General
Overview
Growing from its World War II experience, the Civil
Air Patrol has continued to strive to save lives and alleviate human suffering through a
myriad of emergency service and operational missions.
Search and Rescue (SAR)
Perhaps best known for its search and rescue efforts, CAP now flies more than 85 percent
of all federal inland SAR missions directed by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at
Langley AFB, Virginia. Outside of the continental United States, CAP supports the Joint
Rescue Coordination Centers in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Just how effective are the
CAP missions? More than 100 people are saved every year by CAP members! |
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"Civil Air
Patrol is always the first unit in and usually the last unit out when a real disaster
occurs. They are very well trained and always respond quickly."
Toby Carroll
Corporate Safety Evaluation Director,
Continental Airlines
Guardian Angel '91 Exercise |
Disaster Relief
Often overlooked but vitally important is the role CAP plays in disaster relief
operations. CAP provides air and ground transportation, and an extensive communications
network. They fly disaster relief officials to remote locations, and support local, state
and national disaster relief organizations with manpower and leadership. In fact, CAP has formal agreements with many government and humanitarian
relief agencies such as the American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency,
Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and the United
States Coast Guard. |
Humanitarian Services
Closely related to disaster relief is CAP's support of humanitarian missions. Usually in
support of the Red Cross, CAP air crews transport time-sensitive medical materials
including blood and human tissue in situations where other means of transportation are not
possible. |
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Air Force Support
It's hardly surprising that CAP performs several missions in direct support of the U.S.
Air Force. Specifically, CAP conducts damage assessment, radiological monitoring, light
transport, communications support, and low-altitude route surveys. Joint U.S. Air Force and CAP SAR exercises sharpen the skills of all
participants and offer realistic training for a deadly serious mission. |
Counterdrug Missions
CAP joined the "war on drugs" in 1986 when CAP signed an agreement with the U.S.
Air Force and U.S. Customs Service offering CAP resources to be used to stem the flow of
drugs into and within the United States. Today, CAP has similar agreements with the Drug
Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Forest Service. CAP
has made major contributions to the counterdrug fight by providing aerial reconnaissance,
airborne communication support, and airlift of law enforcement personnel. In 1997 alone,
CAP units flew nearly 40,000 hours in support of counterdrug efforts. |
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CAP/ROTC Initiative
Starting in 1993, CAP became more closely involved in direct support of the Air Force
ROTC. Joint efforts are underway to conduct cross flow educational and orientation flights
with Air Force ROTC, benefiting both organizations through better use of each one's
training resources.
| Civil
Air Patrol's field operations are often directly supported
by corresponding programs and personnel at
the National Headquarters' Operations
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