minnesota wing - dec 2009

8/2/2019 Minnesota Wing - Dec 2009

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One of their instructors likened the group of25 Civil Air Patrol cadets learning about ight at a

weeklong ight academy to sponges.

Theyre soaking wet, tired and full of infor-

mation at the end of the day, he said, but theycome back the next day fresh and ready for more.

The academy, sponsored by the MinnesotaWing of the Civil Air Patrol, is an intense coursedesigned to teach students from Minnesota, Iowa,South Dakota and Nebraska about ground and airoperations of both powered airplanes and gliders,said the Civil Air Patrols Dave Skaar.

The idea is to give them the experience of ying,

not necessarily time in the airplane, Skaar said.To get that experience, cadets spent the rst

three days of the academy in the classroom, learn-ing about how an airplane or glider works andthe basic controls. The students also learn aboutsafety around aircraft and performing duties on theground with the gliders, such as hooking them tothe tow plane and guiding the wing as they gainspeed on the ground.

For the next three days, the cadets learn to y

the airplane or glider, taking short ights called

Pat Christman

The Mankato (MN) Free Press

Sprouting Wings

sorties with an instructor.Many of the 4- to 8-year-old cadets take

their rst solo airplane or glider ight during the

academy, an experience that leaves them smilingfrom ear to ear, but also costs them their shirt.

A tradition among pilots, students takingtheir first solo flight have the date written ontheir shirt and a panel cut out of it to rememberthe experience.

Ben Leaf, 15, closes the canopy on a glider as he prepares

for his second solo ight during the Civil Air Patrols ightacademy at the Mankato Municipal Airport. Photo -TheFree Press

C/CMSgt Ben Leaf gives the thumbs up with his

ground crew.

A glider lands while a powered ight takes off during theMinnesota Wing Flight Academy.


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Minnesota Wings BlackCAP EmergencyServices College celebrated 25 years September25-27 with a near record turnout of 30 memberson a brilliant fall day.

Created by the Red Wing Squadron in 84,BlackCAP is devoted to teaching the search andrescue procedures that enable Civil Air Patrol wings

everywhere to save nearly 00 lives every year.Cadre at the event wears a special black cap.Each year at BlackCAP is different from every

other year, though the curriculum has always beencentered on ground team training, said MajorMari Lucas, one of the event organizers. She notedteamwork is stressed, as well as creativeness andthe ability to make training and learning fun.

BlackCAP attendees are issued a small rubberfrog upon arrival and are held responsible for it duringthe weekend; a lifes rst lesson on accountability.

BlackCAP is a great activity for new cadets,and that little rubber frog teaches them the impor-tance of being responsible, especially when carry-ing out a search and rescue mission, said Lt. Col.Chet Wilberg, Minnesota Wing Chief of Staff.

Its a characteristic that is at the core of

BLACK CAP

Major Richard Sprouse

Public Affairs Ofcer, Group 2

Minnesota BlackCAP ES

College celebrates 25 years

CAPs emphasis on mission execution, whetherthat mission is saving lives or securing the nation:accountability.

Among the course offerings were flight linemarshalling, eld rst-aid, use of radios and direc-tion nding equipment, line searches, handling the

news media, and transitioning from a search to arescue operation.

Scenarios with missing persons and injuries putthe skills learned in the classroom to work in the eld.

BlackCAP seems to have something for everyone.

It was a rst time opportunity for young leaderslike C/2Nd Lt Ben Leaf of St. Cloud Squadron.It was my rst time in a leadership role at a

CAP event, and it was outstanding!It was also a rst for enthusiastic new members

like C/AB Michael Teener of Ft. Snelling Squadron.This is the rst time Ive attended a CAP event,

and it was awesome. I plan to come back next year!

Attendees at Minnesota Wings 25th BlackCAP ES Collegepractice stretcher-bearing techniques.

Lt. Col. Chet Wilberg, Minnesota Wing Chief of Staff, gives

a class on ight-line safety during Minnesota Wings 25th

BlackCAP ES College.

