Alabama Wing - Jan 2010

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January 2010 Citizen Serving Communities: Above and Beyond 1

ALABAMAWING

CIVILAIRPATROL

NEWSLETTER JANUARY2010

Col.MikeOakman Lt.Col.LisaRobinson

Commander ActingViceCommander

From the Commander

Operation Insight began with the October2009 Newsletter. These two parts completethe articles which Col. Oakman wrote. Heended his note to Public Affairs with thisrequest: "Hopefully some of those seekingto advance in the command staff positionswill read through them."

OPERATION INSIGHT-- Part V and VI

Common Leadership Mistakes andHow to Avoid Them

Problem:Learning is not tied to strategic objectives

Solutions: Align training with organizational

goals Wing and Squadron Leaders share

the desired outcomes

Contents

Operation Insight

Wing Commander Elect 3

Earhart Awards at Redstone 3

B-17 Tour 4ALWG Cadet Competition 5

Wreath Across America-Montevallo 6

Safety from December Sentinel 7

Pell City Cadets 8

Critical Incident Stress Management 8

The RF Factor 9

Communication Exercise 11

Inspector General Information 11

CAP Flight Scholarships 12

Ironman 12

Gadsden Squadron 14

NESA June 2010 15Civil Air Patrol Week 16

Bessemer Visits Ft. Rucker 17

Boaz AL 801 18

Prattville Cadet at Ceremony 19

Public Affairs 19

Alabama Wing Conference 20


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Problem:Lack of Commanders involvement

Solutions: The CC communicates the

importance across all levels All senior officers and cadet leaders

actively participate

Problem:No follow-up

Solutions: A reporting system that ensures

follow-up Clearly communicate expectations

and timelines Document the follow-up process

Problem:Ineffective trainers

Solutions: Determine whether the topic fits the

organizational goals Link the topic to an organizational

goal Share with the trainer prior to

secession the organizations pasttraining efforts associated to thatgoal

Have the trainer tie his materials tothe organizational goals

Problem:Forgetting to connect the dots

Solutions: Review how all CAP activities will

connect to organizational goals andoutline how the skills learned willincrease effectiveness

Communicate the ultimate goal: theapplication of learned skills on the

job to help achieve theorganizations goals and mission

Problem:Forgoing your financial responsibility

Solutions: Form your finance committee quickly Communicate to the committee Listen closely at their advice before

making a decision If the rules call for less than or equal

to $1,500, impose a stricter rulemake it less than or equal to $900

SEARCHING FOR THE CORE OFLEADERSHIP

The authors of a new book, The LeadershipCode: Five Rules to Lead By, Dave Ulrich,Norm Smallwood, and Kate Sweetman,

have produced a persuasive,comprehensive, and easy-to-understanddistillation of leadership based on the simplequestion: What do effective leaders do?The following rules represent about 60 to 70percent of what makes an effective leader,according to the authors.

How do you measure up?

Rule 1: Shape the future. Leadersanswer the question, Where are we going?

They not only have a vision for the future,they shape the future and create thestrategies that will take the organization intothat future.

Rule 2: Make things happen. Leaderstranslate strategy into action by puttingsystems into place that allow people toachieve strategic goals. They execute.

Rule 3: Engage todays talent. Leaderswork through others and know how toidentify, build, and engage talent to getresults now. In working with otherseffectively and drawing out their best efforts,they earn intense loyalty.

Rule 4: Build the next generation. Justas great leaders shape the future, theyensure that the organization will have thehuman capital needed to thrive in the future.


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They want to ensure that the organizationwill live beyond any one person.

Rule 5: Invest in yourself. As the authorswrite, Effective leaders cannot be reducedto what they know and do. Who they are as

human beings has everything to do withhow much they can accomplish with andthrough other people. Leadership is amatter of how to be, not how to do.

Col. Michael OakmanALWG/Commander

Lt. Col. Robinson isWing Commander-elect

Lt. Col. Lisa Robinson, of Birmingham,Alabama, has been selected as the WingCommander-elect for the Alabama Wing ofthe Civil Air Patrol. The Change ofCommand Ceremony will be held at theWing Conference in Birmingham, February6-7, 2010. Col. Michael Oakman, current

wing commander also of Birmingham, willrelinquish command to her in a formalceremony presided over by national andregional officers with Alabama CAPvolunteers in attendance.

Robinson has a Master Rating in FlightOperations and Cadet Programs, as well asa senior rating in Public Affairs. A privatepilot, she is also a Satellite-TransmittedDigital Imagining System (SDIS) operator, aMission Observer, and Mission InformationOfficer in addition to other ES qualifications.

She has multiple Civil Air Patrol awards,including an Exceptional Service Award,Commanders Commendation with threeBronze Clasps, and the Yeager Award.

Other awards were given for her excellencein service to the Alabama Wing and Civil AirPatrol.

Lt. Col. Robinson is currently the Chief ofStaff and Acting Vice Commander for theAlabama Wing. She has held commander,deputy commander for seniors at Alabamas117th CAP Squadron in Birmingham. Shecompleted the National Staff College atMaxwell AFB, Ala, in 2007.

Robinson is employed by the Baptist HealthSystem in Birmingham, Ala, as anapplication analyst, providing 24 hoursupport for the Radiology ManagementSystem, networked to seven facilities. Sheearned an Associate Degree in AppliedScience in Radiological Technology withhonors from Jefferson State Jr. College, aBachelor Science in Allied Health and aMasters of Business Administration from theUniversity of Alabama in Birmingham

Redstone Composite SquadronCadets Receive Earhart Award

Huntsville, Ala. On 21 Sep 2009,Redstone Composite Squadrons CadetCaptain Jonathan Allen received the AmeliaEarhart Award. The award is presented in


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honor of Amelia Earhart, an aviation pioneerand record-setter, and is one of the highestawards a Cadet can achieve.

