7/< 1C@17=
>]`bT]ZW]
ab :b 8]V\ ;]`UO\ aSQ]\R T`][ b]^ ZSTb VSZ^SR SabOPZWaV bVS :WQYW\U 1]c\bg 1][^]aWbS A_cOR`]\
/ >]aWbWdS /ZbWbcRS 17D7: /7@ >/B@=: AB/@BA / 16/>B3@ 7< :7197<5 1=C<BG
B
he â&#x20AC;&#x153;planeâ&#x20AC;? truth is that Licking County now has a chapter of the Civil Air Patrol. The Licking County Composite Squadron consists of 27 volunteer cadets ages 12-20 who are led by nine adult officers. Nationwide, there are 55,000 Civil Air Patrol members, and the nonprofit organization operates as the all-volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More than 10 percent of each yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new classes that are entering the U.S. Air Force Academy are made up of Civil Air Patrol members,â&#x20AC;? says 1st Lt. John Morgan with the Licking County Composite Squadron. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was a cadet &
7 ; /5 3 A : 7 1 9 7 < 5 1 = C < B G 1 = ;
once and had a very positive experience with my squadron duties, so I decided that I wanted to start a local group for Licking County. Now, one exists.â&#x20AC;? A couple of years ago, Morgan contacted the Civil Air Patrol Ohio Wing, which eventually approved the establishment of a squadron in Newark. Cadets and officers in the CAP are all civilians with regular jobs, and in Morganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, he is a banker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Licking County Composite Squadron focuses on teaching young cadets leadership, physical fitness, character development and aerospace education,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anyone can join us, and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be interested
in ultimately going into the Air Force or other military branches in order to become a member.â&#x20AC;? The Newark-based squadron meets every Thursday night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Career and Tech Education Centers of Licking County, better known as C-TEC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all have rankings like in the Air Force, but we are not an actual part of the Air Force â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we simply support their missions,â&#x20AC;? Morgan says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a really good organization for young people interested in aerospace and the military. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good organization for adults who want to help these young people develop as quality human beings.â&#x20AC;? :7 19 7 < 5 1= C <B G