southeast region - feb 2008

8/7/2019 Southeast Region - Feb 2008

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ALABAMAALABAMA -- FLORIDAFLORIDA -- GEORGIAGEORGIA -- MISSISSIPPIMISSISSIPPI -- TENNESSEETENNESSEE -- PUERTO RICOPUERTO RICOThe Commanders Lead

Inside this issue:

FOCUSONTENNESSEEWING 2

NSC 2007 3

MEDICALNEWS 3

SPAATZAWARD 4

EARHARTAWARD 4

Dates of Note

This area is reserved for Region and

Wing Calendar Entries. Please

Send your Events to:

[email protected] and share across

the region!

2008

JANFEB

WWW.SERCAP.US

Civil Air Patrol - National Safety Pledge

As a Civil Air Patrol member I pledge to promote an uncompromising safety environ-ment for myself and others, and to prevent loss of, or damage to Civil Air Patrol as-sets entrusted to me. I will perform all my activities in a professional and safe man-ner, and will hold myself accountable for my actions in all of our Missions for Amer-

I recently visited with the group attending National Staff College at Maxwell AFB,AL. Southeast Region had 24 of the 97 attendees from the Region Staff and theWings from within the region. In addition, several Southeast Region membersserved on the staff of the college. I am very proud of our showing at this impor-tant Professional Development activity. In addition to learning about the operationof CAP at the national level, attendees develop relationships and friendships thatwill last for many years. You obtain a perspective of CAP that is much broader

than your Wing and/or Region.

For those who have not attended Region Staff College, your next opportunity is

late July 2008. As usual, it will be held at the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville.

Our safety performance shows that members who progress through the Professional Development trainingopportunities tend to be safer in their operations. Most of our accidents can be attributed to members who onlyattain Level 1. There is a dramatic reduction in incidents for members at Level 2 through 5. If you are unsurehow to progress, see your Professional Development Officer and determine a personal plan for your progres-

sion.

On the subject of training, members need to start working on the various ICS courses that are offered. ICS 100,200, 700 and 800 are basic level courses that can be taken online at www.fema.gov. ICS 300 and 400 areweekend in-residence courses that are required to qualify for Incident Commander, Levels 1 and 2. We have anopportunity to complete ICS 400 in mid-November providing the necessary pre-requisites have been completed.If you do not have the four basic coursed completed, I would recommend completing them as soon as possible.Those are all pre-requisites for ICS 300, which is a pre-requisite for ICS 400. Agencies who receive federalgrants will eventually have to demonstrate that their employees and/or members have completed thesecourses in order to qualify for the grant process. Do not wait until we are in a panic mode to complete these

training opportunities. Take advantage of them as they are offered.

A recent addition to the required training for CAP is the OPSEC module. That module is now included in the newLevel 1 training. However, those who completed Level 1 several years ago are required to take the OPSEC train-ing online. It is a painless effort that will take no more than 15 minutes or so to complete. If you have not done

so, please do that as soon as possible.

There are many outstanding training opportunities offered throughout the Wings and the Region. None of us are

too old or too smart so as to no longer require training. Look for the opportunities and take advantage of them.Colonel James M. RushingSoutheast Region Commander


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Southeast Region ReCAP Jan - Feb 2008 Page 2

Highlight Tennessee Wing Meet the Volunteers

Dating back to the War of 1812,Tennesseans have been noted for their volunteerism. From Davy Crockett at the Alamo to Sergeant Alvin C. York duringWorld War I, Tennesseans have always been leaders in volunteerism for the greater good. Tennesseans have always stepped up to the plate whensomeone was in need. Recent events that come to mind are the responses to the Hurricanes' Katrina and Rita disasters and tornadoes that ripped

through Tennessee. CAP members responded with hundreds of hours of duty at Red Cross shelters across Tennessee as well as hands-on help toresidents affected by tornadoes throughout the state.

At the recent Wing conference held in Chattanooga, many of the presentations centered around being ready forpotential emergencies. The New Madrid fault presents a viable threat to the western third of Tennessee. "For thelast several years, the Tennessee Wing has worked hand-in-hand with the Tennessee Emergency ManagementAgency (TEMA), First Army, Air Force and local county agencies to prepare for an earthquake in West Tennessee,"Melton said. "We have been able to utilize our Satellite Digital Imaging System (SDIS) to provide images of key infra-structure to TEMA. They have told us that this will be extremely valuable toprovide critical support to theresidents in the affected areas," Melton said.In June, the Tennessee Wing was given an excellent rating by the A ir Force

during it's annual evaluation.

