying watermelons. Sunday also began at 0630 and ended
at 1500. The cadets had prepared a presentation for their parents for
Sunday afternoon, but heavy rains forced its cancellation. During the
weekend, the cadets learned much and also had lots of fun.
The next training weekend will be
held in October. Any potential Honor Guard member should plan on
attending. At the end of the bivouac, it was announced that C/Maj
Tippett from Dallas Composite Sq was transferring command to C/Capt
McKinney from Black Sheep Composite Sq, who becomes the new Honor Guard
Cadet Commander. C/MSgt Hamm from Waxahachie Composite Sq will be the
new Assistant Cadet Commander.
 I
would like to extend a big thanks to Capt Cohen and SM Kleinmeier, both
from Black Sheep Composite Sq, for their help during the weekend.
On 27 July, the Honor Guard rounded
off the month by presenting the colors at the opening ceremony of the
Girls
Fastpitch World Series games being held in Mesquite, TX.
To join the Group III Honor Guard,
please click on the link and e-mail
C/Capt McKinney or
1st Lt McKinney.
1st Lt Opal McKinney, HGO |
| Inspector
General |
Group III Basic IG Course Held
Saturday, 22 July
Group III now has six additional
trained inspection team members; four for the north area and
two for the east area, all of whom were grateful for what they
learned — and said so. This course is for every Group III
member who wishes success in completing a Subordinate Unit
Inspection, not just IG Team members. In the coming months, additional
courses will be held in the different areas.
Commanders, please make every
effort to attend, and encourage your squadron members and staff
to attend as well. The time invested in the course will help the
unit, and some members might want to become part of the IG Team
— as an additional duty, not
a loss to the squadron.
In this course, you'll learn how to
earn top marks in your SUI, what the inspection team is
looking for, and how the inspector finds what he/she is looking
for. It's like like finding out how to pass a test before taking
it...
Inspection Schedule
-
Bell County CS, Saturday, 19 August.
-
Gregg County CS, Saturday, 16 September.
-
Crusader CS, Saturday, 4 November.
-
Tyler CS, Saturday, 18 November
-
No inspections during December due to holiday
festivities. A formal schedule will be published soon.
New Assistant IGs appointed
— 1st Lt Vanessa
Smith, Anderson County CS and Maj. Bill Ervin, Group III.
Needed - One Asst. IG for the southern area,
and several inspection team members throughout Group III. Interested
members please contact me at
manleytx030ig@yahoo.com
or 214-477-8664.
Many thanks to the CC's of all units who have
submitted their latest inspection reports.
Capt Steve Manley, IG
|
|
Professional Development |
MSA Training
Applicants for MSA training must
first complete all required SQTR training available on-line. After the
appropriate certificates have been issued, please apply for MSA-T
positions at the next SAREX, at any TXWG location.
Correct Procedure for AFIADL Course
Enrollment
As of 1 January 2005, Air Force Institute
for Advanced Distributed Learning (AFIADL) will no longer respond to
requests for assistance made on AFIADL Form 17— except for instructional inquiries
to be forwarded by AFIADL to the course author.
Instead, visit
http://afiadl.custhelp.com to request a Course Exam, change of
address, extend course completion date, etc., and follow this procedure:
-
Go to the AFIADL Customer Support website:
http://afiadl.custhelp.com
-
Click on the "Ask a Question/Request"
tab (shown above in dark blue)
-
In the "User ID" text entry block, enter
your e-mail address
-
In the "Question Data" block, enter your
full name, last four digits of your Social Security
Number (SSN), and request the Course Exam to be sent to the Test
Control Facility Shred code established for your Wing. If you don't
know the nine-digit Shred code number, contact your Unit or Wing
test Control officer to get it. Caution: This is not a
secure website. Do not include your full SSN in any
correspondence being sent to this website. Use only the last four
digits of your SSN.
-
In the "Categories" text entry block,
select "Civil Air Patrol courses" from the drop-down list
-
In the "Course Name/Number" block, enter
the Course name and AFIADL course number
example: CAP Sr. Officers Course 00013
-
In the "Branch of Service" block, select
"Civil Air Patrol" from the drop-down list
-
When you have completed the form, click
"Submit Question"
-
AFIADL will respond with an e-mail to
confirm your request.
