CIVIL AIR PATROL U.S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY Carolina WingSpan The Official Newsletter of the NC Wing, CAP February 2013 NC Wing Members on Capitol Hill See more on Page 3 Historians Meet at NCWG Headquarters Story and photos on Page 4 1
Major Howell Balsem CAP Public Affairs Exceptional Achievement Awards Attention, all Public Affairs Officers: Mark your calendars now to enter the 2013 Balsem awards. On April 1, a template will be available on eservices to enter the competition, but NHQ/PA wanted to give you a heads-up so you can go ahead and make preparations. Read over the attached guidelines (See Page 14) carefully and get ready to enter. A draft entry form is included so you will know what is needed for the competition. Please note that this is not an official entry form. It is simply for your information only, so you can prepare for the competition. We will remind you on April 1 when the official entry template is up and ready for your entries. Julie DeBardelaben, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, National Headquarters Air Force cuts aviation support at public events 3/1/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- As the Air Force braces for potential sequester, leadership has canceled all aviation support to public events for at least the remainder of the fiscal year and is standing down the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team to save flying hours to support readiness needs. Effective today, active-duty, Reserve and Guard units will cease all aviation support to the public. This includes the cancellation of support to all air shows, tradeshows, flyovers (including funerals and military graduations), orientation flights, heritage flights, F-22 demonstration flights and open houses, unless the event includes only local static assets. Additionally, the Air Force will cancel the Thunderbirds' entire 2013 season beginning April 1. The Thunderbirds and Heritage Flight crews will complete their certification procedures for safely flying aerial demonstrations in case the budget allows resumption of scheduled events in 2013, but and the Air Force will cease participation in Heritage flights following certification. The Air Force will reduce flying hours by as much as 18 percent -- approximately 203,000 hours -- and impacts will be felt across the service and directly affect operational and training missions. "While we will protect flying operations in Afghanistan and other contingency areas, nuclear deterrence and initial flight training, roughly two-thirds of our active-duty combat Air Force units will curtail home station training," said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III. Carolina WingSpan is published under the direction of: NCWG Commander - Col. David E. Crawford NCWG Vice Commander - Lt. Col. Max NCWG Chief of Staff - Lt. Col.. Andy Wiggs Office of Public Affairs: NCWG Public Affairs Officer, Maj. Don Penven dpenven@ncwg.cap.gov NCWG Deputy PAO Lt.Col. James Williams JPBTW@carolina.rr.com NCWG Deputy PAO Lt. Col Conrad D'Cruz conrad.dcruz@netswirl.com NCWG Deputy PAO Capt. Carey Cox carey.cox@gmail.com NCWG Deputy PAO 1st Lt. Larry Mathis larrymathis@northstate.net NCWG newsletter "Carolina WingSpan" editor - Maj. Donald Penven Send submissions to: carolina.wingspan@ncwg.cap.gov "Carolina WingSpan" is the official newsletter of the Civil Air Patrol, North Carolina Wing HQ, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Since all aerial support to public and military events is flown at no additional cost to the taxpayer using allotted training hours, the Air Force had no choice but to cancel support to these events. 2
NC Wing Members Attend National Legislative Day NC Wing members attending included: Col. Larry J. Ragland. MER/CC; Col. David E. Crawford, NCWG/CC; Lt. Col. Shelley Chalmers, NCWG Legislative Officer and C/Maj. Taylor Wedell, Cape Fear Composite Squadron. The group visited all 13 U.S. House Representatives and both U.S. Senators from North Carolina. Cover Photo: Cadet Wedell, Representative Mike McIntire, Col. Crawford The handout provided to our legislators is posted on the wing website: http://www.ncwg.cap.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&pageid=567 National Legislative Day Left - Right: C/Maj. Taylor Wedell, U.S.. Representative Mike McIntire, Col. David E. Crawford L-R: Col. Crawford, Col. Ragland, C/Maj. Wedell, Lf. Col Chalmers
