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Group Commander
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Respect
The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary defines respect as, "to consider worthy of high regard."
We'll get back to this in
a moment.
Last month I talked a
little about "square one." If you recall what I meant by that, then
please read on. If not, please go back, read last month's "Feedback and
Trust," then come back. In April I had the misfortune of being copied on
an e-mail between two CAP members, where the sender of the e-mail showed
an unconscionable level of disrespect towards a fellow CAP volunteer.
You would be correct in assuming that my addressing this issue publicly,
in this editorial, means that I take it very seriously.
In the e-mail that so
greatly disturbed me, the sender not only failed to treat a fellow
member with courtesy, but in fact made some very personal acrimonious
statements that were
offensive to me, even though they were
directed at someone else. But that wasn't enough. The member ended the
e-mail with a list of very caustic remarks that the sender believed
described the recipient
–
almost
like a top-ten list.
When I read it, I felt as
if I were in the twilight zone. My first inclination was to step in and
suspend the member immediately, then thought about it. Instead, I
discussed it in some detail with the sender's unit commander. The only
reason I did not suspend this person's CAP membership
immediately
is the faith and confidence I have in that
unit commander to deal with this problem. However, the offending member
is on notice now that I will *not* tolerate this behavior
in Group III.
Period.
Under any circumstances.
Now let's talk about
respect, what it is, and why it's so important to us as an organization.
Respect is, essentially, considering someone
or something to be worthy of high regard.
What do I respect,
personally? I thought I might give you a
partial
list:
-
I respect the basic dignity of all human
beings, even if I disagree with them.
-
I respect the service of those who have
served or still serve in the military.
-
I respect those people who have chosen
public service as their profession in spite of risks that their
service may carry: police officers, firefighters, and those who
daily put their life on the line in the service of others...
-
I respect my nation's flag and all it
stands for.
-
I respect the volunteer members of Civil
Air Patrol, and what is often the thankless service they give to
their communities, states and nation.
-
I respect CAP members who demonstrate
excellence in their CAP work. Cadets who earn milestone awards,
senior members who advance in the senior program, members who become
qualified in ES positions, and all those who prepare themselves to
better serve others…
-
I respect the time and energy that CAP
members entrust to me and to my staff.
-
I respect the trust that the taxpayers
of the United States of America have placed in us by funding our
assets, training, and missions.
-
I respect my uniform because wearing it
is a privilege
–
my
uniform really belongs to the millions of men and women who have
come before me, some of whom have died while wearing it, and I owe
it to them to wear it properly.
-
I respect the chain of command because
it preserves order. Without it, we become ineffective.
Next question.
For me, how does respect manifest itself?
First, I strive to treat all CAP members with basic courtesy, and that's
only a starting point. You'll notice
that I always call my Wing Commander "Sir"
or "Col. Smith". Second, I work very hard to
respect the time and commitment that CAP members give to CAP by being
the best custodian of that commitment
that I can be. I start and end meetings on time, I work very hard to
complete take-aways and action items, and I try very hard to be timely
in my review of administrative, personnel, and other command items that
make their way to me. I have the same
expectations of my staff.
Final question. Why is
respect important to us as an organization? Why choose this as one of
our core values? That answer is easy. We are an organization of
volunteers that is based very loosely on a military hierarchy. CAP
attracts an extremely diverse set of individuals, with very different
interests, who have come together to meet the needs of our missions. In
any group of human beings there will be conflict, and only through deep
and mutual respect will we ever be able to overcome differences of
opinion and personality, empowering us to accomplish goals that far
outstrip anything we could ever do as individuals.
And that's the bottom
line.
The month of May brings
us an opportunity, with Memorial Day, to reflect on a deeper meaning of
respect, a meaning not always made manifest to us by our daily lives. On
Memorial Day, I ask that you take a moment to reflect on what respect
means to you. Internalize that. Then live it.
Lt. Col.
Owen Younger, Commander
Tertia semper primoris |
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Wing Commander
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Message to the Texas Wing, 10 April
Everyone has to be signed into a mission before they participate. It
doesn't matter if it is practice, like this weekend, or the real deal.
One of the things that dramatically slows down check-in with IMU is the
absence of emergency contact information for a member in the IMU
database. To solve this problem:
Log into WMU at https://wmu.nat.cap.gov/
using the member button on the main menu.
If you are unfamiliar with the use of the database, click on the
"Instructions" button at the bottom left.
If you are a first-time user, you need to create a new account. To do
this, read the instructions on how to use WMU, and how to create a new
account. Once the system verifies that you are a CAP member, you'll be
allowed to create your new account.
NOTE: The User Name and Password for this application are not the
same as those you use for e-Services.
Select the Emergency Contact Info button and ensure your emergency
contact information is up to date.
Hit the Update buttons for both contact and medical information if you
entered new data in either area. The data you enter into WMU will
migrate to IMU overnight.
Go to the bottom of the page and hit the Print Form 60 button to get a
new Form 60.
Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander |
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Wing Commander
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Message to the Texas Wing,
11 April
Please share Gen Courter's
important
NIMS training letter with your staff and ES qualified
members. Thank you.
Sincerely,
John A. Salvador, Director
of Missions, HQ CAP |
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Wing Commander
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Message to the Texas Wing,
14 April
From
the SW Region Commander.
Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander
From:
email@swr.cap.gov [mailto:email@swr.cap.gov]
On Behalf Of Jensen Joseph
Col CAP SWR/CC
Sent: Sunday, April 13,
2008 11:09 PM
To: wing-command@swr.cap.gov;
staff@swr.cap.gov; Donald.Hensley@carswell.af.mil;
timothy.taylor@carswell.af.mil
Cc: 'BGen Amy Courter';
'Col. Reggie Chitwood (CAP/CS)'; arwingcap@sbcglobal.net;
'Arthur Woodgate';
j.l.gilbert@sbcglobal.net; 'Salvador, John'; 'Desmarais,
John W.'; 'Colonel John J. Varljen'; 'Andre Davis'
Subject: [SWR Staff] [:swr:}
Message from SWR Commander - FOR RELEASE THROUGHOUT SWR
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO
ALL PERSONNEL, SOUTHWEST REGION, CAP
As most are
aware, we just completed the second annual SWR Region Exercise. In
summary, the exercise went exceptionally well throughout the region and
I appreciate very much everyone’s efforts to make the exercise work.
The 2007
SWR Region Exercise was essentially six independent wing exercises held
separately, coordinated from the SWR C-4 in Little Rock. The
2008 SWR Region Exercise was very different in that our scenario
required the SWR team to address a region-wide incident, with diverse
taskings requiring the establishment of joint (multi-wing) incident
command posts, and coordination between the C-4 in
Little Rock and another region coordination center at Falcon Field in
Mesa, AZ. In addition to functioning as a region operations
coordination center, other tasks given to the C-4 were true C-4 taskings,
including the identification, acquisition and tracking of assets into
and out of the operations areas.
Also,
several “curve-balls” (lost communications, tasking changes requiring
major changes in operational plans, etc) were thrown into the scenario,
and actual risk management decisions were required due to high winds in
portions of the operational area. The region-wide training objectives
were accomplished in an exceptional manner, and without accident,
incident or injury.
My thanks go out to all officers, members and cadets of SWR. Special
recognition is due to the Arizona Wing for standing up a regional
coordination center in Mesa, Capt. Shirley Kay of NM Wing for
serving as an IC on short notice due to family illness of other
personnel, Capt. Arthur Woodgate of Texas Wing for service as the SWR
information Officer, Lt. Col. Jim Gilbert (SWR C-4 Coordinator), and the
Arkansas Wing for outstanding support in Little Rock and
Texarkana.
In the next
several days we will have an after-action “lessons learned” report,
which I will distribute through the Wing Commanders. I am very proud of
every member of our team, and again I thank you for your continued
outstanding service.
Col. Joseph Jensen,
Southwest Region Commander |
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Wing Commander
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Message to the Texas Wing, 28 April
Attached is a
letter from the SWR announcing the SWR award winners for 2008.
Please join me in again congratulating the Texas award winners.
| Cadet of the Year: |
C/Lt Col Thomas J Wright, TX 802 |
| John V Jack Sorenson
Award: |
Capt Raymond L Hicks, III, TX 802 |
| Communications Officer
of the Year: |
1st Lt Toby Buckalew, TX 214 |
| Logistician of the Year:
|
1st Lt Dennis Schulin, TX 179 |
| Moral Leadership Officer
of the Year: |
Capt Ronald Chastain, TX 448 |
| Senior Member of the
Year: |
Lt Col Donald Fisher, TX 298 |
Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander |
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Wing Commander
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Message to the Texas Wing, 30 April
A very
informative update from NHQ.
Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander
From:
Rowland, Donnie [mailto:DROWLAND@capnhq.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 7:33 AM
To:
Subject: Executive Director's Open Cockpit April 2008
National
Board Members and Advisors,
The
April 2008 Open Cockpit is attached in Adobe PDF format for your
review. I trust that you will find this information timely and useful.
Very
respectfully,
Don Rowland, Executive Director |
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Group Commander
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In
Welcoming Our New Chaplain
Born in the Bronx, NY, Ch. (Lt. Col.) Marc Ben-Meir had
an uncertain start in life. He dropped out of high school as a
sophomore, joined the Navy, transferred to the Army Reserve, and served
in Viet-Nam. Upon discharge, traveled Europe on a motorcycle for 9
months and ended up in Israel, where he served in the Israeli Army as a
paratrooper (Tzanchan) and fought in the Yom Kippur war, being taken
prisoner. After his liberation, he studied for the rabbinate in Israel,
returned to the U.S., was ordained, and rejoined the U.S. military as a
chaplain. This is where he embarked on an academic career, gathering an
A.A., B.A., M.A. (cum laude), and Ph.D. in Psychology. Eventually, he
owned the Springhaven Addictions Clinic in Ft. Worth.
Chaplain Marc (as he would like to be called), is "a
rolled-up sleeves guy" (his self-description) who enjoys historical
re-enacting (Civil War medicine) as a hobby, has been a member of CAP for
20 years, is a CAP Lt. Col., and is a recipient of the CAP Silver Medal
of Valor. He is the father of five sons, two of whom are serving on
active duty. In his CAP career, he has
been a DCFC, DCFS,
Squadron Commander, Deputy Group Commander, Group CAPMAP Officer, Deputy
Wing Chaplain, and TX Wing CISM Officer. He has three grandchildren and
one is on the way.
In his own words, "My
vision as a chaplain? That's easy. I don't see myself as a priest,
rabbi, minister, imam, or pastor. As a chaplain, I serve you and your
spiritual needs regardless of your faith or belief system. I will never
try to convert you to my belief system or preach a narrow perspective. I
am available to speak with you or those close to you regarding those
issues that affect you and your happiness as a person and CAP member."
It is with great pleasure that I welcome Chaplain Marc to
the Group III family, and wish him every success. We are truly grateful
for having him want to come to us.
Lt. Col.
Owen Younger, Commander
Tertia semper primoris |
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Aerospace Education
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NASA's New
Contests for K-12 Students
NASA Quest LIMA Challenge. Students in grades 4-8
will get to pick a research question based on the Landsat Image
Mosaic of Antarctica. They must defend their choice and
demonstrate why it would be useful to study it. For more
information, visit
http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lima.
Spring 2008 Cassini Scientist for a Day Contest.
Open to all students in the US in grades 5-12, working alone or
in groups. Participants are challenged to study three image of
Saturn taken by Cassini, and pick the one they think would
produce the best scientific results. Deadline May 8, 2008. For
more information, visit
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientist/.
Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate
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Cadet Programs
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Cadet Protection Program Training
I'd like to remind everyone of how important Cadet Protection
Program Training (CPPT) is. This training is mandatory
for
-
All senior members (it is an element of the senior
member’s Level One professional development);
-
Cadet Sponsor Members (it is an element of the
senior member’s Level One professional development);
and
-
Cadets age 18 and older. “Completion of the Cadet
Protection Program Training (CPPT) is required of
all cadets within 6 months following their 18th
birthday, or if a promotion is due during that
6-month period, prior to the promotion. Cadets will
not participate in CPPT if they are under 18 years
of age.” (CAPR 52-16 1-3d) –
This means that cadets who turns 18 must take CPPT before
they are eligible to promote.
To complete CPPT go to
http://level2.cap.gov/index.cfm?nodeID=6476
and simply follow the instructions. Your Squadron
Commander will then go over your paperwork and make sure
that you get the proper credit.
OPSEC Training
While doing a spot check of cadets across Group III, I noticed
that quite a few have not yet completed OPSEC training. It is
very important that cadets do this as soon as possible, and make
sure that they understand and agree to the Non-Disclosure
agreement. All members must complete OPSEC training and agree to
the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) by 1 April 2008, or they will
not be allowed access to e-Services, the Web Mission Information
Reporting System (WMIRS), or any other CAP system that requires
a unique login and password.
Any member who has not completed this training can do so online
at: https://tests.cap.af.mil/opsec
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Welcoming Maj Richard Hunt
It is a pleasure to welcome Maj Richard Hunt to the Group III
Cadet Programs Staff. He has had experience with cadets as the
Deputy Commander for Cadets at Addison Eagles Composite
Squadron, and prior experience on Group III Cadet Programs
staff. He has also assisted the cadet programs at Mesquite and
Dallas Composite squadrons.
Cadet Promotions Online, 15 March
National has created a new system to upload cadet promotion
information, as an aid to unit commanders and cadets alike. As
an added bonus, National will be able to track a cadet's
progression through the cadet program. Here's is the
Memo from National.
Plan Your Summer Flying Now
Now is the time to plan your summer activities. The Texas Wing
Flight Academies are a couple of great opportunities.
The Texas Wing Powered Flight Academy will take
place on 7-14 June 2008 at Brazoria County Airport (SW of
Houston). Cadet students must be current members, at least age
16 by 13 June 2008, must have attended at least one cadet
encampment, and have their unit commander's recommendation. The
Flight Academies will be limited to 20 cadet students and 12
staff members, so be sure and get your applications in early.
The Texas Wing Glider Academy will be held at the
Bishop Airport 76T (Decatur, TX) 8-16 August 2008.
Ops Plans for both events will be posted on the Texas Wing
Website shortly.
Group III CP Staffing Needs
Group III Cadet Programs needs a few good people with managerial
skill to be project officers for group-wide events over the next
year. Applicants need not be cadet programs officers to apply. If
you or anyone you know would like to help make Group III Cadet
Programs the best in Texas, please
e-mail me.
1st. Lt. Opal McKinney, CPO
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| Chaplain
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Cast thy bread upon the waters
Ecclesiastes 11:1 tells us, “Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou
shalt find it after many days.” Aside from the antique English, what
does this mean? What does it mean to you?
Of the many lessons I have learned in
life, the one gleaned from this reading was one of the most
important. What you do today will come back to you tomorrow. The lie you
tell today will come back to haunt you tomorrow. The good deed you did,
the bill you remembered to pay, the integrity you maintained will
bolster your name for years to come. The happiness you gave to others
will also come back to nurture you.
This lesson was brought home recently to my youngest son,
Jonathan, who serves our country in the Air Force. Jonathan went to
purchase a newer car. Since he is about to become a father, he needed a
larger vehicle. He had always paid his bills, and thought his credit was
good. Wrong! He was denied.
When he called to find out why, he learned that two years
before he had co-signed on a loan for a friend, and his “friend” had
defaulted on the loan. His friend had left the Air Force and there was
no way to contact him. Not only was his friend’s credit ruined, so was
my son’s. Fortunately, I was able to co-sign for him, so he got his car
- but no satisfaction. Because of his former friend’s record of not
paying his bills and “sticking” his friends, the JAG office at my son's
base has addressed a letter to the credit bureau.
Whether you are a cadet about to graduate from high
school, or a senior member at any stage in your life, the lesson here is
simply this: Take with you into the world what you have learned in your
life. CAP’s system of honor and integrity will serve you well in
whatever choice you make for your future - as a student, serving your
country, or in civilian employment. Remember the words of Ecclesiastes
and, indeed, remember that what you do today will come back to you
tomorrow.
After having retired from the Civil Air Patrol, and
changed my mind about it, I am happy to be back as a member and as your
chaplain. I am here for you! Regardless of your faith, or even if you do
not profess a faith. If you need me, my home number is 817-831-9512. My
purpose is not to take the place of your minister, pastor, priest, imam,
rabbi, or any other faith leader. But as your CAP chaplain, I am here
for you as a person, should you need me.
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Marc Ben-Meir
"Chaplain Marc"
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|
Chaplain
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Old Eddie
It
happens every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun
resembles a giant orange and is starting to dip into the blue ocean. Old
Ed comes strolling along the beach to his favorite pier. Clutched in his
bony hand is a bucket of shrimp. Ed walks out to the end of the pier,
where it seems he almost has the world to himself. The glow of the sun
is a golden bronze now.
Everybody's gone, except
for a few joggers on the beach. Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed
is alone with his thoughts... and his bucket of shrimp.
Before long, however, he
is no longer alone. Up in the sky a thousand white dots come screeching
and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there
on the end of the pier. Before long, dozens of seagulls have enveloped
him, their wings fluttering and flapping wildly. Ed stands there tossing
shrimp to the hungry birds. As he does, if you listen closely, you can
hear him say with a smile, "Thank you. Thank you."
