Aye Selects Hunt, Parsons, Winter, Phillips, Reutemann for Top Leadership Posts | |
Brig. Gen. Regena Aye, Civil Air Patrol’s incoming national commander/CEO, announces five appointments to her senior staff:
- Col. Rose Hunt, national executive officer
- Chief Master Sgt. Todd Parsons, CAP command chief
- Col. Joseph R. Winter, national inspector general
- Col. Matthew Phillips, chief of the Legal Officer Corps
- Chaplain (Lt. Col.) John F. Reutemann III, chief of the Chaplain Corps
“These incredible volunteers bring diverse experiences and tremendous talents to national leadership,” Aye said. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Col. Jason Bailey and such a fantastic team in the coming years, as we strive to lead CAP toward excellence in all we do.”
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Ridley Chosen as Northeast Region's Next Commander
Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, Civil Air Patrol’s national commander/CEO, has appointed Col. James A. Ridley, Sr., to be the next commander of CAP’s Northeast Region.
Ridley, Connecticut Wing commander from 2017-2021 and the Northeast Region chief of staff the past three years, will assume command Oct. 26 during the Joint Northeast Region/New York Wing Conference in Lake George, New York.
He will succeed Col. Everett C. Hume, region commander since August 2021.
“Col. Ridley has spent many years in senior-level command and leadership roles, and he has mentored countless others as they advanced their careers,” Phelka said. “He is well prepared to lead the Northeast Region forward with his collaborative, thoughtful approach.”
| In this Youtube video from WVLT News in Knoxville, Civil Air Patrol uses drones to conduct an aerial survey at Bookwalter Cemetery on the city's northside. Members of CAP's Tennessee Wing said their survey should provide a good picture of the cemetery that will then be used for a ground search to try and identify and record each of its grave markers. | National Cadet Special Activities | Cadet Officer School Graduate: 'You Don't Need to be Fully Able to be Able to Lead' | |
Before Cadet Lt. Col. Svetlana Ehlers (pictured) started Cadet Officer School at National Headquarters last month, she was asked: “What do you do when you’re stressed?”
“It seemed an odd question at the time, but I figured out the answer while I was there,” the 20-year-old said a week after returning to her Kansas City, Missouri, home from the intensive program at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
The 54th Cadet Officer School graduated 105 CAP cadets from 40 wings, along with 10 Canadian cadets. Modeled after U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School, the program offers a comprehensive study of leadership principles and their practical applications. The curriculum is designed to be both intellectually stimulating and academically demanding.
| Medical Orientation and Training School Attracts 60 Cadets from Texas, 24 Other CAP Wings | |
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Sixty cadets from 25 wings focused on healthcare and emergency medical services July 17-28 at Civil Air Patrol’s Medical Orientation and Training School in Nacogdoches, Texas, experiencing an intensive curriculum designed to prepare them for careers in the field.
The session, developed in collaboration with leading healthcare professionals and educators, aimed to equip participants with initial medical knowledge and skills while fostering leadership and service in the healthcare sector.
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Academy Sees Record 10 Cadets Solo ... with a Song | |
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Sixteen cadets experienced the thrill of unpowered flight above the skies of Tullahoma, Tennessee, as they gathered July 12-20 for Civil Air Patrol’s Southeast Region Glider Flight Academy.
Cadet Lt. Col. Taran Fletcher (pictured) of the Missouri Wing’s Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron was attending his third Tullahoma academy without ever having had the chance for solo flight. His third time proved the charm for Fletcher as he and nine other cadets earned their solo wings, exceeding the previous academy record by one.
The cadet gliders also inspired a veteran Air Force pilot, Maj. J.B. White, to write a song after serving as a safety observer for the academy. Entitled “Gliding Over Tullahoma,” the song contains musical influences from piano blues, Southern rock, folk, and Americana.
“Seeing the excitement and fear of the unknown in the cadets’ eyes was really what made me pursue creating the song,” White said. “And watching their smiles and self-confidence when they climbed out of the glider is what this whole program is all about.”
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The National Cadet Special Activities and wing encampments received the attention of news outlets across America this summer. Here are a few examples of coverage, which provided increased public awareness for CAP: | |
Arizona Team Captures Region Competition
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The Arizona Wing team (seen here conferring with their squadron commander, Lt. Col. Mark Malan) captured first place in the Southwest Region Cadet Competition in Waxahachie, Texas, followed by the Oklahoma Wing and Louisiana Wing entries and a second set of cadets from Oklahoma.
The six-member teams completed in events involving precision and teamwork, including indoor and outdoor color guard challenges, a written test of leadership and aerospace knowledge, a physical fitness test, team leadership problems (group problem-solving challenges). and a uniform inspection.
The Arizona Wing cadets, composed of Davis-Monthan Composite Squadron members, finished first in five of the six team categories — Indoor Drill, Outdoor Drill, Standard Drill, Uniform Inspection, Written Exam, and Physical Fitness Test. The team also placed second in the Team Leadership Problem.
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Virginia Cadets Take 2nd in Drone Competition | |
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Cadets from the Virginia Wing’s William P. Knight Composite Squadron teamed up with Scouts from their area at EAA Adventure to finish second nationally in the Beginner Division of the Academy of Model Aeronautics UAS4STEM drone competition.
The five Beginners Division teams, which also included an Alabama Wing entry consisting of four cadets in the Redstone Composite Squadron and two in the Mountain Lakes Composite Squadron, competed in carrying out the fundamentals of drone program and flying.
