As the Year Ends...

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – December is a month full of traditions, some old, some new. For many of us, it is a time for reflection, taking stock of what we wanted to do but left undone, what we did that we shouldn't have done, and what we are planning on doing during the year that is to come.

A fairly new tradition that remembers the sacrifice of so many since the beginning of time is Wreaths Across America.

On the second Saturday of December, Civil Air Patrol members gather with other military and military-related organizations as we render honors to those who served in our armed forces, fought for our freedoms, gave of themselves so the rest of us could retain our freedoms, and once again proved that Freedom is not free.

The obvious and immediate goal is to recognize the many Americans who have served and died. Yet doing so must also include those who came before us, whether from Europe, Africa, Asia, or the rest of the American Continent, those who came into the Great Melting Pot that is the United States of America. Those who came seeking a free land, a land of opportunity, and were willing to fight for it – against all enemies.

On this, we stand on the shoulders of giants.

I came from Argentina, one young man, one future to unfold, one promise of achievement. But that was the present; my past I brought within me, given to me by those immediately before me who had originated in England, Spain, Italy and Austria. In turn, those ancestors I knew of must have been the result of many others before them, unknown to me. Who were these people? Who's in back of me? I know of generals, Anglican priests, admirals, merchants, writers, professional men and women. I also know of relatives who didn't make it, having died in childhood or early life. Why they and not I? Was there a purpose to my having merited lasting this long? Is it really the luck of the draw?

I look upon my life and see a constant stream of opportunities, some taken, others declined. Happiness descends in various guises, as does disappointment. Building a family capped the edifice of my life. In the end, I have memories, knowledge, and skills. What must I do with them?

Civil Air Patrol makes it possible for me to pass these intellectual assets, these gifts of the soul to others. Some take to them readily, others don't. Some value them, others don't. In the process, I've known the joy of seeing others blossom and do well, forming friendships and acquaintances that I cherish. I've also known the sorrow of seeing brilliant promises go to waste, for one reason or another. They all carry some part of me, of my experience, knowledge and skills. And at times this weighs heavily on me.

One thing is to give with no strings attached, quite another to do so in expectation of reward. The former is durable and moral; the latter, reprehensible.

So it is appropriate that the year should end on a note of giving, not taking. But there is an art to giving, too. And a special solace.

Because real gifts last for ever, since they come from the spirit.

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

Compliance Program or Safety Program?

Lt. Col. Owen Younger, CAP, Commander

New CAP Officer Basic Course

New NHQ Chief of Safety

Extension of enrollment window for ADL-13

Bobbie-Jean Tourville, Chief, NHQ Professional Development

Renowned Civil Air Patrol subchaser dies, 5 December

‘Eddie’ Edwards was the first CAP pilot to spot a Nazi sub and radio its position to U.S. naval forces during World War II; he later received the Air Medal from President Roosevelt for rescuing a fellow airman

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – One of Civil Air Patrol’s most famous World War II “subchasers,” honored for heroism by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, died on Saturday, Dec. 5, after a long illness. He was 96 years old.

Col. Edmond I. “Eddie” Edwards was widely known as the first Coastal Patrol (later Civil Air Patrol) pilot to spot a Nazi U-boat and radio its position to U.S. naval forces. The vessel crash-dived and headed farther out to sea, where it was less of a menace to U.S. shipping. This occurred on March 10, 1942, soon after the start of the war.

“He was probably one of the first subchasers to see the enemy,” said Roger Thiel, a senior member and independent historian with CAP.

Based at Coastal Patrol Base 2 in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Edwards flew sub-hunting patrols offshore in Delaware and Maryland, safeguarding oil tankers headed for Delaware Bay. The Coastal Patrol flights, made from 21 bases along the East and Gulf shorelines of America, were instrumental in making CAP an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, which it is today.

Despite his notoriety as one of the very first subchasers, Thiel said Edwards held “celebrity status” within CAP as one of the first Coastal Patrol pilots awarded the Air Medal for heroism during World War II. He and his commanding officer, the late Maj. Hugh R. Sharp Jr., received the medal after Roosevelt heard of their daring rescue of a fellow airman downed in bitterly cold high seas off Maryland.

Edwards, in an interview for the Civil Air Patrol Volunteer in 2006, clearly remembered the rescue of 1st Lt. Henry Cross that earned him the medal and subchaser fame. “I got the call that one of our planes was down, and Maj. Sharp asked me to go with him,” said Edwards. “We had no trouble finding the crash site. We spotted a body, so we made an emergency landing and fished him out. He was alive, but we never found the other guy.”

The rescue on July 21, 1942, required that Edwards and Sharp land their aircraft, a Sikorsky S-63 single-engine amphibian piloted by Sharp, in swells reaching 8- to 10-feet high and, in the process, they crushed the left pontoon. So, to get back to Base 2, Edwards accomplished a daring feat by climbing out onto the right wing and using his weight to level the plane. A half-frozen Edwards clung there through the night until the early morning hours of the next day before a Coast Guard boat water taxied the unflyable aircraft to shore.

Roosevelt conferred the Air Medal to Edwards and Sharp in a White House ceremony in February of 1943. By that time, Edwards had joined the U.S. Navy, where he served as a flight instructor and later piloted Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers on patrols out of Hawaii.

“I was ushered into the Oval Office and decorated by FDR,” said Edwards, in the 2006 interview, which commemorated CAP’s 65th anniversary. “Of course, I was honored to receive the medal, but I was also so impressed with FDR.”

Though Edwards and Sharp were the first civilians to receive the Air Medal, they were soon joined by others from their own ranks. By the end of World War II, 800 Air Medals had been presented to CAP members.

Edwards served in the Navy for three years, attaining the rank of senior-grade lieutenant. He served 27 years in the Reserve, during which he pursued an active role in Delaware civil aviation. For a number of years, he ran the FBO and instructed at Weimer Airport at Newark, Del., now site of a DuPont facility.

Thiel, a longtime acquaintance of Edwards who frequently visited with him during annual Coastal Patrol Base 2 reunions in Rehoboth Beach, said he often downplayed his notoriety. “Eddie never considered himself special for the high profile personal recognition by President Roosevelt, often saying of the rescue for which his Air Medal was awarded, ‘Anyone could have done it,’ ” said Thiel. “His accomplishments and humility indicate the heroic capabilities of regular U.S. citizens, especially in Civil Air Patrol.”

Edwards is survived by his wife, Blanche, and a son and two daughters: Edmond Jr., who lives in Missouri; Linda Jones of Shillington, Pa.; and Patricia Dawson of Bear, Del. His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at R.T. Foard & Jones Funeral Home, located at 122 W. Main St. in Newark. Friends and family may visit one hour prior to the service. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heartland Hospice, 256 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19711, or the Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village, 866 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

NASA Sponsors Student Water Recycling Competition - Deadline for Submission is Feb. 1, 2010

     CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA is inviting fifth through eighth grade students to participate in a waste limitation management and recycling design challenge. Participants in the competition will design and test water recycling systems that could be used for future exploration of the moon. The top three teams will receive awards, and the first place team will receive an expense-paid trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Teams of up to six students and one teacher or mentor should submit their proposals and results to NASA for evaluation by Feb. 1, 2010. Schools in the United States and its territories, science museums, science centers and home school groups may host teams.

