“Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond”

North Central Region News

Volume 2008 August

Excellence in NCR recognized at Civil Air Patrol’s Annual Conference

In this Issue:
• National Board & PAO Academy Coverage
• Former Region Commander Passes Away
• Reporting on SAREX’s and an Actual Mission
• A Cadet’s IACE Experience
• Cadets Soar at the Minnesota Flight Academy
NCR News • And Much MORE!!! August 2008 Page 1
Commander’s Column
Col Steve Kuddes
Commander, North Central Region

This month’s Commander’s Column is devoted to discussing CAP

Regulation 36-2, “COMPLAINTS UNDER THE CIVIL AIR PATROL
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY”, dated 15 May 2006.

Paragraph 4c of the regulation calls for an annual briefing on CAP’s

Policy of Nondiscrimination. This information has been sent to the Wing
Commanders and is outlined below.

It is Civil Air Patrol policy (CAPR 36-2, paragraph 2. Civil Air Patrol
Nondiscrimination Policy) that no member shall be excluded from
participation in, denied benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any
CAP program or activity on the basis of race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, or disability
(formerly handicap). It is also policy that no applicant meeting CAP’s minimum age requirement will be
denied membership in CAP on the basis of race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, or disability
(formerly handicap).

Any member who has knowledge of any acts of discrimination as listed above shall be required to inform
their immediate commander or file a complaint as outlined in the regulation above.

Lt Col Bonnie Casler has been appointed additional duties as the North Central Region’s Advisor for
Members with Disabilities. A team will be assembled to develop procedures which will be used to
evaluate the requirements a Unit, Group, Wing or the Region must implement to help members with
disabilities participate to the fullest extent in CAP.

Lt Col Casler will be the Team Leader and will be assisted by other CAP members who possess the
training and background to ensure compliance with CAP and DOD regulations as well as all applicable
laws. Lt Col Casler is a certified educator and has training to work with persons with disabilities.

Members of the North Central Region, who are certified educators, have been trained to work with
persons with disabilities or are educated in the laws pertinent to the Americans with Disabilities Act and
desire to be a member of this team should contact Lt Col Casler.

Team members will be announced once they have been identified.

All North Central Region Wing commanders are required to ensure that members of their Wing receive
this required briefing and are informed of the Advisor position mentioned above. They will also inform
their Group and Unit commanders that they are required to provide for all members with disabilities so
those members may participate to the maximum extent in all CAP programs and activities.

After the Team has developed the procedures to ensure compliance with this policy, the procedures will
be published and all commanders at all levels in the North Central Region will be required to implement
the procedures and consult with Lt Col Casler as needed to ensure full compliance.

Thank you for your attention to this important information.

North Central Region News is published monthly by the North Central Region, Civil Air Patrol
Col. Steve Kuddes, Region Commander Maj. Al Pabon, Director of Public Affairs

Please send submissions by the 10th of each month to: pao@ncr.cap.gov

NCR News August 2008 Page 2

Former NCR Commander and First CAP National IG Passes Away
Major Al Pabon
Director of Public Affairs

Former North Central Region Commander, Col Nicholas "Doc" Knutz

(pictured) passed away on Monday August 25th of a kidney infection in
Kansas City, MO.

Col Knutz served the Organization at every level, from Squadron, Group,
Wing, Region, and National. In addition to being Commander at the
Squadron, Wing and Region, he was the first National Inspector General,
served for three years, and started what is now known as the National
Inspector General's Staff College.

He served as Missouri Wing commander from December 1976 to November

1981 and North Central Region Commander from August 1990 to August
1996.

"Doc" was a mentor to many leaders, including former CAP National Commander Brig Gen Richard L.
Anderson, who later served as National Commander from 1993 to 1996.

Before this he was the North Central Region Commander from 1989 to 1990 when he was elected as
CAP National Vice-Commander.

"Col Doc Knutz was not only one of my closest friends, associates, and mentors in CAP and the Air
Force, he also served superbly as Region Vice Commander during my 14 months as NCR Commander.
He had a special devotion to the CAP Cadet Program and mentored literally thousands of cadets during
his life-long service as a CAP officer. His influence had a profound impact on my own life, and his
passing is a loss of tremendous proportion for Civil Air Patrol, the Air Force, and our nation." Said Brig
Gen Anderson.

Col Knutz was a member of the US Air Force and served during the Korean War. His Armed Forces
decorations include the Army and Air Force Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal,
the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal for Korea.

His CAP decorations include multiple awards of the CAP Distinguished Service Medal, the Exceptional
Service Award, the Meritorious Service Award and the Commander's Commendation Award.

His last CAP appearance was at the May 2008 North Central Region Conference in Omaha, NE where
the Colonel participated in the conference and a leadership luncheon along with several former NCR
Commanders.

