---
title: "VOLUNTEER | Winter 2025"
author: ""
url: "https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/2/winter-2025"
---



#### From the National Commander | Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye

# Reflections from the Air, Space & Cyber Conference


Recently, my time at the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) Air, Space & Cyber Conference was energizing and affirming. AFA is a valued partner whose mission to advocate for dominant air, space, and cyber forces aligns with Civil Air Patrol’s programs. This annual gathering offers CAP a unique opportunity to engage with senior Air Force leaders, reconnect with former cadets now serving in uniform, learn about what the Air Force is planning, and showcase our contributions. We share our story as a Total Force partner through presentations, interviews, and conversations at our booth. The conversations and connections made here can lead to new opportunities and help us align our efforts with the evolving priorities of the Air Force.

This year was particularly celebratory because Cadet Capt. Daniel O’Connell was honored on the main stage as AFA Aerospace Education Cadet of the Year and Brig. Gen. Richard L. Anderson was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Let me share some things I learned at AFA.

Civil Air Patrol is a proven force-multiplier. Interacting with senior leaders, it is clear that CAP’s operational contributions are tangible and trusted due to our many years of dedicated service. From air intercept training and sUAS support to aerial imagery and disaster response, CAP provides critical capabilities with pride and professionalism. These missions train warfighters or allow warfighters to focus on other tasks. In 2026, we will continue enhancing readiness while being good stewards of our resources.

CAP is training tomorrow’s warfighters and leaders today. AFA’s commitment to education and outreach is mirrored in CAP’s cadet and aerospace education programs. CAP is cultivating the next generation of air and space leaders through our orientation flights, flight academies, Cadet Wings program, NCSAs, and STEM initiatives such as our NASA support missions. The fact that former cadets make up 10% of each incoming class at the U.S. Air Force Academy validates how we inspire future warfighters at just one service academy. Our work with cadets shapes futures for those who wish to serve in uniform or pursue other career opportunities.

CAP is also evolving as the Air Force adapts to meet global challenges. We are growing capabilities that reflect the priorities discussed at AFA such as geospatial intelligence, advanced communications, and sUAS operations. We are looking at our portfolio of activities and initiatives to thoughtfully determine where to reduce programs and where to add. Our Board of Governors is crafting a 10- to 15-year strategic vision to ensure CAP remains agile, relevant, and ready to serve. CAP’s commitment to excellence is reflected in our infrastructure investments, from enhanced cadet protection to airworthiness to rigorous safety and accountability systems. These efforts ensure that CAP remains a trusted non-profit and partner, capable of meeting the demands of tomorrow’s missions with integrity, dedication, and the innovative mindset that has defined us since our founding.

Civil Air Patrol is a valuable asset for our nation and partners in an era where readiness, innovation, and cost-efficiency are paramount. We are a talent incubator and a mission enabler. As the Air Force looks to the future, we want to continue our service as well. CAP must continue to evolve and position itself for future missions, mentoring the next generation, and building future capabilities. We are shaping a future with our partners where air, space, and cyber superiority are maintained and elevated.

The importance of the AFA and CAP partnership has never been more apparent to me than it was at the end of the conference. As the U.S. Air Force continues to evolve to meet the demands of a dynamic, rapidly changing world, CAP is always vigilant and ready to support. We are a low-cost, high-impact partner that enhances operational readiness and shapes future leaders. 

_Semper Vigilans!_

**Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye**, CAP National Commander/CEO



#### Flying Drones | by William J. Evans, sUAS Program Manager

# Expanding CAP’s National sUAS Program 

As Civil Air Patrol’s newly appointed small Unmanned Aircraft Systems manager, I want to assure you CAP National Headquarters is working diligently to strengthen its sUAS program.

A U.S. Army veteran and former senior UAS trainer, I assumed the role in August. With more than 15 years of experience operating and teaching unmanned aircraft systems from Raven and Puma platforms to the latest enterprise drones, I bring both operational depth and a vision for the future of CAP’s unmanned aircraft fleet.


 ![PullQuote_FlyingDrones.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_flyingdrones-vIGBQz.jpg) 


Our mission is to make sure every wing has the right tools, training, and support to integrate sUAS into their operations. From disaster response to search and rescue, drones are now a force-multiplier for Civil Air Patrol, and we’re building the infrastructure to sustain that nationwide.

### Building a National Program

The national sUAS team is working to streamline fleet management, standardize technician and pilot training, and introduce new technologies such as thermal imaging, mapping payloads, and AI-enabled flight capabilities. We are also focused on life-cycle management, ensuring older systems are modernized or replaced while new platforms like the Skydio X10D and Wingtra are fielded responsibly.

### Supporting the Mission

Already, CAP sUAS teams have supported missions in disaster assessment, missing person searches, and community outreach. The National Headquarters program is scaling up crew members and mission pilot courses so every wing can sustain operations locally.

This isn’t just about drones, it’s about building readiness. Every crew member we train, every pilot we qualify, directly increases CAP’s ability to respond when communities need us most.

 ![IMG_8183 - extra sUAS photo if needed.jpeg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/img_8183-extra-suas-photo-if-needed-KF3dR3.jpeg) 

_Evans, CAP’s new sUAS program manager, prepares four drones for flight._
### Looking Ahead

The national sUAS team is collaborating with region and wing leadership to align training pipelines, create standardized maintenance procedures, and ensure compliance with Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense requirements. A modernization roadmap is underway to guide sUAS procurement and integration into CAP operations through 2025 and beyond.

Civil Air Patrol’s investment in unmanned aircraft systems reflects its commitment to innovation and service. Under this new leadership, the national sUAS program is positioned to become one of the organization’s most dynamic and mission critical capabilities.





# Hawaii Wing Responds Quickly to Tsunami Threat Following Massive Russian Quake

By Paul South

 ![2025-HIE-Day6-0105-LtTeal.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/2025-hie-day6-0105-ltteal-kIrjfQ.jpg) 

_CAP aircraft based in Hawaii are always ready for flight, as was the case this summer when a Russian earthquake prompted the need for tsunami warnings over the islands’ coastal areas._

In late July, when a powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake rocked and rolled the Kamchatka peninsula, a remote Russian region in the northern Pacific Ocean, Civil Air Patrol’s Hawaii Wing and the Pacific Tsunami Warning System scrambled to work.

The Hawaii Wing was “wheels-up” within 90 minutes after the first tsunami warning notification.

While tsunami waves more than 4 feet high and 11 feet deep damaged some boats and harbor infrastructure and triggered mild flooding, no one on the island chain was injured or killed by the swells, Col. Dana McLaughlin, then the wing’s director of emergency services, said.

While one of the most powerful quakes ever recorded didn’t trigger the massive tidal waves that create a tsunami, it easily could have. The Hawaii Wing’s warning system, long the wing’s bread and butter when it comes to emergency response, again proved its mettle, even bringing a new baby into the world. 

“When the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center elevates a threat to Tsunami Warning status [red level], our aircrews are among the very first to mobilize,” said McLaughlin, now the wing's commander. “The mission is unique: while much of CAP’s work involves search and rescue, disaster assessment, and transport, in a tsunami response the priority is rapid coastal alerting.”

McLaughlin provided a glimpse of the mission from an incident commander’s perspective.

“As soon as we receive the first notice of a potential tsunami threat, we begin preparations. Pilots head immediately to the airport to begin preflighting aircraft — even while mission paperwork is still catching up. In these situations, every minute counts,” she said.

![20240718_102025.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/20240718_102025-RX5X74.jpg) 

_A Hawaii Wing aircraft with a loudspeaker attached to one of its wing struts flies over a rural housing development during tsunami warning training this summer. Photo by 2nd Lt. Brian Teal, Hawaii Wing_

_“Once the official red alert Tsunami Warning is issued, CAP aircraft launch under a standing agreement with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. From that moment, the task is urgent and clear: Fly the coastline, sound the sirens, and broadcast the evacuation message: ‘Tsunami warning! Evacuate all low-lying areas until all-clear is given.’”

Time was tight for the Hawaii Wing and other emergency responders in the wake of the warning, McLaughlin said, and personnel moved quickly after official warnings were issued.

Even the state emergency management agency “moves into immediate action and finalizes paperwork afterward, that’s the nature of a tsunami threat — you might have very little time to respond,” she said. “In a tsunami response, our job is not theoretical. It’s about saving lives in real time, that’s why we train, and that’s why we answer the call without hesitation.”

The wing conducted four warning flights and relocated eight of its 11 aircraft to higher ground. Members across the state responding to the alarms navigated heavy vehicle traffic, and while at local airports, crews gained valuable learning experience regarding the facilities’ standard operating procedures, which will help the wing going forward, McLaughlin wrote in her after-action report to members.


![PullQuoteTsunami.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquotetsunami-Y3QMDA.jpg)


There are 326 warning sirens across the island chain, used in the event of not only tsunamis but also fire, flash floods, and other disasters. The system is tested at noon on the first day of each month, McLaughlin said. 

During the recent Kamchatka quake, the system activated several times during the day.

“It always startles the tourists,” she said.

There’s also a network of buoys that tracks tsunami progress and threat level across the Pacific.

#### Cadet Heroism

The system, which predates Hawaii’s statehood, has a long history of effectiveness. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was created after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands and triggered a wave 50 feet tall, destroying a newspaper and a sugar mill on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The wave killed 96 people in a Japanese fishing village in Hilo on the big island.

Across Hawaii, the April 1, 1946, quake killed 170 people and led to the creation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System still in place.

The system’s history is the stuff of legend. Col. Roger Caires, former Hawaii Wing commander, recounted the heroic story the Hanalei cadet squadron in an earlier story in Civil Air Patrol's _VOLUNTEER_ magazine.

_"Even before the tsunami warning mission was formally put in place — and before Hawaii became America’s 50th state — CAP provided warnings of tidal and coastal problems. When a tidal wave bore down on the north coasts of Kauai and Oahu in 1957, the town of Hanalei on the north shore of Kauai was spared any deaths or injuries, thanks to warnings from the Hanalei CAP squadron. A Hanalei Civil Air Patrol cadet squadron was about to hold its weekly meeting on Kauai on March 11, 1957, when it received a radio message from its headquarters in Honolulu that a massive earthquake off Alaska had triggered a tsunami that was expected to hit Hawaii within an hour. The cadets, under the leadership of a lieutenant, Kai Davis, jumped into their jeeps, which were equipped with sirens, and drove through Hanalei Valley and Haena sounding the alarm. Going door to door, the CAP cadets are credited with alerting 300 to 400 Kauai residents, who took refuge at the Hanalei lookout.”_

#### The Historical Record

One of the earliest recorded tsunamis in Hawaii’s history hit in 1868 when an earthquake at Mauna Loa on the Big Island destroyed six villages and killed nearly 100. Witnesses said the waves were more than 60 feet high, taller than the coconut trees.

