2 July Pancake Breakfast to Benefit Garland Family

Friends of Capt. Kevin Garland will hold a pancake breakfast July 2 at the Civil Air Patrol headquarters building at Big Bear City Airport.

Civil Air Patrol members and friends will serve breakfast from 8 to 11:30 a.m. with proceeds going to the Garland family. Garland was serving as the unit's Deputy Commander for Cadets at the time of his death; his sons are current CAP cadets.

Garland was killed May 4 in a head-on collision on Highway 18. He was heading home from work at Patton State Hospital where he was a director. He lived in the Twin Peaks area.

Breakfast includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee. Friends from Big Bear to Twin Peaks will help to serve and entertain. Garland was the sole bread winner for the family. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their three sons.

“We expect a good turnout since in the past this has been a very popular breakfast,” said John Connelly, commander of Squadron 6750. “Now with the emphasis on raising funds for the Garland family, we expect this to be more popular than ever.”

The Civil Air Patrol headquarters building is at 100 W. Meadow Lane, Big Bear City, at the northeast corner of the airport. Members will provide tours of the building.

For more information, call 909-585-4120.

(adapted from a Big Bear Grizzly, online article 20 June 2011)

Group 3 Cadets aim high at National Flight Academy

(16 JUNE, LINCOLN, Neb.) – Cadet 2^nd Lt. Elisabeth Loyd of Hemet-Ryan Composite Sq. 59 and Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Megan Roberson of Palm Springs Composite Sq. 11 will learn more about flying powered aircraft this week at Civil Air Patrol’s National Flight Academy to be held June 16-30 in Camp Ashland, Neb.

The flight academy is specifically designed for cadets who want to learn to fly. Participants receive formal ground instruction and cockpit time with a certified flight instructor; the low instructor-to-student ratio provides opportunities for mentoring and individual attention. NFA also provides many participants the opportunity to solo.

The academy is one of 30 National Cadet Special Activities sponsored by CAP this summer. These activities allow cadets to hone their skills in a variety of areas – including search and rescue, flight and emergency services, science, leadership fundamentals, citizenship and military courtesies – and to explore aerospace technology and aviation careers.

Through its cadet program, CAP builds strong citizens for the future by providing leadership training, technical education, scholarships and career education to young men and women ages 12 to 20.

Cadet Loyd joined CAP in April 2008 and graduated from the California Wing Cadet Basic Encampment at Camp San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo, Calif. later that year, in August. Cadet Loyd is an active participant in CAP and has staffed multiple airshows and represented her unit at the Inland Empire Group 3 Cadet Color Guard Competition held in February 2011. She earned the unit’s prestigious Gen. Billy Mitchell Award in May 2011, signifying completion of Phase II of the CAP cadet program. Only 15% of cadets reach this milestone.

Cadet Roberson joined CAP in September 2009. In less than two years of membership, she has served her unit as both Flight Sergeant and most recently as First Sergeant. She is a 2010 graduate of the California/Nevada Wing Joint Encampment held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near Oceanside, Calif. Her personal decorations include the CAP Model Rocketry Badge and Veterans of Foreign Wars Cadet Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year Award. She is a two-time recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award – Gold presented by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Both cadets have seen squadron members graduate from the Nebraska-based National Flight Academy program over the last two years. In 2009, Cadet 1st Lt. Leandra Lee of Palm Springs Composite Sq. 11 earned her solo wings at the academy. Hemet-Ryan Composite Sq. 59's Cadet 1st Lt. Bryan Gooch graduated from the academy last year.

To be eligible to apply for a National Cadet Special Activity (NCSA) such as National Flight Academy, cadets must be graduates of the week-long cadet basic encampment training program. National Activities are announced in November each year and applications are due in January. Much like college, cadets wait until March each year to find out if they were selected for a program. Selections are based on four factors including age, milestone awards achieved, years in the organization, and number of NCSAs previously attended.

