Colorado Wing - Apr 2012

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Peaks a d PlanesOfcial Magazine of the Colorado Wing, Civil Air Patrol

Spring 20

In This Issue:,Curry Salute,Foothills Rover

,Colorado Wings Newest Squadron,

The Wind Beneath Our Wing

,Colorado Springs Cadets are CyberPatriot Finalists


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Too often we take for granted

the training our cadetsreceive from the leaders andmentors in the squadrons. InDecember, I was invited toattend a Dining Out at oneof our squadrons and I askedmy wife to accompany me.We arrived at the appointedplace a little early so webegan to mingle with thecadets and senior members,thats better known as grip-pin and grinnin. It wasntlong until I was whiskedoff to take my place in thereceiving line leaving her in the capable hands of the WingChaplain. The festivities commenced with the grog bowelbeing filled with all the yummy stuff that goes into it, minusthe alcohol of course, the meal was served, the guest speakersdid their thing, a raffle was held, and all too soon it was over.We retrieved our coats and headed out into the dark, coldnight and started for home. We werent in the car two minutesuntil my wife began to comment on how impressed she waswith the cadets; they were so polite, so well dressed, so wellbehaved, and acted very mature. I was quick to inform herthat the cadets I have come in contact in this wing are all likethat. She mentioned her pleasant experience to me a numberof times over the following days and weeks; needless to sayshe is impressed. Before assuming the duties as your wingcommander I didnt have an opportunity to visit the squadronsto present awards and to take part in the promotions of ourcadets however, in the past several months I have. The cadetsof today are the leaders of the future and I am proud to saythey are getting the leadership and guidance that will helpthem to be the best at what they choose to become.

Our cadets are taught the CAP Core Values ~ Integrity,Volunteer Service, Excellence, and Respect. They can tellyou what they are and what they mean. The values serve as theethical framework for CAPs service to America. The mean-ing and power of the values CAP has chosen: INTEGRITY,

Continued on page 13 . . .

Civil Air Patrol is the civilian auxiliary ofthe United States Air Force. Peaks and

Planes is the official publication of theColorado Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.It is published three times a year by theColorado Wing Public Affairs Staff.

Peaks and Planes is published by a privatefirm which is not associated with theDepartment of the Air Force or the Civil

Air Patrol Corporation. The appearance ofadvertisements for products and services,as well as supplements and inserts foundin this magazine, does not constitute

endorsement by the United States AirForce or the Civil Air Patrol Corporation.

Colorado Wing Commander

Col. Earl Sherwin, CAP

Colorado Wing Public Affairs Officer/

Editor

Lt. Col. Mike Daniels, CAP

Colorado Wing Asst. Public Affairs

Officer/Editor

Maj. Denise Thompson, CAP

Article submissions are always welcome.Please send them in Microsoft Word format

to COWG Asst. PAO/Editor Maj. DeniseThompson at [email protected]. Attach

photos (in jpeg format) to your email and makecertain to include full caption information for

each one.Article Submissions-Next Issue Submission

Deadline: June 30, 202

HeadquartersColorado Wing, Civil Air Patrol79 E. Hamilton Ave.Peterson AFB, CO 8094-303

Phone: 79-556-8280

Fax: 79-556-686

Peaks and Planes Spring 2012

Commanders Comments

Col. Earl B. Sherwin, CAP

Commander, Colorado Wing

On the Cover:

BACKGROUND- Formation photo came offU.S. Air Force Thunderbirds web site.

INSET- Colorado Cadet SquadronCyberPatriot team: (L-R) Cadet 1st Lt.

Thomas Jessop, Cadet Senior Airman

Christopher Ottesen, Cadet Chief Master

Sgt. Kyal Lanum, Cadet Stephen Parish, SM

John Parish, Cadet 2nd Lt. Carlin Idle, Cadet

Senior Master Sgt. Chris Vasquez, Capt. Bill

Blatchley. Photo credit: Jim Lanum.


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The CyberPatriot team from theColorado Springs Cadet Squadronis headed to the Washington, D.C.area March 22 March 24, 202,as a finalist in the national cham-pionship round of CyberPatriotIVThe National High SchoolCyber Defense Competition.

CyberPatriot is a uniquecompetition geared towardteenagers that replicates real lifecyber security situations facedby computer administrators.Created in 2008 by the AirForce Association, CyberPatriotprovides students hands-onlearning about cyber securitywhile exciting, educating,and motivating them to be thenations next cyber defenders.

Led by Capt. Bill Blatchley,this team is one of 2 finalists

Colorado Springs CadetSquadron Prepares for

CyberPatriot National Finals

for the competitions All Service Division. Thisyears two-track competition had public, privateand home schools registered in the Open Division,while Junior ROTC units and Civil Air Patrolsquadrons filled the All Service Division. In all,more than ,000 teams registered to participate,representing all 50 states, U.S. Department of

Defense Dependent Schools in Europe and thePacific, and Canada.

Each year this competition draws in verydetermined students who demonstrate greatenergy, motivation and excitement in theirinvolvement with CyberPatriot, said BernieSkoch, CyberPatriot Commissioner. We haveto congratulate all the students for their hard

(L-R) Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Chris Vasquez and CadetSenior Airman Christopher Ottesen consult the Windowschecklist during CyberPatriot Round 3. Photo by Capt. BillBlatchley

(L-R) Cadet 1st Lt. Thomas Jessop, Cadet Senior Airman Christopher Ottesen,Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Kyal Lanum, Cadet Stephen Parish, SM John Parish,Cadet 2nd Lt. Carlin Idle, Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Chris Vasquez, Capt. BillBlatchley. Photo by Jim Lanum


Reprinted from AFA, Edited by Capt. Bill Blatchly, CAP


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On January 4, 202, Cadet Lt. Col. Caitie Grahamof Dakota Ridge Composite Squadron was awardedthe most prestigious milestone in the Civil Air Patrolcadet program, Cadet Colonel. Col. Ed Phelka, formerColorado Wing Commander, flew from Chicago topresent Graham the Carl A. Spaatz Award #820. Hehas been on hand for each of Grahams milestones,and this, the last and most honored achievement, hedidnt miss.

Family and friends from across the nation, alongwith DRCS members watched as Col. Earl Sherwin,

Dakota Ridge Cadet Earns

Spaatz Award

By Cadet Michael Czajkowski, CAP

Dakota Ridge Composite Squadron Cadet PAO

Colorado Wing Commander and Col. Phelka promotedGraham to Cadet Colonel. Three Spaatz cadets alsocame to the ceremony: Capt. Stephanie Lemlin #787,Col. Phelka #72 and Daniel VanderVeiren #572.

So few cadets have actually achieved this award thatless than % of cadets reach this last milestone ascompared to the Billy Mitchell award, first step inthe cadet officer progression with over 60,000 cadetsearning 2nd Lt. In the years that DRCS has been assquadron only 3 cadets have ever earned the award andshe is the first female of the squadron to receive it.


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Commanders Unit Citation, CommandersCommendation w/one device, Paul E. Garber Award,Grover Loeing Award, Leadership Award, Gen.Chuck Yeager Award, Command Service Ribbon,Red Service w/5 year device, Rescue Find Award,Search & Rescue Ribbon, Counterdrug Ribbon, andthe Disaster Relief w/Silver V device.Pikes Peak Senior Squadron hosted a warm recep-tion at Garden of the Gods Club with his high school

sweetheart and lovely wife of 57 years, Gail. Visitingfrom Arizona, General Dave Patton officiated at theevent with a number of good friends and ColoradoWing CAP members in attendance.

In early December Col. Earl B. Sherwin, ColoradoWing Commander, received the Gill Robb WilsonAward from friend and special guest, BrigadierGeneral David Patton, former CAP USAF Commanderand Executive Director. The highest award for SeniorMember professional development, the Wilson awardrecognizes those who have dedicated themselves to

leadership and personal development in the Civil AirPatrol. Also referred to as the Level 5 award, eachprogressive level requires significant involvement inCAP activities over a period of years, mastery of skillsin 23 technical areas, as well as leadership demonstra-tion and training to other senior members.Following a long and successful career as a UnitedStates Air Force NCO with an extraordinary numberof awards and military decorations, Col. Sherwinjoined Civil Air Patrol in September 993. He servedas Commander for Pikes Peak Senior Squadron for a

total of six years. He served as Group 3 Commanderfor four years, Vice Commander for the ColoradoWing for 8 months and Director of Operationsfor three years. He is a qualified Level IncidentCommander and Senior Observer.Born in Barnesboro, PA and graduated fromBarnesboro High School in 954, he enlisted inthe United States Air Force the same year. Servingover 3 years, he completed Eighth Air Force NCOLeadership School, the SAC NCO Academy andthe USAF Senior NCO Academy. He served in

chaplain functions at fourteen Air Force Bases inthe United States and overseas, attaining the highestenlisted rank in the United States Air Force, ChiefMaster Sergeant. He also served in District Courtas a bailiff in the Juvenile Division and as a clerk inthe Criminal Division, retiring in 998.Colonel Sherwins Civil Air Patrol career is alsodistinguished by a number of awards, includ-ing the Distinguished Service Award, National

Colorado Wing CommanderReceives Wilson Award

By 2nd Lt. Jen Knellinger, CAPPikes Peak Squadron PAO

Pikes Peak Senior Squadron hosted the award ceremony ofCol. Earl Sherwin at Garden of the Gods Club in December.Good friend and fellow CAP member Brig. Gen. DavePatton, left, presented Col. Sherwin the Gil Robb WilsonAward for Level 5 achievement.


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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. A cadet withthe Air Academy Cadet Squadron recently joineda rather elite group of young women in southernColorado.

