CAPITAL CLOSE-UP

Photos by 2nd Lt. Martin Robey, Iowa Wing
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Logan Trenkamp of the Dubuque Composite
Squadron, one of the Iowa Wing members involved in the search for a
missing Iowa State University student, scans a ditch along U.S. 30
outside Ames.
Newton, who works for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture in Iowa.
The USDA let Newton take Monday and Tuesday off
to assist with the search, a release that was not guaranteed
in her past.
“I know in a prior position I held, if that law had not
been in effect, my supervisor would not have allowed
me to participate,” said Newton.
During this mission, the leave law helped members
spend from 700 to 1,000 man hours taking part in the
search for Bolanos, who was later found dead by a dive
team in a lake in front of the Iowa State campus.
Iowa is not completely alone with its leave
law. Minnesota and Maryland have similar
leave-of-absence laws.
Leave laws in other states like Arkansas,
Arizona and Louisiana apply to state government
workers only.
Indiana has enjoyed success similar to Iowa’s.
According to information on Indiana Gov.
Mitch Daniels’ Web site, the governor recently
approved two pieces of legislation, both amendments
to existing law that benefit CAP members.
The first amendment declares that wing
members in Indiana “may not be disciplined by
an employer” for absence from work due to
emergency service operations if the volunteers
have “notified” employers of their CAP membership
and if nongovernmental employees are
not considered by their employer to be “essential.”
The second allows secondary school students
who are members of CAP up to five absences
per school year for “certain emergency service
operations” or for the duration of an
International Air Cadet Exchange activity.
Critelli said no matter how many states seek the law,
it is useless unless the proper bonds are built with lawmakers
and employers.
“As long as we act professionally, train professionally
and adhere to high standards, the Legislature will give us
what we need to get the mission done. They don’t give
money to clubs; they don’t change laws for clubs. If
we’re perceived to be nothing but a club, we’re going to
be treated like a club,” he said. ▲
— Iowa Wing Public Affairs Officer Maj. Doug Jansen
contributed to this story.
“We’ve built solid relationships, and we guard them with our life.”
— Lt. Col. Nick Critelli,
Iowa Wing chief of staff and government relations officer
Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 27 May-June 2007