By: Troy Bishop
Have you ever thought about joining the military or becoming a pilot? Have you ever wanted to serve your community and nation? Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a volunteer-run organization, helps you do that. Civil Air Patrol is a civilian auxiliary of the Air Force, with military structure and customs. CAP was founded on December 1 of 1941, six days before Pearl Harbor, and conducted coastal German U-Boat patrol with civilian aircraft, and engaged a total of 57 U-Boats, forcing the boats to flee.
Today, CAP provides community service and trains the next generation of leaders and pilots, with awesome opportunities you might have seen cadets before: standing in Air Force uniform at an air show, keeping people out of the dangerous flight line. These people in uniform are not military members, but people like you!
What is Civil Air Patrol?
Civil Air Patrol’s motto is “Volunteers Serving America’s Communities, Saving Lives, and Shaping Futures.” Civil Air Patrol does more than just one thing, but this article is about the cadet corps. The cadet corps transforms a cadet into a "Dynamic American.”
While in the corps, you learn drill and military customs, along with some other skills like search and rescue, a very important mission. As a cadet, you may fly aircraft, march for community events, support veterans, participate in search and rescue training, and participate in hundreds of other activities.
Encampment and NCSA’s
Civil Air Patrol’s Encampment is “an immersion into cadet life.” During Encampment, you stay for a week on a military base. The purpose of encampment is to train you as a leader, doing drill, flying aboard military aircraft like a Chinook, and talking to modern-day leaders and pilots.
After you attend your first encampment, you may participate in National Cadet Special Activities (NCSAs). NCSAs are Civil Air Patrol's “big” activities, and activities are already huge at the squadron level. There are over 30 NCSAs – and depending on the year, even more. One of the most popular NCSAs is the National Blue Beret, where you get to volunteer at the biggest airshow in the nation, helping emergency services personnel and even guiding airplanes to their hangars!
The Riverside Composite Squadron, SWR-OK-092
The Riverside squadron is the nearest squadron to Jenks High School. Every Monday, they host meetings at the Riverside Airport in the Tulsa Technology Center building at 6:00 PM. We are always open to visitors; if you wish to find out more, you are free to either swing by or talk to me.
If you wish to find out more about NCSAs, visit: Civil Air Patrol: NCSAs