The winning teams will be announced in May 2010. During the winning team's visit to Kennedy, students will gain first-hand knowledge about NASA's missions, receive behind-the-scenes tours of NASA's launch facilities, and learn about future aerospace and engineering careers.

The competition is designed to engage and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines critical to NASA's missions.

For information about the challenge and how to apply, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/centers/kennedy/home

 1st Lt. Sue Kristoffersen, CAP, AEO

NASA Cooks Up Ingredients For Life

GEORGETOWN, Texas – When it comes to life on Earth, scientists agree that it cannot exist without DNA. Some believe that this essential building block was formed accidentally during the earliest phase of Earth's origin, others think it came (somehow) from a meteorite or by some other means from outer space. Neither side has given much ground to the other.

Until now. NASA scientists, simulating the conditions of deep space in a laboratory experiment, have created a key component of DNA as reported by MSNBC.

1st Lt. Sue Kristoffersen, CAP, AEO

Aerospace News

1st Lt. Sue Kristoffersen, CAP, Group III AEO

Life Without a Chaplain

Group III still has no chaplain, so your Newsletter Editor went to work once again, and sent the result to Chaplain Marc. He is happy with his more restful live, enjoying his family, and sends everyone his blessings.

This month's selection, King Holiday recognizes shared vision of patriotic people by Chaplain (Capt.) William W. Cooper, Jr., 366th Fighter Wing Chapel, that focuses on human dignity, the awareness of history, and our country's progress in assuring equality for all.

Chaplain Marc replied, "Excellent. We must never forget Dr. King and what he did for all Americans."

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

MARS Gets New Name As It Fine-Tunes Mission, 23 December

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, Dec. 23, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued an Instruction concerning MARS, effective immediately. This Instruction gives the three MARS services – Army, Air Force and Navy/Marine Corps – a new focus on homeland security and a new name: Military Auxiliary Radio System. The Instruction is the first major revision to MARS since January 26, 1988 – as such, the first revision since the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina, two major events that changed the way Amateur Radio dealt with emergency communications.

Membership in any of the three MARS services is open to qualified active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel, as well as those in civilian agencies who report to civil authorities or their supporting organizations (including nongovernmental organizations) and private US citizens who meet age, education and other criteria -- such as an FCC-issued Amateur Radio license -- imposed by a DoD Component MARS office. (Article taken from the ARRL site.)

1st Lt. Roger Courtney, Communications Officer

Narrowband Conversion, 29 December

WACO, Texas – CAP will no longer use any of the old wideband channels after Dec. 31 2009.

V1, V2, V3, V4 and any repeaters with a designation beginning in "P" will not be used after Dec. 31.

CC1, CC2, Air1, Air 2, Tac1, Guard1 and repeaters beginning in the designation "R" will be used.

After Dec. 31, some of our old channels may be in use buy other organizations.

References to the old channels must be removed from plans, SPINS, ICS205's and briefing notes.

Wideband interoperability channels, such as TXLAW1, 2 & 3, TXFIRE1, 2, & 3, and so on will still be used as directed. These are not affected by the narrowband conversion until 2012. 

If you have any CAP-owned radio not yet reprogrammed with the new channels, please contact me, and arrangements will be made for programming.

If you have personally-owned compliant equipment, you will need to arrange to have it reprogrammed yourself, your Group Communications Officer can help you with the channel information. 

If you have any questions, please ask your local communications officers first, then go to the Group Communications Officer.

Lt. Col. Steven Haney, CAP, TXWG Director of Communications

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Train-the-Trainer G-417

This is a great course.

Dates: Wednesday Jan 20 through Friday Jan 22.

Time: Wed.-Thur. 0800-1700 - Fri. 0800-1200.

Place: Dallas Fire-Rescue Training Academy, Bldg. A Auditorium, 5000 Dolphin Rd, Dallas, TX 75223.

Point of Contact: Cassandra Wallace, City of Dallas OEM, 214-671-8969, cassandra.wallace@dallascityhall.com

Emergency Response Training

This link http://www.teex.org/search.cfm?pageid=search&area=teex  will take you to the TEEX webpage – the state agency responsible for all ground operations. They do monthly training at their Disaster City facility, and need volunteers to be victims, assist with logistics, set up victims with moulage injuries, and other essential tasks. They train in a number of areas, including dog teams.

If you have ground team expertise, I strongly urge you to put on your best BDUs and go train with the TEEX professionals.

Check out the website above. TEEX has a fantastic volunteer appreciation program.

Lt. Col. Brooks Cima, CAP, Texas Wing Director of Emergency Services

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.

• Schedules and program details are available at www.preparingtexas.org

• Visit http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/ftp/dem/training/08trainingcal.pdf and read page 9 for information regarding reimbursement.

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

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

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, CAP, FO

Useful Links and News

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – Below are some interesting links.

• Intel unveils energy-efficient 48-core chip

• 10 Linux features Windows should have by default

• Beware Domain Registration Scams

• New Content From Windows Secrets

• Japanese Robotic Muscle Suit

• 3 Free Downloads from Microsoft

• Getting Started With Full Disk Encryption

• Facebook Still a Hotbed of Identity Theft, Study Claims

• 7 Secret Features in Windows 7

• 2009: Social networks go mainstream

• Enlarge Your Photos Without Sacrificing Quality

• Lower your IT costs and risks: Get a server makeover

• The Future of Unix

• 2009: Year of the Social Network

• Don't Steal This: Xbox 360 Thief Tracked by Gamertag

• Frequently Asked Photo Questions for December

• TooManyTabs Firefox Add-on Speeds Up Browsing

• Using IPsec to Isolate Servers in Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Vista

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, ITO

IT Tools

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – Nice downloads.

• VistaSwitcher (64-bit version)

• CSMenu

• The Form Letter Machine

• Free Tools for Fine-Tuning Your Windows 7 Setup

• MediaMonkey - Organize your medial collection

• FixWin

• EASEUS Todo Backup - Easy backup

• Ad-Aware Free

• KeePass Password Safe - Password organizer

• Paint.NET

• Cache My Work - Always-on work saver

• SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition

• FreeFixer - Malware sniffer-fixer

• WizMouse - Work on one window and scroll another

• RUNit - Easily start your favorite programs

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, ITO

CAP - Out of Such Humble Origins, 1 December

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – On Dec. 1, 1941, a week before America entered World War II on Dec. 8, 1941 – the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor – the Civil Air Patrol was born. Created by Administrative Order 9, signed by Fiorello LaGuardia, Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, its first National Commander was Major General John F. Curry.

At its creation, CAP volunteer members brought to the service their own airplanes, which the U.S. Government leased from them at a modest rate. The volunteers were expected to live with little comfort, got a small daily stipend (chronically late in coming), and were assigned to patrol coastal waters to augment the capabilities of a military that had been largely furloughed after 1918. Their service during the war years is amply detailed in the book, From Maine to Mexico, by Louis E. Keefer, who quotes General Henry H. (Hap) Arnold as follows:

"The Civil Air Patrol grew out of the urgency of the situation. The CAP was set up and went into operation almost overnight. It patrolled our shores and performed its antisubmarine work at a time of almost desperate national crisis. If it had done nothing beyond that, the Civil Air Patrol would have earned an honorable place in the history of American air power."

