Group III, Texas Wing - SWR-TX-030
 Civil Air Patrol     U.S. Air Force Auxiliary 

Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond

Newsletter - September, 2008

Meditations on Volunteer Service

In the Civil Air Patrol, we have gathered in volunteer service. That's simple enough. We all know what that means, because we do it. But what does volunteer service really mean? Where do these words come from?

In the English language, the word service was first used around 1100, taken from the Old French servise, from the Classical Latin servitium (slavery, servitude) in turn derived from servus (slave). This original use meant "celebration of public worship." By 1590, the word had evolved into "duty of a military man," hence military service. By 1706, service had also come to mean "the military as an occupation." Clear enough.

Volunteer, also, has military origins. First used around 1600, it meant "one who offers himself for military service," from the Middle French voluntaire, the noun use of the adjective that means voluntary, from the Classical Latin voluntarius (voluntary, of one's free will). The use of volunteer as a non-military term was first recorded in 1638 (a very quick adaptation, as languages go).

If I looked up service first, and then volunteer, it's because that's how English is constructed. If we take volunteer to be an adjective, the word that calls the shots is service, the noun. And if we take volunteer to be a noun, by coming first it is a noun in an adjectival role, modifying the noun that follows it. Therefore, it all hinges on service, with volunteer as an added dollop of good meaning, if you wish.

I know some CAP members who are deeply religious, and the idea of service having started its lexical life in the sense of  "religious observance" is sure to please them. I also know some who are non-believers – agnostics, or even self-proclaimed atheists. Oddly enough, I don't believe they would object to the use of the word service, though. By their actions, their commitment to help others in time of need, their willingness to give of their time, talent and effort towards the welfare of others, they affirm a morality that is at the very heart of every religion.

If we look at our core values and truly apply them, we'll see that they also share the qualities that religious teachings point us to. Compassion, generosity, help, love, duty, hope, charity, respect, deliverance, comfort, rising above our personal wishes – these speak eloquently to the stricken, the bereaved, the victims of events totally outside their control. And we do these things for no pay. That's the volunteer part. In the comfort of his home, the cynic might wonder, "So what's the payoff?" But that same cynic, when the roof of his house has been blown right off, and five feet of water have invaded every room, will be first in line clamoring for help.

And when help arrives, even the cynic will be thankful.

And that is a payoff that is truly lasting. Anyone who has extended a helping hand and seen the gratitude in the eyes of others knows what the payoff is. Religious people call it "building yourself treasures in heaven."

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Editor

Group Staff Messages
Group Commander

In the Midst of Tragedy

On August 28, 2005 Hurricane Katrina came ashore creating one of the worst Natural Disasters of this decade. On September 11, 2001 nineteen terrorists had murdered three thousand people. Katrina came into our lives without malice, because nature has no will of its own. As large, as powerful and devastating as hurricanes can be, they are an emotionless force of nature that weather forecasters, meteorologists, and climatologists can understand and describe with mathematical models. The hijackers of 9/11 attacked us because they hated us. They hated everything we stood for, and still stand for, and in the misguided universe where these hijackers lived they believed that the world would be a better place if they could only reduce the number of Americans living in it. There was no hate in Hurricane Katrina, but there was hatred in the hearts of those hijackers.

In my life's experience these two events – Hurricane Katrina and the attacks of 9/11 – will always be inextricably linked because on September 11 of 2005 I was standing in the Civil Air Patrol ICP in Jackson, Mississippi along with 211 other CAP members from sixteen wings as we worked together to bring assistance to the residents of Coastal Mississippi whose lives had been veritably flooded with tragedy

Some of you were there with me, and I know you remember.

So here we are again. Within the next few days, what could be a very major hurricane will come ashore somewhere on the Gulf Coast of the United States. And, once again, the members of the Civil Air Patrol will set aside their personal lives, and in some cases even their own tragedies, and will work together to bring assistance to those in need.

America is not only a land of good and decent people who will voluntarily give of their personal lives to shoulder the burden of service to our community, state, and nation. America is also the land of those who, even though they have suffered tragedies of their own, will still reach out to help others first.

In the end, this is how I know that the terrorists were wrong about America.

It is a privilege to serve with you.

Lt. Col. Owen Younger, Commander

Tertia semper primoris
Wing Commander

Safety Training, 23 August

From: Smith, Joe R
Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 9:02 PM
To:
Subject: Safety Program Participation

CAPR 60-1 requires that CAP check pilots, mission check pilots, and instructor pilots be designated in writing by the current executive director, region commander, or wing commander. CAPR 62-1 requires every member to attend a face-to-face safety meeting every calendar quarter.

I have withdrawn my approval of five Texas Wing instructor and/or check pilot certifications for failure to participate in the safety program for over 90 days. Those qualifications are being removed from the CAP-USAF AFAM pilot list and I have suspended those qualifications in ops qual.

Participation in the safety program is required of all members prior to any CAP activity, but those individuals in a position of authority or responsibility have a special duty when it comes to safety. In particular, check pilots and instructor pilots are critical elements in our task of building a culture of safety in our aircrew members, and it is essential they be active in the safety program - and are perceived to be active - because of the critical first impression they give to our new aircrew members during training and the initial evaluation.

WMU has products that allow you to check the safety currency of any pilot, and we expect every FRO to be doing that for every flight release. You can also use that product to determine who is going to be removed from the AFAM pilot list next month - unless they start participating in the safety program. WMU also prints a unit report that indicates the safety currency of every member of the squadron, so the ability to ensure safety currency before every CAP event is available.

How to access the utility:

   1. Go to http://wmu.nat.cap.gov/

   2. Click on the "Web WMU" link,

   3. Press the "Safety" button,

   4. Log in,

   5. After a wait (depends on the connection), when you are logged in, press the "Pilot Listing" button.

   6. A few minutes later (depends on how many pilots), you will have a report for our wing pilots.

(Thanks to Capt. David Medders for providing the step-by-step routine)

I remind all unit commanders of the importance of our safety program, the requirement for every member to participate, and the importance of documenting that participation. Building a culture of safety is not easy. It requires dedication, effort, and everyone's participation.

Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing Commander

Wing Vice Commander

 

To members of Texas Wing, 30 August

This has been a very interesting year so far. We had several months of Firewatch and now we are into our third storm. Along with that, we have had many changes to deal with. I find that this often has a negative effect on our morale. To that end, let me tell you how much your support is appreciated. You have made major contributions to health and welfare of your and my neighbors. The Texas SOC considers you essential to their operations. Governor Perry was reviewing the Dolly pictures this morning and said that it was exactly what he needs for Gustav.

It is really my pleasure to represent you at the SOC. It is through your hard work that CAP's reputation is so well respected.

In the next few days I will be looking for your help again. This time to support recovery efforts as Gustav makes landfall. Please have a happy Labor Day weekend and get ready. CAP and I need everyone of you. I, and probably you, joined CAP to be able to help in occasions like Gustav. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Lt. Col. Jack Jackson, Texas Wing Vice Commander

Gustav Update, 30 August

Gustav increased to a CAT 4 at 2:00pm CDT. It still has to cross the western tip of Cuba. Once it enters the Gulf, it will strengthen again. This has raised a concern that Gustav might make landfall as a very strong storm. We have been asked to have another 5 aircraft with cameras on standby in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in case the workload exceeds what Ellington can handle. Also, Victoria should standby in case Gustav shifts towards Houston.

Lt. Col. Jack Jackson, Texas Wing Vice Commander
Chaplain

The Golden Rule

During my early studies in seminary I came to love the teachings of an ancient rabbi named Hillel. The story of his life and those maxims attributed to him are the stuff that can guide a person to a life of honor and caring. His gentle approach to mankind, and what was needed to repair a world that was torn by strife and greed, may be used as examples even in today’s world.

Hillel was born in Babylon on about 10 BCE (before the Christian era). He is said to have descended from the tribe of Benjamin on his father’s side, and the family of King David on his mother's. Hillel came to the Land of Israel as an illiterate young man and at the age of 40 began his studies. He is believed to have lived during the age of King Herod and the Roman Emperor Augustus. His brilliance and humanistic application of Jewish law to everyday life soon allowed him to assume the position of head of the academy. 

Hillel is known for a famous saying that is still applicable to daily life today, and is found in all humanistic belief systems. When a non-Jew approached Rabbi Hillel asking for an explanation of Jewish law, Hillel said, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow [to mankind]. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn.” With that, the “Golden Rule,” which is known to us all, was born and repeated to this day.

Regardless of your religious belief, applying the “Golden Rule” to your daily life, and living by that rule, can only make you a better person. Best of all, it lends itself to the honor code by which you, as a Civil Air Patrol member, are expected to live your life.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Marc Ben-Meir

"Chaplain Marc"
Communications

Upcoming Change in Communications

Please see message below, from the Director of Missions, CAP NHQ.

S. M. Roger Courtney

From: Salvador, John
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 5:18 PM
To: 
Subject: Narrowband Transition Update Briefing
Importance: High

Commanders,

Here is a narrowband transition update briefing from Lt Col Mike Marek, our Communications Team Leader. The PDF file contains the slides and talking points to go along with each slide.  Recommend you view this PDF version first. Attached documents:

Please share this information with your staff so they can be prepared to assist your communications team with the multitude of tasks that will be required in the coming year. Thank you. 

Sincerely,

John A. Salvador, Director of Missions, HQ CAP
Emergency Services - DHS

Feature-Rich Website

The Lessons Learned Information Sharing site, published and maintained by the Department of Homeland Security, is a rich source of planning, hands-on, and practical information. Do check out their Hurricane Preparedness page, recently updated.

To access the site, at https://www.llis.dhs.gov , you must create a user account first. If you have trouble doing so, they publish a Help e-mail address, and they also have a toll-free phone number to assist you. Refreshingly, if you phone, you'll get an American standard accent belonging to a patient and clear helper.

At the very least, read the State of Texas Hurricane Evacuation and Mass Care Plan https://www.llis.dhs.gov/docdetails/details.do?contentID=23405

This site is free, useful, and clear. You can't go wrong.

Crisis Management Newsletter

To receive this e-newsletter, send a message to join-crisismanager@laser.sparklist.com -- No subject or message is required. You'll receive a message that you must answer in order to confirm your subscription. (Tip sent in by my friend Lt. Col. Tom Traver, ORWG PAO.)

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Editor
Emergency Services - Training Opportunity

Special Training Opportunity for Texas CAP Members

It is a fact that NIMS training is mandatory, but the ICS 300 and ICS 400 courses cannot be taken online. They must be taken in person at an approved location, taught by certified instructors. Many TXWG members who would otherwise be able to take these courses, at times cannot because of the cost, since they are taught in few places, mostly the large cities in Texas.

This is a Great Deal!

ICS training is available through the Governor's Division of Emergency Management. This program will reimburse CAP members for travel and living expenses incurred to attend mission-related training.

If in doubt, or if you have any other questions, please contact the Group III Emergency Services Officer.

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Editor
Finance

Group III Patch Available

     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.)

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
Information Technology

Most Common Mistakes that Beginning Webmasters Make - "Could you find me, please?"

The beginning webmaster (BW) labors away with the page design, the content, and the "navigation blues" that pop up when a naive user just can't seem to find a particular page linked so cleverly that even a fool could find it ... but not that fool. So the BW keeps at it, until everything is easy for everyone.

Once these issues have been worked out, the BW posts the site online and sits back, relishing the thought of millions upon millions of visitors filing through its dazzling pages. Hold on, now. Reality check. First of all, the visitors will need to know the site is there, and that won't happen unless (1) the BW tells them about it (it would cost a fortune), or (2) the search engines find the wonderful, brand-new site.

And here comes the catch. Search engines are capricious, and insist on reading some things but not others. Or they discover things the BW didn't think would be notable. Or they ignore entire sections of the new website because their standard search pattern didn't take them there. Well, worry not. Help is coming.

The answer is the lowly "robots.txt" file. Yes, a plain text file, in the best tradition of old-style computing, when there were no great graphical interfaces because the CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes, also called computer monitors) could only display text. Yes, the practice goes back to nearly the stone age of computing as practiced 30 years ago.

Telling the robots (or "bots," or "crawlers") to skip your site altogether is quite simple. It is also easy to tell them not to look at one or more directories. But telling them to look in specific places so they'll index their content, or even how to index the content takes a little work.

