The Ghost Writer

Lots of Promotions
Cadets and Seniors advance
From The Commander:

Canandaigua Composite Squadron

New York Wing, Civil Air Patrol Canandaigua, New York
Volume 3 Issue 6, November 2002

This has been a very busy month both with an actual mission and the promotions are moving right along and we had orientation flights to. I was called out to help assist Pennsylvania Wing with a mission around Bradford Regional Airport. Thank you goes out to Capt. Robert Frost, 2Lt James McClure, C/Lt Jason Frost, C/Lt Tom Hassard, and C/Lt Nicole Bradley. They all participated in the mission, were the twin engine Piper crashed in the mountains just out side of Bradford Airport. We along with four cadets from a squadron in Pa. searched the northeast side of Wildcat Hollow. We climbed a 2,200-foot mountain when we were instructed to return to base. The aircraft had been located and secured by local authorities. The line search was very well organized and I was very proud of the teamwork that was shown. Thank you all for joining me on the mission job well done. It is good to see that the orientation flights are moving forward and hope to see some more scheduled in the near future. Thank you 1Lt David Miles and Capt. William Stehling for flying the cadets your time was appreciated. Keep up the good work! Congratulations go out to William Stehling for his promotion to Captain. We also saw some new promotions in he cadet ranks: Adam Farley to C/Amn, Samuel Rosato to C/Amn, Nicole Bradley to C/2Lt, and Gregory Horrocks to C/2Lt. I am so proud to see that we have had two cadets achieve their Mitchell Awards and it is also good to see the new cadets moving forward. Congratulations to all of you keep up the good work! We have also had the honor of one of our cadets achieving the Eaker Award that makes Jaclyn Bradley our second C/Lt Col to our squadron (that I recall). Congratulation C/Lt Col Bradley you have truly set the pace for your cadets to follow. I am so proud of your achievements both as one of my cadets and mostly to say youre my daughter. GREAT JOB!! Hooah!! Our Squadron has reached the number of forty-eight and I would like to see recruitment kept on the front burner. I know that everyone in our squadron has friends and I would like everyone to bring a friend to a meeting to check us out. We have a great cadet program and all you cadets should be proud of your achievements. Please let the cat out of the bag and share the fun times and all you and your friends could do together. Let them know all about our orientation flights, the trips we have taken and what we are planning for the future. If you dont know what is

planned then ask your flight sergeants our commander. If they dont know then it is time for you and your staff to make some plans. Please bring in some recruits so we can share the fun. Hope you all have a safe Thanksgiving! Capt John E. Bradley III
National Cadet Special Activities

We have come to that time again. National Cadet Special Activities Boards are around the corner and everyone who is a graduate of encampment should start thinking about applying. These activities are respected and recognized nationwide and are a great way to learn and make friends. Also, they are relatively inexpensive when compared with other summer programs. The National Cadet Special Activity (NCSA) program has around 30 activities. I have graduated from the National Emergency Services Academy (NESA) and the Air Force Weather Agency Familiarization Course (AFWAFC)., which I will tell you more about later in the newsletter. Along with these opportunities, there are other activities: aspects of Aerospace is the focus of the National Glider Academy, the National Flight Academy, the Air Education and Training Command Familiarization Course, Aviation Challenge and Space Camp. Emergency Services are highlighted in the National Emergency Services Academy, Blue Beret, Hawk Mountain Ranger School and Pararescue Orientation Course. Cadet Officer School is a leadership-oriented activity, but requires the Mitchell award. Air Force Careers are studied in the Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Weather Agency Familiarization Course and Advanced Technology Training Course. You need to start thinking about what you want to attend and look in the CAP News or the National Headquarters Website (www.capnhq.gov) for more information about all of the activities. If you are interested in applying and have completed at least one New York Wing Encampment, then talk to your Flight Sergeants and they, or someone else in the chain of command, can help you in your decision and guide you through the application process. There is a form CAPF-31 and a Group Board required and for some there are age requirements. A few activities require PT tests at the beginning of the activity. Since these are National Programs, some people are not directly accepted into the activity,