CAP members have not only been there to help their fellow Tennesseans,but our neighbors, as well. After hurricane Charley, Tennessee wing mem-bers flew over 200 hours of survey and photo missions in Florida in 2004.Tennessee also participates in ongoing missions with other SER states,

Although there are many lakes and rivers in Tennessee, water survival training isn't required for aircrewmembers. However, as seen in the photo below, members do train to help in states where a ditching(emergency water landing) is possible.

Tennessee At a GlanceMembers: 1073Seniors: 618Cadets: 455Aircraft: 9Ground Vehicles: 21FEMA Trailers: 2HF/VHF Radios: 100+Airborne Repeaters: 2SDIS Systems: 2Incident Commanders: 28Ground Team Leaders: 68

Mission Pilots: 38

Capt Stephen Kitner, Lt Col Vernon Prevatt and Maj HarryBannon relax after practicing a successful ingress in a

I am proud to introduce you to the Tennessee Wing. As the wing whose borders intersect with morethan any other wing in the nation, it is important for our neighboring wings know our capabilities andassets. This wing is blessed with professional volunteers who know their skills and limitations andwork between those two boundaries. Approximately 1,120 members are spread across the stateamong 32 squadrons. We are divided into four Groups, each roughly centered around the four major

cities in Tennessee. Wing Headquarters is located in Knoxville inside the fence of McGhee-Tyson air-port. Aircraft and vehicle parking are both within a few steps of our front door.What makes Tennessee different? Our state is geographically divided into east, middle, and westTennessee with some significant topographical differences between the regions. Previously, most ofour SAR events were predominately in east Tennessee because of the mountains. Although we re-

main ready to respond to any need in east Tennessee, most of our training and preparation is now targeted in the west-ern part of the state where the New Madrid fault system is located. Emergency planners use the term when instead of ifwhen they speak of the probability of a devastating earthquake occurring in that area similar to the quake of 1812.In an effort to become part of a multi-agency response to the earthquake threat as well as other situations, TennesseeWing recently signed an MOU with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. This MOU should give localemergency planners confidence that members of the Tennessee Wing are competent and ready to respond in a pro-fessional manner to any need, just as their other member agencies do. Also, all squadron commanders were recently

provided with a printed CAPabilities handbook that includes a Tennessee as well as a Southeast Region resource list.This handbook, along with the MOU will provide our local squadrons with the tools they need to familiarize local emer-gency managers with who we are and what we can do for them.

I am most proud of our leadership in the Tennessee Wing. We have a very hard-working Wing staff and high-quality

Group and Squadron commanders. The outgoing CAC chair has earned the Spaatz award, a private pilots license, and

was selected as a member of last years CLA in Washington, DC. A wing staff member sits on a multi-state earthquake

preparedness board and others sit on multi-state emergency services boards. Several of our members were involved in

the national mission in Florida earlier this year and Tennessee Wing received the Emergency Services award for the

Southeast Region at this years National Board in Atlanta. We are proud to be a part of the Southeast Region and serve

along side with you, our fellow CAP members.


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October 23, 2007 Maxwell AFB, AL

The 2007 National Staff College held its graduation with 97students successfully completing the week long College.National Staff College, the Civil Air Patrols premier in-residence training course, is held once a year a Maxwell AFBin Montgomery, Alabama. This years graduating class ofninety seven students is one of the largest classes in a num-ber of years. Consisting of both lecture and practical exer-cises, the College draws instructors and lecturers fromcorporate, military, and CAP National Headquarters. Thepractical exercise this year dealt with member retention and the students work will be used by NHQ to develop

future programs for seniors and cadets. Southeast Region was very well represented in both the student body as well as staff. The college was veryfortunate this year to have as guests Col Reggie Chitwood, CAP Chief of

Staff and Lieutenant General Nicholas Kehoe, USAF (Retired) and Member ofthe Board of Governors, CAP.

2007 National Staff College

Medical Healthy Feet

Have you thought about your feet lately? You should, because your feet are a biological masterpiece. They contain 26 bones, 33joints and more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments.

Keep your feet healthy by following these 10 tips for healthy feet.

Dont ignore foot pain its not normal.

Inspect your feet regularly. Pay attention to changes in color and temperature of your feet. Look for thick or discolorednails (a sign of developing fungus.) and check for cracks or cuts in the skin. Peeling or scaling on the soles of feet could indicate athletes foot.

Any growth on the foot is not considered normal.

Wash your feet regularly, especially between the toes, and be sure to dry them completely.

Trim toenails straight across, but not too short. Be careful not to cut nails in corners or on the sides; it can lead to ingrown toenails. Persons

with diabetes, poor circulation or heart problems should not treat their own feet because they are more prone to infection.

Make sure that your shoes fit properly. Purchase new shoes later in the day when feet tend to be at their largest and replace worn out shoes assoon as possible. Select and wear the right shoe for the activity that your are engaged in. (i.e., running shoes for running).

