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The Martinsburg Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol Lt Col Robert V. Mills, Commander 1st Lt. Russell G. Voelker, Publisher /Editor Vol. 2 No. 4 ~~~~~~~~~ Sept - Dec 2007

Martinsburg Named West Virginias Best

The Martinsburg Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol was presented with the WV Wing Squadron of the Year Award at the 66th Annual West Virginia Wing Conference and Banquet. This event was held on October 6, 2007, at the Marriott Charleston Town Center Hotel, Charleston, WV. Over 200 members of the WV Civil Air Patrol attended the conference, which included training seminars, an outstanding CAP Drug Demand Reduction Program presentation by the West Virginia State Police, and conPhoto by Maj. Jeff Schrock cluded with an awards banquet. The Martinsburg Composite Squadron was well represented at the conference with three senior members and fourteen cadets in attendance. During the awards banquet, several outstanding Martinsburg cadets were honored for their achievements. Cadet Andrew Mitchell was presented with the General Billy Mitchell Award, which denotes a cadet's advanced leadership training and accomplishments. In addition to the award, Mitchell was promoted to the rank of Cadet Second Lieutenant. Commanders Commendations were awarded to Cadet Majors David Hill, Mark Guiney and Cadet 2d Lt. Chris Frey. Cadet Maj. Mark Guiney received a Special Activity Scholarship. Cadet 2d Lt. Andrew Mitchell placed 1st in the advanced category of the model building contest and also Best of Show. The squadrons cadets received the Presidents Bronze Award for Physical Fitness. Nineteen cadets were presented with Certificates of Appreciation. Several senior members from the Martinsburg Squadron were honored for their achievements over the past year. Lt Col Robert Mills was awarded the Paul E. Garber Award, which is given to Civil Air Patrol members who complete Level IV of the Senior Member Professional Development Program. It recognizes those members who have dedicated themselves to leadership and personal development in the CAP. 1st Lt Russell Voelker also received the Benjamin O. Davis Award. Maj Barclay Rogers was presented the 20 Year Longevity Award. Other awards earned by Martinsburg Squadron members included: Senior Member of the Year Maj Barclay Rogers, Check Pilot of the Year Award, given to Lt Col R. Shelton Davis; Moral Leadership Officer of the Year, earned by 1st Lt Gary Gourley; and Public Affairs Officer of the Year went to 1st Lt Russell Voelker. Commanders Commendations were presented to Lt Col R. Shelton Davis, Capt Larry Dean, 1st Lt Gary Gourley and 1st Lt Russell Voelker. There are twelve CAP squadrons in West Virginia. The local unit was chosen as the Squadron of the Year in recognition of current building program, membership increase, participation in emergency services missions, an excellent flight operations program, community service events, and an outstanding cadet program. Lt Col Robert Mills, commander of the Martinsburg Squadron, stated, Our members have done extremely well and worked hard at making the local CAP squadron a great organization. We are currently constructing a large hangar and squadron headquarters for a new glass cockpit Cessna 182, which we hope to receive this winter. 1

Squadron Members Participate in LEPC Exercise

On Saturday, October 13, 2007, the Berkeley County Local Emergency Planning Committee held the 2007 Cross Border Exercise (CBX07). This exercise was held simultaneously in West Virginia and Virginia. Martinsburg members participated as mock victims of a terrorist attack. Upon arrival at South Middle School, they were triaged and either directed or taken to an area where appropriate treatment was administered and sheltered. A few participants were transported to one of our local hospitals (Jefferson, City, or the VA Medical Center). After treatment they were transported back to the school. The LEPC would like to thank cadets Behrmann, Might, Ryan Miller, Householder, Mulholland, Rock, Stansbury, Frey, Browne, John Dye, Joe Dye and officers Barron, Gourley, Shields, Harty, Stansbury and Voelker

Volunteer Victims receive a briefing from Pam Holstein Wallace, Homeland Security Region III Planner

Martinsburg members play the part of sheltered victims in the South Middle School Gym.

Volunteers receive a debriefing from Christine Wagner, On Scene Coordinator, US EPA Region III

Martinsburg Squadron Color Guard Takes 2nd Place

Im very proud to announce that the Color Guard from the Martinsburg Composite Squadron received a second place trophy in the annual Apple Harvest Parade, on Saturday, October 20, 2007. This year, the Apple Harvest Parade, which snakes through the streets of Martinsburg for over two miles, was the largest parade ever with over 200 units. There were numerous Color Guard units in the parade but the CAP Color Guard was judged the second best out of all the units. The Color Guard team was composed of Cadets Jennifer Kroening, Jonah Rock, John Dye, and Joseph Dye. In addition, Cadets Joel Lyons and Jonathan Browne carried the squadron's DDR banner. C/2Lt Chris Frey was in charge of the marching unit.