Historically Speaking On February 23 rd the Wing s first Historians Conference was held in Burlington. The conference attendees, were introduced to the following subjects: 1. A Trip Back in Time to 1942. 2. Changes to CAPP 223 Historian Specialty Track Study Guide. 3. Museum Practices & Lab. 4. Oral History Techniques. 5. Civil Air Patrol Heraldry During the conference attendees were encouraged to participate in lively discussions of the subject matter. Lectures were presented with both PowerPoint and printed copies of the material discussed. The attendees were given information on CAPP 223 changes, Museum Practices, how to produce an Oral History, and Civil Air Patrol Heraldry. They were able to view some of North Carolina Wing s Historical Collection. All were shown handling procedures, types of artifacts, labeling techniques, and general discussion. Instructing the Conference were Lt Col Phil Saleet, MER/NC Wing Historian, Capt Joe Myers, Assistant MER/NC Wing Historian, and Capt Louis Toms, Assistant Historian Asheville Squadron. Lt. Col. Phillip Saleet NCWG Historian 4
Iredell Co. Squadron,(NC-162}, Holds Annual Banquet The Iredell Composite Squadron held their annual banquet on January 31st. Among those who attended are Colonel Larry Ragland, Middle East Regional Commander and our guest speaker, Colonel Joseph Crosswhite. Colonel Crosswhite, serves active duty in the Army JAG Corp. He currently serves as a North Carolina Superior Court Judge. After a catered dinner was served, the awards ceremony began. Major Richard Rowan was named Outstanding Senior Officer for 2012. There were two Outstanding Cadet NCO s for 2012, Cadet Chief Master Sergeants Zachary Fleming and Robert Abruzzino. There were also two Outstanding Cadet Officers for 2012, Cadet Captains Montanna Shores and Felix Reyes. Cadet Major John Robertson was awarded the General Ira C. Eaker Award and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The award was presented by Colonel Ragland and assisted by Cadet Robertson s parents, Steve and Michelle Robertson. Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Robertson, stepped down as Cadet Commander and passed the duty on to Cadet Captain Felix Reyes during a Change of Cadet Command Ceremony. Cadet Robertson was awarded a plaque for his exceptional service during his time as Cadet Commander from November 2011 to January 2013. Kristin Osborne 2d Lt, NC-162 Public Affairs Officer Photo Credits by Kristin Osborne, 2d Lt DSC 1893 Left to right, L- R: Col Ragland, Steve Robertson, C/Lt Col John Robertson, Michelle Robertson L-R: Maj David Shuping, C/CMsgt Zachary Fleming, C/Capt Felix Reyes, C/Lt Col John Robertson during Change of Cadet Command Ceremony Photos by: 2nd Lt. Kristin Osborne 5
Asheville Cadet Completes First Solo Flight On Friday, February 15, Cadet Captain Andrew Moore earned his solo flight certificate through his membership in the Civil Air Patrol. He met this long-term goal by participating in the Asheville Composite Squadron Flight Academy, now in the sixth year of operation. He was the sixteenth graduate cleared for solo flight. Instructor and Operations Officer, Lt Col Ray Davis, congratulated Moore for this major achievement in his CAP training. Cadet Moore lives with his family in Mills River, NC, and is in the junior class at West Henderson High School, near Hendersonville. He is interested in attending either Clemson or the Air Force Academy, and will study mechanical engineering. Ultimately, he looks forward to becoming a pilot for the United States Air Force. C/Capt Moore is also the Cadet Commander in the Asheville Composite Squadron. His goal as the top cadet officer is to be the best leader he can be. William Wallace, Capt. CAP Assistant Public Affairs Officer MER-NC-019 C/Capt. Moore takes off on first solo from Asheville Regional Airport Lt. Col. Ray Davis congratulates C/Capt. Moore after solo flight 6