Here are some other examples from Hawaii’s history:

In 1923 an 8.4=magnitude earthquake — also on Kamchatka Peninsula — generated a tsunami wave that reached a height of 26 feet. The wave caused property damage across Hawaii.

- On May 22, 1960, a 9.6-magnitude earthquake, perhaps the strongest ever recorded, on the southern coast of Chile generated a wave over 35 feet high that again devastated the village of Shinmachi in Hilo, destroying a school and killing 61. “Shortly after this disaster, the state of Hawaii recognized CAP as playing an integral role in disaster response,” McLaughlin said. “We worked with the politicians to develop routes in order to get the message out to all coastlines.” 

- On March 27, 1964, the 9.2-magnitude Good Friday Earthquake that hit Anchorage created a tsunami wave that struck Hawaii again, causing property damage across the state. 

- On Nov. 29, 1975, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake at the Hilina Slump, the same place as the 1868 one, triggered a 47-foot tsunami and a small brief eruption of the Kilauea volcano. 

- In 2005, a small tsunami flooded the Marriott Courtyard in Kailua-Kona, causing a voyaging canoe mounted in the lobby to float.

 ![2025-HIE-Day6-0012-CTeal.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/2025-hie-day6-0012-cteal-zasas0.jpg) 

_This CAP aircraft — one of the eight used as part of the Hawaii Wing’s tsunami warning mission in late July — heads toward the runway for takeoff._

#### Geographical Challenges

Unlike CAP wings in the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Alaska face unique geographic challenges. Moving personnel between islands in Hawaii can be a tricky proposition.

“There are no bridges or ferries connecting the islands, which makes coordination, training, and logistics far more complex,” McLaughlin said. “On the mainland, you can move people and equipment across state lines by road. Here, we don’t have that option. We can’t just load up a van and drive to a training site.”

But she sees the broad expanse of the Pacific in a positive light.

McLaughlin began her CAP career in March 1989 as a cadet in California. She became Hawaii Wing commander in October. She has a bold vision for the wing, driven not only by adaptability but also guided by three Hawaiian words that have always defined its spirit — the values of hoʻomau [perseverance], kuleana [responsibility], and laulima [cooperation].

And for CAP members in the Lower 48 who may have only seen the Aloha State in vacation dreams or an Elvis movie, McLaughlin has a message about the state she calls home — and the wing she proudly serves.

“Hawaii is a special place. When disaster strikes, we respond with the same commitment to our neighbors that you do. Here in the islands, we take care of our home, we mālama i ka ‘āina [care for the land], and we protect our family, our ‘ohana. 

“It is that spirit of unity, resilience, and aloha that guides every mission we fly.”

And as for the new life CAP personnel brought into the world for a passerby, McLaughlin had a question: “Can they at least get a lifesaving [medal] for that, or at least a life-giving Commander’s Commendation Award?”






# CAP Supports Mission to Bolster Security at U.S. Southern Border

 ![ncflir-297100.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/ncflir-297100-n6kAfU.jpg) 

_A forward-looking infrared (FLIR 8500) camera is installed on this CAP aircraft. Advanced airborne technologies like FLIR are being considered for future border missions._

For more than three decades two Civil Air Patrol regions and four wings have flown thousands of daily missions to bolster security at the U.S. southern border. 

These missions harken back to CAP’s heritage of helping protect the nation’s approaches from potential illegal activities and passing on the vital information to the proper authorities. CAP continues the effort alongside agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection as an integral part of U.S. Northern Command and its mission. 

Acting in its role as the U.S. Air Force auxiliary and a Total Force partner, CAP is serving as a force multiplier, working shoulder-to-shoulder with federal law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. Under the direction of Joint Task Force North and the newly formed Joint Task Force Southern Border, CAP, along with other joint partners, focuses on identifying and relaying positions of cross-border traffic in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.

Each week CAP wings add sorties to the First Air Force Air Tasking Order. These flights occur in priority areas set by the experts at CBP to augment and enhance the work of DHS and CBP to detect and monitor cross-border activity.

On these missions, specially selected and trained CAP members fly to areas of suspected high traffic or known crossing areas and monitor and report activity they see back to the ground agents. Often CAP assets are used when more expensive assets are not available or during periods they cannot fly due to downtime or maintenance activities. 

Each CAP operating location provides a situation report when activated, detailing numbers of missions, sorties, and flying hours to detail the organization’s support of the border protection mission. 

Today, the southern border may be attracting a little less interest in the press, as migration has slowed in recent months. CAP, though, isn’t backing down or reducing its support for the mission. 

In fact, with new support from the Department of Defense to augment DHS in border security, CAP is looking at additional activities and locations to increase its footprint as well as adding enhanced capabilities into the effort.

According to Terry McCaffrey, CAP’s director of operations, “Although we have relied on the ‘Mark-One-Eyeball’ of CAP members over the past many years to spot activity, CAP is looking at applying advanced airborne technologies and systems like our limited number of Forward Looking Infra-Red [FLIR]-equipped aircraft to join the mission.”

McCaffrey said these systems are more than just useful in search and rescue or disaster response. They allow CAP to provide enhanced video support to the CBP mission both during the day and after the sun goes down. CAP can provide real-time video downlinks to agents on the ground to help better identify location, movement, and activities of potential threats, giving CBP agents more information and ability to safely do their job in protecting the nation. 

Over the last eight fiscal years, CAP has averaged about 3,100 flying hours annually in support of the DHS’ drug interdiction mission. In the fiscal year that just ended, 269 CAP members flew more than 3,150 hours on more than 1,325 sorties to support this critical mission.

cap.giftlegacy.com/wills



# Former CAP National Commander Anderson Named Assistant Secretary of the Air Force

By Paul South

 ![oath2.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/oath2-9ACjI2.jpg) 

_In an official swearing-in ceremony Oct. 6 at the Pentagon, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink (left) congratulates Richard L. Anderson after he took the oath to become assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Looking on is his wife, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Ruth Anderson, a life member of Civil Air Patrol. Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force_

Civil Air Patrol Brig. Gen. and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Richard L. Anderson is the new assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Appointed by President Trump, Anderson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in late September and sworn in soon after at the annual Air and Space Forces Association National Convention and followed up with a ceremonial swearing-in on Oct. 6 by Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. For Anderson, serving as Air Force assistant secretary is the latest milestone in a distinguished military and civilian career.

“To return to the Air Force as a senior civilian leader after 30 years in an Air Force uniform is a dream come true,” Anderson said, “and especially so because my portfolio includes Civil Air Patrol.”

Anderson, 70, began his road to the Pentagon as a 13-year-old CAP cadet in the Roanoke Composite Squadron in Roanoke, Virginia. He was the first recipient of the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award to rise to the level of national commander.

His father, Richard “Dick” Anderson, sparked Anderson’s love for aviation while acquiring and working to restore a 1944 Beech D-17S Staggerwing aircraft, the type flown by CAP pilots during their World War II Coastal Patrol mission.

That passion for flight blossomed when Anderson attended his first CAP meeting with a neighbor.

“I didn’t fully understand CAP at the time, but the minute I walked into the squadron headquarters and saw cadets my age attired in the Air Force uniform, my first reaction was, ‘Where do I sign up?’” he said.

![Spaatz Award Presentation 1973 by Gov. A. Linwood Holton.jpeg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/spaatz-award-presentation-1973-by-gov-a-linwood-holton-34wSey.jpeg) 

_Anderson (center, right) receives his Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award from Virginia Gov. A. Linwood Holton in 1973._

Later came his first orientation flight that ignited a desire to fly and opened the door to cadet solo and private pilot scholarships, which opened the wide world of aviation to him.

Anderson received his Air Force commission after graduating from Virginia Tech in 1979. Among his many Air Force roles, Anderson served as commander of a Titan II ICBM crew at Little Rock Air Forces Base in Arkansas and as a Minuteman II squadron operations officer at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

He also served in the Strategic Air Command, U.S. Atlantic Command, U.S. Pacific Command, and at the Pentagon in the Air Force Secretariat and in the office of the Secretary of Defense. He retired from the Air Force in 2009.

In the civilian world, Anderson served in the Virginia General Assembly from 2010-2018 and as chairman of the Virginia Republican Party from 2020 to early 2025.

Among his many leadership roles in CAP, he served as national commander from 1993-1996 and on the organization’s board of governors from 2009-2014, including two years as chairman.

His service in the Air Force auxiliary, beginning as a cadet, prepared him for all of his future roles, Anderson said.

“CAP taught me from the first moment (as a cadet) the value of embracing the qualities of servant-leadership as my model,” Anderson said. “It taught me to plan, execute, and follow up and imbued me with respect for the value of leading through collaboration and consensus decision-making.”

He added, “What I learned as a CAP cadet formed a lifelong foundation that served me as a CAP squadron, wing, and region commander; CAP national vice commander; chairman of the CAP Board of Governors; a 30-year Air Force career; service as a state legislator; chairman of a state political party; and now as assistant secretary of the Air Force.”

 ![PullQuoteSecAnderson.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquotesecanderson-c4pLzY.jpg) 

Civil Air Patrol falls under Anderson’s umbrella as assistant secretary. Asked if he expected the organization’s role to change, Anderson reflected on its history.

“CAP’s congressionally mandated missions and portfolio of non-combat missions assigned by the Secretary of the Air Force, have been dynamic since just prior to the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and U.S. entry into World War II,” he said. “I suspect that CAP’s mission set will continue to evolve and that CAP will be entrusted with ever-increasing responsibilities in performing its missions for America.”

Anderson also expects that consistent congressional funding of CAP will continue.

As assistant secretary, Anderson wants to bring stakeholders together in a spirit of collaboration.

He also wants to address specific challenges.

“I wish to be the assistant secretary who brought stakeholders together and embraced initiatives that will drive down the Air Force pilot shortage, reduce the suicide rate to unprecedented low levels, and drive the sexual assault rate to near extinction.”

And, he has high hopes for Civil Air Patrol.

“I wish for CAP to continue to flourish and to broaden its service to the Air Force and to our nation,” Anderson said.

As he tackles his new duties, Anderson thinks of his father and of CAP and Air Force Reserve Col. Charles S. Glass. Glass was Anderson’s first squadron commander, who flew him on one of his first cadet orientation flights. Now in his 90s, Glass lives in Roanoke, where he enjoys an active life.

Glass, he said, “modeled leadership that I wished to emulate in my own life.”

