CAP Members to Hone Their Skills During Training & Fly-In

RED OAK – Members of several Civil Air Patrol Squadrons will be participating in flight line training conducted at the Red Oak Airport on Saturday, April 30, to help increase the number of qualified flight line marshallers who assist at fly-ins and airshows.

Lt Jason Erickson, squadron commander of the Southwest Iowa Composite Squadron and qualified flight line supervisor, will be conducting a majority of the training with assistance from other qualified flight line marshallers. Training will include both classroom education focusing on an introduction to flight line marshaling and hands on experience out on the apron at the airport.

The training will serve as a an introduction for newer members and a refresher course for already qualified members who will be putting their skills to use on May 1^st at the Red Oak Fl- In.  CAP has been tasked with parking incoming aircraft and crowd control. The event is being hosted by the Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association Ambassadors.

Cadet Promotions – Cadet Salvato

Congratulations Cadet Salvato on your promotion to C/CMSgt!

Civil Air Patrol Squadron Plans Open House

Walnut, IA — The Southwest Iowa Composite Squadron, local unit of the Civil Air Patrol, is hosting an open house at 6:30pm on Monday April 25th at the Walnut School library. According to Lt Jason Erickson, squadron commander, the entire community is welcome to attend and learn more about CAP.

Members of the squadron will be present to greet visitors and explain CAP’s missions for America, inviting adults and teenagers to join the all civilian, all volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

Formed on December 1, 1941, the organization performs more than 90 percent of all U.S. Air Force directed search and rescue and performs missions for NASA, FEMA, the DEA and other emergency and community organizations.

Flying a fleet of 530 aircraft, 63 sailplanes and operating an extensive radio communications network, the Civil Air Patrol also operates a highly regarded teenage cadet program for girls and boys between the ages of 12 and 21 which includes considerable flight time and educational opportunities and partners with the U.S. Air Force in recognized aerospace education programs for schools, the community and the Civil Air Patrol membership.

The Southwest Iowa Composite Squadron, based in Red Oak, is one of 9 squadrons in Iowa with other local squadrons in Des Moines, Ft. Dodge, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Davenport and Burlington. Nationwide the Civil Air Patrol is in all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and on USAF bases in Germany.

There is no military obligation associated with membership, and it is not necessary to have a military or aviation background. Through CAP cadets can earn college scholarships as well as a host of unique opportunities such as powered and glider orientation flights and emergency services training, just to name a few. Adults are also encouraged to join as CAP has something for everyone.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 57,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 90 lives in fiscal year 2008. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 67 years. For more information, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com.

Southwest Iowa CAP Calls For Sponsors For Wreaths Across America

Remember, Honor, Teach.

The Wreaths Across America program calls for sponsors each year as it prepares to place wreaths on veteran’s gravesites in honor of the greatest sacrifice those men and women have given.  This year the Southwest Iowa Composite Squadron is among several CAP squadrons participating by seeking out individuals, families and businesses to sponsor wreaths.  At the culmination of it all, ceremonies will be held at veteran’s cemeteries across the world with people from all walks of life taking part.

This year’s ceremony will take place on December 10, 2011.  Five Iowa cemeteries are currently working with the WAA program and are able to accept wreaths for placement on gravesites.  Among them is the Iowa Veteran’s Cemetery in Adel, Iowa and is the designated cemetery for the Southwest Iowa Composite Squadron’s efforts. 

Why this cemetery in particlar? 

“My upbringing in the American Legion family has helped mold a deep respect for the men and women who serve this country.”  commented Squadron Deputy Commander 1Lt Jessa Brace.  “It is especially personal to me that a close friend and former National American Legion Commander was a very vocal advocate to the creation of this cemetery so in part, this is my way of thanking him, my father, and the countless others I know who are currently and have served in the military.”

Sponsorship options come in many forms and if you’d like to help out you can find our sponsorship forms here – Wreath Sponsorship Form and Patriot Pair Sponsorship Form.   In addition, you can find the Teach Brochure here.

• Individual Wreath – $15.00
• Family (4 wreaths) – $60.00
• Small Business (10 wreaths) – $150.00
• Corporate (100 wreaths or more) – $15.00/ea
• Patriot Pair (1 wreath to the designated cemetery and 1 wreath to you) – $43.00 (includes shipping and handling charges)

CAP members will be calling on sponsors from now until Thanksgiving.  If you’d like to be a sponsor but don’t have a CAP member in your area please contact us at info@redoakcap.us.

Awards & Promotions – 1st Quarter 2011

The following are all awards and promotions earned by the members of the Southwest Iowa Composite Squadron during the 1st Quarter 2011 (January|February|March).

Awards

• Josh Salvato – Encampment Ribbon – January 2, 2011
• Kaleb White – Encampment Ribbon – January 2, 2011
• Jessa Brace – Red Service Ribbon – January 15, 2011
• William Griffey – Community Service 1st Clasp – February 24, 2011

Promotions

• Logan Taylor – C/SMSgt – January 4, 2011
• Josh Salvato – C/SMSgt – February 19, 2011
• Dick Dimon – 2Lt – March 29, 2011