Rather than going into a lengthy explanation, here's a link to an article that tells you how to do it. Happy indexing...

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, ITO

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
Professional Development

Unit Commanders Course

A UCC will be offered on 4-5 October at the Group III HQ, Business Jet Center, Dallas Love Field. Here is the OPLAN. Class size is limited to 30 students, so apply early. Submit your CAPF 17a and letter of participation to Capt. Vanessa Smith, Course Director. An activity fee of $15.00 to cover cost of materials will be due at sign-in.

Online Courses

I'd like to recommend an on-line course that all PDO's should take. The course materials are located at http://www.cap.gov/visitors/members/professional_development/pd_course/

This is designed to be a classroom-taught course, but it can serve you well as a self-paced home-study course just as well. If you take the course, give me some feedback, please. It might be a good addition to the 2009 Group schedule.

How to Record OPSEC Training in e-Services.

Please visit https://www.capnhq.gov/News/Recording_OPSEC_Training.ppt#1 - for a new e-services power point on how to record  OPSEC  training,

Capt. Vanessa Smith, PDO
 tx438pdo@yahoo.com 
Public Affairs – Welcoming a New C/PAO

 

From Pegasus C.S., a new voice

C/1st Lt Sean Stewart joined the Civil Air Patrol in 2003 because he was interested in the military. Home schooled, he also wanted to participate in group activities. He has his sights set on Texas A&M University, where he would like to join the Corps of Cadets. His ultimate goal is to be commissioned and serve as a military officer as a career. He is comfortable with people of all ages, and has excellent manners. A patriotic and very moral young man, he has a strong Christian faith and practices what he believes. Broad minded and interested in engineering, especially architectural and civil engineering, firefighting (wants to get his firefighter certification), and martial arts (Tae Kwon Do).

As the Sierra Flight Cadet Commander, he is responsible for all aspects of cadet life in that unit. His first contribution to this newsletter, not surprisingly, has to do with leadership, mentoring, guiding and the welfare of others. We wish him a long and successful life. Welcome to the Group III Cadet PAO Program, Cdt Stewart!

From Dallas CS, a young surprise

C/TSgt Zach Buswold is a senior in high school and wants to pursue a career in business. "How high?" I asked. "I'm shooting for an MBA," he replied. He is developing his color guard skills and loves the Civil Air Patrol. He also likes sports: basketball, soccer and tennis. Good sports all of them, promoting coordination and agility. "Do you like the arts?" "Oh yes, Sir. Music." It turns out that he plays both the guitar and the piano. He prefers the piano for classical music, but the guitar is for fun. Since he needs to trim his fingernails for the piano, he uses one or two picks to play the guitar.

Cdt Buswold is polite, respectful, and expansive. A very good combination that gains him the respect of those around him. Mine too. Welcome to the Group III Cadet PAO Program!

Also from Dallas CS, another author

C/SMSgt Tyler Moore is difficult to find, especially during summer vacation. What I know about him is by reference. He is home schooled, and came to Texas Wing from Colorado. He is also in the squadron's color guard and is a team player. "Very factual," said 2d Lt Susan Cathcart, his squadron's PAO. "A nice guy," said C/TSgt Zach Buswold, who co-signed the article with him. I sent him an e-mail and left a message on his answering machine, but we did not connect. At the edge of the newsletter's deadline, I got an e-mail from him. It appears that he's having a good time in Colorado, and his only connection with the outside world is the library's computer. Never mind. We're glad to count you as a member of the Group III Cadet PAO Program, Cdt Moore. Have a grand time and come back refreshed.

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, DPA, SWR
Public Affairs – C/PAOs Report NCSA

 

 

AFSPC-FC (FL) Reported by Cadet PAOs, 26 July 3 August

COCOA BEACH, Florida - It was a grand idea, but the risk was high. What would happen if the cadet PAOs chosen to report this National Cadet Special Activity weren't up to the job? Arguably, Texas Wing counts among its cadets the most young writers and photographers, so it was reasonable to select two cadets from Texas.

Their work speaks for itself.

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, DPA, SWR

Day One, 26 July

COCOA BEACH, Florida - What a great day to start the Air Force Space Command Familiarization Course! Upon arrival, anyone could have noticed the steel-blue sky, penetrated by the bright Florida sun. It was a brilliant view that promised wonderful things. With cadets arriving from many states, both near and far, and using different modes of transportation, gathering all of them in one place was no easy task. To be sure, it took a lot of coordination and a great deal of patience on the part of the senior staff.

Gradually, as the cadets arrived at the Cocoa Beach Resort, they familiarized themselves with the facilities. Although there was a delay in room assignments, it was not as inconvenient as it might seem. The delay gave the cadets time to relax and socialize, getting to know each other.

As they interacted and exchanged impressions, the Cadet PAO team had the chance to ask the cadets how they felt about the upcoming events. Were they looking forward to the AFSPC-FC experience? The cadets didn't give many enthusiastic answers, probably due to fatigue and hunger from their travels. We definitely hope that their answers will change after a nice warm dinner and a good night’s rest.

After the gleefully welcome dinner on Patrick Air Force Base, the cadets moved on to the 45th Space Wing Command Conference room to attend the Welcome Briefing. This was a formal introduction to the activity that laid down the rules and expectations as they applied to all participants. Cadet Master Sergeant Tim Fisher (Georgia Wing) said, "I expect to gain a better understanding of the Air Force Space Command.”

Directly after the Welcome Briefing, the cadets headed back to their rooms for lights out. There, in the comfort of their rooms, they were free to dream about the exciting things they will encounter in the very near future.

Cdt. 1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis & Cdt. 1st Lt. Raphael Erie, C/PAOs

 Day Two, 27 July

COCOA BEACH, Florida - The sky is wide, the sun is up, we're well rested and ready to go… and we’re off! As it turned out, the first full day of the Air Force Space Command Familiarization Course was definitely an exciting one!

After a satisfying breakfast at 0700, the cadets attended a class taught by Major Dickinson. Space 101, an introductory lecture, covered the basic principles of Space as well as the Air Force’s and NASA’s involvement with Space. Directly after the class, the cadets took a comprehensive quiz that consists of 25 questions about the material covered in the presentation. When asked if she had learned a lot from the Space 101 class, Cadet Second Lieutenant Laura Boehk said, “I already knew some of the material, but I still learned a lot.”

After the pop quiz, we marched down to the Riverside Dining Facility and enjoyed a nice hot lunch. It was such a beautiful day, that some of the cadets chose to eat their meal on the outside porch.

The highlight of the day was a visit to the John F. Kennedy Space Center, where the cadets visited many different exhibits. The most popular were the LC-39 Observation Gantry, the Apollo/Saturn V center (which contained the real Saturn V rocket), and the International Space Station Center.

Right after touring the displays, the cadets had a treat. They met former astronaut Col. Rick Searfoss, USAF Ret. He talked to us about the best way to get started in a profession in Space Aeronautics, then signed autographs for all of us. Afterwards, we got a chance to visit the rest of the exhibit. Cadet Second lieutenant Eashan Samak said, "My favorite exhibit at the Space Center was probably the Apollo 1, and also seeing the launch control center.”

The cadets then headed back to the 45th Space Wing Command Conference Room, where they had delicious Subway sandwiches for dinner. Directly after that, Captain Gary Dahlke held a class explaining the Seven Wonders of the Universe. Inspired by the topics that Captain Dahlke had thrown at them, the cadets proceeded to overwhelm their instructor with an apparently endless stream of questions.

This was definitely a wonderful and successful start to what is sure to become one of the greatest experiences the cadets have ever had. Participants' expectations from this activity are high, and they are all looking forward to being surprised by getting more than they'd expected.

Cdt. 1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis & Cdt. 1st Lt. Raphael Erie, C/PAOs

Day Three, 28 July

COCOA BEACH, Florida – Monday was certainly the most eventful day so far. It was also the very first day that the cadets wore their "class B" Blues uniform, prompting everyone to take extra care in dressing for the day.

At 0550 the cadets, half-asleep, slowly made their way to the vans for transportation to breakfast on base. With a quick but satisfying breakfast, the cadets revived and attended three consecutive briefings. The first one, "The 45th Space Wing Mission Brief," guided by Captain Page, USAF, was a basic overview of the functions of the 45th Space Wing.

The next briefing offered the cadets the opportunity to meet former astronaut and current 45th Space Wing Commander, Brigadier General Susan Helms, USAF. General Helms described for the cadets her experiences as an astronaut, then answered their many questions.

Following General Helms was a briefing regarding the Human Space Flight Mission, guided by Mr. Chris Malbon. Out of the three briefings, Cadet Master Sergeant Charles Walker preferred Brigadier General Helms’, saying, "Although I have met two astronauts before, I had never met an Air Force General who had been an astronaut."

Directly after these presentations, the cadets had lunch at the Riverside Dining Facility and then performed an In-Ranks Inspection. It was extremely important that the cadets met the highest standard of appearance and behavior, especially when upholding the image of the Civil Air Patrol.

Afterwards, the cadets proceeded to the DOMS Telemetry Tracking Facility. This is where the Air Force observes rocket launches using planetarium-like telescopes. The cadets were introduced to the technologies that allowed the Air Force to view a rocket launch from every angle possible.

The next event was a tour of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s fantastic facilities (where a lot the action takes place). The first facility we visited was the Atlas Space Flight Operations Center. Our wonderful tour guide, Mr. Mike Woolly of United Launch Alliance, explained everything about the Atlas rockets as he led us through the Atlas Command Control Center.

Next we went to Complex 34, the site of the Apollo 1 tragedy. We felt honored and privileged to have been allowed to visit this site. It was such a beautiful sight to see, and there was so much emotion attached to it that words cannot completely describe it. The scenery consisted of a massive, peaceful landscape of lush vegetation and a large body of water. The familiar facilities of NASA and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station have been built within this striking landscape.

Subsequently, the cadets visited the Space and Missile Museum’s captivating historical exhibits. Thanks to the tour guide, our own Captain Gary Dalhke, everyone left the Museum with a vast amount of historical knowledge.

After dinner back at Air Force Diner, the cadets went straight to the 45th Space Wing Conference Room to take the test covering the day’s events. That done, they attended a presentation from the night’s guest speaker, Mr. Norman Beck of the LRO/LCROSS Mission, who spoke about the future of the Moon landing programs.

What a day! It seems that the AFSPC-FC is gaining momentum as the week rolls on. Today was more jam-packed with events than either one of the previous two days, and now we anticipate even more in the days to come. (Photos: C/1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis and C/1st Lt. Raphael Erie)

Cdt. 1st Lt. Raphael Erie, C/PAO

Day Four, 29 July

COCOA BEACH, Florida – The day was long but filled with rewards. Running a little behind schedule, we quickly ate our breakfast and loaded onto the Air Force bus. To pass the time, some cadets cracked jokes as we drove to the 1st Range Operations Squadron. There, we toured the facilities and learned about the cooperation needed from all mission members in order to have a successful launch. These members work hard and smart in making sure the launch runs smoothly, as the countdown timer ticks away.

The 45th Weather Squadron introduced us to their mission and showed us a short film about what they do. We watched with great interest as the video played across the screens. Mr. William Roeder brought laughter to the room as he briefed us on the proper safety procedures one must follow in order to prevent being struck by lightning. When asked what was her favorite part of the day, C/MSgt Hanley, commented "The speech about the lightning. The speaker was really funny."

When the lightning show was over, we wished our tour guides farewell and boarded "our" bus. We discussed amongst ourselves what we had seen and heard, as we used the time profitably on our way to the Balloon Release Facility. There, Mr. Dave Chapman briefed us on the balloons and their purpose. After the briefing, we were told to pick a number between 1 and 100 for a mystery drawing. The lucky winner, C/1st Lt. Benjamin Frazier, was the one chosen to release one of the spherical balloons into the vast Florida sky. We were led back to the small work room, where we watched the rising balloon's progress.

Our next stop was the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF). With Mr. Mike Woolley as our tour guide, we learned many interesting things. One great bit of trivia was that the floor of the Processing Bay broke the world record for being "the most level floor" in the world. Creating a temporary home in the Processing Bay were two Delta Four rockets in the assembly stage of their useful life. Yes. They were big. When the cadets first walked into the Processing Bay, their breath was taken away by the sight, and a look of awe and wonder came over them.