During WWII, CAP pilots sighted 173 enemy submarines and sank at least two. Also during this period, the volunteers flew 24 million miles over water, lost 90 airplanes, and 26 Coastal Patrol members lost their lives, most of them at sea. Because of the world-wide conflict, CAP cadets were engaged in a training program leading to becoming pilots.

The Civil Air Patrol's proud heritage spans 68 years, and it is still going strong. It was charted by Congress as a civilian benevolent non-profit corporation. Two years later, upon the creation of the Air Force, it became the civilian Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, forever removed from any combat or potentially hazardous operations. Its humanitarian purpose took root, and is the mainstay of its assistance to the community, the states and the nation. This focus has also influenced CAP's cadet programs, as they learn essential rescue skills and practice leadership, they acquire knowledge that can serve them well on any endeavor they choose to pursue.

Those of us who are CAP members know that one doesn't do this for the money. Neither does one do it for the glory or power. The motivation, without a doubt, is service to others and doing the right thing. Volunteerism is a deep-rooted American tradition, present at the very start of America's precarious occupation by English settlers. Volunteerism was synonymous with survival and progress. Today that tradition lives on, and CAP leaders instill the values and ideals of the Civil Air Patrol in the young members entrusted to their care.

Some cadets have gone to greatness, and all members have profited from the experience. There is a deep sense of pride in being a member of the Civil Air Patrol, and being able to serve others. Although it was small at its birth, at a time of great and desperate need to ensure the nation's very survival, today CAP members add up to over 58,000.

On Dec. 1, 2009, CAP celebrated another birthday, in exceedingly good health.

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

Meditations on Pearl Harbor Day, 7 December

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – On a sunny and serene day, America's entry into World War II was marked by what at the time was taken as great loss of life and naval destruction. Thanks only to an accident of peace-time scheduling, none of America's  aircraft carriers had been in port on that fateful Dec. 7, 1941. But the rest of the Pacific fleet lay at anchor at Pearl Harbor, neatly arranged two- and three-deep along their moorings. Following the laxer pre-war routine of a pleasant Sunday morning, few sailors were up, and none ready for combat.

Then the Japanese planes came, on that Dec. 7 of 68 years ago, a low-flying swarm emerging from the morning fog as they crossed the beautiful Hawaiian northern beaches of Oahu island, cruising close to the ground, approaching Pearl Harbor from the inland side. As they reached the city, at 7:48 a.m., the dive-bombers climbed steeply over the fleet in order to gain altitude and then plunge in a power dive towards their targets. Underneath them – a veritable carpet of death – the torpedo planes approached on their shallow dive of destruction as they released their deadly load on the water. Most planes scored a hit on a warship, much of the fleet was damaged, and many sank. Four battleships were sent to the bottom of the bay (though later two of them were raised and repaired, re-entering fleet service), and four others were damaged.

In the months prior to the attack, Japanese tourists had taken many photographs of each other by the bay, with the fleet at anchor for a background. Japanese Intelligence had studied these images in detail, later releasing them to the attacking aircrews for their use, seeking to inflict the greatest possible damage on the capital ships still at anchor – the Pacific Fleet's battleships and cruisers. Luckily, the Japanese airplanes found no aircraft carriers with the fleet.

Why would the Empire of Japan take such an action? It was a simple matter of junk metal, spare parts and oil. America had long sold these commodities to Japan, which had used them to build, maintain and run its war machine. However, in the 1930s, Japan had embarked on an expansionist drive, invading first Manchuria, then China. Though remaining neutral, America had sought a diplomatic solution. By 1940, Japan had invaded French Indochina and, in response, the U.S. had stopped its shipments of needed supplies to Japan. Deprived of these at a time when it had a war to fight, Japan needed an alternate source other than Europe, since WWII had already started on Sept. 1, 1939, and Germany controlled (and plundered) basically most of Europe. That left only Asia as a possible source of raw materials and supplies, so Japan redoubled its expansionistic campaign.

Pacifist feelings in America ran very high, and the electorate viewed Germany's unprovoked aggression as "another European war." As a result, Americans felt that the trouble abroad did not merit sending "our American boys to die abroad, like we did the first time." In addition, they chose to ignore what was happening in the Far East. Japan, on the other hand, had needs of its own, and reasoned that America's entry into the fray was inevitable and only a matter of time. Thus, the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters mounted Operation Z, carefully planned as a devastating blow that, in a single event, would destroy the entire American Pacific Fleet and leave Japan as the only naval power in the area. It almost succeeded, had it not been for the aircraft carriers not being there, luckily out on maneuvers.

Looking at the changing political map of the world, the naive observer might think that it is all a gigantic, clean game of chess. Well, it isn't. To put it bluntly, each millimeter gained on pushing the border on a map always represents many, many lives and untold suffering.

As the war in Europe unfolded, and Germany wanted a reliable source of raw materials (especially rubber), it made overtures to Japan after the latter had gained control of the rubber plantations in French Indochina. Additionally, Japan now posed a threat to the British Commonwealth nations in the Far East, making it a valuable ally in keeping the United Kingdom occupied away from Europe. In September of 1940, the Tripartite Pact united Japan, Italy and Germany, who thus formed the Axis Powers. Germany had not been very lucky with Italy as an ally, since Mussolini had invaded first Eritrea and then Greece without first consulting with the German High Command, and the latter had been soon forced to take over those campaigns and form an unwanted second front. A year later, also without consulting Germany, Japan executed Operation Z, bringing the United States into WWII. Strategically, if not tactically, this was the single engagement that marked the turning point of WWII. Thereafter, all that was left were the land and sea battles to come, because the final outcome had been no longer in doubt.

The overall cost of WWII, in terms of casualties, is almost unimaginable. Because of the confusion of war as well as the destruction of most documents, the total number of deaths (both sides included) is tallied at between 62 and 78 million ~ the world's deadliest. Of these, between 22 and 25 million are military deaths; the others are civilians, including victims of the Holocaust and Russian "purges." Overall, about a third of all deaths were military, the rest civilian. Also overall, approximately 3.5% of the total population of all countries involved perished as a result of WWII.

In light of the world's total cost in terms of lost lives and productivity, WWII was a true economic and social cataclysm. It is revealing that the United States lost about 416,000 military and 1,700 civilian deaths (0.13% of its population), the United Kingdom lost 382,700 military and 67,100 civilians (0.94% of its population), Germany lost 5.5 million military and 2.8 million civilians (10% of its population), and the Soviet Union's dead included 10.7 million military and 14.2 million civilians (14.2% of its population).

 Was it all worth it?

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

Famed WWII Civilian Anti-Sub Pilot "Gone West," 5 December
Was presented first WWII Air Medal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt

NEWARK, Del. – Eddie Edwards, famed WWII Civil Air Patrol pilot and one of the first two winners of the Air Medal of WWII to be presented personally by the President of the United States, was honored by CAP and the aviation history community today, following his death on Dec. 5 at the age of 96.