In a few short minutes
the bucket is empty. But Ed doesn't leave. He stands there lost in
thought, as though transported to another time and place. Invariably,
one of the gulls lands on his sea-bleached, weather-beaten hat - an old
military hat he's been wearing for years.
When he finally turns
around and begins to walk back toward the beach, a few of the birds hop
along the pier with him until he gets to the stairs, and then they, too,
fly away. And old Ed quietly makes his way down to the end of the beach
and on home.
If you were sitting
there on the pier with your fishing line in the water, Ed might seem
like "a funny old duck," as my dad used to say. Or, "a guy that's a
sandwich shy of a picnic," as my kids might say. To onlookers, he's just
another old codger, lost in his own weird world, feeding the seagulls
with a bucket full of shrimp.
To the onlooker, rituals
can look either very strange or very empty. They can seem altogether
unimportant... maybe even a lot of nonsense. Old folks often do strange
things, at least in the eyes of Boomers and Busters. Most of them would
probably write Old Ed off, down there in Florida. That's too bad. They'd
do well to know him better.
His full name: Eddie
Rickenbacker. He was a famous hero back in World War II. On one of his
flying missions across the Pacific, he and his seven-member crew went
down. Miraculously, all of the men survived, crawled out of their plane,
and climbed into a life raft.
Captain Rickenbacker and
his crew floated for days on the rough waters of the Pacific. They
fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger. By
the eighth day their rations ran out. No food. No water.
They were hundreds of
miles from land and no one knew where they were. They needed a miracle.
That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a
miracle. They tried to nap. Eddie leaned back and pulled his military
cap over his nose. Time dragged. All he could hear was the slap of the
waves against the raft.
Suddenly, Eddie felt
something land on the top of his cap. It was a seagull!
Old Ed would later
describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a
flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, he managed to grab it and
wring its neck. He tore the feathers off, and he and his starving crew
made a meal - a very slight meal for eight men - of it. Then they used
the intestines for bait. With it, they caught fish, which gave them food
and more bait......and the cycle continued. With that simple survival
technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they
were found and rescued. (After 24 days at sea...)
Eddie Rickenbacker lived
many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that
first lifesaving seagull. And he never stopped saying, "Thank you."
That's why almost every Friday night he would walk to the end of the
pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.
[Eddie was an Ace in WW
I, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, and started Eastern
Airlines. He went through his ordeal in the Pacific in October, 1942.
Born in 1890, he died in 1973.
–
Editor]
Max Lucado, " The Eye of the Storm," pp.221, 225-226
[Sent in by my friend Chaplain (Lt. Col.) George Kelly - Editor]
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Emergency Services - Wing Announcement 1
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Mark your calendar!
–
21-28 June 2008 -
Important Update
The
Lone Star Emergency Services Academy will be held
June 21-28 in Big Sandy, Texas, at the
ALERT Academy. We've made a great arrangement with a
facility designed for indoor-outdoor training, offering us suitable
billeting, small and large classrooms, conference hall, and generous
grounds. It will definitely be more comfortable than the National
Guard facility we've been using up to now. To obtain the great rate
we've negotiated, students must bring their own sheets, blankets,
and towels. Also, participants will be expected to clean their own
space and classroom.
The curriculum for each LESA School will be geared to senior member
career track requirements. Cadet participation will be allowed,
provided they can keep up with senior members.
We
know Big Sandy is a long trip for many of you. However, an inbound or
outbound sortie to cover the cost of fuel should help make the drive
easier.
This new facility is a great place, and at a very reasonable
cost. Each school fee will be priced according to the cost of
classroom and field training aids required, but they will all be
bargains. The course fee will cover three meals a day, lodging,
classrooms, and wireless Internet access. It even has its own
air field.
We're trying to develop a long-term relationship with the ALERT
Academy, and you can help: be neat, watch your manners, and behave
as you would in the best of company.
Mission Air Crew flight and fuel costs are funded for Texas Wing
members. CAP members from other wings, unless they are supported by
their home wing's AF budget, will be charged the standard CAP flight
fee.
We'll be offering a host of exciting schools
–
some that you know already, plus new ones.
-
GSARSS A and B
will be back offering great training
–
-
Comm School
–
Love radios?
-
Mission Staff School
– Have you always wanted to
work at the ICP? Be at the heart of the event?
Then...
-
Mission Aircrew School
–
Forget the ground below. Think of it:
-
Flight Line Management School
–
Keep those planes moving, without mishaps.
-
PAO/IO School
– Tell the complete story, and
make the reader experience it!
-
Mission Chaplain School
– A 4-day course for chaplains,
taught by chaplains.
-
Comfort family and survivors,
-
Help the rescuers deal with their
feelings,
-
Work through real-life situations as
others have experienced them.
-
CISM
– A 4-day course on Critical
Incident Stress Management
-
Fundamental techniques, principles, and
practice,
-
Counseling and acceptance,
-
Work with the experts and learn coping
strategies.
Although by now we have selected many of the key senior instructors
who will put together these schools, we still need additional staff.
Please contact me if you're interested in managing
the following –
-
Admin/Finance
-
Kitchen Support
-
Chaplain Services
-
Cadet Support Staff
-
Computer/IT services.
If
you're interested in taking on any of these positions (openings for
cadets and seniors) or if you would like to be an instructor (for a
block of instruction, a couple of days, or for the week) in one of
the schools, please e-mail me.
We're working on a website that will let us do electronic
enrollment. By the end of February, we should be ready to announce
this site's URL and release both the Ops Plans and packing lists.
Mark you
calendars and watch your e-mail InBox for more information
–
slots will fill up fast!
Lt. Col. Brooks Cima, DOS |
|
Emergency Services - Wing Announcement 2
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PAO/IO
Training
As
announced by the Interim National Commander, Brig Gen Amy S. Courter,
"The newly revised CAPR 190-1 requires a trained and certified MIO, in
accordance with CAPR 60-3, to handle media relations for every mission
and training exercise."
This impacts deeply into the life of every unit. There
used to be a time when anyone could take on the job of the Public
Affairs Officer, with little or no formal training, provided the
commander certified that person for the job. This worked reasonably well
in a small unit at a time when communications were slow and only the
most noteworthy events were reported beyond the immediate community.
Today, what happens in your own back yard can quickly become known
across the globe. In a case like this, the non-IO qualified PAO dealing
with media relations may well suffer a very rude awakening.
That awakening, unfortunately, can have repercussions all
the way up the chain of command. Therefore, it is imperative that PAOs
take their formal training seriously. In short, every PAO needs to get
qualified as an Information Officer (or Mission Information Officer).
Gen Courter specifically singles out "every mission and training
exercise" as requiring an MIO. Think of it. What else do we do that
doesn't involve "missions and training exercises"?
Bottom line, a PAO that is not an IO/MIO is not up to the
job. The trouble is that there might not be an IO around, and the PAO
might have to "wing it." The lucky PAO might manage to survive the
experience, but not knowing what's involved and how to do it can produce
highly negative results.
Please read the item above this one, and notice that PAO/IO
training will be offered this summer. I encourage every PAO in Texas
Wing to take advantage of this opportunity. In one information-packed
week, you can get the training that you need. If you're serious about
being a PAO, and you are not IO/MIO qualified, I hope to see you there.
Lt. Col. Brooks Cima, DOS |
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Finance
 |
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Group III Patch Available
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Are you on Group III Staff? Wear the Group III Staff patch
proudly. At $5.00 each, they are a bargain and show your
commitment to Group III and the CAP program. (Click on the image
for a larger view.) |
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|
Group III Coins Available
 
Our mint
has delivered a batch of new
Group III Commemorative Coins, and you may own as many as you wish,
for $10.00 each. They make wonderful gifts for your loved
ones ... or even yourself. (Click on the images for larger
views of the obverse and reverse.)
To purchase either
Group III Patches or Group III Coins, please contact Maj Laurie
Lancaster -
laurielancaster@yahoo.com |
Maj. Laurie Lancaster, FO |
|
Honor Guard
 |
Presenting the Colors at the AFA Luncheon,
19 April
DALLAS, TX
–
It was mid-day, but the stars were out in downtown
Dallas as the Seidel Chapter of the Air Force
Association (AFA) hosted General T. Michael Moseley,
USAF Chief of Staff to a luncheon at the Fairmont
Hotel.
General Moseley was joined on
Saturday 19 April by Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Deputy Chief of
Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; Lt.
Gen. John Bradley, Commander, Air Force Reserve; Lt. Gen.
Craig McKinley, Director, Air National Guard; Maj. Gen.
Loren Reno, Commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center,
Tinker Air Force Base; Brig. Gen. Howard Thompson,
Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 8th Air
Force, Air Combat Command and Lt. Gen. Mike Dunn
(Ret.), President of AFA.
The Honor Guard routinely
practices for several hours at the selected venue prior to
the event, to ensure a perfect performance with no
unexpected obstacles. While the practice was wrapping up,
General Moseley arrived early and made it a point to
introduce himself to each of the cadets, thanking one and
all.
As the luncheon began Kay Kamm,
of the AFA, introduced the Group III Honor Guard, who posted
the colors. C/TSgt Tim Kleinmeier (US Flag), C/SMSgt Matthew
Garcia (Texas Flag), C/CMSgt Sarah Heitzmann and C/MSgt
James Gulliksen (rifles) flawlessly performed their
ceremonial placement of the flags and stood at attention as
Ms. Kamm led the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Each Honor Guard cadet was then
seated at a table with one of the generals for
lunch. Important contacts can be made at these events, such
as Cadet Garcia experienced when an invitation was extended
for the Honor Guard to tour a Lockheed facility.
After the meal, General Moseley
spoke about his vision for the Air Force. The General
mentioned how good it was to be home in Texas, since he was
born in Grand Prairie and graduated from Texas
A&M. Following General Moseley’s remarks, the colors were
retrieved and an opportunity for photos was provided. The
Honor Guard cadets were thrilled to have met Gen Moseley in
person.
Later that evening, General
Moseley attended the Dallas Military Ball, while some of the
Honor Guard members went paint-balling. They were back at
the Addison Composite Squadron for a scheduled Honor Guard practice on
Sunday afternoon.
National
Honor Guard Academy acceptance
The Group
III Honor Guard has a strong history of cadets attending the
National Honor Guard Academy. We’re proud to announce that
C/MSgt Matthew Garcia has been accepted to the Honor Guard
Academy this summer. Cadets Kleinmeier, Cohen and Heitzmann
have attended in the past.
Practice Schedule
| Date |
Time |
Place |
| 4 May |
1300-1700 |
Mesquite Blacksheep Composite Squadron |
| 18 May |
1300-1700 |
Addison
Composite Squadron |
| 1 June |
1300-1700 |
Mesquite Blacksheep Composite Squadron |
Join the Honor Guard
For more information on joining the Group III Honor Guard please contact
TFO McKinney or
1st Lt Don Gulliksen.
1st.
Lt. Don Gulliksen, HGO |
|
Inspector
General
 |
Inspection Status
Due to Capt Manley's slow recovery,
there are no inspections scheduled at this time. He
is expected to be back among the movers and shakers
soon, and he'll put together a new schedule at that
time.
Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Editor
Inspection Schedule
| Charter # |
Unit Name |
Date |
Comment |
| TX-352 |
Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron |
21 April, 2007 |
|
| TX-030 |
Group III |
5 May, 2007 |
|
| TX-376 |
Waxahachie Composite Squadron |
Date TBD |
|
| TX-390 |
Addison Composite Squadron & TCA Flight |
9-10 June, 2007 |
|
| TX-148 |
Waco Composite Squadron |
14 July, 2007 |
|
| TX-391 |
Dallas Composite Squadron |
Date TBD |
|
| TX-351 |
Pegasus Composite Squadron
|
Date TBD |
|
| TX-133 |
Irving Composite Squadron |
Date TBD |
|
| TX-803 |
Red Oak Oaks Cadet Squadron |
Date TBD |
|
| TX-076 |
Crusader Composite Squadron |
Date TBD |
|
Capt. Steve Manley, IG
Civil Air Patrol Ethics Policy
On 25 August 2005, the National
Commander issued this
policy letter
as a guide for all CAP members. Please make sure that you understand
it, implement it, and remain vigilant concerning any violations.
Inspection Schedules
Unit inspection schedules are
now posted on the Group III
website's Squadron Support / Inspector General page.
Capt. Steve Manley, IG
|
|
Information Technology
 |
Most
Common Mistakes that Beginning Webmaster Make - The Banner
Creating a website takes more than organizing the
information and making it easy to find. The ease of use, in fact, can be
overwhelmed by poor choices in the overall "look and feel" as well as
faults in the art of space usage and arrangement.
The banner is that wonderful strip at the top of the page
that identifies your site. If you take the time to look at what the pros
have created for some of the major players (US
Air Force,
U.S. Navy,
Ford Motor Co.,
General Motors,
The White House,
IBM,
Seiko Watches,
General Electric,
Infiniti,
Nikon Corp.,
Smithsonian Institution,
3M,
Xerox, and so on),
you'll see that all of them share some basic features:
o The logo is unique,
o The page does not overwhelm the logo, and
o The banner itself is fairly thin and
unobtrusive, yet catches the eye.
The Beginning Webmaster (BW) is seldom able to resist the
temptation of creating a generous and "deep" banner (or masthead, as it
is called in the magazine world), sometimes allowing it to reach relatively
gigantic proportions. The more things the BW wants to cram into that
banner, the deeper it will be, and if the BW creates a 300-pixel deep
masthead in that fancy new PC that has a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels,
it won't look all that big. Now, wait a minute. Reality check. Along comes
the impoverished visitor using a small-screen laptop with a skimpy resolution of
800x600 pixels. What happens then? The BW's creation has turned into a
monster that hogs half the screen with that enormous, feature-full
masthead, a constant presence that just sits there, doing nothing
useful - and getting in the way.
The purpose of the masthead (or banner) is to brand the
website and each page within it. If this part of the screen is too deep, it will
force the visitor to keep scrolling for every page. Furthermore, once
the visitor has seen the BW's banner once, a perennial replication of
the same enormous banner
–
page, after page, after boring page
–
can become a source of great
irritation.
Rule No. 1 is easy to remember. The computer screen is a
very expensive and finite piece of visual real estate. The banner should
be a discrete reminder of ownership, because the rest of the screen
rightfully belongs to the information. If instead of a reminder the
banner becomes a visual hammer blow on the visitor's retina, that site
will bleed visitors away in no time. The same as with a case of food
poisoning at the local bistro, visitors to an unpleasant website are
not likely to return.
To summarize, a website is the living proof of what the
Bauhaus architects and artists in 1920's Germany proclaimed, "Less is
more." In Japan, where physical space is at a premium, rooms are
generally quite small, have practically no furniture, and usually have
only one silk painting hanging on one wall. The wealthy home owner may have
several such paintings, each neatly rolled around a wooden dowel, and
these may be displayed one at a time, to fit the occasion.
Only one. Think of it. There is only one sun. There is
only one moon. At your seashore, there is only one ocean. On this earth,
you get only one life...
Capt. Arthur E.
Woodgate, ITO
|
|
Professional Development
 |
Promotion
Requirements
I'd like to
highlight the new area of the Texas Wing
website, found at
Civil Air Patrol Promotion Requirements as
found in
CAPR 35-5 (E). The three main topics
discussed are:
This new addition to
the website was the main topic presented at the
Admin / Personnel / PDO Seminar taught at the
Wing Conference by Lt Col George Grodin and Lt
Col Bill Williams.
Senior Member
Training Opportunities this Month
1st.
Lt. Vanessa Smith, PDO
tx438pdo@yahoo.com
|
|
Public Affairs
– Cadet PAO
 |
From
Pegasus Composite Squadron, a new
Cadet PAO
C/TSgt Aaron Harold has an easy smile, runs like the wind, and
displays a talent for detail. Endowed with a keen eye that
captures the action, and a caring approach to life, he is not
afraid to sense the world around him, observe the people in it,
and feel their emotions. In the process, he finds his own.
A good story teller leads the listener or reader to experience an
event from the inside, as it were. The ability to share that
lived moment with others, who were not there, does not come
easily. It takes audacity and strength. Because truth in telling
is not the same as glibness. It requires candor and honesty,
which are present in this cadet in abundant measure.
He likes sports, people, hard work, people, overcoming
obstacles, people, and... oh, yes. People. That's what makes him
a great asset to the Group III Newsletter. So I welcome him with
pleasure and respect. May he write often, all his life, as he
develops in mind and spirit.
Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Group III PAO |
|
Public Affairs – Group III O-Flights - I 
|
TYLER, TX – Group III, Texas Wing invited cadets from Louisiana
Wing to participate in a weekend of Cadet Orientation flights at
Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. On Saturday, 5 April, five cadets
and three senior members from Barksdale Composite Squadron,
SWR-LA-005, arrived at the Tyler Composite Squadron eager to
fly. They were not disappointed.
The event was part of a Group III-wide
"O-Flights Marathon" involving Staging Areas at the Tyler Composite
Squadron, Waxahachie Composite Squadron and Kittinger Phantom Senior
Squadron in Austin, with the participation of other Texas Wing
squadrons that provided flightcrews, aircraft, and cadets. Unique
among them was Tyler, that received the Louisiana participants.