Though most would consider Anderson’s career extraordinary, he says his life mirrors that of an untold number of other cadets. Asked what counsel he would offer his younger self, Anderson said, “My advice would be to follow the same path that was set out for me by other CAP and CAP-USAF members who laid out a pathway for me and other cadets to pursue.

“My own path isn’t unusual; I’ve seen it replicated in the life journey of thousands of CAP members over the last half century of my CAP membership.” 

As he reflected on his rise from teen CAP cadet to assistant secretary of the Air Force, Anderson said, “What I tell people is, you never know where life is going to lead you. When those doors open up, just step through.”






# Solo Success in the Skies

### For Aspiring CAP Cadet Aviators, Ayres Flight Academy Helps Dreams Come True

By Paul South

 ![IMG_0759.jpeg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/img_0759-O9cGv4.jpeg) 

_Capt. Eryka Xavier Da Silva, an academy instructor, conducts a preflight walk-through with Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Peony Kang._

It began in 1990 in Hagerstown, Maryland. Thirteen Civil Air Patrol cadets with 13 keen minds and 13 hungry hearts, all holding fast to one dream:

Flying solo, following the figurative contrails of aviators like Amelia Earhart, Brig. Gens. Billy Mitchell and Chuck Yeager, and countless other U.S. military, commercial, corporate, or private pilots.

Solo success stories are written every summer at CAP’s 14 national flight academies, intended to provide cadets with aviation education, confidence-building, and leadership development. Soloing is an important milestone for some, but the true measure of success is the growth in knowledge, skills, and character that all cadets experience.
Hagerstown’s Lt. Col. Robert Ayres Memorial National Flight Academy is special.

Ten cadets were chosen for the 2025 academy. They received not only 15 hours of flying time but also ground school instruction. Before arriving, they completed two weekends of ground school before they even saw an aircraft.

It’s about more than time in the cockpit. Cadets also prepare to pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s written test.

Applicants compete for the program based on their Civil Air Patrol record, academic performance, an essay, resume, and an in-person interview. All have demonstrated their commitment to the cadet program, said Lt. Col. John Henderson, director of the Ayres academy. Applicants must be at least 16 years old.

This year, 45 cadets from up and down the Eastern Seaboard and from as far west as Chicago applied. In the past, cadets from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii have done so.

![0677_cropped.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/0677_cropped-pmqNHK.jpg) 

_Cadet Majs. Anvita Kulkarni and Casey Golladay, Cadet Tech. Sgt. Thien Le, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Peony Kang, and Cadet 1st Lts. Elsa Gustafson and Ethan Anguiano were students at the 2025 Lt. Col. Robert Ayres Memorial National Flight Academy._

Kimberly Carole, CAP’s deputy director of government affairs, said she’s a big fan of the academy. She has visited the academy several times to capture dynamic photographs for high-level briefings.

“My particular interest in the [academy] is its ingenuity in terms of extreme resourcefulness that is akin to the sacrificial crisis mindset of the early CAP volunteers prior to and during World War II,” Carole said. “Its lean budget, overarching objective, and concept of operations, the cadre of devoted professionals, and the rallying of local members providing direct support make it unique even in CAP.”

She added, “CAP volunteerism is cost-effective in every domain. Its resourcefulness, the drive for mission success, and patriotism are reminiscent of stories heard among the Greatest Generation. The [academy] emulates that mindset. This type of ingenuity is woven into the fabric of CAP’s volunteerism and greatly amplifies the return-on-investment for Capitol Hill.

“They are celebrating 35 years of success.”

Instructors and staff give the cadets 110%, Henderson said.

“I think the biggest thing that makes the activity so successful is the staff and the instructors,” he said.

And there are the cadets. A tenth of a point on application scores sometimes separates successful applicants.

“All the cadets who applied this year had 4.0 GPAs. They were all phenomenal cadets in the program. That’s what we see,” Henderson said. “The phenomenal cadets we have applying — coupled with the awesome staff that I’ve got — that’s what makes this thing go.”

A counterweight to the pressure of flying is that Henderson and the staff work to create a relaxed atmosphere for the young participants.

And while the goal is for every Ayres cadet to solo and pass the FAA exam, that doesn’t always happen. Even so, the academy staff doesn’t abandon those students. The investment in every student continues, Henderson said.

 ![PullQuote_SoloSuccessInTheSkies.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_solosuccessintheskies-vd2lnc.jpg) 

“For the cadets who do not achieve one or both of those benchmarks, our staff will continue to work with them to help them achieve success in their home units when they return,” he said. “We want to see them succeed, so we do whatever we can to encourage them to keep going and to complete what they set out to do.”

The academy is named for the late CAP Lt. Col. Robert Ayres, who created what was formerly known as the Maryland Wing Solo School. He passed away in 2012.

What would Ayres think today about the academy that bears his name and attracts some of Civil Air Patrol’s best and brightest cadets?

From the outside, some — even fellow cadets and adult CAP members — might see that first solo as “cool,” but that’s missing the blood, sweat, tears, and other emotions, as well as the hard work cadets and their instructors pour into the academy, Henderson said. Staff commitment is the “secret sauce” behind the academy’s success.

 ![0788_cropped.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/0788_cropped-FkXS57.jpg)

_Maj. Martin Sacks, a flight instructor at the academy, and Cadet Capt. Nicolas Guzman-Spath take a closer look at the wing of a CAP aircraft before takeoff._

The future of aviation is being shaped at the academies. Past students have become U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Coast Guard pilots, flying F-4s, F-15s, F-16s, C-5s, C-17s, and the like. Others fly for corporate outfits like FedEx. Still others will become airline pilots or adult CAP flyers.

After 35 years, what’s the legacy of the Ayres academy?

“Seeing these cadets succeed and following their lives
and hearing how they are doing really makes it worthwhile,” Henderson said. 

“Over 300 cadets have been introduced to aviation and are now in successful careers,” he said. “Each one of these cadets will leave our academy and become ambassadors not only for the Robert Ayres (academy) but for Civil Air Patrol and aviation in general. This is how you prepare for the future; you build ambassadors who recognize the value and spread the word. 

“This is better than any PR campaign you can design.”

For cadets at Ayres, the future, like visibility on a crystal-clear day, is unlimited. That means bright days ahead for American aviation, not to mention related STEM and leadership careers.

“These are our future Top Gun aces, our future defenders of freedom, our trusted agents to take us and our kids on family vacations,” Henderson said. “This is the start of not only an adventure but more like a calling to do what they feel they would like to dedicate the rest of their lives to.”

He added, “Leonardo Da Vinci said it best: ‘When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.'”

***

The participating cadets this year were:

**Delaware Wing**

Delaware Air National Guard Cadet Squadron  |  Cadet Capt. Nicolas Guzman-Spath

**Maryland Wing**

Bethesda Chevy Chase Composite Squadron | Cadet Tech Sgt. Thien Le

Carroll Composite Squadron | Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Peony Kang

Col. Mary S. Feik Composite Squadron | Cadet 1st Lt. Elsa Gustafson

Granite Cadet Squadron | Cadet Maj. Casey Golladay

**New Jersey Wing**

Allentown Composite Squadron | Cadet Maj. Anvita Kulkarni

Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. Composite Squadron | Cadet Lt. Col. Nathaniel Hawkins

**North Carolina Wing**

Guilford Composite Squadron | Cadet 1st Lt. Ethan Anguiano

**Virginia Wing**

Leesburg Composite Squadron | Cadet Capt. Kai Posey

Winchester Composite Squadron | Cadet Maj. Benaiah Lichti





# Leadership Lessons Learned at Cadet Officer School

By Loretta Fulton

Even Civil Air Patrol’s national commander is in awe of the cadets selected to attend the 55th Cadet Officer School this summer at National Headquarters in central Alabama.

And that’s understandable. The 119 cadets selected were the elite, from the top 15% among their peers. Maj. Gen. Regena Aye, CAP’s national commander and CEO, was one of the distinguished speakers.

“The cadets are absolutely inspiring!” Aye said. “Their dedication and passion for the program keep me motivated to serve. 

“If they are examples of our future, it will be bright!”

The school was held at Maxwell Air Force Base, home to Civil Air Patrol’s National Headquarters and to Air University, the intellectual and leadership development center of the U.S. Air and Space Forces. The cadets attending represented all eight CAP regions, along with overseas squadrons in Germany and Guam.

Lt. Col. Kathleen Crockett, the activity’s co-director, said the goal was to contribute to the growth of CAP’s cadet officers “as mature leaders and responsible citizens and to introduce them to strategic thinking.”

 ![PullQuotE_CadetSchool.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_cadetschool-dszK0T.jpg) 

Consider that objective accomplished, judging from the comments of six of the cadets. One, Cadet Maj. Owen Kano of the Nevada Wing’s Las Vegas Composite Squadron 70, specifically mentioned an emphasis on strategic thinking.

“I learned to see the bigger picture and understand that everything we do as officers affects the mission,” Kano said. “Timeliness, attention to detail, and situational awareness are all critical towards mission success, whatever that may look like."

Cadet 2nd Lt. Kate Porter of the Colorado Wing’s Pikes Peak Composite Squadron cited the school’s four pillars of learning — leadership, airpower, critical thinking, and communication — and addressed how one trait affects all of those.

“While it is difficult to identify one particular leadership lesson,” Porter said, “decision-making is one of the biggest takeaways, as it is required at every point during [the school].”

Civil Air Patrol is observing the Year of Ownership, which Aye emphasized in her presentation to the cadets. She reviewed ownership principles and talked about the impact the cadets can have as leaders if they embrace the concept.

“I talked about how what we tolerate as leaders becomes accepted, how leaders have to adjust to their teams and meet their needs,” she said, “and how we all have to be on the same team moving this amazing organization forward to succeed.”

### Cadets, in their own words, expressed their thoughts on leadership:

**Cadet Maj. Aleigha Hornsey of the Oklahoma Wing’s Broken Arrow Composite Squadron**

 ![COS photo 1 - Aleigha.JPG](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/cos-photo-1-aleigha-rrVSDd.jpg) 

_Cadet Maj. Aleigha Hornsey (in front of the white board) participates in a group discussion. This photo and others in this story were taken by Maj. Steve Lampasona, Florida Wing._

“I learned that my expectations often did not align with reality, which led to conflict — whether in the sense of personality clashes or just something not going as planned.

“The most impactful lesson I learned ... was how my response to conflict affected my team. I have always known that I disengaged in high conflict, but at [Cadet Officer School] I saw how this related to my leadership. Challenging situations, along with feedback from my flightmates and instructors, helped me realize that disengaging in conflict left me unhelpful during important problem solving.

“Now I know where to seek improvement in my leadership.”