Statistically only 5% of the Cadets receivethe Earhart and those that do are promoted

to Cadet Captain. The award enablesCadets to enter the military service at anadvanced rank and makes him eligible forthe International Cadet Exchange Program.

C/Capt Allen with Mrs. Allen, his mother.Cadet Allen is currently applying to severalSouthern Universities, the foremost of whichis Auburn University, and will seek a degree

in Aerospace Engineering. After graduatingfrom University, Allen will pursue his dreamof becoming an Officer in the Air Force.

Cadet Allen says of receiving the Earhart,"Patton once said that an ounce of sweatsaves a gallon of blood. For all the hardwork you put into CAP it is repaid to you tentimes over. But the Hard work must bedone. Without the self discipline CAP hasinstilled in me, achieving the Earhart Awardwould have been much harder than it was."

Cadet Allen currently resides in Hanceville,Alabama has been in CAP since 2006.

1st Lt. Kim MillerRedstone Squadron, PAO

Huntsville Ala.--Cadet Captain VictoriaBeck received the Amelia Earhart Award atthe North Alabama Squadrons' AwardsBanquet held at Redstone Club at RedstoneArsenal Alabama.

Col. Mike Guthrie, US Army retired, andCol. Mike Oakman, Alabama WingCommander presented the award to C/CaptBeck.

Col. Mike Oakman with C/Capt Victoria Beck

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan J.Beck of Harvest, Ala. Cadet Captain Beckis an honor roll senior at East LimestoneHigh School and a student at CalhounCommunity College.

A student pilot, she was the CadetCommander of the Redstone CompositeSquadron in 2009 and currently holds theposition of Training Officer.

Maj. Patricia MitchamALWG, PAO

Redstone Composite Squadron

Tours B-17 Bomber

Huntsville, AL On 12 Oct 2009, membersof the Redstone Composite Squadron wereallowed a close up view of the B-17G-VEBomber, serial number 44-85740, is alsoknown as Aluminum Overcast. TheExperimental Aircraft Association's B-17G-VE, was delivered to the U.S. Army Air


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Corps on May 18, 1945; however, it wasdelivered too late to see action in World WarII.

Aluminum Overcast was on a stop over atthe Madison County Executive airport as

part of an EAA tour which allows aviationenthusiasts to walk through or a half hourflight in the airplane. The flight is a greatway to take a trip back in time and feel themight of this magnificent flying machinethrough the flight experience program.

Redstone Cadets with B-17

Later in the week Cadets from the RedstoneSquadron provided supported the EAA tourby marshalling cars and watching the

aircraft doors and flight deck when it was onstatic display. As a gesture of appreciationto the CAP Cadets for their help, they weretaken on a flight to Olive Branch,Mississippi.

C/2Lt Michael Guthrie said, The mostmemorable moment was being able to lookthough the Norden bombsight at the ground10,000 ft. below I imagined being on amission! Handling the .50 cal machine gunson the bomber is something that I will

always remember."

Cadet Holly Guthrie at 10000 feet.

Michaels sister C/2Lt. Holly Guthriecommented, "Flying in the B-17 reallyhelped me visualize what our WWII bomberveterans went through. For me, the most

exhilarating moment of the flight was when Isat in the bombardier's position in the nose.Seeing the ground sweep by below usmade my heart pound a little nervously!The Norden bombsight was definitely themost intriguing piece of equipment that wason the bomber because it was formerly topsecret. Riding in the B-17 was a once in alifetime experience that I shall never forget."

1st Lt. Kim MillerRedstone Squadron, PAO

ALWG Cadet Competition

The 2010 ALWG Cadet Competition willtake place on Saturday, 13 Feb 10, at theYMCA facility in Clanton, AL. This year, thewing cadet competition will only consist of aColor Guard competition.

This is a new venue for thewing competition. The Clanton YMCAfacility was selected because it is centrallylocated in the state and the building willallow us to hold most of the events indoorsso as to avoid cold temperatures andinclement weather.


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Color Guard teams will follow proceduresand uniform requirements specified in CAPManual 52-4, dated 2 Jun 09. Each teamwill consist of four cadets, all of whom willhold enlisted grades (C/Amn throughC/CMSgt). Cadet officers may not

participate on a Color Guard team.

The Color Guard competition will consist ofseven events as described in CAPM 52-4:In-Ranks Inspection, Standard Drill, IndoorPractical Drill, Outdoor Practical Drill,Written Examination, Panel Quiz, and theMile Run.

The winner of the wing Color Guardcompetition will advance to the RegionColor Guard competition on 26-28 Mar 10.

The region competition will be held atMaxwell AFB.

Lt. Col. John HallALWG/DCP

WreathsAcrossAmerica

Yesterday I stood with a group of people inthe cold and rain. I stood with humility

and tremendous pride to be associated withthe Alabama Wing Senior Members andCadets. I watched as they stood in themisty rain and cold wind as the questspeakers droned on. They neithercomplained nor moved, but stood atattention until asked to pick up the Wreaths,do a precision about face and to follow theBag Piper [a senior cadet from theBessemer Sqd]. They marched across thewet grass, in step and with pride.

In solemn dignity they placed their wreathsand quietly saluted the fallen internedheroes.

Photo by Capt. John Hawkins, ALWG

From Col Mike Oakman, Commander andmyself,

THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE.