From Texas, new CAP Historical Foundation Executive Director Lt. Col. Jack Faas, CAP, said, “Eddie was one of the most respected and long-lived of his generation of WWII CAP anti-sub pilots. He was central to both the WWII CAP story and to these remarkable pilots’ annual reunions, held each September since 1946, without fail, at Rehoboth Beach, Del., site of Coastal Patrol Base 2.”

Lt. Edwards, along with his base commander, the late Major Hugh R. Sharp Jr., CAP, accepted their Air Medals from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Oval Office in February, 1943  Sharp and Edwards were honored for their daring amphibious sea rescue of a downed Base 2 anti-sub pilot off coastal Maryland in 1942.

In the early months of WWII, Nazi submarines were devastating U.S. coastal shipping heading for New England and Europe. Volunteer civilian pilots, using their own private airplanes, formed the Civil Air Patrol to spot submarines and call in military attacks.

The pilots of Coastal Patrol Base 2's rescue amphibian were able to find one of the two downed CAP crewmembers, but one of its pontoons was damaged landing in rough seas. With Major Sharp at the controls, Eddie Edwards crawled out on a wing to counter-balance the loss of the seaplane's opposite pontoon. He hung there for ten hours while Sharp water-taxied the un-flyable Sikorsky towards shore. He had to be "pried" from his frozen perch by Coast Guardsmen who met the aircraft.

The CAP rescue amphibian involved is now on display at the New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport, Hartford, Connecticut, next to a CAP Stinson 10A similar to the downed single-engine patrol plane – and that pictured at left, chasing a Nazi submarine. Edwards attended the museum’s installation of the Sikorsky S-39, restored in the 1990s by retired Sikorsky Aircraft employees. Flashbulbs popped as Edwards posed on the wing strut he had occupied for hours at sea in 1942. (Modestly, Edwards told the museum audience he had been "only out there to escape the screams of the badly injured flier inside.")

Edwards is credited as the first civilian Coastal Patrol pilot to have located and reported a Nazi submarine to the U.S. Navy, spotting one off Delaware Bay on March 10, 1942, just days after his base had been activated. Enemy submarines lurked there to torpedo tankers leaving Philadelphia refineries with vital fuel oil for New England and Europe. One historian estimates that Edwards made 300 patrols over the coastal Atlantic in CAP’s rickety 90-hp single-engine planes – some 90 of which ditched at sea when their engine failed.

Of 59 CAP flyers killed during WWII, 26 were lost at sea. Civil Air Patrol located 173 enemy submarines, attacked 57 (after CAP planes were armed, later in 1942) and sank at least one if not two. Coastal Patrol anti-submarine operations ended in August, 1943, but CAP continued its infrastructure security, border patrol, air courier and other flying missions until the war’s end and beyond.

Unlike other WWII military auxiliaries, CAP aircrews were never granted post-war military benefits, although they wore modified Army uniforms and were officially designated as “belligerents” to protect them from being shot as spies if captured.

(Originally organized under Civil Defense, CAP became the civilian auxiliary of the Army Air Forces in 1943. In the same capacity with the U.S. Air Force since 1948, it continues to fly search-and-rescue and homeland security missions nationwide.)

Edwards was the last survivor of three leading CAP WWII veterans specially honored in October, 1995, by the 400,000-member Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey – another of three original CAP anti-sub bases that quickly grew to 21 such bases stretching "From Maine to Mexico."

Inspired by that week’s tribute, in the presence of 10,000 pilots, AOPA board of trustees chairman Andy Pew told historians of having watched, by chance, his family’s flagship Sun Oil Company tanker being torpedoed right outside their Atlantic City hotel room. Submarine attacks off New Jersey were so common (and close to shore) that citizens joked of “watching the submarine races” from the beach.

A third original CAP anti-sub base (Coastal Patrol Base 3 in Lantana, Florida) and the entire WWII CAP anti-sub story will be highlighted during 2010 in an exhibition and lecture series at the new Palm Beach County history museum in West Palm Beach, Florida..

Edwards continued to fly his own airplane until age 85. He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, AOPA, the OX5 Aviation Pioneers, the Quiet Birdmen and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Like many CAP fliers, Edwards went on to active WWII military service. He flew three years in the Navy and went on to serve 27 years in the Naval Reserve.

The 2002 inductee into the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame received an honorary promotion to Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol at the 2007 reunion of CAP “Subchasers.” He is survived by his wife Blanche, son Edmond Jr. of Missouri, and daughters Linda Jones of Shillington, PA, and Patricia Dawson of Bear, Del. 

Lt. Col. C. Jack Faas, CAP, Executive Director, CAP Historical Foundation

Freedom, Liberty, and Peace, 12 December

TYLER, Texas – “Freedom, Liberty, and Peace are worth fighting for, never stop.” This is what Capt. Robert M. Smith, Tyler Composite Squadron Commander said. At the Tyler Memorial Cemetery on Dec. 12, I listened to my commander’s words as I stood at ease under the tent that shielded me from the rain. With me stood many CAP members and guests, all trying to stay warm and dry.

Thanks to the fickle Texas weather, we were kept guessing as to what conditions to expect. However, rain, sun, or snow, I was looking forward to the ceremony. I was looking forward to the opportunity to honor my heroes, the veterans of the United States Military.

After the ceremony and after we had laid all the wreaths, I had the opportunity to interview Brant Hubl, who had served in the Air Force for eight years, and was deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom as a firefighter until his enlistment ended last fall. I asked Brant, “As someone who served, what is it like to attend this ceremony?” He was quick to answer, “Having been in the military, I always try to remember veterans,” he said, “but I always find it touching and appreciate it when I see others honoring our heroes as well.”

1. 2.

[1] Cadet Jesse Carr poses with Air Force Operation Enduring Freedom veteran Brant Hubl. [2] Cadet Jesse Carr peers underneath umbrella to give a young volunteer a wreath to place on veteran's gravesite. (Photos: Mrs. Terri Luce)

Brant said that this was the first he had heard of Wreaths Across America, “I know that the citizens of our great State and Nation are willing to support and participate in WAA, but we must find a way to let them know about it. They need to be aware of what is going on, and the importance of showing our respect for our fallen soldiers.”

Now, as part of the Wreaths Across America program, it is our responsibility, our obligation to tell others about it. We must sell as many wreaths as we can, to honor those who are no longer with us, those who fell defending our freedoms and ideals.

I now look forward to the twelve months before me, during which I’ll sell wreaths in hope that our squadron will be able to reach its goal of 1,000 wreaths, which would cover all veteran resting places at Tyler Memorial Cemetery. I look forward to the ceremony next year, to the opportunities I will have to change lives, and the people I will get to meet.

As I end this day, I am reminded that, no matter who you are, you can still show respect for our veterans and fallen heroes. As I was passing out wreaths to the volunteers who would place them on graves, I paused as a low umbrella walked up to me. I peered underneath it, and saw a small girl, not any older than five or six. As I handed her a wreath, I was speechless. I stared in silence as she walked away, the bearer of a token, a symbol, a wreath that was almost as big as she was.

This one little girl showed me the true heart of American Patriotism – even this young girl, ignoring rain and cold, was determined to pay tribute to her heroes.

