Civil Air Patrol

October 2023

Retention Videos

I want to encourage VIDEOS! Yes, our digital magazine can accommodate SHORT videos. Right now, I solicit 30-45 second interviews with senior and cadet members that address the following; "Why did you join CAP" or "What do you enjoy about CAP" or "Why do you stay with CAP?" You can film ANY member.

Lt Col Bryan Emerson retention video

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RZzFn5K6cXY

Please film and send us your video. Thanks go out to Michele Bremer who visited several squadrons last month to discuss retention.

TOK COMPOSITE SQUADRON CADET CHANGE of COMMAND CEREMONY

On 25 September, Tok Composite Squadron (aka 85th COS) conducted a brief Change of Command Ceremony for its Cadet Commander. C/Capt Stephen Briar relinquished command and C/CMSgt Sarah Briar assumed command of the 85th's twelve active cadets. C/Capt Briar transferred to Tok from Severn, Maryland, as a C/A1C and came up through the ranks as the

85th's first Cadet Commander, earning his Mitchell and Earhart awards along the way. C/Capt Briar will become a Senior Member later in October. C/ CMSgt Sarah Briar recently completed the "Super Chief" achievement and is studying diligently for her Mitchell Award. The Deputy Commander for Cadets, Lt Col David Briar, presided over the ceremony.

CHANGE of COMMAND. As C/Capt Briar ages out of the Cadet program, he relinquishes command at the The Change of Command Ceremony this past 25 Sept. (photo by H. White).

Tok

by Capt. Richard Dennis, PAO

Six years ago the Tok Composite Squadron (085th) of Civil Air Patrol received its Charter. That was in June 2017. Capt Harry White was the first commander and remains so today. Years before, Tok had a CAP Squadron, but it had closed.

What is the Civil Air Patrol? Civil Air Patrol was chartered on December 1, 1941. That was just one week before Pearl Harbor, the major battle that propelled our nation into WWII. As the war intensified, German submarines found our nations shipping easy pickings along the East Coast. However, when CAP began patrols, those subs were driven off. Throughout the war, CAP patrolled the US coastline radioing in submarine sightings and carrying bombs in their own small aircraft. CAP actually scored one sinking of an enemy submarine along with one other probable.

CAP has THREE MISSIONS: Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education. All three are being pursued by the Tok Squadron.

1. Emergency Services. Senior members worked several searches coordinated by the US Air Forces’, Rescue Coordination Center (RCC); This includes a USAFs, NORAD Red Flag Mission this past summer. In addition, missions were also flown for the US Weather Service. These were River Watch missions flown on the Tanana and Yukon Rivers, checking for ice dams and flooding.

2. Cadets too have been active here in Tok, meeting weekly. Cadets are working to advance their knowledge of aviation, in addition to building skills in leadership, fitness and character development.

3. Aerospace Education is the third mission. It is open essentially to non-members, specifically allowing teachers to join for a very nominal cost. These teachers receive substantial material (STEM kits) and Teacher Orientation Flights . (All at no cost to them.)

The success of any organization is often possible only with broader support of other organizations. This is the case with our Squadron. The 085th wishes to thank several local community organizations. The Tok Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol thanks;

The Tok Campus of UAF for donating classroom space for meetings and a place to set up a flight simulator, The Tok School, hosting a meeting location for Cadets.

The Burnt Paw for an additional meeting place for Senior Members.

Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR) for past hanger space for CAP aircraft.

The Tok Community in its support of Wreaths Across America, a program that places wreaths at the grave sites of our veterans.

The 085th Tok Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol salutes the Tok Community for its support. THANK YOU !

Arcturus

Sep/24/2023. Am , On this day we got together to give Big Thanks to the Restaurant Owners for helping out our Cadets to have an xtra place for practice along with some Senior Members from Arcturus Squadron 1 of the owners let the Alaska Wing Div/ officer Use the banquet Room as longest we needed ,

It was a very nice Act of Kindness from the owner “Sunrise Grill Restaurant

“Musli M. and family , C/CMSgt Therrien

C/2dLt Zuber, C/2dLt Justus, SMs 2dLt

C. Justus, 2dLt E. Justus , Alaska Wing Certifícate Of Appreciation Presented to this Amazing people and Sign by Our Wing Commander Col. Kevin McClure .

September 29, 2023

Charge of Command night , New Arcturus Commander C/2dLt Zuber, and speech for next Rank C/CMSgt Therrien

Cadet Change if Command and Cadet Squadron Leadership with the squadron Commander Lt Col Jim McCarthy

Character Development Presented by C/2dLt Justus and C/SSgt. David Maierson, the Class Patience with an Activity with Cadets having fun with patience.

Polaris

Well Done, Polaris! Brigadier General Regina Aye, National Vice Commander and Alaska Wing Commander, Colonel Derk MacPherson presented Polaris leadership with two momentous awards recognizing Polaris members and their impact across the State –

Captain Don “DJ” Burand took top honors as the Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol Senior Member of the Year for his sustained excellence as a leader, safety mentor and Airman. All the best to DJ and his family as he settles in Texas, and as he competes at region level and beyond!

Cadet Commander C/CMSgt Dylan Pittsenbargar (joined by Maj Carl Siebe) accepted the plaque and Guidon Streamer designating Polaris as a Quality Cadet Unit!

At Polaris, our primary focus at each meeting is on facilitating the next generation of aviation leaders. Whether it involves Aerospace Education, character development, leadership skills, or Emergency Services training, we are deeply committed to preparing future leaders in the air and on the ground. To fulfill this mission, we have enthusiastically undertaken the responsibility of instructing cadets about flight operations

“Air superiority is the future of the US. military” Cadet Neroda advocateshighlighting the need for the United

States to maintain strong airpower options to defend our nation and our allies.