David Boswell, Lt Col/CAP

Alabama National Veteran's CemeteryMontevallo

The day of December 12th, 2009 is one thatI will never forget. My Civil Air Patrolsquadron had been given the privilege oflaying holiday wreaths on fallen soldiersgraves at Alabama National Veterans

Cemetery in Montevallo. That morning as Iwas getting ready to leave, so many thingswere going through my mind; things like thefollowing: I really hope I dont mess up, butmostly how the ceremony needs to goquickly and smoothly because it is freezingoutside.

Yes, it was cold, but if I could go back Iwouldnt change anything about that day.

While arriving to the cemetery I alreadyknew it was going to be an emotionalceremony. What I didnt expect is that whenwe got down to where the actual grave siteswere, even though I didnt know any of thefallen soldiers, or their families, I felt a loss.The feeling was like I had lost someoneclose to me. I had to put that feeling asidefor the moment, now was the time to honorour brave men and women who fought day


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and night with excruciating hardships todefend our country.

As we progressed through the ceremony, Ibegan to realize that I was not the onlyperson feeling that same loss. I also

realized that, like many around me, I wascrying, and from the dried tears I felt on myface, I had been for quite some time. As mycrying slowed, the remaining tears werefreezing as they rolled down my cheek.

The time had come for us to start laying thewreaths on the graves. When Elise Mikellcalled out the command of Left Face, Iseemed to have been frozen in my spot. Ididnt complete the command until threeseconds after everyone else turned to face

the wreaths. When everyone was facing theway they were suppose to, we retrieved ourwreaths, and then marched down to a lineof graves; once we placed the wreaths, wewere to salute the grave, and then wait toreturn to our original spot by where weretrieved the wreaths.

We all made multiple trips back and forthwith a wreath, or even two, each time goingthrough the laying procedure of placing andsaluting.

When the ceremony concluded, I was stillawestruck about what had just occurred. Itwas the most amazing feeling in the worldto have experienced and been a part of theceremony. I have never been so proud ofsomething in my life. In closing, all I haveleft to say is this: thank a soldier; this is theland of the free because of the brave.

But in a larger sense we cannot

dedicate, we cannot consecrate, wecannot hallow this ground. The bravemen, living and dead, who struggledhere, have consecrated it far above ourpoor power to add or detract.-Abraham Lincoln-

C/A1C Madison SmithBessemer Composite Squadron

Close Calls A GoldenOpportunity to Prevent Mishaps

By the National HQ Safety Team

A close call is sometimes called a nearmiss. What is a near miss?Its a euphemism for almost hit. The termNear Miss is disliked by safetyprofessionals because it tiptoes around theintent of the term: You almost had the BigOne. So in this article we are going to referto this category of almost a mishap as aClose Call.

Why do we care about close calls? Becauseclose calls are underreported indicators,which are almost never recorded. Yet thedata is clear: Most accidents can bepredicted from the quantity and severity ofclose calls. The National Safety Councilstates 75% of all accidents are preceded byone or more close calls. Another key point isthat the difference between a close call anda catastrophic accident might only bemeasured in inches, seconds, or a couplemiles per hour. As an example, suppose

you were walking along an aisle and founda box that had fallen off a shelf.Recognizing this as a tripping hazard, youpick up the box and put it back on the shelf,making sure it will not fall again. But what ifyou had been walking by when the box fell.You might have been hit by the box andinjured. The difference in time betweenwhen you actually walked by and the timethe box fell may have been the differencebetween a close call and a catastrophicaccident.

A close call is a red flag that something iswrong that requires immediate attention. Aclose call, or several close calls, representthe tip of the icebergyou know, whenmost of the danger lies hidden beneath thesurface of the ocean. A good leadershiptechnique is to call a meeting or shorthuddle as soon as a close call is identified.That means that close calls must be


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reported up the chain immediatelynot toplace blame on anyone, but to identify theproblem, its root cause (not just the obviouscause), and implement appropriatecorrective action. The discussion shouldcover what happened (risk identification),

what could have happened (riskassessment) and how to make sure that itdoes not happen again (risk mitigationand management).

Some areas for improvement identified byanalyzing close calls are: poor work arealayout, need for increased maintenance,poor storage or housekeeping habits,insufficient training or poor processes.Remember that when a unit has a closecall, it is too easy to shrug off the event and

be thankful that a more serious mishap didnot occur. Maybe the person tripped andcaught himself before falling; it could be thatthe door opened outward and the person

jumped back before it hit her; maybe thebird struck the aircraft but did not shatter thewindshield. When close calls are ignored,someone eventually will be injured by thathazard. So communicate within your units,report close calls internally, and fixproblems at the lowest level. Be vigilant andbe safe!

From Dec. 2009 Safety Sent in e l

The January 2010 Sentinel isavailable at www.gocivilairpatrol.comand on www.capvolunteernow.com.

Pell City Cadets Take to theSkies

"What a great day to fly. I was probablymore excited than my passengers. The bigquestion was not the weather but - Should Ido my Christmas shopping (as I haventeven started yet) OR should I go flying.What Would Santa want me to Do?

(WWSD) FLY, of course!" wrote Lt. BobNoone.

Peeking from behind the strut is C/SrANathan Bedford who didn't fly, then it is Lt.