Professionally, Col Knutz was a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and practiced in the Kansas City area
for his entire adult life. He had retired from full-time practice in recent years.

Services were held on Monday 1 September 2008, at Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City, MO.

NCR News August 2008 Page 3

NCR News August 2008 Page 4
The 2008 CAP Annual Conference and National Bard
meeting was held from August 6th thru the 10th at the
Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida.

The highlight of the annual conference was the

election of a new National and Vice Commander. Maj
Gen Amy Courter and Brig Gen Reggie Chitwood
were elected as commander and vice commander of
the 65,000 member Civil Air Patrol.

Members came together for several days of training,

fellowship and recognition from every wing in the
nation. In the Writing for Media category Minnesota Wing’s
1st Lt Norine Olson received an honorable mention for
Some of the opportunities included ICS-300 training, her submission “ CAP Participates in Webelos
the Inspector General Senior Course, G-1000 Experience.”
training, the Training of Cadet Leaders Course and
the National PAO Academy.

National PAO Academy

Before the Conference began nearly 100 Public
Affairs Officers from all over the country came
together for 2 days of learning, networking and
growth. They completed a curriculum presented by
an outstanding group of PA Team members that
included NHQ Staff, Senior Wing and Region PAO's
and unit PAO's.

Congratulations to NCR’s 2008 National PAO

Academy graduates: In the Newsletter category Lt Col Mike Marek was
recognized with the Balsem Award for “NCR News”.
Col Jerome Hanson, Kansas The judges said that NCR News “ has informative
Lt Col Michael Marek, NHQ articles, well written, delivered online, which should
Major Troy Krabbenhoft be great way to reach young people. Also used great
Major David Miller, Missouri photos”
1st Lt Robin Helgager, Minnesota
1st Lt Norine Olson, Minnesota
2d Lt BJ Lange, Missouri
2d Lt George Supan, Minnesota

As part of the PAO Academy graduation program,

Brig Gen Amy Courter and CNN Science
correspondent Miles O’Brien presented the Major
Howell Balsem Awards for Excellence in Public
Affairs.

The recipients of these awards are selected from

entries submitted all around the nation. North Central
Region’s PAO’s received several awards during the
program.
Major David Miller of Missouri Wing received the
Balsem Award in the Event Promotion/Crisis
Management Category for his SAREX Media Kit. He
also received a Certificate of Merit in the
Photography category for his entry "Teamwork".

NCR News August 2008 Page 5

 Each CAP wing is graded annually by a CAP-U.S. Air
Force inspection team on overall performance in the
execution of disaster relief missions. The national
award is based on the best sustained performance
and capability in that area as demonstrated through
evaluation results, quality and quantity of DR training
during the year, wing performance during actual DR
missions and cooperation among the wing, state and
local DR agencies.

Capt Andy Bosshart of Minnesota Wing's Anoka

County Composite Squadron received the Balsem
Award in the Photography category for his iconic
picture taken during the 2007 South East MN floods
called "Rescue."

National Mission Awards

Counterdrug/Homeland Security - Iowa Wing

This award recognizes the top CAP wings in each

region in counterdrug operations based on criteria
such as counterdrug training; mission performance;
relationships with federal, state and local counterdrug
agencies; and overall effectiveness of the wing’s
counterdrug program.

Search and Rescue – Iowa Wing

Each CAP wing is graded annually by a CAP-U.S. Air

Force inspection team on overall performance in the
execution of search and rescue missions. The
national award is based on the best sustained
performance and capability in that area as
demonstrated through evaluation results, quality and
quantity of SAR training during the year, wing
performance during actual SAR missions and
cooperation among the wing, state and local SAR Aerospace Education – Nebraska Wing
agencies.
These awards are given to the top Civil Air Patrol
wing in each region and to the top three wings in the
nation for their excellence in promoting aerospace
education.

Cadet Programs – Nebraska Wing

This annual award recognizes the wing in each CAP

region that has the most outstanding cadet program.
The award is given to wings excelling in recruitment
and retention, encampment attendance, number of
orientation flights and number of milestone awards.

Disaster Relief – Kansas Wing Continued on the next page

NCR News August 2008 Page 6

Individual Awards

NCR Commander, Col Steve Kuddes received a Meritorious

Service Award for his work as the leader of the National Awards
and Promotions team from CAP National Commander Maj Gen
Amy Courter.

The Sorenson Award recognizes the cadet programs officer who

has contributed most to the CAP Cadet Program. It is named in
honor of John V. “Jack” Sorenson, considered by most to be the
architect of the revised cadet program in practice in CAP since
1964.

Lt. Col. Ludlow distinguished himself through extensive support to

cadet programs in North Dakota and the North Central Region.

