HEADQUARTERS
CALIFORNIA WING - CIVIL AIR PATROL
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AUXILIARY
P.O. Box 7688
Van Nuys, CA  91409-7688

For Immediate Release 
7 Aug 2002

Contact:
2Lt Candice Tuttle, CAP
Information Officer
Tel: 650.326.5214
Cell: 650.465.9487
Email: Candice@LadyPIC.com

(Bakersfield, California) – August 7, 2002  –  Over the past weekend, August 2 and 3, the 
California Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) conducted a major disaster response exercise
(known as a DREX) based on a recreation of the 1952 Kern County earthquake on the White 
Wolf fault.  Establishing its Mission Base at Bakersfield’s Meadows Field airport, members
and aircraft from throughout California participated in this multi-layered training exercise.
This exercise was designed to enhance the operational readiness of its members and resources 
to respond to disasters and homeland security emergencies.  An essential part of the exercise 
was CAP interaction with associated agencies such as the California Office of Emergency 
Services (OES), the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Direct Relief International, the 
California Department of Water Resources, Kern County OES, the CHP, local fire and police 
departments, and the U.S. Air Force.  

Maj. Lance Charnes of the CAP-USAF Pacific Liaison Region explained, “This is a first-of-its-kind 
exercise for the Civil Air Patrol in California.  It’s a new experience in its scope, the diverse 
tasking in unfolding situations, and in being based on a major disaster scenario and not simply a 
downed aircraft. U.S. Air Force personnel not only monitored the Civil Air Patrol operations and 
provided feedback, but also served as mentors for members of the mission base staff.” 

More than 70 Civil Air Patrol members participated, using eleven aircraft. The CAP Chaplain Service 
was represented by Chaplain (CAP Maj) Paul Ward, who monitored the CAP participants for Critical 
Incident Stress, which is often experienced by those exposed to highly stressful or extremely 
emotional situations. 

Also attending and observing was Assistant Chief Stan Roberts of the California Governor’s Office 
of Emergency Services (OES).  Chief Roberts met with Col Larry Myrick, the CAP California Wing 
Commander, to determine how OES might enhance and facilitate coordination with the CAP. 

Exercise operations carried out by the Civil Air Patrol included: 

·         Air transport of a simulated state hazardous-materials specialist, initially from Fresno
to Bakersfield, diverted to Shafter due to a simulated temporary closure of the Bakersfield airport;

·         An air search for a simulated “missing Kern City Sheriff’s Department Aero Squadron aircraft”;

·         Another air search for a simulated “overdue CHP helicopter” thought to have crashed near 
Kettleman City;

·         Aerial reconnaissance of the California Aqueduct system from Lancaster north to the Kern County 
border, to provide photos of simulated damage or flooding;

·         Air transport of search dog and handler from Auburn to the Mariposa-Yosemite Airport;

·         A coordinated air and ground search for an Emergency Location Transponder (ELT) in the Taft area;

·         A ground team search for an ELT in the Lake Isabella area, unassisted by aircraft;

·         Air reconnaissance in the Kern Canyon and Lake Isabella Dam area, utilizing Slow Scan TV for 
real-time aerial damage assessment while avoiding airspace restricted because of the nearby forest fire;

·         Air transport of blood from Santa Barbara to Tehachapi, in support of the American Red Cross.

   In the middle of these disaster relief activities, the mission team experienced a surprise directed to its 
   own location.  Exercise controllers reported a simulated explosion near the airfield, resulting in the need 
   to simulate the ability to quickly uproot the established mission base and relocate to a safer location. 
   All operations continued to run during the transition with less than an hour of down time.

As the Incident Commander in charge of the mission activities during most of Saturday, CAP Maj. David Boehm 
commented, “I have really honed my Incident Commander skills and learned how to work with the Incident Command 
System in a large-scale environment.  That means – how to delegate! You just can’t do a good job as a commander 
without a good team.  I have also fully realized the broad scope of services that the Civil Air Patrol can do in 
support of other relief agencies.”

The Civil Air Patrol staff was assisted by the Bakersfield Corps of the Salvation Army, which provided complete 
meal service all day Saturday from its mobile canteen.  “They are a true God-sent resource in a disaster situation,” 
said Lt. Shanna William, Resource Director, Civil Air Patrol.  “Without their untiring personnel, assistance and 
supplies, we could not have continued to work through the long days as effectively as we have been able to.”  
In addition, the Kern Chapter of the American Red Cross supplied water and snack support for exercise participants. 

The Civil Air Patrol is the official Auxiliary of the United States Air Force.  The Civil Air Patrol has 
approximately 60,000 members nationwide with almost 4,000 members in California.  Nearly every day, the 
California Wing of Civil Air Patrol is tasked with emergency service duties by the California Governor's 
Office of Emergency Services; the DEA, USFS or INS for counterdrug missions; or FEMA and the Red Cross for 
disaster relief.  For example, in the days after 9/11, Squadron 10 members flew blood products for the Red 
Cross when all commercial aviation was grounded.  There were hundreds of aircrews called to stand by their 
airplanes throughout the United States in case of another incident.  California alone had over 55 crews 
standing ready to be called into action.

For additional details or answers to questions, please contact 2Lt Tuttle.

Photo Captions     CAWG Bakersfield DREX – Aug. 2002 

#1 ES Ground Team’s final briefing by Capt. Carol D. Edwards prior to departure to do a coordinated air and ground search for an Emergency Location Transponder (ELT) in the Taft area. 

#2 CAWG Lt. Col. Peggy Myrick fields an on the spot interview with CBS TV, Channel 29, and explains the volunteerism of CAP members. 

#3 Maj. Lance Charnes, CAP-USAF Pacific Liaison Region provides in depth interview about the CAP and the Bakersfield DREX in progress to CBS TV, Channel 29. 

#4 Lt. Col. Michael Lewis oversees the Air Ops team and briefs air crew for an air reconnaissance mission in the Kern Canyon and Lake Isabella Dam area, utilizing Slow Scan TV for real-time aerial damage assessment while avoiding airspace restricted because of the nearby forest fire. 

Note: All above photos were taken and provided by Lt. Candice K. Tuttle, CAP Mission Information Officer.

#5 Civil Air Patrol air crew conducting air transport of blood from the Direct Relief International located in Santa Barbara, to the Tehachapi area, in support of the American Red Cross. 

Photo #5 supplied by Direct Relief International

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