Bob Noone from the Gadsden squadron,Pilot, C/AB Paul Bedford, C/AB MichaelNorwood Jr., and C/AB Christian Norwood.--1Lt. Cindy Bennett, AL118

On Dec.16, 2009 Lt. Bob Noone took "somefantastic kids from the Pell City CAP Cadetsquad Pell City Talladega Anniston Weaver (fly over) Gadsden (Cadets needto learn which FBO has the best freepopcorn, its just part of their training) then

return to St. Clair County, Pell City. Justplane fun. "

Critical Incident Stress Management

Critical Incident Stress Management TeamWe all strive to stay safe; we follow ourchecklists and leave little to chance. We areall familiar with the IMSAFE model and useit diligently. But how often do we really focus

on the big E; the Emotional part. That littlepiece, we are sometimes reluctant to look atand think about, can impact all of the otherpieces as well. Emotions can lead to stress,fatigue, alcohol consumption, illness andthen medication. Each part of the equationaffects the other. We can usually recognizewhen we are sick and certainly understand


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what medications and alcohol do to ourperformance, but stress, emotions, andfatigue can sneak up on us. We all havestress in our lives and we all can beoverwhelmed with emotions to the point ofbeing unable to cope with everyday

activities. Depression, anger, and anxietyare just a few of the heavy hitters. Anyevent can cause an individual to reach apoint where he or she is so overwhelmedthat even their normally effective copingskills are taxed beyond reason. This willresult in negative reactions on all levels ofperformance; cognitive, physical, emotional,behavioral, and spiritual. When thishappens lives are at risk. As pilots, if wetake a chance with these factors, thenothers lives are at risk also.

This past year National Headquarters madea big push to create Critical Incident StressManagement Teams (CIST) for each Wing.

I am very proud to be the Critical IncidentStress Officer (CSO) for the Alabama Wing.As a matter of introduction let me say that Ihave been a member of CAP since 1999,am a mission qualified scanner andobserver and am working toward missionpilot. In my real life I am a sergeant at theCalhoun County Sheriffs Office tasked with,among other things, being the MentalHealth Officer for the county. Im also alicensed professional counselor, a nationallycertified counselor, and a crisis intervention

specialist.During this next year we will be building ourCISM team. We already have severalmembers interested and will be getting themtrained up as necessary. Our mission is tomitigate the risk of first responder stressassociated with critical incidents. In otherwords we are here to respond to the needsof the corps. We will accomplish this both

proactively by conducting pre-exposurepreparation education through articles andbriefings, and actively on scene at themission by providing group and individualinterventions designed to normalize thereactions of an event.

All too often first responders encountersituations that shock, traumatize and otherwise jolt our minds. These events can leadto severe stress reactions which furtheraffect our lives and the lives of our families.Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is only oneof many illnesses that can result from criticalincident stress. CISM is not therapy, norcounseling. We deal with the current eventand process its affect. We do not delve intopersonal histories or try to act as apsychotherapist or chaplain. We are peers

trained in the process of working with otherpeers to help mitigate and normalize thereactions surrounding a critical incident. Weare here to provide emotional first aid.Our team consists of mental healthprofessionals and peer members. To be ateam member one must be 21 years of ageand a member of CAP, and undergo somebasic training in Critical Incident StressManagement. Please review CAPR60-5 formore details. Teams members are availableto fulfill other mission related roles, but are

immediately available should the needarise. During this year I will endeavor torecruit and educate. If you are interested inknowing more about CISM and our CIST,my contact information follows.

Jon Garlick, Capt. CAPALWG/CISEmail: [email protected]

THE RF FACTOR

What we have here is a failure tocommunicate. That line taken from CoolHand Lukein 1967 is one we hope to hearless and less of. 2009 was a verychallenging year with the transition to thenew narrowband channels and 2010 looksto be equally challenging. A change in


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equipment often means changes in the waywe use it and can be frustrating until we getaccustomed to new procedures. Here aresome things that you can do to make theprocess go much smoother and hopefullyavoid those failures to communicate.

We are alerted to a mission most often by atelephone call or email. We may not thinkabout the use of the radios until we areready to either take off or head out in ourvehicles. We perform our pre-flights and ourvehicle inspections, but we often overlookthe communications preparations. Whetherwe are deploying on a mission, going to anexercise, performing proficiency flights orconducting a Cadet activity, we need to takea moment to be ready to communicate.

During the past year we have had pilots onproficiency flights that were able to bediverted to an actual mission because theywere using the FM radio. We also cameclose to launching a search for one of ourown aircraft inbound to a SAREX becausethey didnt turn the radio on, so they didntknow the staff was trying to find them.Make sure to know before you go; whoyouneed to talk to, whatchannel you need to beon, whenand whereyou need to establishcontact.

Once upon a time we operated mostly onone of 5 channels, the 4 simplex channelsand whatever repeater we would be near.Now we have 6 different simplex channelsin addition to the 7 ground repeaters and 2tactical repeaters. A little preparation canmean the difference between effectivecommunication, and failing to perform themission.

A little thing can make a lot of difference. In

this case, a little time well spent can keepyou from having to repeat yourself.Whenever you key the microphone to talkthrough a repeater, the repeater checksyour signal to see if its supposed to let yourmessage through. The older repeaters onlyhad to check for one of two sub audibletones out of a list. Since the new repeatersare dual mode, they have to check for the

sub audible tones on the analog signal, aswell as check for the proper digital code onthe digital signal. Sometimes this will causea delay in the repeater opening-up andletting your signal go through. If you dontgive the repeater enough time to open, the

other stations will only hear the end of yourtransmission. That means others know youare calling, but dont know who you arecalling. In addition to the time it takes therepeater to open up, many of the stationsyou are trying to call may be scanning. Ifwhen you key the mic, you will take a deepbreath (in and out) before you talk, you mayfind that you can establish contact muchquicker without having to repeat yourself somuch. This really seems to affect pilotsmore than others because as pilots we dont

often talk through repeaters and we try toclear the channel. The key is to give therepeater time to open up, give the otherradio time to stop scanning, and speakslowly and clearly enough for the otherperson to both hear, and understand, whatyou are saying.

