CAPITAL CLOSE-UP

Pacific
Nevada Squadrons Promote Cadet Emergency Services
Participation
NEVADA – Cadets from two squadrons in the greater Las Vegas area received
their first taste of ground team training during a statewide search and rescue exercise.
Eight cadets from the Nellis Cadet and Clark County Composite squadrons reported
to mission base early one Saturday morning to pursue field training, with a concentration
on search-line techniques and ground-to-air signaling. The Las Vegas
area has exceptional air search teams, but needs more qualified members in the
areas of ground team and urban direction finding.
Nevada Wing cadets proceed in
a search line during a ground
team exercise.
Photo by Lt. Col. Larry Lakeotes, Nevada Wing
Photo by Capt. Michael Lawson, Colorado Wing
“It's not a matter of if, it’s when” qualified ground team members will be needed for actual search and rescue
missions, Capt. Kevin Stall, deputy commander of cadets for the Clark squadron, told Nellis Cadet Squadron
Capt. Anthony Gorss, who has spearheaded a program to involve area CAP members in ground teams and
teach them the required skills.
The activity was part of a series of ongoing training exercises intended to give members actual field experience,
instead of simulated exercises in a classroom environment.
Additional training in orienteering, map reading and wilderness first aid is in the planning stages.
>> Capt. Anthony Gorss
Rocky Mountain
Colorado Cadets Aim for Return to Team America Rocketry Callenge
Cold Colorado weather wasn't enough to temper the spirits of
Foothills Cadet Squadron cadets, from left, Airmen Basic Cory
Howard, Senior Airman Alex Wage, 2nd Lt. Preston Nicholl,
Airman Oskar Saks, Airman Cameron Nicholl, Senior Airman
Alex Axford, Staff Sgt. Reid Doyle and Maj. Scott Holley,
pictured with the rocket they built.
COLORADO – Foothills Cadet Squadron members
devoted much of their spring to shooting for a place
in the Team America Rocketry Challenge at Plains,
Va., by building a model rocket that climbs 850 feet
and stays airborne for as close to 45 seconds as
possible while carrying a raw egg.
Ten cadets and two senior members put in 426 manhours
to construct a qualifying rocket. With a projectile
taller than 5 1 /2 feet and weighing 2 ounces under
3 pounds, the Foothills team is aiming for the competition's
award for "Heaviest Rocket That Worked," as
well as two other awards in different categories.
Participating for the first time last year, the squadron
was one of 100 qualifying teams out of 750 entrants
nationwide.
The squadron completed both of its qualification
flights on a cold, snowy day under the watchful eyes
of a National Association of Rocketry observer,
achieving a top airborne time of 46.9 seconds and
an altitude of 829 feet. That placed the team 11th among alternate qualifiers, which members are hoping
earns them a return trip to the national competition. >> Capt. Michael D. Lawson
Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 55 May-June 2007