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CAP-USAF Commander Honored by Alma Mater | |
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U.S. Air Force Col. Aaron Reid (third from left), commander of Civil Air Patrol-U.S. Air Force, was recognized by his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, at a ceremony at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the world’s largest aviation celebration.
Reid, a 2002 graduate of MTSU’s Aerospace Department and a former Tennessee Wing cadet, was honored for his service as a combat pilot and commander of the unit tasked with ensuring CAP is organized, trained, and equipped to fulfill Air Force-assigned missions.
“Col. Reid, like so many of our aerospace graduates, is a role model to our students, showing how his successful career began with his degree from MTSU,” Mark Byrnes, the university’s provost and chief academic officer, said during a brief ceremony at the university’s EAA tent on July 24.
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Next Michigan Wing Commander Named | |
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Lt. Col. Eric V. Scott is the next commander of the Michigan Wing, having been appointed to the position by Col. Rose M. Hunt, Great Lakes Region commander.
Scott will succeed Col. Christopher A. Ballard, wing commander since September 2021, in a change of command ceremony Sept. 21 at Michigan National Guard Joint Force Headquarters in Lansing.
“I am deeply humbled and appreciative to Col. Hunt for her confidence in me to lead and serve the nearly 1,300 auxiliary airmen of the Michigan Wing,” Scott said. “I also look forward to working with the other region wing commanders and our CAP-USAF partners.”
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Gold-Level Sponsor Named for Conference | |
With the Civil Air Patrol National Conference just days away, CAP recognizes the conference's last gold-level sponsor — Lycoming, which is based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The National Conference is set for Aug. 16-17 in San Antonio. Attendees are encouraged to stop by the Hangar to visit with company representatives from Lycoming as well as CAP's other gold sponsors.
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As part of the conference, we also invite you to donate to support cadet scholarships. Donate $25 or more, and you will be eligible to wear a special ribbon designating you as a "Scholarship Supporter" during the event and be recognized on the Cadet Scholarship Donor Wall. Stop by the Development booth in the Hangar to pick up your ribbon. | |
CAP Observes National Make-A-Will Month | |
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Join thousands who are making a will in August to:
- Dictate your vision for the future and your assets.
- Show your loved ones just how much you care about them.
- Create a legacy to shape the next generation of service leaders through Civil Air Patrol.
In just 20 minutes, you can create your own will with the help of our partner, FreeWill. And it’s completely free.
By using this service today, you’ll get lifetime access to make updates and changes to your plan at no cost. And if you choose to include a gift to CAP, we are so grateful for the generational impact you’ll make for our cadets and community.
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New Learning System a Success in First Week | |
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Civil Air Patrol's new learning management system, Absorb, launched July 30. In its first week, almost 10,000 CAP members logged into Absorb, and those users have already completed more than 8,000 new learning modules.
"Thank you for being a part of this exciting journey," said Jared Peregoy, senior director of learning. "We look forward to hearing your thoughts and seeing how Absorb LMS enhances your experience."
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Celebration Set for 9/11 Civil Air Patrol Exhibit | |
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Save the date for the celebration officially opening the 9/11 Civil Air Patrol Exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, set for Sept. 11 in Dayton, Ohio.
The museum exhibit features the recently retired CAP aircraft (pictured) that took to the skies over lower Manhattan on Sept. 12, 2001, to take aerial photos in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York City.
A public day of remembrance will be held during museum hours Sept. 11, followed by a CAP ceremony that evening. Watch for more details. RSVPs for the evening event will be required.
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Artwork Series Continues with 'Boeing Model 100' | |
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Maj. Ron Finger's second series of vintage aircraft artwork — the Silvered Wings Series — continues with this 20th installment of the "Boeing Model 100."
Debuting in August 2022 and continuing into 2023 and now 2024, the Silvered Wings Series features the work and writing of Finger, a volunteer staff member on the Marketing and Communications team who serves as CAP's national artist.
Check out the latest vintage CAP aircraft in the series, as posted on CAP.news:
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ACE Registration Opens for 2024-2025 School Year | |
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Attention, CAP K-6 educators. Registration for the no-cost Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) program is underway for the new school year.
Last year, the program set a record with more than 100,000 students participating nationwide — 101,384, to be exact.
Additionally, opening the first of September is the companion program, ACE Plus, for middle school ACE teachers to have CAP squadrons connect and collaborate in their classrooms.
Find out more about ACE and ACE Plus on GoCivilAirPatrol.com.
If you have further questions, send them to this link.
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Volunteers Sought to Fill Staff Positions in Logistics | |
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National Headquarters is accepting applications for two national volunteer staff positions for CAP's Logistics team — National Director of Logistics & Mission Resources and National Supply Manager.
For details and the desired requirements for these and other volunteer positions, visit this link.
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Top Headlines
“AFA Teachers of the Year Collaborate on New Youth Aviation Camp”
-AFA.org
“Janet Patton: The Story of Spirit Airlines' First Female Pilot & Captain”
-SimpleFlying.com
“Low and Slow: 79th Fighter Squadron Trains with Civil Air Patrol”
-Shaw.AF.mil
“Local Cadets Lay Wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”
-TheStokesNews.com
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For more information, go to Operation Pulse Lift's new webpage on GoCivilAirPatrol.com. There you will find the latest Blood Donation Center schedules, instructions on how to set up a BDC, and other mission information. | |
CAP Marketing & Strategic Communications
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