In 2007 alone, Ludlow spent more than 700 volunteer hours

supporting the programs in a variety of ways. 2007 began with
Ludlow overseeing the annual Leadership Academy in North
North Dakota Wing’s Lt Col Erik Ludlow was
Dakota; 60 cadets graduated from the school.
recognized with the John V. “Jack” Sorenson Cadet
Programs Officer of the Year Award at the 2008 CAP Shortly thereafter, Ludlow served as project officer for the wing
Annual Conference. color guard competition, which involved gathering judges and staff
for the activity, printing awards, writing tests and much more.

Just a few months later, Ludlow helped plan and coordinate the North Central Region Cadet Competition, serving
as chief chaperone for the North Dakota Wing Drill Team and Color Guard Team.

Ludlow then helped rebuild the cadet squadron in Grand Forks, and as a result it is beginning to thrive today.

In August, Ludlow served as an instructor for the Minnesota Wing Ground Team Academy, helping graduate 15
brand new ground team members.

Throughout the year, Ludlow was approached by CAP members in Jamestown for help in establishing a new unit,
because the closest one was an hour away.

He championed the unit by taking command of the squadron in Fargo and placing this unit as a flight under his
squadron. This meant traveling to meetings every six weeks, hosting several orientation ride fly-ins supported by
four other squadrons across North Dakota and getting the wing to host multiple activities in an effort to build
community support for the new unit. The unit was chartered in June.

Ludlow is also aware of the importance of establishing strong relationships with the U.S. military, and he has built
long-lasting bonds with several Air National Guard base commanders.

Ludlow’s dedication to CAP was recognized by his employer, Microsoft Corp., which matched his volunteer time at
a whopping $17 per hour, allowing him to raise $12,000 to support activities in his squadron, the 119th Air National
Guard Cadet Squadron in Fargo.

Continued on the next page

NCR News August 2008 Page 7

Individual Awards Continued
This award recognizes the Civil Air Patrol member who
contributes most to keeping alive CAP’s history, is named after
the late Col. Lester Hopper, a historian responsible for compiling
and categorizing a massive collection of vintage photographs.

South Dakota Wing’s longtime wing historian Col. Lester W.

Snyder is known for his great attention to detail, which was
most notable in his in-depth 2007 history of the wing.

He gave the history of events, the places, the participants, truly

the who, what, where, when and why of what happened during
the year in the South Dakota Wing.

South Dakota Wing’s Col Lester Snyder was
recognized with the 2008 Col Lester Hopper Historian
of the Year award at the 2008 CAP Annual Conference.
Accepting the award is South Dakota Wing
Commander Col Mike Beason.
His wing history, written in a style that even a non-CAP member
can understand, earned him a score of 27 (out of a possible 30)
in judging by the national historical staff. Snyder is a retired U.S.
Air Force lieutenant colonel and professor emeritus at South
Dakota Tech.

He wrote the “History of CAP – 2nd Air Force Courier Service in the South Dakota Wing in World War II” in 1987
and was appointed as South Dakota Wing Historian in 1988. He continues to serve in that capacity.

He began teaching Aerospace Education workshops in 1963, and, at the invitation of Jack Sorenson, national
director of aerospace education, he joined CAP as an Aerospace Education Member in 1969 and later became a
senior member.

He was the South Dakota Wing director of aerospace education from 1971 to 1974, when he was appointed as
wing commander, a position he held until 1977.

He was awarded the National Historian Award in 2002 and again in 2003. In addition to his historian duties,

Snyder is a CAP senior pilot and has earned 16 decorations and awards in the Air Force and another 22 in CAP,
including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Gill Robb Wilson Award.

South Dakota Wing Commander Col Mike Beason accepted the award for Col Snyder and it will be presented to
the Colonel at an appropriate occasion.

After several days of seminars, board meetings and recognition programs the annual conference concluded with a
banquet, culminating with the addition of Maj Gen Rick Bowling to the CAP Hall of Honor and the Installation of the
new CAP National and Vice Commanders.

