Air Force Homeland Security Director Brig. Gen. David E. Clary soared the skies over Virginia March 9 in a Civil Air Patrol Blanik glider. "This is an entirely different end of the spectrum," said Clary, a fighter pilot with more than 4,500 hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt and many other Air Force aircraft, after his flight.

In addition to his glider orientation flight, the Air Force's homeland security director was in Winchester to visit with the members of CAP's Virginia Wing and to determine how the Air Force can best use its official volunteer auxiliary with more than 63,000 cadets and adult members, and a fleet of more than 530 single-engine,propeller-driven aircraft.

President Bush and the secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, have been pushing since "9/11" to have Americans nationwide accept more of the responsibility for defending the homeland.

According to Clary, CAP members can take a lead role in this mission by patrolling the country's reservoirs, waterways and coastlines, and using state-of-the-art technology to provide detailed imagery of possible prime targets.

"This is a great way for our citizens to do a small, but active part of homeland defense," said Clary. "And for the CAP, it's a return to its roots -- the mission the organization undertook during World War II -- serving as the "Eyes of the Home Skies" while it flew thousands of missions protecting America's coastline from German U-boats.

FMI: www.capnhq.gov