Back to more mundane needs, when Mr. Woolley’s exciting tour was over, we rode to Burger King, ate a nice tasty meal and discussed many topics.

After all of us had boarded the bus, the command was given, "Count off!" We had to make sure that everyone was present and accounted for. Upon arriving shortly at Complex 14, just inside the double doors was a special treat. Ten Air Force lieutenants sat in a neat row, waiting to answer our questions about a career in the Air Force. Cadet First Sergeant Dendrinos commented, "It’s pretty cool to major in something in college, then be assigned to something completely different that what you intended to do -- and still be great at it." With assigned duties varying from Medical to Engineering, these wonderful Ladies and Gentlemen were definitely one of the highlights of the evening.

The International Space Station Director, Russell Romanella, ended the evening with a nice Power Point slideshow of the International Space Station and the Universe. Meeting and speaking with this amazing person was a real pleasure.

The events of the day were busy, very rewarding, and did not disappoint us. We look forward more exciting and wonderful activities in the days to come. (Photos: C/1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis and C/1st Lt. Raphael Erie)

Cdt. 1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis, C/PAO

Day Five, 30 July

COCOA BEACH, Florida – Another outstanding day has gone by, faster than the  blink of an eye. It's hard to believe that we've been here for five days, and we're over the half-way mark already. The many events we’ve experienced are soon to be just memories. There is a feeling of urgency all about, as we concentrate on cherishing every opportunity given to us in these few days.

The bright and sunny day started at 0615, with a pleasant breakfast that would surely keep us fueled until lunch. From there, we went straight to the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Upon arrival, we met our tour guide, NASA engineer Mr. Glenn Perez, who gave us a wonderful overview of the NASA facilities and processing areas.

This was a long day, full of NASA wonders. After touring the Kennedy Space Center, we went back to Patrick Air Force Base and had dinner at the Riverside Dining Facility. Excited about the day, and happy about our good meal, we went to the 45th Space Wing Conference room to take the daily quiz covering the day’s events.

When asked what he planned to do with the knowledge he had gained today, Cadet First Lieutenant Brian Urbancic said, "The stuff that I found out here is phenomenal. Now I have an idea of what to do when I’m older."

The final event was a briefing from the day's guest speaker, Mr. Jack Fox. He gave a wonderful presentation about NASA’s upcoming Constellation Program.

Some of us are wondering how we might make our stay here last longer. The activity is going by too quickly, and we wish there were a way to slow it down some. We know that very soon we'll be back home, left with the memories of our new-found friends and awesome experiences. (Photos: C/1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis and C/1st Lt. Raphael Erie)

Cdt. 1st Lt. Raphael Erie, C/PAO

Day Six, 31 July

COCOA BEACH, Florida – The last day before graduation was a fulfilling one. It certainly proved to be more relaxed, as we were able to wear our white AFSPC T-shirts with casual dress. But it was just as exciting as the previous days – both staff and students learned a great deal, to be sure.

Despite being tired from the previous day’s events, we all got into the CAP Vans at 0550 to make our way to the Riverside Dining Facility. After an enjoyable breakfast, we went back to the John F. Kennedy Space Center to finish taking our tour from yesterday. Unexpectedly, Col. Christian Moersch, the Florida Wing Commander, accompanied us on our tour. The retrieval of NASA’s equipment was undoubtedly an intriguing subject. We were also fortunate to attend a classroom session with Mr. Lesgold at the NASA Education and Training Center. He captivated everyone with his fascinating footage from the Apollo Landings, plus numerous attention-grabbing activities that explained the fundamentals of Space Exploration.

After the theory, we got a taste of the practical side, when we experienced the thrilling ride of the Shuttle Simulation. This is a mock-up of the Space Shuttle that recreates the illusion of a launch from the perspective of an astronaut.

The following event was the highlight of the day. We were all honored to have lunch with former astronaut Col. John Blaha, USAF Ret. During the meal, Col. Blaha spoke to us about his experiences as a Space Shuttle astronaut. It was really cool when he complimented our efforts as Civil Air Patrol members.

Following lunch, we left the Space Center and went to the Astronaut Hall of Fame. This was a great opportunity to get a really good understanding of the Space Program's history. There we saw many interesting exhibits, as well as an activity area that offered us many fun experiences, such as a G-Force simulator and a Shuttle Landing simulator. Cadet Technical Sergeant Chad Nowak of the Wisconsin Wing said, "It was interesting to learn about the background of all the astronauts, and see what they did to achieve such a prestigious career."

Dinner soon came around, but this one was different. We were given the chance of talking with Command Chief Dennis Vannorsdall, of the 45th Space Wing, and eight senior Non-Commissioned Officers. They gave us much good advice and were very supportive of us. Soon after, we went to the 45th Space Wing Conference Room to take the very last test of the activity! When all tests were complete, our guest speaker, Captain Theo Spanos (who happens to be a former CAP cadet), gave us a very interesting talk about the Space Shuttle program.

Our reward has been very rich. We received a vast amount of knowledge that we'll treasure for a lifetime, and we're grateful for the rare opportunity of being able to glimpse space operations up-close. (Photos: C/1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis and C/1st Lt. Raphael Erie)

Cdt. 1st Lt. Raphael Erie, C/PAO

Day 7, 1 August

COCOA BEACH, Florida – The sky was blue and clear, with the radiant sunshine pouring down from the heavens. This was a perfect day that would serve as a perfect setting for the day’s planned events. The official conclusion of the AFSPC-FC activity ended with an awesome graduation.

After enjoying a great breakfast, we went to the Space Tec Facilities where Captain Gary Dahlke presented an introductory class to Model Rocketry. He also showed us one of his own impressive model rockets, that was actually twice the size of Captain Dahlke himself. We then built our own pressurized air rockets using basic office supplies such as construction paper and tape. It was fun to see the deep look of concentration on the cadets' faces as they labored to assemble their rockets. The cadets would be competing to see whose rocket would go the farthest. In the end, Cadet Captain Benjamin Josse took 1st place, while Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Christopher Pannier won second place.

After enjoying our boxed lunches, we discussed the essay that is a mandatory assignment for this activity. We then went back to the 45th Space Wing's Conference Room, where Senior Master Sergeant Rene Rubiella, USAF, our guest speaker of the day, made an inspiring presentation on teen driving. You could have heard a pin drop as everyone actively listened to Sergeant Rubiella’s every word.

Afterwards, we all went back to the hotels and were given a few hours to prepare for graduation. With everyone’s uniform looking sharp, we went to the Patrick AFB Officers' Club to attend a graduation we were all looking forward to. 


(Photos: C/1st Lt Raphael Erie)

This was certainly the best part of the day. The evening started with time allotted for socializing with our guests and peers. All the cadets were really surprised to see some distinguished guests, including Colonel Butler, USAF and his wife, as well as Colonel Moarsh. Then we watched the end-of-course slide show that had been prepared by one of the Cadet PAOs, Cadet First Lieutenant BrandiiRe'Anne Davis. Following a short speech from Colonel Butler, we had a surprise visit from current astronaut Lieutenant Colonel Boe. The latter talked to us about his adventures as an astronaut and answered questions from the audience.


(Photos: C/1st Lt BrandiiRe'Ann Davis)

After getting our certificates, three distinguished awards (Professionalism, Essay, and Academics Awards) were presented to the winners, one of whom won two of them. They were:

  • Professionalism award – Cadet Technical Sergeant Micah Humphrey

  • Essay Award – Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Christopher Pannier

  • Academics Award – Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Christopher Pannier

Congratulations to these cadets!

With graduation over, we were all allowed to stay up later than the previous nights. This grand finale will be followed by a fun day that will offer new friends the opportunity to hang out together for one last time before departing on Sunday.

Cdt. 1st Lt. Raphael Erie, C/PAO

Day 8, 2 August

COCOA BEACH, Florida – The extra hours of sleep and the memory of having graduated the night before were the perfect setting to start the final activity day of the AFSPC-FC. We woke up, grabbed our beachwear, and headed for the van. The first stop was the Riverside Dining Facility for a hot breakfast.

After the morning meal, we loaded back into the van and drove a few blocks to the Banana River. Here we collected oars, life jackets and kayaks for a lot of fun. Within 30 minutes, we were on the river, paddling away. Some of us chose to race, while others preferred to enjoy the little time we would spend on the river before we would have to leave for home. We had been told that we would have two hours on the river, and that didn't seem like much, so we tried to have an adventurous time. Some of us played bumper kayaks, and splashed each other until we were soaking wet. Then, before we realized it, the two hours were over, so we returned our borrowed gear and hopped back into the vans.

Shortly afterwards, we stopped to vacuum out the, leaving them in even better condition than we had found them. Our chore finished, we traveled back to the hotel. We would have free time until 1315, at which time we could play any activity on the hotel complex. When we reported in for the beach party, we were greeted warmly and asked to stand in line for food. By 1345, quite hungry by then, all of us had a plateful of food and a soft drink in our hands.

After lunch, most of us headed to the beach, while others went to the pool, racket ball or tennis courts. We rode the waves, dug our feet in the sand, and found multiple sand dollars along the way. We partied with each other until 1700, when we left for the Star Gazing Observatory. One last opportunity to take yet more knowledge away with us. Here we learned about the stars and their locations.

After stargazing, we loaded up and went back to the hotel for dinner... and much needed rest. We would need it for the trip home. (On day eight, the cadet photographers had been allowed to go on strike - Editor)

Cdt. 1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis, C/PAO

Day 9, 3 August

COCOA BEACH, Florida – The excitement from the previous week’s events, testing, inspection, briefings, studies, tours and travel, the wonder of America's Space Program, and the many wonderful people that make it work came to a grand finale. The adrenaline that once flowed through our veins now went down to a trickle, as we scrambled to get our luggage together and into the Civil Air Patrol vans.

Everyone scurried around, trying to make sure everything was organized and ready for departure. Some of us left as early as 0600, while others caught a few extra Z’s. The cadets parted company with fond farewells, and some exchanged contact information to stay in touch. We had arrived as strangers, but now were scattering as members of a close family, with many shared memories we would cherish for years to come.

The lucky participating students would like to thank everyone for the support, encouraging us as we advanced through this outstanding and rewarding program. Our expectations were exceeded as many surprises unfolded along the way. On behalf of the Class of 2008, "Thank you for giving us the opportunity of a lifetime. It shall never be forgotten."

Cdt. 1st Lt. BrandiiRe'Ann Davis, C/PAO

Epilogue

COCOA BEACH, Florida – This was the first time that the AFSPC-FC (FL) Activity was to be recorded and reported by cadets. Both age 16, and both cadet officers, they had prepared themselves for nearly a year to carry out this mission. More than their perfect spelling and impeccable grammar, what I had looked for was their ability to relate to others, to experience consciously all that happened around them, and the courage to tell it all – candidly and from the heart.

Both Cadet PAOs have been published before. They were part of a team of 5 cadets who reported the 2007 Texas Wing Winter Encampment that I was privileged to mentor. Above all, they were eager to do the right thing. And they had a grand time doing it, which showed in their writing. The Texas press had embraced their daily articles and published them as a serial. CAP National News Online published them as well. In so doing, a new standard of excellence was created.

It seemed easy to them at the time, since I was never far from them. Questions abounded, and I encouraged them to follow their instincts. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Then the AFSPC-FC (FL) opportunity presented itself.

It would be different in Florida, half a country away, where they would have to keep a rigorous schedule, take their photos, write their articles, have them approved and sent to me in Austin for final editing and posting to the website. Before going to the Activity, I'd warned them, "If you fall behind just one day, it'll wreck your schedule." The late-night graduation ceremony did that. Relaxing on the beach nailed it shut. And the departure preparations didn't help either. But "duty before self" prevailed, and they wrote their missing articles on their way home, the tender days 7 through 9 presented here.

I am so very proud of them. I am also thankful to the Activity for having made it possible. It's been a real pleasure.

