Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol

U.S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY ALASKA WING CIVIL AIR PATROL Members brave daunting conditions to serve Members of the Alaska Wing proudly the tasks at hand, the risks involved and volunteer their time to perform missions in the potential benefits, weighing all these some of the most challenging conditions factors to determine the most effective found anywhere in the U.S The wing approach. Sometimes this means operates in a state that is more than twice delaying the mission when safety is in the size of the next largest state, and the question. The wing’s crews are some of shoreline alone exceeds that of the 48 the safest in the region, thanks to regular contiguous states. training, appropriate equipment and its Operating in such a vast area presents members’ depth of experience. many challenges. The wing’s southern units Civil Air Patrol’s cadet program operate in marine costal conditions, thrives in Alaska, providing activities frequently dealing with fog, rain and heavy and programs that enrich the lives of snow. The more northern squadrons young members 12-20 years old. contend with extreme cold in the winter These future leaders gain valuable and frequent low visibility stemming from leadership lessons as a result of their wildfires in the summer. The units in- cadet experiences. between encounter combinations of all For hundreds of communities in these conditions, in addition to challenging Alaska, aviation is not just an alternative terrain and immense areas with no roads or Cadet Staff Sgt. Issac Kimball of means of transportation, it is also the other improvements. Birchwood Composite Squadron lays a only way to get from one distant location Alaska Wing members pride themselves wreath at Fort Richardson National to another during much of the year. This Cemetery as part of CAP’s Wreaths on conducting their missions safely by Across America initiative. makes the missions of CAP more critical using judgment and experience to evaluate than possibly any other place in America. 2012 Statistics Volunteer Members: Vehicles: Cadet Flying: 678 adult members 26 vehicles 323 cadets flown 246 cadets 698 voting-age members Interoperable Communications: Total Hours Flown: 221 aircrew personnel 4 VHF/FM repeaters 2,192 514 emergency responders 116 VHF/FM stations 38 HF stations Financial: Squadrons: $553,500* in state funding 22 locations statewide Missions: $2.5M value of wing’s volunteer 65 search and rescue missions hours Aircraft: 10 finds 29 single engine 2 lives saved 3 gliders 4 other state support missions *Financial data provided by wing Wing Commander Lt. Col. Douglas E. Staats ([email protected]) Government Relations Advisor Lt. Col. Jeff DeFreest ([email protected]) National Commander Maj. Gen. Charles L. Carr Jr. ([email protected]) Region Commander Col. Larry F. Myrick ([email protected]) Address: P.O. Box 6014, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK 99506-6014 Phone: 1-800-478-5001 Website: www.akwg.cap.gov/ Congressionally chartered mission No. 1 Emergency Services No strangers to serving their communities in crisis, An F-16 maneuvers to intercept a Civil Air Patrol Cessna during a Fertile dedicated Civil Air Patrol members across America Keynote exercise near the nationʼs capital in August. As part of its expanding homeland security missions, once again answered the call in 2012, CAP aircrews flew more than 2,000 hours during responding to tornadoes, wildfires, air defense exercises in 2012 helping prepare hurricanes and tsunamis throughout the fighter units across the country. year. Their service was most notable in response to Hurricane Sandy’s in the organization’s 71-year onslaught on the East Coast in October. history. CAP aircrews in the skies The superstorm, which was followed along with image evaluation by an early winter blast, left more than teams on the ground, including 100 people dead, millions without officers, noncommissioned officers power or potable water and thousands and cadets whose own lives were homeless. shattered by Sandy, captured and Working with the Federal Emergency processed more than 158,000 photos of Management Agency, states and other relief the hurricane’s destruction — one of the agencies, CAP’s unpaid professionals representing 20 largest missions in CAP’s history. The images wings from the Great Lakes, Middle East and Northeast regions helped provide FEMA as well as state and local responders with helped make sure the hungry were fed and the cold sheltered, as an accurate picture of the damage and where help was needed. other CAP officers, noncommissioned officers and cadets did In all, CAP supported 52 requests for assistance from federal, earlier in the year when Hurricane Isaac struck the Gulf Coast. state and local authorities in disaster relief operations during Sandy marked what turned out to be a significant milestone 2012. As the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, CAP also helped save 32 lives across the nation using such high-tech tools as in- flight video equipment as well as radar and cell phone forensics software