Cadet Capt. Kathryn Pennington, was awardedthe Amelia Earhart Award and promoted to cadetcaptain at an Aug. 22, 20 squadron event held at

the U.S. Air Force Academy. This promotion marksthe second time in AACS history that a female cadetearned the rank of captain.

We checked with our squadron staff, and was onlyone other female who has earned the rank of captainwith AACS, said Lt. Col. Bruce Pennington, AACScommander. There arent many female cadets earn-ing this rank at the state or national level either.

According to Neil Probst, education manager forcadet programs at CAP National Headquarters,

only 378 female cadets in the U.S. have earnedthe Earhart award since 2006, while only 0 haveearned the award in Colorado in the past five years,an average of two female cadets per year. There arecurrently ,070 cadets in the Colorado Wing.

To earn this award and promotion, Cadet Penningtonhad to pass comprehensive leadership and aerospaceeducation exams, pass a multi-dimensional physi-cal fitness test and successfully serve in leadershippositions within the squadron.

Working on this award helped me strengthen andimprove my leadership style, Cadet Penningtonsaid. It was a great opportunity for me to workat improving myself overall. She said CAP is thefoundation on which shes building her future. Theleadership programs and summer activities havereally helped me define my path in life.

Cadet Pennington is a high school sophomore at

Civil Air Patrol Cadet Earns EarhartAward, Marks Squadron Milestone

By 2nd Lt. Joseph Nuvoloni, CAP

Air Academy Composite Squadron PAO

The Classical Academy here and is a member of thebasketball, track and cross country teams, letteringin the latter two sports. Looking beyond high school,Cadet Pennington wants to attend the U.S. Air ForceAcademy and study a field that will prepare her formedical school. I hope to compete for the few slotsavailable for medical school after graduating fromthe Air Force Academy.

Like many young men and women who enter theAcademy, she wants to fly, but she doesnt want tobe a career Air Force pilot. I want to work on bothmy powered and glider pilot licenses outside theAir Force, she said. My long-term vision is to beable to fly myself and other medical professionals to

(L-R) Colorado Wing Commander Lt. Col. Earl Sherwin, CadetCapt. Kathryn Pennington, Anne Whonic, Pikes Peak 99s.



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the systems, but it makes the team stronger.

The CyberPatriot program is not just aboutsecuring computer systems and networks. Thecadets are provided an excellent opportunity to

learn leadership, followership, and teamwork. Theteam does not have any super geeks. Rather,each team member is learning to fulfill their rolesand responsibilities for the success of the team.Vasquez added Over the years, CyberPatriothas sculpted my leadership skills enabling me tolead my team through tough situations like thiscompetition and has given me the opportunity tomentor young cadets so that one day when theytake the lead of this team, they will far exceedmy expectations. Vasquez has competed inCyberPatriot II, III, and IV being the team captain

the last two years.

Among the goals of the CyberPatriot competitionis to develop the next generation of cyberdefenders. Several of the cadets from the squadronhave expressed interest in pursuing computerand network security as a career. st Lt. GrantIdle had this to say about his son, Cadet 2nd Lt.Carlin Idles participation on the team, I am mostimpressed with what Carlin has learned in a fewmonths on the CSCS CyberPatriot team. It hasbeen an extremely good use of his time, providing

real-world life skills and awareness of computerand network vulnerabilities. He is excited aboutthe possible career opportunities this experiencecould provide.

Any squadron interested in fielding a team forCyberPatriot V during the 202-203 school yearshould attend the briefing to be held during theColorado Wings annual conference. The briefingcan be found under the Aerospace Education trackunder the New Aerospace Education ProgramUpdates session.


work, and we look forward to the great amountof enthusiasm they will bring with them to theNational Finals Competition in March.

The All Service Division began with more than

600 teams registered. After two spirited rounds ofcompetition, 40 teams advanced to Round 3. Now,the group has been narrowed to 2, and eachteam will receive all-expenses-paid trips to theCyberPatriot National Finals Competition at theGaylord National Hotel and Convention Centerin National Harbor, Maryland, where teams willcompete face to face and defend virtual networksfrom a professional aggressor team.

The Colorado Springs team will be joined by twoteams each from the Air Force, Army, Navy and

Marine Corps Junior ROTC squadrons across thenation. In addition, three other CAP teams fromSouth Dakota, Alabama and Ohio will roundout the field of 2 All Service Division teamscompeting for the Commander In Chiefs trophy.

This is the second year that the Colorado SpringsCadet Squadron team has traveled for the nationalcompetition. For the CyberPatriot III competitionheld during the 200-20 school year, theteam was among the 2 semi-finalists in the AllService Division that traveled to Orlando, Florida.

This years competition had the 2 teams goingdirectly to the finals.

Capt. Blatchley said, The team will draw on ourexperience from last year to better prepare forthe competition. The in-person competitions aremuch more stressful and difficult for the teams.Since two team members have already been to thenational competition, they know what to expectand can fine tune their techniques based on thelessons learned from last year.

The team has practiced securing a variety ofcomputer systems most every Saturday sinceSeptember. Capt. Blatchley also preparesscenarios for the team to work against thatare similar to what they will encounter inWashington. During these scenarios, he oftentakes the role of the aggressor team activelyattacking the network. Team Captain, CadetSenior Master Sgt. Chris Vasquez indicated thathe does not like it when Jack shows up to attack

CyberPatriot, cont. from page 3


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Character Development Instructorshave been part of the CAP ChaplainCorps since the mid-990s. The posi-tion was created because of the lackof qualified chaplains for teaching themoral leadership component of theCAP Cadet Program.

From the beginning of CAP in WorldWar 2, CAP Cadets have been taughtleadership skills. We all know howleaders are developed from the firstmeeting where cadets learn to followas part of a group. But leadership ismuch more than drill and ceremony.Leadership includes basic knowledge, psychology, motivation, andethics. The ethical component of the Cadet Program helps buddingleaders understand and apply the core values of integrity, volunteerservice, respect, and excellence.

In the same way a chaplain is endorsed by an outside agency, theCharacter Development Instructor is endorsed by his or her localclergy. A CDI must have at least 60 hours of college credit and musthave a recommendation from the religious congregation they attend.The recommendation letter says they are active in the congregation,thus learning about ethics and morals, exercising the judgment whichCAP Cadets hope to learn. Once a qualified senior member passesLevel , they can apply for appointment as a CDI.

Although some CDIs are assigned to Groups, the position existsfor only one purpose, to prepare and present the required Character

Development sessions in a Cadet or Composite Squadron. CDIsassigned to Group or Wing should visit squadrons which lack achaplain or CDI so to provide the leadership training required byCAPR 52-6.

CDIs are not chaplains, so they do not have the right of confidential-ity. This is an important distinction if any CAP member is seekingcounseling and advice.

Next time we will discuss the Character Development session.

By Lt. Col. Jeff Williams, CAP

Colorado Wing Chaplain

ChaplainsCorner

VOLUNTEER S ERVI CE,EXCELLENCE, and RESPECTare easily inferred by all who readthem. These words effectivelyreplace dozens of pages of direc-tives, and simply articulate whatsright and whats wrong, andform a tool by which conduct ismeasured. They are the embodi-ment of how CAP members areexpected to treat each other andthe people they come in contactwith of mans expectationsof fellow man. (Making CoreValues Make Sense, BobbieTourville). Core Values requirethat you do the best you can toembody its principles, even, asformer Air Force Chief of StaffGeneral Ronald Fogleman said,When no one else is watching.If you havent already read it openCAP Pamphlet 50-2 and study itclosely, it will make a differencein how you conduct your personaland CAP business.

As a final note, it isnt too earlyto get geared up for the manyactivities that will be coming upthis spring and summer. Watchfor announcements coming toyour inbox and on the website.

Take advantage of all you can.

Thanks for your hard work anddedication to the best wing inCivil Air Patrol ~ the ColoradoWing! Remember ~ P.R.I.D.E.and Zero Defects.

Commanders Comments, cont.from page 1


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In my article for the last issue of Peaks and Planes,I briefly discussed the need for members to disclosepre-existing conditions before participation in CAPactivities. Since the number of safety mishaps attrib-uted to pre-existing conditions continues to rise, Iwant to discuss this subject in more detail.

What is a pre-existing condition? The latest revi-sion to CAP Regulation 62-2, Mishap Reportingand Review, now includes a specific bodily injury

mishap classification of Pre-existing Conditionsin the definitions section in paragraph 2.b.(9).

Definition: A pre-existing condition mishap is anymishap where a members undisclosed, underlyingmedical condition results in a mishap, or signifi-cantly aggravates the ultimate outcome. This couldalso be attributed to a members failure to followlimitations set for a disclosed medical condition.This includes chronic (e.g., diabetes, asthma) andacute (e.g., knee sprain, concussion).

This definition includes undisclosedmedical condi-tions that cause or contribute to a mishap. It alsoincludes a Members failure to follow limitationsset for adisclosedmedical condition.

Pre-existing conditions lead the trend rate of mishapsthatonly the individual member can control. Almostall pre-existing condition mishaps are preventable;however, prevention is possible only if individualmembers disclose pre-existing conditions andappropriate accommodations are made!

CAP members are responsible for being physicallyandmentally prepared before participating in CAPmeetings or activities. Any physical or mentalcondition that might cause, increase the possibilityof, or aggravate the outcome of a safety mishap isa pre-existing condition.

The following point was made, recently, by Lt.Col. Don Johanson, Director of Safety for Rocky

Member Disclosure ofPre-existing Conditions

By Maj. Buddy McCormick, CAP

Director of Safety, Colorado Wing

Mountain Region:

We often think of this as the more common pre-existing injury versus condition that becomesaggravated during a CAP activity. However, a pre-existing condition can be more than an injury whenwe consider it from a practical standpoint.