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, DPA, SWR
Public Affairs – National Conference

 

 

PAO Academy and National Boards Conference, 5-10 August

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – On this second year of the PAO Academy, the emphasis was on training and planning. As a result of the comments and evaluations gathered in 2007 and in post-evaluation queries, some of the hands-on training sessions were divided into "basic" and "advanced" streams, with excellent results. Many wings were represented by members at the squadron level, who profited from the basic presentations. Some Wing PAOs, too, attended the basic courses as a means to update their own knowledge in an effort to better support their subordinate units.

As in 2007, the Interim National Commander, Brig. Gen. Amy S. Courter, was very much involved in the proceedings and presided the presentation of awards at the Wednesday Awards Ceremony. This year, CNN correspondent Miles O'Brien delivered the keynote address. Southwest Region award winners were  Capt. Jerry Porter, Arizona Wing (2 awards); 2d Lt. Norman D. Reames, New Mexico Wing; and Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, SWR DPA (2 awards).

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

[1]-[2] During the PAO Academy's Awards Ceremony, Brig. Gen. Amy S. Courter addresses the group. [3] Capt. Steven Solomon introduces the guest speaker, CNN correspondent Mr. Miles O'Brien. Seated (L-R), Miles O'Brien, Interim National Commander Gen Courter, CAP-USAF Commander Col. Russell Hodgkins, USAF, National Chief of Staff Col. Reggie Chitwood, CAP Senior Advisor - Administration Col. Joseph A. Guimond, Jr., and National Marketing Advisor Col. Rick Greenhut.  [4]-[5] It was a good crowd. [6]-[7] After his presentation, Mr. O'Brien got a desk-top CAP plane, WW II vintage, presented by Gen Courter. He was delighted with his gift. [8] Capt. Phillip D. Norris, Mississippi Wing PAO, accepts the Balsem Award for Writing for Media. Observing is S.M. Dennis Steinbock, Oregon Wing.

The event everyone was waiting for, however, was the election of CAP's Commander and Vice-Commander. It came as no surprise that Brig. Gen. Amy S. Courter was confirmed as the new National Commander. Later in the day, Col. Reggie Chitwood was elected to be the new Vice-Commander. That evening, they were promoted to Major General and Brigadier General, respectively.

The breakout sessions had something for everyone. The presentation on PA Planning was thorough, stressing the 4-step planning process, that is a recognized business standard. CAP, as a business (even though not-for-profit), and the official auxiliary of the USAF, first required that all units prepare a Public Affairs Plan and a Crisis Communications Plan when the new CAPR 190-1 was published on 4 June 2007. Although the regulation doesn't specify how the PA Plan is to be structured, National requires each to include a way in which success can be measured. These will be considered living documents, that must be reviewed at least semi-annually (preferably quarterly) and updated, added to, or revised as often as necessary.

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

[9] Louisiana Wing Commander Col. Mike DuBois and his guest Cathy. [10] Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith with his wife SWR Director of Administration/Personnel Maj. Harriet Smith and daughter 1st Lt. Sandra Smith. [11] SWR Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello and his guest Letitia. [12] New Mexico Wing Commander Col. Ric Himebrook and his wife Roberta. [13] SWR Director of Public Affairs Capt. Arthur Woodgate. [14] SWR Deputy Commander East Col. André Davis and his guest Carol Anne.

The posting of a new Public Affairs Officer Toolkit was also announced, emphasizing the PA Planning Guidelines: Writing Your Crisis Communications Plan and Writing your PA Plan. The PAO Toolkit can be downloaded in its entirety at the CAP Channel site. Approximately 100 PAOs attended the PAO Academy, considered a great success.

Other Public Affairs sessions presented a variety of subjects designed to sharpen the skills of all attendees, including commanders and other interested persons. In fact, commanders at all levels chose to attend many PA presentations, which speaks eloquently about how important Public Affairs is now considered at the command level. PAOs have Maj. Gen. Courter to thank for on this count, since with her professional background she possesses a deep understanding of the value of PA for corporate health and growth. It is a fact that those units that have an active and vigorous PA program do best at recruiting and retention, as well as reaching out to the community.

Opportunities to network with old friends and meet new ones abounded, and some very productive high-level planning took place as well. All Region DPAs attended the Conference, and there were many Wing PAOs as well. National's top-tier PA staff was there as well. The result was a series of highly productive talks and pre-planning, establishing the parameters for optimal corporate growth and development.

15. 16. 17.

[15] SWR DCS Cadet Programs/DDR Lt. Col. Steven Trupp, SWR Deputy Commander East Col. André Davis and his guest Carol Anne, SWR Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello and his guest Letitia, and Louisiana Wing Commander Col. Mike DuBois and his guest Cathy. [16]-[17] SWR DCS Cadet Programs/DDR Lt. Col. Steven Trupp, SWR Director of Public Affars Capt. Arthur Woodgate, SWR Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Larry Mattiello and his guest Letitia, and Louisiana Wing Commander Col. Mike DuBois and his guest Cathy.

Starting this year, the PAO Academy will be held every two years (2010's will take place in San Diego, in conjunction with the National Boards Conference). Since some potential attendees couldn't do so because of distance and/or cost considerations, it was proposed that Regions hold local PAO Academies in the off-year.

As always, the banquet was an perfect occasion for networking, as well as rewarding those most deserving.

The chosen location, though expensive, was excellent. And attendees were lucky in that no hurricane decided to strike during that week.

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, DPA, SWR
Public Affairs – Texas Wing GTE

 

 

When The A-Team Gets to It, 15-17 August

D. W. HOOKS Airport, Tex. – It all hinges on good preparation. Over a month before the scheduled date of 15-17 August 2008, Lt. Col. Brooks Cima, Incident Commander for the Texas Wing Guided Training Exercise (GTE), put out the call for staffing. Volunteers from all over Texas threw their hats in the ring, and she was able to pick from the best. So it was that thirty-one senior members and two cadets (one of the latter qualified as a Communications Unit Leader) from all over the state gathered on Friday, 15 August at the Incident Command Post, hosted by the Delta Composite Squadron at D.W. Hooks Airport in Spring, just North of Houston.

Among the experienced volunteers were Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith, Group IV Commander Lt. Col. Dennis Cima, Group III Commander Lt. Col. Owen Younger, and Texas Wing Director of Operations Maj. Randy Russell. The latter was to play a major part in handling an emergency mission on the following day.

Promptly at 4 PM on Friday, 15 August, the first sorties were assigned to the ten Staging Areas scattered across the vast expanse that is Texas and, by the time the sun set, the results were coming in, setting an easy pace that was to become the norm. The paperwork started and was passed around to the several positions where the staff began posting the data on the wall charts and inputting it into the computer programs designed to make sense of it all (IMU, WMIRS and CAPERS), slowly at first, then more smoothly as remembered habits kicked in and fingers keyed their way to success. Was this going to work out well? Of course it was -- look who was charged with doing it.

Capt. Stuart Hagedorn set up a ground station and settled in attentively, watching his computer screen show the near real-time position of several sorties carrying the Spot Tracker transmitters. Soon he was saying, “We can track them from take-off to landing.” The Spot Tracker is a small package that sends the GPS coordinates to a satellite re-transmitter every ten minutes, and has buttons that can "call home" to announce that "all is OK" – in this case, Ops Normal - , one that will call “Come get me,” and one that calls 911 for emergency assistance. Indefatigable, Capt. Hagedorn would track his charges for the coming two days without skipping a beat.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

[1] In the communications room, Lt. Col. Owen Younger gives last minute instructions. [2] Capt. Stuart Hagedorn at the computer, monitoring the Spot Tracker plot of several sorties. To his left, Maj. Jerald Landis - a member of the Ellington Composite Squadron - being trained to use the computer program. [3] Capt William Schroder, the ARCHER operator, before the mission. [4] Maj. Randy Russell, Operations Section Chief, tasks Planning by posting to the mission software, who in turn tasks the Staging Areas. [5] Texas Wing Commander Col. Joe R. Smith listens in on an update briefing. [6] A quick change of hat and Maj. Randy Russell becomes the Incident Commander for the AF Search and Rescue mission assigned to Texas Wing by the AFRCC on Saturday.

The ARCHER System-fitted Civil Air Patrol’s Gippsland GA-8 airplane, largest one on inventory, fascinated Professor Daemon Byun of the Institute of Multi-Dimensional Air Studies at the University of Houston. Dr Byun had expressed an interest in seeing the ARCHER in action, with an eye towards having his group use it in their studies of air quality over the United States. After Maj. Randy Russell had given him a ground school orientation, he boarded the GA-8 for a sortie over an area that interested him. Upon his return, he praised the system's performance and capabilities.

Inclement weather over much of Texas soon handicapped operations of several Staging Areas, causing already-briefed and ready air crews to first delay, then postpone, and finally abort their sorties. Six of the ten Staging Areas had so much rain that they were unable to launch any sorties over much of the day. There was a report that the Staging Area at San Angelo was eventually shut down on Saturday, 16 August. Houston weather was fair to poor, with occasional showers over and around the airport, delaying the launching of the GA-8 and jeopardizing the demonstration for Dr Byun. The weather improved overnight, however, and sorties went out Sunday in good order.

The Air Force evaluator/mentors were everywhere, unobtrusively observing the quality and efficiency of the staff's work. At one point, the Information Officer was called to the land-line where he said, “This is Major Robert Brecount. How may I help you?” The caller then revealed that he was ‘George, the Air Force guy.’ Oh, it had been one of their little tests to see how the IO would answer the phone. There was a bigger test in the works, but it didn’t come from the on-site AF team, it came from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Tyndall AFB, Fla.

Saturday mid-afternoon the AFRCC activated a mission prompted by a missing airplane that had taken off from Steamboat Springs. in the high mountains of northern Colorado, heading for Sugarland Regional Airport, southwest of Houston. The presumed path of the aircraft (no flight plan had been filed) would involve searching by the Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas Wings of the Civil Air Patrol. When the Texas Wing Redcap was assigned to Maj. Randy Russell as Incident Commander, he immediately set up shop at the same office where he had previously extolled the virtues of the ARCHER system to serve at his Incident Command Post. Without delay, he began moving assets toward Amarillo and establishing contact with his Colorado Wing counterpart, at the same time that he kept working on the GTE. Within hours, a hiker found an airplane crash, later confirmed by a County Search and Rescue team as the missing aircraft. Sadly, there were no survivors. Operations ceased on this AFRCC mission on Sunday, 17 August.

At the 4:00 o’clock briefing of Saturday afternoon, the Air Force team were happy to report that the Texas Wing “A” Team was performing admirably, and that they had found no discrepancies or weaknesses in its operation. They had nothing but praise for the whole team, and their only advise was, "Don't get complacent or lazy." One of the officers, Air Force Lt. Col. George Villalobos, a 20-year veteran, wrote the following statement during a later interview:

“The Civil Air Patrol has some tremendous capabilities – in a way they are (unfortunately) the best kept secret in the world of emergency services. They continually add new capabilities and assets to their repertoire. No matter how many exercises I attend, I am always amazed at what The Civil Air Patrol is able to do, even more so because they do it with an all-volunteer force.”

For the Texas Wing “A” Team, that was the weekend that was.

Maj. Robert Brecount, Information Officer
Public Affairs – Commentary on Language

 

The curse of homophones, 31 August

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Tex. – As I work with cadets and help them with their writing, the developmental tragedy that struck the English language starting with "The Great Vowel Shift" and successive events have become painfully obvious to me. America's haste in rushing towards technical proficiency, and the poor pay allotted to elementary school teachers have combined into one giant problem for our youth (and nation). Unable to find more profitable employment in a different profession, many teachers either lack a firm grounding in the language themselves or fail to pass along what they know – after all, what's required of the student is just passing the test, not winning a Pulitzer prize.

A more recent development is texting, which I've decried and lamented in a previous editorial, but we'll touch upon that later. For now, let's take "do" for instance, not as in "do, re, mi..." but as in "to do" – and right away we see the first big stumbling block. Why is one pronounced "doh," and the other, "doo"? If you speak Italian and know music, you also know that Italian is the language of music, and in Italian the musical note "do" is always pronounced "doh." (Which is totally unrelated to "duh," of course.)

OK, forget about "do" (doo) and just take "do" (doh). For the poor enunciator, differentiating between do, doe, and dough is a challenge. Sale and sail perplex many. Threw and through are the pits. Place and plays separate the men from the boys, as it were. And don't forget about there and their, of course. There are many, many more. We're awash in a sea of homonyms and homophones, calculated to stress our young to distraction, or make them plow right on ignoring it all, no matter how poor their spelling. God bless the English language.

