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Civil Air Patrol graduates 200-plus at JB MDL

  • Published
  • By Lt. Mark Swanson
  • Civil Air Patrol
CAP NJ WING HQ, JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  You probably saw some younger versions of yourself around base during the week of Aug. 18 -- marching, waiting in mess hall lines at Fort Dix and driving around in white vans. They wore genuine woodland camouflage BDUs and polished black boots which passed rigorous inspections.

More than 130 of those younger versions are Civil Air Patrol cadets; the group was on base for the week-long CAP NJ Wing Basic Encampment.

If you're not familiar with the Civil Air Patrol, it's the official civilian volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, established in December 1941, just days before Pearl Harbor was bombed. Adult CAP members perform 95 percent of inland search and rescue via the world's largest fleet of general aviation aircraft, including the most widely-used Cessna aircraft.

The CAP program, for youths ages 12 to 18, is also one of the world's largest youth programs. The cadets were on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst through Aug. 22, learning military drill and courtesies, tackling the leadership reaction course at Fort Dix and working on their physical fitness. The cadets also viewed the Atlantic City "Wings Over the Boardwalk" air show Aug. 19.

During the encampment week, most of them had a chance to sit at the controls of a Cessna 172 or 182 aircraft along with certified flight instructors at an area airport. Cadet orientation flights are much like the driver-education programs many of us had in high school - not designed to teach them to fly, but to give them a feel for flying. CAP cadets get several opportunities at the controls each year. As any cadet will tell you, it only took one afternoon at the controls and they were hooked. They'll do just about anything for CAP as long as they periodically get up in a plane.

Cadets also saw plenty of action at JB MDL, with tours of numerous facilities and aircraft.
But it's not boot camp or basic military training. Still, says encampment commander, Lt. Col. Robert Jennings, "Encampment is hard work; an accomplishment for the cadets. It's not easy, but in the end, the kids know they accomplished something real. They make many friends they'll have for years in CAP."

Also back for its second year is cadet NCO academy. This leadership school gives cadet NCOs the tools they need to better themselves as cadets and leaders. A total of 21 cadets are attending the school this year.

CAP Basic Encampment, which takes place in many states each summer, is the cornerstone of the organization's cadet program. For the 23,000 CAP cadets in the U.S., it's the first hurdle they must get over before taking part in bigger programs, like the coveted CAP National Cadet Summer Activities and International Air Cadet Exchange. It's also part of the cadet program's 16 steps through the Airman, NCO and officer ranks.

At Fort Dix, a total of 215 CAP cadets and their adult officers stayed at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center. This is the largest encampment in the history of New Jersey Wing. A graduation program for the cadets and their parents was held Aug. 22 at Fort Dix. 

The Civil Air Patrol has its N.J. Wing Headquarters in Building 3412 on Neely Road at McGuire AFB. Visitors are always welcome. You can learn more about NJ Wing at www.njwg.cap.gov or by visiting the national organization's Web site at www.gocivilairpatrol.com.