S P R I N G , 2 0 1 0 V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 5

...to the stars

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Cunningham Composite Squadron Sets Intense Pace

The Cunningham Composite Squadron based in Cunningham, Kansas is the first and only dual program squadron in the state. The Squadron has a unique program as the Civil Air Patrol Kansas Wing’s model for public school based programs. The composite squadron is composed of local senior members age 18 and older and cadets in grades 6-12. The school based program meets each school day as a class with senior members acting as the instructors. The senior member

instructors are members of the school staff and from local communities. The cadets are students from Cunningham Grade School and Cunningham High School. The Squadron also meets the second and 4th Thursdays of each month from 7 PM to 8:30 PM during which senior members and cadets from the general public participate. Members and cadets participating in the Civil Air Patrol currently come from Cunningham, Kingman, Pratt, Turon, Nashville, and Anthony. The squadrons combined membership is at 15 Senior Members and 42 Cadets and growing. Since its inauguration Launching event last May that was celebrated with support from the Kansas Civil Air Patrol Wing Headquarters staff, local EMS and law enforcement personnel, the US Army Kansas National Guard and Reserves, and the United States Air Force Reserves and Kansas Air National Guard; the squadron has set fast pace of activities and training. The Squadron has donated over 100 hours of community service work to the area. The cadets collected and transported over 3,000 pounds of obsolete electronic equipment to a recycling center. They also continue to support the preparation and distribution of the Cunningham Grade School Fresh Fruit and Healthy Snacks Grant program daily. The cadets are also an integral part of the City of Cunningham’s Safe Routes to School Grant program that has brought $60,000 in funding to Cunningham in the first phase and will bring in $250,000 in the second phase.

Continued page 2

Cadets in Aerospace Science class at Curry Weekend in Salina.

Maj. Glenn Fortmayer issues orders during the May 2009 Launch Event Drill Contest

P A G E 2

Cunningham Continued

In September of 2009 the Squadron visited a sister program, the USAF Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, at Lyons High School and received their first drill instruction on parade column movements from cadets in that program. The cadets then traveled to tour the Smithsonian Cosmosphere Museum in Hutchinson, KS. Staff there complimented as being one of the very best behaved groups to have come through the museum. Residents of Cunningham and the surrounding area may have observed the cadets and senior members in their camouflage uniforms conducting Ground Team Search and Rescue Training in September and in October. Mock emergencies were presented to the cadets with clues distributed around the area that led to manikins representing missing persons or markers set at final locations to be found by the cadets. Business people and members of public assisted in the training operations by relaying clues that had been distributed prior to the exercise to the cadets. The cadets had to combine the information they learned with their training to conduct searches of the local area to find clues and ultimately succeed in finding the mock missing persons. The First mission carried out by cadets Chase Ward, Steele Ward, Nate Albers, Timothy Patton, Aiden Cochran, Nathan Fortmayer, Devin Hargett, Sam Dorsey, Leeanna Dorsey, Chris Hansen, David West, Robert West, Cheyenne Hysom, and Luke McAdam was to respond to a mock bus crash scenario in which a fictitious pre-school girl wandered away from the accident scene and was missing. The two cadet search teams inter-viewed local business people and general public in the area in order to gather information to begin the search. Using further clues both teams were able to successfully complete the exercise.

The second mission consisted of a scenario in which a fictitious resident wandered off from the nursing home after family members accidently lost track of him. The cadets interviewed the nursing home director for initial clues and then broke into two search teams consisted of cadets: Timothy Patton, Nathan Fortmayer, Aiden Cochran, Devin Hargett, Robert West, David West, Jacob Earley, Stephanie Walsh, Cheyenne Hysom, and Steele Ward. The cadets utilized search and interrogation techniques to locate clues and eventually the manikin for a successful “find.” The cadets were successful on both search and rescue missions, even though one involved being thoroughly soaked from having to operate all day in pouring rain. Twelve cadets and two senior members from the Squadron: Cadets Cody Gridley, Tommy Sutton, Leeanna Dorsey, Sam Dorsey, Nathan Fortmayer, Aiden Cochran, Timothy Patton, Jacob Earley, Brandon McNerny, Cheyenne Hysom, Steele Ward and Chase Ward braved twenty degree tempera-tures to attend the Kansas Emergency Services Academy (KESA) at Milford Lake near Manhattan. These cadets and senior members joined other Squadron members and cadets from across the state to receive training towards their Ground Team Search and Rescue qualification. The training covered a range of skills including search techniques, night vision goggle use, radio operation, electronic locator transmission finding equipment use, and working with K-9 units. The Cunningham Fire Department came to the High School to provide an orientation on being a volunteer fireman and the fire equipment. Hoses were rolled out, water was shot by each cadet, and hoses were taken up by the cadets. Fire Chief Harold Stark and Fireman Monte Rose led the presentation and question and answer session for the cadets.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 5