His point is that pre-existing conditions do not haveto be physical injuries. When we begin to think interms of pre-existing conditions rather than pre-

existing injuries, we can begin to consider moresituations in which member participation might needto be restricted or limited.

CAP leadership should educate members to beaware of and to make voluntary disclosures aboutany pre-existing condition. This education shouldaddress temporary or permanent pre-existingphysicalandmental conditions that may result ina mishap. At the start of all activities, CAP lead-ers must provide reminders and opportunities for

members to disclose pre-existing conditions. Thesedisclosure opportunities should ensure memberprivacy and confidentiality.

Most members are familiar with cases such as a cadetwith a history of ankle injuries wishing to participatein the shuttle run portion of Cadet Physical FitnessTesting. The cadets physician may have restrictedthe cadet from running; however, the cadet partici-pates against the physicians advice and re-injuresthe ankle. Voluntary disclosure can prevent this type

of mishap by allowing leadership to prevent a cadetfrom knowingly making a bad decision.

Pre-existing conditions can be permanent or tem-porary. Temporary conditions may be long termor short term. A case as simple as inadequate restor low blood sugar resulting from failure to eatbefore an activity can increase the risk of a safetymishap. Cases such as this can cause distraction,


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Cadet 2nd Lt. Noah Gibbs of theSteamboat Springs CompositeSquadron of the Civil Air Patrolhas distinguished himself andbeen selected to participate inthe Civic Leadership Academy(CLA) in Washington D.C.,February 25 to March 3, 202.

Cadet 2nd Lt. Gibbs is honoredas the only Civil Air Patrol Cadet

to be selected from the State ofColorado. The Civil Air Patrolselects top cadets from across thenation to participate in the CLA,an academically intense, interac-tive study of the democraticprocess in action.

The Civic Leadership Academy

provides cadets an unrivaledopportunity to gain a well-roundedunderstanding of leadership,public service and the principlesthat guide our nation, said Maj.Gen. Amy S. Courter, CLAsfounding director and formerCap National Commander. The

Colorado Civil Air Patrol CadetChosen for Civic Leadership Academy

By 2nd Lt. Carrie Gibbs, CAP

activity empowers them to applythose principles in their lives andto be thoughtful participants inour nations future [Quote from20 CAP News Release].

The curriculum includes learningopportunities and experiencesat the Capitol, the SupremeCourt, the State Department,the CIA, the FBI, the Pentagon,

legislative offices, major nationalmonuments and the Air andSpace Museum. These learningexperiences are complementedby lectures, seminars, assignedreadings and reports, includinga final project. The project is apresentation for the cadets peers

at their home squadrons.

The success of CLA has beento keep the cadets engaged inactivities they could not do ontheir own, said Lt. Col. BillBrockman, CLA activity directorand founding faculty member.They are not just learning about

government, but also how tointeract with government, howthey can be involved to make a

difference, and how to look forinternship opportunities [Quotefrom 20 CAP News Release].

Cadet 2nd Lt. Gibbs joined theCivil Air Patrol in 2008 and islooking forward to the oppor-tunities the CLA will provide.

Steamboat Springs Composite

Squadron Public Affairs OfficerSM Allen Storie contributed tothis story.

Cadet 2nd Lt. Noah Gibbs. Photo by2nd Lt. Carrie Gibbs, Colorado Wing

The Civic Leadership Academy provides cadets

an unrivaled opportunity to gain a well-rounded

understanding of leadership, public service and

the principles that guide our nation.

- Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter,

Civil Air Patrol


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January 23, 202 was Military, Veterans and MIA/POW AppreciationDay at the State Capitol in Denver. Colorado Wing, as part of theDepartment of Military and Veterans Affairs, participated. Col. EarlSherwin, Colorado Wing Commander, was introduced at a morningreception hosted by The Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. H. MichaelEdwards, and attended by military leaders and legislators. Afterwardsthe Senate and House opened their daily sessions.

Cadets from Valkyrie Cadet Squadron: Cadet Capt. John Harhai, Cadet2nd Lt. Alex Ashford, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Bryan Fisher and CadetChief Master Sgt. Daniel Pershing, whose names were entered into theJournal for the record, led the Pledge of Allegiance in the House. TheSenate joined the House in its chamber and several joint resolutionswere introduced, the first of which, House Joint Resolution 2-005,mentions Civil Air Patrol. Among the guests in the House were twoTuskegee Airmen from Colorado. In their remarks honoring themilitary and veterans, several legislators talked about having seen themovie Redtails with their children.


Military AppreciationDay

By Lt. Col. Mike McDonald, CAP

(L-R) 1st Lt. David Pershing, SM Jeff Caldwell, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. DanielPershing, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Bryan Fisher, Cadet Capt. John Harhai, Cadet2nd Lt. Alex Axford, and Col. Sherwin.

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On Wednesday January 8, 202cadets from the Steamboat SpringsComposite Squadron, receivedflags from American LegionPost 44 and Veterans of ForeignWars Post 4264 at the SteamboatSprings Community Center.

Squadron Commander, Lt. Col.

Jack Dysart and four Cadetsaccepted the donations of anAmerican and Colorado flagfrom the American Legionand Veterans of Foreign Wars(VFW). These gifts, which alsoincluded cases and flag stands,will enable the cadets to performColor Guard activities for thecommunity of Steamboat Springsand surrounding areas.

Presenting the flags to the cadetswas American Legion Post 44Commander Buck Buckland andAmerican Legion Honor GuardMember Van Fletcher. AmericanLegionnaire Jim Stanko assistedin coordinating the donations.

While thanking the Legionnairesand VFW members, Lt. Col.Dysart described a revived and

thriving Cadet Program, whichfor the first time in the historyof the squadron warranted theneed for such flags. Last year thecadets borrowed parade rifles andflags from American Legion andVFW numerous times to performColor Guard duties for localevents such as the Relay for Life

Passing the TorchCivil Air Patrol Cadets Receive Flags From Veterans

By 2nd Lt. Carrie Gibbs, CAP, and SM Allen Storie, CAP

Steamboat Springs Composite Squadron PAO

Cancer Walk, Triple Crown andthe USA Pro Cycling Challenge.The cadets also paired withthe American Legion for ColorGuard duties during a MemorialDay Commemoration and forVeterans Day.

The Legion has been instru-mental in facilitating volunteeropportunities for the cadets. We

thank Jim Stanko, the Legion andthe VFW for their support andhelping us to be of service to ourcommunity, said Cadet 2nd Lt.Noah Gibbs, Cadet Commander.We hope more people will real-ize our presence and willingnessas volunteers.

The cadets plan to create a ColorGuard team and hope to com-pete with other Civil Air PatrolSquadrons nationwide. Gibbssays, While Color Guard teachesteamwork and excellence to youngpeople, foremost is patriotism,unity, and the profound apprecia-tion for the people who sacrificedtheir lives for our freedom. Welearn to have a deep respect forthe flags for this reason.

C a d e t s p a r t i c i p a t i n g i nWednesdays ceremony wereCadet Senior Airman JoshuaHeald, Cadet 2nd Lt. Noah Gibbs,Cadet Senior Master SergeantAidan Gibbs, and Cadet Airmanst Class Anthony Sisto.

American Legion Post 44 Commander Buck Buckland and American Legion HonorGuard Member Van Fletcher present ags to Cadet Senior Airman Joshua Heald,Cadet 2nd Lt. Noah Gibbs , Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Aidan Gibbs Cadet Airman1st Class Anthony Sisto.


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Colorado Wing has many behind the scenes functionsthat we take for granted. Those volunteer mannedfunctions dont receive the same attention that savinga life or winning an award does. Yet without them wecould not perform CAPs missions. Two that we wantto look at today are Wing Finance and Wing AircraftMaintenance.

An old saying is It always comes down to money. TheWing Finance team consists of Maj. Doug Greenspan,Maj. Pat Nettleblad, Maj. Tom Benson, Lt. Col. TomOMelia, and Lt. Col. Rick Oaks. They meet every

Thursday at Buckley AFB, for about five hours to sortreceipts, handle reimbursement requests, and record

data for tracking. Sources of income can be from members, from squadrons, from federal funds and fromstate funds. All of this needs to be sorted out and properly applied. The biggest bill to pay is for aircraftfuel, which runs between $2,000 and $0,000 per week, depending on activity. Vehicle fuel averages about$,000 per week. Thirty-six individual squadron funds are also tracked and they add up to over $62,000of deposits.

Wing Finance is inspected two or three times each year by CAP National Headquarters. Without the devo-tion of the Wing finance team our ability to respond would be limited.

CAPs unique resource is the airplane. Colorado has sixteen CAP airplanes and two gliders based in thisstate. Those aircraft require a lot of attention to keep them in a safe flyable condition. If something failsin the air we cant just pull off to the side of the road and call a tow truck. Aircraft have time limited partsreplacement and inspections required in order to meet legal airworthiness requirements of the FederalAviation Administration. Our volunteer aircraft crew chiefs are responsible for monitoring the aircraftstatus and responding to discrepancies reported by aircrews.

The crew chiefs coordinate aircraft maintenance needs with the Wing Director of Aircraft Maintenance,Capt. Matt Flanders. Capt. Flanders then obtains authorization from National Headquarters, which fundsthe aircraft maintenance work. Further coordination is then required with the maintenance facility to bringthe aircraft in, order parts, etc. Add to that things like updating the Aircraft Information File, providingcleaning supplies, spare oil, and snow shovels and our crew chiefs stay busy.