The Commanders of North Central Region – August 2008

NCR News August 2008 Page 8
St. Cloud cadets fly high at flight academy
Capt Richard Sprouse
Public Affairs Officer, Group 2, Minnesota Wing
The friends of Derek Cash, Ben Leaf, Christian
Schuller and Luke Zahm probably spent their
summer playing video games or just hanging out.
Cadet Ben Leaf at glider controls
But the four cadets of the St. Cloud Composite
Squadron of the Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air
Patrol (CAP) spent their time piloting either a glider or
airplane at Minnesota’s 40th flight academy held
recently at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.
“I’ve been telling my friends that they missed out on a
great Civil Air Patrol activity,” said Cadet Chief
Master Sergeant (C/CMSgt) Luke Zahm, 16, of
Kimball. “I also told them that CAP is by far the best
way to get involved in aviation, whether you just
enjoy it for recreation or as a future career.”
Cadet Luke Zahm positioning an aircraft
The flight academy drew 33 pilots in training from
Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South
Dakota and put them behind the controls of a Cessna
172 aircraft or a Super Blanik L-23 glider at the
Mankato Municipal Airport. Zahm and C/CMSgt
NCR News August 2008
Schuller, 17, St. Cloud, were among the 18 cadets
who participated in the powered program, with Cadet
Senior Master Sergeant Cash, 15, Sartell, and Cadet
Master Sergeant Leaf, 14, Princeton, among the 15
piloting a glider.
The gliders travel at about 50 miles per hour. The first
10-15 flights are towed to 3,000 feet by a powered
aircraft. Then the glider pilot releases the tow cable
and looks for thermal columns of warm air to give
them lift like the eagles and hawks that hunt the fields
near the airport. After that the emphasis is on landing
patterns and landing the glider from 1,000 feet.
The two-seater gliders provide room for a FAA
certified flight instructor, who can make adjustments
using rear controls if the young pilots make a
mistake. The flight instructor is also along during a
“supervised solo” with the cadet.
Leaf said flying a glider was an awesome experience,
and one he hopes to do again next year.
“The flight academy was very well run and the quality
of the instructors was outstanding,” Leaf said.
All powered aircraft training is conducted at a
minimum altitude of 1,500 feet at an air speed of
about 100 miles per hour. During the solo flight the
cadet is by themselves and typically performs 1-3
take-offs and landings.
Cadet Schuller soloed in the Cessna 172, something
he described as indescribable.
“I had to keep checking to make sure my instructor
wasn’t there,” Schuller said.
The flight academy was comprised of 32 senior
officers of the Civil Air Patrol, including Captain Russ
Portele of St. Cloud, a pilot since 1969. Captain
Portele said everyone associated with the event is
dedicated to providing a first class experience for the
cadets.
“They give everything they have, they learn a
tremendous amount about flying in a very short
period of time, and when a cadet solos it is not only a
memorable experience for the cadet, but also for the
instructor,” Portele said.
Photos are courtesy of the 2008 Minnesota Flight
Academy
Page 9
St. Cloud cadet honored with flight scholarship
Capt Richard Sprouse
Public Affairs Officer, Group 2, Minnesota Wing

The Jacob Pfingsten Memorial Flight Training

Scholarship was presented to Cadet Chief Master
Sergeant Luke Zahm, 16, St. Cloud Composite
Squadron – Civil Air Patrol, at the recent Minnesota
Wing Flight Academy held at Gustavus Adolphus
College in St. Peter, Minn. It was the second time that
a St. Cloud cadet has received the honor.

“I’m very honored to be this year’s recipient,” Cadet

Zahm of Kimball, said. “I’m very grateful to the
Pfingsten family for their contribution to aviation and
the support they have given me.”

The scholarship goal is to encourage all Civil Air

Patrol cadets graduating from the Minnesota Wing
Flight Academy to continue their flight training and (L-R) Lt Col David Odette, Minnesota Flight Academy commander,
obtain their FAA Private Pilot Certificate. Cadet Zahm, and Jolene Parks, Jacob Pfingsten’s sister (photo
courtesy of Minnesota Flight Academy)
The scholarship provides up to 30 hours of flight training. The cadet has one year to utilize the funds and to obtain
their certificate. Cadet Zahm was selected as the recipient of the scholarship from several outstanding applicants
by the senior staff and flight instructors at the flight academy. Cadet/Second Lieutenant Jessica Stone of St. Cloud
Composite Squadron received the first scholarship last year.

Jacob Pfingsten was a long-time member of the Crow Wing Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol, both as a cadet
and as a senior member. He obtained his FAA Private Pilot Certificate through the CAP program. He died in
February 2005 of natural causes while serving with the U.S. Army in Germany. The scholarship was created by his
parents, Tom and Beth Pfingsten of Brainerd, both Civil Air Patrol members, and LaDonna and Randy Blackorbay
of Maple Grove.

Minnesota cadet earns coveted Civil Air Patrol award

St. Cloud Composite Squadron’s cadet commander
Jessica Stone of Becker, MN recently received the Civil
Air Patrol’s coveted General Billy Mitchell Award, a
national recognition, and was promoted to Cadet Second
Lieutenant.

Only 15 percent of Civil Air Patrol cadets earn the award,

which honors the late aviation pioneer and advocate. To
earn the Mitchell Award, cadets must complete the first
eight of 16 achievements of the CAP Cadet Program and
pass a 100-question examination.

Upon completion of each achievement, the cadet earns

(L-R) Major Ryan Brovold, St. Cloud Composite Squadron
commander, Cadet Jessica Stone, Captain Blane Pierson,
squadron deputy commander – (photo-Capt. Richard Sprouse)
increased responsibility, decorations, eligibility for national
special activities, and opportunities for both flight and
academic scholarships. Completion of achievements also
earns the cadet promotion to a higher grade.