**Cadet Maj. John Baruth of the Ohio Wing’s Licking County Composite Squadron**

 ![COS photo 2 - John.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/cos-photo-2-john-5jml3u.jpg) 

_Cadet Maj. John Baruth leads discussions in his group at Cadet Officer School._

"Cadet Officer School demonstrated to me that effective military leadership blends the authority of rank with intellectual engagement and humility.

“Whether it be my instructors, flight leaders, or flightmates, I observed leaders who earned respect through their actions, not just their authority. They demonstrated critical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to connect with others, qualities that enhanced my perspective on what it means to be an officer.

“These lessons will guide me as a cadet officer in CAP and carry forward into my future military career, where I aim to lead with both authority and understanding.”

**Cadet Maj. Owen Kano of the Nevada Wing’s Las Vegas Composite Squadron 70**

![COS5extended.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/cos5extended-2VVCPz.jpg) 

_Cadet Maj. Owen Kano awaits his turn at Project X, a reaction training course at Maxwell Air Force Base that teaches problem solving, teamwork, and leadership skills._

"Aside from learning how to play volleyball or perform Team Leadership Problems, [Cadet Officer School] taught me to view problems strategically.

“Leadership is a sacrifice that requires the officer to give of themselves completely toward the mission and the team. Every leader is first and foremost a follower to the demands of the mission and needs of his or her team.”

**Cadet 2nd Lt. Kate Porter of the Colorado Wing’s Pikes Peak Composite Squadron**

 ![COS photo 3 - Kate Porter.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/cos-photo-3-kate-porter-cPu03b.jpg) 

_Cadet 2nd Lt. Kate Porter, second from the left, holds her graduation certificate alongside (from left) Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye, CAP’s national commander, and co-activity directors Lt. Col. Kathleen Crockett and CAP-U.S. Air Force Maj. Jason Steed._


“Decision-making requires critical thinking. Critical thinking is not only thinking three steps ahead, but, as one speaker defined it, 'Critical thinking is thinking about the quality of your thinking.' This influences every decision you make. When your thinking is of the highest quality, your decisions will produce quality consequences. This was reinforced throughout [Cadet Officer School] not only in the discussions we had on leadership, airpower, and communication but through hands-on experiences.

“My flight in particular learned the importance of quick decision-making and timely action during Team Leadership Problems and Project X. This truly enhanced the curriculum, as making mistakes in a hands-on environment cemented those lessons. [Cadet Officer School] is more than just a leadership [national cadet special activity]; it is a transformational experience that equips Civil Air Patrol’s finest cadet officers with the skills necessary to serve their community, state, and nation effectively.”

**Cadet Lt. Col. Adrian Salonga of the Ramstein Cadet Squadron in Germany**

![COS4extended.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/cos4extended-YoonsY.jpg) 

_Cadet Lt. Col. Adrian Salonga (right) chats with one of the guest speakers at Cadet Officer School._


“What I learned from Cadet Officer School was being able to mentor and solve problems with my peers and foster a healthy environment for discussion.

“Throughout the week, my flight had Team Leadership Problems, which were scenarios that had obstacles that the team had to overcome. In order to solve the [problems], team members had to be open-minded toward others’ opinions and be flexible in order to get the job done. After the [problems], we also had group debriefs in order to articulate what did or did not work about our strategy so that we could improve.

“The experience reinforced my belief that collaboration is a vital life skill.”

**Cadet Maj. Elyes Beloulehi of the Florida Wing’s Fort Lauderdale Composite Squadron**

 ![COS photo 6 - Elyes.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/cos-photo-6-elyes-hwibUI.jpg) 

_Cadet Maj. Elyes Beloulehi, second from left, poses for a group photo with her Flight 5 classmates._

“At Cadet Officer School, I learned that a strategic leader must view both the present and future from a broad perspective, identifying patterns in actions to guide their team effectively.

“Rank did not matter; we were all students learning together. This environment emphasized the importance of teamwork, humility, and adaptability when working with peers.

“One of my greatest takeaways is the ability to collaborate with others of equal standing and to navigate tensions that may arise, whether between flight commanders in a squadron or coworkers in a professional setting, turning potential conflict into meaningful growth.”





# Smith Inducted into CAP Hall of Honor

By Dan Bailey

 ![Hall of Honor 1.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/hall-of-honor-1-lJFWRR.jpg) 

_Brig, Gen. Richard L. Anderson (left) inducts Maj. Gen. Mark Smith into the CAP Hall of Honor. Photo by 1st Lt. Roxanne Schorbach, Arizona Wing_

Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, who served an extended term as national commander/CEO helping guide Civil Air Patrol through the first year of the COVID pandemic, is the newest member of the CAP Hall of Honor.

Smith is the 36th member of the hall, established in June 1972 to pay tribute to individuals, past and present, who were either instrumental in the establishment of the organization or contributed to its development over the years.

“I am humbled to receive such recognition from Civil Air Patrol,” said Smith, who headed CAP from September 2017-August 2021, with the fourth year coming at the request of the Board of Governors in light of the special challenges the pandemic posed throughout the organization.

“I very much consider this to be a team award. I was blessed to have exceptional teammates both on the national staff and in the ranks of our volunteer leadership,” he said.

Smith previously served as commander of the New Mexico Wing and the Southwest Region.

“Reflecting on this honor reminds me of what convinced me to stay in Civil Air Patrol,” he said. “We have amazing people who do amazing things. I was hooked once that point struck home early in my Civil Air Patrol career.

“After that I committed myself to serving in whatever way I could to help our people and organization to be successful.”

Under his leadership at the national level, CAP conducted more than 520 consecutive days of pandemic response missions, contributing more than 49,000 volunteer days.

One of his most impactful achievements was leading CAP’s first Mission-Based Budget Review. This initiative aligned resources with mission priorities and laid the foundation for future funding. As a result, CAP’s budget grew from $43.1 million in fiscal 2018 to $69 million in fiscal 2024 — a 60% increase — earning the trust of the Board of Governors, the U.S. Air Force, and Congress.

Smith championed Cadet Programs, expanding flight academies and orientation flights and launching the Cadet Wings program, which enables cadets to earn their Federal Aviation Administration private pilot certificates. He also expanded CAP’s STEM Kit program, reaching record numbers of students during the pandemic’s shift to virtual learning.

In Emergency Services, he advanced capabilities through radar analysis and cellphone forensics and expanded the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in support of Air Force missions. He also led the transformation of adult member education into CAP Volunteer University, dramatically increasing access to leadership training.

Other members of the Hall of Honor, with year of induction, are:

Gill Robb Wilson 1972

Gen. Carl A. “Tooey” Spaatz 1972

Brig. Gen. D. Harold Byrd 1972

Brig. Gen. William C. “Cecil” Whelen 1972

Brig. Gen. Paul W. Turner 1972

Brig. Gen. Lyle W. Castle 1972

Brig. Gen. F. Ward Reilly 1972

Col. Clara E. Livingston 1972

Col. Joseph S. Bergin 1972

Col. Alan C. Perkinson 1972

Maj. Gen. Lucas V. Beau 1973

Col. Edwin Lyons 1973

Brig. Gen. Earle E. Johnson 1973

Brig. Gen. S. H. “Hal” Dupont Jr. 1974

Col. James E. Carter 1974

Brig. Gen. William M. Patterson 1976

Col. Zack T. Mosley 1976

Col. Robert H. Herweh 1979

Mervin K. Strickler, Jr. 1979

Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Casaday 1980

Col. Louisa S. Morse 1982

Col. Gordon T. Weir 1982

Brig. Gen. Johnnie Boyd 1983

Col. Lester L. Wolff 1985

Lt. Col. William D. “Bill” Madsen 1985

Col. Larry D. Miller 1986

Col. Obed A. “Poncho” Donaldson 1987

John V. “Jack” Sorenson 1987

Paul E. Garber 1988

Col. Guy P. Gannett 1992

Col. Troy G. Sullivan 1992

Brig. Gen. Warren J. Barry 1993

Maj. Gen. Richard L. Bowling 2008

U.S. Sen. Thomas R. Harkin 2014

Brig. Gen. Richard L. Anderson 2015

# AFNORTH Commander’s Award Recognizes Helene Response Team

By Steve Cox

 ![AFNORTH award 1.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/afnorth-award-1-vWlUh2.jpg) 

_U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Daniel C. Clayton (left), First Air Force (AFNORTH) deputy commander, and Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye, CAP’s national commander/CEO, join (from left) Cols. Tracy Scantland and David Panzera, Lt. Col. Brendan Kearns, and Cols. Michael Willis and James Brogan in the presentation of the AFNORTH Commander’s Award. Scantland, Panzera, and Willis represented the Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia wings while Kearns and Brogan represented the North Carolina and South Carolina wings. Photo by 1st Lt. Roxanne Schorbach, Arizona Wing_

Civil Air Patrol’s Hurricane Helene Response Team, consisting of more than 400 members from the North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee wings, was recognized with the 2025 Air Forces Northern Command (AFNORTH) Commander’s Award.

Representatives from each wing accepted the award. presented annually for the most meritorious CAP mission of the previous year, on the mission’s behalf from U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Daniel C. Clayton, First Air Force (AFNORTH) deputy commander. The presentation occurred Aug. 16 during the Summer Command Council meeting in Atlanta.

The accompanying citation recognized the team’s monthlong response to the Category 4 storm as “a testament to the dedication and spirit of service essential in the aftermath of catastrophic events.

“The singularly distinctive accomplishments of the men and women of Civil Air Patrol’s Hurricane Helene Response Team reflect great credit upon themselves, and the United States Air Force.”

Helene impacted the southeast region of the U.S. from Sept. 22-29, causing record-setting destruction and claiming 221 lives. The CAP response team responded with search and rescue and disaster response missions, flying 223 sorties for a total 442.9 flight hours.

The team also staffed the incident command post for 31 days and conducted 141 ground sorties.

Acting as a Total Force partner and the official Air Force civilian auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol helps First Air Force rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage, and provide humanitarian assistance.

Undeterred by personal property damage, team members volunteered their time and expertise, assisting in search and rescue efforts while conducting damage assessments and emergency response operations.

Their actions totaling 7,700 volunteer hours played a crucial role in the multistate recovery response.

# Texas Adult Member, Washington Cadet Top National Award Recipients

 ![OTYs.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/otys-OpOSlA.jpg) 

_Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye smiles for photos with the Cadet of the Year and Senior Member of the Year — Cadet Col. Lucas J. Morrow and Lt. Col. Arthur “Gerry” Levesque, respectively — after presenting them with their awards at the Command Council meeting in Atlanta. Photos by 1st Lt. Roxanne Schorbach, Arizona Wing_

A Texas Wing adult member committed to youth development and a Washington Wing cadet with exceptional leadership skills took top honors Aug. 16 at Civil Air Patrol’s 2025 National Awards Ceremony in Atlanta.

