FEMA requests assistance from CAP for AP flights

With Hurricane Arthur expected to drench North Carolina's Outer Banks tonight, disrupting what would normally be a heavily trafficked holiday destination, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has asked CAP to conduct aerial photography flights over the area as soon as the storm has blown through. FEMA's request to the 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) seeks authorization for CAP flights to begin Friday. 

For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/1j1jvVt

Military identifies 17 killed in 1952 Alaska crash

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The remains of about a third of the service members who died when their military transport plane crashed into an Alaska mountain and then was buried for decades in glacier ice have been identified, military officials said Wednesday.

The Department of Defense released the identities of 17 people onboard the C-124 Globemaster, which crashed in 1952, and said the remains will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

The first burial is believed to be planned for Saturday in Caney, Kansas, for Army Pvt. Leonard A. Kittle, said Tonja Anderson-Dell, a Tampa, Florida, woman who has researched the crash for years.

Her interest was stoked about the crash when her grandmother, now deceased, told her details of her grandfather, Isaac Anderson, 21, who died when the plane hit the mountain on Nov. 22, 1952. Anderson-Dell also maintains a Facebook page about the crash and recovery efforts.

The identifications were bittersweet for her because her grandfather wasn't among them.

"He wasn't part of the ones that will be coming home," she told The Associated Press by telephone Wednesday. "However, I am still happy for the families that are bringing their servicemen home."

The plane from McChord Air Force Base, Washington, was headed to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage when it went down with 52 crew members and passengers aboard.

Efforts to reach the crash site immediately after the crash were halted by bad weather. Days later, a member of the Fairbanks Civil Air Patrol, along with a member of the 10th Air Rescue Squadron, landed at a glacier and positively identified the wreckage as the Globemaster.

The civil air patrol member was Terris Moore, president of the University of Alaska. He later told reporters the plane "obviously was flying at full speed" when it hit Mount Gannett, sliding down the snow-covered cliffs, exploding and disintegrating over 2 or 3 acres, according to an Associated Press story from the time.

The heavy transport plane with 41 passengers and 11 crew members became buried in snow and likely churned beneath the surface of the glacier for decades. The Alaska National Guard discovered the wreckage in June 2012 on Colony Glacier, about 40 miles east of Anchorage.

An eight-man Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command recovered materials such as a life-support system from the wreckage and possible bones from the glacier two summers ago, and took the evidence to the command's lab in Hawaii for analysis.

Military officials said in a release that the remaining 35 service members have not yet been recovered from the wreckage, and the site will be monitored for possible future recovery efforts. Further details were not immediately available from a military spokeswoman who didn't return a message to The Associated Press.

Anderson-Dell said it is her understanding the military will continue to fly over the area to see if the glacier has given up any additional material from the wreckage.

© 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

All guts, little glory: The intriguing life of a CAP WWII subchaser

The latest "CAP's Gold Medal Journey Blog" post features Kristi Carr's summary of her conversation with World War II subchaser Robert Arn, who flew out of CAP Coastal Patrol Base 14 in Panama City, Fla. Arn descrbies how he wound up joining CAP because of a broken neck, as well as how he became friends with Clark Gable while in Florida. http://bit.ly/U7JNu3‪#‎capgoldmedal‬

Story by Kristi Carr

2014 National Conference - Las Vegas - August 14-16

Have you registered for the 2014 National Conference yet? This year’s conference will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, August 14-16, 2014 at the new Tropicana Las Vegas – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Register by midnight June 30th to take advantage of the discounted Early-Bird Registration Rate of only $99. The contracted discounted room rates at the Tropicana are going fast. Don’t wait and gamble, you might miss out, so book your room at the Tropicana today! Also, all Early-Bird registrants will be automatically entered in a drawing for the following Visa Gift Cards: 1 @ $500 1 @ $250 2 @ $125…now that’s a jackpot!!! 

National Awards for May Posted on VolunteerNow

National awards for May are posted on VolunteerNow --http://bit.ly/1s1gPen for cadets receiving the Spaatz, Eaker, Earhart & Mitchell awards, http://bit.ly/1s1gRTt for senior members receiving the Wilson, Garber & Loening awards.

Local Civil Air Patrol member receives the Congressional Gold Medal for WWII service

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) -- The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest ranking civilian award, and it is extremely rare to meet a recipient, but for one local resident who was in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II, it's a little less rare now.

Joining a prestigious list of recipients ranging from George Washington to Gandhi, the U.S. House of Representatives' voted on May 19, to award the Civil Air Patrol the Congressional Gold Medal for its volunteer service during World War II, when more than 120,000 members volunteered to support the military effort and help keep the nation secure. Long-time Colorado Springs resident Wayne Field is one of the surviving members to receive this honor.

"I have lived a long life, but this is the most meaningful thing that has happened to me and I cannot be more proud," said Field, who was in the CAP for more than 30 years. "CAP has deserved this for years and has done so much more than the public realizes."