Middle East Region Updates MER - DEWG Conference Attached is the draft schedule for the combined MER and DEWG Conference. This conference is primarily for the benefit of the DEWG membership, however all members of the region may attend as we will also be taking the opportunity to present "of the Year" awards in the morning as well as some service awards (Exceptionals, Meritorious, etc.). In the afternoon, there will be seminars and DEWG has polled its members and listed the areas where they would like to receive training. Since they do not necessarily have the expertise on their wing staff in these areas, they have requested assistance from MER staff and/or MER wings to provide the requisite expertise. Please take a look at the schedule and if you can lead a seminar, please let me know and I will maintain the master list for a final reply back to the DEWG conference coordinator, Lt. Col. Kevin Lighter. This is a great opportunity for those who need to lead a seminar or need attendance credit at a wing or region conference to complete a professional development requirement. Please note the conference is scheduled for April 19 and 20 at Dover AFB. Billeting is available at the Eagles Rest Lodge on a first come/first served basis. Once filled, you will need to find a hotel near the base. DEWG will be providing a list of affordable accomodations, especially for cadets since the Eagles Rest Lodge only offers rooms with a queen or king bed. Also, since this is doubling as the MER Conference, all members of the MER staff are expected to be in attendance as are all wing commanders. There will be a mandatory Commanders Call for all MER Wing Commanders (wing CV and CS may also attend) in the afternoon. Col. Rick Moseley, CAP, MER Vice Commander Anonymous Letters and Communications Please be advised that anonymous letters and communications to the Region Commander will NOT result in any corrective actions for any issues raised. It is NOT possible for the Region Commander to act on any anonymous information that cannot be verified or confirmed in a proper way giving all those involved proper due process. If you have a legitimate complaint about any leader in CAP or another CAP member, you MUST contact your Wing or Region IG in the manner prescribed by CAP regulations. The IG program can protect you from any retaliation, review your complaint or issue for validity and substance, and advise you on possible solutions to your core issue that may or may not involve a formal complaint process. I am not suggesting that members file frivolous complaints with the IG. But the IGs within MER are some of the best in CAP. They can counsel and recommend how you handle the particular issue you have in mind. In some cases, they may defer the issue to Command or higher authority. The idea is to find solutions, not to go head hunting or your behalf. But you must put trust in the system if your issue is truly a valid issue that needs to be addressed for the good of us all. Check wing and region web site locations for contact information about the IGs within your wing and MER. Thank you, Larry J. Ragland, Col, CAP MER/CC 7
Communications Tips CAP radios are pre-programed so that the operators can just operate rather than be concerned with technical issues. Our HF radios have many of the national CAP frequencies as well as a couple of FEMA frequencies and a few WWV frequencies. The FEMA frequencies are ONLY to be used when they tell us we can use it. There are also WWV frequencies there If you want to know exactly what time it is, check WWV. This shortwave radio station is operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The government broadcasts the time from the nation's time keepers. They get their time from the official atomic clock. **All you have to do is change the channel on the Micom until you see the display shows either WWV or 5.000, 10.000 or 15.000 MHz. (Channels 11, 12, 13 on the Micom 2 and channels 152-155 on the Micom 3 radios.) Different frequencies will be better at different times of the day and night so you choose whichever one is the best for you. The broadcasts announce the time on each minute and there will be ticks and tones between the minutes. After you check your watch against the WWV signal, change the Micom frequency back to MED and you are good to go.** The so called atomic clocks that we buy in stores are not atomic clocks. They are clocks with radio receivers set to one of the WWV broadcasts which is not one of the frequencies in our radios. The receivers in our clocks and watches get a calibrating pulse from the radio signal which keeps the clock accurate. If our clock is not receiving the transmission, the clock/watch will not calibrate and as many of these are cheap, they don't keep time well on their own. I have two inexpensive "atomic" wrist watches which are great -- as long as I remember to put them on the window sill at night so that they get good reception. Many of the "atomic" wall clocks have an indicator that shows when they are receiving a signal from WWV. Check your instructions received with the clocks for more information. If you are not getting good reception, the "atomic" clock may be worse than an old windup clock! Try repositioning the clock per the manufacturers instructions to get better reception. Steve Mann, Lt Col, CAP NCWG Net Coordinator 8