Alternate shoes dont wear the same pair of shoes every day.

Avoid walking barefooted your feet will be more prone to injury and infection. At the beach or when wearing sandals, always use sun block on

you feet just as on the rest your body.

Be cautious when using home remedies for foot ailments; self-treatment can often turn a minor problem in a major one.

If you are a person with diabetes, it is vital that you see a podiatric physician at least once a year for a check-up.

LtCol Patricia FauntSER Nurse Officer

Col Reggie Chitwood, CAP National Chief of Staff

Congratulations

National Staff College

Class of 2007

The 2008 NSC is sure to fill up early so look for

notices in the August-September timeframe and

sign-up early!


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C/Col Charles E. Watson Receives Spaatz at TNWNG Banquet

Cadet Colonel Charles E Watson was awarded the Spaatz Award by NHQ Chief of staffCOL Reggie Chitwood at the 2007 TN Wing Conference. He was also presented theSoutheast Region Cadet of the Year and the Meritorious Services Award for ES opera-

tions this past year by Southeast Region Commander, Colonel James M. Rushing.

Watson is a CAP Pilot and Ground Team Leader in the Murfreesboro Composite Squad-ron in Murfreesboro TN, and a Professional Pilot major at Middle Tennessee State Uni-versity. Watson soloed at age 16 at the cadet National Powered Flight Academy at Sa-vannah TN and earned his private pilot certificate at age 17 after receiving the Tennes-see Wing Flight scholarship. He has accomplished the instrument rating,commercialcertificate, multi-engine certificate, advanced ground instructor certificate and is

currently in the certified flight instructor flight lab at MTSU.

He was selected as Commander for the 2006Air Education Training Command Familiarization Course at Laughlin AFB TX and participated in the IACEprogram to Canada and Great Britain. He recently attended the Airline Careers Exploration (ACE) Frontier Airlines in Denver, CO and served as the XOfor the TN Wing Summer Encampment. Watson was selected as the 2003 Group III Cadet Officer of the Year and 2004 TN Wing Cadet of the Year. Wat-

son is also an Eagle Scout and Aviation Exploring Post President. Charles is the son of Charles and Patricia Watson of Lebanon, Tennessee.

Falcon Field Squadron member Cadet Captain Chris Murray received the Amelia Earhart Award at a recent meeting. The Earhart Award is the thirdhighest award a cadet may earn and has been achieved by less than 10,000 cadets in the history ofthe Civil Air Patrol. Cadets must meet stringent leadership, academic, and physical fitness re-quirements and also pass an arduous 100-question comprehensive exam to merit this award.Cadet Captain Chris Murray is the son of Vincent Murray of Fayetteville and Kristina Thames of

Union City.

Georgia State Representative Dan Lakly was on hand to present the Earhart Award. Representa-

tive Lakly represents District 72 (Fayette County) in the Georgia General Assembly and serves asVice-Chairman of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee. In addition to the award presenta-tion, Representative Lakly made favorable remarks concerning the military bearing of the squad-ron members and the opportunity for success fostered within the Peachtree City - Falcon Field

Composite Squadron.Submitted by2Lt Lee Bowersox

C/Captain Murray Awarded Earhart


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Southeast Region Calendar

Lt Col Jim Lawson, CAPDeputy Public Affairs

Newsletter Editor

Phone: 865-977-2956E-Mail: [email protected]

Submission deadline for publicationmaterial is the 15th of month prior

to publication date.

The Best of the Best Leading Allthe Rest

VISIT US ON THE WEB AT: WWW.SERCAP.US


I was born on June 14th, 1777.

I am more than just cloth shaped into a design.

I am the refuge of the world's oppressed people. I am the silent sentinel of Freedom.

I am the inspiration for which American patriots gave their lives and fortunes.

I have led your sons into battle from Valley Forge to the bloody jungles of Vietnam.

I walk in silence with each of your honored' dead, to their resting place.

Beneath the silent white crosses, row upon row.

I have flown through peace and war, strife and prosperity; and amidst it all, I have been respected.

My red stripes symbolize the blood spilled in defense of this glorious nation.

My white stripes signify the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons.

My blue field is indicative of God's heaven under which I fly. My stars are clustered together; unify 50 states as one, for God and country.

"Old Glory" is my nickname, and proudly- I wave on high. Honor me, respect me, defend me with your lives and your fortunes.

Never let my enemies tear me down from my lofty position, lest I never return..

Keep alight the fires of patriotism, strive earnestly for the spirit of democracy.

Worship eternal God and keep His commandments. And I shall remain the bulwark of peace and freedom for all mankind.

Author Unknown

southeast region - feb 2008

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