-Capt. Crystal Housman

PAO, Inland Empire Group 3

Sq. 20 Cadet Receives Commendation

Cadet Chief Master Sgt Tyler Saba of Chino Cadet Squadron 20 was awarded the Civil Air Patrol Commander’s Commendation for Inland Empire Group 3 Ground Team Member of the year, and was nominated for California Wing Ground Team member of the year.

Ground team members participate in search and rescue operations and perform lifesaving actions when they locate survivors of crashed aircraft. According to her father, Paul Saba, who is also a Civil Air Patrol Captain, Cadet Saba’s Commendation states: “This honor rarely is bestowed upon a cadet and is a reflection of her dedication and service to the Emergency Services mission of the Civil Air Patrol.”

Cadet Saba is a Ground Team Member-1, Civil Air Patrol’s highest Ground Team Member qualification rating available for cadets, and has participated in many search and rescue operations during the past year, including personally locating two crashed aircraft with her team. At the age of 15 Cadet Saba shows great leadership, and this award is well deserved. Congratulations C/CMSgt Saba, job well done!

PHOTO: C/CMSgt Tyler Saba is presented her Commander's Commendation by Inland Empire Group 3 Operations Officer, Capt. Chris Mattson.

1Lt Michelle Black, PAO, Chino Cadet Squadron 20

Award nominations due today!

Reminder: Group 3 "of the year" award nominations are due today, 15 June 2011 no later than 11:59 p.m. Awards will be presented at the Inland Empire Group 3 annual awards dinner on July 9. Nominations must be submitted electronically as .doc files by email group3awards@gmail.com.

JUST UPDATED! Here is the banquet information:

Annual Group 3 Awards Banquet: Saturday, July 9th · 6:30pm - 11:00pm
Come join us as we reflect on the past year and pay tribute and to and honor our members for their dedicated, countless hours of volunteer service to the organization.

Ayres Suites Corona West

1900 W Frontage Rd

Corona, CA 92882

Sq. 11 Cadet at ILWG Glider Training

Sq. 11's C/SrA Patrick Rovney is currently in glider training at the Johnson Flight Academy (JFA) in Mattoon, Illinois. The program includes training for cadets and seniors in choice of glider, powered aircraft, and even hot air balloon. It is hosted annually by ILWG and Great Lakes Region (GLR). Rovney is the only cadet from Pacific Region participating in this year's JFA.

The Journal Gazette & Times-Courier featured CAP's Johnson Flight Academy when it kicked off Friday. Read the article here:
http://jg-tc.com/news/article_ec5dfccc-9317-11e0-990a-001cc4c002e0.html

Civil Air Patrol's Johnson Flight Academy landing in Coles County this week

By Kayleigh Zyskowski, Journal Gazette & Times Courier Staff Intern

MATTOON - Residents from the Coles County area may see increased air traffic from the Coles County Memorial Airport while the Johnson Flight Academy takes to the sky for the week.

Andrew Fearn, the airport manager, said hot air balloons and gliders will be the most visible throughout the week.

"Early in the morning and late in the afternoon they have about one or two hot air balloons they will launch and recover, and throughout the day gliders will be operated," Fearn said. "If everything is working like it should, they set off a glider every five to 10 minutes. They stay hopping."

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) hosts the flight academy for the cadets who will complete classroom and flight training.

About 50 cadets, ages 14-21, will be in town, and everyone from the academy will stay on campus at Eastern Illinois University, said Deanna Frasure, public affairs officer for the academy.

Some 30 to 35 adults and eight to 12 pilots will help out with the camp, with the number of helpers depending on the day of the week.

In the classroom training portion of the academy, the cadets learn leadership skills, aerospace technique, emergency services and flight line marshalling, which is essentially guiding the planes on the ground.

"There is a fee for the camp, but at the academy the cadets are able to complete pre-solo and solo flights at the fraction of the cost of private flying lessons," Frasure said. "The solo flight is where the cadet can get their wings, and become an actual pilot."