The weather, which had been cloudy
and foggy, lifted, and the day became perfect for flying. As
soon as they could complete in-processing, the cadets were given
a Safety and Orientation In-brief, and assigned sorties. C/Amn
Carter and C/Amn Patton made their first orientation flight,
Cadet Medley made his second flight, and all three of them plus
Cadets Rowan and King received back-seat rides. In all, the
Louisiana cadets made 8 orientation flights on Saturday.
Only two planes had been available for the day, since
the planned Louisiana aircraft had been grounded by poor weather
there.
In Monroe, LA, after waiting all day for the weather to improve,
Maj John Haddad and Capt Glen Deas were able to bring their
plane from the Monroe Senior Squadron over to Tyler, to fly
orientation flights on Sunday. Barksdale Composite Squadron is
also expecting an additional cadet to join them for orientation
flights on Sunday, bringing their total number of participating
cadets to 6.
When asked for their thoughts on this event, the Barksdale
cadets said it was “awesome” and “interesting.” C/CMSgt King
said, “I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new cadets and learn
how their squadrons did things.” Capt. Victor Santana, Deputy
Commander for Cadets for Barksdale Composite Squadron, said,
“This is a great opportunity to pool resources so that everyone
can accomplish more.”
The Barksdale cadets were also impressed upon learning that
Texas Wing has a CUL-qualified cadet who had been the
communications officer during the recent REDCAP mission that
searched for Mark Ritter. Capt Judy LaValley, the Barksdale
Squadron Commander, said, “That’s great! Hopefully this will
encourage our cadets to advance beyond MRO, and see how far they
can go in communications.”
The participating cadets were very much at home with each other.
Louisiana Cdt King said, “Texas is interesting, and
has big skies.” She had participated in a REDCAP mission last
September, searching for a missing rotor blade needed to
reconstruct a downed helicopter that had resulted in fatalities.
“It took a while, but we found it,” she said. "I was a little
uncomfortable at first being at the site, knowing people had
died, but I know I was helping with the investigation that would
help make sure this kind of accident wouldn't happen again."
1.
2.
3.
[1] Texas Cadets Gandy and
Saucedo visit with C/CMSgt King of Louisiana, as they wait
for their O-Flight. Cadet King has been in CAP
for 3 years and is taking her 5th O'Flight. [2] C/MSgt Winn of Tyler Composite Squadron TX085, waits for
his 4th O-Flight in the front seat. He has taken the
controls in previous flights, and has been in CAP two and a
half years. [3]
Sortie #1 is ready. Louisiana Cadets Rowan, Medley and
Carter, with Pilot Lt Col Richard Martin, from Mesquite Blacksheep Composite Squadron.
(Photos: Lt. Col. H. M. Ragland)
Cadet Airman Issac Cedillo, a member
of Tyler Composite Squadron, remarked, "The Louisiana cadets are
a great bunch to work with. Even though they are from out of
town, they acted like brothers and sisters." Cadet Cedillo
joined CAP because he needed a hobby, then liked the experience
and decided to stay. He wants to go into law enforcement,
either as a civilian or in Military Police.
Cadet Senior Airman Evan Rowan, from
Barksdale Composite squadron, joined CAP for the educational
opportunities and aviation experience. "I liked the CAP
scholarship opportunities along with National Cadet sSpecial
Activities like the powered flight academy," he said. Cadet
Rowan likes best the camaraderie with other cadets and the
adventure of flying.
Another member of the Tyler
Composite Squadron, Cadet Basic Shawn Bounds, said, "I liked the
Louisiana cadets' willingness to join in and participate." Cdt
Bounds joined CAP to help him pursue a military career. He plans
to attend Tyler Jr. College in August and study meteorology.
After completing Tyler Jr. College, Cdt Bounds will join the Air
Force and enter the pilot program.
Gregg County Composite Squadron
C/SMSgt Kayla Cassel, age 16, got her private pilot's
license in July 2007. Cadet Cassel has been in CAP for 18
months and is now working on her Ground Team Member
qualifications. She is a junior at Hallsville High School.
"After graduating from high school," she said, "I want to
attend the U.S. Air Force Academy."
Cdt Medley, a Barksdake cadet,
said, “The best way to describe it is – enjoyable.”
When asked what she thought about the joint-Wing Orientation
Flight Weekend, Capt LaValley said, “There need to be more
activities like this. This is a wonderful opportunity to
build good relationships and create a stronger region.”
All agreed the food was very
good, and Tyler Composite Squadron definitely lived up to
Texas’ reputation for excellent hospitality.
Lt. Col. H. M. Ragland, Capt.
Judith LaValley, and Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate
|
|
Public Affairs – Group III O-Flights - II
|
Group III hosts O-Ride weekend, 5-6 April - Day 1
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX – Beautiful, clear skies with a light breeze created ideal conditions for
flying at the Group III Orientation Ride weekend.
Nearly 30
cadets rest outside, soaking up the sun, as they eagerly wait for their
chance to fly, but the most eager cadets were those who had never
done an O-Flight before. Because there were only two CAP airplanes,
there was a limit to how many cadets could fly. Fortunately for those
anxious first-timers, the pilots agreed to give them the opportunity to fly
first. Cadet Airman Darr shares his feelings about his first O-flight,
“I was nervous at first, but I had a lot of fun.” Another first-time
flyer, Cadet Airman Shannon, was asked how he liked his first O-Flight
and he replied with a smiling,” Great! I can’t wait for my next one.”
1.
2.
3.
[1] The safety briefing. [2] The "grounded" cadets enjoyed
alternate activities. Rocket launching was wonderful, and the hovercraft
got many takers. [3] In one of the two CAP planes available, Capt.
Don Hart is about to take a first-timer on an O'Flight.
The
cadets were not the only ones having fun. The participating senior members really enjoyed working with the cadets. Capt. Don Hart,
one of the pilots, stated that today had been “a successful day” and that
this weekend had presented “great opportunities for both the senior and
cadets”.
Because
of the limited number of cadets in the air, there were many cadets on the ground
who had a lot of free time on their hands. Thankfully, the Apollo
Composite Squadron
had brought along a few great activities. Some cadets enjoyed
sliding around on the hovercraft, while others did some target practice with a
compressed air rocket launcher. At one point, the Pegasus Composite Squadron and Apollo
Composite Squadron cadets
faced-off in an epic game of “Dodge Goddard,” using Goddard model
rockets they launched at each other. Nobody won.
Overall,
today was considered a success. And the best part is that the event
repeats on Sunday. Most of the cadets can’t wait for Sunday to come
around.
Group III hosts O-Ride weekend, 5-6 April - Day 2
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
With fewer cadets than the day before, the O-Ride weekend continued with
everyone eager to take to the sky. Although everyone's spirits were high,
the day started off with low cloud levels, keeping the planes on the
tarmac. Thankfully, the day gained some momentum as soon as Captain
Arthur Woodgate walked in with a surprise. News Channel 8 Austin had
agreed to take some footage and interview one or two participants about
the O-Ride Weekend. The lucky ones were Cadet Senior Master Sergeant
Aaron Harold and Cadet Second Lieutenant Raphael Erie, who answered
questions about the event and CAP in general.
Then the photographer said, "I'd like some notes, please." That meant
that he wanted someone to speak into the camera so they would have
background information to go with the cadets' interviews, and Capt.
Woodgate volunteered to do that.
4.
5.
6.
7.
[4] C/TSgt Aaron Harold gets interviewed by the Austin Channel 8
videographer. [5] Capt Arthur Woodgate gives the TV videographer
some
background information on CAP. [6] Cadets learn pre-flight
inspection procedures. [7] C/A1C Caleb Gross sits at the radio
operator's desk of a CAF B-17 Flying Fortress. "I'll never forget this
day," he said. (Photos: C/2d Lt Raphael Erie)
As soon as the clouds had risen, the cadets were given a lesson on how
to do a pre-flight inspection and then were taken on their O-Flights.
Cadet Airman First Class Caleb Gross explains, “Flying is something I
have wanted to do for a long time. I now realize how small everything
really is.”
Towards the end of the day, a few of the cadets got the opportunity to
visit an event hosted by the Commemorative Air Force. The CAF was
displaying several World War II-era war birds, among them a
P-51
Mustang, a
B-25 Mitchell, and a
B-17 Flying Fortress. It was wonderful
to see these old planes, still in flying condition, and wondering how
the aircrews of that day had felt. Some of them had been just two or
three years older than this writer.
C/1st. Lt. Raphael Erie, Pegasus Composite Squadron |
|
Public Affairs – Group III O-Flights - III
|
Cadet
Orientation Weekend Flies High, 5-6 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
On the weekend of April 5-6, Cadets
from Austin, Georgetown, Waco and Temple gathered expectantly for
what would be - for some of them - an unforgettable experience. Ask
any pilot about that first ride in an airplane, and you will invite
a detailed story that ignited a lifelong passion. No doubt several
cadets experiencing their first flights will be telling those tales
for years to come, some from the deck of an aircraft carrier, or the
flight deck of an airliner, or even from space.
Cadet Denison, one of the “First
Flight” Cadets described the experience as “Awesome.” He said, “ I
felt weightless. It was really cool. The take off was so smooth it
was hard to tell we had taken off. I took the controls at 2500 feet
and got to make turns. When I looked out the window I could see
everything. And everything looked so small! Like little car and
house models."
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1]
Lt Col Dan Williams (on balcony),
Commander of the Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron based at
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, served as the Austin Staging
Area Manager for the Orientation Flights Weekend activities
conducted in Central Texas.
[2] (L-R) Maj
Richard Pope, Cdt Micah Straus, and Cdt Russell Darr.
[3] (L-R) Maj Richard
Pope, Cdt Micah Straus, and Cdt Russell Darr continue the pre-flight
as Micah's sister (far right) takes photos.
[4] (L-R) Cadet Benoit, Lt
Col George Mihalcik, and Cadet Denison
[5] (L-R) Cdt Johnson
Kokel, Cdt John Schwartz, and 2Lt John Meiner
The entire Straus Family turned out
for Cadet Micah Straus’ first flight, observing the safety briefing
and preflight, celebrating his take off from runway 17L, and then
celebrating his return to the TXDOT flight service building after a
successful and memorable flight.
Cadet Russell Darr summarized the
feelings of many - both cadets and CAP orientation pilots - with the
huge grin on his face. Cadet Caleb Grubbs anticipating the usual,
“What did you do over the weekend?” conversations at school, took
video on his phone to document his flying achievement.
Parents, brothers, and sisters
joined their Cadets at the TXDOT Flight Service building to support
them and share in this exciting milestone. Parent Lisa Gross
reflected on the importance of the day - and the Civil Air Patrol -
to the cadet members. “Civil Air Patrol offers a real opportunity to
break away from the chaos of school. These cadets share a sense of
doing something with purpose, they share a love of airplanes and a
desire to fly. I really feel that CAP feeds a need for order and
structure.” Looking toward a group of cadets engaged in conversation
across the room, she continued, “Look at them. They just love to be
with friends who share a common interest.”
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
[6]
Cdt Micah Strauss and family after
his first flight.
[7] SM Nicole Novak
conducts a preflight with cadets.[8]
(L-R) News 8 reporter,
Cadet Raphael Erie about to be interviewed, and Capt Arthur Woodgate
(PAO for Group III, Texas Wing) as he answers questions from the
video reporter.
[9] Cadet Raphael Erie
(right) interviewed by News 8.
[10] Cadet Aaron Harold
(right) interviewed by a News 8 reporter.
(All Photos: 1st Lt Richard Hacker)
While flying was the weekend
activities' primary focus, as with any CAP activity, leadership
opportunities also arose. On Saturday a photographer for the Round
Rock Leader took pictures to accompany a story on the Georgetown
about the Apollo Composite Squadron. And on Sunday, a reporter from
Austin Channel 8 News came by to shoot some footage of the
activities, as well as conduct some interviews. The News 8 reporter
interviewed Cadets Raphael Erie and Aaron Harold on camera. You can
read the News 8 story online at
http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/?SecID=278&ArID=204944
In Austin alone, over the course of
two days, eight pilots provided twenty-seven front seat orientation
rides and twenty-six back seat rides for cadets. The Orientation
process follows a curriculum which introduces each cadet to the
principles of flight, navigation, communications, and
safety. Orientation pilots must have as least 200 hours of
pilot-in-command time, complete an annual exam, and be signed off as
an orientation pilot during the annual CAP Form 5 check-ride.
This event was held simultaneously at
three location: Austin, Waxahachie, and Tyler, TX, all part of the
Group III Orientation Flight Weekend. It was deemed a complete
success.
1st. Lt. Richard Hacker, Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron |
|
Public Affairs – Group III O-Flights - IV
|
Group III
Orientation Flights
Weekend,
5-6 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM
AIRPORT, TX – On 05
April 2008, we
traded our scheduled
community service at
the Jasper Air show
in order to attend
the Group III
O-Flight
Weekend. The effort,
the coordination,
the time it must
have taken to
orchestrate such a
weekend was obvious
from the
start. Those doing
the work have my
sincerest
accolades. They all
worked so very hard
to pull this event
together. At least
five squadrons,
working and playing
together, is what
it’s really all
about. I know Apollo
Composite Squadron
had a great time
getting to know some
of cadets and senior
members from other
squadrons.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1] The
hovercraft were a
great hit. [2]
The idea of being
towed around sounded
dangerous, but
everyone loved it.
[3]-[4] The
hovercraft relay
race was wonderful.
No one won. [5]
Cdt Strauss
greatly enjoys his
first ride on a
hovercraft.
Each squadron had
been given tasks for
this event. The only
thing Apollo was
responsible for was
the food and
toys. The food
turned out to be the
hardest
part. Starting with
a malfunctioning
grill and frozen
meat, it’s a wonder
that anyone ever
ate. But the other
part of the problem
is that we never
seemed to get a
total head count of
those wanting to
eat, so even though
we took far more
than what we thought
we needed, we ran
very short. Some
people that actually
paid went
without. We will
plan better next
time, because this
is really a lesson
learned. And we
apologize to for
those who got
shorted.
6.
7.
8.
9.
[6] Capt
Cheri Fischler, the
unit commander, can
sling a hamburger
better than anyone.
[7] Pegasus
Composite Squadron
cadets arrive for
their O-Flights as
the Apollo cadets
enjoy their meal.
[8] A make-shift
tail-gate Aerospace
Education classroom.
[9] The
compressed-air
rocket launcher.
But the fun stuff
was a total triumph.
Apollo took the
hovercrafts, our
large Goddard
Rockets for Goddard
Dodge, and supplies
to build and launch
several hundred
paper rockets. The
paper rocket
launcher is the
newest Apollo
toy. We also took a
6x6 foot target, so
we had something to
take aim on. It is
always better to
have a
pre-determined
target, especially
when dealing with so
many fun-loving
teens. The target
was easy. Just get a
white sheet, some
PVC pipe, and some
old spray paint, and
you have a target to
go.
The AE lessons
intended for the day
were Trajectory,
Weight & balance,
Fin alignment, Size,
and Design. Other
lessons learned
would include what a
plastic water bottle
sounds like when it
explodes. It wasn't
on the schedule, but
it was great fun
none-the-less. After
several bottles
exploded, we had to
stop – it really
sounded like a shot
from a high-powered
rifle; not a good
sound at an
airport.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
[10] Setting
up the target wasn't
all that hard.
[11] Hitting the
target is another
matter. [12]
The theory of
trajectory sounds
quite sound, but
will it work in the
field? [13] A
spirited session of
target-seeking
rockets. [14]
Amazingly, they
weren't all
destroyed – though
some were mangled.
(All photos: 1st
Lt Sue Kristoffersen)
We take comfort in
hoping that those
who went hungry will
eventually forgive
us, and next time
we’ll plan to play
harder, eat more,
and wear more
sunscreen.
The patterns for all
the toys we took to
the O-Flight Weekend
can be found in the
AEX books.
1st. Lt. Sue
Kristoffersen, AEO,
Apollo Composite
Squadron
|
|
Public Affairs – Group III O-Flights - V
|
Texas Wing’s Group III Conducts Multi-base Cadet Flight Orientation
Weekend, 5-6 April
WAXAHACHIE, TX –
Commanded by Maj. Nolan Teel, Flight Operations Officer of Group III,
Texas Wing, the Orientation Flight Weekend took place on 5-6 April at
three different locations: Waxahachie Composite Squadron and Tyler
Composite Squadron at the north, and Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron
at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin at the south.
Maj. Teel directed the event from the Mid-Way Regional Airport, home of
the Waxahachie Composite Squadron.
The Station Area Manager
at Tyler was Lt. Col.
Wilbur Dixon, and at Austin, Lt. Col. Dan
Williams. Both SAMs maintained close
coordination with Maj. Nolan Teel, at Waxahachie, sharing tasking and
information for a successful, accident-free operation.
Given the
circumstances, the raw statistics are impressive. Since the weather was
not perfect, Saturday witnessed delayed flights until noon or later,
depending on the location. Some planes couldn’t be flown in because of
bad weather elsewhere. Then, low ceilings on Sunday morning delayed
flying until mid-morning or even afternoon.
Some aircraft that had
been allocated for participation were diverted to firewatch missions
instead, so the total number of aircraft was relatively small. Yet, a
lot of flying still managed to take place. Total number of rides were 202 (85 of them
on the front seat), with 70.5 total hours flown. 119 cadets and 63
senior members signed in. Of these, 20 members were from Louisiana Wing.