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but are placed on a waiting list. Your placement depends on a National graded listing based on your ranking in the Group. I have never known anyone who didnt secure admission to at least one of their choices, and since many apply, but do not ultimately attend, most waiting list applicants are admitted. Assuming that there is not a scheduling conflict you may attend more than one activity. When considering a course, remember to determine the costs of travel to and from the activity; as well as the cost of equipment which may be required. It is my belief that the Northeast Region will organize a CAP caravan to NESA again next year. All you need to do is get to a Thruway rest area near your home for pickup and drop off. These are very good programs and I would like to see several of our cadets attending! C/1st Lt Thomas Hasard
The National Emergency Services Academy

Training Advisor, Assistant Team Leader, Mission Base Operations and Training Staff. This allows the cadet to hone his skills and to pass on his knowledge to others. After completing a week as a staff member, you receive a numbered NGSAR Staff Coin, a military tradition that has been followed since the school began. My number is 218! Anyone who wants more information or war stories, please feel free to ask me. C/1st Lt Thomas Hasard
The Air Force Weather Agency Familiarization Course

The call came in at 2300 on a Friday night, an aircraft had crashed in Northern Pennsylvania. Now I would use the training that I received these past two years at National Ground Search and Rescue School (NGSAR), in an actual mission. I have attended the NGSAR school at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, 30 miles south of Indianapolis, for two years. The first time, I attended two precourses in Advanced Communications and Basic First Aid/CPR At the end of those precourses , I attended the Basic NGSAR school, for week-long training to be a Ground Team Member. The second year, I returned and attended Advanced NGSAR and served on the Training Staff for the Basic School. In order to graduate from the Basic School of NGSAR, a cadet must learn a series of tasks, including Orienteering, Direction Finding, Line Searches and Basic Survival Techniques. Cadets learn these skills through classroom training, manual study and practical exercises in the field. Camp Atterbury is a large Reserve training base with a variety of terrains offering diverse field experiences. At the end of the school, a cadet must take a 50 question written examination and participate in the Academy Emergency Services Competition. A successful cadet earns the Ground Team badge and eligibility for a 101 Card as a Ground Team Member. They may also attend Advanced NGSAR the next week or in another year, as the schedule allows. Advanced NGSAR is more difficult than the Basic School because it is designed to teach people to be Ground Team Leaders . You begin your training by passing the requirements for Basic NGSAR again, to demonstrate your continuing knowledge of those skills. Then the cadet is officially enrolled in the Advanced Course. Over the following week, the cadet will serve as a Ground Team Leader for their team of 5 cadets. Concurrently, the cadet will complete 53 new tasks in your task manual (such as Site Surveillance, Logistical Preparation and so on) and take a 50 question written exam at the end of the week. After the examination is passed, the cadet is interviewed by the Commandant of the school to review the cadets experience and what they have learned. After completing the Advanced School, the cadet may serve on the NGSAR Staff. Staff positions include Team Leader, Cadet

This summer I attended the Air Force Weather Agency Familiarization Course (AFWAFC) at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska. The planned on-base accommodations didnt work out, due to the needs of an Admiral and his staff, so we thought it would be wise to stay off-base at a Days Inn. The activity included tours of the entire base, a tour of the Central Command Headquarters Bunker (CENTCOM is the combination of the Air Force Strategic Air Command and the Naval nuclear weapons force), a tour of the Air Force Weather Agency Headquarters Bunker, and a flight in the RC-135 flight simulator used to train pilots (RC-135 is a military reconnaissance version of the Boeing 707 airliner). We attended classes every day on weather related topics such as Surface Analysis, Upper Air Analysis, Air Masses and Solar Weather. At the end of the week, we completed the Warrior Confidence Course (an obstacle course similar to the one at Ft Drum) and toured the Strategic Air Command Museum. The program had 11 cadets and 3 senior members attending, along with our 2 Air Force escorts, so it allowed for a perfect learning environment for anyone interested in Meteorology as a career in the Air Force. I really found the experience exciting and would recommend it to anyone interested in Atmospheric Science. C/1st Lt Thomas Hasard
CAP Brigadier General promoted to Major General