Veterans’ Day was an opportunity to recognize area veterans that had served our country and service members who were currently serving. The Squadron hosted the Schools Veterans’ Day Assembly in conjunction with the CHS band and members of the CHS Mainstreet Singers, and support from Cunningham Grade School students. The cadets from Lyons High School AFJROTC also joined the Cunningham Composite Squadron cadets for the presentation. The AFJROTC presented the colors, marched, and presented a rifle drill performance. The Cunningham cadets saluted the veterans with a precision drill display by cadets Robert West, Chris Hansen, Stephanie Walsh, Brittany Fizer, Sam Dorsey, Nathan Fortmayer, Aiden Cochran, Timothy Patton, Leeana Dorsey, Cheyenne Hysom, Zach Stone, Jacob Earley, Steele Ward and Chase Ward a personal salute and handshake to each veteran. CGS students then presented multiple handmade thank you cards to each veteran.

The very end of November brought a bit of a surprise to sixteen of the cadets. They went to the Kansas Wing Civil Air Patrol Headquarters for what is called the “Curry Weekend” They did not know that this weekend was an intense preview of what winter encampment training would be like, a military boot camp type experience. The cadets began two long days of constant and rapid individual, small group, and large group training exercises. Higher ranking cadets and senior members from around the state acted as drill instructors barking orders, reinforcing and strengthening self-discipline and military customs and courtesies. The cadets learned hands on performance tasks related to drill, uniform wear, barracks maintenance, and military courtesies. They also received academic training in regards to followership, leadership, and aerospace and aviation science and history. A side benefit was US Army Kansas National Guard members training for deployment oversees allowed the cadets to examine and hold an M-4 assault rifle and participate in a question and answer session with a senior non-commissioned officer. All the cadets that attended the Curry Weekend were promoted at graduation. Cadets that completed the program were: Zach Stone, Nate Albers, Aiden Cochran, Jacob Earley, Nathan Fortmayer, Sam Dorsey, Cheyenne Hysom, Brittany Fizer, Stephanie Walsh, Leeanna Dorsey, David West, Steele Ward and Chase Ward.

The drill training the cadets received paid off in the month of December. A cadet color guard composed of Cadets, Trenton Seipel, Chase and Steele Ward, and Brittany Fizer, performed in the Anthony Christmas parade first. Next came the Kingman parade, where cadets Aden Cochran, Nathan Fortmayer, Leanna Dorsey, Ashley Abbott, Zach Stone, Cheyenne Hysom Jacob Earley, and Trenton Seipel marched. A flight of cadets composed of: Tommy Sutton, Ashley Abbott, Stephanie Walsh, Jacob Earley, Brandon McNerny, Leanna Dorsey, Sam Dorsey, and Nathan Fortmayer marched in the Cunningham Christmas parade. Cadets Chris Hansen and Cheyenne Hysom were pressed into service with just a few minutes training to act as rifle guards for the American Legions Color Guard.

Ellsworth has New Name And New Commander

The Ellsworth Composite Squadron is now called the Rolling Hills Composite

Squadron and in a Change of Command Ceremony held March 13, 2010, Lt Col

Jerry Kobbeman becomes the New Commander. Special thanks to Capt Kim

Torkelson who had previously been in command. Congrats Lt Col Kobbeman!

Cadet Spencer Kerfoot (right) sustained the 2nd Lieutenant rank in front of Col Burgess Rennels (left).