Using resources available and innovation are a big part of

Minnesota Wings BlackCAP ES College. Here, membersportray aircraft while a ight line marshaller directs theplane to the appropriate location. 130 Minnesota Wing

members attended the event.


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Services, it got me hooked, and now Im theCadet ES Ofcer of my squadron.

First Lieutenant Nate Stoeckel of MankatoSquadron agreed. I had a blast, and wouldhighly recommend GTA to any member ofCAP who plans on being an active participant.The staff was great, and Camp Ripley is a great

training facility. I do plan on trying to get morepeople to go from Mankato next year. Its aneasy way to get one level of training out ofthe way in one weekend. The level of trainingwas also good because it required you to think,but it wasnt such that it was set up for failure.It opened my eyes to a few new things that Ihadnt thought of before. Hearing the real lifeexperiences from the staff and how they dealtwith them was most benecial.

Were ready to go on a search and rescuemission, anywhere, anytime, said Wilberg.

Certicates and badges presented to those who successfullycompleted the 2009 Minnesota Ground Team Academy.Photo courtesy of Capt. Richard Sprouse, Minnesota Group

2 PAO

Its kind of like a life insurance policy. We pay thepremium with training events like Ground TeamAcademy. We get our dividend on that premiumevery time were called out on a mission.

(L-R) 1st Lt. Steve A. Csizmadia and C/Amn Steven L.Csizmadia, both of Mankato Squadron, were among anumber of family member teams that attended the 2009Minnesota Wing Ground Team Academy. Photo courtesy of

Capt. Richard Sprouse, Minnesota Group 2 PAO

Lt. Col. Chet Wilberg, Minnesota Wings Director of ES, andGTA Commander, congratulates C/SrA Gunnar Bontjesof Anoka Squadron upon successfully completing GTM3training during the 2009 Minnesota Wing Ground TeamAcademy. Photo courtesy of Capt. Richard Sprouse,

Minnesota Group 2 PAO


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During a double presentation ceremony onAugust 20th, two Red Wing Squadron cadets werehonored for their commitment.

Cadet David Johnson received the Earhart

Award, which honors the late Amelia Earhart, apioneer who set many records for women pilots inaviations infancy.

To receive the award, cadets must, amongother criteria pass a rigorous 00-question exami-nation covering aerospace topics, leadershiptheory and staff duties. Once a cadet earns theEarhart Award, he or she is promoted to the gradeof cadet captain.

Recognized with the Mitchell Award duringthe ceremony was Cadet David Nelson.

The Mitchell Award is given to Civil Air Patrolcadets who have completed the rst eight achieve-ments of the cadet program. The cadet milestoneis named after a pioneer in aviation and an earlysupporter of an independent Air Force.

Cadets must pass a comprehensive 00 ques-tion exam covering aerospace topics and leader-ship theory. Cadets earning the Mitchell Award arepromoted to the rank of cadet second lieutenant.

Red Wing cadets receivehonors in double ceremony

RED WING HONORS

Captain Richard J. Sprouse

Public Affairs Ofcer, Group 2

Any cadet who earns this award, and who laterenters CAPs Senior Ofcer ranks, is eligible for

immediate promotion to CAP 2nd Lt at age 2. Inaddition, recipients of this award are eligible foradvanced placement to the grade of airman rst

class (E-3) should they choose to enter the U.S. Air

Force. They are also eligible for advanced creditin AFROTC, various CAP scholarships, and CAPspecial activity opportunities.

The Civil Air Patrol is the ofcial auxiliary of

the U.S. Air Force. Its missions are aerospace edu-

cation, emergency services, and the cadet program.The 6-segment cadet program provides

opportunities for the learning, maturing, acceptingand nurturing of leadership to more than 26,000Americans from ages 2 to 2.

There are approximately ,300 members ofCAP in Minnesota. Minnesota Wing routinelyflies thousands of hours per year of operationalflights, and contributes some 0,000 + person-hours to search and rescue, counter drug, disas-ter preparedness, homeland security, and otherhumanitarian mission ying.

