Air Force Auxiliary Performs Many Missions Nationwide
On Wednesday, Civil Air Patrol observes the rich history of
vigilant service provided by the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air
Force over the past seven decades. The all-volunteer, nonprofit
organization of more than 61,000 members was founded 69 years ago
on Dec. 1, 1941, less than a week before the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor led to America's involvement in World War II. Its
members soon proved their worth by conducting aerial patrols on
their own, heroism that discouraged and eventually stopped deadly
German U-boat attacks in American waterways. Fifty-nine members
died, 26 were lost at sea and seven others were seriously injured
while carrying out CAP missions during the war.
"Each day, through their volunteer efforts, our members help
save lives and preserve liberty for all," said Maj. Gen. Amy S.
Courter, CAP's national commander. "Be sure to say 'thanks' to
these unsung heroes in your communities who provide such selfless
service, often without fanfare."
Maj. Gen. Amy Courter
As the Air Force auxiliary, today's Civil Air Patrol performs a
multitude of missions in communities throughout the nation's 50
states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico:
CAP provides disaster relief during hurricanes, floods,
wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes and countless other emergencies -
like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico earlier
this year, the largest modern-day mission in CAP history. During
CAP's four months as a participant in the massive oil spill
response, aircrews launched more than 1,000 sorties in support of
the mission, logging nearly 2,500 flight hours in more than 50 of
the organization's signature red, white and blue planes. In all,
150 CAP volunteers put in more than 20,000 hours.
Much as they did in CAP's early days, members are becoming more
and more involved in homeland security, regularly acting as targets
in various air defense exercises that support training for both
U.S. air defense forces and the nation's ground forces. Over the
past year, two of CAP's newest planes were outfitted as "Surrogate
Predators," used to help train the nation's military ground forces
in remotely piloted aircraft operations before they deploy to
Afghanistan and Iraq.
CAP responds day or night when planes are overdue and emergency
locator transmitters go off. Its volunteers perform 90 percent of
continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions, as tasked by
the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and were credited by the
AFRCC with saving 113 lives in fiscal year 2010. Members of the
West Virginia Wing were honored recently with CAP's Medal of Valor
for their role in braving freezing temperatures and treacherous
terrain to help rescue 17 crew members and passengers aboard a U.S.
Navy helicopter that crashed into an icy mountainside in
February.
CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education and mentors
more than 26,000 young Americans through its cadet program. By
partnering with 1,800 educators nationwide, members nurture the
talents of generations of the nation's sons and daughters with
cadet programs that stress leadership and moral responsibility and
teach aviation and emergency response skills. These cadets are
involved in a wide variety of activities, including CyberPatriot, a
national cyber defense competition in which two CAP teams finished
in the top three in 2010. More than 150 CAP teams are registered
for next year's competition.
Since 2006, CAP has become a major partner of Wreaths Across
America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the
sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. This year, CAP is teaming up
with the Maine-based nonprofit organization to raise funds to place
Christmas wreaths on veterans graves at nearly 500 locations
throughout the nation as well as in several countries
overseas.
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