Cadet 2nd Lt. Jesse Carr, CAP, Tyler Composite Squadron

The Meaning of Leadership Revisited, 28 December

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – When this newsletter was young (April 2007, its 10th month of publication), I chose The Meaning of Leadership as the subject for my editorial. To my surprise, early in December, 2009 I received an e-mail from the commander of a Tennessee Wing squadron (a CAP Lt. Col. who is also a retired USAF Colonel), expressing doubt about the practicality of my position on this issue, which I had summarized as follows:

Morally, leading through example requires the leader not to profit from his leadership, except as a consequence of the greater benefit acquired by those he leads, and on whose behalf he has acted. The leader's glory is always a reflection of the well-being and just treatment of those he leads.

He thought that, in CAP, any leader who followed my advice wouldn't be likely to progress very far, as he considered that the CAP leader also needed to call attention to himself so others would notice his good work. In his opinion, I had set too high a standard for CAP members, especially cadets, in passages he deemed high-minded. At that time, I was a Captain and the Group III PAO, as well as its Newsletter Editor.

Since writing the editorial in question, just doing my CAP job and mentoring others (many of them), I've traveled far, yet I never sought exclusive credit for the Group III Newsletter. Instead, I helped all contributing writers, new and old, beginning and experienced, respecting their bylines with meticulous care, as I let the quality, breadth and depth of the newsletter speak for me and my ability to do good work. While so doing, many benefited ~ and I also made some very good friends.

Besides thanking the colonel for having written to me, so many months after publication, I explained to him my position in some detail, clarifying a passage that referred to The Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche. His letter had led me to believe that he thought Nietzsche had been speaking about examples of leadership nearly contemporary to Nietzsche himself (1887), when in fact he had been musing about our earliest pre-history. So I wrote to him,

I mentioned Nietzsche and "The Genealogy of Morals" – His contention was that the Urmensch (or proto-man), even before writing had been invented and only oral history could exist, rose to leadership by his willingness to take command and gather the tribe's strength for a purpose advantageous to the tribe, and pay the piper if the tribe lost during his tenure, thereby saving the tribe itself. ["Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.] Nietzsche placed the birth of this social mechanism at the time of the people who painted the Caves of Lascaux, just after the last Ice Age.

However, writing the above channeled me to renewed thinking on the subject, and today something popped into my InBox that reinforced my position, my belief, and my conviction that people have an inalienable right to be led selflessly, properly and honestly. In a flash, the final sentence of one of America's most hallowed documents flashed before my eyes.

... It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. (Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, written and signed on Nov. 19, 1863)

The trigger for my thought was a news item published online on the AllGov website, reporting that this year the FAA had spent $5 million on three 1-week conferences in Atlanta, overtly for training, yet they seemed but little more than an extended Christmas party. The news item originated in ABC News as reported by Brian Ross. These links speak for themselves.

There used to be a time when public servants knew that they were the servants of the people, by whose faith and trust they had gained their positions of pre-eminence and power. And at that time they willingly honored that trust and truly served the people, rather than take advantage of them and the public funds placed within their reach.

I do believe that, were he alive today, Honest Abe would be appalled...

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP
Director of  Public Affairs & Director of Organizational Excellence, SWR

A Great Aviation Story, 28 December

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – My good friend Chaplain (Lt. Col.) George Kelly sent me the story below that he had found on the Internet. He loved it, so did I, so here it is.

It purports to be a true tale told by a man who runs a 2,000-acre corn farm around Barron, WI, not far from Oshkosh. He used to fly F-4Es and F-16s for the Air Guard and took part in the first Gulf War. The story is a reminder that there are other great, magnificent flyers around, besides the military. It might well be a fantasy, but it sounded true to me.

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

I went out to plant corn for a bit, to finish a field before day's end, and witnessed The Great Battle. A golden eagle – with about a six-foot wingspan – flew right in front of the tractor. Three crows were chasing it, dive bombing it and pecking at it. Crows do this because eagles rob their nests when they find them.

The eagle banked hard right in one evasive maneuver, then landed in the field about 100 feet from the tractor. This eagle stood about 3 feet tall. The crows landed as well, and took up positions around the eagle – 120 degrees from each other – but kept about 20 feet away from the big bird. The eagle would take a couple of steps towards a crow, and they'd hop backward and forward to keep their distance. Then the reinforcement showed up.

I happened to spot the eagle's mate hurtling down out of the sky at what appeared to be Mach 1.5. Just before impact, the eagle on the ground took flight, (obviously a coordinated tactic; probably pre-briefed) and the three crows, intent on watching the grounded eagle, also took flight after it, probably thinking that this might be their chance to keep pecking at the big bird. The first crow being targeted by the diving eagle never stood a chance. There was a mid-air explosion of black feathers and that crow was done.

The diving eagle then banked hard left in what had to be a 9G climbing turn, using the energy it had accumulated in the dive, and hit the second crow less than two seconds later. Another crow dead!

The grounded eagle, now airborne and with an altitude advantage on the remaining crow, which was streaking eastward in full burner, made a short dive then banked hard right when the escaping crow tried to evade the hit. It didn't work – the third crow bit the dust at about 20 feet AGL.

This aerial battle was better than any air show I've been to, including the warbirds show at Oshkosh. The two eagles gathered their kill and ripped the crows apart, eating them on the ground. As I got closer and closer working my way across the field, I passed within 20 feet of one of them while it was eating its catch. It stopped and looked at me as I went by. You could see in the look of that bird that it knew who was Boss Of The Sky. What a beautiful bird! (Photo: National Geographic)

Manners, Protocol and Respect, 29 December

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – Human beings, social creatures that we are, co-exist peacefully by a combination of giving each other room, acknowledging each other's social standing, and respecting each other's humanity regardless of their social standing. Since this is essential for achieving daily harmonious existence, the language has found ways to express it. Let's take a look at some of them.

Manner first enters English in the 12th century, derived from the French manière, in turn from the Latin manuarius (belonging to the hand), based on manus (hand). In other words, a shade of meaning originating in the basic concept of "handling." Shakespeare used it most famously in "Hamlet" (Act 1, Scene 4,15) when he wrote To the manner born, meaning "destined by birth to be subject to the custom." The key word here is custom,.

No doubt you'll remember CAPP 151, the former Customs and Courtesies of the Civil  Air Patrol, now re-named Respect on Display (April, 2009). Please hold this thought, we'll return to it later.

Manners came into use in the 14th century, meaning "external behavior in social intercourse." This is a clear definition that, obviously, accounts for both good and bad manners. The corollary is that, for social success, good manners are far more effective than poor ones. Notice also that the definition applies to "external behavior," leaving the practitioner of such manners free to think and/or feel other than as expressed. (The issue of whether manners are innate or feigned lies outside the scope of this short essay. So does hypocrisy.)

Protocol first appears in the language in 1541 as prothogall "draft of a document" from the Middle French prothocole (c. 1200), from the Middle Latin protocollum, and the Greek protokollon for "first sheet glued onto a manuscript" coined from protos (first) and kolla (glue). [Yes, that's how the language is constructed, using simple root words that are set in new combinations to express complicated thoughts.] From the preceding, other meanings evolved, and thus we got "official account," sliding to "official record of a transaction," then "diplomatic document" and finally "formula of diplomatic etiquette." Surprise! [Good] Manners.