NCR News August 2008 Page 10

“Best of the Best” Battle in the Virtual Skies
On June 16-20, 2008, twelve Missouri Wing cadets
gathered in a computer lab at the University of
Missouri at Columbia to learn basic fighter
maneuvers and tactics at the Columbia Composite
Squadron’s Virtual Fighter Weapons School (VFWS.)
Instructed by experienced combat flight sim(ulator)
players and actual USAF fighter pilots, the cadets
learned, practiced, and applied aviation and flight
skills in a networked desktop computer flight sim
environment.
“I have been a long time combat flight sim
enthusiast,” says Major Dan Routier, the activity
director. “The learning curve for these games and
the tactics involved can be pretty steep. I can’t even
recall how many hours I’ve spent over the years
picking it all up. What we’ve basically done here is to
dedicate a block of time for formal instruction, and a
lot of hands-on practice that would otherwise be done
a few hours at a time over a much longer period.
Graduates of this activity who may have never flown
a sim like this before walk away with as much training
and experience as someone who has been playing
casually for years.”
Getting really good at video games isn’t the only thing
that cadets pick up at VFWS, though.
The course starts with the very basics of how and
why airplanes fly, and basic flight maneuvers that
apply to all airplanes. Then the students applied
those basic skills to perform maneuvers, and then to
NCR News August 2008
applying maneuvers to accomplish tactical goals.
In addition to aviation, the pace of the activity and
quantity of information coming at the students is
designed to expand their multi-tasking abilities,
improve general situational awareness, and speed up
their decision cycles. Teamwork and communication
also play a vital role during multi-ship engagements.
And let’s not forget fun! Fundamentally, VFWS is a
week-long LAN (network)-party. All of the training
during the activity culminates in a round-robin student
vs. student tournament. The winner of the
tournament earns the title “Top Gun”.
There is also a daily light team sport oriented PT
session, and nightly relaxed personal time. “After a
day in the lab, they’re ready to get out of their seats
and unplug their brains for a while!” says Routier. “It
is my hope to continue to do this activity annually.
Staffing and logistics are always a major challenge,
but everyone has a great time!”
If you think you have what it takes to be one of only
twelve cadets selected for this activity annually, you
can contact the Major Routier for more information,
application deadlines, and procedures. His e-mail is:
coudano@gmail.com
And remember… ‘There are no points for second
place!’
Page 11
119th Rocket Launch a Big Success
Maj Troy Krabbenhoft
Public Affairs Officer, North Dakota Wing

C/Lt Italiano’s rocket blasting off.

AE officer Chip Oberg and his son Buck Oberg preparing a rocket Ready the rockets photo by Cadet Taylor Volk
for launch.

Cadets and senior members from the 119th ANG Cadet squadron spent Tuesday the 19th of August building
rockets and the 26th of August blasting them off and recovering them. The rockets were made out of ½" PVC pipe,
cut out cardboard that was hot glued on for fins, a soda straw that held the rocket upright on the launch rail, and
commercially available C6 rocket engines.

Some of the rockets were reaching approximate 250-300 ft in altitude. The home made altimeters were also made
out ½" PVC pipe, a paper protractor that was glued onto cardboard and a string with a steel washer for a weight.

The cadets and seniors all had a great time with the Aerospace Education that was conducted by 2nd Lt Chip
Oberg the AE officer.

NCR News August 2008 Page 12

East Iowa Cadet Squadron 1 of 20 receiving $250 AF Association grants
Money earmarked for science, technology, engineering, math, aerospace education

Capt. Christopher Colvin

Public Affairs Officer, Iowa Wing

The East Iowa Cadet Squadron has received one of 20 Air Force Association promoting aerospace education for
hundreds of youth throughout Civil Air Patrol.

The $250 grants are awarded to squadrons for use in any science, technology, engineering or math activity or
materials that promote aerospace education.

"This grant is indeed an honor, and is due to the efforts of our squadron’s
newest member and assistant aaerospace officer, Sr. Mbr. Francisco
Molina," said Capt. Brad Oglesby, the unit's commander. "He also created
an outstanding squadron website, which is greatly appreciated by everyone
in the EICS."

Uses of the grants can include purchasing textbooks or materials or helping

finance such activities as field trips to aerospace museums.

“These AFA grants reach more young people with a learning opportunity
centered on aerospace development,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, the AFA
board's vice chairman for aerospace education. “By focusing on the entire
squadron, we help numbers of youth experience something memorable
about airpower.”

Mike Dunn, president and chief executive officer of AFA, said the organization is "investing in the next generation of
aerospace leaders.

“Promoting aerospace education is a rewarding aspect of our mission at AFA,” Dunn said.

Minnesota Wing essay contest winners announced

Anoka Squadron's Matt Frame and St. Paul Squadron's Michael McMahan were selected as the winners of the
Youth Aviation Foundation sponsored essay competition for Minnesota Wing cadets this summer.