-
AFIADL will mail the Course Exam to the
Wing Headquarters Test Control Officer, where it will be forwarded
to your unit's Test Control Officer.
If you need further assistance please
contact Mrs. Jennifer J. Carroll — Toll free (877) 227 9142 Ext.
210 — E-mail jcarroll@cap.gov — DSN 493-5798 —
Commercial (334) 953-5798
Capt. Alan O'Martin, PDO |
| Safety |
Presenting both a flight safety briefing and a ground
safety briefing is a mandatory monthly requirement. This need not be a
lengthy presentation — a 10 to 20 minute talk (and optional group discussion)
is enough.
Maj Jeff Yevcak, the Randolph AFB safety officer
who is also the Randolph AFB liaison officer to CAP, has kindly offered
the following for the month of July, should you want to use them at your
own squadron.
August Flight
Safety Briefing (MS Word document)
August Ground
Safety Briefing (MS Word document) |
| Safety
- FAA |
FAA Safety Website - faasafety.gov
— "Safer Skies Through Education" |
| Guest
Section: A USAF Officer's Thoughts |
On that day ... An officer's reminder of why the National Anthem
plays
 SHEPPARD
AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AETCNS) —
It was a hot Tuesday afternoon. I was
leaving Bldg. 402 after updating my base vehicle sticker.
As I
walked toward the double-glass doors leading to the parking lot, I
encountered a small group of people standing just inside the door
— two Airmen, a civilian
employee and one captain. As I reached for the door, the captain
said, "You don't want to go out there right now."
I looked
out and saw traffic stopped and several people frozen in the hot
July sun, gazing westward, some saluting, some standing at
attention, and some with their hands laid on their chests.
No, I
don't really want to go out there right now. I looked at my watch
— 1630.
I stood
with the group that now numbered five. No one spoke. One Airman made
a call on her cell phone, the other shifted his gaze back and forth
between his shoes and the wall. The captain sifted through a folder
of papers. The civilian and I watched through the glass doors as a
technical sergeant stood at attention, saluting ... a sweat ring
growing on his back. It seemed to go on forever.
The base
loudspeakers squeaked out the last recorded notes of the national
anthem. The cars rolled forward, the technical sergeant lowered his
salute. The civilian pushed our door open and walked out. The rest
of us followed. When the heat hit me, I felt fortunate that my
timing had kept me inside during the long ceremony.
I thought
about that day for weeks. Images of the episode flashed through my
mind as if I'd witnessed a crime -- the plate-sized sweat ring, the
glow of the cell phone on the Airman's cheek, the civilian's hand
resting on the door handle, the glare of the sun, the heat.
I recently
read an article about the War on Terror and learned that we average
2.35 American dead and 10 wounded every day in the area of
responsibility. That day leapt back into my thoughts. A few hours of
research helped me identify the date - July 14, 2005.
On July
14, 2005, 23-year-old Cpl Chris Winchester and 22-year-old Cpl Cliff
Mounce were killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised
explosive device in Baghdad.
On that
day, 21-year-old Pfc Tim Hines Jr. died when an IED hit his Humvee.
On that
day, 34-year-old Staff Sgt Tricia Jameson was killed by a secondary
IED while she was treating a victim of the primary IED. She, Chris
Winchester and Cliff Mounce all died in Trebil. We can assume she
was treating Chris, Cliff or another in their group. She
volunteered to go to Iraq and had been in-country three weeks.
On that
day, four American soldiers died in Iraq and numerous others were
wounded.
On that
day, four families were plunged into mourning.
On that
day, I flew one sortie, sifted through e-mail, updated my base
vehicle sticker, and hid from the heat behind a glass door.
Why does
it matter that I avoided participating in retreat? Some may think
it's silly symbolism, that it's not real. An aircraft is real. A
computer, a vehicle sticker —
they're real.
I believe
that anything that you allow to move you, or that inspires those
around you to search their hearts, is as real as the bomb that tore
Chris Winchester's body apart last summer. Anything that forces an
entire base to stop and listen to their thoughts for a while is
real. Anything that causes you to pause and acknowledge that
American soldiers may be under fire, as you listen to the national
anthem, is real.
As we five
stood inside that doorway, the soldiers killed and wounded that day
may have been bleeding, screaming and dying in the sand.