A total of 9 aircraft were used, two of them from Louisiana Wing. Six
Texas vans and 1 Louisiana van were used for ground transportation.
“Every Group III
squadron in the northern area participated, including two pilots (and
plane) from the Fort Worth Senior Squadron, in Group II, as well as a
cadet from Group II,” said Maj. Teel. All composite squadrons in Group
III’s southern area participated at the Austin Staging Area.
Given the abbreviated
flying hours available, the 35+ hours flown each day are a very fair
accomplishment. Some cadets experienced their first orientation flight,
while others received additional rides that counted towards their 5
front-seat ride quota.
On Sunday at the Tyler
Staging Area, Texas Wing Chaplain (Maj.) Ron Whitt gave a devotional on
"grasshopper mentality" taken from the Book of Numbers 13:33, “And there
we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we
were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
His message centered on having faith in God to help with the challenges
of life.
The participating
cadets were very much at home with each other. Louisiana Wing Cadet
Chief Master Sergeant Heather King said, “Texas is interesting, and has
big skies.” She had participated in a REDCAP mission last September,
searching for a missing rotor blade needed to reconstruct a downed
helicopter that had resulted in fatalities. “It took a while, but we
found it,” she said. "I was a little uncomfortable at first being at the
site, knowing people had died, but I know I was helping with the
investigation that would help make sure this kind of accident wouldn't
happen again."
Cdt. King, a member of
Barksdale Composite Squadron, completed her fifth and last orientation
flight on Sunday. Upon landing, the other Barksdale cadets gave her the
customary “dousing” with a garden hose. The same ritual is repeated when
the cadet completes the first solo flight at a CAP Powered Flight
Academy, to everyone’s great glee.
Cadet Basic Shawn
Bounds, a member of the Tyler Composite Squadron, said, "I liked the
Louisiana cadets' willingness to join in and participate." Cdt Bounds is
not unique in having joined CAP to help him pursue a military career. He
plans to attend Tyler Jr. College in August and study meteorology. After
graduating from Tyler Jr. College, Cdt Bounds will join the Air Force
and enter the pilot program.
Typically, cadets join
the Civil Air Patrol in order to fly. Man’s dream of flying, from the
pre-historic day when they first observed other creatures being able to
take to the air, has spurred the development of aviation to the present
day. An orientation flight is often the first step in what could become
a trip to the stars as an astronaut, or a distinguished career as a
military pilot, a respected career in commercial aviation, or even a
life-long involvement as an aerospace engineer and designer.
At the Austin Staging
Area, C/2d Lt Raphael Erie, a member of the Pegasus Composite Squadron,
remarked, “The cadets were not the only ones having fun. The senior
members participating really enjoyed working with the cadets. Capt. Don
Hart, a pilot member of the Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron, said that
it had been ‘a successful day’ and that the weekend had presented ‘great
opportunities for both senior members and cadets.’ Other pilots made
similar comments.”
At the Tyler Staging
Area, when asked for their thoughts on this event, the Barksdale cadets
from Louisiana Wing said it was “awesome” and “interesting.” C/CMSgt
King said, “I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new cadets and learn how
their squadrons did things.” Capt. Victor Santana, Deputy Commander for
Cadets for Barksdale Composite Squadron, said, “This is a great
opportunity to pool resources so that everyone can accomplish more.”
This had been an
exciting and fulfilling weekend for many cadets, and had given pilots
and senior staff members the opportunity to mentor and guide the young.
The weekend had presented challenges, and these had been vanquished. It
had also presented opportunities, and they had been enjoyed to the
fullest. Best of all, it had been highly enjoyable.
Operationally, it
underscored the advantage of having common standards, as well as the
ability to work with relative strangers who share the same training.
Although they had never met, the Louisiana and Texas members, adults and
cadets alike, welcomed each other as if they had always belonged to the
same unit. Which in fact they had. They were all members of the Civil
Air Patrol.
After the event,
addressing all participants, Maj. Teel said, “I want to thank
everyone in Group III for coming together this past weekend. I am so
very proud of all of you for what we were able to do. Coming
together for the cadets to show our support and love of the Cadet
Program is something truly awesome.” Then he added, “I'm sure all of
us saw at least one smile on a cadet, or heard a cadet getting out
of the plane say, ‘That was the best thing I’ve ever done.’ Again,
thank you for your commitment to the Civil Air Patrol and Cadet
Programs.”
(Parts of this article were contributed by Lt. Col. H "Butch" Ragland,
Tyler Composite Squadron PAO, and C/1st. Lt. Raphael Erie, Pegasus
Composite Squadron C/XO)
Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Information Officer
|
|
Public Affairs – SWR Exercise
|
Southwest Region Succeeds in Six-State Exercise, 11-13 April
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –
Over the weekend of 11-13 April, under the overall direction of the
Civil Air Patrol’s Southwest Region (SWR), the six member wings
(Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas)
conducted an Emergency Services exercise based on a Homeland Security
scenario. The Incident Commander (IC) at the Crisis Command and
Coordination Center (C4) was Col. Joseph Jensen, SWR Commander.
In preparation for the
exercise, beginning two weeks before its scheduled start, a series of
messages set the stage for the events that would be simulated during the
exercise. A hypothetical troop movement, accompanied by transportation
of equipment and munitions, would present the opportunity for a theft.
Intelligence channels would simulate an increase in message traffic from
suspected terrorists, said to be threatening an attack on U.S. soil.
Simultaneously, NASA would be said to have launched a space shuttle
carrying classified military equipment as part of its payload heading to
the International Space Station.
During the exercise,
CAP would be asked to develop a plan to support DOD installations in the
event of a terrorist attack, which would now appear imminent, targeting
one or more points in SWR. Texas Wing (TXWG) and SWR would be urged to
review emergency plans and maintain contact with State Homeland Security
and Emergency Managers. No specific targets will have been identified.
A successful simulated
shuttle launch would be followed by simulated mounting message traffic
between suspected groups around the world, opposing it. These would be
said to be operating hostile elements in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas,
causing heightened vigilance in the SWR area.
These simulated
conditions would govern the unfolding of the SWR exercise, designed to
test command and control, communications, and operations as assigned to
a central command location (the C4) that, in turn, would task them to
dispersed subordinate operational commands. The latter are to be staffed
by personnel from different wings, as might happen in the event of a
major disaster that severely disrupts normal operations and prevents
free road and air traffic.
Under this scenario,
partially-staffed echelons, each organized as an Incident Command Post (ICP),
drawn from personnel with common training but belonging to different
major commands, will be required to deal with the unexpected. Their
ability to operate effectively, or their failure to do so, was expected
to shed light on the region’s overall preparedness. This would be
measured by the degree of their success in sharing information,
executing assigned missions, deploying appropriate resources, achieving
objectives, and functioning with effective command and control under all
simulated conditions. As it turned out, finding effective solutions
under the pressure of overwhelming adversity was the common denominator.
The SWR C4 at Little
Rock, Ark., and the subordinate ICPs at Texarkana, Tex., El Paso, Tex.,
and Mesa, Ariz., were scheduled to become operational starting at 12
noon Friday, April 11. Unforeseen circumstances, however, prevented El
Paso from starting on time.
Col. Joe Smith, TXWG
Commander, was the IC at the Texarkana ICP, staffing problems prevented
the El Paso ICP from activating, since the planned staffing team from
Houston couldn’t make it due to family illness (though later in the day
Capt Shirley Kay, a member of New Mexico Wing, would volunteer for the
job as soon as the vacancy was announced), and Lt. Col. Ronald W. Fett
Sr. was the IC at the Mesa ICP. Present at the latter was Col. John
Varljen, the SWR Vice Commander (West).
These officers, in
common with all Civil Air Patrol members, are unpaid volunteers who
continue the tradition of service started by the brave Americans who
earned America’s right to independence and freedom. Today, rather than
arms, these volunteers bear tools of mercy, as they engage in the
never-ending task of helping in time of need.
In the reality of
today’s world, after September 11, 2001, the most likely man-made danger
is a terror attack. This weekend, the CAP units functioned under a
complicated scenario involving the possibility of one or more armed
terror strikes. Whether the disturbance to normal conditions is the
result of a natural disaster or a man-made one, the initial disruption
is expected to be the same. SWR, drawing on the strengths of its member
wings, sprang the exercise on relatively short notice, creating one of
the conditions to achieve partial availability of personnel. In
addition, given the great distance to the ICPs, many members found it
difficult to volunteer for the job.
In the end, by design,
the ICPs were staffed and manned by personnel from a number of different
wings. The Texarkana ICP drew its members from Arkansas, Louisiana,
Oklahoma and Texas, Arizona established its own ICP at Mesa, while El
Paso identified qualified (and willing) personnel from New Mexico and
Texas, dealing capably with an unexpected shortage.
The scenario presented
multiple challenges, threatening terrorist activity across the SWR area,
as supported by simulated messages that described specific actions. CAP
flew missions in support of assigned taskings. Uncertainty and suspense
were the hallmark of this exercise, which tested command and control via
hard operational missions, communications via needed liaison and
informational requirements which needed to be satisfied under very
difficult conditions, and computing via operational, administrative, and
knowledge-base challenges.
On the ground, team
members were sent on various search missions. Aircrews were assigned
photographic targets to record and observe. At the same time, staff
personnel were pressed with identifying, planning, manning and carrying
out arduous missions, often without sufficient resources at hand. In
fact, dealing with hard choices with limited resources was the order of
the day.
As the scenario
developed, a threat to military installations seemed imminent. On
Saturday, 12 April, simulated DHS reports warned of possible terror
activities within SWR’s assigned states. Among the dangers, damage to
critical infrastructure and attack against military targets were
mentioned. The possible use of a potentially devastating explosive
device was not discarded.
Although Civil Air
Patrol’s missions typically address damage assessment and aid to
recovery after a natural disaster, CAP could be called upon in the case
of a man-made disaster, or even asked to gather pre-attack information.
This weekend’s exercise was a dry-run for such an instance.
On Saturday, the El
Paso ICP succeeded in starting up operations, with Capt. Shirley Kay, a
member of New Mexico Wing, as the IC. Sooner than hoped for, the El Paso
ICP had become a functioning and productive command and operational node
in the SWR area of operations. At this point, the scenario rapidly
escalated the elements of uncertainty and danger, disclosing the
simulated hijacking - by unknown agents - of a large truck carrying
munitions of unspecified lethality. A CAP aircrew located the vehicle
near Dallas, and local law enforcement were said to know that unknown
individuals had transferred its cargo to two smaller trucks that had
departed in different directions, one east, the other one west.
As the simulated
dangers mounted, fact-finding flights were ordered out and sorties
launched. The photographic record and overall observed activity began to
shed light on the unknown agents’ intentions. That afternoon,
wide-spread loss of land-line and cell-phone communications, as well as
Internet disruptions affected the entire SWR area. CAP units maintained
essential communications by use of their organic radio equipment – until
normal communications were restored. The pace of operations, however,
remained unabated throughout.
This exercise combined
the stress and uncertainty of staffing a command post under taxing
conditions with the threat of an armed attack. Getting the information
at the right time, and channeling it to the right place, could well
become the deciding factor between harmless suppression and disaster.
Command and control were proven essential to the accomplishment of the
mission, closely followed by effective communications. A fully-staffed
and fully-manned mission base can handle most missions with relative
ease. In a real emergency, however, ideal-world expectations are not
likely to be met.
Parallel to the SWR
exercise, TXWG had staffed and run an independent exercise at the
Victoria ICP, with Maj. Randy Russell as the IC. Afterwards, Maj.
Russell said, “It was a great exercise, and we did a lot of good
training. My problem was that I got more planes than aircrews, because
some of the planes came from the Texas coast with only the mission
pilot, and I needed to round off the crews with locals. The good part is
that we managed to squeeze in considerable flightcrew and base staff
training. It was one of the most effective training exercises I have
been involved with as an Incident Commander."
Throughout the
exercise, planes and aircrews were taken off play to allow them to fly
firewatch missions, given the severity of the current drought and the
constant danger of fire. As these air assets were released for their
real-world missions, in the exercise they were accounted for as “losses”
- such as might happen in the event of a real man-made emergency.
Col. Joe R. Smith, the
IC at the Texarkana ICP, said, “When we lost aircrews to the firewatch
mission, we needed more air assets, so I dipped into the Victoria ICP’s.
They were great, and helped the mission nicely.”
The hypothetical
Homeland Security scenario presented multiple threats along the Texas
gulf coast and northern sector, as well as in Arizona and New Mexico.
The ever-shifting results were calculated to create command and control
uncertainty, the need to prioritize, and the quick balancing of scarce
resources against the degree of danger attached to the threat being
addressed by each tasking. In the process, communications remained open
as needed, and reporting prompt and accurate information was the norm.
At all times, the exercise focused on the situation not as an aftermath
following an unspecified disaster but as an urgent mission focused on
preventing it.
The individual wings
effectively merged into a single entity, uniting their efforts in
pursuit of the common goal. “This is the kind of situation where you
learn a lot,” said Maj. Rick Woolfolk, Commander of the Nighthawk
Composite Squadron, TXWG, who flew missions at the El Paso ICP. “I was
all set to fly to El Paso, when I lost my observer to another mission,
so I thought I couldn’t participate. Then I found a replacement and got
here later in the day. We did just fine.”
This was a common
denominator during the exercise, where every participant focused on the
mission and its requirements. The thread of standard training, common to
all, united them professionally. In addition, the need to contribute to
the team-work in order to “get it done,” cut across unit membership and
“home team” feelings. In fact, the “home team” became just the Civil Air
Patrol.
Whenever possible,
flightcrews were sent away from familiar ground, flying missions in a
different state. Dependent on communications, often relayed by units in
a different wing, they gradually picked up the pieces of the puzzle and
sent them immediately to the ICP for analysis. Upon their return, a
thorough debrief based on preliminary analysis got all the facts.
In the end, the photos
got taken, the messages were sent, the overall situation was sorted out,
and the exercise succeeded. It wasn’t perfect, but then very few things
ever are. The realism injected by the scenario and the difficulties
involved in carrying out each mission provided a learning experience
that tested participants at all levels. Equipment, too, played an
important part.
Sunday afternoon, Col.
Joseph Jensen, C4 Commander, said, “I was very impressed by the quality
of effort and the results that came in. The participants were volunteer
professionals, proud of doing a good job and asking for nothing in
return. I was also thankful for the extraordinary care extended to us by
Arkansas Wing, and their courtesy. They truly lived up to the finest
tradition of Southern hospitality.”
This exercise brought
together all member wings of SWR, and promises to be a model for the
future. “I am proud of the effort, skill and professionalism of our
team,” said Col. Jensen. Then he added, “Working and training together
is the best way to draw on each other’s strengths and improve the way we
work. I feel we’re better prepared to deal with a large man-made
emergency now than we were just a week ago.”
The day after the
exercise, Col Jensen sent a message to all members of SWR saying, in
part, “The region-wide training objectives were accomplished in an
exceptional manner, and without accident, incident or injury. My thanks
go out to all officers, members and cadets of SWR.”
Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, SWR C4 Information Officer |
|
Public Affairs – Texas Wing Conference
|
2008
Texas Wing Conference, 18-20 April
AUSTIN, TX – The same as last year, the
Texas Wing Conference took place at the Hilton Hotel at Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport. The building itself goes back to the the
facility's original military use, since it used to be the Air Force Base
Headquarters, and the remodel kept the original structure nearly intact,
except for raising it a floor. A few CAP members have actually worked in
it, in their younger Air Force days. The event was organized under the
direction of Lt. Col. Norm King, Texas Wing Plans and Programs Officer.
General
Assembly
After the head table filed in, the Pegasus Composite
Squadron Color Guard presented the colors. Presiding the event were
Interim National Commander Brig. Gen. Amy Courter, NHQ Deputy Director
of Logistics Mr. Gary Schneider, Southwest Region Vice Commander (East)
Col. André Davis, Texas State Director Col. Ed Brown, Texas Wing
Commander Col. Joe R. Smith, and Texas Wing Ch. (Maj.) Ron Whitt.
1.
2.
3.
[1] The Pegasus Composite Squadron Color Guard is
formed, waiting for the head table to assemble. [2] Ch. (Maj.)
Ron Whitt is followed by NHQ Deputy Director of Logistics Mr. Gary
Schneider, Interim National Commander Brig. Gen. Amy Courter, Texas Wing
Commander Col. Joe R. Smith, and Southwest Region Vice Commander (East)
Col. André Davis. [3] The head table is assembled, with the
arrival of Texas State Director Col. Ed Brown.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
[4]-[9] The Color Guard marches the colors to the
head table, wheels about, faces the assembly and presents the colors.
After a ceremonial pause, it resumes its march towards the head table
and posts the colors to both sides.
10.
11.
12.
13.
[10] Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith
welcomes the attendees. [11] Texas State Director Col. Ed Brown
stresses the importance of Texas Wing in handling emergencies for the
State of Texas. [12] Southwest Region Vice Commander (East) Col.
André Davis congratulates Texas Wing for its many contributions to the
region. [13] Interim National Commander Brig. Gen. Amy Courter
addresses the general assembly.