Frame, a tenth grader at Northwestern Academy,

competed in the senior high-aged category and
wrote the best essay on how CAP changed his
life.

McMahan, an eighth grader at Murray Jr. High

School, competed in the junior high-aged
category and wrote the best essay on why he
joined CAP.

For their efforts, each received a $250 prize.

The Youth Aviation Foundation's intent in hosting

this contest was to assist Minnesota CAP cadets
Cadet Matt Frame Cadet Michael McMahan in developing writing skills needed when applying
for college scholarships. Entries were judged by
an independent review board.

The Youth Aviation Foundation is a nonprofit corporation whose sole goal is to facilitate the education of our youth,
so they can be productive and responsible citizens. It’s program's center around aviation-related activities that
teach leadership, responsibility, high moral values and appropriate social interaction. For more information on the
Youth Aviation Foundation, please visit www.youthaviationfoundation.org.
NCR News August 2008 Page 13
Iowa Wing husband-wife team pitches in at National Blue Beret
All-Iowa Composite's Thatcher-Chilcote, Chilcote joined by cadets Olmscheid, Oglesby at encampment

Capt. Christopher Colvin

Public Affairs Officer, Iowa Wing

When Lt. Col. Glen Allen Thatcher-Chilcote III and his wife, Maj. Susan Chilcote, who between them have
combined for more than 50 years in Civil Air Patrol, heard about National Blue Beret, they decided to go as a team.

(From left) Maj. Susan Chilcote, Lt. Col. Glenn Allen Thatcher-Chilcote III and Cadet 1st Lts. Zach Olmscheid and Chris Oglesby
display their newly earned Blue Berets following graduation from the National Blue Beret Encampment.

The couples, members of the 91st All-Iowa Composite Squadron, did just that at this year's National Blue Beret in
Oshkosh, Wisc.

Joining them were Cadet 1st Lts. Zach Olmscheid of the Des Moines Metro Cadet Squadron and Chris Oglesby of
the Cedar Rapids Cadet Squadron.

Thatcher-Chilcote, the All-Iowa unit's commander, served as the flight line driver, taking each flight out to its
designated area to marshal in the aircraft.

“I’ve been around major airports such as LAX, O’Hara, Delaware and even Melbourne, Australia,” he said. “But I’ve
never seen so many airplanes landing and taking off all in one place. It was an extreme experience and I would like
one day to do it again.”

National Blue Beret is held at the world’s largest air show each year. It gives cadets and senior members alike the
chance to see the latest and greatest advancements in the aviation world.

It is also considered a cadet special activity and gives cadets an opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience
in real-world situations.

“Blue Beret is an excellent activity for people that want to get the most out of CAP,” Oglesby said. “It doesn’t matter
if you like aerospace education, cadet programs or emergency service, National Blue Beret has them all.

"Last but not least, every blue beret is dedicated to the well being and safety of others, as it says in our creed.
Wearing the blue beret means thinking about the safety of others before yourself.”

NCR News August 2008 Page 14

Cadet Tells of Exchange Experience
C/Major Elizabeth Spoerl
Dubuque Composite Squadron, Iowa Wing

What do you get when you combine 32 cadets, five
escorting officers and a country the size of Alabama?
The experience of a lifetime.
This summer I was one of about 70 Civil Air Patrol
cadets selected to participate in the 2008
International Air Cadet Exchange. For the last 60
years IACE has been promoting international
goodwill, friendship and understanding among
aviation-minded youth.
Did you know that Hong Kong, although part of
China, uses its own currency and follows laws that
are different than those of China, that all German
men must serve at least nine months in either the
armed forces or other civil service positions, and, of
course that Vegemite is amazing (according to the
Australians)?

That's National Headquarters’ definition. But those

words barely scratch the surface of IACE.

From the moment I stepped off the plane in

Washington, D.C., I knew I was in for a treat. My
group of eight cadets and one escort clicked
immediately, and in less than a day we felt like a
family. After attending briefings, learning how to
properly eat (thanks to “Miss Manners") and touring
the National Capital for a day, we were off to the
United Kingdom.
In London, we met our British escort, escorting
cadets and other members of our group — cadets
and officers from Australia, Canada, Germany,
Ghana and Hong Kong. The next 15 days were
packed with tours, museums, glider flights and other
activities.
We did things few other people, even British civilians,
ever get to do. We watched the Changing of the
Guard from inside the gate at Buckingham Palace,
met the lord mayor of Manchester, visited the Kings
Troop Royal Horse Artillery, spent several days at
RAF Cranwell, where all Royal Air Force officers are
trained and commissioned, and toured BAE Warton,
the production plant for many RAF aircraft, including
the Typhoon.
Amid the formal work of ambassadorship, we were
given breaks to enjoy the company of our fellow
cadets at two amusement parks, numerous casual
dinners, and during free time in the local
communities.
Three other cadets and I even saw a theatre
production at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in
London!
nd
C/Major Spoerl (2 from left) with fellow IACE participants.
I am sure all this information and more is
documented in reference books, but these facts were
neither important nor real to me until I met people
who shared their lives and experiences with me.
I had been told that IACE would be an unforgettable
experience, but I could never have imagined the
extent to which participating in this activity would
affect me. I never guessed I would learn so much
while having fun and making friends.
Although the trip had to come to an end, I look
forward to keeping in touch with the friends I have
made.
For those who enjoy meeting new people and
immersing themselves in other cultures, I highly
recommend the program to you. Although I could
spend all day telling stories about my experiences in
the United Kingdom, I could never share the essence
of what it means to be an ambassador of the United
States and Civil Air Patrol — it is something you must
experience for yourself.