Colorado consistently averages over 200 hours per airplane annual flying on our fleet of aircraft. That will requireat least 32 00 hour/annual inspections, 32 additional oil changes, 6 pitot statiCadet transponder checks, plusunscheduled maintenance. Devoted crew chiefs want to be sure that each time you climb into a CAP airplaneit is going to operate properly.

Wing Finance and Wing Aircraft Maintenance are just two of examples of how we all work together tomeet Colorado Wings goals and public expectations.

Behind the Scenes

By Lt. Col. Robert Beabout, CAP


15/3623 23


Marine Wings

Marine Wings: Stories ofWar and Peace as Written

by the Pilots includesfirst-hand accounts ofMarine aviators andground personnel whohad front row seats inthe action. Twenty-threepilots ranking from captainto colonel recount theirmost memorable flyingexperiences between theyears of 938 to 998involving intercepts ofenemy aircraft, close air

support of ground troops,bombing, transportation, ordnance, communication,engineering, testing and air/sea rescue. It also sharessome of the lighter moments, and mistakes, madeduring war and between the wars, as well as aviationexperiences from civilian occupations. From fabric-covered biplanes to jets that break the sound barrier,these are the guys who set the standards for Marineaerial warfare.

World War II was the big oneall out war. Andnowhere was there tougher combat than with theMarines in the Pacific. The Marine Air Reservewas there, as well as in later combat in Korea andVietnam. These are a few of their storieswhat itwas really likefrom 1938 to 1998.

John Glenn, astronaut, U.S. Senator, ColonelUSMC (Ret.)

Marine Wings is an entertaining and rivetingaccount of Marine flyers. I loved the stories ofcourage, daring and good time.

Tom Brokaw, Former Anchor of NBC NightlyNews and author of The Greatest Generation.

To purchase a copy of Marine Wingscontact DeForest Press, toll-free 877-747-3123

CAP Members call to receive a 20% discount

Visit www.DeForestPress.com

Marine Wings, Hardcover, 6x9, 384 pages, ISBN978930374256, $29.95.

The Untold Story of Lindberghs

1927-1928 Good Will Tours

The Daniel

Guggenheim Funddid a wonderful thingfor the advancementof civil aviationand air travel whenit arranged andfinanced CharlesLindberghs927-928 LatinAmerican and U.S.Tours. The tourswere a remarkabledemonstrationof the efficiency,dependability andsafety of airplaneswhich were to break through the longtime publicapathy and awaken the public, politicians, andbusiness persons to the possibility of air travel.

These unique tours won more converts to the gospelof commercial aviation than any other single event inits history. Lindberghs flight tactics followed those ofthe old barnstormers, but none of those gypsy aviatorsever dreamed of the vast crowds that he would draw

wherever he landed. Hundreds of towns and citiesacross the nation requested a visit from Lindbergh.Schoolchildren signed petitions for him to visit theirschools and state governors, powerful politicians andbusinessmen requested his presence.

Author Ev Cassagneres collaborated with CharlesLindbergh to accurately detail and document thehistory of the world-famous airplane in his earlierwork, The Untold Story of the Spirit of the St.Louis. Cassagneres was inspired to bring to light thelittle-known subsequent adventures of this team ofman and machine.

Read all about this fantastic journey in The UntoldStory of Lindberghs 927-928 Good Will Tours.A special offer of 50% off the retail price of $24.95has been extended to all CAP members who wouldlike to purchase a copy! Contact the publisher,Pictorial Histories Publishing Company at www.pictorialhistoriespublishing.com or call 406 549-8488 and let them know you read about the bookin the Colorado Civil Air Patrols Peaks & Planesmagazine.

Cover to Cover


16/3624 24

Anyone walking into Foothills Cadet Squadronon a recent aerospace night might wonder whatin the world items like graham crackers, Mentos,marshmallows, toothpicks, Smarties, wafer cook-ies, monster money, gum drops, gummy bears, andfrosting could possibly have to do with aerospaceor exploration. The answer is everything!

NASAs latest Mars rover, Curiosity, was scheduledto launch in late November of 20. In anticipationof the launch, Foothills cadets were tasked with

creating a Mars rover. Before they could build arover, however, the cadets learned a bit about Mars.We discussed its climate, the terrain and soils, andits distance from the Sun. We then compared Marsto Earth by discussing their relative sizes, masses,densities, and periods of rotation and revolutionaround the Sun. We then speculated why Mars couldhave had life, what forms it might have had, and whyit is important that we learn as much as we can aboutMars before sending astronauts to Mars.

No discussion of a journey to Mars would be completewithout a bit of astronomical history -- fact and flightsof fantasy. First we discussed the historic astronomicalobservations of Mars -- the early astronomers draw-ings and observations. One astronomer in particular,

Munchies on Mars

the nineteenth century Italian astronomer GiovanniSchiaparelli drew Martian maps and named severalMartian features including the mares, continents,and several long straight features he called canali(channels in English). Although he never claimedthese were anything but natural features, the canaliwere translated into English as canals and that gave

rise to much speculation about Martians. We thendiscussed some of the history of Man versus Marsincluding the classic science fiction novels of JohnCarter (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Robert HeinleinsPodkayne of Mars, and H.G. Wells War of the World(novella and the later radio play and movies based onthat work) and then theorized why of all the planetsMars seems to have captured the attention of so manywriters and dramatists.

After the brief trip down memory lane, we thenbrought the discussion back to current Mars explo-

ration and the rovers that have been sent to Mars.We talked about the similarities and differencesbetween the rovers that were already on Mars (Spiritand Opportunity) and then the current mission. Wediscussed what kinds of challenges and hazardsthe rovers faced and why a rover could and wouldfail and how the current rover was designed andengineered to overcome the difficulties encounteredby Spirit and Opportunity.

By 1st Lt. Mary Cast, CAP

Foothills Cadet Squadron, CO-031

Explorer Team 1 cadets are: Airman 1st Class Dakota Strock,Technical Sgt. Zachary Lodge, 1st Lt. Grayson Horn, AirmanEzekiel Williams, Cadet Kyle Miller, Airman Emily Axtell

Explorer Team 2 cadets: Senior Airman Dusten Strock,Senior Airman August Roberts, Master Sgt.. Levi Lockling,Senior Airman Brandon Tellez


17/36


18/3626 26

Denver, CO-On Saturday Dec. 3rd 20, membersof the Colorado Wing gathered at Ft. Logan NationalCemetery to pay tribute to Maj. Gen. John F. Curry. Ina celebration of the Civil Air Patrols 70th anniversary38 CAP members, cadets, and assorted parents came topay tribute to our past and salute our future.

Our past is located at the grave of Maj. Gen. John F.Curry. Our future is the fifteen cadet airmen who received

their Curry Award in this place of eternal rest and undy-ing homage. The Curry Award is the first achievementa cadet earns in their CAP career.

Maj. Gen. Curry was the Civil Air Patrols first NationalCommander and he created wings in every state. He wasknown to his friends as Jack. Jack built 24 Air Corpsbases, auxiliary fields, bombing ranges, and depots duringWWII. He also trained over .2 million men for combatin all theaters of war. As a retired General, Jack Curry,helped bring the Air Force Academy to Colorado in 958.He was more than CAPs first National Commander, he

was an indispensable pivot point of military planning,building, execution, and history from 96 through 946.His accomplishments are scattered throughout our his-tory and both our history and his accomplishments werehonored on this day.

Capt. David King provided the invocation. Cadet 2ndLt. Patrick Neff piped Amazing Grace. Wing Heritage

Cadet Lt. Patrick Neff begins the ceremony - pipingAmazing Grace.

Fourth AnnualCurry Salute

By Capt. Ed OBrien, CAP,

Wing Deputy Historian and Black Sheep

Squadron PAO

Photos by Kim Long

Officer Capt. Ed OBrien provided a biographic synopsisof the good General. And, members: MSgt. CynthiaSmith, E.J. Bennett, and st Lt. Mary Cast - performedhonors and tributes.

And so, these new Curry cadets were introduced by nameto the General and Mrs. Curry. Salutes were presented atgraveside with parents and friends looking on in silentattention. The Cadets salutes were accepted in the nameof the Patrol and the Curry Family by Col. Gary Tobey,Lt. Col. Gary Falls, and Maj. Thomas Scheffel.

As Maj. Scheffel stated; ... this is a thing that wontmean as much today to these cadets as it will when theyare our age. Then it will mean so very much to them.So very much!

Though the temperature was in the low twenties andthe snow was falling at over an inch per hour, after theceremony was dismissed, all participants lingered at thegrave site to bask in a good deed done, take a few com-memorative pictures, and appreciate a heartfelt missioninto memory accomplished.

Capt. OBrien concluded: the snowy conditions broughtan intimacy to the ceremony this year. This was ourwarmest Curry Salute and Awards Ceremony, no matterthe weather.

After the ceremony was done Col. Tobey called the lastremaining first generation relative of General Curry,daughter Sheila. She is in delicate health at age 86 andresides in Southern California. Col. Tobey reports;Sheila was most pleased and thanks all of us in theColorado Wing for remembering her Dad and mother.

How can any of us forget Gen. Curry? Why would any ofus forget his 4th Annual Salute and Awards Ceremony?After-all, it was so warm.

Capt. Ed OBrien receives a handshake of appreciation as1st Lt. Mary Cast and MSgt. Cynthia Smith look on. Lt. Col.Gary Tobey brushes snow from another cadet.


19/3627 27

The 202 Wreaths Across Americastarted with a kick off ceremony thattook place December 5 at the ColoradoState Building. Colorado GovernorJohn Hickenlooper was guest of honor.Broomfield Composite squadron pro-vided the color guard, bugler and vocalist.The VFW, American Legion and UnitedVeterans Committee were also invited.

