minnesota wing - may 2007
TRANSCRIPT
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Minnesota WingTips May 2007 Page 1
The Newsletter of Minnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol May 2007
CAP members marshalling an aircraft for a mission at Willmar Airport during the Group II SAREX.
Minnesota Training Days a Resounding Success
Minnesota Wing geared up for another busy summer season with a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) held May 18-20in Willmar. The hands-on exercise allowed CAP air and ground components to train together in a variety of search and
rescue missions. CAP is sometimes called upon by local, state and national authorities to assist during crises.
“This training exercise provided a cooperative environment for both CAP ground and air crews that met at the Willmar
Airport,” said Maj. Chet Wilberg, SAREX incident commander. “The training scenarios challenged participants to react to
potentially real life situations.”
CAP members, participating in the exercise, ranged from 12-year-old cadets to adult members. Participants used electronic
direction equipment finding, on-scene management, and land navigation skills developed and practiced throughout the year
as part of learning the fundamentals of search and rescue.
Continued on Page 3
In this Issue of WingTips:
• State Director Moves to New Office
• Member Recognition
• BlackCAP a Big Success
• Around the Wing and Much More!!!!!
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Minnesota WingTips May 2007 Page 3
Group II SAREXContinued from Page 1
Civil Air Patrol performs more than 95% of all federal
inland search and rescue missions directed by the Air
Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Langley
Air Force Base, Virginia.
CAP members performing SAR missions save more than
100 lives every year.
Minnesota Wing aircraft flew 70 air sorties in the
Willmar area while ground teams responded to another
eight calls for assistance during the exercise. Up to 10
aircraft and nearly 50 CAP members participated daily.
The wing routinely flies thousands of hours per year of
operational flights, and contributes some 10,000 +
person-hours to SAR, Counter Drug, Disaster
Preparedness, Homeland Security and other
humanitarian mission flying.
“Each response component is highly qualified and has
varied expertise when it comes to responding to a
request,” Wilberg said. “Bringing all of that expertise
together in a setting like this allows for a free flow of
information and it strengthens our response
capabilities. This exercise was a resounding success.”
Ground Team 4 after a successful find. Top row: Cadet Jeff
Dvorak (St. Cloud Composite), C/Gabe Turner (Wesota),
C/Hans Hibma (Hutchinson), Maj Adrian Ramler (St. Cloud
Composite). Bottom row: C/MacKenzie Johnson (Wesota),
C/Joshua Scott (Red Wing), C/Caleb Wilson (Red Wing),
C/Davis Peterson (Red Wing)
1st Lt. Gordon Miller (St. Paul Composite Sqdn) refuels for
another mission . . .
Cadet Abdulraman Jahi (Valley Sqdn) works
communications with Capt. Mari Lucas (Red Wing)
Capt. Greg Opdahl (SE Minnesota Composite Sqdn)
provides flight line pointers to Cadets Gabe Turner (Wesota)
and Collin Schaefer (Hutchinson)
CAP pilots receive a mission briefing.
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Minnesota WingTips May 2007 Page 5
Tuskegee Airman Presents
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award
To Minnesota CAP Member
Former Tuskegee Airman, Col. Kenneth Wofford (USAF
ret.), recently visited the Anoka County CompositeSquadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to present the
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award to Capt. Andy Bosshart.
The Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Award is given to CAP
members who complete Level Two of the Senior
Member Professional Development Program. It
recognizes those members who have dedicated
themselves to leadership and personal development in
the CAP.
Retired Air Force Col. Kenneth Wofford speaking at Anoka
Squadron. Lt Col Tom Kettell, Vice Wing Commander and Maj
Don Sorenson, Commander Anoka Sqdn looking on.
As the member progresses through the program, he or
she completes five increasingly complex training levels.
Each level requires the member to become more
involved in CAP activities, master skills in one of 23
technical areas, and develop leadership ability. As he or
she completes these levels, the member receives awards,
chances for promotion, and selection for more important
roles within CAP. The second milestone is the Davis
Award.
Col. Wofford, who lives in Golden Valley, served under
Gen. Davis, one of his heroes. Gen. Davis commandedthe Tuskegee Airmen during World War II and later
became the first African-American general in the US Air
Force. During the presentation, Col. Wofford gave a 15-
minute talk on the Tuskegee Airmen.
The Tuskegee Airmen were 1,000 young African-
Americans, who over the objections of much of the
military establishment of that period, trained as Army
Air Corps fighter pilots at an air base in Tuskegee, Ala.
They eventually were sent to fight in the air war over
Europe, providing fighter escort to bombers. Initially
scorned, their marvelous combat record proved them to
be highly effective air warriors. Col. Wofford did not fly
in Europe, but was poised for action in Japan under the
command of Gen Davis, when the war ended.
Col. Wofford is a Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame
member, active in the US Air Force Association, and
extremely active in the community working with kids.Wofford is a friend of the Anoka Squadron and a
frequent guest over the years, telling the Tuskegee story.
He has also established a scholarship fund for cadets of
the squadron.
Surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen recently
received the Congressional Gold Medal, the country's
highest civilian award, during a ceremony at the Capitol
Rotunda in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony
President Bush saluted the airmen, stating that he offered
the gesture “to help atone for all the unreturned salutes
and unforgivable indignities” they endured while they
fought for America.
St. Paul Cadets Complete
“Camp Curry”
Maj. Cliff Tamplin, St. Paul Composite Squadron Commander
congratulates C/Airman Daniel Rehbein on his completion of
Camp Curry.
On May 3, 2007 St. Paul Squadron graduated its latest
class of cadets from its Camp Curry Program.
Camp Curry is a training program for new cadets of the
squadron. Over a period of weeks the cadets learn what
it takes to be a cadet. Subjects include drill and
ceremonies, uniform wear and cadet general knowledge.
On completion of the training the cadets take the
achievement one tests and if they pass they are promoted
to Cadet Airman and join the unit’s cadet corps.
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Minnesota WingTips May 2007 Page 6
Cadet Leadership Changes at
Anoka Squadron
Anoka County Composite Squadron conducted a Cadet
Change of Command on April 24th, C/2nd Lt. Andy Haus
(left) accepts the guidon from Lt. Col. Adrian Sanchez
the squadron’s Deputy Commander for Cadets while
C/SSgt Cory Bosshart (guidon bearer) looks on.
Worthington Members Take
to the Sky in a KC-135
The view from the business end of a KC-135.
On May 6th Minnesota Wing and South Dakota Wing
members participated in an orientation flight aboard a
Iowa Air National Guard KC 135 Stratotanker.
The KC-135 refueled F-16s at 32,000. Each member
learned about the operations of the aircraft and got to go
to the picture pod to watch and take pictures of the
refueling operations.
More images from this flight can be seen at
www.mncap.org/worthington
Pomerleau Soars
Air Force ROTC Cadet (and CAP Captain) Mark Pomerleau
gets ready to board an F-16 for an incentive flight as part of
the ROTC program at Arizona State University.
Member RecognitionCadet Awards
Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell AwardShashona Lucas, Red Wing
Wright Brothers AwardAlex Bee, Viking
Senior Awards
Benjamin O. Davis AwardJerome Karels, St. PaulGary Isker, Owatonna
Grover Loening AwardJames Hetherington, VikingDaniel Jorgenson, Viking
Senior Promotions
Second LieutenantJay Spreitzer, Anoka County
Russell Olson, Valley
CaptainNathan Wozniak, Northland
MajorJotham Blodgett, Wing HQ
Mari Lucas, Red Wing