Lt. Col. Arthur “Gerry” Levesque was recognized as CAP’s Senior Member of the Year and Cadet Col. Lucas J. Morrow as Cadet of the Year during the ceremony, held following CAP’s Summer Command Council meeting.

National honors also went to:

**Squadron of Distinction**, Muñiz Air National Guard Base Cadet Squadron

**Brig. Gen. F. Ward Reilly Leadership Award**, 1st Lt. Ricardo De Jesus

**Air Force Sergeants Association National Cadet NCO of the Year**, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Joy E. Byun, National Capital Wing

**Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year**, Michael R. Gottfried,
New Jersey Wing

**Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm Aerospace Education Officer of the Year**, Lt. Col. Peter J. Arnold, Wisconsin Wing 

**Lt. Col. T. Keith Riddle Aircrew Member of the Year**, First Lt. James (Dan) Jackman, Delaware Wing

**Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award Cadet Category**, Cadet Lt. Col. Michael J. Porter, Alaska Wing

**Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award Senior Member Category**, Capt. L. Michael Bright, Georgia Wing

**Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award Organization Category**, National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Virginia Wing

**John V. “Jack” Sorenson Cadet Programs Officer of the Year**, Lt. Col. Lana Holub, Texas Wing 

**Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Robert P. Taylor Chaplain of the Year**, Chaplain (Capt.) Chon Gann, Maryland Wing

**Character Development Officer of the Year**, Capt. Heike J. Dodge, Crow Wing Composite Squadron, Minnesota Wing

**Malcolm C. Kyser Jr. Communicator of the Year**, Lt. Col. Robert B. Becker, Illinois Wing

**Norm Edwards Counterdrug Officer of the Year**, Capt. Gary A. Stark, Arizona Wing

**Director of Finance of the Year**, Maj. Martin J. Sommer, Minnesota Wing

**Professional Development Officer of the Year**, Maj. Brent D. Wooters, North Carolina Wing

**Col. Dion Decamp Ground Team of the Year**, Broken Arrow Composite Squadron Ground Teams, Oklahoma Wing

**Health Services Officer of the Year**, Capt. Erin E. Briggs, Wisconsin Wing

**Col. Lester E. Hopper Historian of the Year**, Capt. Michael P. Santana, Florida Wing

**Col. Edwin W. Lewis, Jr., Incident Staff Member of the Year**, Maj. Robert J. Yusko II, Colorado Wing

**Inspector General of the Year**, Lt. Col. Wayne M. Toughill, Pennsylvania Wing

**Order of Daedalians Exceptional Instructor Pilot of the Year**, Lt. Col. Dean J. Anderson, Virginia Wing

**Maj. Gen. Dwight H. Wheless Legal Officer of the Year**, Maj. Susan E. Hartmann, New York Wing

**George Texido Legislative Officer of the Year**, Lt. Col. Gordon J. Helm, Arizona Wing 

**Col. David Kantor Operations Staff Officer of the Year**, Lt. Col. Vernon S. May, Utah Wing

**Property Management Officer of the Year**, Lt. Col. Suzanne M. Mcbride, Pennsylvania Wing 

**Col. Robert V. “Bud” Payton Public Affairs Officer of the Year**, Capt. Glenda B. Engstrom, North Carolina Wing 

**Safety Officer of the Year**, Capt. Daniel W. Bradley, Pacific Region

**Paul W. Turner Safety Award**, California Wing

# Negrón Assumes Role as National Command Chief

By Steve Cox

 ![Command Chief 2.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/command-chief-2-4rkVQT.jpg) 

_Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye (left) applauds as Chief Master Sgt. Luis Negrón is introduced as CAP’s new national command chief. Photo by 1st Lt. Roxanne Schorbach, Arizona Wing_

Civil Air Patrol welcomed a new national command chief — Chief Master Sgt. Luis E. Negrón — at the Summer Command Council meeting in Atlanta.

"The role of Civil Air Patrol's command chief in supporting our efforts continues to evolve and grow,” said Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye, CAP national commander and CEO. “Chief Negrón is a dedicated, talented senior enlisted leader who can help our organization continue to transform and help us prepare to overcome future challenges. 

"I know I can rely on the leadership skills he has developed in CAP, working at Walt Disney, and through his service in the Coast Guard to lead, communicate, develop, and support our volunteers.”

Aye, who selected Negrón for the leadership role, said she’s looking forward to his service with the CAP command team.

"I trust in Chief Negrón,” she said. “I know his experiences have prepared him for the challenges that accompany being our top senior enlisted leader. He has been committed to Civil Air Patrol since his days as a cadet in the Puerto Rico Wing.”

Negrón, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who previously served as the senior enlisted leader, or command chief, of CAP’s Southeast Region, was elated over his selection to the command team and the opportunity to lead the 500 noncommissioned officers in CAP.

“As a cadet many years ago, I never thought I would have the opportunity to serve at this level in the organization,” he said. 

“It is with immense humility and extreme excitement that I accept the privilege of serving as the next national command chief.”

Negrón served as Florida Wing commander from 2021-2024 as a CAP colonel. He then served as a Southeast Region deputy commander before transitioning in January from officer to chief master sergeant — based on his experience and rank in the Coast Guard — to become the region command chief.

Working at the national level isn’t new to Negrón, whose CAP career began in 1989 as a cadet and has included leadership at the squadron, wing, group, and region levels since he rejoined as an adult in 1996. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led a team of Florida Wing staff and group commanders in implementing remobilization throughout the wing. 

He worked with National Headquarters and monitored the daily status of the pandemic in Florida to keep members and national staff informed.

Before he was named wing commander, Negrón served as Southeast Region emergency services director and as Florida Wing mobilization team leader and Group 7 commander. A native of San Juan, he previously served in the Puerto Rico Wing as vice commander, chief of staff, emergency services director, and group commander.

Outside CAP, Negrón was the operations duty officer for Coast Guard Air Station Miami, one of the busiest Coast Guard stations in the nation. He was responsible for dispatching aircraft during rapidly changing priorities in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment including coordination with federal, state, and local agencies.

He also served as command center supervisor for Coast Guard Sector Miami, with duties that included managing situational awareness and coordinating responses to maritime incidents, including search and rescue, law enforcement, and national defense operations.

As command center supervisor of 7th Coast Guard District, Miami, encompassing 1.8 million square nautical miles, he managed the busiest command center in the U.S.

Negrón now works for the Walt Disney World Resort team as a security operations manager for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He oversees operations throughout the team’s parks and resorts to ensure guests and cast members follow security policies, regulations, rules, and norms.

Joining Negrón in leading CAP’s NCO corps is Chief Master Sgt. Benjamin S. Garrison of the Colorado Wing, who will serve as national adviser.



# ‘If You Can Dream It, You Can Be It’

## Air Force General and Civil Air Patrol Alum Credits CAP for Laying Foundation of Success

By Paul South

Young Stephen Snelson’s mind, heart, and soul centered on a single dream as he grew up in Rutland, Massachusetts, a town of fewer than 10,000 smack in the geographical center of the state.

“As a little kid, everything I had flew,” Snelson said. “My Matchbox cars flew. Every toy I had flew. When I’d be on my bike, I could fly.”

Those airborne dreams truly took off when future U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson, deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, attended his first Civil Air Patrol meeting as a 13-year-old cadet after learning about the organization from a friend.

“I thought, ‘Man. This is pretty amazing,’” Snelson recalled. “So I doubled down on it. I went to an air show at Hanscom Air Force Base, and I saw all these kids who looked just like me. They were in uniform, but they were on the other side of the fence line, and the Thunderbirds were there. 

“I thought, ‘How do I get to do something like that?”’

Those two encounters and the understanding that he would be able to learn to fly as a CAP cadet made a powerful impression.

“I knew that Civil Air Patrol from that first meeting was exactly what I wanted to be a part of,” he said. “I really got passionate about it.”

 ![500h_q95-Snelson EC.webp](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/500h_q95-snelson-ec-OgK892.webp)

_U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson (right) recently commanded the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. (U.S. Air Force photo)_


A family member’s legacy of service nudged him toward an active-duty military career.

“The first biggest influence I had was my great aunt Doris,” Snelson said. “She was the head nurse in a [Mobile Army Surgical Hospital] unit during the Korean War. She would always tell me war stories about her time in Korea and some of the challenges she went through.”

Snelson has memories of watching the popular television show “M*A*S*H” with his aunt. She would correct inaccuracies in the series. His story also has a bit of Hollywood glamour.

“She was pen pals with one of the actors from the show and she would answer questions [from the actor] about life in the MASH unit.”

That great aunt, Doris McKeon, whom Snelson described as “a very soft spoken, loving, elderly woman who just gave so much to her nation and risked so much to save lives around her was the first real example I had of selfless service.”

McKeon’s legacy and his CAP service prepared Snelson for what has been an accomplished Air Force career of nearly three decades and counting. Some 14,000 Air Force airmen across 24 countries serve under his leadership as an Expeditionary Center commander.

As Snelson considers his command in the context of his Civil Air Patrol experience, a common foundational truth applies: “Mission first. People always.”

He added, “I saw that firsthand as a cadet when we would do search and rescue missions that were in miserable conditions. Never dangerous, but certainly really hard, whether it was going out and looking for a downed airplane or searching for a missing person, here these [adult] members were trying to corral and take care of this group of 10-20  — sometimes more — young kids going out into the woods."

"That realization of ‘Yes, we have that mission. We have to go out there. There are people who are relying on us.’ What could have been a life-or-death mission — we put that to the forefront but never lost sight of how important it was to take care of our people while doing that tough mission,” Snelson said.

That played out later in his Air Force career. For example, his role as a C-17 pilot during the invasion of Iraq, low-level special operations missions, and high-risk sorties into western Iraq.

“These were missions that we ordinarily would have been hesitant to do,” Snelson said. “But we knew that people that we were working with and that we were supporting, they were relying on us to be able to execute our portion of that mission.”

As a captain, Snelson planned the C-17 portion of the April 1, 2003, rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch, who was being held as a prisoner of war in a Baghdad hospital — a prime example of the military mantra, “Leave no one behind.”

Snelson is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, including combat missions in support of operations Allied Force, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn.

“It was one of the coolest missions I got to be a part of,” Snelson said of the Lynch rescue. “When you looked at where the forward line of battle was and you saw all the threats that were out there — in your gut you’re thinking: ‘No, we can’t do it; the risk is too high.’ But then you realize how important that mission was, and so you did it.”

The mission, the first rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II and the first-ever rescue of a female POW, illustrated key lessons in leadership.