After Ch. Whitt's invocation, Col. Smith welcomed all to
the annual gathering, and congratulated Lt. Col. King for the wonderful
facility, good organization, and the hard work that went into planning
the Conference and its many events. Col. Brown spoke of the critical
role that Texas Wing has played in emergency services and disaster
relief. Col André Davis emphasized the great progress done in inter-wing
activities within SWR. Brig. Gen. Courter thanked all members of Texas
Wing for their continued efforts, and thanked them for the warm welcome
she had received. She then emphasized the importance of NIMS training,
as CAP routinely worked with other agencies that adhered to the NIMS
principles of organization and leadership.
Gen.
Courter Listens
After a short break, Brig. Gen. Courter and Mr.
Schneider, assisted by Col. Smith, Col. Davis, and the SWR Chief of
Staff Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello, answered questions from the floor. The
substance of her presentation was, "Think outside of the box." She
praised innovative and productive ways of getting the job done, within
organizational and command guidelines. Some pointed questions had her
busily taking notes, especially with respect to e-Services, which will
be enhanced in order to accept more data and keep track of members' FEMA
and NIMS training.
14.
15.
16.
[14]-[15] Gen Courter, assisted by Mr. Schneider, speaks about
the Civil Air Patrol's growth and the opportunity for innovative
thinking. [16] The Q&A Session was an hour very well spent.
The tone of the session was one of attentive leadership,
as Gen. Courter sought to find out what members wanted, and how CAP
could accommodate their requests. She projected an air of good-natured
focus, relaxed and caring, as she personalized what she heard and
promised to take it back with her to NHQ.
Awards
Luncheon
Traditionally, this is when the squadron awards are
presented, and there were many of them. Col. Smith presented the
following 2007 Texas Wing awards: Staff Officer, Lt. Col. Bill Williams;
Public Affairs Officer, Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate; Brewer Award, 1st. Lt.
Janet S. Kristoffersen; Communications Officer, 1st. Lt.
Toby D. Buckalew; Safety Officer, Capt. Frank H.
Stalling Jr; Senior Chaplain, Ch. (Maj.) Ronny D. Whitt; and Squadron
Chaplain, Ch. (Lt. Col.) George E. Klett. Col. Smith also presented a
Mishap Free Award to each of the five groups, as well as Gen. Billy
Mitchell Awards to Cdts. Carlos Castro and Ruby Moreno, and an Amelia
Earhart Award to Cdt. John Rios.
Col. André Davis, assisted by Lt. Col. Mattiello and SWR
DCC Lt. Col. Steven Trupp, presented individual Commander's Commendation
Awards to all those who participated in the Tuskegee Airman Youth Day in
Addison, TX. Then Col. Smith presented other awards, including a
Commander's Commendation to Capt. Nolan Teel (now a Major).
17.
18.
19.
20.
[17] Ch. (Maj.) Ron Whitt pronounces the invocation. [18]
Lt. Col. Norm King opens the Awards Luncheon presentations. [19]-[20]
Group III Commander Lt. Col. Owen Younger, Group IV Commander Maj.
Dennis Cima, TXWG Director of Emergency Services Lt. Col. Brooks Cima,
TXWG Director of Communications Lt. Col. Steve Haney, and TXWG Inspector
General Lt. Col. George Schank.
21.
22.
23.
TXWG Commander Col. Joe. R. Smith presents the following
2007 Texas Wing awards [21]
Staff Officer to Lt. Col. Bill Williams, [22] Public Affairs
Officer to Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, and [23] Brewer Award to
1st. Lt. Sue Kristoffersen.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith presents
Mishap Free Awards to the five Texas Wing groups, accepted by [24]
Lt. Col. Bill Darby, Group I, [25] Lt. Col. Don Windle, Group II,
[26]-[27] Lt. Col. Owen Younger, Group III, [28] Maj.
Dennis Cima, Group IV, and [29] Group V, accepted by Maj. Jose
Ely Carrales.
30.
31.
32.
Interim National Commander Brig. Gen. Amy Courter and
Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith present Gen. Billy Mitchell
Awards to [30] Cdt. Carlos Castro and [31] Cdt. Ruby
Moreno, and [32] an Amelia Earhart Award to Cdt. John Rios.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith presents the
following 2007 Texas Wing awards [33] Communications Officer to
1st. Lt. Toby Buckalew, accepted by Lt. Col. Owen Younger, [34]
Safety Officer to Capt. Frank H. Stalling Jr, [35] Senior
Chaplain to Ch. (Maj.) Ronny D. Whitt (as the [36] SWR Ch. (Lt.
Col.) Nancy Smalley takes the shot), and [37] Squadron Chaplain
to Ch. (Lt. Col.) George E. Klett.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
SWR Vice Commander (East) Col. André Davis, SWR COS Lt.
Col. Larry Mattiello, and SWR DCC Lt. Col. Steven Trupp presented
individual Commander's Commendation Awards to all those who participated
in the Tuskegee Airman Youth Day in Addison, TX on 25 August 2007. On
behalf of their units, these were accepted by [38] Maj. Jack
Lewis, [39]-[40] Lt. Col. Owen Younger, [41] 1st. Lt. Greg
Thornbury, [42] Maj. Jane Smalley, and [43] Lt. Col. Owen
Younger.
44.
45.
46.
Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith presented
Commanders Commendation Awards to [44] Capt. Denise Thompson,
accepted by Maj. Dennis Cima, [45] and Capt. Nolan Teel, accepted
by Ch. (Lt. Col.) Nancy Smalley. [46] The luncheon over, Lt. Col.
Tex Collins and 1st. Lt. Sue Kristoffersen pose for the camera.
Breakout
Sessions
Notable for their well-attended participation were the
Aerospace Education sessions, attended by the Interim National
Commander Brig. Gen. Amy Courter and the Group III Commander Lt. Col.
Owen Younger, which generated a great deal of enthusiasm. Introduced by
the TXWG Aerospace Education Officer and turned over to the Apollo
Composite Squadron cadets for an impromptu presentation, their
explanations, exhibits, initiatives, and experiences were very well
received by attendees
–
who took copious
notes. Particularly helpful were the AEO senior members present, who
asked some excellent questions.
Also notable was the Emergency Services session, led by
Texas Wing DOS Lt. Col. Brooks Cima, who emphasized the need for
additional training in many areas, especially FEMA/NIMS courses. Of
particular importance are the ICS 300 and 400, essential for
command-level participation at an Incident Command Post. Capt. Arthur E.
Woodgate provided a short presentation on the importance of adequate
training and experience on the part of the Information Officer. This
summer's Lone Star Emergency Services Academy was also offered as an
excellent way to get that training.
47.
48.
[47]-[48] The Emergency Services breakout session
was very well attended, as Lt. Col. Brooks Cima outlined the need for
additional training in an effort to gain National Incident Management
System accreditation. Without this, CAP personnel cannot function
smoothly in a mixed-agency environment.
The Government Affairs session, though not as well
attended as those mentioned above, attracted many qualified and
interested CAP members. Increased membership in the Texas Wing
Legislative Squadron is essential to obtaining support for the Civil Air
Patrol from the Texas Legislature.
Evening
Social
As always, the break before the banquet is an excellent
time for renewing acquaintances, making new friends, and enjoying each
other's company.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
[49] NHQ Deputy Director of Logistics, Mr. Gary Schneider, and
S.M. Audrey Woodgate. [50] Lt. Col. Owen Younger in good company.
[51] Lt. Col. Brooks Cima and former Texas Wing Commander R.
Frank Eldridge. [52] Maj. Dennis Cima and Maj. Jack Lewis (both
with back to the camera) converse with Col. Joe R. Smith. [53]
Col. R. Frank Eldridge, Col. André Davis, and Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello.
[54] Lt. Col. Brooks Cima and Maj. Dennis Cima.
The
Banquet
Once again, the Pegasus Composite Squadron Color Guard
presented the colors, setting the stage for the leadership to take its
place at the head table. Acting as master of ceremonies was
1st. Lt. Ferril Ford, a member of the Kittinger
Phantom Senior Squadron, host unit for the event.
At the head table were the Interim National Commander, Brig. Gen. Amy
Courter, NHQ Deputy Director of Logistics Mr. Gary Schneider, Southwest
Region Vice Commander (East) Col. André Davis, Texas State Director Col.
Ed Brown, Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith, former Texas Wing
Commander Col. R. Frank Eldridge, and Texas Wing Ch. (Maj.) Ron Whitt.
After the invocation, Col. André Davis, Col. Joe R.
Smith, and Brig. Gen. Courter called the Color Guard to the front. They
congratulated all members individually for a job very well done, giving
each a Civil Air Patrol challenge coin, then posed with them for a group
photo. Brig. Gen. Courter then took the podium and thanked Texas Wing
for the hospitality, asking all to attend the National Conference in
Florida in August, mentioning that the Public Affairs Academy would be
held once again, but that it would not be offered next year, when the
National Conference meets in San Antonio. After her address, Col. Smith
presented her with two token gifts, which she showed to the attendees
wearing a broad smile.
Col. Smith presented other 2007 Texas Wing Awards,
including Jack Sorensen Cadet Programs to Capt.
Raymond L. Hicks III; Senior Member of the Year to
Lt. Col. Don R. Fisher; Cadet of the Year to C/Lt
Col T. Jordan Wright (accepted by Capt. Richard Gates); Senior Squadron
to Baytown Senior Squadron; Squadron of Merit to
Addison Composite Squadron; and Group of the Year to
Group I. The Group IV Commander Dennis Cima was promoted to Lt. Col.
Brig. Gen. Courter and Col. André Davis presented a
Meritorious Service Award to Col. Joe R. Smith. Brig. Gen Courter, Col.
Davis, and Col Smith then presented a Meritorious Service Award to Capt.
Arthur E. Woodgate and an Exceptional Service Award to Lt. Col. Brooks
Cima. They also presented an Eaker Award to Cdt Bradley Cilino, an
Amelia Earhart Award to Cdt Emmett Koen a Meritorious Service Award to
Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello, a Spaatz Award to Cdt Robert Basaldu, and a
Meritorious Service Award to Lt. Col. Daniel Crum for the 5 years he has
been teaching at the National Flight Academy (the latter accepted by
Capt Dan Katen). They then presented Distinguished Aviator Awards, for
successfully executing a night emergency landing, to Capt James
Glombowski (copilot) and 1st. Lt. Daren Jaeger (pilot in command), the
latter accepted by Lt. Col. Owen Younger.
The last presentation, made by Brig. Gen. Courter, was
the Civil Air Patrol's Silver Medal of Valor to Capt. Sean Fuller, who
started his career in CAP as a cadet in Missouri Wing.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
[55]-[62] The Pegasus Composite Squadron Color Guard presents the colors, displaying the well-synchronized movements
that earned it top honors at the 2007 Texas Wing Cadet Competition.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
[63] The honored guests march to the head table.
[64] Ch. (Maj.) Ron Whitt delivers the invocation. [65]-[66]
Col. André Davis, Col. Joe R. Smith, and Brig. Gen. Amy Courter
congratulate the members of the Color Guard and thank them for their
service. Gen. Courter gave each a Civil Air Patrol challenge coin, then
all posed for a group photo. [67] Gen. Courter looks to the
future and stresses the importance of training. [68] Gen. Courter
happily shows her "trophies," token mementos of her visit to Texas Wing.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
Col. Joe R. Smith presents the remaining 2007 Texas Wing
Awards, [69] Jack Sorensen Cadet Programs to
Capt Raymond L. Hicks III, [70] Senior Member of
the Year to Lt. Col. Don R. Fisher, and [71]
Cadet of the Year to C/Lt Col T. Jordan Wright,
accepted by Capt. Richard Gates. [72]-[73] Having been pronounced
"out of uniform," Lt. Col. Dennis Cima receives his proper rank, pinned
on by Lt. Col. Brooks Cima and Col. Smith. Continuing with the awards,
[74] Senior Squadron Award to Baytown
Senior Squadron, accepted by Lt. Col. Don R. Fisher [75] Squadron
of Merit Award to Addison Composite Squadron,
accepted by 1st. Lt. Greg Thornbury, and [76] Group of the Year
to Group I, accepted by Maj. Bill Darby.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
Gen. Courter and Col. Davis present Meritorious Service
Awards to [77] Lt. Col. Daniel Crum, accepted by Capt. Dan Katen
and [78] Col. Joe R. Smith. [79]-[80] Gen. Courter,
Col. Davis and Col. Smith presented a Meritorious Service Award to Capt.
Arthur E. Woodgate, and [81] an Exceptional Service Award to Lt.
Col. Brooks Cima.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
Gen. Courter, Col. Davis and Col. Smith presented [82]
an Eaker Award to Cdt Bradley Cilino, [83] an Amelia Earhart
Award to Cdt Emmett Koen, [84] a Spaatz Award to Cdt Robert
Basaldu, [85] a Meritorious Service Award to Lt. Col. Larry
Mattiello, [86] and Distinguished Aviator Awards to Capt James
Glombowski (copilot) and 1st. Lt. Daren Jaeger (pilot in command), the
latter accepted by Lt. Col. Owen Younger. [87] The final
presentation, made by Brig. Gen. Courter, was the Civil Air Patrol's
Silver Medal of Valor to Capt. Sean Fuller, who started his career in
CAP as a cadet in Missouri Wing. (Photos 79 & 80, C/2d Lt Michael
Moody. All others, Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate)
Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Editor |
|
Public Affairs
–
Hurricane Relief
 |
|
2005 Hurricane Relief Patch
Available Now
|
|
|
The 2005 Hurricane Relief Mission Patch is in. The production sample is at left. If
you want any patches, please send the following info: Name, Full
address, Telephone #, E-mail address (if you want a mailing notice),
Number of patches desired @ $5.00 each, plus a mailing cost of $1.00 per
order (check or money order made out to Irving Composite Squadron) to:
Irving CS
P.O. Box 710068
Dallas, TX 75371-0068 |
|
Orders will be mailed promptly. Project Officer: Lt Col Dietrich P. Whisennand. |
|
| Safety
 |
Spring is Still with Us - A reminder
Here are the
links to the
April Sentinel
and the
May Sentinel. Please
read them.
The month of May provides pilots with weather challenges
as fast-moving fronts move across Texas, bringing hail, heavy rain,
turbulence and all the hazards associated with thunderstorms. The best
solution is to avoid bad weather; failing that, being prepared to do a
180-degree turn and move to better weather is a must. Frequent checks of
weather both en-route and at the destination will help keep you safer.
For everyone, May brings the Memorial Day weekend that is
filled with travel, picnics, water sports, boating, and other
potentially hazardous activities. The highways will be at higher traffic
levels than usual, so greater vigilance will be needed to assure your
safe arrival at your destination. As usual, do not drink and drive and
be alert for those that do. Water sports on lakes can be hazardous with
increased activity. If swimming or water skiing, be aware of nearby
boats and personal water craft activity; every year, someone gets run
over by one! Again, even on the water, alcohol consumption often makes
lakes more dangerous than highways. Have fun and enjoy the fun of a
Texas spring, but be alert and safe!
I also
want to remind everyone involved with ground operations that it is
Spring, bringing some new hazards not part of the winter scene. Our
hibernating "reptile friends" are waking up, and are now engaged in
outdoors operations.
So we
need to be aware of our surroundings, and watch where we walk. A review
of snake-bite procedures is in order.
Another
sometimes-overlooked hazard in Spring weather is the need to stay
hydrated. Even in the cool of spring, we need to be careful not to get
dehydrated.
Maj. Wm. (Bert) Wilson, SO
Runway Incursions
To help address the problem of runway incursions the FAA co-produced a
DVD in conjunction with the Airline Pilots Association and United
Airlines.
This video focuses on runway safety best practices for commercial
operations at towered and non-towered airports.
Monthly Safety Briefing
Each Squadron is required to provide both a flight safety briefing and a
ground safety briefing each month.
The Sentinel, the national CAP Safety newsletter, should be briefed
as a minimum. Be sure to log it in WMU, too.
Maj Jeff Yevcak, formerly the Randolph AFB safety officer
who was also the Randolph AFB liaison officer to CAP, kindly offered
the following for the month of March, should you want to use them at your
own squadron.
May Flight
Safety Briefing (MS Word document)
May Ground
Safety Briefing (MS Word document) |
|
Upcoming Events
 |
Recurring Reports
|
5th of the Month |
All subordinate unit and staff
reports to Group III are due |
|
5 January |
Group Chaplain and
Transportation reports due |
|
10 January |
All subordinate unit Safety Surveys to
Group III are due |
|
1 March |
S3 and Real Property Reports Due |
Editor |
|
A USAF Chaplain's Guest Commentary

|
Words of our Founding Fathers
7/12/2007 - PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, FL -- Our
national motto is "In God We Trust." This motto was adapted by our
founding fathers and reflects the religious and spiritual ideals upon
which they wished to establish our nation. Allow me to share some other
historical facts that may shed further light on the intentions of our
founding fathers.
The year was 1607. The place is Jamestown,
Va. As they stepped on shore, the very first act of those early settlers
was to erect a large wooden cross and have a prayer meeting. Thirteen
years later, as the Pilgrims dropped anchor at Plymouth Rock, they
penned the Mayflower Compact. The opening line reads, "In the name of
God, amen."
Fast forward to 1776; the document is the
Declaration of Independence. The opening paragraph reads, "We hold these
truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal." Of course,
this statement implies the belief in a Creator. The words "Creator, God,
Supreme Judge and Divine Providence" are mentioned in other places
within this document.