The official ceremony was held Saturday,December 0th throughout the countrysimultaneously. In Grand Junction, Thunder

Mountain Composite Squadron ColorGuard shared in the posting of the colorsand the wreath laying ceremony. Severalsenior members assisted by laying wreaths on all headstones in the Western Colorado Veterans Cemetery.

For more information regarding Wreaths Across America please visit: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.


Broomeld Composite Squadron and Governor John Hickenlooper. (L-R) Cadet 2nd Lt. Dustin Reetz, Cadet Chief MasterSgt. Mathew Jones, Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Scott Sowell, Cadet SSgt. Anna Gilmer, Gov. John Hickenlooper, Cadet ChiefMaster Sgt. Brianna Larkin, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Tony Mastroianna, Cadet Master Sgt. Ryan Brodie, Cadet Senior MasterSgt. Josh Christian, Cadet Airman Melissa Hutsell. Photo by Mark Broste.

Wreaths Across America 2012

Thunder Mountain Composite Squadron; (L-R) Cadet Airman 1st ClassSienna Watkins, Cadet Technical Sgt. Shamron Willison, Cadet SeniorAirman Rachel Baber, Cadet Senior Airman Tony Cavalier

By Maj. Denise Thompson, CAP

Colorado Wing Assistant PAO


20/3628 28

Aviation Xtreme is offering a 10% Discount with CAPID for all COWG cadets and senior members. Theyhave Aerial Combat Tournaments Tuesdays and Fridaysat 7 PM with the winner receiv-ing a gift certificate for one hourof flight time. Aviation Xtremeis challenging all COWG cadetsquadrons to select their best

cadet pilots to fly against each other as part of a sched-uled weekend tournament with a weekend date to beannounced. Also, FAA Licensed CAP pilots get 1 freehour per year to use their civilian simulator as a proce-dures trainer and for instrument approach practice. Notapplicable on weekends. Aviation Xtreme is located in theColorado Mills Mall, Lakewood, CO. PH 303-590-1603www.aviationxtreme.com

Six members of San Juan Composite Squadron,based in Durango, CO, drove to Las Vegas NV,for the Aviation Nation Open House at Nellis AFB,Nov. 2-3, 20. The air show was free to thepublic both Saturday and Sunday. The attendeesare shuttled from the Las Vegas Motor Speedwayparking into the base by tour bus.

The two-day event depicted the historyof American aviation and saluted the recentaccomplishments of Americas military in

operations around the globe through numer-ous military and civilian ground displays.The show opened with the Air Force parachutejumpers flying the American flag as the NationalAnthem played.

By Capt. Jeff Bynum, CAP

San Juan Cadet Squadron CC

San Juan Travels to Air Show

There were hundreds of vendors, civilian and armedforces aircraft static displays and various flightdemonstrations. The B-, B-2 and B-52 bombers,C-7, C-30 cargo aircraft, AT6 Warthog, andF-4 Phantom only name a few. The Air ForceThunderbirds were center stage with eight F-6Fighting Falcons. This was the last show of the20 season. They traveled throughout the US,Canada and Europe performing close to 70 shows.Capt. Jeff Bynum, Squadron Commander said, Itwas a small group, but well worth the drive. We arealready planning to attend next year.

For more information regarding the 202 show:www.nellis.af.mil/aviationnationwww.thunderbirds.airforce.com

Colorado Civil Air Patrol

Special Invitation


21/3629 29


What a difference a few months can make

in the life of a child. Only six monthsago, st Lt. Cathy Laliberte, 2nd Lt. JerryKauffman and I began implementing aplan to bring a school squadron to life.Now RMR-CO-803, Adams CountyCadet Squadron, has 3 members and isparticipating in community service events,emergency services and various trainingopportunities like powered and gliderorientation flights.

North Valley Composite Squadron had

sent a color guard to the Adams 27J SchoolDistrict State of the District meeting inBrighton in 20. The School Board wasso impressed with the military bearing andprofessionalism of the color guard teamthat they asked the cadets to explain moreabout Civil Air Patrol (CAP). They wereamazed at what the program offered to

Colorado Wings Newest Squadron

By Master Sgt. Cynthia Smith, CAP

Cadet Advisors from North Valley Composite Squadron and new Cadets from Adams County Cadet Squadron, RMR-CO-803, recite the Cadet Oath in formation at their rst Awards Ceremony. Eighteen cadets were awarded their Curry ribbon andCadet Airman rank.

Cadet Airman Curtis Reisenauer, one of the newest cadets from RMR-CO-183, staffs a CAP information table at Wings Over the RockiesMuseum. Valkyrie Cadet Squadron, which meets at the museum, assistswith Open Cockpit Day every second Saturday of the month.

st Lt. Laliberte obtained the materials providedby CAP National Headquarters and discoveredthat starting a school squadron can be both simple

youth. The School Board approached Cathy Laliberte,a CAP member at North Valley Composite Squadronand an employee of Adams 27J School District, to ask

about the feasibility of starting a school squadron. Continued on page 33 . . .


22/3630 30

Aviation is full of acronyms and all of you know the firstone, some of you will recognize the second, but very fewwill know the last. While the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) operates

the largest fleet of single engine piston aircraft in the world,sadly we all know they are also one of the best kept secretsto the general population. Meanwhile the CommemorativeAir Force (CAF) vies for also being a big secret with theworlds largest private air force. The CAF changed theirname from Confederate in 200 while keeping the CAFabbreviation. This decision was based on both politicalcorrectness to acquire more corporate donations, plus nothaving to repaint a lot of buildings and aircraft.The CAF began in 957 with the $2500 acquisition ofa North American P-5 Mustang that still flys today asRed Nose. Soon afterwards, a Grumman F8F Bearcatwas purchased so that two founding CAF members coulddogfight using the two best propeller-driven aircraft thatserved during WWII. While making these purchases, theyfound that nearly all WWII vintage aircraft were alreadybeing melted down for the price of their aluminum skins.Nobody, including the US government, were concernedwith preserving any of the remaining few flying artifactsthat were so crucial in winning WWII. So they found a fewlike-minded friends and began a quest of saving at leastone of each aircraft type flown by US servicemen from939-945. The collection now almost completed, along

with a few other significant aircraft flown by both Alliedand Axis powers. The collection also now encompassessome Korean and Vietnam conflict aircraftThe Confederate Air Force was so named due to theTexan drawl of the founders, and they decided they wouldall members have the honorary rank of Colonel - justso nobody would need to salute. The collection quicklyoutgrew the original small crop-dusting airport, and movedto Harlingen, Texas in 968. In 99 they moved againto Midland, Texas. Now they own and operate over 50vintage warbird aircraft all of which are assigned amongthe 70 small local units in 27 states and four countries

abroad. There are almost 8,000 CAF members, includinga cadet program for those between 2 and 8 years ofage. An all-volunteer flying museum organization, theCAF volunteers only payment is seeing the faces of thegeneral public who get a chance to view these special andrare aircraft up close and personal. Unlike most museums,the CAF takes its exhibits on the road to airshows acrossthe country and encourages visitors to actually touch andsometimes fly in them, rather than collecting dust in abuilding with a rope separating them from the public.

CAF AvengerBy Capt. Rob Duncan, Col. CAF

This rare sight of four TBM Avengers ying in formationis captured by Phil Makanna at the 2000 Thunder Over

Michigan airshow in Ypsilanti, MI. The annual event highlights adifferent aircraft type each year. This picture shows a rainbow ofauthentic paint schemes. The RR on the upper TBM denotesTorpedo Squadron VT-88 own from the USS Yorktown(CV-10) and typical Pacic Theater tri-color paint scheme. Thenext lower TBM sports the grey hues used by those used forNorth Atlantic anti-submarine patrols in support of convoys toEurope. TBMs were highly successful in this role by sinking 53German submarines during WWII. In fact our own TBM 309continued in this role, ying as part of the Royal Canadian Navyuntil 1958. The upwards pointing arrow on the tail of our TBM309 denotes a TBM assigned to VT-84, also known as theWolf Gang squadron, aboard the USS Bunker Hill, (CV-17).This squadron was the rst to attack Tokyo harbor on February16 & 17, 1945 and the colorful yellow cowling was adopted toenhance identication as friendly when returning to the eetfrom their raid because the eet was constantly being harassedby similar looking Japanese kamikaze aircraft. The bottomaircraft in the stack belongs to the Cavanaugh Flight Museumin Galveston, TX and its deep blue paint scheme depicts a TBMown by Marine Torpedo Squadron 132 from the U.S.S. CapeGloucester (CVE-109) during World War II.