On this column, we've looked at Respect before, stemming from the Latin respectus meaning "regard" "consideration," leading to "dignity" and "recognition of worth."

Going back to the original title of CAPP 151, there used to be a time when "Customs and Courtesies" meant a great deal to people, especially those who had served in the military, and particularly those who had known commissioned service. And, of course, courtesy is derived from "court" and means "language or behavior appropriate for social intercourse at the king's court." This was once very important, since every court has always abounded in intrigue and dangers, often leading to either riches and honors or poverty and disgrace, depending on one's acceptance by one's peers, superiors, and the monarch. In extreme cases, one also ran the risk of losing one's head... and a good many did.

The above worked quite well until very recently (linguistically speaking), with the acceptance of the telegraph. In the mid-19th century, it was a miracle to be able to send a message across the country using Samuel Morse's invention, but this was expensive, so "telegraphese" became the norm as it synthesized the sentences into shorter (and therefore less expensive) signal streams. Cost, then, shaped how people "telegraphed" their ideas. These same people would never have thought of actually speaking that way. Then the telephone took over, and things settled down nicely.

We are now in the 21st century and the digital age is upon us, with texting, twittering, and a mad rush to eliminate all unnecessary words. Within 10 years, many people have stopped reading, so bookstores are closing and newspapers going out of business. Worse yet, many cannot write, punctuation is a mystery to them, grammar and syntax a labyrinth, and they have fallen into the trap of coining things such as "b4 2mrw, tx" in a grotesque short-hand for "before tomorrow, thanks." In so doing, thoughtlessly, they've managed to bring down the wonderful edifice of linguistic and social culture we've inherited from countless generations.

What to do? Here's the fix, but please don't look upon it as an imposition, because this is what people used to do just a generation ago as a matter of personal pride. Also, this is what Civil Air Patrol members need to do as they practice the core value of Respect.

Let's start with the salutary clause. Texters and twitterers use none, but if they are members of the Civil Air Patrol, and they are addressing themselves to other CAP members (or the public on CAP business), they need to use one. Here the rule is very, very simple. If you're addressing a person of higher rank than yours, call that person "Sir" or "Ma'am" as appropriate (civilians always outrank you, as do members of the armed forces). If your rank is higher, address that person by rank and last name. Any other mode of address must be arrived at by mutual agreement, and must be used only in private messages (copied to no one else). Also, address all cadets as "Cadet."

Now to the body of your message. If you want something, don't forget the magic word "please." Be brief but clear, and say what you want up front. If you have a reason for asking it, state it clearly but concisely. Be mindful of the other person's time, and be respectful.

To end the message, don't forget the other magic words, "thank you" and add your signature block. (If you want to be friendly, write your first name by itself, then add your full signature block below it. But be careful when writing to cadets; do not invite familiarity.)

Avoid slang at all costs; just don't use it.

There are subtleties to the above. If you are a Lt. and send a message to a Maj. with either no salutary clause at all or using that person's first name, then you sign just your own full name and titles, that's an insult, denigrating the other's position and higher rank/grade.

If you are assigned to a squadron, and address yourself to someone assigned to a wing in an over-familiar way, you're taking a big chance. Don't. Respect is like yielding the right of way. You can only give it, not take it. And once you've overstepped, eventually you'll probably need to apologize; but even then, you'd be at a disadvantage, since your actions can be forgiven but they might never be forgotten.

Also, remember that echelons of command are pyramidal. There are over 1,500 squadrons in CAP, only 52 wings, a mere 8 regions, and a single National Headquarters. The higher you go, the harder it is to get there and the more it matters.

Perhaps now you have a better idea of what Respect on Display really means. You might want to refresh your memory.

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

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. Briefings need not be lengthy presentations - a 10 to 20 minute talk (and optional group discussion) is enough.

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

January Flight Safety Briefing (MS Word document)

January Ground Safety Briefing (MS Word document)

Maj. Arthur E. Woodgate, CAP, Editor

Recurring Reports

Editor

King Holiday recognizes shared vision of patriotic people

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho – In June of 1998, I had just completed theology school at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. and was about to complete my third and final tour as an Air Force chaplain candidate. Little did I know I was about to begin one of the most important lessons of my life.

A classmate told me he knew of a small apartment that was available near downtown Atlanta, so I called the landlord to inquire. After looking at the apartment and agreeing to the terms, I decided to move in.

My new address would be on Auburn Ave. The small shotgun styled apartment was only yards away from the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and The King Center, a center for the study of civil rights issues and conflicts. After completing the chaplain candidacy program, I joined the Air Force Reserve and moved to the Auburn Ave. apartment.

As a resident of Dr. King's old neighborhood, I could literally stand on my porch and see his old home and Ebenezer Baptist Church he attended as a child.

Much of Dr. King's old neighborhood is actually a national park now, maintained by the federal government. One part of the restored neighborhood was so well maintained that sometimes I would look out and my imagination would take me back to the era when Dr. King might have walked those streets. Often there would be literally thousands of visitors from different cultural backgrounds and geographic locations coming to see King's birth home and to learn more about his life and the philosophy he embraced. I can recall on a number of occasions observing celebrities visiting the King home and center.

One day I noticed a famous television and film star in front of my apartment and struck up a conversation with him. He seemed fascinated to know that, along with a few others, I actually lived in the old homes near Dr. King's birth home. There were also very important events such as the national King Commemoration Service or the funeral of a civil rights leader that brought the influential and the unknown together and demonstrated their ability to cooperate and collaborate.

When Hosea Williams, one of Dr. King's top aides, passed away in 2000, I attended his funeral. Several famous entertainers and activists spoke during the service, which was held at the Ebenezer church. They emphasized Dr. King's vision of cooperation among people of different racial backgrounds and economic conditions, which Williams had fostered in the years after King's death. A decorated veteran of World War II, Williams was inspired to join the civil rights movement by Dr. King. Born into poverty, for decades, Williams became an advocate and friend to the poor, particularly the homeless. His organization provided meals to thousands of needy Atlanta residents each year during the holiday seasons. When the funeral service ended, a horse and carriage carried William's body down Auburn Ave. The procession was followed by Reverend Jesse Jackson, William's family and hundreds of people, many of whom Williams had helped in some way.

My experience on Auburn Ave. helped me see first-hand the importance of diversity, and realize that people from totally different walks of life can truly come together and learn from one another. I also developed a new appreciation for serving others and how service makes America better. Most important, I realized that many people share King's vision of equality and cooperation. A quote from a list that author Loette Hoskins compiled in 1968 from Dr. King's speeches sums it up: In the final analysis, all men are interdependent and are thereby involved in a single process. We are inevitably our brother's keeper because of the interrelated structure of reality.

Dr. King was an eloquent speaker and gifted leader who spoke for patriotic people working together to create a better America.