Attending the ceremony was Col. ThomasTheis, Minnesota Wing Commander; Lt. Col.Blaze Cunningham, Minnesota Wing Directorof Aerospace Education, Lt. Col. John Barsness,Group IV Commander; Maj. Jeff Bartelt, GroupIV Deputy Commander; Lt. Col. Don Mikitta,Wing Chaplain; and Maj. Bryce Duncan, RedWing Squadron Commander.

(L-R) C/Capt David Johnson, Earhart Award recipient andCol. Tom Theis, Minnesota Wing Commander.

(L-R) C/2nd Lt David Nelson, Mitchell Award recipient andLt. Col. John Barsness, Group IV Commander.


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Minnesota, North and South Dakota CAPmembers join together in an extensive air andground search effort for a missing aircraftand pilot.

A pilot in a PA 28 Piper Cherokee left AirlinkAirport near Lakeville, MN on Friday, November

3, 200 at 5:00 pm. The pilot and aircraft did notarrive at the destination of Hallock, MN.

Civil Air Patrol, Minnesota Wing received acall from Air Force Rescue Coordination Centerat Tyndall AFB, FL very early on Saturday,November 4, to search for the missing aircraft.

On Saturday morning at 7:00 am groundteams were dispatched to an area of the last pointof contact from the pilot to begin the search. Thepilot sent a message to his family about 6:20 pm onFriday, from the Staples, MN area, that all is well.

LINDBERG SAR

Civil Air Patrol members

search for missing aircraft

1st Lt. George Supan

Public Information Ofcer, Minnesota Wing

Minnesota Wing, Group II had a planned Searchand Rescue Training Scheduled at the AnokaComposite Squadron at the Blaine-Anoka airport.The training exercise became a real mission.

Capt. Andy Bosshart , Anoka SquadronCommand, when called for the mission did notbelieve it and said, are you kidding? No, was

the reply from st Lt. Tim Frame. I will pick youup, on our way to the search site.

Saturday was a damp, cold, overcast day andCAP aircraft could not be dispatched until lateafternoon when the skies cleared in the searcharea. The ground teams searched late into the eve-ning without nding a signal from the Emergency

Locator Transmitter.On Sunday, CAP members who used 2 air-

craft and formed 8 ground teams from Minnesotaand North Dakota continued the search underdetailed direction of Lt. Col. Chet Wilberg,Incident Commander and his team. The CommandCenter was moved from Anoka to the Crow WingComposite Squadron in Brainerd, MN. The searchstarted at the break of day light and continued untilafter dark.

The complete planned aircraft route fromthe Airlake Airport to Hallock was searched. Aconcentrated search area was developed west and

Command Center Lt. Col. Chet Wilberg, Incident

Commander (R); 1st Lt. George Anderson, Flight ReleaseOfcer (L)

In ight Lt. Col. Tom Hollenhorst.


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Ten cadets recently experienced the thrill ofaviation, through orientation ights at the Bemidji

Regional Airport. The cadets flew a combined0 hours in two of CAPs Cessna 72s and oneCessna 82.

It was awesome! reports Cadet Chris Madsen,age 4, of Bemidji. I got to use the controls andget the feel of how the aircraft handled.

The hour-long ights in single-engine Cessna

aircraft introduced the cadets to the science thatmakes ight possible. They learned about naviga-tion, weather, aircraft instruments, ight maneu-vers, and more. The cadets day began by helpingpreight their aircraft. Working with their pilot,

they taxied their aircraft to Bemidji Airports run-way 3, gave it full throttle and took off, climbingto 3,000 feet.