Lawrence Promotions

1st Lt Paul Bayless (center) received the Captain rank from Col Burgess Rennels (right) and his wife Kimberly Bayless (left).

By Maj Bob Wiggins On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, Lawrence Composite Squadron presented rank

advancement/recognition for two CAP cadets and one Senior Member: Cadet Basic Christopher Blevins was promoted to Cadet

Airman, Cadet 2nd Lt Spencer Kerfoot sustained Cadet 2nd Lieutenant, and 1st Lt Paul

Bayless was promoted to Captain.

Cadet Christopher Blevins (right) received the Airman rank from Col Burgess Rennels (left).

MEET THE COMMANDER’S

Major Ron Schlesener Major Ron Schlesener first became aware of the Civil Air Patrol through his son when one of his friends invited the younger Schlesener to attend a meeting. The Unit was extremely small and was in need of help, so Major Schlesener joined as a senior member April 29, 1987. Schlesener says “It was very cool to be able to put on the uniform of the Air Force and to help young people. I had always had an interest in the military, outdoor activities and anything to do with planes and this fit in with everything”. Over the years, Major Schlesener has developed many friendships with dedicated and inspiring people. Over time he has worked his way up in rank and held various positions in the organization both local and Wing level. Despite all the paperwork, Major Schlesener has enjoyed his time with the organization. “The best part has been getting to know so many of the amazing people that are part of CAP”.

KESA HELD AT MILFORD LAKE

Upper Left: The Ground team prepares to go to work. Lower Right: Cadets Pittman and Sandoval working the brush. Lower Left: Cadets Pittman, Sandoval and Flood receive instructions during KESA.

Captain Sarah Wildman Receives Award

Kansas Wing Safety Officer Captain Sarah Wildman has been chosen as the Professional Pilot Outstanding Student of the Year by the faculty of Kansas State University—Salina. Congrats Captain Wildman!!

The Cadet Advisory Council (CAC) has elected new officials for the 2010-2011 term. C/Capt Marah Carney, a cadet of five years from the 77th Composite Squadron (Emporia), was elected to the position of CAC Chair and will also serve as the North Central Region CAC primary representative from the Wing. C/1stLt Brandon Doubrava, a member for 3 years and new Wing cadet staff member, was elected to CAC Vice-Chair and will serve as the region alternate representative from the Wing. C/Maj Priscilla Temaat, a cadet of four and a half years and new Wing cadet staff member, was elected to CAC Recorder. The last member of the team is C/2ndLt Spencer Kerfoot, a cadet of three years from Lawrence Composite Squadron, was elected to CAC Parliamentarian. Good Luck to you all in the coming year.

Cadet Advisory Elects New Officers -C/Maj Priscilla Temaat

Left to Right: C/Maj Temaat, C/1st Lt Doubraza, C/2nd Lt Kerfoot and C/Capt Carney.

St. John's prepares for AFI (Special Thanks to KSN News for coverage. The Howard Williams Squadron is made up primarily of St John’s Cadets.

The Annual Formal Inspection, or AFI, is the most significant evaluation a military school receives. And at St. John’s Mili-tary School in Salina, cadets are working hard to achieve a high score -- something the school is getting used to. At times you could mistake St. John’s Military School for an Army base and with the AFI just one week away cadets have been working hard to impress the inspectors. “It's very stressful and it's very important that we beat the year before,” said Kyle Stuart, battalion commander at St. John’s. “For other schools, a 990 would be a good score, but for St. John's, that would be unacceptable." It would be unacceptable because the school has received an average score of 997 the past 13 years. The maximum score is 1000. The inspection is conducted by the Untied States Army Cadet Command, which evaluates cadets in all phases of performance, presentation and their demonstration of JROTC skills. "It means that we're doing what we're supposed to do here and that the cadets have actually done the work to get that score,” said Chief Anthony Edwards. “It means a lot to the cadets and their parents and the school and the community." Students grades sixth through twelfth are enrolled in the school and many go on to serve the country. “I never thought I would be in the military,” Stuart said. “I never thought I would go to college. Now, because of St. John's, I'm going to Kansas State University and I'm doing ROTC and I credit all of the successful things I've done in the last few years to St. John's." A group of recruiters and inspectors will spend April 19th on campus grading the cadets and shortly thereafter the cadets will find out whether they've received the coveted honor unit with distinction.