Photo by Officer Kenny Clohan

Please join me in congratulating these cadets for their outstanding performance during the parade. They showcased the CAP cadet program in front of thousands of people and did themselves and the CAP cadet program proud! Great job by the Martinsburg Color Guard! Dennis D. Barron, Lt Col, CAP WV Wing Chief of Staff

The team was presented with a trophy and a check for $50.00

L- R Cadets: Lyons, Rock, Kroening, Joe Dye, John Dye and Browne

2007 WV Wing Cadet Competition

I had the privilege of escorting the cadets from the Martinsburg Squadron, who participated in the West Virginia Wing's Color Competition and Oratorical Contest, in Sutton, WV on November 17, 2007. Once again, I want you to know that our cadets did an outstanding job and brought honor and respect to our squadron. Although they finished a very close second in the Color Guard Competition, our cadets performed in a manner that would make everyone proud. The competition consisted of seven parts and our cadets were ranked as follows: Inspection - First Place Standard Drill - First Place Indoor Presentation - Second Place Outdoor Posting - Second Place Written Exam - Third Place Panel Quiz - Second Place Mile Run - Third Place I must note that in each category, there were only a few points that separated the Martinsburg cadets from the winning team from Clarksburg. Even more impressive, however, was the selection of the Outstanding Cadet of the Competition. That cadet was our own Jenny Kroening, who was chosen due to her leadership, esprit de corps, teamwork, appearance and bearing, respect for peers, and integrity! In addition to the fine performance of our Color Guard, Cadet Mark Guiney won First Place in the Oratorical Contest in the Extemporaneous Category. Please congratulate Cadets Mark Guiney, Jenny Kroening, Joseph Dye, John Dye, Jonah Rock, and Chris Frey for an outstanding job! I must also add Cadet Jonathan Browne to this list of outstanding cadets as he attended the competition as an alternate, ready to jump in if needed. Thanks, too, to senior members Don Naylor and Christine Shields who went along on the trip to help chaperone the cadets. Congratulations on a job well done! Dennis D. Barron, Lt Col, CAP WV Wing Chief of Staff (Photos by Lt Don Naylor)
C/Maj Mark Guiney LTC Barron Cadet Kroening

Thanksgiving Mission
On Thursday, November 22, 2007, four ground teams from Mercer, Charleston, Clarksburg and Morgantown searched the area around Circleville in Pendelton County, WV for an ELT sounding. Martinsburgs aircraft, crewed by Capt B.J. Davis and Lt Russ Voelker, joined the search the following day. The ELT was located in the wreckage of the Glider that crashed last April. Apparently, someone had disturbed the wreckage on Thanksgiving afternoon, and had set off the ELT, which had not been removed at the time the original crash was located, stated Lt Col Gene Thorn, Incident Commander. I want to thank all of the team members for their willing assistance in bringing this mission to a successful completion. They all had to leave their friends and families on a holiday to chase what turned out to be nothing more than someone who was playing with something that they should have left alone. Our team members had no way of knowing that the signal they were trying to locate was false, until they found the ELT. Without one word of complaint, they did what they were trained to do, and they did it in very cold and windy conditions. Most did not get any sleep, and those who did, most likely did not get much. Congratulations to all of the team members. Gene Thorn, Lt Col, CAP WV Wing Deputy Commander 3

Squadron News
Sept 28 - Lt Col Dennis Barron traveled to Edwards AFB, CA to assist with the promotion ceremony for USAF Col. Terry Stotler, a former Martinsburg CAP member. Nov 3 - Maj. Bart Rogers and Capt. B.J. Davis completed Pilot Continuation Training in Parkersburg, WV. Nov 20 - Maj. Debbie Boggs, the WV Wing Director of Cadet Programs, attended the squadrons weekly meeting. Nov 25 - Capt. Larry Dean flew two Cadet Orientation Flights for cadets: John Mulholland, Maria Taylor, Ty Stansbury and Andrew Mitchell. Nov 26 - Capt Larry Dean, Officer Kenny Clohan and Lt Russ Voelker, (with an assist from Mother Nature) washed the squadron aircraft. Special thanks to Howard Aircraft for the use of their wash rack. Dec 1 - 15 squadron members (10 cadets and 5 officers) and one visitor participated in the Adopt-a-Highway Project on Saturday morning. The group filled 22 bags of litter that was picked up along the 3 mile stretch of Paynes Ford Road that the squadron has adopted. The group completed the trash pick-up in two hours and then helped to clean up the area around the new hangar. This was the third and final litter pick-up detail for this year. The squadron is obligated by our agreement with the WV Dept. of Highways and the WV Dept. of Environmental Protection to clean up the litter along our adopted stretch of highway at least three times a year.
LTC Barron Col Stotler

Stansbury Dean Mitchell

Rock Kroening & Dye x 2

This latest trash pick actually marked the 10th anniversary of the Martinsburg Squadron's involvement with the Adopt-aHighway Program. During the last ten years, the squadron has picked up a total of 888 bags of litter along Paynes Ford Road, which translates to 31,080 pounds of trash, or 15.54 tons of litter! That is an awesome record and a tremendous job that the squadron has done since 1998. This project has contributed both to helping the environment and enhanced the appearance of the airport community. Dec 1 - Capt B.J. Davis flew a Cadet Orientation Flight for cadets Mark Guiney and David-Michael Buckman. Each cadet received a powered and glider flight. Dec 1 - Squadron Color Guard participated in the Martinsburg Christmas Parade. Wing-Wide SAREX Dec 4 - Lt Col Mills promotes Jonathan Browne To C/2d Lt. Dec 15 - Subordinate Unit Inspection, MRB Dec 18 - (Christmas Wing Headquarters at Yeager Airport in Charleston will be the ICP (Incident Command Post). The exercise will be hosted by the Charleston Cadet and Mid-Valley Squadrons. Camping areas will be available. This is a Wing-Wide SAREX for both air crew and ground team members. Please put these dates on your calendars now and plan for maximum participation from ALL squadrons. The weather dates are February 22-24. Upcoming Event Feb. 15-17, 2008

party) Last meeting until January 8, 2008

Welcome to our New Members: (July through December) Cadets: David-Michael A Buckman, Trevor W. Whittington, Chloe N. Powers and Christopher T Brown Officer: Douglas M Hanson (Transfer from Utah) Sponsor Member: Simon O Buckman :

Best wishes from the staff of the Ridgerunner

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CAP - Its more than meets the skies