Chaplain (Capt.) William W. Cooper, Jr., 366th Fighter Wing Chapel

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Gladewater Christmas Parade, 1 December

GLADEWATER, Texas – On Dec. 1st, the Gladewater Corsairs led the Christmas Parade in Gladewater. Our Squadron is privileged to lead off with the colors every year. Although the weather report promised a miserable, rainy, cold night, we were pleasantly surprised when the weather held off until the parade was completed.

In years past, the squadron color guard had led the parade while squadron members stood with the spectators and made themselves useful. This year, however, several squadron members marched as well. Included in the color guard were Cadet Staff Sgt. Matt Brown, Cadet Staff Sgt. Preston Pietrzykowski, Cadet Airman Jagur Roach and Cadet Airman Basic Avery Bridges. On the parade formation, they were followed by Cadet 2nd Lt. Kayla Cassel, Cadet Airman Basic De’Ja Johnson, Maj. Gerry Davis and Capt. Harold Parks.

(L-R) Cadet Airman Jagur Roach, Cadet Staff Sgt. Preston Pietrzykowski, Cadet Staff Sgt. Preston Matt Brown and Cadet Airman Basic Avery Bridges. (Photo: Capt. Harold Parks)

There was something else that was different this time. In years past, as the colors filed past them, the spectators would stand at attention and a few of them would applaud. It was a respectful attitude as the cadets bore the symbols of our Nation and State. But this time, as they marched through the parade route, it was wonderful to hear both cheering and applause for the colors, as the spectators were moved to show their approval and delight.

It made us proud to be associated so closely with the flags of our Nation and State.

(Capt. Harold Parks, CAP)

Cadet Promotions, 15 December

GLADEWATER, Texas – Two Gladewater cadets were promoted at the squadron meeting on Dec. 15. Matt Brown was promoted to Cadet Tech. Sgt. and De’Ja Johnson to Cadet Airman. Cadet Brown had his new insignia of rank pinned on by his mother, Mrs. Michelle Brown, with Maj. Gerry Davis, our Deputy Commander for Cadets, assisting. Cadet Johnson had her new insignia of rank pinned on by Squadron Commander Capt. Harold Parks and Maj. Gerry Davis.

Cadet Tech. Sgt. Brown has been moving up and through the Cadet Program regularly, and is fast becoming a key player in the cadet ranks. He has contagious enthusiasm and can be counted on to accomplish any task set before him. Beyond the regularly scheduled meetings, Cadet Brown is very serious about the squadron's Emergency Services mission and should soon become a certified Ground Team Member. Aviation is another of this cadet’s interests, and he is currently a student pilot working towards his FAA private pilot Class III license. After attending the festivities at Oshkosh last year, and talking to a Squadron member who had attended the Blue Beret National Cadet Special Activity, he has applied to attend the Blue Beret this summer. We look forward to Cadet Brown’s continued progress in our program.

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[1] Cadet Tech. Sgt. Matt Brown being pinned by his mother, Mrs. Michelle Brown, assisted by Maj. Gerry Davis. [2] Cadet Airman De’Ja Johnson being pinned by Capt Harold Parks and Maj. Gerry Davis (Photo #1, Capt. Harold Parks: #2, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Alexander)

Cadet Airman De’Ja Johnson is one of our newest members, but has jumped in eagerly to try to learn as quickly as she can about the CAP Cadet Program. In fact, she had barely joined our squadron when she participated in a Squadron Field Training Exercise (FTX). Everyone was wondering how it would go for her, as she had never before experienced that type of activity. To make matters even more difficult, the weekend started out very cold and rainy – but that didn't dampen her interest one bit. A very short time later, when our squadron led off the Gladewater Christmas Parade, she marched in the parade. Within a few months, she had experiencing a range of diverse squadron activities, and she had become part of the squadron as a participant, not a spectator. De’Ja is very outgoing and always willing to help. She has started out very well, and we look forward to her continued growth and development within our squadron.

(Capt. Harold Parks, CAP)

2009 Squadron Cadet of the Year, 22 December

GLADEWATER, Texas – On Tuesday, Dec. 22, our Squadron held a Christmas gathering and presented the 2009 Gladewater Corsairs Cadet of the Year Award. Cadet 2nd Lt. Kayla Cassel was chosen for this honor, and was also presented the Air Force Association Citation for 2009. Other annual awards to be given will be presented in January at a squadron meeting.

Cadet Cassel was a hands-down choice for the award, based on the outstanding work she had done throughout 2009. This cadet has been certified in all four Ground Team categories and is SET qualified to provide training for other members. She is in the final stages of EMT training, provides First Aid training and has attended the National Emergency Services Academy as well as Blue Beret. In addition to acquiring new skills for herself, she is very active training Squadron members as well as other CAP members in her specialties. A Louisiana Wing squadron at Barksdale AFB, that she visits often at their request, also receives her help with Emergency Services training.

Capt. Parks presents the Gladewater Corsairs Composite Squadron 2009 Cadet of the Year Award and the Air Force Association Citation to Cadet 2nd Lt. Kayla Cassel. (Photo: Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Alexander)

Cadet Cassel has organized many activities for our squadron, including mission training as well as social activities. She is active in recruiting efforts and is an effective mentor for our newer cadets and NCOs. Kayla serves as our Deputy Cadet Commander and, since our Cadet Commander has a very demanding work schedule, she has been called upon to fill this position very often. Her appearance and military bearing are exemplary and we often hold her up as a model for our female cadets to emulate. She is easy to work with, and is an  unending source of great ideas to improve the Squadron for all. We are most fortunate to have this very capable young woman in our squadron.

The Squadron Commander, Capt. Harold Parks, who is also an Air Force Association member, was able to present the AFA Citation to Cadet Cassel.

(Capt. Harold Parks, CAP)

Squadron Commander Assumes USAF Responsibilities, 11 December

AUSTIN, Texas – On December 11 at Bee Caves City Hall, Maj. Jim Rodriguez, Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron commander (also an attorney), was sworn in as a member of the US Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps. JAG members function in advisory and counsel roles on broad matters of military, administrative and civil law.

A JAG officer may also act as a judge, prosecutor or defense attorney during court martial proceedings, or other matters covered by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As a US Air Force Reservist, Maj. Rodriguez had to relinquish his line assignment in favor of becoming a JAG.

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[1] Lt. Col. George Mihalcik administers the Oath of Office to Maj. Jim Rodriguez. [2] (L-R) Lt. Col. George Mihalcik, USAF (retired), Maj. Jim Rodriguez and Lt. Col. Gordie White, CAP, after the swearing-in. (Photos: Unknown Bee Caves City Hall employee.)

Lt. Col. George Mihalcik, USAF (retired), a member of the Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron, administered the Oath of Office. Lt. Col. Gordie White, CAP, Commander of the Texas Wing Legislative Squadron, was in attendance.

Beginning 16 February 2009, Maj. Rodriguez will attend a 9-week, Air Force JAG School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

(Capt. John Craparo, CAP)

Air Crew Training, 15-22 December

AUSTIN-BERGSTROM AIRPORT, Texas – Members of the Col. Joe W. Kittinger-Phantom Senior Squadron met between 15 December and 22 December 2009 in order to train for Mission Scanner, Mission Observer, and Mission Pilot qualifications, all required ratings to be able to participate as air crew in Civil Air Patrol Search and Rescue missions. 