Most of you are aware that we havecompleted the transition to the newchannels. It is important for everyone toknow that we are no longer authorized to

use any of the old channels. For the EFJohnson radios, unless specifically toldotherwise you should not use anything otherthan Zone 2. For aircrews, remember theold Air/Ground channel was in the Guard 2position. Unless specifically notified bycomm. personnel, Guard 2 is not to beused. The NAT radios are not capable ofbeing reprogrammed to enable us to usethat setting.

For any history buffs, last year we changed

out all seven repeaters and took delivery ofthe two new tactical repeaters that can beused as air or ground repeaters. We alsohave two HF/ALE rapid deploymentpackages and are upgrading the HF radionetwork. Last year the Wing took part in thelargest communications exercise that theState of Alabama has ever had, in additionto the annual short notice Wing and Region


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exercises. Your ability to adapt to changesin equipment and procedures contributed toa very successful year in conductingexercises and supporting missions given tous by the Air Force and the State ofAlabama. We are still in the narrow-band

transition process, as well as starting theyearly inventory process.

We look forward to seeing you at the WingConference. On behalf of thecommunications staff, thank you for yourpatience and support. Over and Out, ohsorry, not supposed to say that!

Maj. David HesterALWG/DC

Communications EffectivenessEvaluation Successful

The Alabama Wing held its annualCommunications Effectiveness Evaluationon December 13 and 14, 2009. Thisexercise is used to evaluate the ability of theAlabama Wing communications system torespond to a crisis situation on short notice.

The free flow exercise scenario was basedon the response to a major earthquakewithin the New Madrid fault zone. Theexercise was conducted in real time withuse of a SIMCELL for traffic flow to andfrom outside agencies. Although no playerother than the moderator had more than 12hours advance notice, over 50 membersparticipated. Information and messagetraffic was passed using telephone, email,and IMU messaging as well as VHF, HF,and HF-ALE radio systems. The exercise

went beyond communications to include afull operations exercise involving a fullmission base staff operating at differentlocations and real time mission taskings.Emergency power, temporary antennas,and a net control operating from a vehiclewere all part of the exercise. The WingDirector of Communications was verypleased with the results.

INSPECTOR GENERALMISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of the Civil Air Patrol InspectorGeneral System is, in part to create an

independent and objective system that:

1. Resolves problems affecting theCivil Air Patrol mission promptly andobjectively.

2. Creates an atmosphere of trust inwhich issues can be objectively andfully resolved without retaliation orthe fear of reprisal.

3. Ensures the existence of responsivecomplaint and inspection programcharacterized by objectivity, integrity,

and impartiality.4. Ensures the concerns of Civil AirPatrol members and the bestinterest of Civil Air Patrol areaddressed through objective fact-finding.

5. Educates Civil Air Patrol membersand commanders regarding theprivileges of and protection for thosecontacting an inspector general

6. Ensures inspectors general,inspector general staff members,

and investigating officers are trainedto conduct thorough, unbiasedinvestigations and inspections basedon fair and objective fact-finding.

Specific, detailed guidance on the CAP IGprogram may be found in CAPR 123-1


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For Fraud, Waste, and Abuse concerns,select FWA link

The Alabama Wing Inspector General isCol. Joey Owens, 256-390-2129 cell orhome 256-492-4762

CAP Flight Scholarships forCadets and Senior Members

CAP Scholarships for college and flighttraining are available for both cadets andsenior members. Detailed information aboutthese scholarships can be found on theCAP webpage.

Basic requirements for all scholarships:

1. Be a current CAP member;2. Have earned the Billy Mitchell Award(cadets only);3. Have earned a Senior Rating in anySpecialty Track (seniors only);4. Possess and maintain an academic anddiscipline standard acceptable to the school;5. Be enrolled in a full-time course of studyduring the academic year for which thescholarship is awarded;6. Have not received the scholarship in thepast that you are applying for.

Additional requirements for a specificscholarship are noted in the scholarshipdescription.

CAP members apply for these scholarshipsthrough eServices (select the Scholarshipsapplication from the CAP Utilities on the leftside). The application will require you toupload your resume, a letter ofrecommendation and a flight plan (ifneeded).

Important Dates:Members submit scholarship applications by15 Jan 10.Squadron commanders approveapplications by 1 Feb 10.

Wing approves applications by 15 Feb 10.Scholarships will be announced in mid Mar10.

I encourage all interested members to applyfor a CAP scholarship.

JOHN HALL, Lt Col, CAPALWG/DCP

AUBURN SQUADRON HOSTS CAPCADET COMPETITION

Alabama Cadets Excel Physically, Mentallyat Fourth Annual Event

AUBURN, Ala. Civil Air Patrol cadetsfrom the Alabama Wing met in AuburnSaturday, Nov. 21 for a grueling day-longcompetition that tested teams physicalprowess, aerospace knowledge, andleadership skills. The fourth annual CAPIron Man competition represents one of thedemanding challenges CAP volunteers canface, and this year eleven teams fromacross the state vied for the honor of beingnamed CAPs toughest squadron.

The competition, held on the grounds ofAuburn University and hosted by the AuburnComposite Squadron, incorporates thethree core missions of the Civil Air Patrol -emergency services, aerospace education,and cadet programs into an excitingchallenge that tests the capabilities of bothcadet and senior members of the Civil AirPatrol.


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Cadet MSgt. Alexandria Bufford of theAuburn Composite Squadron exchangessalutes with Auburn Air Force ROTC cadetBrandon Clements before beginning the drillportion of the 2009 Civil Air Patrol 'Iron Man'Competition held Saturday, Nov. 20, in

Auburn, Ala. Photo by Capt. Jonathan Lartigue

Competition consisted of five events: asuper physical fitness test, a military-styleinspection, a compass navigation anddirection-finding course, a drill competition,and finally the Iron Man Run, a gruelingthree- to five-mile course punctuated withstops for objective tasks that testcompetitors aerospace knowledge andpractical skills.