I have just received an email, forwarded down from Nat'l HQ with a copy of a letter from John P. Jumper, General, USAF, Chief of Staff. It reads: Dear General Bowling: For 60 years, the United States Air Force Auxiliary has selflessly served our great nation and the United States Air Force with integrity, pride, and devotion. Beginning with Civil Air Patrol's anti-submarine coastal patrol missions of World War II -the original Homeland Security missions -- and continuing with CAP's heroic deeds after 11 September 2001, CAP has earned the enduring appreciation of a grateful nation as our country's "Eyes of the Home Skies". With the Auxiliary's proud record of service in war and in peace and your coming role in Homeland Security, I am pleased to notify you of two decisions that I have made in recent days. First, I have directed the transfer of Air Staff responsibility for policy, advocacy, and oversight of the Air Force Auxiliary from

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the Directorate of Operations and Training (AF/XOO) to the Directorate of Homeland Security (AF/XOH). Second, in recognition of the approaching Homeland Security responsibilities to be borne by the Air Force Auxiliary, I have directed modification of the Air Force Auxiliary general officer rank structure to increase the rank of the CAP National Commander from Brigadier General to Major General, accompanied by an increase of rank for the CAP National Vice Commander from Colonel to Brigadier General, effective 1 December 2002, the 61st anniversary of the activation of Civil Air Patrol. On behalf of the Active, Reserve, Guard and Civilian members of the United States Air Force, thank you for the Air Force Auxiliary's service to the nation, and please accept our heartfelt congratulations on your promotion to the rank of Major General. Sincerely, John P. Jumper General, USAF Chief of Staff
New History section debuts on Air Force Link

The Air Force History and Heritage section can be found at http://www.af.mil. Click on the "history" link on the bar near the top of the page.
If you have any questions or would like more information e-mail afhistory@afnews.af.mil. Aerospace Education Practice test Modules

Many of you may not be aware; however, we are sponsoring Aerospace Education Practice Tests at http://mdln.hws.edu/cap/modules . This site has been receiving an increasing amount of hits. Here are the statistics for the third quarter of 2002. Average visitors per day 59 Average visitor session length 22:07 minutes Total unique visitors 1,866 Visitors who visited Once 1,301 Visitors who visit more than once 565 Visitors who visited 10 times or more 105 Most active day of the week to visit Tuesday Most active hour to visit 1400 1459 Most used Browser Internet Explorer 87.79% Most used Platform Windows 98 The three most requested pages were: http://mdln.hws.edu/cap/modules/ http://mdln.hws.edu/cap/modules/mod1.html http://mdln.hws.edu/cap/ Top referring sites: http://www.capnhq.gov http://www.scwg.cap.gov http://www.google.com
Civil Air Patrol Honors AOPA at Expo

by 1st Lt. Robert J. Krause Air Force Print News SAN ANTONIO -- Air Force Link, the official Web site of the U.S Air Force, launched a new history and heritage section Nov. 8 to coincide with Veterans Day and the upcoming 100th anniversary of powered flight. The new section documents the achievements of airpower, starting from the early days of wooden-wing aircraft to modern air and space vehicles. It also chronicles the unique accomplishments of many Air Force leaders, past and present, and contains photos and other historic information. The information contained in the new section was compiled from inputs by Air University, the Air Force Museum and the Air Force history support office. It was developed by the Air Force News Service here. Each week new features and photos will be added to the site. "This will be a great place for the general public or military member to quickly access Air Force historical information," said Master Sgt. Jim Greeley, AFNS chief of news technology. "This is a great start for a unique Web page we hope will grow and get even better." The history site will also target future Air Force leaders by including a weekly quiz designed to educate future airmen. "We designed the quiz to support Air Force ROTC and Junior ROTC education curricula," said Mr. Bob Jensen, director of news operations at AFNS. "It's also a way to reach other people who want to know about the Air Force. Although we expect all members of the Air Force, past and present, will be challenged and informed by the quizzes." Answers and sources for the weekly quizzes will be posted the following week.

The Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary for the U.S. Air Force, recognized the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association with a special appreciation award October 26. On behalf of CAP's 61,000 members, Brigadier General Richard L. Bowling, CAP National Commander, presented the award to Phil Boyer, AOPA President, during AOPA Expo 2002 in Palm Springs (CA). Bowling applauded AOPA's staunch support of general aviation following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. "AOPA played a key role in keeping non-military pilots informed after restrictions were suddenly placed on aircraft following the attacks," Bowling said. "The Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress to support civil aviation, and AOPA is a significant partner in CAP's ability to provide such support," he continued. "In the post 9-11 world of general aviation, CAP pilot members have depended a great deal on AOPA's efforts to disseminate accurate information as the new rules of airspace restrictions were defined and frequently changed. We believe CAP could not have done its job as effectively without AOPA's leadership." Boyer accepted the award during the AOPA Expo Grand Finale Banquet in the Wyndham Hotel ballroom. "On behalf of the over 387,000 AOPA pilot/members and the dedicated staff of AOPA, we are most honored to accept this recognition," said Boyer. "Many don't

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realize that following the 9-11 tragedy, some of the first planes flying were those of the Civil Air Patrol. When our nation has faced national security concerns as it does now or it did in World War II, the CAP has been an effective part of the solution." FMI: www.capnhq.gov, www.GAservingAmerica.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aeronews.net/news/sport.cfm?ContentBlockID=6327
Safety message:

CAP pilots AND crewmembers are reminded to follow the NHQ approved STERILE COCKPIT procedure which can be downloaded from ftp://ftp.miwg.cap.gov/pub/policy/STERILECOCKPIT-POLICY.doc
Flight time & duty limitations:

"Pilots will not be SCHEDULED for more than 8 hours and will not, under any circumstances, exceed 10 hours flight time during a 14-hour crew duty day. The crew duty day begins when reporting for work or CAP duty (whichever occurred first) and ends upon engine shutdown at the completion of the flight activity. At least a 10-hour crew rest period should be provided between duty days." CAPR 60-1 Section 2-14. Paul Van Benthem
Tailwinds

Despite their common use in all of the military services today, helicopters are not often discussed around CAP. However, rotary wing aircraft (the real description of helicopters) are vitally important in the civilian world as well. State Police and Mercy Flight helicopters cruise our skies daily. It may surprise you to know that a helicopter pioneer grew up in Canandaigua. William G. Knapp was the son of county judge Walter Knapp. He grew up on Howell Street, Canandaigua, and entered the Navy during World War II. He soon became a Naval Aviator, and on April 15, 1944 Knapp became US Naval helicopter pilot #1. The story of how that happened is fascinating. The US Navy was not terribly excited about rotary wing aircraft in the 1930s. The Naval Bureau of Aeronautics called for the purchase of four Sikorski helicopters in July, 1942. The Navy and Coast Guard merely wanted to study and develop helicopters. The Coast Guard, in particular, had already recognized the potential of helicopters for use in rescue work. In 1942 there was plenty of that to do. Shortly, the Coast Guard recognized the potential for helicopter use in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) also. The Navy had been studying helicopters since 1917 when it joined with the War Department in a Joint Technical Board on Aircraft. The Navy limited its support, however, to moral encouragement. A few rotary wing aircraft were ordered by the Navy in 1931. The Marine Corps tried out an autogiro, as the first semi-rotary wing machines were known, in Nicaraugua in 1932. At that time, the Corps concluded that rotary wing aircraft had little value beyond field inspections, medical evacuation, and ferrying VIPs. Naval authorities concluded that the short vertical take offs, hovering, and slow discreet navigation, did not outweigh the