While aloft, it was the cadets who were han-dling the controls, during the non-critical stages ofthe ight. You really have to pay attention when

youre at the controls, explained Cadet MaryRogers, 4, but once you get past your initial

NORTHLANDORIDES

Northland Cadets Flyin Bemidji

Capt. Robin Helgager

Commander, Northland Composite Squadron

nervousness, its fantastic.Once they reached their assigned altitude, the

cadets turned towards their destinations; eitherThief River Falls, Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids orGrand Rapids, where they made a brief stop. Thenit was another cadets turn at the controls for theight home. CAP pilots repeated this round-trip

throughout the day.Ive been ying cadets for over three years,

and its always exciting for me just to see the lookon the kids faces, said one of the pilots, CAPCapt. Mark Johnston of Duluth. Pilots volunteeringtheir time were, Major Charles Schumacher andCapt. Mark Johnston from the Duluth Squadron,Senior Member Jim Williamson flew from theWalker Squadron and Capt. Ray Majkzrak flewin the pilot rotation from Bemidji. Civil Air Patrolprovided the aircraft and fuel, at no cost to thecadets or the pilots.

The cadets participating were: Mandy Bushong,Jesse Bushong, Cody DeGrote, Timothy Johnson,David Helgager, Jacob Rogers, Joseph Rogers,

Mary Rogers, Tom Rogers.

L-R Cadets Nick Weber, 12, (Bemidji) and Tim Johnson, 14,(Menahga) assist Major Charles Schumacher (Duluth) inpre-ighting their Civil Air Patrol aircraft before enjoying anorientation ight.

Cadet Jacob Rogers, 12, (Bemidji) smiles as he prepares fortakeoff during the Civil Air Patrols orientation ight day atBemidji Regional Airport.


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Pancakes and planes proved to be the win-ning combination for the St. Cloud CompositeSquadrons annual fundraiser.

Squadron members served ,300 breakfastsof pancakes and sausage, and raised $2,00 forsquadron activities during the Sunday, June 28event held at the St. Cloud Airport.

Our crew of seniors and cadets came early,worked hard, and stayed late; the result wasanother very successful breakfast, said Lt. Col.Jim Schlick, the events organizer.

Between the Army National Guards CH-47Chinook helicopter, the LifeLink helicopter,several experimental aircraft, and our own CAPglass-cockpit 82 with the avionics power on, our

Captain Richard J. Sprouse

Public Affairs Ofcer

Group 2

ST CLOUD FLY IN

Pancakes and planes provewinning combination for

squadrons fundraiser

airport guests had quite a bit to look at.Schlick also thanked the St. Cloud Times,

Shopping News, WJON Radio, KNSI Radio,and Charter Communications for their generouspromotion of the event.

Schlick said the squadron is already lookingforward to next years event.

Since it seemed that everyone had fun,I told Chris Cakes (food vendor) to put us

on their schedule for next June 27. Mark yourcalendar now!

C/SrA Michael Norton serves up breakfast to one of the

1,300 people who attended the St. Cloud Composite

Squadrons annual y-in breakfast on June 28.

C/2nd Lt Derek Cash provides ightline security while theLifeLink helicopter departs St. Cloud Airport. The helicopter

was among a number of aircraft on display during St. Cloud

Composite Squadrons annual y-in breakfast on June 28.The event raised $2,100 for squadron activities.

C/SrA Michael Norton in the blister of a Minnesota Army

National Guard Chinook helicopter on display during St.

Cloud Composite Squadrons annual y-in breakfast onJune 28.


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MINNESOTAAt this years Minnesota WingsSummer Encampment, six of the St. CroixSquadrons Cadets had served as staff membersfor this years 11th Cadet Training Group (CTG) at

Camp Ripley near Little Falls, Minnesota.Once again, our St. Croix Squadron Cadets

have consistently shown their dedication and com-mitment to being some of the best in the MinnesotaWing, Civil Air Patrol.

Cadets from our Squadron have workedvery hard to achieve the different levels of

knowledge and professionalism, which haveled them to be selected many times before to fillthese important staffing roles at past MinnesotaWing Encampments.

Out of the 25 encampment staff positionsavailable at each year, St. Croix cadets have beenselected to fill these important leadership rolesbefore. Here are the St. Croix Squadron Cadetswho served as staff members at this years thCTG encampment and the position they held.

