NEWSLETTER OF THE GENERAL CURTIS E. LEMAY OFFUTT COMPOSITE SQUADRON Squadron Phone: 294-4597 E-Mail: OFFCS.CAP@Offutt.af.mil Squadron Web Site: http://www.offuttcap.org JULY 2007 COMMANDER S THOUGHTS Surprise Visitor During the last few weeks, we have been asking AE trivia questions about the latest space shuttle mission that included an astronaut from Nebraska, Clayton Anderson. This was special since he personally signed a photograph for the unit back in 2000, which hangs in our squadron hallway. Therefore, it was a special treat to actually see the space shuttle in person when it landed at Offutt Air Force Base on Sunday afternoon on its way back to Florida. Of course, the word spread like wild fire around the Omaha community. I saw numerous members of our unit at the base staring at this piece of living history. It was especially a unique treat as this was only the second time that a space shuttle has stopped at Offutt. In addition, with the space shuttles being retired in 2010, the chances of seeing it again are starting to become less and less. You never know when aerospace history will land right in your lap! As always, if you have any concerns our suggestions please let me know. Dave Waite, Lt Col, CAP Commander The Official Newsletter of the General Curtis E LeMay Offutt Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force Auxiliary P.O. Box 13402, Offutt Air Force Base, NE 68113 Commander: Lt Col David M. Waite Editor: 2Lt Angel Waite
Emergency Services Senior Training 2 nd Tuesdays Like the new name of the meeting indicates, the 2nd Tuesday is ES Training for Senior Members. Since we also have ES training on the 3rd Thursday for cadets, the 2nd Tuesday training focuses on Mission Specialties that restrict participation to 18 and 21 year olds or older, respectively. The following Preparatory and Familiarization Tasks will be taught, buy month and specialty: Jul - Ground Team Leader Aug - Ground Branch Director Sep - Communications Unit Leader Oct - Liaison Officer Nov - Mission Staff Assistant Dec - Mission Observer We focus on the Preparatory and Familiarization Tasks as they're required before you can become a supervised trainee. Advance training will be the secondary focus if time permits, but can also be accomplished on Missions, both practice and actual. Want to stay informed? Join the Squadron s ES Yahoo! group. Messages, Calendar (with reminders); Polls, and links to other documents and related websites. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/offcs-es/join Copyright 2007 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. Note: You must be a squadron member, under invitation, or possess a CAP ID Number to be approved to join. PICTURES FROM THE OFFUTT FIRHOUSE TOUR
Cadet Programs Glider Flights As anyone that coordinates activities in CAP knows, getting a large activity organized is never easy. Yet members put the effort into organizing events anyway for the benefit of the mission. Organizing an event becomes even more difficult when multiple units and wings are involved. But that is just what happened. Over the last several months, members from the Nebraska and Iowa Wings came together to give Nebraska Wing cadets Glider Orientation Flights. Because Nebraska does not have a glider in the wing, the Iowa members graciously extended an offer to provide O-Flights to Nebraska cadets. For all involved, this was a learning experience. For many involved, this was the first time planning an activity spanning multiple units and wings. Their efforts were met with a successful weekend in Red Oak, Iowa. On June 8, members from the General Curtis E. LeMay Offutt Composite Squadron arrived in Red Oak. There, they spent the night at the local YMCA and had an opportunity to use the facilities. While some cadets were off playing tennis, others played each other on the air hockey table. But their fun didn t last long. Lights out was at midnight so that everyone would be ready to go for the flights starting the next morning. On Saturday, the cadets awoke to the sound of reveille being played. It didn t take long for their excitement to take over and get to the airport. Once there, they met with additional members from the Nebraska Wing. They came from the 155 th Composite Squadron and the Seward Composite Squadron. Later several more cadets from the Iowa wing showed up to fly as well. The group met with Captain Gary Aho from the Iowa Wing. Captain Aho would be the glider pilot for the weekend. The cadets then received an introduction to glider operations. Among other things, they learned how the tow rope is connected to the glider, the basic flight controls, how to strap into the glider, and of course safety. The first cadet in the air was Cadet Noah Morse of the Offutt Composite Squadron. Following him were the Iowa cadets, then the rest from Nebraska. The group spent the day taking their turns in the air. While a small group of about three to five cadets waited near where the glider was taking off from, the rest drilled, played games and drove into Red Oak for ice cream. Since cadets do not often have a chance to socialize with cadets from other units, let alone other wings, the activities away from the flight operations was a great success. With Saturday s activities completed, the cadets anxiously awaited Sunday. The Red Oak airport was having their annual fly in Sunday. Plus, the Nebraska cadets were each scheduled to get a second flight. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for both. While quite a few aircraft had already flown in, rain was also coming in. As the rain approached, the aircraft that had made it to the fly-n departed ahead of the rain. It also meant that the CAP members at the airport had to scramble in the rain to get the glider safely tied down. Once the weather cleared, about a third of the cadets got their second flight before the day came to a conclusion. In all, eleven cadets from Nebraska and four from Iowa got to fly during the weekend. Five of those cadets got two Orientation Flights. In appreciation of a job well done, Major Jason Johnsen from the Offutt Composite presented Captain Aho, Major Doug Jansen, and 2 nd Lt Tony Shackelford with CAP challenge coins. These three members were key to planning
the activity from the Iowa wing. And even though the activity took months of planning on the part of both wings, the Iowa members have already invited Nebraska back again next year to fly again.
Color Guard on the National Stage The members of the General Curtis E. LeMay Offutt Composite Squadron Color Guard recently were given the honor of presenting the colors at the start of one of the games of the NCAA College World Series in front of over 21,000 people locally. The game was also carried on television nationally by ESPN2. The team presented the colors before the start of the game between Oregon State and the Arizona State at the College World Series, held annually in Omaha, Nebraska. The team was given a very small window in which to get on the field due to television time. Once the national anthem was over, the team once again had to rush off the field due to television restrictions. The team had a great time and was given reserved seats by the NCAA to enjoy the game. Members of the team were, Lauren Tweedt, Whitney Johnson, Emily Moss, and Katie Waite. Squadron Parents and Cadet Group - Parents and cadets can stay informed of the squadron's activities by subscribing the unit's user group on Google. Sign up here: http://groups.google.com/group/offutt_cadets
July Safety Picayune
JUNE PROMOTIONS Chris Schneider C/A1C Ryan Tweedt C/SrA Richard McVay C/SSgt JUNE AWARDS Richard McVay Wright Brothers Chris Havran Level 2 Jim Liptrott Level 2 Andrew Miller C/SrA Katie Waite C/SrA Emily Moss C/A1C Andrew Eledge C/A1C JUNE NEW MEMBERS Cadet David Lofreddo Cadet Brian Milstead SM David Lofreddo JULY BIRTHDAYS Eipperle, Nathan M Hardesty, Kirsten Miller, Andrew Nekuda, Andy J Petersen, Kathryn A Witas, Dennis M. Eipperle, Nathan M FUTURE DATES TO KEEP IN MIND 29-30 September 2007 NEWG Cadet Programs Officer Course 10 November 2007 NEWG Color Guard Competition