Whether it's assisting in search and rescue operations, engaging in aerospace, engineering and science education, learning how to fly or simply participating in cadet programs that offer military drill and leadership training, members of the Lewis County Civil Air Patrol (CAP) composite squadron always have something to keep them busy.
In an effort to recruit new members, the squadron will host an open house at the end of March to showcase what residents can do as a CAP member, said CAP senior member Dan Whalen.
Whalen met with The Chronicle along with fellow senior members Paul Whitfield and Zack Bell at the squadron’s weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 5, at Centralia Christian Church to talk about the open house.
Scheduled for Saturday, March 30, the open house will run from 9 a.m. to noon in the west end of Centralia Christian Church, located at 1215 W. Main St. in Centralia.
“We’ll have tables for each of the different programs to show people what is available if they join the Civil Air Patrol, either as a student or as an adult,” Whalen said.
Though cadets — those under the age of 21 — make up the majority of the squadron, Whalen added it makes it a leadership opportunity for any interested adults to become senior members.
Currently, there are 17 cadets to 15 adults in the squadron, though only about half of the adults are consistently active.
“A lot of veterans, and I was not a veteran so I’m speaking out of turn here, but from what I’ve heard from veterans, they’re looking for something structured after they retire,” Whalen said. “This isn’t the military but it’s close enough and they feel more at home.”
“It’s definitely not the same but it’s something,” added Whitfield, who recently retired after a 25-year-long career in the U.S. Army.
Adults who are aviators also like to join, as they have the opportunity to fly aircraft on the dime of the U.S. Air Force.
Though it is a civilian-run nonprofit, the CAP is an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. And though not all cadets are set on military careers after the CAP, the Air Force does offer incentives for cadets to join. CAP cadet Michael Moore, 15, chose to join for this very reason.
“I’m here to help advance my Air Force career,” Moore said. “If you get a high enough rank in the Civil Air Patrol, you gain rank in the Air Force after you graduate boot camp.”
Fellow cadet and current Lewis County Cadet Commander Mark Henderson, 16, isn’t set on joining the military after volunteering in the CAP but is enjoying a lot of the leadership training, along with one other thing.
“I’m really enjoying learning how to fly,” Henderson said.
Along with flight and other aerospace and engineering education opportunities, cadets also participate in a number of activities ranging from drone pilot certification to studying aviation and military history. Participating in rifle marksmanship training is also an option.
Whalen said the squadron recently has been volunteering as part of the CAP’s “adopt a classroom” program and teaching classes at Boistfort Elementary School.
“Last month, we taught (model) rocketry. Next month, it’s hydraulics. It’s mostly STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) type classes,” Bell added. “Next month, we’re also going to be teaching about hovercraft, and in June we’ll be doing an egg drop challenge.”
Teaching at Boistfort has been a good learning experience for the cadets, Whalen said.
“A lot of those kids are almost the same age as the cadets that are going in there to teach the classes,” he added. “The school has been really receptive too. The teachers and principal are excited to have us there.”
Bell said they also take cadets on field trips to aerospace and science museums.
CAP is made up of volunteers who work mainly to provide search and rescue efforts for everything from lost hikers to natural disasters, but it also provides aerospace education to its cadets who range from 12 to 21 years old.
Once older than 21, volunteers are free to either remain with CAP or pursue other endeavors.
CAP’s website states, “founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role … of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training and education.”
A total of 26 CAP auxiliary squadrons currently exist in Washington. For more information, including how to get involved, visit https://wawg.cap.gov/.
For more information on the Lewis County composite squadron, visit https://www.lewiscountycap.org/.