How about our Constitution? What were our
founding fathers thinking when they wrote it? The story is told that
they'd been meeting for three weeks, surveying all the governments of
Europe to see which one was right for our new country. None of them
sufficed.
Having made little progress, an elderly
gentleman by the name of Benjamin Franklin stood up and spoke. "I have
lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing
proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And
if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it
probable that an empire can rise without His aid?" Hence the thinking of
one of the key writers of the Constitution. Did you know that the
constitutions of all 50 states, without exception, make reference to
God?
There is literally "monumental" evidence
that God and faith was written on the hearts of our founding fathers. Go
to the House of Representatives. Look above the chair where the vice
president presides. Etched in the marble is, "In God We Trust." Enter
the White House where the president lives and see the words placed over
the fireplace, "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this
White House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it." On the walls of
Congress are inscribed biblical quotes. Traverse the stairwell of the
Washington Monument. Scripture verses are written on the stairwell
walls. At the very top, etched on the metal cap are the Latin words for,
"Praise be to God."
One day you may want to go and hear the
Supreme Court justices deliberate. Before they begin, the crier comes
forth, as he has always done, and shouts these words, "Hear ye, hear ye,
all persons having business before the honorable, the Supreme Court of
the United States, are admonished to draw near and give their attention,
for the court is now sitting. God save the United States and the Supreme
Court."
There are many, many more examples of the
deep spirituality of many of our founding fathers. But I cannot say it
any better than George Washington, who in his first inaugural address
said, "It would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official
act my fervent supplications to the Almighty Being who rules over the
universe." Every president since, without exception, has made mention of
God in his inaugural address after having taken the oath of office with
his right hand on the Bible.
Many of our founding fathers were quite
religious and sought to assure that faith and spirituality were woven
into our national life. In a recent survey of the American public, some
93 percent of those surveyed identified themselves as monotheistic,
believing in one God. It seems that our founding fathers were not alone
in ascribing to our national motto. It worked then. It works today.
May our joint prayer be that this same God
bless and lead us as a nation as He has done from the beginning.
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Ron Underwood 45th SW Chapel |
|
Useful Links |
Aviation & more
Aircrew &
Flightline Personnel Training Materials (CAP NHQ)
PAO Resources
Federal & State Resources (DHS, USAF,
Terrorism)
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US Decorations Rack
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Apollo CS
 |
Group III
Orientation Flights
Weekend,
5-6 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM
AIRPORT, TX – This
article, by 1st Lt
Sue Kristoffersen,
is published in the
Staff Section,
as part of the
overall Group III
Coverage.
Editor
CAF
Bluebonnet
Airsho, 12 April
BURNET, TX – At
0500, 12
April, CAP
members gathered
at the
Georgetown
Airport and
prepared to go
to Burnet. For
the fourth year
in a row, Apollo
Composite
Squadron had
been assigned to
handle flightline
sanitation
duties for the
Highland Lakes
Squadron of the
Commemorative
Air Force.
The yearly
"Bluebonnet
Airsho" is one
of the
squadron's
favorite events,
and always holds
the promise of a
great time. This
year was no
exception – the
cadets were
delighted to be
asked to guard
the two Air
Force
A-10 Thunderbolt
II Tank
Killer planes
that were in
attendance. They
were very
excited to be
entrusted with
this honor, and
proud to be
photographed
with Air
Force personnel.
Nicknamed "Wart
Hog," the plane
has been in
production since
1975 and has
performed very
well in close
air support of
ground troops.
During the
static display
portion of the
air show, the
squadron
assigned two
cadets to each
A-10, one under
each wing. Their
job was to make
sure that the
public looked
but did not
touch.
Upon arriving at
the air show, we
set up all of
the rope
barricades, then
assisted in
setting up the
VIP and reserved
seating areas.
When that was
finished, we
took a break and
ate a pancake
breakfast served
in the CAF
hangar.
Immediately
after breakfast,
the daily
instructions and
Safety briefing
followed, and
the cadets were
then allowed to
have an hour of
free time
(before the
A-10s were taken
to the
flightline) so
as to give them
a chance to have
a good look at
the planes on
their own.
At noon, we
cleared the
flightline of
spectators, and
took our
stations. Once
again, the air
show was a great
success. For me,
the best part
was watching the
Heritage Flight
and the Missing
Man formation
that followed
it. I find the
Bluebonnet
Airsho to be
both
historically
informative and
the best I have
ever
attended when it
comes
to honoring all
Aviators, past
and present.
(Capt. Cheri
Fischler,
Commander)
Squadron
Team
participates in
Robofest, 12
April
AUSTIN, TX
– Pink
shirts, pink
shoe laces, pink
hats, pink
sunglasses! What
would you think
if you saw four
people walk into
a competition
dressed like
that? Well, most
people just
stared in
amazement, some
asked how we
were able to get
the guys to wear
pink, and the
only reply we
could give them
was, "It was the
guys' idea." The
occasion was the
Austin Robofest
competition on
12 April.
Robofest,
sponsored by
Lawrence
Technological
University, is
open to students
in grades 6-12,
who must compete
in teams of 1 to
10 in one of two
categories. The
junior teams
must be composed
of children in
grades 9 and
lower, and the
senior team can
have members in
grades 10-12. We
didn't know what
to expect, but
we knew that it
would be a bit
harder than the
LEGO Robotics
Competition we'd
entered three
years in a row.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1] The
Apollo team is
ready to take on
its opponents.
[2] The
competition is
on, at the table
and on the
stage. [3]
Team spirit was
abundantly
displayed.
[4] Second
Prize is better
than none.
[5] This is
what the team
wore on the back
of their
T-shirts.
(Photos: 1st Lt
Sue
Kristoffersen)
From the very
first step into
the front door
we could tell
that it was
going to be a
great day, full
of excitement
and fun. When
the competition
finally got
underway, we
were told that
it would start
off with a
little written
test that had to
be completed by
the whole team.
We thought it
was a fairly
easy test, and
later we found
out that we had
made a perfect
score. After the
test was over,
the games began.
Teams lined up
and ran their
robots through
the course.
Pretty soon, the
junior lever was
done, and it was
the senior
teams’ time to
compete.
Our first run
went OK, but the
major thing that
made us stand
out was our
antics. We stood
up on chairs,
waved signs, and
yelled out
motivational
chants. The
whole crowd was
getting into it
when our time
ran out. We then
made a few
tweaks to the
robots, and off
we were to the
games' second
round, where we
did a little
better than the
first, but still
not good enough
to match the
only other
senior team to
show up that
day.
When the awards
ceremony came
around, we
received our
second place
trophy and
judges and
bystanders told
us that we had
the most team
spirit of
all. When the
day came to an
end, we all had
smiles as we
loaded into our
cars, singing
some crazy song
that I no longer
remember.
(C/2d. Lt.
Michael Moody)
2008 Texas
Wing Conference
- AE Breakout
Session,
19 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM
AIRPORT, TX –
Twelve cadets,
seven senior
members,
twenty-four
rockets, three
robots, and a
whole lot of fun
is what the
Apollo Composite
Squadron brought
to the 2008
Texas Wing
Conference. After
the opening
ceremonies, the
Apollo Composite
Squadron
Robotics Team
started off the
day by setting
up a table with
their robotics
and aerospace
display. This,
even before it
was time for
them to make
their breakout
session
presentation,
attracted a
small crowd that
kept changing;
some of the
curious were not
even CAP
members. They
were all amazed
to see and get
to play with
robots that had
claws, could
launch rocks,
and even sing
and dance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1]-[2]
The display
table at the
hotel's rotunda,
prior to making
the
presentation.
[3] Maj
Bjorn Sundet,
Texas Wing
Director of
Aerospare
Education, by
the rocketry
display table.
[4] The
robot raises its
"hungry jaw."
[5] The
Interim National
Commander, Brig
Gen Amy Courter
poses with C/2d
Lt Michael
Moody.
(Photos: 1st Lt
Sue
Kristoffersen)
When it was time
for the cadets
to present their
robots, during
one of the
Conference’s
breakout
sessions, they
did a great job.
They stood in
front of a
roomful of CAP
senior members
and cadets, that
could have been
an intimidating
sight. There
weren’t even
enough chairs
for people to
sit down, but
they all wanted
in. The cadets
just stood at
the front of the
room, answering
questions from
everyone,
including
squadron and
group
commanders, even
the Interim
National
Commander
herself.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
[6]-[7]
C/2d Lt Michael
Moody making his
presentation at
the Aerospace
Education
breakout
session. [8]
Cdts Moody and
Matzen. [9]
The Apollo robot
at the Wing
Conference.
[10] Cdt
Moody answers
questions from
the audience.
(Photos 6-8, Maj
Bjorn Sundet;
all others, 1st
Lt Sue
Kristoffersen)
The cadets kept
their cool and
impressed a lot
of people. Some
even said that
it was the best
breakout session
they had been to
in the whole
Conference.
Earlier, at the
Awards Luncheon,
2d Lt
Kristofferson
had received a
Brewer Award for
all of her great
work in
aerospace
education, and
got recognized
as the 2007
Texas Wing
Aerospace
Education
Officer. The
cadets were so
proud of her.
11.
12.
13.
[11]
Group III
Commander Lt Col
Owen Younger
maneuvers a
robot under the
direction of
C/2d Lt Michael
Moody. [12]
After the
breakout
session, there
were many
questions to
answer. [13]
Cdt Condrey
demonstrates how
the robot works.
(Photos: 1st
Lt Sue
Kristoffersen)
After all the
sessions were
over, the cadets
and seniors got
all dressed up
for the banquet
- that is a
formal
event. The
Apollo Composite
Squadron and
friends took up
three whole
tables at the
banquet, and
that adds up to
thirty people.
Just three years
earlier, the
Apollo Composite
Squadron had
only two people
in attendance at
the Texas Wing
Conference.
At the end of
the evening,
when cadets were
tired from their
presentation and
the excitement
of the banquet,
it was time to
go home.
Everybody had a
great time, and
learned a lot.
The Apollo
Composite
Squadron
will definitely
be coming back
next year, and
they plan on
having just as
good a time then
as they did this
time.
(C/2d. Lt. Michael
Moody)
The Squadron
In the News, 19
April

ROUND ROCK, TX –
On 19 April, the
Round Rock
Leader staff
writer finished
the article that
had started two
weeks before.
Initially
interested in a
single event, as
she interviewed
unit members and
found out more
about the Civil
Air Patrol and
the squadron,
the writer
became intrigued
by the CAP
program. When
the subject of
the Orientation
Flights at
Bergstrom came
up, that settles
it. The writer
called the
editor and said,
"Sorry, you
won't have it
for this week.
I'll be done
next week - this
is too good to
pass up." And so
it was. The
paper carried a
notice on the
front page
banner, and the
article ran in
color, almost
the full front
page of the
section.
(Submitted by
Capt. Cheri
Fischler,
Commander)
|
|
Crusader CS
 |
Cadet Lock-in, 29 March
GRAND PRAIRIE, TX
– On Saturday, 29 March the Cadets from Crusader
Composite Squadron held a lock-in at the Squadron hangar at Grand Prairie
Airport in Grand Prairie, Texas. Attending were:
C/SSgt. Kendall Pruitt, C/SrA. Austin Brooks, C/A1C Alison Tyler,
C/Amn Matthew O’Brian, C/AB Daniel Fincher, C/AB Chastity Guidice,
C/AB Joshua Gullace, C/AB Delanie Mann, and C/AB Casey McMasters. Senior Members providing logistics were: Capt. Jack
Browning, 2d. Lt. Anthony Earwood, and 2d. Lt. Kenneth Pruitt.
Aside from the fun and games, the cadets were given the
opportunity to introduce themselves to each other and get better
acquainted beyond the time normally spent at Squadron
meetings and functions. Pizza, burritos, and drinks were
provided by the senior members, while cadets watched movies
and played video games displayed on a giant screen and using
a sound
system erected and configured by Capt. Browning. Having
very little or no sleep overnight, the cadets started going
home at approximately 0600 Sunday, when incoming severe weather
became
evident.
The cadets of Crusader CS want to thank the senior members
attending
– and the Squadron
– for a great experience.
(C/SSgt. Kendall Pruitt)
|
|
Gladewater Corsair CS
 |
Looking at the Future - CTEP/STEP, 28-30 March
AUSTIN, Texas
– We see a lot of negative publicity about the
current teenage generation. Since bad news “sells,” the media in our
Country are willing and enthusiastic about dishing it out all day, every
day. However, there is another side to it, and it is crying to be
heard. There is much in the way of goodness, character, and dedication
to positive attitudes and activities that can be found
– if only one were to look for it.
On the last weekend in March, a number of Senior Members
were privileged to attend the Senior Training and Education Program
(STEP) during the Cadet Training and Education Program (CTEP) consisting
of the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (NCO), Senior NCO Academy (SNCO)
and Cadet Command Staff College (CCSC) courses offered under the
leadership of Major Jane Smalley, Director of Cadet Programs, Texas
Wing. As I arrived at Camp Mabry in Austin, this would be my first
experience with training provided at the Wing level in Texas, so I did
not know what to expect. There was momentary concern when we attempted
to check-in after following the directions we got from the guard at the
main gate. He very courteously directed us to the Audy Murphy Center
– that was locked and
dark. After waiting around for a while, an Army NCO approached us and
asked if we needed help. It turned out that the sergeant was the
Center's NCOIC, and he informed us that there were no events scheduled
for that building on that day. Fortunately, one of our Senior Members
had attended training at Camp Mabry before and remembered which building
had been used for check-in, and that turned out to be the right
destination.
There was much confusion and milling about, as
inexperienced Senior Members and young Cadets obtained their room
assignments and moved upstairs to get organized. Male personnel were
quartered on the second floor, while females were quartered in a
restricted area on the main floor. Having made my bed, I wanted to find
out the schedule for that evening and the following two days of
training. There was a rumor that the Senior Members attending STEP would
be briefed that evening. What would be done, if anything, or where it
would be done remained a mystery until someone observed that there was a
schedule posted on the bulletin board in the check-in area. It had gone
unnoticed because the large check-in crowd had blocked access to it at
the time. Later, we were briefed in the museum, a short walk from our
barracks, and learned what would happen that weekend.
At 0600 Saturday morning, we got up, showered,
straightened our rooms, and headed out for a breakfast of cold cereal
with milk, coffee, a piece of fruit and a glass of juice. Not fancy, but
wholesome. Classes started soon after in the museum's “Hall of Honor,”
which would be our school house. At 0730, training began and continued
at a fast pace throughout the weekend. Our instructors were very well
qualified, made professional presentations (once the
computer/electrical/projector glitches were worked out), patiently
answered all our questions, and listened to our stories concerning how
wonderful our squadron programs and policies were (at least, in our
minds). The curriculum adhered to Civil Air Patrol standards, with a bit
of added excitement, which will be focus of this article. At 1900
Saturday, our group of Senior Members was instructed in drill and
ceremonies by a group of Cadets enrolled in NCO school.
Apparently, the Cadets hadn't been told until shortly
before the fact that they would be teaching Senior Members
– rather than other Cadets
– to drill. Prior to this
event, MSgt Coleman, one of our instructors, had given us a short course
in elementary drill movements. Good thing, too, as several Senior
Members knew absolutely nothing about drilling. We were told that the
Cadet NCOs would instruct us as if we were brand-new Cadets, and that
Cadet officers would evaluate them as they worked with us. In
preparation for our instructors' arrival, we were divided into three
groups, told to move to separate open areas, and stand by. The student
trainers soon joined us, very nervous. Our group encompassed a wide
range of ages, physical size and experience. We Senior Members had
agreed among ourselves that we wouldn't be difficult, but would expect
the Cadets to do a proper job. Since a few in our group had no real idea
about the correct way to drill, there was an element of reality that
emerged as the trainers started working with us.
The results of the training were generally pretty
good. Once the Cadets got over their initial nervousness and realized
that we were responding to their commands, they settled down and began
to teach in earnest. Command voices were sometimes difficult to
recognize, as some of the trainers were quite young and small. They
ranged from voices cracking because of their pubescent age to squeaky,
high pitched pleas, to excellent, well-practiced and correct military
commands. Later, when we were asked to critique their performance, it
was agreed that the Cadet trainees had done a fine job considering the
challenge they had faced with nearly no prior notice. Then we attended
the critique and evaluations provided by the Cadet Officers who rated
them, and their comments were a bit more critical, though offered
constructively.
Sunday morning provided the most exciting and stimulating
event of the weekend. The schedule called for a presentation by the CCSC
class, followed by a discussion between our group and theirs. Little did
I know what that really meant. I still get excited just thinking about
it.
After dinner Saturday evening, the CCSC class had been
broken into three groups and asked to prepare a project for presentation
to the STEP class at 0900 the following morning. The project was to be
of their own choosing, but had to deal with something they believed was
needed now and would be beneficial to the Civil Air Patrol program. Each
presentation had to include a Power Point outline of their project,
including budget, location, staff requirements, facilities, class
outline, cost data, schedules, and a syllabus. They would also be
required to defend their project by answering questions after having
presented it.
Although the presentations were to begin at 0900, they
actually started at about 1030 due to scheduling conflicts. The
important point is that the CCSC class had been prepared to offer their
presentations at 0900, so they actually had only 14 hours from the time
they had received the assignment to when they anticipated delivering it
to us.