"I've got it," you cut in. But wait, I'm not done. Let's take another look at "do" (doo). Tell me, honestly, what do you make of "due" and "dew"? Mind you, this is just the beginning. Now let's take "so" – and I hope you know what's coming – and slide over to "sew," and "saw," and even "sow" for those who don't enounce properly. "Saw" is a real zinger itself. It can be a verb in both the infinitive and the past indicative. "To saw" is what you do to a piece of wood, and afterwards perhaps "you saw" that you "sawed it" crookedly. Give me a break! English is not so much a language as a labyrinth. But that's all we've got...

Anyway, why "enounce," but "enunciate"?

Morphologically speaking, Chinese is a fascinating tongue. It is said to have over 5,000 ideograms that can be combined into a variety of terms, for perhaps the richest vocabulary in the world, since ideograms contain not just words but whole ideas (such as "the man of the house," combining the ideograms for "man" and "house" – which are combined differently for "the man's house"). This ancient language was developed in a vast country at a time when traveling was extremely expensive, arduous and dangerous. As a result, entire sections of China developed their own spoken language in isolation, yet they all kept using the same ideograms. Today, depending on where they've been born, many Chinese people cannot understand each other's spoken language at all. But no matter how they speak it, they can all communicate through the written language.

And now back to today's American English and its emerging chaos. For five thousand years, Ur has been an ancient city of Mesopotamia, in today's Iraq. Mentioned in the Bible, it was a pivotal focus of development at the dawn of civilization. But not to today's average American teenager. Whether spelled "UR," "Ur," or "ur," to the teenager it means "You are" in the confounded language of texting. For several centuries, "PW" stood for "Prisoner of War" – your texting youngster means "Parent Watching" instead.

These new constructs and acronyms go beyond synthesis and colloquialism. They are eroding the fabric of the language itself and potentially can split the young away from their parents, their heritage and even their history. Because just as they write by synthetic approximation, they are too busy to take the long and arduous path of their elders and chase a thought of the soul. Or see, savor and experience beauty. On many of them, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is forever lost. For these, Romeo is Leonardo DiCaprio playing boyfriend on the screen, and Juliet is the phonetic code name for the letter J.

I'm not sure what they make of William Shakespeare. That is, if they know who he was at all...

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, DPA, SWR
Public Affairs – Commentary

 

 

Cresting the Hill to Achievement, 31 August

Besides flying, I love cycling on a road bike. My wife Sidney, who competes in marathons, triathlons and half Iron Mans, often coaches me to shift into a more difficult gear just as a I crest a hill. The first time she made the suggestion I thought she might be having a little fun with me. Let me explain.

For those of you who do not ride road bikes, we have shoes that clip into the pedals, giving us a solid connection to the machine. The upside of this connection results in increased power transfer to the bike; the downside leads to embarrassing moments when a rider cannot unclip in time to keep from falling over in a heap, bike and all. Typically, the novice might fall over while still in the pedal clips. However, under stress, even seasoned cyclists might find themselves on the ground.

Climbing a steep hill means two things: pain, and going slowly enough to possibly come to a stop mid-climb. You will yourself up the slope, not daring to slow the cadence on the pedals, getting up and out of the saddle to keep forward momentum. Once at the top, you shift into a lower gear to rest your legs and lungs, slowing to a crawl as you recover from the effort.

Occasionally, the climb wins the battle, or a chain pops off the rear cassette and suddenly you find yourself suspended in time and space, hovering between forward movement and balance and backward motion and falling over onto the hot Texas asphalt. Desperately, you pivot a heel out on the falling side to release the clip, hoping to get the foot to the ground in time to stop the inevitable. Most of the time you make it, breathing a sigh of relief and hoping not too many of your cycling friends observed your dramatic moment. However, sometimes, you run out of time and crash to the ground.

So I am climbing a steep hill and my bride/friend/coach tells me to shift into a higher gear just before I crest the hill, right in that moment when quadriceps burn, lungs ache and relief seems only a moment away. I trust her (I always have), shift into the gear and find myself accelerating over the top! I don’t crawl to a stop, or claw my way over the crest, but instead move with power right over the top of the hill. 

If you engage in a sport, I’m sure you’ve heard a coach tell you to follow through. What I did on that hill represents the cycling version of following through. Think about how often we face a challenge, sometimes a seemingly impossible one. Often, the last few moments, when we can see the possibility of attaining our goal, can be the most difficult part of the journey. Whether you are an Olympic platform diver poised high above the pool for a dive that will determine the outcome of a lifetime quest, a student sitting for an exam that will influence future options, a CAP cadet striving for admission into one of the Service Academies, or an aging cyclist hoping simply to make it up a hill -- at that moment when we feel the full weight of the journey, the exhaustion of the struggle... that is the time to shift into gear, exert ourselves beyond what we believe our capabilities to be, and risk to achieve.

1st Lt. Richard Hacker, Group III PAO
Public Affairs – Commentary

 

The Day Our Nation's Heart Bled, 11 September 2001

     DRIPPING SPRINGS, Tex – It was a beautiful, clear day, uncommon for New York City in the waning days of summer, when it is so often cloaked in smog, haze or low clouds. On this particular day, however, a high pressure center had swept away the clouds and pollution, clearing the skies to a limpid, brilliant blue. Only the barest suggestion of air pollution hugged the far horizon. Pilots and aircrew members love days like this.

But not all aircrews were destined to enjoy the day. On that morning of 11 September 2001, four airliners rose into the sky to meet a cruel, final, inescapable fate, their aircrews and passengers doomed by an accident of scheduling and the amount of fuel held by the planes' tanks. The details of what followed are forever etched in our collective memory. Our heart fills with compassion for the planes' passengers and crews, the victims on the ground, and the dedicated fire fighters, police and emergency workers who rushed to the inferno in New York to help the stricken, becoming casualties themselves.

As members of the Civil Air Patrol, we describe ourselves as "citizens helping citizens." What does this make the stricken victims who gave their all inside New York City's Twin Towers, as these tall, proud buildings collapsed on them? And those who died, so that others might live, leaving grieving families and friends behind?

The young fireman whose wife had lovingly sent off to work with a packed lunch would never smile upon her or his small children again. The seasoned chaplain, a man of God, helping and comforting others to the very end, giving himself to his Creator's will became a martyr, unwavering in his faith. The lowly busboy in the fancy restaurant at the very top of the building, serving the table where wealthy investment bankers discussed financial strategy, all became unwitting casualties just because they had been on time to work. An investment firm lost all personnel just because they occupied a choice floor above the point of impact and they had lacked a route out.

On this day, nearly 3,000 people died. Two dozen remain unaccounted for. The Pentagon was the scene of destruction, suffering relatively light damage and few casualties compared to the total devastation of the Twin Towers. An unremarkable field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania became one airliner's tomb, as the passengers revolted against their captors and, knowing that they would die if they failed to act, made an unsuccessful attempt at regaining control of the aircraft that had been headed towards Washington, D.C. In a few hours, the New York Twin Towers, teeming with life, dreams and hopes, were reduced to rubble. It had taken four years to build the complex.

Our Nation was suddenly plunged into war, undeclared, elusive, traitorous, utterly senseless. The ghost of Carl von Clausewitz, creator of the concept of total war, hovered over the carnage, perhaps wondering whether he'd been right in advocating rendering the enemy helpless. In the name of religion, in a single blow, hate took over and killed thousands, without regard to gender, age, color, national origin, religious affiliation... There are those who believe that war is always senseless. But, often, the alternative to war can also be senseless.

Dedicated on Sunday, 24 August 2008, a cross made from steel beams taken from the remains of the World Trade Center, mounted on a Pentagon-shaped concrete platform, stands now outside the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Company, near the Pennsylvania field where UA93 crashed, memorializing the tragic loss of life on that bright 11 September 2001.

Since that fateful day seven years ago, much has happened in the world. Much has happened in America, too. Our open society has become less open. Our view of others has become entangled by the possibility of further damage to our society. Our involvement in the fight against radical factions that threaten our domestic tranquility has divided the nation. And in common with all armed conflicts of the past, our youth bears the burden of the fight and pays the price. Were I younger, I, too, would be amongst them.

On this coming 11 September 2008, seven long years after that terror attack, let us pause and meditate. Let us take stock and count our blessings. Let us look to the future and consider the danger of withdrawing from current foreign involvement without having resolved the root cause for that action. Let us consider the nature of the threat, and the motivation of those who bear ill will against us. And let us hope that we'll know how to act in just measure in our effort to preserve our society and way of life.

The victims of 11 September 2001 have been joined by the casualties of war. This is not the first time that America is threatened from abroad. As we earned our independence, fighting against the naval and military might of a major power far stronger and better trained than we were, and we fought off our enemies over the years, this is yet another instance in which we must not waver. I thank my fellow soldiers for their service, and all service members for their effort and sacrifice.

As I look forward to a world of justice and peace, I hope we remember that peace without justice is not peace but, rather, a prologue to a longer war. (Photo: National Park Service.)

Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, DPA, SWR
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.
Recruiting and Retention

Recruiting Is Easier Than You Think, 3 August

ROUND ROCK, Tex. – Do you wish you had a way to spread the word about the Civil Air Patrol in your community that would require a little effort but have significant impact? On Sunday, 3 August, 1st Lt. Sue Kristoffersen and Capt. Cheri Fischler set up a Civil Air Patrol display at the Round Rock Library. This is a great forum for CAP units to take advantage of, and is available at most public libraries. The key is to talk to your local library's staff and schedule time in their display cases. Also, don’t forget to have handouts available to leave at the library, as the public will have questions.

In deciding what you want to put in your display, keep in mind that you want to capture the interest of as many people as possible. Make sure to include a Local Squadrons Contact sheet, with local meeting locations and times. We listed both Pegasus and Apollo on our sheet, as we meet on different days and this gives prospective cadets an alternative if our meeting day/time does not work for them.

Also make sure that visitors get a quick idea of what the Civil Air Patrol is, and what it does. For this purpose we included, The Primary Missions of Civil Air Patrol, taken directly from the CAP National web page. Putting a couple of Drug Demand Posters in your display is always a good idea, for more than obvious reasons. We included CAP’s Achievement, Excitement and Leadership posters to give the general public a wide range of ideas to pursue.

We also included a variety of Aerospace items, such as a remote control plane, model rockets, a paper rocket air launcher, and a robot. We taped relevant stories from CAP magazines and newsletters to the front of the podiums; just make sure the typeface is big enough to be legible in the display. One of the podiums included several relevant books, and both National's Volunteer and Wings Over Texas CAP magazines.

While waiting for library personnel to come lock the case, we had several families looking over the information displayed. It was fun to hear a young person say, "Dad, look at this! And this! And this over here! Wow..." He was very excited about the items on display. It doesn't take much effort, and you'll receive maximum results. Besides, this is a good way to inform the public about Civil Air Patrol, and every unit ought to do that. In fact, CAPR 190-1 says you must do it.

People love freebies. We taped a large envelope to the side of the display, containing handouts that visitors could take and use to get more information. We included the CAP general fact sheet, a CAP airplane project, and a Cadet Programs flier. Another smaller envelope contained Senior Programs fliers. As there was a tropical storm headed for the Texas coast when we set up this display, we did not include any ES equipment, since we might need it. However, it would be a good idea to include ES equipment if you have some that you can spare.

With a little effort and some creativity we created a great way to communicate with the public and, at the same time, attract prospective recruits by telling them about the Civil Air Patrol. You, too, can do this. (Special thanks to 2d Lt. Karl Falken for having brought this opportunity to my attention.)

Capt. Cheri Fischler, Commander, Apollo C.S.
Safety

Getting Organized

Here's a quote to live by,

Latest FAA Instrument Procedures Handbook

This handbook provides the most up-to-date guidance on how to operate safely within the National Airspace System. As a single document, it is almost 21MB in size. The following page has links for its individual sections as well as the complete document:

It is posted at http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/instrument_procedures_handbook/

For questions or comments about this handbook please contact: AFS420.IPH@FAA.gov or U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Procedure Standards Branch, AFS-420, P.O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125

Building a Safety Culture

The fundamental building block of a good safety culture – whether in the air or in ground operations – begins with Risk Management.  The FAA has produced several aids to assist us in teaching risk management and I am providing you this link to the page with the downloadable helps. Please read them and use them in training your squadrons. 

