Mt. Airy squadron members gather for ICS training and testing

2nd Lt. Stacey Bowen, CAP

Public Affairs Officer, Mt. Airy Composite Squadron

Photos courtesy of Stacey Bowen, 1st Lt., CAP

01/02/2009 – Finksburg, MD – On Friday, January 2nd, eight members of the Mt. Airy Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing, took time out during their holiday vacation to attend Incident Command System (ICS) classes offered by the squadron’s Emergency Services (ES) Officer, 1st Lt. Denise Sharp, and Cadet ES Officer, C/Col. Zach Bowen.  The event was organized by Deputy Commander for Cadets, Capt. Tim Bowen. 

The classes were geared toward preparing Ground Team Member Level 3 (GTM 3) trainees for their ICS 100 and 700 testing requirements, and culminated in afternoon computer sessions where they were able to complete their online tests.  In addition, GTM 3 basic tasks were evaluated, and member reports were updated. 

Cadets Sean Barker, Joshua Bowen, Austin Cirulli, Chris Cook, Robert Greer, Prithvi Mandayam, and Melissa Weinhold were in attendance, as well as Officer Kevin Greer.

The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force, was founded on Dec. 1, 1941, less than a week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U. S. into World War II. CAP is a nonprofit organization with more than 56,000 members nationwide. The organization’s members perform 95 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and were credited by the AFRCC with saving 103 lives in fiscal year 2007. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

Members take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the almost 25,000 young people currently participating in the CAP Cadet Program. CAP’s cadet programs provide young men and women with a safe and motivating environment in which to grow and explore opportunities in the military and aviation industries. CAP has been performing mission for American for more than 63 years.

There are approximately 1,300 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 42 search and rescue missions and were credited with 31 finds. For more information, visit www.mdcap.org.

The Mount Airy Composite Squadron meets at 7p.m. Thursdays at the Mount Airy Senior and Community Center, 703 Ridge Ave., Mount Airy.  Prospective cadets, ages 12 to 18, and their parents are always welcome.  Adults seeking mentoring opportunities are invited as well.  For more information, e-mail contactus@mtairy-cap.org , call 301-829-9057, or visit www.mtairy-cap.org .  

Any comments and/or suggestions: webmaster@mtairy-cap.org.