Eric Shappee figures he didn't have a wide range of career choices growing up in Lancaster, Calif. "In that area it was an aerospace community," Shappee said. "My dad was an aerospace engineer and mom was a college professor. The only thing you could do out there was ride motorbikes or get involved in aviation." He chose the latter and as become well-grounded in the sky. Shappee, 41, is a master flight instructor at Kansas State University-Salina and is one of two instructors there who has earned master flight instructor accreditation for a fifth time, one of only 19 flight instructors worldwide to do so. He is among 21 master certified flight instructors in Kan-sas, six of whom are at Kansas State. The others are Kurt Barnhart, professor and head of the de-partment of aviation; William "Bill" Gross, chief pilot and professor of aviation; Bernard King, associate professor of aviation; Troy Brockway, associate professor of aviation; and Andrew Smith, assistant professor of aviation and the aviation maintenance training program lead. He said so few earn the designation because the require-ments can be daunting. Every two years, applicants must demonstrate they have met set standards in, among other areas, instructing, education and contributions to aviation. "You have to have a minimum of 500 hours," Shappee said. "When I submitted my packet, I had 960 hours." He applies for the certification not just for himself. "I find it's very worthwhile," he said. "For me to get it, great, but it also helps the aviation community. It gives the school a better image. It keeps me current in my field and it helps promote aviation to other folks through the service I provide to the community." One way he does that is his work with the Civil Air Patrol. Shappee's interest in aviation took off when he was a teen-ager. "I got started flying when I was 15. I soloed in 1984 and got my first pilot certificate in 1987," he said. "I got the bug early. It was something to do. I tried ice hockey when I was a kid. That was a lot of fun, but aviation is a lot more fun," he said. Shappee credits an Explorer Scout unit that specialized in aviation with introducing him to the wild blue.

He worked at flight schools and eventually became an in-structor. That led to work as a flight test engineer on the Predator, the unmanned aerial vehicle used by the military. He was doing that when he came to K-State. "Now I do a lot of stuff with the unmanned aerial systems here at the college," he said. "Most of what I teach is avia-tion safety and unmanned aircraft systems." At K-State, the drones, with 10-foot wingspans, are much smaller than the 50-foot Predators, which are about the size of some of the single-engine flight trainers used by students. To work with the unmanned aircraft, students must also learn to fly, and the only place, he said, to do that is here. "Anybody who wants to fly unmanned aerial vehicles at this point has to go through K-State," he said. The school's status as an unmanned aerial center increased last week with the announcement that the Salina Economic Develop-ment Incentives Council has approved a $200,000 grant to the program. Even before that was announced, Shappee was confident that the UAV program was no pie in the sky. In fact, he sees a bright future for aviation in general, despite what some believe is a dying industry because of increasing cost of fuel. "People have been saying that for a long time," Shappee said. "Every so often something comes around and aviation gets spurred on again. Right now, the unmanned aerial systems is an-other spur for aviation. I think it's going to create more jobs in the field of general aviation." Besides military, UAVs have civilian uses, Shappee said. He used the May 2007 Greensburg tornado as an example of how camera-laden UAVs can aid rescue efforts. "Infrared cameras can actually pick up heat signatures of people buried in the rubble. We can video-feed that back to the emer-gency operation center and they can tell the ground crews." K-State uses dedicated land near the Smoky Hill Bombing Range southwest of Salina as a training site for its UAVs. The aircraft doesn't require the massive 13,000-foot runway at the Salina Airport for take-offs and landings. It can get by with a smaller field. Much smaller. "We can launch them off the top of a car," Shappee said. It is technology such as this that helps keep Shappee's spirits soar-ing. "It was the coolest thing in the world," he said of his teenaged flying years. "I still think it's the coolest thing. Flying is just great. It's fun, enjoyable and something not everyone else can do."