developed by CAP members. In addition, CAP worked with the Department of Defense, flying 2,017 hours of air defense intercept training missions to help prepare fighter units across the country. Aircrews conducting counterdrug and drug interdiction operations flew 8,362 hours helping law enforcement agencies seize more than $491.4 million in illegal drugs and currency, leading to 632 arrests. Capt. Rheta Perkins, airborne photographer with Civil Air Patrolʼs North Carolina Wing, prepares to take photos of damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy. Aerial imaging crews like the one Perkins was a part of took tens of thousands of damage assessment photos for government agencies while flying some 696 sorties and logging 1,407 flight hours above the shredded East Coast. Aerial images like this billowing smoke in the Manitou Springs area of Colorado, taken in rough air from 13,500 feet by a CAP aircrew on fire watch, were some of the first of what later became the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012. The massive fire near Colorado Springs, coupled with the High Park Fire near Fort Collins and other, smaller blazes, made the spring and summer of 2012 the most destructive and This aerial image taken by a CAP aircrew reveals tidal surge damage expensive fire season in to homes in New Jersey. Last year the photo review process was Coloradoʼs history. More streamlined through crowdsourcing, using 6,000 volunteers, many of than 200 CAP members them CAP members, to assess 158,012 images placed on a website worked both in the air created for that purpose. The imagesʼ depictions of storm damage and on the ground in were rated as light, moderate and severe, providing response agencies response to the fires. faster, more accurate evaluations of Hurricane Sandyʼs destruction. Congressionally chartered mission No. 2 Cadet Programs Civil Air Patrol inspires youth to be responsible citizens who training and activities covering subjects as diverse as U.S. Air embody the organization’s core values of respect, integrity, Force career familiarization, aerospace technology, leadership volunteer service and excellence. development and flight training. In school- or community-based squadrons, cadets ages 12-20 As a testament to its relevance and appeal, the cadet program benefit from a complete curriculum that teaches leadership, has grown more than 25 percent over the past four years, from physical fitness, character development and aerospace 21,000 cadets in 2008 to 26,384 in 2012. The opportunity to fly is a education. Cadets serve their communities by helping with major attraction for cadets; 29,856 cadet orientation flights were CAP’s humanitarian efforts. conducted in CAP planes last In addition, they gain an year (some received more than appreciation for America’s one flight). role in the global community by serving as Civil Air Patrol cadets experience goodwill ambassadors flight firsthand through the efforts of abroad or hosting aviation- CAP adult volunteers — aviation minded youth from around enthusiasts eager to share their love the world. of flying. Often, it is through CAP that Cadets attend weekly a cadet receives the first flight of his or her life. Aviation education is meetings and participate in delivered in both the classroom and weekend activities once a the cockpit. Cadets gain an month. Each summer, they understanding of the complex forces have the opportunity to that cause an aircraft to achieve lift participate in one or more of and study other fundamental topics, 30 national cadet events, such as navigation, engines and which offer hands-on aerospace history. Eager to show off their aerospace knowledge, physical fitness and precision, cadet drill teams and color guards participate in competitions at the state, region and national levels. Rising to the occasion with good sportsmanship, cadets amaze spectators with their skill and esprit de corps. The competitions are varied, but this activity is all about character. Each year, 144 cadets from CAPʼs eight regions earn the right to compete for national honors, and about 800 more compete locally. Civil Air Patrol develops youth through self-paced study of the art of leadership. Cadets learn how to lead through formal classroom instruction and a laboratory of hands-on experiences where they apply leadership principles to real-world challenges. Through a graduated curriculum, they first learn to follow, then National Flight Academies are to lead small groups, ultimately experiencing command and among 30 annual cadet activities executive-level leadership, advancing in rank and earning that help mold the next generation honors along the way. Topics include how to think critically, of citizens through top-notch communicate effectively, make good decisions, motivate others instruction that emphasizes hard and manage conflict. work, self-discipline and teamwork. Congressionally chartered mission No. 3 Aerospace Education Civil Air Patrol’s award-winning aerospace education program promotes aerospace history, flight principles, careers and relevance in today’s world.

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