The competitions overall winner, andreturning champions from 2008, was theChilton County, Ala., composite squadron,which carries home a travelling trophy and acommanders commendation for each teammember. Winning team members fromChilton County were Capt. Sam Ogilvie,c/Sgt. (cadet Sergeant) Jacob McGowin,c/Sgt. Andrew McGowin, c/Sgt. MeganLawley, c/Maj (cadet Major) JonathanErnest, and c/Sgt. Hannah Pearson.

Cadet 1Lt. Ryan Erskine of the Boaz City SchoolCadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol stands forinspection before TSgt. David Reza, USAF,during the 4th annual CAP 'Iron Man'Competition held Saturday, Nov. 20, in Auburn,Ala. Photo by Capt. Jonathan Lartigue

Runners up were the Maxwell Composite

Squadron of Maxwell AFB, Ala., and theBirmingham 117 ANG Composite Squadronof Birmingham, Ala.

Individual events winners were:

Physical Fitness Test: BessemerComposite Squadron Team A ofBessemer, Ala.

Inspection: Chilton CountyComposite Squadron of Clanton,Ala.

Drill Competition: Chilton CountyComposite Squadron of Clanton,Ala.

Emergency Services Competition:Chilton County Composite Squadronof Clanton, Ala.

Iron Man Run: Maxwell CompositeSquadron of Maxwell AFB, Ala.


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This years competition saw a total of 11teams comprised of more than 65 officerand cadet members from Alabama. Overallmore than 120 CAP members, Air ForceROTC cadets from Auburn University, andspectators attended the day-long event.

The purpose of the Iron Man competitionis to incorporate the three missions of CivilAir Patrol into one event, said Auburnsquadron commander Capt. ChristopherTate. It involves squadrons of the Wing in asafe, competitive, challenging and - mostimportantly - fun environment."

We were happy to see so many peopleparticipate in this years event, Tate said.We have more participation each year and

it is our goal to make this a truly regionalevent with teams from across the SoutheastRegion.

On the web at www.gocivilairpatrol.com,

www.ser-al-113.org, and

www.AreYouAnIronMan.com

Capt. Jonathan LartigueAuburn Squadron, Public Affairs Officer

GADSDEN SQUADRONRECOVERS FROM SLUMP

In the spring of 2009 the GadsdenComposite Squadron was down to ninemembers and was in danger of beingdeactivated. Today, the squadron hastripled its strength of a year ago and has

activated its dormant cadet program.

Thanks to the encouragement of agroup of local home schoolers andassistance from other squadrons,Gadsden now has eight cadets. Fourcadets transferred from other squadronsand four joined at Gadsden last year.

From the left: Cadet Douglas McClelland

and C/A1C Jonathan Watkins taking part in

an AE Activity during a meeting/class.

As the New Year begins, the squadronis getting its cadet program formalizedwith specific goals of forming an HonorGuard, preparing a team for the IronMan Competition, initiating a modelrocketry and orientation ride program,and working toward awards andpromotions for the cadets.

C/CMSgt Randall Pierce displays a Radio

Controlled airplane and explains the parts of

the plane and their function.


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Under the guidance of LieutenantsWhitney Price and Catherine Stanley,the cadet program is making steadyprogress which should continue.

On the Senior or Officer side of thesquadron, progress has been made inthe recruitment of new members.Captain Williams Ott now serves as theStan-Eval Officer for the squadron andwill guide members through therequirements for various pilotqualifications. Lieutenant Bob Noonehas assumed the position of SafetyOfficer and is keeping the safety

program, including safety briefings, up-to-date. Other job duties and specialtytracks are being assigned and prospectsfor the improvement of the squadronlook promising.

As the Gadsden Squadron moves intothe New Year it continues to receiveinquiries from potential senior andcadets members and is expecting 2010to be another good year.

Lt. Col. Talmadge ButlerGadsden Squadron, Commander

Twenty Courses Offered atNESA in June 2010

Personnel can now apply for the 2010NESA courses being offered next summerat Camp Atterbury, in Edinburgh, Indianafrom the 12th through the 26th of June,

2010 at: https://ntc.cap.af.mil/ops/nesa/*.

Twenty different courses are being offeredin the three schools at NESA, the NationalGround Search And Rescue School(NGSAR), the Incident Command SystemSchool (ICSS), and the Mission AircrewSchool (MAS); course details including

dates and prerequisites can be found at theend of this message.

Even though online registration will be openthrough the 9th of May, we encourageanyone interested in attending to apply

early. Slots are filled on a first come firstserved basis, and some courses fill upfaster than others.

Fees vary based on when you register andpay, and this year there are also discountsfor applying early and committing to attendmore than one course when registering andpaying to attend:

Early registration rates will apply nowthrough the 4th of January 2010; Fees: One

Session $160, Two Sessions (Discounted)$310, Staff Only $40 (One or TwoSessions), and Staff One Session andStudent Another $190.

Normal registration runs from the 5th ofJanuary through the 4th of April 2010; Fees:One Session $170, Two Sessions(Discounted) $330, Staff Only $45 (One orTwo Sessions), and Staff One Session andStudent Another $205.

Late registration will be open to fill anyremaining slots from the 5th of April through21st of June 2010 (Online registrationcloses on the 9th of May; some offlineapplications may be considered on a casesby case basis after that if slots areavailable); Fees: One Session $180, TwoSessions (Discounted) $350, Staff Only$50, and Staff One Session and StudentAnother $220.

If a person adds a session or staff

assignment later, they pay the rate for theindividual session or staff assignment at thetime. For example if a member signs up forone session January 4th at $160, and thencomes back a few days later deciding toapply for a second week, they would pay anadditional $170 for the second week.

