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Carroll Composite Squadron reports record setting year in 2005

Civil Air Patrol cadets from the Carroll Composite Squadron gather together during an awards ceremony.(photo by 1stLt Brenda Reed)

By Brenda A. Reed, 1stLt, CAP
Public Affairs Officer
Posted February 06, 2006

WESTMINSTER, MD -- The Carroll Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol ended 2005 with record setting results in the cadet programs and emergency services areas. All five cadet milestone awards were earned, including one Spaatz Award, and our aircrew strength grew exponentially.
        Led by First Lieutenant J. Kevin McHale, squadron commander, the Carroll squadron began 2005 with an aircrew of two -- one mission pilot and two mission scanners.   Captain Pat Aaron filled two of these positions as both pilot and scanner. McHale served as the second scanner.
        By the end of the year, the squadron would see Captain Pat Sands join the crew as a qualified mission pilot. In addition to this, the number of mission scanners grew from two to a total of 13 qualified mission scanners. Also, the squadron qualified eight mission observers during the course of the year, after beginning the year with no mission observers.
        Looking towards 2006, there are two members training for mission pilot and two trainees for mission observer.
        The Carroll Composite Squadron currently does not have a CAP aircraft assigned to the squadron.   The training and qualifying over the past year has been accomplished by utilizing one of the 12 CAP aircraft in the Maryland Wing.   According to McHale, for the squadron to accomplish this training without its own aircraft was "nothing short of a miracle."
        The squadron's emergency services ground team added three new members to its ranks. Two members also attained ground team level one. Ground team training is a continuous process during the monthly meetings and planned field training exercises, led by 1stLt Mike Zabetakis, the squadron emergency services officer.
        In the cadet program, there was a banner year for cadet achievements. This program, led by First Lieutenant Tom Reed, deputy commander for cadets, has approximately 35 cadets in attendance at the weekly meetings.   These meetings include aerospace and leadership training, moral leadership discussions, physical fitness activities, drill competitions, and emergency services training, just to name a few of the activities the cadets participate in.   The cadets lead most of these classes and activities, under the direction cadet commander Cadet Major Jacob Reed.
        The cadets progress through a series of 16 achievement levels, during which they are promoted using the Air Force rank structure. Along the way, there are five milestone awards marking the end of each phase. Each phase has testing and activity requirements which the cadets accomplish individually and in groups.
        The first milestone, the Wright Brothers Award, is earned as the cadet is promoted from an airman to a noncommissioned officer. In the year 2005, the Carroll squadron had eight cadets earn this award. These cadets include Brandon Brooks, Tyler Czarnowsky, Alec Geatches, Russell Gehret, Justin Main, Justin Sova, William Werner, and Zach Zaykoski.
        Two cadets earned the second milestone award, the Billy Mitchell Award. This award is earned as cadets progress to cadet officers and are promoted to cadet second lieutenant. Cadets Zach Bowen and Jennifer Reed earned this significant award during 2005.
        The third award, the Amelia Earhart Award, was given to three cadets as they completed the third phase of the program and earned the rank of cadet captain.   Cadets Zach Bowen, Nick Krionderis, and Jacob Reed earned this award during the previous year. Only three percent of 27,000 cadets nationwide achieve this milestone.
        The Ira Eaker Award, earned by cadets completing the fourth phase, was earned by Cadet Rachel Gibbs.   Three weeks after earning this award, she completed the requirements for CAP's highest cadet award, the General Carl Spaatz Award, and was promoted to cadet colonel. She was the Carroll squadrons first recipient of an award that has only been awarded 1,500 times since its inception in 1962.
        In addition to milestone awards, members from the Carroll Composite Squadron participated in numerous statewide, regional, and national activities during the year. These included meetings with Congressional representatives during Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, regional cadet leadership schools, the Maryland Aerospace Academy held in Frederick, the National Flight Academy in Georgia, Air Force Weather Familiarization Course in Nebraska, Advanced Technologies Academy in New York, National Emergency Services Academy in Indiana, National Cadet Competition in Virginia, the winter encampment in New Mexico, and the International Air Cadet Exchange, where one Carroll cadet traveled to Sweden to represent CAP.
        Also, the squadron had the most attendees of any squadron in the region at the annual Tri-Wing Encampment and Cadet Leadership Academy, held in Maryland each year.
        The Carroll squadron also participated in many local activities throughout the year, including the county-wide emergency services disaster drill, sending packages to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, the annual Memorial Day parade in Westminster, a trip to the USAF Honor Guard facilities, the annual Westminster Fall Fest, and supporting the Maryland Air National Guard during drill weekends by cooking for the troops.   In addition, cadets received flight training through orientation flights in both powered aircraft and gliders.
        Cadets and senior members alike earned many honors during these activities, including Maryland Wing Cadet of the Year going to Cadet Colonel Rachel Gibbs.
        As the squadron begins 2006, it appears to be on course for another banner year. In the month of January there has already been one Wright Brothers Award and one Earhart Award earned, with a number of cadets striving to achieve additional awards and participate in activities offered by the Civil Air Patrol, both locally and nationally.
            The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force, has a three-fold mission: cadet programs, aerospace education, and emergency services (including search and rescue). The cadet program provides opportunities for learning, maturing, and accepting leadership to over 26,000 young Americans from 12 to 20 years of age. With advice and assistance from the U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the CAP senior members at the national, region, state and local levels, cadets are exposed to a structured program of aerospace education, leadership, physical fitness, moral and ethical values.
         The Carroll Composite Squadron meets Tuesday evenings at the National Guard Armory on Hahn Road in Westminster. Prospective cadets and their parents are always welcome. More information can be found at www.carrollcap.org.