When the first CCSC began its presentations, I was
immediately struck by the quality of the Power Point
presentation. Taking turns, they took us through their plan, explaining
each element in some detail. My impression was that each of the three
members of the CCSC team had assumed responsibility for certain elements
of their respective projects. Having accepted responsibility for these
parts, each member explained that section and later answered questions
concerning it. Other members would fill in if needed. Each time, I was
not sure whether there was a project leader, as they all seemed to have
equal responsibility and a leader was not identified.
The presentations were very well thought out, and
thoroughly delivered. The projects ranged from a "Field Leadership
School for Emergency Services Positions" to a "Parents' Information
Weekend for new or prospective Cadets." There was a great deal of
discussion of each project and, frankly, the quality of the project
ideas varied a bit. However, the quality of the presentations did not
vary at all
– each was extremely well
done. In all the projects, there was some naiveté when it came to
budgeting. However, this would not have been a problem had they been
working with advice from experienced Senior Members as would be the case
in a real-life situation. The projects would likely have been reviewed
and revised many times before bringing them up to Wing Headquarters.
Beyond the presentations, there is another observation I
believe is appropriate. The confidence, military bearing, maturity and
excellence displayed by these Cadets was, at first, unbelievable. I was
unsure of what to think as the first presentation went forward. With
the second and then third presentations, I became emotional
– I had gone into the class
that morning unprepared for what I witnessed. No one had discussed what
was about to happen
– we were simply told that
these Cadets would offer presentations and then be available for a
general discussion afterwards. The discussions after the presentations
concerned a wide range of topics, including squadron life, role of
Cadets (particularly senior Cadets) in day-to-day operations,
Cadet-Senior roles and relationships and other problems or potential
problems. The Cadets handled themselves very respectfully and
professionally, but it was evident that they had definite ideas and
complaints that they wanted to discuss. It was very informative because
I got to witness what Cadets “really thought.” We were given a look
into how they see things, rather than how we think or assume they see
things. I came away believing that each of them was a critical and
important member of the squadron. As they would shortly be leaving for
college, or are already enrolled in college, their home squadrons will
sorely miss them.
In my opinion, any one of these fine Cadets could go out
into industry and be immediately employed in a high-paying
position. True, their youth and lack of job experience would be a
barrier, but, during the interviewing process, their enormous abilities
would be evident. In the presence of these young men and women, who have
so much potential at this age, I felt confident about the future of our
Nation. They are obviously tomorrow’s leaders, and with them we will be
in good hands. I feel as if I had been granted a unique opportunity to
peek into the future, and I liked what I saw. Very much. While the CCSC
Cadets were extremely talented, I was able to observe other Cadets
throughout the weekend
– in the barracks and around
the training area. They were professional at all times and completely in
charge of whatever group they were supervising. There was no yelling or
cajoling. There were raised voices but appropriate for whatever activity
was underway. I have no doubt that next year, and every year thereafter,
I would find the same amount of amazing ability, dedication and
performance that I witnessed during my STEP weekend. What a great
feeling it is to know that.
It is really too bad that the media do not recognize and
report on the amazing things about our youth.
Gusher Days Activities, 18-19 April
GLADEWATER, TX
– On the weekend of 18-19 April ,the
Gladewater Corsairs participated in the festivities surrounding Gusher
Days, the annual celebration of the town’s oil exploration
history. Included are a parade, arts and crafts displays, live
entertainment, charity fund raising, a chili cook-off, and a car
show. Squadron members participated in activities both days, including
cadet Eagle Flights with the local EAA Chapter, flights in member-owned
aircraft, and community service downtown.
The local EAA chapter usually has a fly-in during Gusher Days, and they
provided breakfast as well as lunch for pilots who flew in to enjoy the
day in Gladewater. As is their custom, they also provided Eagle Flights
to youngsters, in order to increase public awareness of General Aviation
and Aerospace Education.
Our Squadron often schedules Cadet Orientation Flights on the same
weekend as the EAA fly-ins. Each Cadet then had the opportunity to enjoy
more than one flight on that particular day. They also got to experience
a number of different types of aircraft, since the fly-in participants
vary from time to time. As part of the Community Service Activity that
weekend, Cadets patrolled the downtown area where the various events
were held. Cadets, working in teams of two, monitored and emptied trash
cans as they became full in order to keep the areas clear and clean for
the public’s enjoyment. They were quite busy both days, as there were
many food concessions and, therefore, a lot of trash to dispose of.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1] (L-R) C/Amn Jones, C/Amn Bounds, C/CMSgt Alexander, and C/Amn
Alexander at breakfast. [2] C/Amn Jones on flight. [3]
(L-R) C/CMSgt Alexander and C/AB Jamison after their
flight. [4] Lt Alexander teases the crowd at the dunk tank.
[5] (L-R) C/2d Lt Alexander and C/AB Jamison on "clean-up" patrol.
One of our squadron members is the Gladewater Chief of Police; their
Department had a dunk-tank raising funds for charity. Various police
officers took turns in the tank, but things became really lively when
the Chief took his turn. Many people lined up to try to drop him into
the water. Of course, his constant mock insults to the crowd and his
reminding them that this was their chance to get back at him for all the
tickets he'd written during the years made for a lively response
– and much mirth.
Cadets participating included Cadet Second Lieutenant Jarrod Alexander,
Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Andrew Alexander, Cadet Airman Rebekah
Alexander, Cadet Airman Shawn Bounds, Cadet Airman Victoria Jones and
Cadet Airman Basic Bradley Jamison. Capt Harold Parks, Squadron
Commander, flew the Cadets in his aircraft for the member flights.
Cadets' Promotion Night, 19 April
GLADEWATER, TX
– On 19 April 2008, the Gladewater Corsairs
Composite Squadron held a promotion ceremony at the Squadron
headquarters. Honored that evening were C/CMSgt Jarrod Alexander, C/Amn
Austin Cheatham, C/AB Victoria Jones and C/AB Shawn Bounds. Cadet Jones
had actually completed the requirements for Cadet Airman and been
promoted earlier, but she had not previously been recognized in a formal
promotion ceremony.
Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Jarrod Alexander, a senior at Union Grove
High School, had completed the Aerospace Education, Leadership, Moral
Leadership and Physical Training requirements to qualify for the Brig.
Gen. Billy Mitchell Award and become a Cadet Officer in the
Squadron. The announcement included remarks by the Commander,
Captain Harold Parks, the Deputy Commander for Cadets, Second Lieutenant
Farrell Alexander and the Cadet himself. Captain Parks recognized Cadet
Second Lieutenant Alexander at his new cadet officer grade, and promised
an appropriate ceremony when his Billy Mitchell Award
Certificate arrives from NHQ. His father, Lt. Farrell Alexander,
replaced his Cadet Non-commissioned Officer rank by
Cadet Officer shoulder boards, as his mother and unit members looked on.
Two Cadets, Victoria Jones and Shawn Bounds, were promoted from Cadet
Airman Basic to Cadet Airman. Cadet Jones is a freshman at Union Grove
High School. During the ceremony, her father pinned on Cadet Airman
Jones’ new rank.
Cadet Airman Shawn Bounds who is a freshman at Gladewater High School,
had his new grade pinned on by his parents.
Finally, Cadet Airman Austin Cheatham, after having completed the
requirements for the General Hap Arnold Achievement in the Cadet
Program, was promoted to Cadet Airman First Class. The Squadron
Commander and the Deputy Commander for Cadets pinned on his new
grade. Cadet Cheatham lives in Longview and is home schooled.
(Capt. Harold Parks, Commander)
|
|
Gregg County CS |
Squadron
Cadet Honored, 25 March
Although he is only 14, Austin Hollinshead has spent much
time helping others. He was honored for his dedication to
others when he received the Good Samaritan award at Camp
County's annual appreciation banquet March 25. Dr. Craig
DeLisi and Tim Nicholson were also honored at the banquet,
sponsored by the Camp County Extension Service. Mrs. Deborah
Hiner presented the award.
"The person I am introducing tonight has a very giving
spirit," Mrs. Hiner said. "He does not like to be in the
limelight, or be recognized. This is one of the many reasons
he deserves this award. He is very mindful of the feelings
of others, and is always willing to help out behind the
scenes."
Austin volunteered over 100 hours of service delivering
Meals On Wheels to homebound residents in 2007. "This is
just one example of how giving this young man truly is,"
Mrs. Hiner said. Austin, a member of 4-H and Civil Air
Patrol, is the son of Alan and Tracy Hollinshead.
Dr. DeLisi received the Family and Community Life award.
"Not only does he love his profession, but loves others as
well," Mrs. Hiner said. "His main hobby is his seven
children, all under the age of 7. When his wife is out of
town, he has been known to pitch a tent in the living room.
Not only is this man a well-respected doctor, but he serves
as a home school principal, providing academic and spiritual
guidance for his children."
"If you use this man for your family physician," said Mr.
Hiner, "you will quickly learn that his faith in God is
unwavering. He provides exceptional medical care to his
patients and always offers to say a prayer for patient and
family. You will always find him smiling and offering a kind
and caring ear for children's families, because children
make up over half of his patients. Although it is obvious he
is a very busy man with a large family and practice, he
finds time to travel overseas every year to war-torn Sudan,
Africa. He provides spiritual and medical care for over 300
orphans in a hospital serving the needs of 300,000 people."
Dr. DeLisi is a graduate of The University of Florida, the
medical director for SOR drug rehab for teenage boys, and a
family physician at the East Texas Medical Center Clinic.
Mr. Nicholson was the recipient of this year's Agriculture
Producer of the Year award. "Growing up, he was so
enthralled with farming, especially tractors, that he
modeled his would-be future based on reruns of Green Acres,"
Mrs. Hiner said. "From an early age, he and his father
embarked on a journey to restore and preserve a piece of
history by rebuilding an old tractor. Believe it or not,
that tractor is still in use."
Mr. Nicholson is both a poultry grower and a cattleman.
"Although the poultry business keeps him busy, he still
enjoys the chores of daily cow/calf operations, which he
started by buying calves and bottle-feeding them. His role
as a cattle rancher continues to grow. Although farming has
always been an important part of his life, by the age of 12,
without knowing it, he started the foundation of what is now
another endeavor. As a youngster, this man had a thriving
lawn mowing business. He started off with a push mower at
age 12, but then moved in to the big time with a riding
mower at age 15."
Mr. Nicholson serves as secretary-treasurer of the Camp
County Cattlemen's Association. He and his wife Brenda have
one son, Nathan.
Warren Bradley, and impressionist/comedian, entertained the
crowd. The meal was prepared by members of the Texas
Extension Education Association of Camp County
(Susan Taft, The Pittsburg Gazette)
|
|
Kittinger Phantom SS
 |
Dolly Selignan, WWII CAP Mission
Pilot Speaks to Squadron, 5 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
Recently, the Joe Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron met our past as
Ms. Dolly Selignan shared her story of the Civil Air Patrol's early
days and her love of aviation. While her mother encouraged Dolly to
support the war effort by knitting blankets for Britain, she had other
ideas. The seventeen year old Dolly took to heart a presentation at her
high school about how the Civil Air Patrol was supporting the war
effort. In 1943, she joined a squadron in her home town of Jacksonville,
Florida, just barely over a year after the Civil Air Patrol had come
into existence.
The early days of her participation with CAP involved making her own
uniform, collecting money from local businesses who supported CAP's
mission, learning to march for parades (not her best skill, she
confided) and learning Morse Code. On the way to achieving her Radio
Telegrapher's License, she recalls the instructor telling her that
accuracy was of utmost importance. One misspelled word could
initiate an action that could either save or destroy lives and
property.
1.
2.
[1] Then: Dolly Selignan with fellow CAP members, circa 1943
(Photographer unknown) [2] Now: Capt Joe Chasnoff
listens as Dolly Selignan tells her story of CAP's early years.
(Photos: 1st Lt Richard Hacker)
One day the word went out that if you wanted to fly for the Civil
Air Patrol you could report to a local air field, get trained, and
become a CAP pilot. After about ten hours of flight instruction in a
Piper Cub, Dolly’s instructor decided she was ready to solo. She
recalls the instructor saying, “It’s as easy as driving a car.” And
the teenager replied, “But I can’t drive a car!” And so Dolly
Selignan officially became a Civil Air Patrol pilot before she even
had a driver’s license.
Some of her flying involved training, such as practice bombing runs
with bags of flour and sand (a CAP plane actually sunk one enemy
submarine using hand-dropped bombs during WW II). Other missions
required her to fly out beyond the coastal breakwater, which she
could identify by the changing color of the sea, looking for German
U-Boats and other enemy activity. While she never had a “find,” a
CAP pilot's earlier observation of a German raft off-loading spies
in the area definitely brought home the somber reality of what she
was doing.
One memorable mission occurred during an approaching hurricane, when
she was given a package of vaccine which needed to be delivered to a
remote location in case the hurricane cut off all communication with
the area. Modern-day CAP pilots would be dialing in the
latitude/longitude in the GPS to fly a direct path. But such
navigational aids didn't exist at that time. Ms Selignan was told to
follow a road and then look for an air strip with a wind sock tied
to the top of a tall pine tree. She had been trained to look for the
reflection from the drainage ditch paralleling the air
strip. Landing successfully, she handed the package through the
window to a waiting officer and then took off for her home base. She
beat the bad weather, too.
The Civil Air Patrol has come a long way since those early days
during WW II. However, the link that binds us to our past is the
dedication, desire to serve, and courage that characterizes our
membership.
(1st. Lt. Richard Hacker)
On
the Move, 5 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
Significant achievements of the Joe Kittinger Phantom Senior
Squadron members:
|
Promotions |
Awards |
|
Dan Williams to Lieutenant Colonel |
Chuck Troop: Grover Loening Aerospace Award (Level III
Completion) |
|
Joe Chasnoff to Captain |
Dan Williams: Paul E. Garber Award (Level IV Completion) |
|
Richard Hacker to First Lieutenant |
Joe Chasnoff: Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Award (Level II
Completion) |
1.
2.
[1] Lt Col Dan
Williams with his Paul E. Garber Award. [2]
Capt Steve Barclay with his Grover Loening Award.
(Photos: 1st Lt Richard Hacker)
(1st. Lt. Richard Hacker)
Cadet
Orientation Weekend Flies High, 5-6 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
This article, by 1st Lt Richard Hacker, is published in the
Staff
Section, as part of the overall Group III Coverage.
Editor
|
|
Mesquite Blacksheep CS
 |
Squadron Cadets Tour the Dallas County Government
Center, 18 March
On 18 March, the cadets from the Mesquite Blacksheep
Composite Squadron got a tour of the Dallas County
Government Center in order to view the Truancy Court and
Justice of the Peace Court.
1.
2.
3.
4.
[1] (Back, L-R) Deputy M. Ashlock (with S.W.A.T.), C/Amn
Jeremy Banks, C/MSgt Matthew Garcia, C/AB Brandon Keehon, C/Amn
Garrett Porter, Deputy G. Turner (S.W.A.T. sniper). (Front,
L-R) C/A1C Matthew Phoenix and C/Amn Caroline Stelting.
[2] C/Amn Caroline Stelting eagerly holds a S.W.A.T.
battering ram. [3] (Back, L-R) 2d Lt Jerry Barron,
C/MSgt Matthew Garcia, Sgt. D. Grisham (Warrant Sergeant),
C/Amn Jeremy Banks, C/AB Brandon Keehon, 1st Lt J.M.
Coffman. (Front, L-R) C/AB Caroline Stelting, C/A1C Matthew
Phoenix, C/Amn Garrett Porter, and 2d Lt Lee Ann Garcia.
[4] (Back, L-R) C/AB Jeremy Banks, C/AB Brandon Keehon,
Constable Michael Gothard, C/MSgt Matthew Garcia, C/Amn
Garrett Porter, Deputy Chief Constable Dewayne Kurtz.
(Front, L-R) C/A1C Matthew Phoenix, C/AB Caroline Stelting.Since 1st Lt J.M. Coffman is a Truancy Officer for the constable’s
office, he introduced the cadets to several employees,
including the bailiffs, warrant sergeant, clerks, a judge,
S.W.A.T. team members, and civil sergeants.
Judge Gerry Cooper treated the cadets and attending senior
members to a lunch, as well as allowed all cadets to sit at
the judge’s seat.
5.
6.
7.
8.
[5] C/AB Brandon Keehan gets to sit on Judge Gerry Cooper’s
bench (it's really a comfy chair). [6] (Back, L-R) C/AB
Jeremy Banks, C/AB Brandon Keehon, Judge Gerry Cooper,
C/MSgt Matthew Garcia, C/A1C Matt Phoenix, C/Amn Garrett
Porter. (Front) C/AB Caroline Stelting. [7] C/MSgt Matthew
Garcia presents a plaque of appreciation to Deputy Chief
Constable Dewayne Kurtz. [8] Deputy Chief Constable Dewayne
Kurtz proudly stands with members of the Black Sheep CS.
Afterwards, on 24 March, the cadets presented a plaque to
Deputy Chief Constable Dewayne Kurtz, thanking him for
making it possible for the squadron cadets to tour the
facility.
“It was my pleasure,” said Deputy Chief Constable Kurtz to
the cadets. Then added, “I also appreciate all that you have
done. You’re the future of our country.”
Deputy Chief Constable Kurtz was also presented a Mesquite
Blacksheep CS patch and cap.