Course details are provided below, and


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more information will be posted on theNESA website at www.nesa.cap.gov as itbecomes available. If you have anyquestions, feel free to contact the staffcoordinating registration at [email protected]. We hope to see

you at NESA next summer!

Civil Air Patrol WeekProclamation Signings.

Boaz Mayor Tim Walker signed the

proclamation and awarded C/2nd Lt. Ryan

Erskine the Billy Mitchell award at a BoazCity Council Meeting.

Representatives from Alabama Wing, CivilAir Patrol met with Governor Bob Riley onFriday, Nov 13th for the signing of aproclamation naming Nov 29th thru Dec 5thas Civil Air Patrol Week in celebration ofCAPs 67th Anniversary. Lt Col Joe Saloom,Legislative Liaison, and Lt Col LisaRobinson, Wing Chief of Staff and Wing

Commander elect, attended the ceremonyheld at the State Capital.

Afterwards, the CAP delegates presentedGovernor Riley with an Alabama WingChallenge Coin. The delegates were alsopresented with Governor Rileys Challenge

Coin which will be a much coveted item byother members of the Wing.

Maj. Anthony Beresford accepted theProclamation from Mayor Paul Finley at theCity Council Meeting on November 9, 2009.

Photo by William Martin, Newswire.com

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle talks withRedstone and Huntsville Squadronmembers at signing ceremony.

Photo by William Martin, Newswire.com


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Left to right: 1 Lt. Kim Miller, RedstoneSquadron; Maj. Patricia Mitcham, AlabamaWing; Mayor Tommy Battle; Maj. AnthonyBeresford, Huntsville Squadron CommanderCapt. Ernie Blair, Huntsville Squadron.

Capt. Ande Boyer Completes Level IV

17 December 2009 Captain Ande Boyercompleted Level IV Command and Staff andreceived the Garber Award.

In January 1994 Captain Boyer joined theCAP Tullahoma Composite Squadron inTennessee. Boyer served in the TullahomaSquadron for three years before moving to

Colorado Springs, Colorado. While in theSprings, Boyer joined the Air AcademyComposite Squadron located at the AirForce Academy. Two years later, June1999, Boyer moved to Huntsville, Alabamaand joined the Redstone CompositeSquadron located on Redstone Arsenal.While a Cadet, Boyer earned the Eakeraward and attained the rank of C/Lt Col.

Currently Capt Boyer serves as the ALWGDeputy Director of Emergency Services, theRedstone Deputy Commander for seniorsand as the Squadrons Emergency ServicesOfficer. Boyer has a master rating in theInformation Technology specialty track, asenior rating in Emergency Services, and atechnician rating in Cadet Programs. Boyeris an Incident Commander and also workingtoward becoming a Ground Team Leaderthrough the 2009/10 Alabama WingEmergency Services School. Capt Boyer isa CAP mission pilot and ARCHER Operatorand is working on a commercial rating withintentions of becoming a CFI.

1 Lt. Kim Miller, PAORedstone Squadron

Bessemer Squadron Visits Ft. Rucker

On October 26th, the Bessemer CompositeSquadron cadets, Alabama Wings 2009Squadron of Merit, were invited by Mrs.Sheryl Lowell, Fort Rucker Public AffairsOfficer, to be the first organized group totour with the USAF 23rd Flying Training

Squadron (FTS). The tour included anintroduction to helicopter flight training, nightvision goggle (NVG) training, UH-1H Hueyhelicopter, US Army Aviation Center ofExcellence Museum and Flight School XXI.

Bessemer Composite Squadron AL-087 posewith pilots of the USAF 23rd Flying TrainingSquadron on a UH-1H at Cairns Army Airfield inOzark, AL.

Pictured (left to right): Top row: USAF CaptAnnie Driscoll, USAF 1Lt. Erik Greendyke;

Second row: C/Bowlin, C/McCallum, C/Stewart,C/Shikany, C/Mosley, C/Mikell, 1Lt. Vaught,

C/Franklin, C/Ricketts; Third row: C/Braswell,C/Newsome, C/Welkenback, C/Olive, C/Fetner,C/Pendleton, C/Schaffer, C/Holliman, C/Blake,Capt. Chambers, C/Smith, C/A.Vaught; Bottom

row: C/Donegan, C/P. Vaught, C/Monnette,C/Compton, C/C. Sanders, C/Gay and C/S.

Sanders.

Cairns Army Airfield is a military airportforming a part of Fort Rucker which is theHome of Army Aviation. It is one of thebusiest airfields in the Army,training large numbers of Armyaviators both day and night. What


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makes Cairns unique is the density in whichit operates. The airfield may launchanywhere from 70 to 120 aircraft in the dayand 50 to 60 at night for training.

The 23rd Flying Training Squadron is a unit

of the US Air Force, currently assigned to58th Operations Group performing helicoptertraining at Fort Rucker, AL. Since January1994, the squadron has provided helicoptertraining with the US Army to future USAFhelicopter pilots in the UH-1H "Huey"helicopter. Flight and Academic instructorswork hand in hand to ensure studentsgraduating from this program meet the 23rdFTSs motto DO YOU HAVE WHAT ITTAKES?

Flight School XXI is a $10 million 136,000-square foot facility which hosts 38 aviationtraining simulators. With this facility, the USArmy is able to offer all flight dynamics of areal helicopter, including a cockpit thatreplicates that of a real aircraft and realisticenvironments and battlefield conditions.This facility can accommodate hundreds ofstudent pilots, including advancedqualification and pilot instructors. Bessemercadets were excited to find out that theywould be participating in hands-on training

in the Computer Sciences Corporations(CSC) state-of-the-art full-motion visualsimulators at Warrior Hall. CSC was thrilledto have the cadets and have invited them tomake this an annual trip.