This coming Summer is a golden opportunity to instruct and stress risk management in everything you and your squadrons undertake – whether in CAP or in your civilian pursuits. Safety is a learned and conscious approach to life!  Be Safe!

Maj. Wm. (Bert) Wilson, SO

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 August, should you want to use them at your own squadron.

September Flight Safety Briefing (MS Word document)

September Ground Safety Briefing (MS Word document)
Safety

Safety Course

Finally, the Safety Course is now online. This should make it much easier for all Texas Wing Safety Officers to get the test completed, and get 100% compliance with CAPR 62-1. I would like to request that all Group Safety Officers or Group Commanders send me a list of all of the safety officers who have competed Safety Course no later than 31 August 2008, please.

Also for all Texas Wing pilots and aircrew members, please try to get the two FAA FAAST Team online courses: "Maneuvering Approach and Landing" and "Normal Approach and Landing" within the time specified by the SWR Commander. The courses are easy and not hard to read or understand. I have just completed one, and will finish the second one this afternoon or tomorrow.

If there are any questions on any of the recent safety requirements, please contact me. I know it sounds like a lot, and everyone is busy preparing for summer activities, but please hang in there as we try to keep Texas Wing in step with SWR Safe.

Thanks for all of your support and hard work as always,

Lt. Col. Melanie Capehart, DS

From: Sanderson, John
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 4:19 PM
Subject: On-Line Basic Safety Course and Test

For Your Attention,

Col Letteer is proud to announce the activation of the CAP Safety Specialty Track Training on the Safety website at http://level2.cap.gov/visitors/programs/safety/basic_safety_course/

The on-line Basic Safety Course and Test replace the Air Force Institute for Advanced Distributed Learning (AFIADL) Course 02170, Civil Air Patrol Safety Officer Course. Those who have already completed the old AFIADL course do not have to complete the new on-line course.

Look for the Senior and Master Safety courses on-line in the near future. Also, the revised CAPR 62-1 and CAPP 217 are now posted at www.cap.gov/pubs 

V/R

John D. Sanderson, Safety Administrator and Publications Manager

Safety - A Cadet's View

 

Life Guard, 7 August

WAXAHACHIE, Tex. – It’s a blazingly hot summer day, so you decide to take a swim in a local pool. Upon arriving, you notice the lifeguard blows her whistle to keep a child from jumping off the side of the pool wall. You may think she is being overprotective, and should just ignore the child; but being a lifeguard is not an easy job.

This summer I became a Red Cross-certified lifeguard and got a job at the Waxahachie Country Club as a lifeguard. As a result, I have a completely different perspective on lifeguards. I used to believe that the only thing lifeguards did was just sit there and watch people while they got tans. But now that opinion has changed entirely.

When I first arrive at my job, I take dirt and leaves out of the pool filters. Then, I make sure there is enough chlorine in the pool. Next, I vacuum the dirt and leaves off the bottom of the pool. Once everything is clean, I prepare myself for patrons to arrive by putting on plenty of sunscreen and staying hydrated.

When patrons arrive, I always keep a watchful eye not only on swimmers but also on people watching them. On the job, I mainly focus on weak swimmers and swimmers in the deep end of the pool. There is a reason for this. The weak swimmers could easily slip below the surface and be unable to come back up, and the swimmers in the deep end could become exhausted from supporting their body weight and sink to the bottom. I also watch people watching others, because they could become dehydrated, suffer from heat stroke, or even have a heart attack. Vigilance is key.

Mostly, I blow my whistle only when a child is running or jumping off the side of the pool. If a child runs with wet feet he might fall and cut himself, and if a child jumps off the side of the pool he might jump too close to the wall and hit his head on the side. Those are my main two reasons for blowing my whistle.

And, of course, CAP knowledge has helped me be a better lifeguard. One, by keeping myself hydrated; two, by keeping a watchful eye on others; and three, by knowing basic first-aid procedures. Although I’ve never had to save anyone yet, thanks to CAP I know without a doubt how to go about it.

I hope this gives you a better insight on why lifeguards do what they do, and the reasons why they have to. Lifeguard like it when no one gets in trouble or hurt. We also like it when patrons bring us some water to drink.

Don’t forget, if you ever need a lifeguard for a squadron or group activity, feel free to ask me. Have a great summer and stay hydrated!

C/Capt. Tiffany Hamm, Waxahachie C.S.
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

 

2008

 

September

  
6 Sep Addison – Instrument Flight Clinic Contact: Capt Leonard Ellis
5-7 Sep TBD – Group Sarex (Option I) Contact: Lt Col Owen Younger
12-14 Sep TBD – Group Sarex (Option II) Contact: Lt Col Owen Younger
20-21 Sep Waco/TXWG HQ – ICS 300 - Must have it to remain current past 31 Dec 08 Contact: Lt Col Brooks Cima
20-21 Sep Waco/TXWG HQ – IMU - By March, 2009, everyone will need to know how to use it.   Contact: Lt Col Brooks Cima
20-21 Sep Waco/TXWG HQ – Finance Training - Get all the answers from the experts Contact: Lt Col Brooks Cima
 

October

  
4-5 Oct Dallas – UCC at Business Jet Center Dallas, Love Field - OPLAN Contact: Capt Vanessa Smith
11-18 Oct Houston – GA8 Training Contact: Maj Randy Russell
17-18 Oct Camp Mabry, Austin – Fall CTEP / STEP Contact: Maj Jane Smalley
24-26 Oct Alpine – Mountain Flying Exercise Contact: Lt. Col. Gwynn Groggel
31 Oct-2 Nov Big Sandy – Ground Team Challenge Contact: Capt. Ricky Pena
 

November

  
1 Nov Group II – Over Water Training Contact: Maj. Rick Woolfolk
1 Nov Hobby SS – PCT Contact: Capt. Mike Turoff
8 Nov Dallas – Instrument PCT Contact: Capt. Leonard Laws
14-16 Nov Group II – WAX SAREX Contact: Lt Col Brooks Cima
30 Nov San Antonio – Glider PCT Contact: Lt. Col. Ed Billman

Editor
A USAF Chaplain's Guest Commentary

Mental Wounds: The World After Lister

9/17/2007 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- One hundred and thirty years ago, almost 50 percent of the patients undergoing major surgery died from infection. Dr. Joseph Lister was the first to treat wounds with dressings soaked in carbolic acid. Dr. Lister and Dr. Louis Pasteur suggested surgeons wash their hands and sterilize their instruments before operating. The medical community in Britain and the United States initially shunned them. Drs. Lister and Pasteur were personal friends. When his medical peers publicly honored Dr. Pasteur at age 70, he turned and bowed his head towards Dr. Lister, saying: "The future belongs to him who has done the most for suffering humanity."

Sufferers of mental wounds

Today we all understand the importance of keeping wounds clean. Unfortunately, our views on "mental illness" are much like those of the peers of Drs. Lister and Pasteur 130 years ago. Recently, startling advances have been made in understanding "mental disease."

J. Douglas Bremner, M.D. of Yale University School of Medicine, Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Psychiatry was commissioned by a number of organizations including the National Institute of Health to study the long-term effect of trauma on the brain. Dr. Bremner concluded, "Individuals with a history of exposure to childhood abuse or combat had a reduction in volume of a brain area involved in learning and memory called the hippocampus, which is felt to be related to stress, with associated deficits in hippocampal-based learning and memory." In plain English, extreme stressors can have lasting effects on the areas of the brain that are used for memory and emotional control. 

These are not chemical changes, but actual reductions in the size of the brain. Dr. Bremner used magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, on combat veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and found them to have an 8-percent reduction in right hippocampal volume and a 12-percent reduction in left hippocampal volume. Two subsequent studies confirmed Dr. Bremner's original findings.

In other studies, patients were provided a stimulus or cue that provoked traumatic memories. Using positron emission tomography, or PET, these studies revealed dysfunction of the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus portions of the brain when traumatic memories were evoked.

Sympathy for those in pain

Forty million women and about one-third that number of men in the United States report rape, attempted rape, or molestation prior to their 18th birthday. Add a myriad of other traumas and it is no wonder we are experiencing an avalanche of problem in today's society, and our military services. 

Much of what in the past has been attributed to the lack of ability to "suck it up" is in fact caused by a physical alteration of the brain. Telling a person who has experienced repeated trauma to "get over it" is the equivalent of telling a blind person, "You could see if you just really tried." 

It is time for 21st century people to begin to understand that what has been labeled "mental illness" is in fact often a physical illness, just like diabetes, cancer, or pneumonia.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Michael Grubbs, 30th Space Wing Chapel

Useful Links

Aviation & more

Aircrew & Flightline Personnel Training Materials (CAP NHQ)

PAO Resources

Federal & State Resources (DHS, USAF, Terrorism)

Safety

US Decorations Rack Builder – All military, auxiliary, and civilian decorations

 

Squadron and Group News (click on an image to enlarge it)
Apollo CS

Formal Emergency Services Training, 15-16 August

CAMP MABRY, Tex. – Apollo members Capt Cheri Fischler and Capt Thomas Adams attended the ICS 300 course offered by the Texas Governor's Division of Emergency Management. The class, attended by members of the Texas State Guard, Civil Air Patrol, firefighters and police officers, was hosted by the Texas State Guard at its Camp Mabry headquarters. The instructor was Ed Brown, CAP Texas State Director who is also a Colonel in the Texas State Guard, where he commands the 5th Air Wing.

The course main objective was to detail how the National Incident Management System (NIMS) supports the management of expanding incidents. Other objectives were how to implement management process on a simulated Type 3 incident, as well as develop an Incident Action Plan for a simulated incident. 

The first day was mostly instructional, but on the second day the students were given a simulated incident to implement everything they had learned during the first day. The fictitious incident described a train derailment in a small town, and stated that part of the cargo consisted of several nasty chemicals. This required some creative planning in order to develop an adequate Incident Action Plan. The class was divided into teams, including Incident Commanders, Command Staff, General Staff, and operations, planning, logistics, and finance/admin sections.

At left, Capt Cheri Fischler helps work out a group tasking. Facing the camera in short-sleeve blues, Capt Don Hart, a member of the Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron, gathers more information.

The class was a great experience for all students. Working with members of other organizations, bringing different mind sets and levels of training to the exercise. CAPT Fischler said, "Col Brown was an informative and entertaining instructor, especially for his first class."

ICS-300 can only be taken as a resident course, and is one of six required NIMS courses for most CAP ES specialties. The others are ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800, all of which are available online, plus the ICS 400 that it also offered as a resident course only. Many CAP emergency services qualifications now require these courses for participation in exercises or missions.

Civil Air Patrol members will need to complete these courses by 31 Dec 08 in order to remain qualified in emergency services.

(Capt. Thomas Adams)

Black Sheep CS

Decorated Veteran Speaks on Leadership, 29 July

MESQUITE, Texas – On 29 July, Michael Witzgall, a tactical training consultant with Charlie-Mike Enterprises, spoke to the Black Sheep Composite Squadron cadets and senior members. Mr. Witzgall’s presentation focused on how individuals can hone their leadership skills by understanding fear and courage.

Mr. Witzgall spent a total of 12 years on active duty as a noncommissioned and commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army, respectively. He is also a highly decorated officer with the Dallas Police Department.

After losing part of his left leg in a vehicle accident, Mr. Witzgall began teaching courses on Hazardous Warrant/Apprehensions, Basic and Advanced SWAT, Basic Advanced Police Rifle, Hostage Rescue, and Counter Paramilitary Operations. He has also written several books on the subjects.

1. 2.

[1] Michael Witzgall discusses how he overcame his fear of jumping out of an airplane as a paratrooper. [2] Mr. Witzgall reads Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Quest.”

“Confidence is built through training, education, and fitness,” said Mr. Witzgall as he discussed his personal experiences while serving in the military and police force.

Following the presentation, the cadets participated in a question and answer session. At the end of the session, Mr. Witzgall read Rudyard Kipling's poem “The Quest,” explaining its message so the cadets could better understand what it means to be a warrior.

