Headquarters
CENTRAL COAST GROUP FOUR
United States Air Force Auxiliary
Civil Air Patrol
2023 N. Preisker Lane Suite D, Santa Maria, Ca 93454
Hm(805)929-8364  WK (805) 439-0049 FAX (805)349-0089
mlewismaj@aol.com
 

                         21-Jul-02


                FOR IMMEADIATE RELEASE

 
 

Civil Air Patrol Cadets meet the challenge

 

      Eleven Civil air Patrol Cadets and their Senior advisors were treated to an unexpected genuine emergency situation when their van broke down 37 miles North Of Ojai, CA stranding them at the campsite in the mountains.

The group were participating in a weekend exercise intended to sharpen their skills as a ground team, and as events turned out they were up to the challenge. Since the group were expected to be resourceful in the field in accomplishing the various tasks such as using direction finding equipment and radios in field conditions they quickly turned their misfortune into a new training exercise.

Breaking into an ongoing operational radio net which was controlling the launch and recovery of aircraft out of the Santa Maria Base, they advised the mission base of the situation and communications were established via the CAP repeater system in Santa Ynez. LT Commander Mike Lewis, commander of Group 4, and his Chief of Staff Capt Rod Bronson dispatched a replacement van from the Camarillo CAP group and coordinated the recovery of the disabled vehicle. Meanwhile the cadets enjoyed the extra excitement of being a part of a genuine wide area support effort. When asked if anyone wanted to go home, they were loud in proclaiming their desire to continue on with the training exercise. The field group returned to Santa Maria Sunday, full of enthusiasm and with stories to tell to the “stay at homes”.

Simultaneously the Civil Air Patrol was launching aircraft as part of a National Check Pilots school which was also headquartered at Santa Maria over the weekend under the direction of LTC Theodore Suchecki. All CAP pilots must undergo rigorous training in CAP procedures, and these pilots are the “Check Pilots” who verify them in this specialty.

            Often referred to as one of the Air Force’s best kept secrets, the Civil Air Patrol found it’s first missions during WW2 following it’s inception as an auxiliary of the Air Force on December 1, 1941, just days before Pearl harbor. During the war it operated as a coastal patrol when German submarines began preying on East coast shipping. Cap Pilots provided their own planes and funding was provided by Sun Oil Company (SUNOCO) until government financial support caught up. Pilots ranged from overage WW 1 fliers to aviation heroes, and Hollywood celebrities. During the war CAP flew 24 million miles, found 173 subs, attacked 57, and sank two. By Presidential Executive Order the Civil Air Patrol became an auxiliary of the Army Air Force on April 29, 1943.

      The peacetime CAP continued the Emergency Services mission it began with and added the Aerospace Education program to help not only CAP members but the general public to focus on aerospace advancements and stimulate interest in aerospace matters.

 

CAP supports over 100 workshops in colleges and universities across the nation, which reaches more than 3000 educators.

 

The Cadet program is open to boys and girls from 6th grade to age 21, to introduce them to aviation and to offer them outstanding summer programs including some that offer an opportunity to solo in a light airplane at low cost. The CAP cadet program is designed to develop well-rounded young people who will in turn become model citizens. CAP cadets who enlist in the Air Force are immediately promoted two pay grades (E-3) if they have completed the second phase of cadet training.

 

For Further information or follow up contact:
Major Bernard E Tower, PAO group 4
805-928-5554
Fax-805-922-3338