“Minimize the risk as best you can,” Snelson said. “Make sure you have the right equipment. Make sure you have the right briefings. Make sure you have the right training, so that if things do go badly, the team knows how to respond. 

“Those aren’t lessons I learned in the Air Force. I learned those as a cadet in Civil Air Patrol.”

 ![1000w_q95 (4).png](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/1000w_q95-4-rk6PB9.png) 

_Then-Air Force Col. Snelson walks President Donald J. Trump to Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on June 20, 2020. As the 89th Airlift Wing commander, Snelson served as one of the primary greeters for the U.S. president. (U.S. Air Force photo)_


“I look back at how many different times — whether it was an encampment or a standard weekly meeting, all of those fundamental leadership skills I was getting at 13, 14, 15 years old that a lot of my peers didn’t start experiencing in a military setting until they were either in ROTC or at the [Air Force] Academy and then commissioned. I got an advanced perspective on being an effective leader.”

He added, “What I see when I encounter former CAP members is how important CAP was establishing a sense of service, that understanding of being part of something bigger than yourself.”

Before assuming his current assignment, Snelson served as the U.S. Central Command vice director of strategy, plans and policy at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where he managed the internal processes of the directorate and the planning and execution of Tier 1 joint and multinational exercises, developing military relationships with America’s international partners in coordination with U.S. interagency departments.

Snelson’s first international experience, however, came in CAP through an International Air Cadet Exchange visit to the United Kingdom. 

“Going to IACE, you could hear their stories about what those other countries did and how they trained, that was another eye-opening moment for me,” Snelson said.

“Even if we don’t always agree on everything that different nations are doing, we can still find commonalities to come together,” he added. “For sure, there is a lot of competition and there are adversaries out there. But I think as military leaders, after an experience like IACE, you realize there are opportunities to find cooperation and common ground, so hopefully you can avoid conflict down the line. 

“I absolutely attribute that to my first IACE experience.”

Along with his various Air Force command responsibilities, Snelson has also served in CAP leadership roles at the squadron and wing levels.

“I feel like each one of these experiences, particularly when I come in as a commander, I always fall back to those basics that I learned in Civil Air Patrol,” he said. “There’s the realization that the people around you don’t expect you to know everything, but they do expect you to care.”

He added, “The other lesson I learned is it’s not about ‘I’ or ‘me.’ It’s about 'us.' I saw that as a cadet. You build that camaraderie if you always keep the focus on ‘us.’ You never talk about ‘me’ or ‘I.’ 

“We’re doing this out of service. We’re doing this as a team. We’re working together. We’re sacrificing together. That was a core principle I learned as a cadet.”


 ![500h_q95 Snelson EC.webp](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/500h_q95-snelson-ec-EexsQk.webp)
_(U.S. Air Force photo)_


Snelson believes the Air Force should do all it can to strengthen its relationship with CAP, especially in areas near military installations, whether active duty, Air National Guard, or Air Force Reserves. He also advocated stronger ties between Air Force ROTC units at colleges and universities and CAP.

“Our nation needs more pilots and man, there’s no better way to do it than Civil Air Patrol and what it can bring to our nation’s pilot production opportunities,” Snelson said.

At the end of the day, the kid from the heart of Massachusetts who in dreams was always airborne and who grew into an Air Force general has a heart full of gratitude for Civil Air Patrol.

“I just want to say thank you,” Snelson said. “Thank you to all the (adult) members and CAP leadership. I know there are always challenges, whether it’s budget, the ebb and flow of volunteer participation, I know it can get frustrating. 

“But I would just say a huge word of thanks to all those CAP members who keep this program thriving. Without them and their hard work, you never know what kid isn’t going to have their dream come to fruition, like me.”

He also had a message for cadets.

“If you think that you could never be a pilot, a general, or some other dream job, just know, no matter your background, if you can dream it, you can be it. It takes a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of tenacity. You’ve got to roll with the punches and know that you’re going to have those setbacks. But keep your goals high and your eyes set on those goals. 

“You never know what you’re capable of doing until you get out there and try.”

***

## Air Force General Gives Advice to His Younger CAP Cadet Self

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson was asked if he could write a letter offering counsel to his younger self — a kid in love with flying — what would he say?

“Ironically, I’d write a book,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot of good lessons over the years.”

Here are a couple of nuggets from the decorated pilot to himself, as well as to CAP adult and cadet members:

“Have fun and enjoy every moment. Life goes by so fast,” he said. “I can’t believe I’m sitting here as a one-star and 28-year veteran. I feel like a lieutenant in my heart and like I just started serving a short time ago. Enjoy the moment. Don’t take for granted all those really amazing experiences that CAP and life in general offer you. All the different programs that CAP has; they are life changing.

“Be prepared for setbacks and take them all in stride,” he said. “No matter what job you’re in, it’s the job you are supposed to be in at that very moment. That doesn’t mean that you don’t work hard. Try to improve your station. No matter where you are, master that craft. Do the best you can with what you’re handed, and you’ll never know what’s going to open up.”

 ![PullQuote_AlumniProfile.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_alumniprofile-NdqIed.jpg) 

Snelson recalled his first day in pilot training.

“I was going to be the world’s greatest fighter pilot,” he said. “I had visions of ‘Top Gun’ and riding my motorcycle down the runway like Tom Cruise.”

Then came the flight. He got sick. Really sick.

“I got within one flight away from getting kicked out of pilot training,” he said. “Thankfully, I made it. But very early on, I decided that doing flips and pulling G’s … we need people who can do that job and do it well, but I’m not one of those guys.”

He discovered the aircraft that was right for him. 

“I changed my goal and changed my perspective,” he said. “I thought, ‘That C-17 looks pretty cool. That would be an awesome job. I was very fortunate to get a C-17 slot coming out of pilot training.”

Snelson doesn’t mince words when it comes to CAP’s impact of on his life.

“I look back at Civil Air Patrol,” he said, “and I truly wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that program.”

He offers two last words of advice for CAP cadets and adult members:

“Be bold,” he said.

“Don’t wait for the chain of command above you to make change. Even a cadet at the lowest rank has to be bold. They have to look for ways to make the organization better. Everything we do can be improved. Always look for ways to make X or Y better.”





# Tennessee Wing Cadet Kidd Honors the Dead, Helps the Living

 By Paul South

A Civil Air Patrol cadet with a servant’s heart may be the best-known twentysomething in this part of Tennessee, from the state capitol to city hall.

For seven years, Cadet Capt. Ella Kidd has answered the call in times of state or national mourning, responsible for lowering flags of government buildings in Cleveland and Bradley County to half-staff. She’s believed to be the longest serving flag sentry in the Volunteer State.

 ![PullQuotE_CadetProfile.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_cadetprofile-nXMaVL.jpg) 

Her flag duty began with two buildings, the Bradley County Courthouse and the Cleveland Municipal Building. By her count, she now performs sentry duties for nine flags in the area. She does her duty rain or snow or dark of night. 

Kidd began as the backup sentry, then became the lead sentry a year later.

“For a lot of people, it’s just pulling on a rope,” she said. “But it’s a lot more than that. It’s respecting and honoring a lot of different people, a lot of different things that have happened in America. 

“It’s important to me.”

Military veterans, their service and their stories, drive her commitment to the colors.

“In the time that I have been flag sentry, I have spoken to so many veterans, people who were around during 9/11,” Kidd said. “I’ve heard so many stories … Just hearing the stories from other people, and they really, really earn your respect. 

“There are people who have died for this country and for my freedom. They are the reason that I can sit here talking to you and say what I want. Freedom of speech, you know? And it’s because of them.”

Kidd has been honored by the Cleveland City Council and by Bradley County for her flag work. She estimates that she has lowered the colors to half-staff more than 100 times in her seven years of duty. 

 ![Ella Kidd - certificate.jpeg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/ella-kidd-certificate-jjq5pZ.jpeg) 

_Kidd is honored by Cleveland Mayor Kevin Brooks in appreciation for her service to the city by volunteering to lower and raise flags on all half-staff days at municipal buildings, the Bradley County Courthouse, and all other public buildings during the past eight years. Photo by Tim Siniard, Cleveland Daily Banner_

She credits a U.S. Navy veteran, Daniel Koob of Cleveland, for teaching her all she knows about the role. 

Her work honoring veterans doesn’t begin and end with her CAP and flag sentry work. During the holiday season and the annual Wreaths Across America initiative, she hustles to sell Christmas wreaths to adorn the final resting places of military veterans. It’s work she started even before becoming a CAP cadet. She raises $1,000 a year for her squadron.

“She’ll be in a drive-through and say, ‘No, thank you. I don’t want fries with that. But would you like to buy a wreath?’” said her mom, Connie Kidd. 

“When I found out it was something we could do to raise money for the squadron, I thought it was awesome,” the cadet said. “Back when I was 12,13,14, I could run with it.”

And then there is Kidd’s commitment to CAP. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many cadets took a hiatus, she attended CAP meetings from California to New York via Zoom and social media platforms.

She also assisted in starting the Sequoyah Cadet Squadron in Madisonville, Tennessee. She serves on the Tennessee Wing’s Cadet Advisory Council and drives 45 minutes each way to meet with the Rhea County Composite Squadron in Dayton. She’s the former Cleveland Composite Squadron cadet commander in Cleveland and now fills that role in Dayton. 

Her Civil Air Patrol story actually began before she was old enough to join the organization. Her mother picked up a CAP flyer at a homeschooling gathering.

“She kept that CAP flyer on our fridge for two years,” Kidd said. “I wasn’t sure about the program when I first joined. I said I would stay in for a year and if I didn’t like it, I’d be done. And now, here I am eight years later talking to you.”’

The people hooked her on participating.

“It was learning leadership from people I really trust and respect,” she said. “The people that I started with in my home squadron, they are absolutely amazing people.” 

Kidd, who is working toward a medical management degree from Cleveland State Community College, also works in her dad Keith’s rural medicine practice in Charleston, doing reception and triage work. She plans to transition to adult CAP membership and wants to continue working with cadets. 

She said CAP strengthened her leadership skills and helped forge a strong belief in its core values.

“This program did so much for my life and genuinely built me into the person I am today,” Kidd said. “I just want to give back.”

As a cadet, it seems she’s already given back, and not just in sentry duty. Her parents tell the story of when a fellow cadet, suffering through a turbulent home life and feeling she had nowhere else to turn, called Kidd. Kidd drove through the night, and her family welcomed the teen, providing a new temporary home.

More recently, before illness forced her to leave an encampment early, she and two other medically trained cadets came to the aid of a cadet suffering a seizure. As a result, she earned a CAP lifesaving award.