“Eisenhower once said,” continued Mr. Witzgall, “Good leadership is getting someone to do something because he wants to do it.” As a bonus, Mr. Witzgall explained his company’s name. “Charlie-Mike” is the phonetic radio code meaning, “Continue the Mission.” He ended his explanation by saying, “After losing part of my leg, I decided that I had to continue the mission.”

(Capt. Kelly Castillo)
Crusader CS

Cadet Lock-in, 26 July

GRAND PRAIRIE, Tex. – The fifth cadet lock-in for the Crusader Composite Squadron, Group III, Texas Wing took place on 26 July 2008, hosted by the Pruitt family. This lock-in had the largest cadet attendance, with 11 cadets participating, and a total of 20 squadron members and guests attending. 

Activities included swimming, playing videogames, eating hamburgers and hotdogs, and a delicious CAP-decorated cake for desert. I should also mention talking and watching DVD movies indoors and outdoors. Everyone had a great time and got to know one another even better than before.

(C/SMSgt Kendall Pruitt)
Dallas CS

Wallace Assumes Squadron Command, 30 June

DALLAS, Tex – The 30 June meeting of the Dallas Composite Squadron was abuzz. Group III Commander, Lt Col Owen Younger, was present, as were a number of other CAP members from the area. Lt. Col. Younger introduced Maj. William (Doug) Wallace and announced that he would be taking command of the Dallas Composite Squadron. As Maj. Wallace accepted command, a new chapter in the life of the squadron had begun. 

Under the new leadership, the squadron has rallied and is charting its course, with plans to be fully supportive of CAP’s missions. The members of Dallas Composite Squadron are excited about our future and look forward to much activity.

Squadron Founder Roland Jarvis Returns for Visit, 21 July

DALLAS, Tex – Captain Roland Jarvis, the founder of Dallas Composite Squadron, visited the squadron while in the States from Abu Dhabi, where he now lives and works. Capt. Jarvis assisted with the evening’s cadet promotions, and then talked to the squadron about how the idea of a Dallas squadron had come about – and how having a vision and acting on it can bring about positive effects. 

1. 2. 3.

[1]-[2] Capt. Roland Jarvis, in his US Army uniform, addresses the squadron. [3] Maj. William (Doug)  Wallace thanks Capt. Jarvis for visiting the squadron he founded.

Many in the squadron met Capt. Jarvis for the first time during this visit, and thanked him for taking time from his busy schedule to come home to “his” squadron. Come back anytime Capt. Jarvis!  We’ll always welcome you home!

Cadet Promotions, 21 July

DALLAS, Tex – During an already exciting meeting on 21 July, four cadets were promoted and received their new insignia from the new squadron commander, Maj Doug Wallace, and visiting squadron founder, Roland Jarvis.  The following achievements were acknowledged:

4. 5. 6. 7.

[4] Cadets Elliott Clark and [5] Brandon Yates received their first promotion, the Gen J.F. Curry award, becoming Cadet Airmen. [6] Cadets Alex Carlson and [7] Donald Expose both became Cadet Staff Sergeants, having completed the requirements of the Wright Brothers Award and entering into Phase II of cadet progression.

(2d Lt. Susan Cathcart)

Color Guard Presents the Colors, 26 July

DALLAS, Tex – At first it was just an idea. But when the opportunity to present the colors at the 26 July game of the Frisco RoughRiders came about, four of the squadron's most experienced cadets stepped up to the challenge. Despite the short notice, and after having practiced together for only a week, the Color Guard did its best and had fun doing it. 

And so, the newly formed Color Guard team of the Dallas Composite Squadron presented the colors to a sold-out stadium, to the sound of the opening National Anthem. The US flag was carried by C/TSgt Zach Buswold and the Texas state flag was presented by C/SMSgt Chad Moore. Guarding the flags were C/TSgt Collin Cathcart and C/SMSgt Tyler Moore.

8. 9. 10. 11.

[8] The Color Guard gets ready for the presentation. [9] Formed, the Color Guard is ready to take the field. [10] The Dallas Composite Squadron Color Guard presents the colors to the sound of the National Anthem. [11] After the presentation, the Color Guard leaves the field.

As we walked off the field and up the steps, many people remained standing, proudly holding their hands over their hearts, until the flag had passed them by. This showed the great respect that the game's spectators have for our country. 

As the year progresses, the team will continue to accept engagements to parades and ceremonies, and has a second engagement booked for 12 August. Also looking ahead, the squadron plans to enter the Wing level Color Guard competition, which would be our first competition at that event.

(C/SMSgt Tyler Moore and C/TSgt Zach Buswold)

Cadet Promotions, 18 August

DALLAS, Tex – On 18 August, Squadron Commander Maj. Doug Wallace, assisted by Deputy Commander for Cadets 1st Lt. Joe Kaplor, presented a number of cadet promotions.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

[1] Cadet Olivia Kearney was presented with the Gen J.F. Curry award, having earned her first promotion to Cadet Airman. [2] Cadet Gregory Lippas received the Gen Hap Arnold award and was promoted to Cadet Airman 1st Class. [3] Cadet Avery Rains was awarded his first promotion of Phase II, the Capt Eddie Rickenbacker award.  While being pinned with his new insignia, new Cadet Technical Sergeant Rains accurately recounted many of the achievements and life history of the namesake of his promotion, pausing occasionally to recall an additional fact. [4] Inching toward officership, Cadet Michael Kaplor was promoted to Cadet Chief Master Sergeant after earning the Dr. Robert H. Goddard award. [5] Cadet Staff Sergeant Donald Expose was presented with his Wright Brothers Award certificate. [6] Cadets Collin Cathcart and Chad Moore were recognized for having served two years in CAP and were presented with their 2-year service ribbon. [7] Cadet Airman Brandon Yates, who attended his first Encampment in June, was presented with his Encampment ribbon.

(2d Lt. Susan Cathcart)

Dallas Composite Squadron: Looking Towards the Future

I want to address myself to all Dallas Squadron members, whom I know to be true-blue CAP members and members of the team. I begin with, “Thank You.”

You think you come to meetings, see friends, and participate in something fun. But, you do more than that. You deliver on a public service promise that the Civil Air Patrol makes with the flying public. As our Vice Commander can relate from his recent trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado; you represent something truly impressive and you bring calm confidence to a flying public. Ninety percent of all inland search and rescue in the United States is accomplished by Civil Air Patrol. That begins with a Cadet Airman Basic who completes his Emergency Services tests and begins to take part in the requisite training to join an Urban Direction Finding Team or a Ground SAR Team.

Our founder, Roland Jarvis, wanted to put Air into Civil Air Patrol. He wanted to see cadets fly and to deliver on the three core missions of Civil Air Patrol. True to this commitment, we have endeavored to see to it that cadet O-Rides continued to be scheduled and flown. Kudos go to pilots Nolan Teel, Jeff Pearson and Phil Rains for working toward that end with their counterparts on the cadet programs side, Joe Kaplor and Sue Cathcart.

Dallas is a city of 1.3 million residents covering 342 square miles. It is home to three significant airports, and teenagers and adults alike who share your enthusiasm for aviation. You and they deserve to have the finest of Civil Air Patrol Squadrons based here at Love Field, attentive to your needs. I appreciate your commitment to Dallas Composite Squadron. I also hope that you will always find commitment and enthusiasm in your leadership team. Let us all continue on the path to an ever richer future in the Dallas Composite Squadron experience.

(Maj. William D. Wallace, Commander)
Gladewater Corsairs CS

The Squadron in the News, 16 July

GLADEWATER, Tex. – This article appeared on the Gladewater Mirror, on 16 July 2008. C/2d Lt. Jarrod Alexander has been a model CAP member and richly deserved his promotion and recognition.

(Capt. Harold Parks, Commander)

The Squadron in the News, 17 August

     GLADEWATER, Tex. – This article appeared in the Longview News Journal, on 17 August 2008. A wonderful opportunity for two squadrons to train together, and a nicely written news item.

(Capt. Harold Parks, Commander)
Gregg County CS

A Summer Bivouac, 10-15 August

DEBERRY, Tex – On the week of 10-15 August, twelve members of the Gregg County Composite Squadron gathered for a week of camping, training, and wilderness experiences at a rural location in east Texas. What a week it was! 1st Lt. Carolyn Morton, Programs Officer, wanted the week to be more relaxed than encampment, but still enhanced with training and drills. She and 2d Lt. Nancy Spanial, Public Affairs Officer – together with C/2d Lt. Zachary Whiteley, Squadron Cadet Commander – scheduled activities, meals, and guest speakers for that week on the Spanial Ranch in DeBerry, Texas.

Since Monday’s weather forecast called for severe storm warnings, the group gathered in the house for emergency medical aid training, presented by Mr. Sam Johnson, chief of the Inter-Community Volunteer Fire Department. Among other subjects, he taught rope and knot-tying skills needed to use rescue ropes, and showed cadets how to get out of a puzzling situation where they were “all tied up.” 

Tuesday brought clearing skies, so the campsite was set up with tents and campfire on a hill that once had been the site of an ancient Caddo Indian village. Sgt. Erick Reynolds, of the Barksdale AFB. Public Affairs Office, was our guest for the day. Recently returned from deployment in Iraq, he showed us a power-point presentation of photos taken there, and talked about his assignment. He also led cadets in a power-point game of CAP Jeopardy, and teams competed for the correct identification of aircraft. After dark came a fireworks display, and then we camped out in the open to watch the Perseid meteor shower all night.

On Wednesday, our guest was Mr. Philip Gates, a forester with the Texas Forest Commission and former Marine who had been stationed in Kuwait during the first Persian Gulf War in 1991. Mr. Gates led us through the woods and taught us about survival in the wilderness, how to find food in the forest, and how to make animal snares. He also shared with us photos and his personal experience from his Marine Corp days. Our evening assignment was to find and forage for our own meal in the woods.

Cadets became very creative and caught several bass from a local pond, picked herbs and edible plants, and killed two snakes with a stick for meat. One snake was cut into bite-size pieces, breaded, and deep-fried; the other one, skinned, went whole into a pot of “woodsman’s stew” along with fish parts and edible plants.  We cooked fish over the open fire, and enjoyed a hearty meal from the woods. After dark, some played “seek and destroy” games in camo gear.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

[1] . C/2d Lt. Zachary Whitely keeps simulated injured victim Cadet Adam Smith's head and neck immobilized as he and C/Sgt Ryan Cobb move him onto a portable backboard. [2] Trying the toothache tree. Mr. Philip Gates, former Marine and forester with the Texas Forest Commission, shows C/Sgt Ryan Cobb how the cambrium layer of bark is used to numb the tongue. This is the "Toothache Tree" or "Tickle-Tongue Tree", otherwise known as Prickly Ash. [3] Cadet Hannah Morton isn't too happy about learning how to clean a fish. [4] Early morning coffee time at the campsite. [5] One snake was skinned and cooked in the fish stew along with tubers and edible plants from the forest.  It tasted fishy, probably because of the fish head in it. (Photos: 2d Lt. Nancy Spanial)

On Thursday, Lt. Col. David Deaton, an A-10 pilot instructor from Barksdale AFB, paid us a visit. His power-point presentation about the Air Force Reserves was very interesting, and he encouraged cadets who plan to apply for admission to the Air Force Academy to pursue their goal. Himself a graduate of the Academy, his oldest son is currently in his senior year there. The cadets had many questions, both about applying for admission to the Academy, and what it’s like to fly the A-10 ground support aircraft. 

That evening, cadets organized a search and rescue (SAR) mission: chosen cadets went into the woods to be “victims” of a private airplane crash and radioed their position to the command center. A SAR team sent out to locate the crash site using GPS coordinates located the “victims,” gave them first aid for various “injuries”, and carried them out of the woods to a location where they could be transported. Time limits had been set; if victims were not returned to the command center by the appointed time, they would be considered “lost” or “deceased”. Cadets completed their assignments in time, so the SAR efforts were successful, and the “victims” were safely re-integrated into squadron life.

While returning to our tents that night, we were treated to the rare spectacle of a blazing red meteor with a long trail making its way across the southern sky, sending glowing fragments downward as it followed its path. What a sight to end the week-long bivouac on our last night out!