What did you say actually fly in them? Who, me? yes! Due to their non-standard airworthiness certification,

it used to be that only CAF members were allowed to flyin these rare warbirds, but that has always included CAFCadets. However about 5 years ago, the CAF acquireda letter of authorization from the FAA which allowed thepublic to have a Living History Flight Experience wherethey could pay to take ride. Prices vary, but are usuallyaccording to aircraft fuel burn, number of seats available,the flight given, and the uniqueness of the aircraft. Expectto pay top dollar when arranging a flight on FiFi the onlyflying B-29 Super Fortress in the world, substantially less


23/363 3

for other aircraft. Note that some WWII aircraft only haveone seat, so no passenger flights are ever possible.What about the pilot how does one get THAT seat? - isa common question I hear about flying the more uncommonCAF aircraft, like the TBM Avenger. There are obviousFAA requirements to be met. And just like the CAP, thereare CAF requirement minimums as well as seen in the

CAF 60-2 Regulations. These vary from 200 PIC hours forsmall Liaison aircraft to 500 PIC hours for big bombersand 2000 PIC hours for fighters. In most cases, you need todemonstrate a lot of tailwheel ability which understandablebecause you are flying an irreplaceable piece of history.What about the TBM? glad you were paying atten-tion! For this article, TBM is the US Navys designa-tion for Torpedo Bomber, built by General Motors, aslicensed by Grumman Aircraft. It is identical to thosebuilt by the Grumman designers, but in Navy parlancethose would be called TBF as the last letter designatesthe manufacturer and F= Grumman (go figure). This

aircraft is also known as the Avenger as it was releasedimmediately following, and was supposed to Avenge, thePearl Harbor attack in 94. It is the largest single-engineairplane flown during WWII at 8,500 lbs and uses aWright Double Cyclone R-2600 engine with 900 HPengine. This is the same aircraft type as President GeorgeH.W. Bush flew when he was shot down (twice), and fiveaircraft of the same type was given notoriety when theywere lost in the Bermuda Triangle during 945.The Avenger was the first multi-role aircraft used bythe US Navy, flew from carriers while dropping bombs,torpedoes, mines, sonar-buoys, and depth charges. It wasthe first long ranging carrier based scout with search radarand could remain aloft for over 2 hours when fitted withextra fuel tanks. Its military career continued until 962,then those that remained were converted to fire fightersand tankers that dropped slurry or sprayed insecticides andfertilizers. There are about a dozen that remain flyable today.The one I fly is owned by the CAF and maintained at theRocky Mountain Wing, CAF museum and hangar in GrandJunction, Colorado. It has been flying from there for twentyyears and attends about twelve airshows in the near westernUSA each year, plus the BIG show each October when the

HQ buys the gas for everybody to come home and reenactWWII aerial battles with the authentic aircraft.I have been volunteering my time and skills for over 25years in the CAF while only 20 in the CAP. As a simpleCAF member, I have flown in several warbirds. Can I saymost fun ever while remaining dressed here? But one ofthe easiest handling aircraft has been the TBM Avenger.Once the initial PIC requirement are met, CAF uses thesame training techniques as was used by our armed servicesduring WWII, but with a twist. To become TBM CAF

qualified, you need to pass their fighter check ride from theback seat of a North American T-6/SNJ trainer. Since theTBM is over 2,500 lbs, a type rating is required, but thereare no dual controls. So my first flight at the TBM controlson December 7, 2006 was for the FAA examiner who choseto remain on the ground and observed by slow flight, turns,stalls, and three landings through his binoculars. I can attest

to the saying that if you can handle a T-6/SNJ well, you canthen fly almost anything. The long oleo landing gear strutsthat were designed to absorb carrier deck landings smoothout almost any ker-plunk landing. The huge, slotted, 54 footwing and similar power-to-weight ratio allows the pilot touse single-engine Cessna speed numbers for all regimensexcept for cruise. The biggest difference when you taxi upto the fuel pump. Three internal fuel tanks hold 345 gallonsof 00LL which will keep the TBM aloft for about 5 hoursand 825 nm with no reserve at a half throttle setting of 27inches MP and 700 RPM. The hydraulic folding wings isanother feature not found on Cessnas, and they sometimes

come in handy when being marshaled between tight spots.Yes, we have some additional hand signals which marshal-ers need to know and use.This aircraft is supported financially solely by donations.CAF volunteers do all the work, and big airplane meanbig amounts of work. The normal wearing parts (tires,brakes, engine parts, etc.) are not hard to find, but theirprices have gone up astronomically. So we normally aska small donation of a dollar or two to walk up the stairsand over the wing to see the pilots cockpit and rearturret gunners positions, fully restored including WWIIradios. A radio operator crew members sat in the fuselageoperating many radios including radar and sonar. A CAFdocent is always on hand to answer any questions or fill insome of the many surprising details not mentioned here.Uniformed CAF senior and cadets are not charged forsuch tours. We also offer rides as mentioned previously,with varying prices, but expect to pay in the $400-$500range for :30 minutes of unmatched fun. Modern avion-ics, including GPS, also provide the 940s backgroundmusic for the full experience. For more information aboutour unit, see www.RockyMountainWingCAF.org or theMile High CAF Wing in Boulder. Websites have CAF

membership information about how we fly our volunteermembers to each airshow during the season.The TBM Avenger will be at the Boulder Airport OpenHouse and 940s Hangar Dance June 6, the RockyMountain Metro Airshow August 24-26, and the GrandJunction airshow (with the Blue Angels) on September22-23. I am looking forward to seeing you there. If youhave strong interest in preserving these historic warbirds,the CAF is certainly the place to spend some time to helpus Keep em flying, Lest we forget



24/3633 33

Cadet Airman Connor Roth were able to participatein the Curry Tribute on December 3rd as a result oftheir achievements.

In addition to learning drill, leadership, characterdevelopment, safety and CAP culture, the cadets werealso given instruction in shoe polishing and uniform

ironing at a Saturday training day. Parents helpedsupervise and sew on nametags and flags on newlyacquired blues and BDUs. This activity helped fiveunit members prepare for the Winter Kansas encamp-ment: Cadet Airman st Class Christian Gonzales,Cadet Airman Dillon Hartley, Cadet Airman DustinHartley, Cadet Airman st Class Samuel Larkins,and Cadet Airman Jacob Riley.

We used the Curry promotion board process to selectthe cadet command team for the fledgling unit. It

just so happened that three members we selectedhad already signed up for that encampment whichwas a sign that those with the aptitude and interestin leading rise to the top in CAP! Cadet Airmanst Class Christian Gonzales was selected as CadetCommander, Cadet Airman Brianna Lima becamethe Executive Officer, Cadet Airman Dillon Hartleyand Cadet Airman Dustin Hartley (twins) becameAlpha and Bravo Flight Commanders, and CadetAirman Stephen Boyd became st Sgt.

The challenge of any CAP unit is retention. In a

school unit there is the additional issue of turnoveras school semesters come and go and students movefrom middle to high school. Cadet Airman Lima wasnot able to continue and her position was filled byCadet Airman Caleb Strand. Cadet Airman Boydmoved out of the school district, so his position wasfilled by Cadet Airman Emma Brown. As the CadetStaff comes together as a leadership group, the unitis coming together in drill and esprit de corps.

The change in these young people in just these fewshort months has been an amazing transformation...one that makes me proud to be a CAP member.st Lt. Cathy Laliberte has become the SquadronCommander of RMR-CO-803. She, 2nd Lt.Kauffman and I encourage senior members Wing-wide to consider the value that a school squadron,or a Cadet/Composite squadron, would add toyour communities. Think about developing a CAPpresence in your area. The experience will be lifechanging for both you and the youth you lead.


and daunting. The process includes recruiting atleast three adult and 7 or more students to becomemembers, completing a charter request form andsending in the $20 charter fee. Sounds easyThe difficulty is providing the CAP and military

expertise to the school squadron. She asked anotherNorth Valley Composite Squadron member, thenSM Jerry Kauffman, to become an advisor becauseof his experience with the Army. Both Cathy andJerry have sons in CAP. She also asked me, as aretired Air Force NCO and long time member ofCAP to become an advisor to the new unit.

When we met at that first planning meeting, none ofus were absolutely sure our plan would work. But weknew the Cadet Program is a good, strong leadership

program with lots to offer Americas youth. Weplanned our approach and set a date that we wouldhave an open house a week prior to beginning classinstruction. Cadets from North Valley CompositeSquadron helped staff information tables at severalBrighton middle and high schools during back toschool days. Cadet st Lt. Chad Laliberte, Cadet2nd Lt. Trace Kreutzer, and Cadet Staff Sgt. TrevorCornett became advisors to the unit.

Seeing the uniformed Civil Air Patrol cadets at theinformation tables and receiving brochures about

CAPs program seemed to work. We had enough traf-fic and interest in the program to make us hopeful forthe open house, but we never imagined we would drawthree adults and 23 students that first day! We wereable to start the charter process and begin instructionin October 20. We knew we would become 803because two other school units had been tried and failedprior to our attempt. National helped to select the nameof the unit which began as Adams 27J and evolved intoAdams County Cadet Squadron.

On November 29th, our new unit held its firstAwards Ceremony. Colonel Earl Sherwin, ColoradoWing Commander, presented the Unit Charter toJoan Root, a Jobs Counselor in Adams 27J SchoolDistrict and one of the founding senior members. JoanRoot, parents Debbie Sena and Bonnie Seader wereinducted into CAP that evening. Of the original 23students, 8 cadets received their Curry promotionand ribbon. Three members, Cadet Airman ChristianGonzales, Cadet Airman Nathaniel Archuleta and

CO WG Newest Squadron, cont. from page 29


25/3635 35

Several members of Pikes Peak Senior Squadron receivedtheir Yeager awards at the monthly meeting on January 6,202, from Major Mick Micheletti, the class instructorand Wing Aerospace Education Officer. Taught at thePenrose House of Colorado Springs in the Fall, membersattending and receiving their citations included 2nd Lt.Kent Waterman, st Lt. Dean Harder, Capt. CharlieSumners, Capt. Bill Adams, 2nd Lt. Keith Watson, 2ndLt. Jen Knellinger, Maj. Rick Koon, Lt. Col. Matt Dzialo,and training officer, st Lt. Gene Schermerhorn.

Pikes Peak SeniorSquadron

Earns Yeager

Awards


By 2nd Lt. Jen Knellinger, CAP

Pikes Peak Squadron PAO

On January 26, 202, the Pueblo Eagles CompositeSquadron was asked to do a coat check for the annual

Pueblo Chamber of Commerce dinner. Over 400guests attended the event held at the downtown PuebloConvention Center. The Squadron has been volunteeringto do coat check for the Chamber for many years. NineCadets and two Senior Members were happy to assist theladies on with their coats at the end of the evening, whichresulted in many smiles and compliments on how wellmannered the young men were. Squadron Commander,Capt. Joe Thorn, expressed his wish that every cadethelp a lady that evening. When the cadets saw howwell the gesture was received; they got in each othersway helping the ladies put on their coats.

