’09 Conference Exceeds Expectations

the numerals “332,” a souvenir of the group’s trip. “We
were there celebrating the 332nd Fighter Wing,” he said.
“At the bottom of the photo y ou can see the Tuskegee
Airmen right in front of the color guard.” A Navy
photographer took the photo from a helicopter.
Wing members were glad the Airmen made the visit,
according to articles published in the U.S. Air Force AIM
Points newsletter. “It’s an honor to carry on the Tuskegee
legacy because they were such a great group of men,” said
Capt. Jeannie Berry, 332nd Expeditionary Medical
Operations Support Squadron trauma nurse. “The wing
should be proud to be called Tuskegee Airmen. We need
to continue doing the good work that we’ve been doing
and continue their legend.”
While there, Boyd encouraged the service members to
continue their education. “Most of the troops will never
see the enemy,” he said. “When they are not working
their duty shifts, they have a lot of downtime, and I
suggested that they use this to meet their educational
requirements. When they get back home, they’ll need to
be competitive in the workplace.”
Boyd himself earned a master’s degree while on active
duty. “And not only that, I didn’t miss any parties,” he
added with a laugh. His audience appreciated that
remark, he said.
Touring the various bases was “a wonderful
opportunity to meet our people,” Boyd said. “We weren’t
coached or told anything to say. People knew we had
credibility because we’d been in combat.”
During the group’s visit to Ali Base in Iraq, they
learned about the MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial
Systems, received a mission briefing and vie wed a
memorial wall and murals painted by Ali airmen.
Boyd says his CAP experience was a factor in
launching his Air Force career. He joined CAP after
being in the Boy Scouts and learning “to drill real well. I
became a drill sergeant and was used to train ne w cadets
in North Bergen County, N.J.”
When he entered the Army Air Corps, his drill skills
qualified him to be a flight mar cher at basic training.
“So, CAP helped me get star ted,” he said.
Boyd, who is in the CAP National Headquarters
Squadron, was the Kansas Wing commander for four
years and national controller for one. He also volunteers
under the Kansas adjutant general as assistant dir ector of
the Kansas Department of Civil Air Patrol.
Like his fellow Tuskegee Airmen, Boyd is proud of our
military men and women and was honor ed to make the
trip. “I thank you from the folks back home because they
love you,” he told service personnel at the Ali Base. “They
support you and are dedicated to your service.” ▲
Hello from Iraq
U.S. Air Force and Civil Air Patrol personnel
gathered for an Air Force Flying Training meeting
in Kirkuk, attended by more than 50 flying
training stakeholders from across Iraq. From left
are Lt. Col. Robert “Gus” Coleman, Air Force
standardization officer, 521st Air Expeditionary
Advisory Squadron (AEAS) at Kirkuk and a
member of the Florida Wing’s Emerald Coast
Senior Squadron; Arnie Andresen, senior academic
instructor, Iraqi Flying Training School at Kirkuk,
former Pennsylvania Wing director of operations
and a member of the North Carolina Wing’s
Asheville Composite Squadron; Lt. Col. Doug
Goodlin, Air First 721st AEAS director of
operations and Civil Air Patrol-U.S. Air Force
(CAP-USAF) director of operations; James Clark,
simulator instructor pilot for the Iraqi Flight
Training Squadron and former CAP-USAF
standardization and evaluation staff member; and
Maj. Nicholas Kootsikas, 521st AEAS director of
training and CAP-USAF Middle East Liaison
Region director of training.
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