If my
timing is ever again as perfect as it was that day, I'll be
prepared. I'll be ready with, "Yes, I do want to go out there right
now." You may not come with me, but I'll bet you think about it for
weeks.
If I'd
stepped outside to pay respect to the flag and to the four soldiers
who died that day, how long would it have taken?
One minute
and twenty-eight seconds.
Maj
Mike Stolt, 97th Flying Training Squadron |
|
|
Apollo CS |
4th of
July Celebration
  Apollo
Composite Squadron presented the Colors at the Annual Sertoma 4th of
July Celebration, a day-long festival in San Gabriel Park,
Georgetown, TX. At one point during the day the main stage had Karaoke
going on. Apollo's cadets spontaneously took center stage and sang the
Air Force Song for the crowd, to grand applause. Our recruitment booth was well
visited, and we handled the festival's secured parking.
(1st Lt
Cheri Fischler)
CAF Aviation Heritage
Cadet Academy - 6-9 July
Early in July, the
Commemorative Air Force held its first
Cadet Academy in
Midland, TX, attended by four cadets and one senior member from Apollo
CS (Georgetown), plus two cadets from Midland. CAF had planned for two
hundred!
    
The camp, enjoyed by all, included a
Ropes Course, Desert Survival Training, and Aerospace instruction. It ended with flight(s) in CAF planes. This was great
training and a wonderful educational opportunity. The cadets made the
front page of the
Odessa American,
too!
(SM Bill
Davidson)
Plane-Wash Community Outreach, 15 July
Twelve Apollo
cadets and Cdt Steven Hamman from Pegasus CS took great pride Saturday
in cleaning three of the four planes on static display at the CAF Museum in Burnet, TX. It took 4 hours and several passes
before all oxidization
and graffiti would come off the planes:
an A-7
"Corsair II,"
an F-100 "Super Sabre," and a T-38 "Talon."
   
After much
elbow grease, the planes were sparkling-clean when the cadets were done. The
plane wash was a fun addition to the cadets' normal meeting, held
Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 11:30 am at the Burnet CAF
building. The squadron lends a helping hand at the Highland Lakes CAF
Squadron on a regular basis, allowing the cadets to be part of the CAF's
living history.
(1st Lt
Jim Wreyford)
 Cadet
Change of Command Ceremony, 18 July
At
a simple ceremony held on the tarmac by the squadron's plane, C/2nd
Lt Nicholas Capo ceremonially handed the unit's guidon over to the
next-highest ranking cadet in the unit, C/TSgt Michael Moody
—
now the squadron's new Cadet Commander. Cdt Capo, who is reaching 21
years of age, will remain in the squadron as a Senior Member.
(1st Lt
Cheri Fischler)
2nd
Plane-Wash Community Outreach, 22 July
Thirteen
Apollo cadets finished the job they had started the previous week, only
this time we got to work in the hangar, away from the hot summer Texas
day. "Bluebonnet
Belle" was built in 1944, flew in WWII, and almost took part in the
Berlin Airlift. A sturdy C-47 (the military version of the DC-3), the
series was last built in 1946. Nicknamed "Gooney Bird" by the GIs, the
C-47 was the mainstay Allied cargo plane during WWII.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
[1]
First formation, early Saturday. [2] PT can be very competitive.
[3] "Bluebonnet Belle," age 62 and still flying. [4] The
assignment. "We can do it." [5] Making sure it's really
clean. [6] And it was better than clean! [7]
Last formation.
The uniform of
the day was our favorite
— PT clothes. They're
comfortable, add to the fun, look great even when rumpled, and wash
easily.
"Bluebonnet
Belle" may be 62, but she's no old lady. We were happy to learn that
DC-3s are still flying commercial, even if only in a virtual
airline: DC-3 Airways!
(C/TSgt
Michael Moody) |
| Black Sheep CS |
Awards and Promotion Ceremony
  On
the evening of 18 July, the Black Sheep Composite Squadron's cadets held
an awards and promotions ceremony in the presence of their parents and
unit senior members. Lt. Col. Jack Birchum, the unit's Moral
Leadership Officer, gave the invocation, and Col Frank Eldridge,
Texas Wing Commander, presented the awards and promotions.
C/TSgt
Johanna Cohen and C/TSgt Brittany Stelting received Wright
Brothers Award certificates. C/TSgt Cohen was also presented the
Air Force Association's outstanding cadet award.
