Civil Air Patrol Squadron hosts annual open house

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The Malmstrom Air Force Base Civil Air Patrol Composite Squadron hosted two open houses on and off base on Sept. 10 and 17 to inform Team Malmstrom and the Great Falls community of the many benefits of CAP.

Hosted by Staff Sgt. Jacob Webb, 341st Medical Operations Squadron dental craftsman, and Malmstrom CAP commander, the annual open houses aim to educate the three missions of CAP - aerospace education, cadet programs and emergency services, to include ground and air resources in search and rescue, disaster relief and homeland security.

"We meet every Tuesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m.," said Webb. "A typical night [at CAP] involves teaching the cadets how to march, learning to work as a team and teaching search and rescue techniques and basic first aid. They also learn about aerospace education, safety and professional growth and development. Although this squadron is not new to the base, the program has grown more than 200 percent since last year."
According to the CAP website, the nonprofit organization was created after more than 150,000 volunteers lobbied for an organization to utilize their aviation skills to help defend the U.S. in the late 1930s. On July 1, 1949, President Harry Truman signed Public Law 476 which included Civil Air Patrol as a benevolent, nonprofit organization. Today, the organization boasts more than 60,000 members who handle 90 percent of inland search and rescue missions in the country.

"Cadets not only gain professional and character development, but if they choose to pursue a military career, they understand what wearing the uniform means," Webb said. "They learn about customs and courtesies, how to march and they undergo Air Force physical training assessments. Cadets may also have the opportunity to enter the Air Force as an E-3."

Although the program is geared towards children and teenagers ages 12 to 17, nearly anyone can volunteer to be a part of the program.

"This is not a military organization; it's made up of 100 percent volunteers," Webb said. "People who volunteer are a mix of retirees, active-duty Airmen and civilians who've never been in any branch of service. For me, I was already planning on enlisting in the Air Force as a teenager, but being a member of CAP growing up helped to solidify the decision and kept me focused."

For more information on CAP, call Webb at 859-250-9945 or visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com.