Throughout the course of the visit, I gained a greater

understanding and appreciation not only of the United
Kingdom and its rich history, but also of the countries
and lifestyles of my fellow cadets.

NCR News August 2008 Page 15

Missing man found alive after two day search.
Major Troy Krabbenhoft
Public Affairs Officer, North Dakota Wing

It was a great feeling to be a North Dakota Wing member when we were called to duty to look for a missing person.

Several units sprang into action dispatching their aircraft and vehicles from all over the state to find a missing man
in central North Dakota. The CAP Duty Officer was notified by Sgt. Conner of the Bismarck Police Dept. on the
25th of August requesting Civil Air Patrol to assist with the search for a missing person.

The AFRCC accepted the mission, and the many hours of training paid off as squadrons smoothly responded to the
call. Mr. John Miller was last seen at 8:00pm in Hazelton, ND filling his vehicle with gas. He was on his way to
Bismarck but did not arrive.

Mr. Miller had a medical condition and was also suffering from dementia.
Search aircraft from Fargo, Dickinson, and Minot were immediately in the air.
Ground teams from Jamestown and Bismarck were en-route shortly there
after and other units were put on standby. A fourth plane from Grand Forks
arrived later in the day.

All together the aircraft accumulating approximately 25 hours of flight time

and many miles and hours in ground vehicles.

“While he was not found by CAP (a landowner found him), we can be proud
of our contributions to the effort (and we were very close when he was
found)" "it was an incredible response by the wing, and an excellent example
of what we can accomplish when we need to" said Major Sean Johnson,
commander of the Bismarck Composite Squadron.

Major Johnson also said that "This event was truly something the entire wing can be proud of. Take a moment of
your time today to "enjoy the moment". This is what all that hard work and time spent training is about. Today, we
made a significant difference in the lives of Mr. Miller and his family.”

Civil Air Patrol’s

newest recruiting and marketing tool!

A site designed for people interested in

our organization and what it can do for
their community and themselves.

Telling Civil Air Patrol’s story, one

member at a time.

www.gocivilairpatrol.com

NCR News August 2008 Page 16

Minnesota Wing’s Group 1 Completes Successful Training Exercise
Lt Col David Odette
Commander, Group 1, Minnesota Wing

The Group One Search and Rescue Exercise held August 15 to 17 held at the Thief River Fall Regional Airport
provided nearly 100 training days for the members of Minnesota Wing. The weather was perfect across Minnesota
for the three day event allowing aircraft and ground crews to come from 16 different units from across the state.

The location of the Mission Base in the northwest corner of Minnesota provided a challenge to the aircrews for
planning and flying a long distance flight with multiple locations of reconnaissance on their way to and from the
Mission Base. Many of these flight sorties were over three hours long requiring crews to maintain a close watch on
their fuel status as well as monitoring their duty day hours to stay with in current CAP flight rules.

A High Bird Aircraft was deployed to maintain contact between the Mission Base and all inbound and outbound
aircraft. Some aircrews flew as far as 275 nautical miles on their training sortie to reach the Thief River Falls
Mission Base. The High Bird positioned in the central part of Minnesota provided excellent radio communications
between all aircraft keeping the Mission Base Operations personnel knowledgeable of the status of all aircraft
during these flights.

A Minnesota Wing aircraft departing Thief River Falls Airport on a Sunday morning mission sortie.

Once at the Thief River Falls Mission Base, local scenarios were provided to air and ground crews to help them
maintain their currency in their Operations Qualification Specialties. The local scenarios for the Aircrews were,
various types of grid searches for missing persons, ELT searches, mapping of water levels and river flood debris
locations to name a few.

Ground Team scenarios

Aircrew Mike Peterson and Jerry Rosendahl
checking in with Col Kevin Sliwinski
included a search for a
missing person in a
wooded area, finding and
mapping locations of
missing person clues on
the historic Pembina Trail,
search for a space shuttle
accident data recorder in
an open/wooded area, and
an aircraft ELT search in
the 61,500 acre marshland
Lt Col Stan Kegel reviewing target locations
with Mike Blowers
of the Agassiz National
Wildlife Refuge.