disadvantages of payload, range, and control problems. Until the Coast Guard seized the initiative in 1942 development responsibility for helicopters was left to the Army Air Corps. The Navy finally received a Sikorski YR-4B (later designated the NHS-1), its first true helicopter, on October16, 1943. Formal Naval helicopter pilot training began on December 18, 1943. Previously, Naval helicopter pilots had been trained informally, on the job. The Coast Guard was given responsibility for training all Naval helicopter pilots on January 1, 1944. Training was conducted at Floyd Bennett Field (part of present Kennedy airport) on Long Island. There the Coast Guard also trained personnel from the Army Air Forces, the Civil Aeronautics Authority and NACA. During World War II some Naval and Marine Corps aviators were Non-Commissioned Officers. Not until 1948 did the Chief of Naval Operations issue standards for the training of aviators as Naval helicopter pilots. In 1950, the training of helicopter pilots was transferred to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida. On April 15, 1944, Lieutenant William G. Knapp, USNR, graduated from the first formal Naval helicopter school and officially became Naval Helicopter Pilot #1. He remained in the active service only a short time after the war. After World War II, Knapp went to work for a helicopter manufacturing firm composed of young veterans in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. About 1948 he appeared in an Associated Press wife photo, printed in the Daily Messenger, piloting a new, dual rotor, machine and lifting a jeep into the air. In 1955, then Commander Knapp was made a fellow of the American Helicopter Society in recognition of his outstanding achievements. Maj. Preston E. Pierce Squadron Historian
"CINC" is sunk

By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service The term "CINC" is sunk. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld put out a memo Oct. 24 to DoD leaders saying there is only one commander in chief in America -- the president. His memo also forbids use of the acronym "CINC" (pronounced "sink") with titles for military officers. The title of commander in chief is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Article II, Section 2, states, "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States." Even before World War II, however, the title was applied to U.S. military officers, and over the years "commander in chief" came to refer to the commanders of the U.S. unified combatant commands. Their titles became, for instance, "Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command" or "Commander in Chief, U.S. Transportation Command." No more. Rumsfeld has been using the term "combatant commander" for months now when referring to a regional organization such as the U.S. Central Command and

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"commander" when talking about a specified unit such as the U.S. Strategic Command. But don't toss out that old stationery or signs. The memo also tells officials to use old stocks and replace signs only when done in regular maintenance. The changes should be done "without any undue additional cost to taxpayers." The new term is simply "commander," as in "Commander, U.S. Northern Command" and "Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command." The next hurdle is getting over the conversational habit of referring to "the CINCS."
The Air Force Auxiliary -- a partner in Homeland Security

by Dale Robinson, Lt. Col., CAP Air Force Colonel Richard L. Anderson was recently assigned as chief of the newly created Air Force Auxiliary Division in the also newly created Directorate of Homeland Security, DCS Air and Space Operations in Washington, DC. "We are attempting to define ourselves,' said Anderson. "The Air Force, the Department of Defense, and the US Government are still defining the Homeland Security mission and structures, and the Department of Homeland Security has yet to be approved by Congress and sent to the President to sign into law." The Air Force Auxiliary, better known to many as the Civil Air Patrol, was created in December 1941 to organize volunteer civilian pilots for wartime duties on the home front. During World War II, CAP pilots flew coastal antisubmarine patrol, forest fire and border patrol, courier and liaison missions and towed targets for aerial gunnery practice. CAP's volunteers were credited with sighting more than 170 Nazi submarines for Army and Navy bombers and with sinking two on their own. CAP's border patrol was responsible for the capture of enemy agents and an enemy radio station along the Texas - New Mexico - Arizona border. Following the war, CAP was incorporated as a nonprofit, benevolent corporation charged with fostering aviation, providing an emergency communications network, providing emergency air service, and conducting the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program for air-minded youth. In 1948, Civil Air Patrol became the US Air Force Auxiliary. "The Air Force Auxiliary has a long heritage of performing homeland security missions," said CAP Lt. Col. Dale Robinson, commander of the AF Auxiliary squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla.