Sky King

By Gordon Fiedler, Salina Journal Photo by Tom Dorsey, Salina Journal

Excellence in Action! Commit. Achieve. Promote.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 0800—0830 Registration

0830—0845 Posting of the Colors Cunningham Composite Squadron

Benediction

Chap (Maj) Randolph Colby KSWG/HC

Safety Briefing Capt Sarah Wildman

0850—0920 NHQ Brief Marc Huchette Director of Public Awareness and Membership

0920—0930 Region Brief Col Steve Kuddes, NCR/CC

0930—0945 NCLR Brief Lt Col Mike Pederson NCLR/CC

0945—1000 Break

1000—1015 Wing CC Remarks Colonel Regena Aye 1015—1045 Awards

1100—1200 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

DR & HLS Chaplain Networking Capt JD Spradling Chaplain (Major) Randolph Colby

Professional Development AEO Professional Col Burgess Rennels Development Capt Michael Maynard

1200 – 1300 Lunch on your own 1200—1300 Commanders Lunch (For Commanders courtesy of Col Aye)

1300 – 1700 Aircrew Section Capt John Shelton (Pilots)

1300—1400 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Award Write Ups Suicide Prevention Col Steve Kuddes Chaplain (Major) Randolph Colby How to Navigate the Wing Website Capt Kyle Velasquez

1400—1500 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Communications Networking AE Workshop Tools Maj Jon Holder Capt Michael Maynard Cadet Programs Maj Roger Eaton Safety Brief Capt Sarah Wildman 1400—1500 CONCURRENT SESSIONS

SUI Role Play PAO Workshop Wing Staff Col Jerome Hanson

Cadet Programs Roundtable Transportation/OPS Maj Roger Eaton Col Hansen/Maj Lahan

Please use a separate form for each CAP member (reproduce form locally)!

Name: _______________________________Grade/Rank:_______________________

Address:_____________________________City, State, Zip: _____________________

Phone:_______________________________E-Mail:____________________________

Unit Name and Charter Number: __________________________________________

Non-CAP member guest names(s): __________________________________________

(Unit Commander or designee only): I plan to attend the Commander’s Call luncheon, courtesy of Col Regena Aye, KSWG/CC:

YES NO

Name: _________________________________________________________________

REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE!!

TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED: $____________________

REGISTRATION NOTES: All CAP members must submit a separate registration form with accompanying check Multiple attendees from the same family or CAP unit may submit one check Mail checks to: KSWG HQ CAP, 3024 Arnold Ave., Salina, KS 67401 On-line registration is now available! Check it out at www.kswg.cap.gov Early registration fees apply for envelopes postmarked on or before May 15th, 2010 NO registrations will be accepted after Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 SPECIAL NOTE: On-Site registrations for the Conference portion of the day are welcome, but due to catering requirements will not be able to attend the Dinner.

If you are in doubt about attending, we encourage you to pre-register as you may cancel your registration with full refund, up till noon Friday,

May 28th. After Friday, May 28th, ALL payments are non-refundable due to contractual obligations. Wing Finance will process any refunds 30

days after the Conference. If you have any questions, please contact June or Donna at Wing HQ, (785)825-0009, anytime between 8:00 a.m. and

4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday.

Please indicate your choice: Conference and Banquet --Cadet Registration $20.00 (after May 15th, $30.00) Conference and Banquet--Senior Registration $25.00 (after May 15th, $35.00) Banquet Only--Cadet, Senior, or Guest $15.00 (after May 15th, $25.00) Conference Only--Cadet or Senior $20.00 ($30.00 on site)

Kansas Wing Civil Air Patrol

Annual Conference and Banquet

Saturday, May 29, 2010 NCO and Officer Training

May 28-30, 2010

NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR EXERCISE AT CRISIS CITY

12-24 JULY 10!

CONTACT DONNA AT KSWG HEADQUARTERS FOR MORE

INFORMATION

3024 Arnold Ave.

Salina, Kansas 67401-8105

785-825-0009

FAX 785-825-1116

june@kswghq.kscoxmail.com

donna@kswghq.kscoxmail.com

Kansas Wing

Civil Air Patrol

The Eyes of America's Skies