WELCOME aboard,

C/Amn Tesch

C/Amn Johnson

C/MSgt Austin

It’s great to have you with us.

Encampment Prep, Polaris cadets took time to work on their basic volleyball skills, fostering the communication and teamwork alongside athletic skills.

“Where you look, …it goes,” Cadet Clerc stated. Cadet Clerc instructs cadet Tesch how to accurately aim a volleyball.

Cadets present: C/A1C Clerc, C/Amn Tesch and C/ Amn Johnson

Cadets and Senior Members on a night navigation exercise.

October will prove to be an exciting month for Polaris Senior Members and cadets as we prepare for the November SAREX by packing our gear and heading to the field to spin up those critical Flight Line and expeditionary Ground Team Skills. See you next month!

-Polaris Public Affairs Team

Every Monday 6:30 to 8:30 Kenai Cadets make Aerospace, Leadership, Safety and Character Development Presentations. The Cadet led presentations are fantastic. C/2nd Lt Luke Hillyer presented the Wingman Course to four new cadets. He gave a presentation that was powerful! New cadets paid attention to his every word. He covered the Core Values: identifying them and explaining the meaning of each one in clear words. He explained what a Wingman is at a cadet level and described how to look out for your assigned wingman. He also explained that Safety is an attitude which is important to cadets and the Air Force. What should cadets do when they see a hazard? Cadets need to think ahead to make sure safety is always present.

Cadet 2ndLt Luke Hillyer also described signs of abuse to be aware of and how to report it. The exercises, movie clips, and discussions were powerful. He did more than an excellent job in training new cadets. We are very proud of him. Cadets are in safe hands.

Cadet/SMSgt Jonathan Baggett made an excellent Leadership presentation.

He definitely is a strong example of a leader. Our squadron is happy to have him in Alaska. All cadets are working hard, setting a good example in our community and supporting each other in continuing to practice the Core Values.

Cadets worked very hard and passed many achievements.

Cong Tulations

Curry award

Alexis Taylor

Hadassah Schwartz

Achievement 2

Gianna Traugott

Hank Adcox

Achievement 3

Fletcher Darr

Clayton Greenwald

Maddy Ries

Achievement 4

Owen Bell

Achievement 7

Jacob Ries

Achievement 8

Luke Cole

Achievement 9

Lane Hillyer

Amelia Earhart Award

Wyatt Cole

We are very proud of their efforts and hard work.

Welcome

to our new cadets this month are:

Thomas Drake Anthony

Landen McGahan

Grace Polvin

Titus Polvin

Aiden Quinlan

Teagun Quinlan

Hadassah Vance

Cadet Jonathan Baggett is a transfer from Georgia and Madilyn Gibbins is also new to us but not to the Cadet Program.

"Tales from the Skies: My Summer with the Coast Guard in Western Alaska”

By Andrew Gecsedi

Ahoy, super squad of the Alaska Wing magician's hat. This area is infamous for its erratic and harsh weather tantrums. Thunderstorms, fog, high winds, and low ceilings were like those uninvited party guests who just don't get the hint. But, these meteorological gatecrashers only made our victories sweeter. Successfully navigating through these weather woes with safety on our minds was a proud salute to our training and the professionalism we CAP pilots possess. But let's not forget the highlight of the show – the mesmerizing native culture.

Civil Air Patrol, Hope this piece of rambling finds you all in high spirits and your adventure-o-meter going off the charts. Imagine this - yours truly, spent the summer defying gravity, prancing around the Western Alaskan skies, being the Robin to the Coast Guard's Batman for CAP. During this whirlwind of a month, I got to zoom around on over 100 sorties in the super-duper GA8 Airvan . Mother Nature's mood swings in Western Alaska were a test, but they were no match for the cultural wonderland I got to tumble into. Thanks to being based in King Salmon and Bethel, my time was an airborne rollercoaster ride, full of heartstopping thrills and wisdom-filled spills.

The GA8 Airvan, with its superhero-like robustness and adaptability, was the perfect sidekick for our missions. Its sturdy build and short takeoff and landing skills made Western Alaska's most rugged, secluded areas feel like a Sunday drive. The weather in Western Alaska kept us on our toes, with more surprises than a

The indigenous folks of Alaska have a culture so vibrant, it could give a box of crayons a complex. I got to witness traditional dances, indigenous artwork, seal hunting, and immerse myself in their history and way of life. We were welcomed with open arms and treated with such genuine hospitality, I felt like a visiting rock star. These flights served not only the Coast Guard's critical missions of oil facility inspections and GRS missions, but also gave me a bird's eye view of Alaska's untamed beauty.

The jaw-dropping landscapes, pristine lakes, and winding rivers were like a postcard come to life.

As I look back on my summer, soaring in Western Alaska skies with the Coast Guard for the Wing, I'm filled with a sense of achievement and gratitude. The challenges we overcame, both in the sky and on solid ground, only fueled our resolve and deepened our respect for the remarkable work we do. The chance to soak up the native culture and learn from the communities we served was a humbling experience. And now, for the man of the hour - Steve Sammons. This summer odyssey would not have been possible without Steve. He was the mastermind, the puppeteer, the wizard who orchestrated this entire mission. His dedication, passion, and meticulous planning turned this summer adventure into a journey of a lifetime. Steve, you're a gem, and your efforts are deeply appreciated.

A colossal thank you to the Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol for this mind-blowing adventure. The invaluable skills and memories I've captured will be my treasure chest. I encourage you all to seize every opportunity to explore and contribute to the unique missions offered by our Wing. It's through opportunities like these we progress as pilots and become better.