National Cadet Competition Results *THE RESULTS ARE IN! I want to personally thank everyone who participated and made this year's event a great competition. My hat is off to each of the teams and their coaches for the hard work, professionalism, and dedication ALL the teams demonstrated this year. We had stiff competition from ALL the teams and in fact several events resulted in ties. In the end, both competitions were won by less than 2 overall points! Teams will receive a detailed list of their performance in each event within the next week. I also want to thank the NCWG CAC for planning and hosting this event and specifically ll the seniors, cadets, and USAF personnel who helped staff make it a truly successful competition. The following are the official results for the NC Wing Cadet Competition! Color Guard Overall Final Ranking - 1. Fayetteville; 2. Asheville; 3. Statesville Highest Score - Written Exam - C/A1C Timothy Kantner, NC-019* Fleet Foot (Male) - C/TSgt Eric Compton, NC-082* Fleet Foot (Female) - C/TSgt Grace Wright, NC-162* Overall Final Ranking - 1. Apex; 2. Raleigh-Wake; 3. Asheville Highest Score - Written Exam - C/2d Lt Logan Lueck, NC-019* Fleet Foot (Male) - C/CMSgt James Barrow, NC-801* Fleet Foot (Female) - C/MSgt Kristine Stickney, NC-801* Congratulations to the Fayetteville Color Guard and the Apex Drill Team! They will advance on to represent NCWG in the MER Cadet Competition! Again thanks to all who participated and I hope to see you all back next year! Michael Gallandt, Capt, CAP Director of Cadet Programs, MER-NC-001 Photos provided by C/CMSgt, Ari H. Brown, MER-NC-048 Additional photos posted HERE. 9
Ground Team Leader Training Weekend in March There will be NCWG Ground Team Leader training held at NCWG Headquarters 22-24 March 2013. This weekend training will begin on Friday night with classroom instruction regarding the Familiarization and Preparation portions of the SQTR for Ground Team Leaders. Although some Powerpoint material will be covered, there will be many scenarios up for discussion. Some items of discussion will be the current GTL "check ride" required in other Wings and how NCWG will be performing GTL sign offs in the future. Necessary components for leading the team and developing the skills required by the SQTR will be the emphasis of this training time. Saturday morning we will work with maps and using Lat/Long (varying Grid sizes), CAP Grid, and UTM maps. Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning we will have sorties. We will have an IC and you will be expected to lead a team. There will be Ground Teams and UDF teams ready for your leadership. Appropriate CAP and ICS forms will be provided along with maps of the search areas. We will cover shelters and will have available a location for overnight camping. There is no guarantee nor expectation that all requirements will be met for sign off of the GTL SQTR, however, the operational periods will be set so that many of the items on the SQTR will be covered in class and in the field. Your teams application and efficiency will determine your success. One good example would be maps. If you are not Ground Team Member 2 (GTM 2) proficient with maps and are using this as the only training, you will need to spend more time after the lessons studying in order to be proficient, however, we will be going into a lot of map work detail. A full map class for comprehension for beginners to GTM 2 level can take more than 8 hours of direct map work for proficiency and this is typically not in one setting. This training will be helpful as we prepare for the NCWG SAR/EVAL in April. Availability: Seating and evaluation is limited. Prerequisites: You must be a Qualified Ground Team Member and be 18 years of age to receive credit. Those wishing to receive the training must have their Squadron Commander's approval in writing forwarded to Major Bailey no later than 15Mar2013. While not a prerequisite at this time, it is suggested