A week of successful training was over. At last tally, we had completed the ICS 100 course, as well as compass and orienteering, radio communications, wilderness survival, and search and rescue missions, all great experiences and invaluable hands-on practice. Cadets also helped prepare meals and were assigned kitchen duty each day, sharing responsibilities and work.

Would I organize another bivouac for next summer? Absolutely! Time and effort put into training our cadets always yields rich rewards. Their learning experience will remain with them always, so, as a CAP member, I view it as an investment in their future. As such, there is no reason to question whether or not time and effort are “worth it.” The pay-off is beyond price. 

(2d Lt. Nancy Spanial)

Eagle's Wings and Sergeant's Stripes, 23 August

LONGVIEW, Tex. – The title of this article says it all, I am both a Boy Scout and a member of the Civil Air Patrol.

A few weeks ago we had a Boy Scout camp-out in Austin, Tex., at a Nature Conservancy. We moved brush and fixed a fence, swam, and had a wonderful time. My experience and training as a member of the Civil Air Patrol have helped me in my Boy Scout activities. Encampment, GSARSS, and ATS, for instance, have sharpened my edge, and I am now more precise, self-disciplined and better focused in everything I do, including scouting and my everyday life.

1. 2. 3.

[1] Taken in April 2008, Cadet Spanial gets a Scouts' traditional "lefty" hand shake from his Scoutmaster, Robert H. White, upon having earned new merit badges. [2] Boy Scout Troop 268 at Austin's Barton Springs Nature Conservancy, after having spent a week helping clear trails on that hill. On far left, the Conservancy's Director, Mr. Brandon Crawford. Second boy from left, in front of Scoutmaster Robert White, is Will Spanial, and fourth from left is Nick Spanial. Both Spanials are CAP cadets. [3] On the Austin trip, Troop 268 (Carthage, Tex.) in front of the Capitol building. Scoutmaster Robert White, far right, and assistant Scoutmaster Justin Milam, a former Marine, far left. In the center of the troop are CAP Cadets Will Spanial and his brother, C/SSgt Nick Spanial (fourth and fifth from left). ("You can always find Nick in a crowd because of his military bearing, that to him comes natural," says 2d Lt. Nancy Spanial, his mother.)

Scouts that are not CAP members don't know what it is like to go a week surviving on hardly four hours' sleep. Anyone who has been to encampment  knows exactly what I mean. Scouts that are also in CAP know how to work under these circumstances, and also know why scouts that don't have the same background aren't able to do as well. Not that the Civil Air Patrol is perfect. I realize that there are some cadets that don't seem to "get it" and you just want to scream at them. However, as a higher-ranking member, that would not be the correct thing for me to do. Also, I have observed that Boy Scouts who have no other experience might also seem to be less able to cope.

But don't think badly of the Boy Scouts just because some of them aren't "put together," for no matter where you are, nor what you do, you'll always find people like that. And scouting is full of wonderful people too. Yes, scouting is an experience I will cherish forever. As is CAP.

About a week ago, our squadron had a week-long bivouac at the Spanial Ranch. It was very exciting, and we had several guest speakers that were either in the military or had previously served. They came out and told us about their jobs, what they did, how they did it, where they had been, and their suggestions for CAP cadets who want to join the military. One of them, an Air Force TSgt. who recently returned from Iraq, told us about his experiences overseas. An Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. told us all about Barksdale AFB and the Air Force Academy. We felt so lucky to have people like them come talk to us.

 4. 5.

[4] Cadets Spanial and Whiteley cook a snake in the house. [5] Cadet Will Spanial holds freshly caught bass on a long-handled grill for cooking over the open fire, with C/2d Lt Whiteley and C/Sgt Ryan Cobb tending the fire. Cadet Adam Smith might want some. (Photos: 2d Lt. Nancy Spanial)

On one day during the bivouac, we had Wilderness Survival training. After the instruction, we went out into the field and killed or found what we could, because that would be our dinner that evening. C/2d Lt. Zachary Whitely and I killed a water moccasin first and then a copperhead for our dinner. Yes, these are poisonous snakes, so it does take coordination, a good eye, and quick reflexes. It is also dangerous. (Believe it or not, snake is very tasty.)

Eventually, the bivouac was over but, for me – as all CAP cadet activities go – it had ended too soon.

I hope this encourages you to pay attention in school, and remember, "Don't let one bad experience stop you from having another one!"

(C/SSgt Nick Spanial)

New Squadron Job Appointments, 27 August

LONGVIEW, Tex. – Capt. Steve Schluter, commander of the Gregg County Composite Squadron, has appointed 2d Lt. Nancy Spanial as the squadron's Public Affairs Officer, and C/SSgt Nick Spanial as the squadron's Cadet Public Affairs Officer.

The articles above are not the first contributions that this newsletter has received from Lt. Spanial and Cdt Spanial, nor will they be the last. My congratulations to them both.

(Capt. Arthur E. Woodgate, Editor)
Pegasus CS

 

A Revolution in the Squadron's Future, 9 August

     CAMP MABRY, Austin, Tex. -- “Welcome to Pegasus Squadron!” I told the brand-new cadets who had just joined our squadron. The Pegasus Airman Training Program (PATP) is a new concept for our squadron. With our massive growth, C/Capt Rick Pope decided that we needed a better orientation program for our new cadets. When I was C/Capt Pope’s First Sergeant, he had asked me to look over the “Great Start Program” from CAP National Headquarters and use it as a guide to create a program of our own. He'd given me a huge book, which I took home to study attentively. As I read it, many questions came to mind. What would this new program’s environment be like? What would the staffing positions be? What materials would be needed? What would this program really involve? After about two months, “I got it!”

That's when I presented my proposal to C/Capt. Pope and Lt. Col. Deborah French, the squadron's Deputy Commander for Cadets. They both liked the idea and, after a few modifications, decided to go with it. I was a Cadet First Sergeant at my squadron at the time, and almost a brand new C/2d Lt. In recognition of my effort in creating this new program for our squadron, C/Capt. Pope said, “Stewart, I’m going to have you in charge of this”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was excited about shouldering this awesome responsibility; however, I was also worried that I might not be able to meet the high standards I'd set.

C/Capt. Pope, Lt. Col. French and I chose the staff that would be under my leadership in this first PATP experience. C/CMSgt Mark Davidson would be the Flight Sergeant, and C/CMSgt Wreyford and C/SMSgt Harold would be our Training and Education Instructors (or TEIs, as we called them). We started PATP with an open-house, designed to show potential recruits what CAP is all about. After getting a group of new recruits, we were on our way to starting PATP!

Our following meeting was not quite as relaxed as the open house had been. Fourteen days earlier, the potential new members had been told what it would be like, now they would have to live it! We started with an introduction to PATP and then worked our way through the needed skills. PATP is designed to be an Advanced Leadership School, Encampment, and Orientation of the Pegasus Squadron, all rolled into one. This is a new approach for Pegasus, in that PATP teaches the basics, stopping short of the advanced knowledge that Senior NCOs need to know.

1. 2. 3.

[1] PATP Class 001 “Hercules Flight” in the Pegasus classroom. [2] Pegasus Composite Squadron assembling for a final formation. [3] Cadet Denisen reporting to PATP Cadet Flight Commander, C/1st Lt. Sean Stewart. (Photo #3: C/SMSgt Harold; all others: C/1st Lt Sean Stewart.)

We taught classes on Preparation for Encampment, Listening Skills, Characteristics of Good Followership, CAP History, CAP’s Chain of Command, and The Core Values. The PATP cadets received AE and Moral Leadership classes, and got involved in a couple of fun Group Leadership Projects. They were also able to participate in basic ES classes and, of course, had some hardcore Pegasus PT.

Overall, I feel PATP was a good experience for everyone. During the following Encampment, two Pegasus cadets earned honors.  C/Amn Dillon Robinette was honor cadet of his flight and C/SrA Austin Lowery was honor cadet of his squadron. This proves that a basic training unit within our squadron is helping us improve our training methods. This will benefit our squadron and, hopefully, the rest of Texas Wing as well!

I thank all of the staff that made PATP possible. I especially want to thank Cadets Davidson, Wreyford and Harold for all the work they put into this amazing program. Special thanks are due the Texas Wing members who have done so much for me. I promise to serve my fellow CAP members to the best of my abilities. 

PATP is an amazing program that trains Pegasus cadets to their fullest capability, while preparing them to be of service to their community, state and nation.

(C/1st Lt. Sean Stewart)
Waxahachie Talon CS

Urban Direction Finding Training, 26 July

WAXAHACHIE, Tex. – On Saturday 26 July 2008, the Waxahachie Talon Composite Squadron held a UDF training exercise at the Midlothian/Waxahachie Midway Regional Airport.

The purpose of the event was to teach new cadets how to use an ELPER to find an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). A total of ten personnel, five cadets and five senior members, attended the event. The cadets said that the best part of the training had been using their newly-learned knowledge to find the hidden ELT.

1. 2. 3. 4.

[1] Cadets take a reading on the ELPER. [2] The metal hangars can interfere with the signal, making it harder to locate. [3] C/1st Sgt. Myers instructs the UDF team on the mission. [4] The Waxahachie Composite Squadron is proud of a very successful day. Third from left is Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Nancy Smalley, the Southwest Region Chaplain.

At the end of the day, the Waxahachie Composite Squadron had accomplished their goal, as they got a few more cadets qualified in UDF training.

Second Lieutenant Taylor Stockford said, "I have a perfect quote which fits this event perfectly. ‘If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch’"

The more we train our cadets, the more knowledgeable they'll be as they lead their followers on the right path.

(C/Capt. Tiffany Hamm)

It's Not Coke, 7 August

WAXAHACHIE, Tex. – What’s really in that container that appears to be a regular Coke can?

After Senior Member Weisskopf”s class on Drug Demand Reduction (DDR), Waxahachie cadets know what’s really in that container. Recently, convenience stores have been selling what is called alcopops. These are alcoholic beverages that contain four times the amount of caffeine and sugar that a regular Coke would contain. This, in turn, leads to intoxication happening faster than with an average alcoholic beverage. Also, a television news station's survey showed that only four out of six convenience stores even asked for identification when an undercover minor sent in by the news station successfully purchased an alcopop.

1. 2. 3. 4.

[1] Senior Member Weisskopf teaches the DDR class. [2] Cadets act out as if they were drinking alcopop and driving. [3] Senior Members and cadets' relatives watch closely. [4] The cadets on alcopop "run over" another cadet, who lies on the road "playing dead."

After the DDR class, the cadets performed a DDR skit that informed squadron members about alcopops and how much damage alcopops can cause.

Senior Member Weisskopf said, “The only way you can tell what you are purchasing is if you read the label and nutrition facts on the container closely.”

So next time you are at your local convenience store, read the label on your drink to be certain you are purchasing what you want.

(C/Capt. Tiffany Hamm)

Have you forgotten?, 11 September

     WAXAHACHIE, Tex. – “Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.” – George W. Bush (http://www.amandashome.com/911quotes.html)

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was sitting in my father’s living room when suddenly news reports came flowing in that our nation was under attack. At the time, I was only ten years old and didn’t quite understand the terrible tragedy at hand; but I have never forgotten the events of September 11, 2001.

Reportedly, 2,974 people and 19 hijackers were killed in the attacks, along with another 24 people missing.

It has been seven years since then, and America has taken steps to help prevent something like this from ever happening again. One of them is airport security. Yes, having to stop, take shoes off, and empty out pants' pockets is an inconvenience, especially if our plane has been boarding for five minutes already. But the extra security is necessary to ensure our security in flight.

Some people seem to have forgotten that fateful September 11, but I have not. Nor will I forget what a devastating day it was to our country. So many lives and loved ones lost.

I ask that on September 11, 2008 you take the time to remember what America went through seven years ago. Thank the man or woman in the military uniform who passes by you, "Thanks for your hard work and loyalty to our country."

To those of you who are or have been serving in the military, I applaud you for everything you have done for America. I am thankful that you keep marching on.

“Terrorism against our nation will not stand,” promised our president.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.” – President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001 (http://quotes.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/september-11-quotes-9-11-quotes-911-quotes/)  (Photo by "Ed" - Public domain)

(C/Capt. Tiffany Hamm)

Click on this Link for the Tid-Bits

editor