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[1] (L-R) 2nd Lt. Daniel Baum, Maj. Jim Rodriguez and Capt. Nicole Novack plan a Search and Rescue training mission. Maj. Rodriguez is training for Mission Pilot, Capt. Novack for Mission Scanner, and Lt. Baum for Mission Observer.  [2] 1st Lt. Ferrill Ford, a CAP Skills Evaluator, assessed the training and task performance of Kittinger-Phantom Senior Squadron mission trainees. (Photo #1, 1st Lt. Ferrill Ford; #2, Maj. Jim Rodriguez)

Capt. Alan Runge, 1st Lt. Ferrill Ford, and 1st Lt. Debbie Ford conducted the training. Ten squadron members completed all ground training tasks listed on the relevant Specialty Qualification Training Worksheet. Following satisfactory demonstration of required tasks during exercise missions to be held on 22-24 January 2010, the trainees will have achieved their qualifications as air crew members.

(Maj. Jim Rodriguez, CAP)

Joe Kittinger's New Book, 28 December

AUSTIN, Texas – Col. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr., USAF (retired), our Squadron's namesake and friend, is about to celebrate the publication of his second autobiography. His first book published in 1961, The Long Lonely Leap, chronicled his life through his historic space jump from 102,800 feet. 

The latest book, written in collaboration with Craig Ryan, takes us from Joe’s birth in 1927 to the present. It chronicles the 82-year-old's very active life and personal philosophy as a test pilot, combat pilot, prisoner of war, world record setter, balloonist, barnstormer and family man. 

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[1] The cover of Col. Joseph Kittinger's new book. [2] Taken in his youth, Col. Joseph Kittinger's image reflects the determination and strength of character that guided him throughout his distinguished Air Force career. (Images #1, courtesy of University of New Mexico Press; #2, Kittinger Phantom Senior Squadron.)

The new book, Come up and Get Me, due out in May, will be published by the University of New Mexico Press. It will feature an introduction by Neil Armstrong, who has called Joe the “bravest man I have ever met.” Joe and his wife Sherry plan on visiting the squadron this spring, at a date to be announced, to talk about the book and sign copies for those in attendance.

(Capt. John Craparo, CAP)

Perfect Ending, 11 December

LUBBOCK, Texas – This fall semester at Texas Tech University, I learned a lot about leadership thanks to my job as Charlie Cobra’s Flight Commander. I saw excellent progress from my flight from start to end. There were also some struggles, mostly at the beginning of the semester, but those were to be expected. The old adage, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink,” now has a special place in my leadership repertoire. So here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 2009 fall semester at my Air Force ROTC Detachment.

Let’s start with the bad. I was kidding; actually, nothing was bad. I enjoyed every minute of being a flight commander and I’m bummed that it’s over. I knew back in August that my time as flight commander would eventually come to an end, but that knowledge doesn’t really hit you until you tell your flight, “Dismissed!” for the final time. I’m proud to say that if my cadets stay on the path I have guided them on, they will be very successful in their AFROTC careers and beyond. The only semi-bad thing that came with this assignment was paperwork. I was responsible for a whole lot of it. 

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[1] Proud members of Charlie Flight hold their prizes at the end of the Fall 2009 Semester. At far left, Cadet Captain Evan Petrosky, AFROTC, as most of them give the "Cobra Sign," he included. [2] Cadet Nathaniel Spraggins holds his Outstanding Flight Member certificate for the Fall 2009 Semester, as other members hold the Warrior Flight Award and the Honor Flight Award, won by Charlie Flight for the same period.

Next is the ugly. Teaching new cadets how to march is a very tedious process. Some grasp it sooner than others. Also, it doesn’t look good when one or two cadets forget their right from their left. I let my sophomore cadets teach the freshmen how to march. I did this for two reasons. First, I wanted my sophomores to gain experience marching the flight, since this is something they will need to know for their own field training. Second, I wanted to create a good learning environment for the freshmen. I felt they would learn more quickly and with less stress if another General Military Course cadet was teaching them, rather than their flight commander. By the time the Leadership Lab was over, the flight looked sharp. I was extremely proud of them. It also didn’t hurt that I was blessed with great sophomore cadets, either. Other than that, nothing else was a problem. 

Finally, here’s the good stuff that happened this semester. There’s a lot of it. The first item would be all the cadet officers we captured, and the flight’s triumph at my never having been captured. We also won the Warrior Spirit Leadership Lab and the Water Balloon War. The second good big thing was that everyone passed the formal inspection. We only had one gig amongst the entire flight. However, in part because of the victories mentioned above and other criteria, this semester Charlie Flight won both Honor Flight and Warrior Flight! Just like during my freshman year, Charlie flight was the semester’s outright champion. What made winning these awards mean so much was that Charlie Flight had beaten three very good flights that had very good flight commanders. To put the competition into better perspective, it was like taking the top four college football teams and letting them go at it for an entire semester. All Charlie Flight’s cadets now have 2 ribbons they can wear that the other flights’ members have not earned yet. You should have seen the smiles on Charlie Flight’s faces. 

With that, my time as the Cobra Commander has come to a perfect end. I’m extremely proud of my cadets, and I know they will continue to grow as they become excellent leaders. At the beginning of the semester, when I was telling them about the flight awards, I gave them a simple phrase that would help them stay focused. It was, “In it, to win it.” And, wouldn’t you know?

It worked.

Cadet Capt. Evan Petrosky, AFROTC

Wreaths Across America, 12 December

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Civil Air Patrol’s Wreaths Across America program is a great opportunity to honor our veterans. On Dec. 12, I took part in the ceremony in Lubbock, Texas. The Lubbock Composite Squadron had over 1,000 wreaths to place, so they asked the Texas Tech Air Force ROTC Detachment for help. It was great to see AFROTC and CAP cadets working together for a great cause. 

The City of Lubbock Cemetery is a beautiful memorial site. The day was cool and crisp. The ceremony began with CAP cadets and senior members laying ceremonial wreaths to honor all the branches of service. After that, Taps was played. Everyone there felt how important this ceremony really was.

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[1] Cadet 2nd Lt. Cameron Varner and 2nd Lt. Christina Varner adjust Cadet Airman Stephen Kolas's. In the background, the color guard practices their performance. [2] 2nd Lt "Jobby" Johnson meets the bugler for the Wreaths Across America ceremony. At left background, Capt. Stephen White coordinates his speech with members of the Lubbock Composite Squadron's Color Guard Team. (Photos: 2nd Lt. Kyle W. Vernon, Lubbock Composite Squadron)

Afterwards, I reflected upon how much history was involved, and how it seemed to speak to me. I placed a wreath at a Confederate soldier’s headstone, another one at an Iraq War veteran’s, and then at many others that covered what seemed to be all the wars in between. 

I don’t know how to describe it, but it was like seeing America’s history personified. These veterans had risked their lives to defend our country and had taken part in the wars America had been (and is) involved in. History spoke to me as it had never before, and the cold grave markers seemed to glow with a warmth I had never noticed before. It was a very emotional moment.

I was proud to see AFROTC and CAP cadets working together for a great common purpose.

Cadet Capt. Evan Petrosky, AFROTC