that you have completed the ICUT prior to attending. If you are complete (watched the slides and taken the on-line quizzes) other than being tested, authorized SET qualified personnel will be on hand to perform this function. Packing list: Items found on the 24 pack and 72 pack lists from the Ground Team Handbook. Food: All meals will be the responsibility of the attendee. You may eat out at the local restaurants, however, be prepared to eat in the field Saturday night and Sunday lunch. Ensure that you have snacks and water for your packs for field operations. Fee: There are no fees charged with this training. Sign up and Contacts: Please contact Major Jason Bailey at jbailey@ncwgcap.org or Lt Col Wiggs at awiggs@ncwgcap.org with any questions and to sign up. CAPF 17 or CAPF 31 as appropriate will be required as well as CAPF 60s at sign in to Mission Base. R. Jason Bailey, Major, CAP Director, NCWG GTL Training Weekend 10
Aerospace Education Day Where Group # 4 Location Statesville Regional Airport (SVH) Host Squadron- Iredell Composite Squadrons. The date is-friday April 12th & Sat. April 13th 2013 O-Rides And Fun Rocket Day There will be camping on the airport grounds Friday night for those who want to camp over night. Friday night, there will be Rocket building, and classes on the rocket book Testing will also be available for those Cadets that want it. Bring your Rockets or if you don t have one. We will have the Kits available, the Alpha single stage and the two stage Load Star and we will help you build it. Engines, Kits and everything to build and launch your rocket is free. Furnished by North Carolina Wing CAP Snacks will be served Friday night, Breakfast Sat Morning, and Lunch Sat. for a small fee ($10.00) Contact Major Richard Rowan (rarowan@bellsouth.net) O-Rides will be available for those cadets needing them and Sign Up. AEOs and Commanders of all six squadrons in group # 4 should support and start planning to attend this event with their CADETS.This is a NC Wing Sponsored event and all CAP members are encouraged to participate James P. Williams Lt Col CAP A director of Aerospace Education North Carolina Wing 11
February 26, 2013 CAP s Command Council to hold first meeting in Washington Commanders set to highlight organization s accomplishments on HIll MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. Civil Air Patrol s Command Council, created under the organization s new governance structure, will meet for the first time this week as members from throughout the nation gather in Washington, D.C., to brief congressional members on how CAP s primary missions of emergency services, aerospace education and cadet programs make a big difference in their communities. The Command Council is scheduled to meet Friday and Saturday. Formerly the CAP National Board, it consists of the national commander, national vice commander, chief of staff, the eight region commanders and the 52 wing commanders, representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its members serve as advisors to the national commander. The chief operating officer and CAP-U.S. Air Force commander serve as advisors to the CAP Command Council. The council s agenda features presentations Friday by Air Force Maj. Gen. James J. Jones, the Air Force s director of operations and by retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Bernie Skoch, CyberPatriot defense competition commissioner. Also on the agenda are reports on such topics as finance, safety, aircraft, operations, CAP s development program, media relations, Wreaths Across America, the inspector general s program, the organization s 2013-2014 Strategic Plan and government relations, as well as a summary of CAP s governance changes, which were fully implemented Dec. 31. The meeting begins a day after CAP s annual Legislative Day on Thursday, when adult officers and cadets converge on Capitol Hill to highlight the organization s missions and accomplishments. During 2012, CAP members: Contributed $155 million in volunteer hours to support federal, state and local agencies. Completed 703 search and rescue missions resulting in 32 lives saved. Generated more than 158,000 aerial photographs documenting Hurricane Sandy s impact on the Atlantic coastline, on infrastructure and on buildings for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state and local officials to use in evaluating the extent of the damage.