(1st. Lt. Kelly Castillo)
Squadron Flies Survey Mission, 12 April
MESQUITE, TX – On 12 April 2008, the Mesquite Blacksheep CS,
Group III, Texas Wing conducted its first of several Low
Level Route Surveys as requested by the U.S. Air Force.
The purpose of the mission was to locate and plot the
location and height of any obstacle higher than 200 feet
above ground level, including all new cell towers, radio
towers, and television towers. Air Force student pilots
routinely fly low-level navigation training missions, and
knowing the location of towers along the training routes is
vital to safely completing this training.
The Air Force provided Tactical
Pilotage Charts used by the students as reference for
determining whether or not an obstacle had been identified
already. These charts are drawn to the same scale as
civilian sectional charts, but cover a larger area.
Participating CAP squadrons will include predominantly units
located in the northern region of Texas, including the Fort
Worth Senior Squadron, Denton Night Hawk CS, Wichita Falls
Rio del Fierro CS, Granbury 441st CS, Sulphur Springs Senior
Squadron, Mesquite Blacksheep CS, and the Amarillo
Tigershark CS.
The first crew from the Mesquite Black Sheep CS included
unit commander Lt Col Mike Eberle (Mission Pilot), Capt Ron
Marshall (Mission Observer), and 1st Lt Kelly Castillo
(Mission Scanner).
Although visibility was clear, the winds were gusting to 29
mph as the crew flew over southern Oklahoma, between the
cities of Ardmore and Durant.
On this day, no new obstacles were found, which meant that
the student pilots flying in the area are using up-to-date
charts.
“This is not practice. It's a real mission and an important
one,” said Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander.
The missions will result in proficiency of mission staff and
aircrews under search conditions, as well as provide
qualification missions for aircrew members in training.
These Low Level Route Survey missions will continue until
August of 2008.
(1st. Lt. Kelly Castillo)
|
|
Pegasus CS
 |
A Different Spring Break, 21 March
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, DAYTON, OH –
My first year of college was quite an experience. Nothing beats the
lifestyle of living away from parents and having to make decisions
on your own. However, there is a tradition that tops them all; the
annual spring break. So what did I do, you might ask? Rather than go
with the crowd to a beach, and thanks to the generosity of my uncle
and aunt, I went to the
National
Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Ohio. My uncle, retired USMC Maj.
Rick McMann, was an
F-18
Hornet pilot and is now a captain flying for UPS. Besides paying
my way, he and Sharon, my aunt, put me up during my stay.
The museum has pretty much every plane that flew for
the U.S. Air Force, and even some Japanese and German aircraft. The
three gigantic hangars housing the planes are connected, so you can
keep going from one to the other. The first hangar has aircraft from
the beginnings of flight and those that flew in WWI and WWII. The
B-29 that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki, Japan is in this hangar.
The second hangar is home to aircraft currently in
use, such as the
B-52 Stratofortress,
F-16 Fighting Falcon, and
F-22 Raptor. Some of the planes are so big that
you wonder how they are able to fly. When it comes to warbirds, I
guess you can't worry about the fuel consumption, because it's the
muscle that keeps them up there.
1.
2.
3.
4.
[1] A North American
P-51 Mustang. (This WWII fighter was so successful that it
accumulated more kills than any other - Editor) [2] In
front of an F-22 Raptor. [3] An F-117 Nighthawk stealth
fighter. (Much about this plane is still classified - Editor)
[4] It might be glamorous, but this is the most uncomfortable
outfit I've ever worn. (Photos: Mrs. Sharon McMann)
The third and final hangar has planes that were
developed and used during the Cold War. Nowhere else can you find a
B-2 Spirit bomber,
SR-71 Black Bird, and
F-117 Nighthawk parked right next to each
other. You could literally spend an entire day in each hangar.
There is much more than just planes at the
museum. There is even a part dedicated to space flight and
rockets. I bet that a space shuttle will be parked in there
soon. Another really cool thing about the museum is that they have
an I-Max theater. While there, I watched "Operation
Red Flag." This movie blows "Top Gun" away. Operation Red Flag
is a documentary on the war exercise, and deals mostly with fighter
pilots. After having watched this, I am more determined than ever to
become a fighter pilot myself.
As for the second half of the semester, everything is
awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I received the scholarship I had
competed for. I am beyond thrilled, to find myself a part of the
greatest military force known to man. On top of that, my flight won
the top honors – Honor and
Warrior Flight – again. It's a
great feeling to know that I had a very successful freshman year in
both the classroom and AFROTC.
A year ago, I was a CAP cadet who didn't know a whole
lot about AFROTC and its benefits. Now, with much work ahead of me
and the will to achieve the goals I've set for myself, I can see my
career in the Air Force as a real possibility. Getting there won't
be easy, but I look forward to every minute of it. CAP has helped me
in so many ways, that I couldn't list them all. It was through CAP
that I got the advantage and knowledge I needed in order to do well
in AFROTC.
(C/SSgt Evan Petrosky)
Color Guard Takes Second Place Overall in SWR
Color Guard Competition, 1 April
BARKSDALE AFB,
SHREVEPORT, LA - In a room filled with over a hundred Civil Air
Patrol cadets, you could hear a pin drop. Never in my life have I
been in such a quiet group of cadets as I was at the 2008 Southwest
Region Color Guard Competition
at Barksdale AFB. Each team
hoped their hard work would pay off, so they could get the prize
they have all worked so hard to win. The goal is earning First Place
overall, and a chance to represent Southwest Region in the National
Color Guard Competition.
Sadly for the Texas
Color Guard, we missed that chance, although we had it within reach.
We had tied for first, out of six states, but lost the tiebreaker.
As a result, the First Place trophy went to the Arkansas Color
Guard. As the Texas Team's alternate, I know how hard all of us had
worked to get this far.
C/CMSgt Rand Fowler,
the Texas flag bearer, said, "I don't know what I'm feeling, I'm
happy for Arkansas, but now it's over." I think all the cadets who
didn't advance were sad that their long hours of practice had not
paid off.
Even though the Texas
Color Guard did not win, they did an outstanding job, placing second
in the Written Exam, Outdoor Presentation, and Indoor Presentation.
They also placed first in the Standard Drill. I was so proud of our
Color Guard when I overheard one of the senior members say, "They
look sharp."
We were:
-
Commander and
American flag bearer, C/A1C Austin Lowery,
-
American flag
guard, C/SMSgt Robbie Petrosky,
-
Organizational flag
bearer, C/CMSgt Rand Fowler,
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Organizational flag
guard, C/CMSgt David Hamman,
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Alternate, C/TSgt
Aaron Harold.
Selection for the team
is always competitive, and it so happens that we are all males this
time. We are five young men who have practiced for four months,
giving up our Saturdays and Sundays to improve the team. And we
nearly made it. All that practice almost paid off.
I am happy to
congratulate the Arkansas cadets for achieving the monumental goal
of representing Southwest Region in Nationals. And now our resolve
is greater than ever, because we truly want to have that chance
ourselves.
Another surprising
result in this year's competition was the emergence of the New
Mexico team. Seemingly out of nowhere, they took third place
overall, and did an outstanding job.
Overall, the Texas
Color Guard did phenomenally well. This was the first time that
these four Pegasus cadets had competed at the Region level, yet they
tied for first. C/CMSgt Fowler said, "This chance only comes around
once, for most cadets." In my opinion, Texas could not have had a
better Color Guard representing it.
(C/TSgt. Aaron Harold)
Group III hosts O-Ride weekend, 5-6 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
This article, by C/1st Lt Raphael Erie, is published in the
Staff
Section, as part of the overall Group III Coverage.
Editor
Pegasus Cadet's AE School Win, 10-11
April
MARBLE FALLS, TX –
This past Saturday several Marble Falls High School
students participated in the
Technology Students Association Regional Contest. Among them
was C/CMSgt Joshua Wreyford, who competed on "Flight Endurance," winning
Best in Class and advancing to the
State Contest. In all, eight teams from Marble Falls will advance to
State.
The school announcement stated, "These students represented
Marble Falls well in their respective technological and problem
solving events." Cdt Wreyford's project was a
wooden aircraft with paper covering that competed for duration of flight
with a maximum weight of 21 grams. The aircraft will be modified during
the next few classes, and compete at the State contest.
(School news sent in by 1st. Lt. Jim Wreyford)
Pegasus Cadets Participate in American Heroes Celebration, 19
April
CAMP MABRY, Austin, TX – The
American Heroes Celebration, organized by the Texas National Guard,
is an event unlike any other, meant to highlight the men and women
who put their lives on the line for all citizens. This past
celebration was particularly special because it incorporacan Heroes Air show and Muster Days, both of which
Pegasus Squadron has been volunteering for annually.
The early morning light shone ever brighter as the day kicked off.
The National Guard had already set up for the event, and the
constant sound of helicopter rotors hummed and rang through the
morning air. Although the Pegasus cadets' main purpose at the event
was to marshal the helicopters as they landed, they also worked with
the National Guardsmen to help with the parking lot traffic.
This year, over 4,000 visitors came through the gate, a count that
does not include those with military ID, averaging another 1,000. In
the past, the Pegasus Color Guard has led the morning parade, being
reviewed by a General Officer. But there was no parade this time.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1] Pegasus members gather for a group photo prior to
marshalling the helicopters. [2] C/A1C Gross, under the
supervision of Lt Pautz, signals a helicopter. [3] A Pegasus
cadet directs a helicopter using marshalling signals. [4] C/SMGst
Davidson, C/MSGT Hardcastle, C/CMSgt Hamman, and C/2d Lt Pope enjoy
their break in the shade. [5] Lt Pope answers questions from
an interested visitor to the Pegasus recruiting table. (Photos:
C/1st Lt Raphael Erie)
The cadets that were on break got to walk around and see all the
different events, such as the laser tag and the rock wall, as well
as many displays. It was definitely a joy to watch all the families
as well as cadets marvel at all the helicopters and displays.
A very popular attraction were the rides. Jeep rides were a great
hit, as was the "Kiddies Train." The Buffalo Soldiers, too, shared
their well-behaved mounts with children, as they led them by the
reins around the grassy area.
Even though no one left without getting a good tan, everyone
definitely had a great time.
(C/1st. Lt. Raphael Erie)
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Tyler CS
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Promotions, 1 April
To achieve
promotion, the cadets learn skills in Aerospace Education and
Military Customs and Courtesies, and must pass a Physical
Fitness test.
(C/CMSgt.
Josiah Niedrauer)
Fly, Fly, Fly! Louisiana and Texas Wing CAP
Squadrons Join for Orientation Flights Weekend, 5-6 April
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT'L AIRPORT, TX –
This article, by
Lt Col H. M. Ragland, Capt
Judith LaValley, and Capt Arthur E. Woodgate,
is published in the
Staff Section, as part of the overall Group III Coverage.
Editor
Group III O-Flights Weekend, 5-6 April
TYLER, TX – The
Texas Wing Chaplain (Maj.) Ron Whitt gave a devotional on
"Grasshopper Mentality" from the Book of Numbers, 13:33. Having faith in God to help with challenges of life.
After the devotional, Capt. Skip Smith conducted the Safety
meeting, where everyone was declared a Safety Officer. As pilots
prepared to start the Orientation Flights, weather was 8 miles visibility
with ceiling
at 2600 feet.
1.
2.
3.
4.
[1]
Lt. Col. Mike Eberle, commander of the Mesquite Blacksheep Composite Squadron, pre-flights his plane.
He flew the first sortie of the day with cadets Alexander, Harvey and Gandy
of Texas Wing. [2] Capt. Judy LaValley, commander of Barksdale
Composite Squadron, Louisiana Wing, gives a class on
Flightline Marshalling to cadets while they wait for their
O'Flights.
Capt victor Santana (Louisiana) assisted Capt. LaValley in the presentation, as she
stressed the importance of
hydration and personal safety while working on the flightline. [3] Cadet Master Sergeant Heather King from Barksdale Composite
Squadron
completed her 5th and final O'Flight after which her fellow cadets doused her
with a water hose. [4] Capt. Skip Smith of Tyler Composite
Squadron presented
Capt. Judy LaValley with a chocolate cake.
CAP Flight 4227 was grounded at 12:00 noon local time due to
magneto failure. Louisiana Wing came to the rescue by bringing planes from Shreveport and
Monroe squadrons to continue the Cadet O'Flights. 1st Lt Bruce Folks,
the Tyler Composite Squadron maintenance officer, served as
Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Flight Release Officer for the mission.
5.
6.
7.
[5]
Major Steve Wood of Shreveport Composite Squadron flew CAP Flight 1610,
a Cessna 182. [6] Major Jon Haddad, commander of Monroe Senior Squadron and
Capt. Glen Deas flew back to Downtown Airport Shreveport
to get an additional plane. They took advantage of the opportunity to
fly one cadet
O'Flight going to Shreveport and another one
returning to Tyler Composite Squadron Headquarters. [7] 2d Lt Rod Saucedo was the administration and finance officer,
and in charge of preparing cadet O'Flight Certificates."To my
knowledge, this is the first time that Louisiana and Texas have had a joint effort in an
exercise of this kind," he said.

Everyone was kept busy, and the excitement of the occasion ran through
all participants, as documented by the photos above. Orientation flights
always provide moments of intense excitement interspersed with the
routine of pre-flight checks, flighline marshalling training, and
exchanging stories and experiences with members of other units. The
cadets decided that they had to do this again, between Louisiana and
Texas.
Lt Heather King, a member of the Barksdale Composite Squadron, Louisiana
Wing, said, "I enjoyed
interacting with Texas Wing members." "It was an outstanding exercise,"
commented Capt Judy LaValley, commander of the Barksdale Composite
Squadron. Lt Col Richard Martin said, "Flying the Louisiana bunch was
great fun."
At the Tyler Staging Area on Group lll Orientation Flight Day, the day ended with a total of 53
attendees,
22 cadets flew, 6 cadets flew their 1st Orientation flight, and total
sorties for the both days was 25.
(Lt. Col. H. "Butch" Ragland) |
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Waxahachie Talon CS
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Group
III O-Flights Day, 4-6 April
WAXAHACHIE, TX –
On the weekend of 4-6 April, 2008, Group III hosted their
annual orientation flights (o-flights) at the Waxahachie Talons
Composite Squadron’s home base, at the Midlothian/Waxahachie Mid-Way
Regional Airport.
Major Nolan Teel, the project officer for the event, gave
me an inside scoop as to what o-flights are, and the reason why we have
o-flights. He commented, “O-flights are basically airplane rides paid
for by the Air Force, that CAP cadets can take. CAP has o-flights so
that our cadets can experience the thrill of riding in an airplane, at
no cost to the cadets.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1] Lt. Barron teaches an ES class. [2]
C/Capt. Tiffany Hamm with Maj. Richard Hunt. [3] Flightline
Marshalling cadets play around during their break. [4]-[5] Lt.
Barron teaches more ES skills.
This weekend, Waxahachie was not alone in its efforts. There were two
other Staging Areas, one at Tyler and the other one at Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport. Group III gave a total of
202 orientation flights,
with 119 cadets and 63 senior members participating. At the Tyler
Staging Area, there were 20 members from Louisiana Wing, which are
included in the total count.
When the cadets weren’t in the air, they were
participating in classes. While Lt. Col. Capehart gave medical classes,
Maj. Richard Hunt instructed flight line marshalling, and 2d. Lt. Barron
taught emergency service classes. Once the cadets on the ground had been
to all three classes, two members of the Group III Honor Guard gave a
brief presentation on what the Honor Guard is all about. At the end of
the day, each flight created their own Drug Demand Reduction skit to
remind everyone of how damaging drugs can be.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
[6] Cadets stand in line for chow. [7] A
CAP plane levels off after take-off. [8] C/TSgt. Kleinmeier and
C/CMSgt Scarborough talk about the Honor Guard. [9] C/TSgt
Kleinmeier tosses his rifle into the air. [10] C/TSgt Kleinmeier
and C/CMSgt Scarborough team up for a toss.
Cadet Porter, from the Mesquite Blacksheep Composite
Squadron, said, “I absolutely love the idea of bivouacking for
o-flights. It’s like camping out, except with CAP members."
The orientation flight weekend was a great success for
Group III. Cadets who had never flown before got to experience the
intense excitement of flying.
Hoooorah, Group III. Keep up the outstanding work!
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
[11] Maj. Hunt
prepares his cadets to guide a plane in. [12] A lucky cadet
prepares himself for take-off. [13] A CAP orientation pilot shows
cadets how to sump an airplane. [14] Maj. Nolan Teel .caught at
an unguarded moment. [15] Lt. Col. Melanie Capehart instructs a
medical class.
A
Storm, 29 April
The shining moon slowly creeps behind a cloud
As if hiding from the tension rising in the night sky.
Clouds scurry in, only to darken the firmament.
The wind thrashes across the horizon
Then suddenly grasps the trees as if for ever.
Yet, a momentary silence triumphs...
Then thunder screams in a mockery of terror,
Lightning makes its presence known
And with a single bolt the atmosphere trembles at its feet.
Raindrops fall from the sky.
An angel’s tears falling on a wasteland.
The battle rages on throughout the night
Until the wind and lightning surrender in exhaustion.
Then the angel stems her flow of tears,
A smile returning to her face.
The sun regains its post, brightening the day.
Order and peace have been restored.
(C/Capt. Tiffany Hamm) |
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