Depending on the age and skill level of the cadet, he or she is able to fly solo or pre-solo. Last year about six cadets competed pre-solo flights and two cadets received their wings with a solo flight, Frasure said.

Fearn said participants usually move to a different airport in the area to utilize the power aircraft.

"We are usually just so busy here with the gliders," Fearn said.

Many of the cadets come into the program with interests in the sky for their futures. Some of the cadets pursue military careers, some become military or commercial pilots, and some go into different aviation or aerospace fields, Frasure said.

"A small percentage go into the fire or police emergency field - they become EMTs," Frasure said, adding the search and rescue and disaster relief training from the camp aids those cadets.

Though the cadets come from across the Midwest, life-long friendships often are made throughout the week, Frasure said.

"It is character building, and the cadets make friends from all over, and they stay in touch for the rest of their lives," Frasure said.

This is not a really formal camp; it is relaxed, so participants have free time, Frasure said.

"You can tell they are having a ball," Frasure said. "We all have a lot of fun."

And the cadets are not the only ones who can enjoy the week-long camp.

"Depending on the wind, people can come out and get a meal at the Airport Restaurant and watch the gliders take off," Fearn said.

The academy will begin today and end June 17.

Award nominations due tomorrow!

Reminder: Group 3 "of the year" award nominations are due no later than tomorrow: by 15 June 2011 at 11:59p.m. Awards will be presented at the Inland Empire Group 3 annual awards dinner on July 9. Nominations must be submitted electronically as .doc files by email group3awards@gmail.com.

JUST UPDATED! Here is the banquet information:

Annual Group 3 Awards Banquet: Saturday, July 9th · 6:30pm - 11:00pm
Come join us as we reflect on the past year and pay tribute and to and honor our members for their dedicated, countless hours of volunteer service to the organization.

Ayres Suites Corona West

1900 W Frontage Rd

Corona, CA 92882

National Commander Presents Wilson Awards

On Monday, May 30, 2011 in San Dimas, Calif., Majs. Cathy Neubauer and Karen Nahrstadt, senior members and Character Development Instructors at March Air Reserve Base Squadron 45, received the highest senior professional development award given by the Civil Air Patrol, the Gill Robb Wilson Award. They were presented the coveted awards by Regional Commander, Colonel Larry F. Myrick and National Commander Brigadier General Amy S. Courter at a reception held after the annual Gill Robb Wilson Memorial Event held at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Among the Guests in attendance was Reverend Jill Denison Paulson, a Presbyterian minister and the granddaughter of Gill Robb Wilson, the founder of the Civil Air Patrol. The special presentation was attended by over 200 CAP Officers and Cadets and guests.

The Gill Robb Wilson Award is Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) highest award for senior member professional development. It recognizes senior members who have dedicated themselves to leadership and personal development in the CAP. This award was first given in 1964 and honors the late Gill Robb Wilson. He is regarded as the founder of Civil Air Patrol, and served as Cap's first executive officer. As Cap's premiere award for senior member professional development, the Gill Robb Wilson Award should be presented by an Air Force or CAP general officer, an elected state or federal official, or other distinguished person.

When asked about the award, Nahrstadt who's husband, a CAP Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Jack R. Nahrstadt, now diseased, was also a recipient of the same award said, "I know that Jack would be proud of me."

Gill Robb Wilson (1893-1966) was an aviator and journalist born in Clarion County, Pa. A Presbyterian minister as well as an early private pilot, he advocated military preparedness and became New Jersey's director of aviation in 1930. He was the first executive officer of the Civil Air Patrol. During World War II he was a correspondent for the Herald Tribune.

Rev. Paulson, said that she was very proud of those Civil Air Patrol members who have achieved and received the Wilson award.

PHOTO: After the reception, 17 Wilson recipients including Majs. Neubaur and Nahrstadt gathered together in front of the California Wing Gill Robb Wilson plaque of honor for a picture with Rev. Paulson.

Capt. Robert Harris, PAO, Sq. 45