GIVING BACK

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Measuring Life By Donna Harris Photo courtesy of Vincent McEvoy Former CAP Pilot Recognized With Presidential Award For Service With more than 10 years of volunteer U.S. Civil Air Patrol service to his credit, James Hester is also a volunteer member of the Laurel (Maryland) Ethics Commission. J James Hester may never see the thankful faces of the people in distress he helped save. But the former Maryland Wing pilot is reminded of each and every one of them when he looks at the President’s Call To Service Award he received in April. The award recognizes more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service. Many of those hours were spent during the 10 years he flew with the Bowie Composite Squadron near his hometown of Laurel, Md. He has also given his time to government and educational projects in his city. Hester said he has always followed his late father’s credo: “You measure your living by what you get, but you measure your life by what you give.” Hester’s CAP tour as a first responder Since he first heard his father’s words, Hester has diligently donated his time to community service. “Community is people working together and helping each other, being part of the solution,” said the environ- U. S. Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 24 July-August 2007
mental diplomat with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. As the son of a World War II Army Air Corps squadron commander, Hester’s love of planes came naturally. To find a funding alternative for his expensive hobby, he joined the U.S. Civil Air Patrol where he could fly and still continue his volunteerism. As part of CAP’s emergency services, Hester commanded a T-41 aircraft as a first responder for the nation’s inland search and rescue missions, and he flew over the Chesapeake Bay looking for boaters in distress. A lot of his nights and weekends were spent in training, so his team could be ready when disaster struck. When the call that came in was real, Hester’s adrenaline flowed. He looked forward to the actual missions, but he dreaded them, too, because he knew there was probably someone in peril who more often than not would not be found alive. But this was when he felt most useful. Even when the missions ended with Hester circling over the few disintegrated remains of a crashed airplane with no survivors, he was comforted knowing somewhere someone would at least have closure because their loved ones were no longer missing. “I’m part of this society and if the society is going to work then people are going to have to make positive contributions to it,” he said. “If we all just did a little bit more, who’s to say what we could accomplish.” Hester performs his volunteer work quietly and as a lifestyle. He’s not one to seek the limelight for what he thinks everyone should be doing. However, through the presidential recognition, he’s had the opportunity to inspire others to share their time with their neighbors. Volunteers make a difference Whether it’s flying search missions for downed aircraft, ensuring a classroom of first-graders has books in its library or creating positive government for the city of Laurel, Hester seeks positive change. “I see a continuous spectrum, from my family to my community to my country to my world, with problems and solutions at all levels,” he said. “The easy response to problems is to complain or isolate yourself, but I do not feel that either of these accomplishes anything. I choose to be among those who work toward solutions.” While his pilot training lent itself perfectly to his work with the Civil Air Patrol, not every volunteer needs specialized training, he said. “There are needs in Hester continues volunteer service after CAP After a decade of service to the Civil Air Patrol, Hester left to create a new school in Laurel based on the Montessori teaching method that allows parents to take a more active part in their children’s education. He was also appointed by his city’s mayor to serve on the Board of Appeals and later on the Ethics Commission, where he chairs investigations into ethics violations to ensure all Laurel officials, employees and police officers act in the best interests of the citizens. ” the world. Just look out there. There are endless opportunities. You get something back in return when you volunteer. You make a difference in the world. And the world doesn’t have to be the entire world, it doesn’t have to be your entire state, it can just be your town or just part of your town, just one group.” Hester hasn’t giving up on flying. After he retires he’d like to renew his license and soar over the Chesapeake Bay again to lead the U.S. Coast Guard to boats in distress. “Maybe when I retire, I’d like to go back to flying and maybe get involved with the Civil Air Patrol again,” he said. ▲ Community is people working together and helping each other, being part of the solution. — James Hester, former pilot, Maryland Wing U. S. Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 25 July-August 2007
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Page 5 and 6: Photo by Lt. Col. Herb Cahalen, Pen
Page 7 and 8: said 1st Lt. Bill Kostich, director
Page 9 and 10: [ national headquarters update ] CI
Page 11 and 12: sunburns. “We argued about cuttin
Page 13 and 14: Photo by Lt. Col. John Schmidt, Kan
Page 15 and 16: But after sailing into West Virgini
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Page 19 and 20: One man’s love of aviation led hi
Page 21 and 22: Photo courtesy of Georgia Forestry
Page 23 and 24: Harmon heaped praise on Cindy Sweit
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Page 31 and 32: Before Self Model Cadet Uses CAP, E
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Page 40 and 41: Using it makes Plane Sense! • ACF
Page 42 and 43: Taking a deep breath, the Pacific R
Page 44 and 45: HIGH- FLYING Cadet Civic-minded CAP
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Page 48 and 49: Bucking Tradition, Iowan One Of CAP
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Page 52 and 53: It’s Your Story! And it’s on th
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Page 56 and 57: [ region news ] North Central Misso
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GIVING BACK

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