GIVING BACK

[ from your national commander ]
SSummer is the most exciting time of year for me as the U.S. Civil Air
Patrol’s national commander. From the challenge and fast pace of realworld
search and rescue missions to the dynamic national activities for
our volunteer members, the action is nonstop and the incredible feeling
of accomplishment through community service is second to none.
Community service is at the heart of what CAP is all about and the members of
the Mississippi Wing recently proved just how valuable that service is.
Congratulations to the dedicated men and women of that wing for a successful
search and rescue mission. Their relentless efforts resulted in a find and a save of a
downed pilot near Oxford, Miss. After crashing in a densely wooded gully and
spending more than 50 hours trapped in the wreckage, the pilot was spotted from
the air by a wing aircrew member and soon afterward he was rescued. “The Civil Air
Patrol saved that man’s life,” Lafayette County (Miss.) Sheriff Buddy East said. “They kept calling us.
We went out there and helped, but they kept at it. That plane was in a place we couldn’t get to without
their help.” Indeed a job well done by our dedicated Mississippi contingent!
Of course, search and rescue is just one facet of the all-volunteer Civil Air Patrol and the incredible
value it brings into America’s communities from a humanitarian standpoint. Other valuable missions
include providing disaster relief in the wake of natural disasters, offering an array of enrichment and
aerospace education programs in the nation’s schools and conducting one of the most successful
national cadet programs for America’s youth.
The key phrase mentioned above is that we are “all-volunteer” – and always in need of new members
with professional skills. No matter your profession – a computer technician, a doctor, a nurse, a
pilot – if you are someone in search of a way to give something special back to your community, don’t
hesitate to look into becoming a U.S. Civil Air Patrol member. Call (800) FLY-2338 or go to
www.cap.gov for more information about the volunteer opportunities that require your talents.
The 2007 Civil Air Patrol Annual Conference is right around the corner, and I’m excited to report
that, in addition to a host of preconference sessions, the inaugural CAP Public Affairs Officer Academy
and more than 40 cutting-edge learning labs, Jonathan Freed is slated to be our banquet keynote
speaker. Freed is the national spokesman for State Farm Insurance. Prior to that position, he was a
CNN correspondent working out of CNN’s Chicago bureau. While at CNN, he covered everything
from the BTK serial killer trial in Kansas to Hurricane Katrina, when he rode out the storm in Biloxi,
Miss. Freed is also an FAA-certified private pilot, and he brings his knowledge and experience in aviation
to his reporting. He arranged for CNN to get an up-close and personal look at what it’s like for a
small plane flying into restricted airspace to be intercepted by F-16 fighter jets. What a great opportunity
to be able to hear this professional journalist’s story — one I don’t intend to miss. If you are a
CAP member and you haven’t registered for the Aug. 9-11 Annual Conference and National Board
Meeting in Atlanta, then the time is now. Here’s the link to register online —
www.cap.gov/visitors/events/2007_cap_annual_conference. See you there!
Semper vigilans!
Maj. Gen. Antonio J. Pineda
CAP National Commander
U. S. Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 2 July-August 2007