"Civil Air Patrol was originally assigned to the Office of Civil Defense when the US entered World War II." "In the spring of 1942, Nazi submarines were sinking coastal shipping unfettered; the Army and Navy were spread too thin to counter the attacks. CAP volunteers, flying their own light aircraft, began patrolling the US coastline from Maine to Texas. When they spotted a Uboat, they'd call in the bombers. But soon the enemy knew that when the little planes appeared, bombers would soon follow," Robinson added. "So CAP lobbied the War Department to equip their planes with bombs and depth charges. By the time the enemy subs were withdrawn from US waters and the patrols ended in August 1943, CAP pilots had spotted 173 subs and were credited with sinking two and attacking many more." Legend has it that after the war, a German commander, when asked why the U-boat operations were halted, asserted it was because of those "damned little red and yellow planes!" More than 60 members lost their lives in the line of duty during the war. During the Cold War, the Air Force Auxiliary maintained a nationwide communications network and trained for missions such as aerial radiological monitoring and damage assessment following an enemy attack. They also performed search and rescue and disaster relief missions, working closely with the Air Force, the Office of Civil Defense, the Red Cross, and other local, state, and federal agencies. Today, the Air Force Auxiliary continues to work closely with the Air Force and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the successor to Civil Defense, and other agencies. CAP members perform about 85% of the aerial search and rescue in the US and save an average of about 100 lives very year. CAP is also a vital partner in the war on drugs, providing aircraft, aircrews and other personnel to support counter-drug operations -- however, CAP members do not get involved in law enforcement activities. "Homeland Security missions will look very much like other CAP operational missions, but blended together and using advanced technology and sensors. We must now define the missions, standards of training, and activation and tasking procedures, " Anderson said. Anderson is himself a former CAP cadet and a current volunteer in the organization, so he is quite familiar with the Air Force Auxiliary's capabilities. He served as the patrol's national commander from 1993 until 1996.

Where do we stand at the moment?

These next couple of charts will show you where we stand in regards to cadets, senior members, and a squadron for 2002.

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30 25 20 15 10 5 0
M ay N ov Se p M ar Ja n Ju l
100%

80% Phase 1

Cadets Cadet Goal

60%

Phase 2 Phase 3

40%

Phase 4 Spaatz

20%

0% J a n - 0 2 Feb-02 Mar-02 Apr-02 May02 Jun-02 Jul-02 Aug-02 Sep-02 Oct-02 Nov-02 Dec-02

Cadet Recruiting
30 25 20 15 10 5 0
M ay Se p N ov M ar
0% J a n - 0 2 Feb-02 100%

Cadet Progression

80% Level 1

Seniors Senior Goal

60%

Level 2 Level 3

40%

Level 4 Level 5

20%

Ja n

Ju l

M a r - 0 2 A p r - 0 2 May-02

Jun-02

Jul-02

Aug-02

Sep-02

O c t - 0 2 Nov-02

Dec-02

Senior Member Recruiting

60 50 40 30 20 10 0
M ay M ar N ov Ja n Ju l Se p

Senior Progression

Only two members from this years cadet recruiting goal!!!

Total Total Goal

Cadets: 2 under goal Seniors: 4 over goal Recruit! Recruit! Recruit!

Total Squadron Recruiting

What's Happening in New York Wing

- Indicates a Suspense
** - Indicates New Item
December

15
HQ's 15 HQ's 15 HQ's

Communicator of the Year Applications Due @ NYWG Brewer Aerospace Award Applications Due @ NYWG National Special Activities Applications Due @ NYWG Scholarship Applications Due @ NYWG HQ's Canandaigua Squadron Training Squadron Christmas Party Finger Lakes Group Meeting @RIT

**7

Cadet National Activity Review Board @Rochester 15 Senior Member of the Year Applications Due @ NYWG HQ's 15 Cadet of the Year Applications Due @ NYWG HQ's

15 15

15
15-16 18 23

Cadet NCO of the Year Applications Due @ NYWG HQ's 15 Air Force Sergeants Association Award to Outstanding CAP Cadet NCO of the Year Applications Due @ AFSA Air Force Association Award to Outstanding CAP Cadet Applications Due @ Air Force Association

Have News?
Contact Major Stan Skrabut at 315-781-8208 or E-mail sskrabut@rochester.rr.com

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Canandaigua Composite Squadron 112 Lyceum Street Geneva, NY 14456

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