Minnesota Wing - May 2007

8/9/2019 Minnesota Wing - May 2007

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Minnesota WingTips May 2007

The Newsletter of Minnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol May 2007

CAP members marshalling an aircraft for a mission at Willmar Airport during the Group II SAREX.

Minnesota Training Days a Resounding Success

Minnesota Wing geared up for another busy summer season with a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) held May 18-20in Willmar. The hands-on exercise allowed CAP air and ground components to train together in a variety of search and

rescue missions. CAP is sometimes called upon by local, state and national authorities to assist during crises.

“This training exercise provided a cooperative environment for both CAP ground and air crews that met at the Willmar

Airport,” said Maj. Chet Wilberg, SAREX incident commander. “The training scenarios challenged participants to react to

potentially real life situations.”

CAP members, participating in the exercise, ranged from 12-year-old cadets to adult members. Participants used electronic

direction equipment finding, on-scene management, and land navigation skills developed and practiced throughout the year

as part of learning the fundamentals of search and rescue.

Continued on Page 3

In this Issue of WingTips:

• State Director Moves to New Office

• Member Recognition

• BlackCAP a Big Success

• Around the Wing and Much More!!!!!




Group II SAREXContinued from Page 1

Civil Air Patrol performs more than 95% of all federal

inland search and rescue missions directed by the Air

Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Langley

Air Force Base, Virginia.

CAP members performing SAR missions save more than

100 lives every year.

Minnesota Wing aircraft flew 70 air sorties in the

Willmar area while ground teams responded to another

eight calls for assistance during the exercise. Up to 10

aircraft and nearly 50 CAP members participated daily.

The wing routinely flies thousands of hours per year of

operational flights, and contributes some 10,000 +

person-hours to SAR, Counter Drug, Disaster

Preparedness, Homeland Security and other

humanitarian mission flying.

“Each response component is highly qualified and has

varied expertise when it comes to responding to a

request,” Wilberg said. “Bringing all of that expertise

together in a setting like this allows for a free flow of

information and it strengthens our response

capabilities. This exercise was a resounding success.”

Ground Team 4 after a successful find. Top row: Cadet Jeff

Dvorak (St. Cloud Composite), C/Gabe Turner (Wesota),

C/Hans Hibma (Hutchinson), Maj Adrian Ramler (St. Cloud

Composite). Bottom row: C/MacKenzie Johnson (Wesota),

C/Joshua Scott (Red Wing), C/Caleb Wilson (Red Wing),

C/Davis Peterson (Red Wing)

1st Lt. Gordon Miller (St. Paul Composite Sqdn) refuels for

another mission . . .

Cadet Abdulraman Jahi (Valley Sqdn) works

communications with Capt. Mari Lucas (Red Wing)

Capt. Greg Opdahl (SE Minnesota Composite Sqdn)

provides flight line pointers to Cadets Gabe Turner (Wesota)

and Collin Schaefer (Hutchinson)

CAP pilots receive a mission briefing.




Tuskegee Airman Presents

Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award

To Minnesota CAP Member

Former Tuskegee Airman, Col. Kenneth Wofford (USAF

ret.), recently visited the Anoka County CompositeSquadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to present the

Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award to Capt. Andy Bosshart.

The Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Award is given to CAP

members who complete Level Two of the Senior

Member Professional Development Program. It

recognizes those members who have dedicated

themselves to leadership and personal development in

the CAP.

Retired Air Force Col. Kenneth Wofford speaking at Anoka

Squadron. Lt Col Tom Kettell, Vice Wing Commander and Maj

Don Sorenson, Commander Anoka Sqdn looking on.

As the member progresses through the program, he or

she completes five increasingly complex training levels.

Each level requires the member to become more

involved in CAP activities, master skills in one of 23

technical areas, and develop leadership ability. As he or

she completes these levels, the member receives awards,

chances for promotion, and selection for more important

roles within CAP. The second milestone is the Davis

Award.

Col. Wofford, who lives in Golden Valley, served under

Gen. Davis, one of his heroes. Gen. Davis commandedthe Tuskegee Airmen during World War II and later

became the first African-American general in the US Air

Force. During the presentation, Col. Wofford gave a 15-

minute talk on the Tuskegee Airmen.

The Tuskegee Airmen were 1,000 young African-

Americans, who over the objections of much of the

military establishment of that period, trained as Army

Air Corps fighter pilots at an air base in Tuskegee, Ala.

They eventually were sent to fight in the air war over

Europe, providing fighter escort to bombers. Initially

scorned, their marvelous combat record proved them to

be highly effective air warriors. Col. Wofford did not fly

in Europe, but was poised for action in Japan under the

command of Gen Davis, when the war ended.

Col. Wofford is a Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame

member, active in the US Air Force Association, and

extremely active in the community working with kids.Wofford is a friend of the Anoka Squadron and a

frequent guest over the years, telling the Tuskegee story.

He has also established a scholarship fund for cadets of

the squadron.

Surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen recently

received the Congressional Gold Medal, the country's

highest civilian award, during a ceremony at the Capitol

Rotunda in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony

President Bush saluted the airmen, stating that he offered

the gesture “to help atone for all the unreturned salutes

and unforgivable indignities” they endured while they

fought for America.

St. Paul Cadets Complete

“Camp Curry”

Maj. Cliff Tamplin, St. Paul Composite Squadron Commander

congratulates C/Airman Daniel Rehbein on his completion of

Camp Curry.

On May 3, 2007 St. Paul Squadron graduated its latest

class of cadets from its Camp Curry Program.

Camp Curry is a training program for new cadets of the

squadron. Over a period of weeks the cadets learn what

it takes to be a cadet. Subjects include drill and

ceremonies, uniform wear and cadet general knowledge.

On completion of the training the cadets take the

achievement one tests and if they pass they are promoted

to Cadet Airman and join the unit’s cadet corps.




Cadet Leadership Changes at

Anoka Squadron

Anoka County Composite Squadron conducted a Cadet

Change of Command on April 24th, C/2nd Lt. Andy Haus

(left) accepts the guidon from Lt. Col. Adrian Sanchez

the squadron’s Deputy Commander for Cadets while

C/SSgt Cory Bosshart (guidon bearer) looks on.

Worthington Members Take

to the Sky in a KC-135

The view from the business end of a KC-135.

On May 6th Minnesota Wing and South Dakota Wing

members participated in an orientation flight aboard a

Iowa Air National Guard KC 135 Stratotanker.

The KC-135 refueled F-16s at 32,000. Each member

learned about the operations of the aircraft and got to go

to the picture pod to watch and take pictures of the

refueling operations.

More images from this flight can be seen at

www.mncap.org/worthington

Pomerleau Soars

Air Force ROTC Cadet (and CAP Captain) Mark Pomerleau

gets ready to board an F-16 for an incentive flight as part of

the ROTC program at Arizona State University.

Member RecognitionCadet Awards

Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell AwardShashona Lucas, Red Wing

Wright Brothers AwardAlex Bee, Viking

Senior Awards

Benjamin O. Davis AwardJerome Karels, St. PaulGary Isker, Owatonna

Grover Loening AwardJames Hetherington, VikingDaniel Jorgenson, Viking

Senior Promotions

Second LieutenantJay Spreitzer, Anoka County

Russell Olson, Valley

CaptainNathan Wozniak, Northland

MajorJotham Blodgett, Wing HQ

Mari Lucas, Red Wing

Minnesota Wing - May 2007

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