CAPITAL CLOSE-UP

[ from your national commander ]
SSummer is fast approaching and along with it comes a wide array of
challenging and dynamic summer activities for both our U.S. Civil Air
Patrol cadets and adult officers. Fact is, it’s one of our busiest and more
hectic times of the year, but it’s also a significant part of what defines our
members in terms of their character and professionalism, their willingness
to sacrifice and their dedicated volunteer service to America.
In place of taking summer vacations with the family to the Rocky Mountains or
the white sandy beaches of Florida’s Panhandle, more than 7,500 of our members
will be attending or supporting at least 100 major CAP activities designed to educate
and expand the horizons of our cadets and to train our national corps of disaster
relief and emergency service providers. Now that’s what I call volunteer commitment!
The events are too numerous to list in this column, but here are just a few of
the 2007 highlights:
Cadet Officer School — Cadet Officer School is patterned after the U.S. Air Force Squadron
Officer School and is an academically challenging weeklong course for cadets 16 and older. The
course is divided among lectures, seminars and hands-on training. Instructors guide cadets through
the Air Force approach to the psychology of leadership, problem-solving techniques, effective writing,
effective speaking and group dynamics. This year, more than 100 cadets will attend.
National Cadet Competition — The annual NCC pits drill and color guard teams from each of
CAP’s eight regions against one another, who compete for the Air Force Chief of Staff Sweepstakes
Trophy. This year’s NCC will be held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and at Wright
State University in Dayton, Ohio. Almost 200 cadets will take part in the competition.
Hawk Mountain Search and Rescue School — Hawk Mountain is the longest-running search
and rescue school in the nation. For more than 50 years, the school has provided CAP cadets and
officers with top-notch wilderness SAR training. The nine-day school is conducted in the mountains
of Pennsylvania under field conditions and is considered to be one of CAP’s most demanding and
challenging activities. This year, more than 225 students and 125 staff members will participate.
International Air Cadet Exchange — IACE was established to promote international understanding,
goodwill and fellowship. U.S. participation in the 18-country IACE Association has been ongoing
for nearly 60 years. More than 60 CAP cadets will head overseas to 11 countries this year. In
addition, hundreds of other cadets and officers will interact with about 70 foreign cadets who will
visit the U.S.
National Emergency Services Academy — Now in its 11th year, NESA is a multidisciplinary
emergency services training course. The program, which is held at Camp Atterbury, Ind., combines
task-based training requirements with practical application to produce CAP’s largest emergency services
training event. Last year, more than 350 officers and cadets participated in NESA, and the numbers
are expected to grow this year.
Our many summer training programs are all about the readiness of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol’s volunteer
professionals. Whether responding to a multistate weather disaster or a missing aircraft or
helping develop leadership skills in our more than 22,000 cadets, as America’s premier volunteer
organization CAP remains ready and willing to serve our communities, our states and our nation.
Join us and be a part of our missions for America. Go to www.cap.gov or call (800) FLY-2338
today to find out how you can become a senior member or cadet of the Civil Air Patrol.
Semper vigilans (always vigilant)!
Maj. Gen. Antonio J. Pineda
CAP National Commander
Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 2 May-June 2007