Participation in the SAREX was excellent with 13 aircraft, 3 corporate vehicles and 8 personal vehicles reporting. A
total of 52 members from across the Wing participated. This is a showing of the dedication of the members of
Minnesota Wing to the CAP program and their commitment to being Semper Vigilans!

Photos by Capt Paulette Odette.

NCR News August 2008 Page 17

Minnesota’s Viking Squadron Searches for Downed Pilot
2d Lt Erik Lindquist
Public Affairs Officer, Viking Squadron, Minnesota Wing

Viking Squadron of Eden Prairie Minnesota

was enjoying a beautiful summer evening
playing volleyball at Staring Lake Park in
Eden Prairie when Officer Schmidt of the
Eden Prairie Police Department interrupted
the game.

The Eden Prairie Police Department had been

looking for a downed pilot in the area of the
park, and they asked for further assistance
from the local Civil Air Patrol group to search
for this downed pilot.

Although this was only a mock drill

established by Emergency Services Officers
of Viking Squadron in cooperation with the EPPD, the realism helped to emphasize that emergency crises’ usually
happen when you least expect them. Efficiently transitioning from normal daily routines to an emergency crisis,
when time is critical, can mean the difference between life and death.

For this reason, the speed of activating

the squadron in an effective group search
falls back on the many hours of
preparation and training. In less than a
few minutes the group, of cadets and
officers, was informed of the situation.
The squadron members reviewed a map
of the park, split into smaller search
teams, and were assigned areas of the
park to search.

A hasty search was begun in the park to

find the downed pilot. The smaller team
groups covered a lot of ground in a short
time. Areas of woods, tall grass, and park
paths were searched with informational
updates being communicated over
squadron radios. In less than twenty
minutes the downed pilot was found in
some tall grass by one of the search team
groups, and was transported back to the
rally point.

The exercise was a great success. It presented the squadron with a stressful exercise that demanded a timely
response, and the squadron rose to the challenge. After the exercise, the squadron joined together in a de-briefing
exercise, and areas of improvement were highlighted. Also, actions that were successful were praised and noted.

Viking Squadron would like to thank the Eden Prairie Police Department for playing a key role in this exercise. The
good working relationship between groups, which is established in training exercises, is beneficial in succeeding
when true emergencies present themselves and challenge these professionals to ensure a safer community.

NCR News August 2008 Page 18

CIVIL AIR PATROL
C IVIC
L EAD ER SH IP
ACADEMY
If you’re interested in politics and careers
in public service, CAP’s Civic Leadership
Academy, an intensive 1-week program in
Washington, DC, is for you.
CLA cadets receive behind-the-scenes
tours and briefings at the Capitol, Supreme
Court, State Department, Pentagon, CIA,
FBI, Arlington, and more.
They interact with national leaders while
learning about the democratic process.
The week culminates with Legislative Day,
when cadets meet with their elected rep-
resentatives on Capitol Hill.
This is not your average field trip to
Washington. CLA is an academically-
focused activity that includes seminars,
readings, and group projects.
CADET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
1. Have earned the Mitchell Award by 1 October 2008
2. Must be at least 16 years old by 21 February 2009
HOW TO APPLY
1. By 1 October, email a completed CAPF 31 to
bjtourville@capnhq.gov. Attach an email from your wing
commander that endorses your application.
2. Include a 1-page resume of your achievements in CAP,
school, and community service.
APPLY BY 1 OCTOBER 2008
Washington, DC
21-28 February 2009
$295 Tuition
“I learned more about the
United States and its government
in one week at CLA than I did in
an entire year of AP Government
class at school.” Cadet Daniel Ruffin, ‘06
3. Include a 1-2 page essay on one of the following topics:
a. Why is widespread educational opportunity necessary
for a nation to develop a democratic system of government?
b. Why should federal courts have the right to declare
an act of Congress unconstitutional?
4. Include a recent photo (jpeg) of yourself properly wear-
ing the AF-style blues uniform.
5. Include a letter of recommendation from a teacher.
6. Selections for the Class of 2009 will be announced via
email in early December.
SENIOR STAFF
CLA is seeking a small number of adults to serve on the
“full-time” staff. “Part-time” escorts are also needed for
Legislative Day, 26 February. To apply, email your resume
to bjtourville@capnhq.gov by 1October.
ACADEMIC RECOGNITION
The National Association of Secondary
School Principals has placed the CAP
Civic Leadership Academy on their National Advisory List
of Contests & Activities for 2008-09. CLA staff can help
cadets request their school’s permission to attend the academy.
ACTIVITY FEE
Tuition is $295, which covers meals, lodging, and activities.
A $150 deposit is due on 4 Jan, with the balance due 1 Feb.