Carried out 191 counterdrug missions, flying 8,362 hours helping law enforcement agencies seize more than $491 million in illegal drugs and currency, leading to 632 arrests. Totaled 2,017 flight hours participating in air defense intercept training missions for the Department of Defense, helping prepare fighter units across the country for homeland security threats. Taught leadership, physical fitness, character development and aerospace education to more than 26,000 youth members. Helped promote aerospace history, principles of flight, lessons in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects and aviation-related careers to not only the organization s cadets, but also to 220,000 K-12 students nationwide. The members visiting Washington will also urge support for identical bills in the Senate and House of Representatives S.309 and H.R. 755 to honor founding members of CAP with a Congressional Gold Medal for their volunteer service in conducting combat operations and other emergency missions during World War II. Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 61,000 members nationwide, operating a fleet of 550 aircraft. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 80 lives annually. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 26,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet programs. CAP received the World Peace Prize in 2011 and has been performing missions for America for 71 years. CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com for more information. Contact info: Julie DeBardelaben jdebardelaben@capnhq.gov 334-953-7748, ext. 250 Steve Cox scox@capnhq.gov 334-953-7748, ext. 251
Balsem Awards Information Accomplishments must have been completed between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2012, by any CAP officer or cadet in good standing. An entry form MUST be included with each entry. Entry deadline: May 15, 2013 (Entries must be received via eservices by this date!) Awards entry guidelines: All submissions must be the work of a PAO or PIO or any member whose work product was generated while acting as a PAO/PIO. All entries must be the work product of the person submitting the entry. Competition is limited to five entries per member. A project may only be entered once. Every entry must have the Commander s approval to be eligible for judging; no exceptions. All entries must be submitted electronically through eservices. Please include an entry form for each separate entry. CATEGORIES Please read the requirements for each category carefully. Most require some type of backup information generated by the PAO/PIO in order to generate desired outcomes. Entries must fulfill the entry requirements to be eligible for judging. Brochure/Poster/Flier: Brochure, poster or flier developed for external PR, marketing and/or promotional purposes. Provide a copy of the brochure, poster or flier. (Reducing image size to fit in the eservices template less than 1 MB is a pretty simple matter, easily accomplished with Photoshop or any other photo editing program. Picasa, to name one, is free and easy to use just download it at http://picasa.google.com/.) Slide/PowerPoint Presentation Slide or PowerPoint presentation used to externally market/promote CAP. Provide copy of slide or PowerPoint presentation. (Reduce document size to less than 1 MB to fit in the eservices template.)
Website Content management of a website used for a public affairs program by any CAP Squadron, Group, Wing or Region both external (open to the public) and/or internal (password-protected for CAP members only). Include links to screen grabs or copies of key pages. Include the website URL for external sites, website URL and generic password to access internal sites. Photography Image published externally in print or posted online by an external media outlet. Must submit JPEG attachment, as well as proof of publication (newspaper/magazine or URL for website). (Reducing image size to fit in the eservices template less than 1 MB is a pretty simple matter, easily accomplished with Photoshop or any other photo editing program. Picasa, to name one, is free and easy to use just download it at http://picasa.google.com/.) External Media Coverage of CAP Article used by external print or broadcast media or posted online by an external media outlet. Attach a copy of the news release, as well as copies or links to the printed, posted or broadcast article. (Reduce document size to less than 1 MB to fit in the eservices template.) Magazine Magazine generated monthly/quarterly by a wing or squadron. (No newsletters, please; they are no longer required by CAPR 190-1.) Provide links to a minimum of three magazine issues. Event Promotion Any special event used to market/promote CAP. Provide a copy of your event PA plan and links to copies of media coverage. (Reduce document size to less than 1 MB to fit in the eservices template.)
Crisis Management An issue or crisis in which PAO/PIO played a leadership role assisting the commander. Provide a copy of your PA plan and links to copies of media coverage, if appropriate. (Reduce document size to less than 1 MB to fit in the eservices template.) Social Media Copy and photo and/or video posted on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. (Do not submit entries posted on personal social media accounts.) Provide copies of your postings. (Reduce document size to less than 1 MB to fit in the eservices template.) Entry form requirements: For each entry submitted, you must name your project and then describe concisely each of the four project elements listed below. Keep your descriptions short -- no more than two or three sentences for each element. 1. Project Name 2. Project Goals 3. Project Strategies/Actions 4. Project Results
ENTRY FORM SAMPLE (Type or print clearly.) Please note that this is NOT an official entry form. It is for your information only, for planning purposes. A version of this form will be included on the eservices template, which will be available on and after April 1. Category: (Example: External Media Coverage of CAP) Commander s Name: (for your Commander s approval an electronic request will be sent to him/her for approval once your electronic entry is made after April 1.) Name (last, first, middle initial): CAP Rank: CAP Unit Charter Name and Number: Home Address: City, State, ZIP/Postal Code: Email: Telephone (mobile): Project Name: Project Goals: Project Strategies/Actions: Project Results: Winners who are present will be recognized during the CAP PAO Academy in Denver scheduled for Aug. 13-14, 2013. Attending 2013 PAO Academy? Yes No (circle one)