Pueblo EaglesBy Capt. Joe Thorn, CAP

Squadron Commander

One of the largest Squadron Leadership School (SLS)classes was held January 7th and 8th, 202 at PetersonAir Force Base in Colorado Springs. Wing leadershipincluding Col. Earl Sherwin, Lt. Col. Dave Novotny, Lt.Col. Jay Miles and others welcomed the group. Seminarleaders, Capt. Mark Hudgins and Capt. Stefanie Hudginsorganized the weekend and shepherded the group fromall over the State in squadron organizational mechanicsas well as ethics and leadership discussions. Volunteer instructors included Maj. Dave Micheletti, Lt. Col. JeffMueller, 2nd Lt. Mary Cast and Capt. Mark Hudgins.

By 2nd Lt. Jen Knellinger, CAP

Pikes Peak Senior Squadron PAO

Colorado WingHosts SLS


26/3637 37


There are thousands of meetings every year in theColorado Wing. None is quite like this

Giveem a hundred.We are not doing that!Give her $50!$50 it is!!!Agreed?Agreed!Agreed!Yes, All Right.

NextIn a more than cozy conference room at the officeof Gary Tobeys Law Firm, the Colorado CAPFoundation Board gives away money. Today thereis around $5,000.00 in grants of $00 to $500.00each for every imaginable thing from encampmentscholarships to equipment purchases. Money fora squadron flag, an air ticket to a national trainingacademy, flight lessons, on and on.

A letter of appreciation from Wing Vice CommanderDave Novotny is read. A somber cry for help from alaid off mother to aid her daughter with uniform itemscomes next. Sorting out needs from wants. Making thecase for each. The conversations and considerationsaccelerate - like merry-go-round turned up to the speedof a tilt-a-whirl.

There is something of auctioneering, electioneering,and even engineering in this process of giving. Theact of philanthropy is an art form and these BoardMembers are steadfast followers of that form.

The Wind Beneath Our Things

The Colorado CAP Foundation at Work

By Capt. Ed OBrien, CAP

One hundred requests great and small. Some basedon need. Some on merit. All wrestled to the groundthrough considerations with a final decision based ondoing the most good for the most deserving.

In many CAP functions we analyze and study tildeath do us part. - Here the board members moveand groove. Begging. Trading. Berating. Bidding.Consoling.

The conversations are lively, high paced, with energy

that rises and falls tilts and tumbles.

One cadet with five brothers and sisters, a father onrelief, needs money for this summers encampment.You bet! Done Good; says former NationalCommander, Gen. Jay Bobick. Agreed! Agreed.Next

It is worth noting that the men and women at this tableare volunteers too. Most have been CAP membersfor decades. Some are still active. Some are retired.All are serving. All are giving. All love the ColoradoWing.

Ive got a hundred letters to write. Anybody wannahelp? Board President and former Valkyrie SquadronCommander Courtney Walsh pleads. All requests,even those turned down will receive a letter explainingthe Boards verdict.

Besides providing an economic lubricant to the Wing Board members serve as behind the scenes guidancecounselors. With these gifts and scholarships thisboard and these people are molding and shaping


27/3639 39

our wing in majestic ways. Validating. Vindicating.Encouraging. There is nuance here. There is subtletytoo. This is about dreams and leaders not just dollarsand cents.

As a separate 50(c)(3) charity, the Foundation

oversees contributions it receives directly and as partof the Colorado Wings inheritance. The memorialfunds in the names of Nathan Baum, Bill Hines,Chaney King, Eddie Mehlin, Gary McPherson, andMel Irvine. Past aviation supporters and luminaries ofthis Wing whove bequeathed money or had friendsgive in their names. All of these fine contributors areresting their Trusts upon this board.

In a three-hour free-for-all prizefight the winners andlosers are declared afterwards the skirmishers move todinner. There is nothing here but goodwill, in its truestand simplest form - GOOD WILL. What money can

do to refine those little two words evidences itself inevery animated deliberation.

Roughly estimated: 75% of the applicants were granted75% of the money they requested. Some received all.Some received half. Each decision had its reasons.

We are ecstatic; states Board President Walsh.Some years we receive only 20 to 30 requests. Thisyear we got 00 (applications). Our Website broughtus some extra visibility. But, obviously there is greaterneed too.

The CAP Foundation Board Members are CourtneyWalsh, former Wing Commander Jack Buschmann,former Wing and National Commander Jay Bobick,long-time state legislator and aviation supporter LewisEntz, former Liaison Officer Bill Payne, long- andhard-working veteran supporter Ken Melcher, originalTuskegee Airman Buck Newsum, former MilitaryAffairs CAP State Director Patti Sampers, and formerWing and Region Commander Gary Tobey.

There is no better or longer serving group connected tothis Wing. The next time you see any of these BoardMembers Thank them. The next time you see them

- Praise them.

Their service while not well known, and which cannotbe termed as either silent or even quiet is none-the-less momentous. From behind the scenes They arethe Wind Beneath Our Things.

For more information regarding the foundation:

http://coloradocapfoundation.org/


CAP Foundation, cont.

countries that need medical care but may not haveaccess to it.

Presenting the Earhart award to Cadet Penningtonwere Col. Earl Sherwin, Colorado Wing com-

mander, Lt. Col. David Novotny, Colorado Wingvice commander, and Anne Whonic, member chairfor the Pikes Peak Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, theinternational organization of women pilots.

Whonic, who holds her private pilot license,remarked after the promotion ceremony that shewas pleased to see young ladies getting involved inflying and hoped that organizations such as CAPencouraged more to get interested. Cadet Penningtonis in the process of joining The Ninety-Nines. Itfits well with my passion for flying, and becominga member is a way for me to honor Amelia Earhart.Earhart was the first president of The Ninety-Nineswhen it was formed more than 80 years ago.

About The Ninety-Nines, Inc.

The Ninety-Nines, the international organizationof women pilots, was established in 929 by notedaviator Amelia Earhart and other licensed womenpilots. When the organization was created, 99 ofthe 7 licensed women pilots at the time became

charter members. The mission of The Ninety-Ninesis to promote advancement of aviation througheducation, scholarships, and mutual support whilehonoring its unique history and sharing womenspassion for flight. For more information on TheNinety-Nines, visit www.ninety-nines.org.

About Air Academy Composite Squadron

The Air Academy Composite Squadron, locatedat the U.S. Air Force Academy, currently has 36members who are actively involved in the three

missions of CAP Emergency Services, AerospaceEducation and Cadet Programs. Almost 00 cadetsparticipate in the cadet program, and nearly 40senior members lead the cadet program, deliveraerospace education through the glider program,and participate in search and rescue training. Formore information on the Air Academy CompositeSquadron, visit www.aacs.us.

Earhart Award, cont. from page 9


28/364 4

appropriate, had a chance to play at Mr. Biggs andtook home a dinner. Having the kids take their

wrapped presents home is to give them the elementof surprise, she said.

Americas Family is a non-profit organizationdedicated to providing educational and economictools to help families work their way from povertyto self sufficiency. Founded by Steve Bigori, ownerof Mr. Biggs Family Fun Center, Americas Familyprovides loans and financial counseling for theworking poor, Igou said.

The preschoolers will remember the gift-giv-ing occasion and so will the CAP cadets, saidPennington. And the drivers of the more than2,000 cars that attended the Best Christmas Everthanked the young people in BDUs waving themalong, just as they did last year. The cadets arelearning to appreciate what these families are goingthrough, said Pennington. She thinks its definitelya win-win proposition.


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Tis the seasonfor giving, the cadets from Civil Air Patrols AirAcademy Composite Squadron say, Missionaccomplished.

The cadets earned money to buy presents forpreschoolers by selling concessions at Air ForceAcademy football games, and on December 4th,202, presented 26 Monroe Elementary Schoolchildren in Colorado Springs with brand new dollsand toy trucks. The children squealed with joy and

their faces lit up with smiles, said Assistant PrincipalEvelyn Campbell. The kids got a gift that wasspecial to them, and we are so grateful for the CAPmembers in taking time out of their schedule tosupport our students. It just feels good.

On hand for the gift-giving were Cadet Capt.Kathryn Pennington, Cadet Capt. Cody Draeger,Capt. Stewart McQuillan and parent volunteerMonica Pennington. The idea for the communityoutreach project came from Capt. Pennington, a

sophomore at The Classical Academy. As cadetcommander, she oversees 97 young people whoseCAP mission includes helping educate childrenabout aerospace and embodying military values suchas responsibility and honor.

In another volunteer effort, 45 AACS cadets directedtraffic for some 0,000 guests who attended 20sBest Christmas Ever. Sponsored by AmericasFamily, the all-day event took place December20th at Mr. Biggs Family Fun Center and is aimedat helping working families provide Christmas for

their kids, said Executive Director Natalie Igou.Over 2,000 vehicles arrived for the event. Igouthinks traffic is best handled by a single group inuniform. She appreciates the CAP cadets, she said,because of their ability to go through the hierarchyand answer to commanding officers.

Each child in attendance received a gift to openon Christmas morning that is both age and gender-

Civil Air Patrol Cadets Give the Gift ofCommunity Service

By 2nd Lt. Joseph Nuvolini, CAP

AACS PAO

Members of Air Academy Composite Squadron visitwith Monroe Elementary preschool students after making asurprise visit with early Christmas presents. Representingthe squadron at the December outing were Capt. StewartMcQuillan (left), Cadet Capt. Cody Draeger and Cadet Capt.Kathryn Pennington. Photo by Monica Pennington


29/3643 43


AUXILIARY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

WHEN ARE WE, WHEN ARE WE NOT?