C/Capt Rebecca
McKinney (top right) and C/Capt
Chris Papson (top left) received the Amelia Earhart award; and C/2nd Lt Mitchell Graham received the
General Billy Mitchell Award.
  Four
cadets skillfully performed a rifle drill demonstration. Col Eldridge
stated, “These cadets should be commended for the outstanding hard
work that earned them these awards and promotions.”
Cadet Change of Command Ceremony
After the
awards and promotions, C/Capt Rebecca McKinney relinquished her
position to C/1st Lt Johnilea Petty (left), who became the
new Cadet Commander.
(2nd Lt Kelly
R. Castillo) |
| Pegasus CS |
On 8 July 2006,
Pegasus Sq hosted a well-attended Group III ROA course, with
senior members and cadets from Pegasus, Bell County, and Dallas
Squadrons, resulting in 17 new licenses issued. Another 7 attendees came
for a refresher.
(Capt Steve
Barclay)
   On
28 July
—
Pegasus hosted visiting IACE cadets Jason Averay and Troy
Pangalos (Australia); Scott Crook, Ross Faller, Megan Fink, and Etienne
Goselin (Canada); and Frida Lion and Anton Lund (Sweden). They were
accompanied by escorts Jessica Garcia (Australia) and Henrik
Persson (Sweden). After a tour of the Texas Capitol, Ms Romina Black,
Director of International Protocol,
Office of the Secretary of State, presented all cadets and
their escorts with Honorary Citizen of the State of Texas
certificates signed by Governor Perry (left). Afterwards, the group
had lunch courtesy of Austin's landmark restaurant
The County Line on The
Lake, an occasion enjoyed by all (right). The barbeque was
superb, the company young and lively, and the guests candid in their
obvious enjoyment.
After lunch, the group visited Camp Mabry's Audie Murphy
Museum, where they met with Lt Col Randall E. Davis, XO and OIC of
the 136th Regiment (Combat Arms), Texas National Guard, depicted
at left with Lt Col Dawn King (Texas Wing IACE Coordinator) and MSgt
Bristow (left to right). The visit wouldn't have been complete without a
tour of the Texas Military Forces Museum, which is devoted to
military events from the Texas Revolution up to and including current
Iraq action. A special Aviation History section fascinated the
visiting cadets.
   The
display of memorabila, uniforms, equipment, and photographs of 20th
century military engagements brought back to life the events and
actions of the many Texans who fought them. The atmosphere became so
charged with history, that Cdt Scott Crook (Canada) asked for (and got)
permission to don some current army gear (Kevlar helmet and protective
vest) and proceeded to "man" a WWII-vintage caliber .50 machine gun
that was on display.
(Lt Col Dawn King)
11-13 August
—
Pegasus will hold an Airman Leadership School (ALS) at Camp
Mabry, Austin, TX. Please contact
Lt Col Dawn King. 29
September-11 October
—
Field Training Exercise (FTX) at Lost Pines, Bastrop, TX. Please
contact 2nd Lt Frank Bos.
28 October
— As a
dual-charter CAP/BSA Venture Crew (and a fund raiser,
recruiting event, and community outreach),
the
squadron will offer an aerospace BSA merit badge
workshop (0900-1500), taught and supervised by CAP cadets as part of
their own progression requirements. Three of the six badges being
offered are required for the Eagle Scout track; while the other three
are electives. CAP cadets who are also BSA members earn BSA awards for
their CAP activities. Please contact
SM Chris Arnold for details.
(1st Lt
Daren Jaeger) |
| Waxahachie
Talon CS |
 Mitchell
Ceremony
— On 6 July, during promotion ceremonies for
the Waxahachie Talon Composite Squadron at Waxahachie-Midlothian Midway
Airport, Cdt Michael Williams received the General Billy Mitchell Award
and his new rank of Cadet Second Lieutenant from Maj Laurie A.
Lancaster, Group III Chief of Staff.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis
Williams, of Waxahachie, he joined CAP in September, 2003 and has
participated in many training activities, including last summer's
National Blue Beret in Oshkosh, WI. His specialty qualifications include
Search and Rescue GTM 2 & UDF member, as well as Mission Radio Operator.
A 2005 graduate of Waxahachie High School, he'll attend Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ in order to pursue a career in
aviation.
(Lt Col Gary
Stevens) |
|