She added, “I would not have been able to meet half the people I have, or the veterans and genuinely have the respect for America that I have now.”

And then there’s the matter of self-confidence.

“When I first joined Civil Air Patrol, you could not get me to say a word,” Kidd said.

But after she became a cadet airman first class, she became elements leader and everything changed.

“That really built my self-confidence.”

After college, she hopes to earn her private pilot’s certificate and eventually become a certified flight instructor.

Her mother believes big things lie ahead for Kidd.

“We don’t know what they are right now,” Connie Kidd said. “But she is a true patriot.”

She recounted an encounter with two Tennessee lawmakers at a recent Flag Day event.

”How’s Ella?” they asked.

“It’s not about me anymore or my name, it’s Ella. I’m ‘Ella’s Mom.’”

Keith Kidd, who has provided care for generations, has had similar experiences. These days, the nurse practitioner is best known as Ella’s Dad. Asked how he would describe his daughter, he paused.

“That’s a hard thing to say, because I know how she keeps her room,” he said with a laugh. “But she’s made impressions on everyone she meets. The big thing I can say about Ella is that when you meet her, you remember her. She’s not bashful.”

Kidd, who as a youngster long before joining CAP attended every ceremony honoring vets, loves America — and Civil Air Patrol. She has a message for any youngster considering the organization.

“Civil Air Patrol is an absolutely amazing program,” she said. “It really can impact your life. If you put in the effort and you put in the time, you’re going to see results.”

www.GoCivilAirpatrol.careasy.org



# Chasing Dreams of Flight: A Tale of Two Dream Makers

 By Julia L. Martin

![Sophia_Brown_Brown, Sophia,_Lt.Col. Edward J. Myzie Scholarship_Testimony Two Photo.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/sophia_brown_brown-sophia-_lt-col-edward-j-myzie-scholarship_testimony-two-photo-iZwoTO.jpg) 

_Cadet 2nd Lt. Sophia Brown of the North Carolina Wing’s Asheville Composite Squadron is a 2025 recipient of the Lt. Col. Edward J. Myzie Flight Academy Scholarship._

How do you chase your dreams of flight? Learning to fly, to solo, to experience that thrill of being in the cockpit alone isn’t as simple as it sounds. Ground school and lessons are expensive and sometimes cadets need a little extra help on their journey to the skies. 

That’s where scholarships — established to honor and remember loved ones by family, Civil Air Patrol adult members, friends, and former cadets — fly to the rescue with the gift of flight. That generosity really does make a difference, not only for the cadets but for the donors as well.

Two of CAP’s earliest endowed scholarships in the CAP Foundation have grown through investments and additional gifts to reach the $100,000 mark and together have helped almost 20 cadets’ dreams of flight come true.

***

### The Lt. Col. William E. Hanna Jr. U.S. Air Force Reserves Flight Scholarship Fund Established by Lt. Cols. John and Teri Knowles

Col. John Knowles and his late wife Maj. Teri Knowles, both members of the Bethesda/Chevy Chase Composite Squadron, established the Lt. Col. William E. Hanna Jr. Scholarship in 2015.

“After he passed in 2011, we wanted to do something to honor his memory and help cadets,” Knowles said.

One recipient is annually awarded $5,000 to obtain a private pilot certificate. To compete for the scholarship, a cadet must have already completed a CAP powered solo flight academy at the wing, region, or national level. 

Hanna, a search and rescue navigator on OA-10s during World War II, also served in the USAF Reserve Assistance Program as part of the first Air Force rescue squadron. When he retired after 38 years of service, he joined CAP and instilled his love of flight not only into his children and grandchildren but also other pilots-to-be.

“He was a jack of all trades,” Knowles said.

Along with filling several CAP leadership roles, Hanna was also an arts supporter, a nature lover, and an avid hiker instrumental in raising awareness and funds to get his local trails repaired and reopened.

Within their own family, as adult members and cadet parents, the Knowleses knew first-hand the cost of obtaining private pilot certificates and reached out to CAP to ask about setting up this type of scholarship fund. 

“I don’t think at the time there were any named scholarships like this,” Knowles said, “Originally, we were going to limit it to just Maryland cadets, but you gain a different perspective when you move up into more senior CAP roles and realize there are lots of good folks across the country who could benefit.”

To date, 10 cadets have been awarded the scholarship.

Knowles said about the process: “Once you establish a scholarship you can choose whether to fund activities, flights, or academics, or support where needed most with no restrictions. CAP has a scholarship application and selection process already in place.” 

He said he and Teri’s shared hope for the recipients is they continue their love of flying, remember what service is about, and share their knowledge and passion with future flyers — just as Hanna did. 

The Hanna scholarship 2025 recipient, Cadet Col. Dominic Miranda of the Alabama Wing’s Dothan Composite Squadron, plans to become a professional pilot. 

In his Hanna scholarship acceptance, he shared: “Thanks to CAP’s support I achieved my first major aviation milestone by earning my private pilot certificate. I am truly grateful for the experiences and opportunities CAP has provided me and for the generosity [provided by the scholarship] in supporting cadets like me as we chase our dreams.”

2024 recipient Cadet Capt. Nathaniel Jennings of the Texas Wing’s Tyler Composite Squadron has wanted to become a naval pilot since he was 13. “Not only did CAP assist in my leadership development, it also … led me to pursue naval aviation as my career,” Jennings said. “I would not be where I am today without the CAP cadet program.”

***

### The Lt. Col. Edward J. Myzie Flight Academy Scholarship Established by Col. Amy Myzie

Amy Dana was just a cadet when she transferred to the New Jersey Wing’s Raritan Valley Squadron. It’s where she met her future husband, Edward Myzie. A shared love of flying soon became the basis of a relationship that lasted over 35 years until his death in 2018. A year later, she established The Lt. Col. Edward J. Myzie Flight Academy Scholarship, which annually awards two cadets $1,200 each to pay for ground school, room and board, travel expenses, and 10 hours of flight training one week each summer at an accredited National Flight Academy.

“Ed grew up relatively poor,” Amy Myzie said, "yet by juggling multiple after-school jobs he was able to attend the New Jersey Wing’s then-newly established Falcon Flight Academy.

“This was the biggest justification for having the scholarship,” she said.

Edward Myzie was named the school’s first Distinguished Graduate in 1971. In 2019, the academy became an accredited National Flight Academy with the inaugural Myzie scholarship recipient being its first graduate. Amy Myzie added a qualification to the application to give priority to New Jersey cadets attending the New Jersey Wing’s Falcon Flight Academy.

“I reached out to Kristina Jones [in CAP’s Development office] in 2019. Ed had a life insurance policy, and I wanted to do something special with that money to honor him, to fund a scholarship for one cadet to
attend a National Flight Academy,” she said. However, the scholarship has been able to fully fund two cadets each year.

“To personally help our future leaders achieve their goals to fly is the best feeling of all,” she said. Myzie opted to let CAP choose the scholarship recipients, having full confidence in their selection process. To date, eight cadets have received the scholarship.

Edward Myzie joined CAP in 1969 and transitioned to adult member in 1975, serving 49 years in various roles including commander, finance officer, and communications officer, achieving his Gill Robb Wilson Award. He retired in 2014 after 37 years as a New Jersey Department of Transportation engineer. Amy Myzie, who retired after more than 30 years as a New Jersey police officer, became a CAP adult member in 1981 and has filled various wing and squadron roles. 

Today, as the New Jersey Wing’s commander, she continues the couple’s shared legacy and love of flight, ensuring that high-flying dreams can become reality by teaching cadets to fly.

When their two sons showed interest in the Boy Scouts, Edward Myzie joined a troop with them, serving in several leadership roles. They both ultimately received their Eagle Scout designation. Edward’s two roles — Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol — bookended a life of service, dedication, and mentoring young people.

The Myzie scholarship will ensure cadets will continue to be inspired by Edward’s dedication to helping others obtain their dreams.

The 2025 Myzie scholarship recipients, Cadet 2nd Lt. Sophia Brown of the North Carolina Wing’s Asheville Composite Squadron, and Cadet Maj. Luke Patterson of the New Jersey Wing’s Jack Schweiker Composite Squadron in Cherry Hill, have wanted to fly since a very young age.

 ![3Headshots.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/3headshots-TSYRSi.jpg) 

_From left: Cadet Col. Dominic Miranda, Cadet Capt. Nathaniel Jennings, and Cadet Maj. Luke Patterson are benefactors of Hanna and Myzie scholarships._

“By embodying Civil Air Patrol’s core values and embracing discipline and determination I was able to earn a slot at the Richard Augur National Flight Academy and am on the path to solo,” Brown said.

Patterson said he first saw CAP cadets at an airshow when he was 10. “Seeing them in their uniforms and talking to them, I knew that I wanted to develop the same level of excellence, professionalism, and leadership that they had,” he said, adding he joined CAP a few days after he turned 12. “CAP has changed my life, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I’ve had because of it.”

Cadet Capt. Charles Tippett and Cadet Maj. Valerie Lima Rodriguez, the 2024 recipients, said CAP has helped them focus on what they wish to do with their futures.

Rodriguez, a member of the Puerto Rico Wing’s Muñiz Air National Guard Base Cadet Squadron, said she didn’t know she wanted to fly until she learned through CAP of all the opportunities in the aerospace field. “To me, being granted the Lt. Col. Edward J. Myzie scholarship … makes me feel honored and thankful because, thanks to that financial help, I began my journey into the aerospace field and will use my scholarship to cover the expenses and participate in the Falcon Flight Academy in New Jersey.”

The enduring legacies of the Lt. Col. William E. Hanna Jr. U.S. Air Force Reserves Flight Scholarship Fund and the Lt. Col. Edward J. Myzie Flight Academy Scholarship are a powerful testament to how each fund, seeded in the CAP Foundation, can flourish and expand its reach over time to nurture the aspirations of more young aviators with each passing year.

Today, there are nearly 40 funds to support cadet scholarships and programs, wings and squadrons, and universal support in the CAP Foundation. Each fund was created by individuals and organizations whose generosity takes many forms: gifts of stock, IRA distributions, donor-advised funds, employer matching gifts, cash, and other planned giving options. What begins as a single act of generosity becomes a catalyst for a legacy that shapes lives, strengthens communities, and secures the future of Civil Air Patrol’s mission for generations to come.

_If you are interested in learning more about how endowments work or ways to support Civil Air Patrol scholarships, please contact Kristina Jones or Anne Marie Gallagher at legacy@gocivilairpatrol.org or by phone at 833-426-4227 for more information._

# Her Story of Inspiration and Dedication to Civil Air Patrol _Will_ Continue

By Julia Martin

 ![2Headshots.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/2headshots-m8Tg8M.jpg) 
_Kayla Powers’ Civil Air Patrol service has exceeded 50 years — first as a cadet major in the 1970s, and today as a lieutenant colonel._

Members of the Semper Vigilans Society pledge support through estates, wills, and bequests. But even among that devoted group, it’s a very special person who starts the conversation about her Civil Air Patrol service with: “I want to be buried in my CAP uniform.” 

