Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Elko, Nevada: Civil Air Patrol seeks cadets

Front row from left are Civil Air Patrol members David Metz, Curtis Jones and Wyatt Mowray. A.J. Wilson is in the back. The cadets prepare to go on orientation flights with Jones, a senior member of CAP.

ELKO — Searching the Nevada terrain for a missing plane and learning to fly aircraft before hitting adulthood are among the training offered by the Elko squadron of the Civil Air Patrol.

The benefits require a dose of commitment, however. The local CAP is searching for dedicated youths between the ages of 12-21 to join the senior cadet program.

CAP has an aerospace education program, cadet program and emergency communications network that teaches members to properly conduct search and rescue missions.

CAP is the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary and flies more than 95 percent of all federal inland search and rescue missions directed by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Langley Air Force Base.

The local squadron wants youth to be interested in all facets of CAP, from learning to fly aircraft to becoming a member of the color guard.

“We want them to want everything out of it and not go and just be part of a ground team or just go flying or just be on a color guard team and do parades,” said 17-year-old David Metz, who is a cadet commander and has advanced to the rank of first lieutenant after joining CAP four years ago.

“We want them to be active and to see and learn everything,” he added.

CAP teaches self-discipline and moral leadership, said Diana Jones, Elko squadron commander. Jones is a senior member of CAP. Senior members act as supervisors and are there to lend support to the cadets and senior cadets, as well as oversee the program and missions.

“We watch them grow into adults,” said Deputy Commander for Cadets Kelly Howard.

CAP is structured like the military and cadets can move up in rank every 60 days or more, depending how quickly they work toward advancement. Although CAP cadets can enter different branches of the military at a higher rank, Howard said the program is not simply for youths with a desire to enter the military.

“If a cadet decides to go UNR, we’ll push him in that direction and work with him in scholarships, and if he wants to go to the military we’ll help,” said Curtis Jones, senior member of CAP.

Metz said the CAP taught him responsibility and leadership. He said it not only prepares members for military life, but for adult life in general.

“It teaches you how to be a good leader. If you get into the business world or you’re out in an office you’ll have that knowledge of what you need to do and how to do it,” Metz said.

Howard said they don’t want cadets to concentrate solely on CAP and encourage them to participate in extracurricular activities.

Cadets can advance at their own pace, which is helpful when many youths around the Elko area are involved in sporting and other school activities.

Howard said, for example, the Air Force Academy looks for individuals who are well-rounded.

“They want you to come to them and say all the things you are involved in. They don’t want you to say all you’ve ever done is Civil Air Patrol, they want you to be able to adapt and overcome and improvise in everyday situations and in life.”

Although cadets can advance to a new rank every 60 days, it takes about four months on average to advance because of other activities youths are involved in. Cadets can advance to a level where they are able to not only fly in aircraft, but learn the controls and how to pilot it.

Howard said they are in need of senior cadets, meaning youths who are dedicated and willing to get to that status.

Time commitments vary depending on missions that cadets can be called on. Metz has been called on missions in the early morning hours.

“Last year, I was in the middle of my proficiencies and got a call at 6 a.m. about a missing airplane and had to go run radios,” he said. “You never know when it’s going to happen and that turned out to be a really good mission.”

A large portion of CAP is assisting with disaster relief and search and rescue missions. The organization also conducts counter drug missions and seeks out grow sites from the air.

Search and rescue missions are the main reason Diana and Curtis Jones continue to be a part of CAP. As aircraft owners, it gives them comfort to know there is an organization in existence that is properly trained and knows how to find them should they need to do an emergency landing.

To be a member of the CAP, Howard said they ask interested cadets to attend Monday night meetings that are from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to see if it’s something they are interested in before officially joining.

The cost to become a cadet is an annual fee of $31. Senior members meet from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays. On the first and third Thursday of every month, all CAP members are asked to attend. Meetings are held at 820 Murray Way.

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