Field received a phone call notifying him that the award had been passed in both Houses of the government.
"My heart hit the ceiling," Field said. "Why did they pick me? My only comment was a three letter word, 'WOW!' It's like you almost don't believe it, the Civil Air Patrol needs more recognition. I love it; the cadets, fellow members and everything I did while in the CAP."

In 1943, Field, then 17, served as a member of CAP's Tri-City Squadron located in Binghamton, New York. There, he trained in enemy aircraft identification and detection in the advent of a Nazi attack on the United States.

In addition to Field, now 88, three other Colorado veterans were recognized with the gold medal for the CAP's contribution during World War II. Col. Jim Cooksey is a resident of Aurora and Col. Paul Gilmore is a resident of Denver. A third member, Lt. Col. John Butler, now deceased, hailed from Westminster.
"It's the best thing that has ever happened to me," Field said about receiving the honor. "No, I can't say that, I got married. It's the best thing that has happened to me in a longtime; and I have had some pretty nice things happen to me."

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, who introduced the Senate legislation in February 2013, hailed the House vote last week.

"I am delighted to see this bill receive final approval," said Harkin, the commander of the CAP's Congressional Squadron. "The men and women of the Civil Air Patrol stepped up and served their country when it needed them during the darkest days of World War II, and it's time we recognized them and thanked them for their service."

CAP was founded Dec. 1, 1941, a week before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Within three months, CAP members were using their own planes to fly anti-submarine missions off the East and Gulf coasts, where German U-boats were sinking American ships carrying oil and other vital supplies to the Allies. By the time that mission ended Aug. 31, 1943, CAP's coastal patrols had flown 86,685 missions totaling nearly 244,600 hours, about 24 million miles logged. More than 70 planes sent out from coastal patrol bases crashed into the waters, and 26 CAP members were killed.

"I learned a lot and taught a lot during my long time in the Civil Air Patrol," Field said. "Kids should look into joining, and if they join they need to be active in it. Learn, share, maybe do a little teaching."
The Colorado wing of the CAP continues this proud tradition of service, supporting disaster relief missions in the air and on the ground, conducting search and rescue, and promoting aerospace education initiatives in communities across the state.

For more information about the Civil Air Patrol, visit http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/. To see the complete list of Congressional Gold Medal recipients, visit http://history.house.gov/Institution/Gold-Medal/Gold-Medal-Recipients/.

CAP's training benefits with Total Air Force campus

MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. - The U.S. Civil Air Patrol adds value to the Air Force's integrated missions, and its training benefits from reciprocal help and support, a top CAP official said during a training event at the Air Force's largest EMPE center.

CAP Lt. Col. Dent Young, director of the CAP Southeast Region Staff College, spoke June 4 during the CAP's school for senior officers here at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center.

"We have constant contact with the Air Force at a lot of levels, and we are very much aware of the need to foster and strengthen that relationship, and this is one of the places that we do that," said Young.

Young said that many CAP members, volunteers in its 52 wings at eight regions, hold their training through the help of military installations across the nation, each year.

"What we get from the partnering, which we have with the TEC facilities and instructors, helps make this class that we teach so much better," said Young, a retired Air Force major who volunteered with the CAP since 1962.

"It's to a point to where our school has a nationwide reputation.

Young highlighted the Southeast Region's weeklong event. It included more than 50 staff college adults, cadet leadership youth, and honor guard. Their seminars, case studies and exercises involved management, leadership and communication skills, among other events.

"Every course that was not specific to Civil Air Patrol was taught by Air Force instructors," said Young.

"All the instructors this year are master sergeants and above.

The TEC offers more than 18 enlisted professional military education courses and more than 40 professional continuing education courses annually to a Total Air Force student body. 

"This gives them an opportunity to try out a course they are developing," said Young.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Traugot, chief of TEC's Media and Engagement Division, said that he taught a lesson on supervision and discipline.

"I made a lot of Air Force references in the way I taught that lesson," said Traugot.

"I think it’s a good opportunity to share what we know with the CAP and for them to experience the Air Force, so to speak.

Traugot, a former EPME instructor, said he tried to explain to the CAP's cadet leadership youth the different definitions of discipline and, more importantly, self-discipline or what drives people to do the right thing.

He also received some special recognition from a cadet.

"I got a green card, which was pretty interesting," said Traugot.

Traugot explained that the CAP holds a tradition of writing appreciation notes on a green index card when a member of the audience wishes to recognize a speaker. The card is given to the speaker.

The cadet told Traugot that he appreciated the way he addressed the audience members with respect.

"The interest that TEC's instructors have shown in us is very encouraging," said CAP Lt. Col. Jeff Wreyford, deputy director for the CAP Southeast Region Staff College.

"We have eight CAP regions and eight different staff colleges, but we usually have people from all the different regions coming to this one because of the excellence in the relationships that we have with the instructors here.