By Capt. Sam Turner, CAP

COWG Recruitment and Retention Officer

Some years ago when I first began giving presentations/speeches in the capacity of WingRecruitment and Retention Officer, I admittedly, had a little trouble explaining clearly tomy audiences () just exactly what Auxiliary of the United States Air Force means, and(2) which missions we act in the capacity of the Air Forces auxiliary and which ones wedo not.

The publication that best helped me sort this out was Air Force Instruction (AFI) 0-270, and I encourage everyone to review it.

For those of you who are unclear about the correct answers to the above, I have set-outbelow, for the sake of convenience and brevity, seven paragraphs (or portions thereof)of AFI 0-270. In addition to answering the questions, it provides a review of what wedo and what is expected of us - from an Air Force perspective. Please note that I haveboldfaced anditalicizedimportant words and phrases.

AF10-2701:

1.2.CAP Status as an Auxiliary of the Air Force. Title 0, USC section 9442 identifies CAPas anauxiliaryof the Air Force when carrying out a missionassigned by the Secretary of the Air Force toprovide services toany department or agency in any branch of the Federal government, including theAir Force. CAP is deemed to be an instrumentality of the United States while carrying out missionsassigned by the Secretary.

GENERAL OVERVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Federally chartered non-profit corporation thatmay be utilized as acivilianvolunteer auxiliary of the Air Force. The Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) can employ theservices of CAP in lieu of or to supplement Air Force resources to fulfill the non-combat programs andmissions of the Air Force. Such services may include Air Force-assigned missions (AFAMs) in supportof homeland security operations, consequence management, support to civilian law enforcement, andother civil support. Certain CAP cadet and aerospace educational programsmay also be approvedand assigned as Air Force non-combat missions. When performing Air Force-assigned programs andmissions, CAP assets function asan auxiliary of the Air Force.

Continued . . .


30/3645 45

1.1. Capabilities. CAP conducts three primary programs: emergency services and civil support,aerospace education, and a cadet program. CAP may conduct emergency service and civilsupport activities as a corporation or when carrying out a mission or when approved andas

assigned by the SECAF (or the designee),asan auxiliary of the Air Force. As a general rule,Aerospace Education and Cadet Program activities are not AFAMs.

1.1.1. Emergency Services and Civil Support. CAP maintains the capability to meet AirForce requirements to assist Federal, state, and local agencies and non-governmentalorganizations during routine and emergency situations. This capability includes aircraft,vehicles, communications equipment andaforce of trained volunteers. The emergencyservices program of CAP is the primary mechanism by which CAP supports the Air Force inaccomplishing Air Force non-combat missions. CAP also maintains the capability to respondto requests from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), state, and local authorities in its

capacity as a corporation.

1.1.2. Aerospace Education. CAP conducts aerospace education programs similar to Air Forceair and space programs for both adult and cadet members (Internal), and the generalpublic (External) with the purpose of educating the public on the value and importance ofaviation and maintaining aerospace supremacy.

1.1.3. Cadet Program. The CAP cadet program originated in World War II when CAP wasestablished as a preparatory program for the Army-Air Force Aviation Cadet Program. TheCAP cadet program motivates American youth to become responsible citizens throughaviation-centered activities that emphasize aerospace education, leadership skills, physicalfitness, and values education while simultaneously providing services to the Air Force andthe local community, state, and nation. The CAP cadet program provides support to theAir Force by introducing American youth to opportunities and careers in the Air Forceand providing a drug demand reduction program to Air Force Installations near CAP cadetsquadrons.

2.4. Use of CAP by Air Force Commanders. CAP isacost effectiveforce multiplier. Air Forcecommanders are encouraged to request that CAP conduct missions that are within CAPs capability toperform. Commanders must ensure funds are available to reimburse CAP for requested services beforethe mission is approved.


Auxiliary of the Air Force, cont.


31/3647 47


Parker, CO- Cadet Capt. Chase Peters is the newest gliderpilot in the Colorado Wing. He received his glider pilot

rating December , 20.He made his first solo flight at the age the of 4 and nowhas over 00 hours. Peters credits the help and dedica-tion of Maj. Carl Kiel and Lt. Col. Jer Eberhard with hissuccess at earning his glider wings at 6.Cadet Capt. Peters next goal is a glider commercial &instructor rating and begins powered flight lessons inMarch. He plans to be dual rated by the time he graduateshigh school in 204.If you are looking for an active, well rounded cadet, youneed look no further than Chase Peters. He has earnedmany Emergency Services qualifications including groundteam, radio communications, and emergency locator.He has attended many national cadet specialty schools;National Search & Rescue School, National Honor Guard Academy and Wilderness Survival School among them.Cadet Capt. Peters is passionate about Aerospace Education. He goes to many different schools to talk about CAPand the programs it offers. In 20 he was awarded the Frank G. Brewer Aerospace Award, given to CAP memberswho have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of youth in aerospace activities. He also earned theCAP Achievement Award by building his squadron a recruiting booth.Peters is currently Cadet Deputy Commander for Parker Cadet Squadron. His father, Capt. Glen Peters, is Commander.As his commander I am very proud to have a cadet who is so outgoing and truly believes in leading by example.As a father I see him as well grounded, he not only knows what he wants out of life but is going after it. I see in himthe desire to teach and share with others what he has learned and find myself extremely proud of him.

Cadet Peters indeed knows where he wants to go. He wants to attend the Air Force Academy and fly fighter jets. Hehas taken advantage of every opportunity CAP has to offer and is a fine example for cadets and seniors alike.

Colorado Wings Newest Glider PilotBy Capt. Glen Peters, CAP

Parker Cadet Squadron Commander

Cadet Capt. Chase Peters is ceremoniously doused withwater upon completion of the Glider Pilot rating. Photo ByCapt. Glen Peters

Jeffco Senior Squadron Trains withProfciency Flight

(L-R) Capt. Todd Gamber, Maj. Trevor Millward, 2nd Lt.Katherine Mikevich

On January 2, 202, three members of Jeffco Senior

Squadron flew a proficiency flight from Rocky MountainMetro Airport to Pueblo Memorial Airport. They includedMission Scanner/Observer training. Proficiency flights aredesigned to prepare crews to fly Air Force missions, andthough routine flight procedures can be practiced, the major-ity of a proficiency flight must be focused on training. Forexample, crews flying the visual search mission profile canconduct pattern work with multiple touch and go landings.Proficiency flights can be an Air Force assigned missionauthorized by the State Director.

By Maj. Trevor Millward, CAP


32/3648 48

Grand Junction, Colo.A glider, ahover craft and paper airplanes wereall a part of Aviation ImmersionWeek, January 7-20, 202 atMessiah Lutheran School in GrandJunction, Colorado. PrincipleNeal Kaspar met Colorado WingChaplain, Col. Jeffery Williams, ata conference last year and an idea

was born.

Messiah Lutheran School has aboutone hundred students Kindergartenthrough eighth grade. Each year theschool has an Immersion Weekthat included communications andother career topics. At the conference Mr. Kasparand Chaplain Williams had a lively discussionabout aviation, CAP Aerospace Education andthe school.

On Tuesday, January 7th Wing External Aerospace

Colorado Wing EnhancesSchools Aviation Week

By Cadet Master Sgt. Joshua Christian, CAP

Photos by Maj. Denise Thompson, Colorado Wing Assistant PAO

Education Officer Capt. Gail Jergensen began theweek with classes in aerospace science. His assis-tant, Cadet Master Sgt. Joshua Christian, helpedwherever he was needed. He received a lot of ooos

and ahhhs when he got a spinning gyroscope tobalance on a string.

Thunder Mountain CompositeSquadron brought their squadronglider, Senior members and eighthgraders put the glider together for astatic display. Every student got tosit in the cockpit. Though only ondisplay for 24 hours, it was a hit!

Rocketry was a large portion

of the weeks endeavors. Thiswas the most enjoyable activity.The younger classes built andlaunched water rockets with stLt. Rene Jones and st Lt. KristineMcGovern, while Capt. Jergensenand Cadet Master Sgt. Christianbuilt and launched paper rocketswith the upper grade levels. If

A very excited kindergartener gets a ride on the hovercraft pushed by Capt. GailJergensen and Cadet Master Sgt. Christian.

Thunder Mountain Composite Squadron members assemble the glider for staticdisplay.


33/3649 49


Cadet Master Sgt. Joshua Christian delights the fourth gradeclass by balancing a spinning gyroscope.

Colorado Wing Chaplain Col. Jeffery Williams discusses airpressure to the eighth grade class.

Kindergarten Teacher Karen Skoog enjoyed her ride on the hovercraft.

the rockets were well built, theyclimbed to an impressive height. Ifnot, they made an equally impres-sive storm of confetti.

On Wednesday Col. Williamstraveled from the front range to

present Forces Upon Flight andDesign Control. Each day a dif-ferent class went on a tour of theCommemorative Air Force hangar,the Thunder Mountain CAP han-gar and West Star Aviation. Thetours were by classes, third andfourth, fifth and sixth, seventhand eighth.

On Thursday Group IV Commander,

Maj. Rick Peterson, talked to theclasses about NASA and space. Maj. Petersonis a former Air Force member who spent time atthe Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. Capt.Jergensen and Cadet Master Sgt. Christian spentmost of Thursday building a hovercraft.

On Friday the hover craft was flown by the entireschool. This

Documents

Colorado Wing - Apr 2012