But Lt. Col. Kayla Powers, a volunteer in the Idaho Wing with more than 50 years of service to Civil Air Patrol, is that special person. “My life didn’t start until I joined CAP,” she said. After experiencing some health issues, she contacted CAP to leave a bequest in her will and, when told about the Semper Vigilans Society, she joined immediately. “We can be vigilant forever more if we all realize … there is always the opportunity to do something more at the end.” 

Not one to reach for the spotlight, Powers said she prefers to stay behind the scenes. “I have begun to realize, though, that telling my story can be something that inspires and touches others positively.” Last year, she spoke with 93-year-old twins from the Washington Wing who’ve been in CAP since their cadet days. “I can only beat their longevity if I can last until my 90s! I talked to them about their story, and they inspired even me,” Powers said. 

As a believer in life-long learning, she said she has started back to college studying medicine, a goal she’s had since before she was a cadet. “[In CAP] I was shown what I COULD accomplish.” Powers attributes this to the motivation gifted to her from a cadet wing commander she served for. “She was a WASP and selected as only the second CAP female wing commander. She gave me the idea I could fly, be military – all things I didn’t see as a possibility.” Powers said it made her realize she could do anything – “make a plan, make a goal, keep moving forward.” And move forward she did, earning her Gen. Ira C. Eaker Award, a Region Commander’s Commendation, and the longevity service and professional development CAP awards named for Paul E. Garber and Gill Robb Wilson.

 ![Powers Airman of the year.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/powers-airman-of-the-year-NKFXVo.jpg)
_Powers receives Airman of the Year honors during her early years of service._

Originally from California, Powers began her CAP journey by attending a meeting with a friend whose father was active in CAP. “The first thing they did was hand me a uniform. I went home, said not for me, and returned it. Then I thought about it. I didn’t like following orders, but realized with CAP, I could become a leader.” And on Dec. 28, 1974, she began that quest.

Her favorite cadet memory was her first encampment at Mountain Home Air Force Base where she saw leadership in ways it had not been presented to her before. “Twin girls close to my age were there – cadet colonels – and they’re out there giving orders and leading people. It made me want to be a leader, too – to change things.” And that’s the part of CAP she likes best. “The opportunity to grow people – both cadets and senior members – and see what that growth provides in their futures. I have cadets all over and been lucky enough to see how the adult version came out.” 

She has served with two squadrons -- Twin Falls and Kellogg. Even joining the U.S. Air Force after high school and being assigned to Mather Air Force Base didn’t stop her commitment to CAP. “I started two squadrons in the California Wing, Foothill Squadron and Golden Bear Composite,” she said, adding she served as commander of Squadron 24 and did emergency services and search and rescue training with them. She was also instrumental in helping area cadet color guard teams win multiple first place finishes.

After eight years in the Air Force, Powers left to pursue other dreams but continued motivating and inspiring cadets. “I’m interested in the cadets, their lives and who they are ... and how I can help them get to be who they want to be. I’m able to understand how they’re feeling – what they’re thinking – because I’ve been through it. I’ve been there,” she added.

 ![PullQuote_DonorProfile.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_donorprofile-mGq2Yk.jpg)

It's not just cadets she inspires. Circumstances allowed her to adopt a 9-year-old cousin. “When she was a teenager, she needed to be with kids her age to succeed but no nearby schools could help her "catch up" to grade level.” After much research, Powers discovered a curriculum that would help, and by meshing it with CAP values and training established her state’s first military school, Vanguard Military Academy, in a donated facility.  

Powers plans to continue her dedication to cadets and senior members well beyond that 50-year mark. A woman with strong values learned as a cadet … a volunteer who continues mentoring, inspiring and making a difference … She feels everyone has a story to tell that resonates with someone. “By sharing who you are others can be inspired by and learn from you. Everything I’ve accomplished, I can always point back to my beloved Civil Air Patrol,” she said.

_The Semper Vigilans Society was established in 2020 to recognize the generosity of those who have made provisions for CAP through a deferred gift arrangement (including wills, revocable living trusts, or life insurance/retirement account beneficiary designations). Deferred SVS gift commitments can be of any amount and can be made specific to the programs, activities, wings, squadrons, and/or scholarships the donor chooses._





# Gone West: A Final Salute


_We pay tribute to some of our most revered members who have gone west. Read about their extraordinary lives and service._

 ![GoneWest_Felix.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/gonewest_felix-SJYd26.jpg) 

### Col. John Henry Felix

The Hawaii Wing lost a valued leader when Col. John Henry Felix, who served three terms as wing commander in as many decades, flew west May 5. He was 94.

Felix first held command of the wing from June 1967-November 1968. He returned to the top leadership position in January 1980, serving until December 1982. His third term as commander covered April 2015-February 2016 — nearly a half-century after he initially held the post.

His legacy as a leader left an impact on numerous aspects of the Hawaii Wing, perhaps most  concretely in the form of the wing’s headquarters at 419 Lele St. in Honolulu, completed some four and a half decades ago. He oversaw the development of the property, playing an instrumental role in securing the land, obtaining funding, and enlisting an architect.

His command style combined discipline, strategic planning, and an unwavering belief in volunteerism. He earned two Distinguished Service Medals in recognition of his extraordinary contributions.

Felix served in the U.S. Army infantry during the Korean War, later earning his commission in the U.S. Air Force. He held a doctorate in public policy and administration, and over the decades he headed the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, chaired the Hawaii Medical Assurance Association and the Board of Regents of the University of Oxford’s Harris Manchester College in England,  and provided leadership as a member of the Board of  Governors of the American National Red Cross, Boy Scouts Aloha Council, March of Dimes, Consular Corps of Hawaii, Hawaii Public Radio, Young Presidents’ Organization, Junior Achievement, Academy of the Pacific, and more. He authored six books and numerous articles on governance and volunteer development.

He was also chief of staff for the new state of Hawaii’s first elected governor, William F. Quinn.

Felix’s contributions to the Hawaii Wing also included service as squadron commander for the Maryknoll Cadet Squadron in Honolulu. In a statement to KGMB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Honolulu, one of his successors as squadron commander, Capt. Denton Alvarado, recalled having had “the profound honor of growing up with John Henry Felix, from my days as a cadet during the reinstatement of the Maryknoll Cadet Squadron to my role as an adult leader and eventual commander of that very squadron.

“John Henry epitomized servant leadership and was a true gentleman,” Alvarado said. “His ever-present smile and unwavering passion for serving the community, especially our veterans, were truly inspiring."

***

 ![GoneWest_Woodgatejpg.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/gonewest_woodgatejpg-5KpIoO.jpg) 

### Lt. Col. Arthur Woodgate, Southwest Region

Lt. Col. Arthur Woodgate, who served in Public Affairs and Information Technology roles at the squadron, group, wing, and region levels, flew west Oct. 5 at his home in Wimberley, Texas. He was 90 years old.

A skilled writer, editor, and linguist, he spoke several languages and appreciated the nuance of a well-turned phrase. He was the editor of three technical magazines in Houston before joining the U.S. Army as a military intelligence specialist, earning the Army Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Joint Service Commendation Medal, a Department of Defense award. He also earned the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, and retired as a chief warrant officer two, a commissioned rank. 

He earned his private pilot certificate at 26 and had a lifelong interest in aviation, its impact on our society, and its worldwide importance. He also had an interest in computing and founded two software firms.

Woodgate joined Civil Air Patrol in June 2004, serving as public affairs officer and a flight leader of the Tex Hill Composite Squadron in San Marcos, Texas. Subsequently, he served as Group III PAO and information technology officer. During his tenure at Group III, Woodgate broke new ground in the CAP public affairs world by creating a website that served both as an external communications tool and an internal reference and support tool. In 2010, he received a Maj. Howell Balsem Exceptional Achievement Award for the Texas Wing website he developed. Woodgate served as the Southwest Region director of public affairs from November 2009 until January 2023. 

“I had the pleasure of working with Lt. Col. Arthur Woodgate when I was the Texas Wing commander, as well as when I was Southwest Region commander,” said Col. Joe Smith. “My favorite memories of Arthur were when he was working with cadets on improving their writing for articles for wing newsletters or _The Fly-By_. He would literally light up with excitement when they absorbed new ways of expressing themselves through the written word.”

_The Fly-By_, a quarterly newsletter for Southwest Region, was his pride and joy. It premiered in October 2008, with five pages of region news. Over the years, the size of the issues grew and, starting in 2015, included Woodgate’s “On Language” column, which premiered with his thoughts on whether the evolution of the English language was “leaving in the dust two to three millennia of accumulated language wisdom.” He was working on the Quarter 3 2025 issue of _The Fly-By_ when he died.

Woodgate completed Level V of CAP’s professional development program and held a master rating in public affairs as well as technician ratings in aerospace education, organizational excellence, and cadet programs. His achievements were recognized with four Meritorious Service awards and two commander’s commendations.

•••

 ![GoneWest_Greenberg.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/gonewest_greenberg-BTdUce.jpg) 

### Lt. Col. Norman Greenberg

Lt. Col. Norman Greenberg, who filled numerous leadership roles in the New York Wing at the squadron, group, and wing levels during his 54 years in Civil Air Patrol, flew west May 3. He was 94.

Greenberg’s leadership positions ranged from Long Island Group commander in the early 2000s to New York Wing director of emergency services from 2015-2016, and wing assistant director of finance from 2010-2013 and again from 2016 until his passing.

In the field, Greenberg served as a CAP command pilot with more than 3,100 flight hours and as a mission pilot, incident commander, flight release officer, air operations and branch director, ground branch director, flight line supervisor, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems technician, communications unit leader, and mission safety officer. He was also a finance and administrative section chief, logistics section chief, public information officer, and liaison officer. 

“To say that Norm Greenberg was a vital and integrated part of (the New York Wing) for many years is a serious understatement,” Col. William Martin, wing commander, wrote in his email announcing Greenberg’s passing. “He put his knowledge, skills, and experience to work supporting what we do in many ways, from 1971 until his passing. He will be greatly missed.”

Lt. Col. Darren Cioffi, the New York Wing’s small Unmanned Aircraft Systems director, said in an online memorial comment that he “had the privilege of knowing Norm for over 20 years and spent a great deal of time with him during CAP activities and events. He was a straight-shooter — honest, sincere, and always striving to help those around him grow.”