Young elaborated on the CAP's operational relationships with the Air Force, not including its missions in homeland security, youth and public aerospace education and cadet leadership programs, among many others. 

"We're tasked with [much of] the inland search and rescue for lost aircraft by the Air Force. We report to 1st Air Force [Air Force North, Air Force Rescue Coordination Center] in our role as the Air Force's auxiliary," said Young.

Officials said the CAP saves about 100 lives a year in that congressionally mandated mission.

That is one reason why training new generations of CAP volunteers, with the help of Air Force Airmen, is important, said Young.

"It's always been a good relationship, and we're moving into a phase right now where that relationship is actually strengthening," said Young.

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/132326/caps-training-benefits-with-total-air-force-campus#.U5IKK3JdV8E#ixzz33sySiVGy

La Crosse Composite Squadron named Wisconsin Wing Squadron of Merit

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - For the second time in three years the La Crosse Composite Squadron received the Squadron of Merit award, recognizing it as the top performing Civil Air Patrol squadron in the state.

In order for the Squadron to be recognized for this award they are judged on multiple duties throughout 2013. A squadron’s performance in orientation flights, cadet progression, membership growth and retention, and encampment attendance are all factors in the decision. “This award isn’t about one person, it’s about everyone working together,” commented Major Duane St. Mary the unit’s commander. The unit previously earned the award in 2011.

Along with the top-squadron award, many of the unit members received individual recognition as well. Second Lieutenant Phillip Humfeld received one of CAP’s highest honors, the Bronze Medal of Valor. The medal recognized Humfeld’s heroism during a fire on his family’s farm when he helped rescue his father.

Captain Mary Beth Marx earned both state and regional recognition as the Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year for her work with her Westby Middle School students and the squadron’s cadets.

Major Todd Mandel received the Public Affairs Officer of the Year award for both the state and region level for his work as the statewide marketing and public affairs manager. He also received a state-level award as the Cadet Programs Officer of the Year.

Major Dave Snyder earned regional and statewide recognition as the Character Development Instructor of the Year for his work teaching cadets about character and helping other instructors around the state. Captain Linda Zimmerman’s work in training members for search and rescue earned her the Emergency Services Officer of the Year award. All of the award recipients also received a Commander’s Commendation Award.

Currently, the La Crosse Composite Squadron has 79 members, and is the largest squadron in the state.

House approves Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) --

When the founding members of Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, risked life and limb to help protect the home front during the early days of World War II, they weren’t looking for recognition.

Some seven decades later, though, they’re receiving it, thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives’ voice vote Monday afternoon to award CAP a Congressional Gold Medal for its volunteer service during the war, when more than 120,000 members stepped up to support the military effort and help keep the nation secure. The Senate approved the gold medal legislation a year ago. A new CAP website provides full coverage of CAP’s Congressional Gold Medal journey, including vintage photos, bios of living World War II veterans, nationally renowned veterans, B-roll video and blog posts.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who introduced the Senate legislation in February 2013, hailed the House vote Monday. “I am delighted to see this bill receive final approval,” said Harkin, commander of CAP’s Congressional Squadron. “The men and women of Civil Air Patrol stepped up and served their country when it needed them during the darkest days of World War II, and it’s time we recognized them and thanked them for their service.”

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who introduced the gold medal proposal in the House, praised the legacy CAP’s founders established.

“The awarding of the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to the members of the Civil Air Patrol ensures that long overdue and proper recognition has finally been bestowed upon these brave men,” McCaul said.
“The Civil Air Patrol's valiant efforts in defending our coastline, providing combat services and flying dangerous humanitarian missions in America during World War II embodies the American Spirit of volunteerism. These brave men were an integral part in defending not only our homeland but also our principles of freedom and liberty.

“I am proud Congress has taken this step to recognize all of the important work the Civil Air Patrol did," he said.

CAP was founded Dec. 1, 1941, a week before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Within three months, CAP members were using their own planes to fly anti-submarine missions off the East and Gulf coasts, where German U-boats were sinking American ships carrying oil and other vital supplies to the Allies. By the time that mission ended Aug. 31, 1943, CAP’s coastal patrols had flown 86,685 missions totaling 244,600 hours and than 24 million miles. Seventy-four planes sent out from coastal patrol bases crashed into the water; 26 CAP members were killed.

Elsewhere, CAP’s airborne missions throughout the U.S. included border patrols, target-towing for military trainees, fire and forest patrols, searches for missing people and aircraft, disaster relief,  emergency transport of people and supplies, and orientation flights for future pilots. Many from the organization’s ranks went on to join the Army Air Forces.

Civil Air Patrol’s national commander, Maj. Gen. Chuck Carr, said, “The heroic service provided by our members during World War II helped save lives and preserve our nation’s freedom. I am very grateful they are finally receiving the recognition they so deserve.” 

CAP’s legacy of selfless service for the nation and its communities continues today. In all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, CAP members stand ready to respond to such challenges as natural and manmade disasters and searches for missing aircraft or individuals.