1 Lt. Selena Vaught,Bessemer Squadron/DCP

AFA Cadet of the Year for Huntsville

Chapter

C/Lt. Ryan Erskine was honored when Col.John Phillip came to present him with theAFA Cadet of the Year Award, ribbon, andcertificate. Col. Phillip is the Vice Presidentof the local AFA Chapter in Huntsville, Ala.

Mayor Tim Walker, C/2nd Lt. Adam Smithreceiving the Billy Mitchell Award, Commander

Capt. Sonya Erskine

He discussed with all the cadets the criteria

and honor in receiving this award. He alsotold the squadron of his duties when he wasactive in the military.

C/Lt. Ryan Erskine after being presentedwith the above mentioned awards spoke tohis fellow cadets of his thankfulness anddedication to the squadron. He told of hisleadership coming from their continuedfollowership and friendship. He went on tochallenge all to strive to gain this award forthemselves in the future.

Capt. Lynn ToneyBoaz City AL 801/DCP

Veteran's Day Celebrationat Boaz Middle School


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Color Guard performed at the annual BoazHigh School, Boaz Middle School and BoazIntermediate School Veteran's DayCelebrations. Color Guard: C/SSgt BrittneyCothran, C/MSgt. Justus Holland, C/SSgtSeth Gore, and Cadet Airman 1st Class

Sam Burnett.

Space, Asteroids, Planets, Scientist, CAP;what do you think of when you hear thesewords? If you are a student at BoazElementary School than you probably arethinking of a fun time. All last week theyhave been doing activities related to NASAand space in celebration of space week.

Students were lucky enough to have BobKirkbride, a presenter and Space Camp

instructor with the Space and Rocket Centerin Huntsville bring the Star Lab Planetariumto their school. He gave them a lesson inastronomy and then let them all crawl in andsee many of the constellations. He eventold them stories about how theconstellations got their names.

To top off this week of learning at BES,members from the Boaz City SchoolSquadron AL - 801 went to the school toread various stories about the stars and

space. Since it was the day beforeHalloween, many of the students weredressed up as witches, soldiers, and evenastronauts but this didnt shorten theirattention span.

The 3 cadets: C/1st Lt. RyanErskine,C/SSgt. Jake Toney and C/ SrA TimothyWhite accompanied by Senior MembersCapt. Lynn Toney and Lt. Brian White wentaround to different class rooms and readmany wonderful books that both taught andentertained. The cadets actively askedquestions about books that were being readand Cadet Erskine even gave the studentseasy homework; to go out, find the BigDipper, and tell their teacher the next day ifthey found it or not.

All in all the cadets helped top off anamazing week of learning for thekindergartners and 1st graders.

C/1st Lt. Ryan ErskineBoaz City Squadron AL 801

AL-032 Cadet Joseph Spitzer was theMaster of Ceremonies at the PrattvilleVeteran's Day ceremony.

SAREX Held at Bessemer

Bessemer, Ala The Alabama Wing, CivilAir Patrol (CAP), assembled at BessemerRegional Airport for a Search and RescueExercise (SAREX). Ninety-three CAPvolunteers participated in the simulation tohone skills that will be used in the event ofan actual disaster. CAP assets included theWing SAREX include eight aircraft and twoground teams.


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Civil Air Patrol Aircraft Prior to Departure forSimulated Search and Rescue Exercise at

Bessemer Regional Airport.

During the Bessemer SAREX air andground crews participated in simulated

scenarios such as searching for lost hikers,Tuscaloosa and Talladega ElectronicTransmitter searches, stranded canoers,supporting the ADEM/State Agency andperforming various ramp checks. On a coldblustery day and with football season at itspeak, dedicated Alabama CAP ground andaircrews expended over 700 man-hoursduring the SAREX while successfullycompleting their missions.

Civil Air Patrol Cadet Airman Clay Fetner,

Of the Bessemer, Squadron MarshalsAircraft Departing For Simulated Search

and Rescue Exercise. Photos by 1 Lt. KimMiller, MIO

Public Affairs

Many pictures were sent to me this quarterwithout names of the people in the picturesor the name of the photographer andwithout a story to go along with them. It is

impossible to use them without input fromthe squadrons. If you send a photograph,please send at least a sentence or two to gowith it.

PAOs should send articles and releases tome by email. Pictures should be jpg andsent as attachments to the article. Pleasedo not put the pictures in the article.

There has been an update to the CAPR 190governing public affairs. Be sure to read it

and have a copy for your files.

Current CAP URLs

www.capmembers.com

www.gocivilairpatrol.com

www.capvolunteernow.com.

Deadline for next newsletter is February25, 2010.Every squadron should submit at least onearticle and one picture per quarter. Tomake progress in the PA specialty track,articles should be sent to, at a minimum, thenext highest headquarters. Squadroncommanders can approve releases aboutthe squadron to SER and National PA.Releases about wing activities should bereleased through wing public affairs.

PA Contact:Maj. P. Mitcham1919 McDowling DriveHuntsville, AL 35803

Home phone: 256-880-0623


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The Alabama Wing Conference will take place on February 5-6,2010, at the Wynfrey Hotel, Riverchase Galleria, in Birmingham,Ala.

The Alabama Wing Conference will begin Friday night at 6:00PM until 8:30 PM with the Commanders Reception.

Saturday morning starts at 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM with theGeneral Assembly and Awards Ceremony. Lunch will be on yourown. There are many restaurants around the Galleria Mallincluding a large food court within the mall itself.

The Break out seminars and places listed on the program page.

Reception and the Banquet from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Early Bird Registration

must be received byJanuary 15, 2010.

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