Executive Staff:Deputy Commander - C/Capt Haylee FosterlingCommand Chief - C/MSgt Mike Weston 2st Cadet Training SquadronFirst Sergeant - C/SMSgt David Trudeau Charlie Flight Sergeant - C/MSgt Grady Bell 22nd Cadet Training SquadronSquadron Commander - C/Capt. Caleb Norman Support StaffLogistics Ofcer - C/CMSgt Robert Spear

Maj. Matt Wiskow provides land navigation instruction toC/A1C Kati Jents of St. Croix Squadron during the 2009Minnesota Wing Encampment at Camp Ripley. Photo Capt

Richard Sprouse

In addition to the 6 cadets who filled staffpositions, other cadets from our squadron hadattended this years Summer Encampment as well.

All 5 of our cadets had a great time teachingand learning the leadership and basic the skills allcadets need to have to be successful in their CivilAir Patrol cadet careers.

For 8 of our cadets, this was their rst experi-ence at a summer encampment and each of themhad a great experience and forged new friend-

ships and memories, which will last each of thema lifetime.

Here are all 5 St. Croix Cadets who attendedthis years CTG, Minnesota Wing SummerEncampment: C/Amn. Jackson Bartlett, C/Amn.Mohammad Battah, C/SMSgt. Grady Bell, C/ABSamanth Carlstrom, C/Capt. Haylee Fosterling,C/TSgt. Noah Hite, C/AC Kati Jents, C/AB JakeKrueger, C/Capt. Caleb Norman, C/AC EthanPike, C/CMSgt. Robert Spear, C/SSgt. AlexSwanson, C/AB Josh Tarka, C/CMSgt. DavidTrudeau, C/MSgt. Michael Weston;

The th CTG Commander has singled outtwo of our cadets for having achieved superior per-formance as Distinguished Graduates. They areC/Amn. Jackson Bartlett, C/SSgt. Alex Swanson.

Congratulations are in order for all 5 of ourcadets for their hard work each have put in toreach this level of success, so far within the CivilAir Patrol.

2nd Lt. Scott Richardson

Public Affairs Ofcer

St. Croix Composite Squadron

NCR-MN-122

Minnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol

St. Croix CadetsShine at 11th CTGMinnesota Wing

2009 SummerEncampment


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For most students, summer is a time to unwindfrom the rigors of the school year. Not so for thecadets that attended the 200 Minnesota WingEncampment at Camp Ripley from June 20-27.

Each summer, CAP Basic Cadets from acrossthe state and region under the oversight of CadetStaff Members are introduced to new experiencessuch as the condence course, land navigation, and

weapons familiarization, as well as annual offer-ings in moral leadership, aerospace and militarycareer opportunities, physical training, and drillmovements.

While the Cadets friends were going abouttheir daily routine, theseCadets were here testing

the limits of their abilitiesand striving to improve,said C/Col Charlie Cox,th CTG Commander.

An event that stoodout to many occurred dur-ing the final inspectionof encampment when theCadet Staffs Standardsand Evalua t ion t eaminspected the Cadets uni-

forms, living areas, and

Captain Richard Sprouse

Public Affairs Ofcer, 2009 Minnesota Wing Encampment

Minnesota EncampmentTests Skills, Endurance

Alpha ight celebrates another victory on their way to the volleyball championship duringthe 2009 Minnesota Wing Encampment at Camp Ripley.

BACKGROUND PHOTO: Aninspection team moves up

and down the rows evaluating

footlocker displays and

critiquing uniforms duringthe 2009 Minnesota WingEncampment at Camp Ripley.

footlockers.A rare 00% overall score was recorded by

C/AC Zachary Dietz of Viking Squadron.Encampment taught me self discipline as

well as self condence to do my best, Dietz said.

The th Cadet Training Group consisted of86 Basic Cadets, 7 Staff Development SquadronCadets, and 28 Cadet Staff Members. Nearly 30Senior Officers and volunteers were also there.Cadets and staff from Missouri, North Dakota, aswell as dozen from Iowa participated in the event.

Minnesota has a well-earned reputation as oneof the best run encampments in the nation, said 2nd


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