wyoming wings magazine, may 2011

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WYOMING WINGS WYOMING WINGS May 2011 Wheatland Composite Squadron visit Army Aviation Support Facility at FE Warren AFB

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Acceptance Remarks - Change of Command Ceremony | Wyoming Wing Conducts Search and Rescue Mission on Christmas Eve | Two Groups of Missing Snowmobilers Subject of Search and Rescue Mission | 2011 Wyoming Wing Encampment | Leadership changes at Wyoming National Guard | Allergies for Pilots | Cadet ProgramTidbits | Legislative Day | February Wheatland Promotions | Wheatland Composite Squadron Learns About Helicopters | Training Leaders of Cadets and NCO Academy – A Perfect Fit! | Drug Demand Reduction

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Page 1: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

Wyoming Wings

Wyoming WingsMay 2011

Wheatland Composite squadron visit Army Aviation support Facility at FE Warren AFB

Page 2: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

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Wyoming WingsThe Wyoming Wings is an autho-rized magazine published three times a year in the interest of the members of Wyoming Wing, Civil Air Patrol. The printers are a private firm in no way con-nected with the Department of the Air Force or Civil Air Patrol. Opinions expressed by the pub-lishers and writers are their own and not to be considered official expression by Civil Air Patrol or the Air Force. The appearance of advertisements in this publica-tion, including supplements and inserts, does not constitute an endorsement by Civil Air Patrol or the Department of the Air Force of products and services advertised.

H HEADQUARTERS H Wyoming WingCivil Air Patrol

Bldg. 233Warren AFB

(307) 773-4519Fax (303) 302-1530

H MAiling ADDRESS HWyoming WingCivil Air PatrolP. O. Box 9507

Cheyenne, WY 82003-9507

Wing CommanderColonel John E. mitchell

EditorCapt. Jeanne stone-Hunter

For information onadvertising rates and space,

please call1-800-635-6036

Continued on page 7 . . .

Commander’s CornerJohn E. mitchell, Col., CAP, Wyoming Wing Commander

This is my first column as your new Wing Commander. As a way of introducing myself, I am pro-viding you with an abridged ver-sion of my answers to questions asked of all those who applied for the Wing Commander’s job.

�. What is my vision for the future of WYWG?

My vision is captured by the responsibilities of all commanders – to carry out the mission and to watch out for the welfare of those serving under them. The mission includes mission planning and operations. Welfare and morale include proper training, unit readi-ness, discipline, and advancing safety at all times. Thus, my goals will be to promote training of all members (seniors and cadets), act as a role model in terms of leadership and integrity, conduct discipline in a way that recognizes the volunteer nature of CAP, and promote unit welfare by leading by example and representing Wing members, when appropriate. Accomplishing these goals leads directly to my vision of serving the people of Wyoming and America by perform-ing humanitarian and homeland security missions at the local, state, and national levels, developing Wyoming’s youth, and educating the state’s citizens about the importance of aviation and space.

2. What strategies and partnerships will I use to strengthen CAP in the Wing?

I hope to use my affiliations with the Wyoming National Guard, the FAA Safety Team (FAAST), and COWG, CAP to promote further partnerships that will strengthen all three missions. The

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Col. Cortum, Col. Skrabut, Maj. Gen. Wright, fellow CAP members, and honored guests. Today, as I assume command of the Wyoming Wing, Civil Air Patrol, I want to thank Col. Cortum for his faith in my ability and Col. Skrabut for his guidance and support in preparing for today.

Although I face high expectations in this new position, I am confident knowing that we all share a common goal of serving the good people of Wyoming and our Nation through the three missions of CAP – emergency services, the cadet

Acceptance Remarks

Change of Command CeremonyCheyenne, Wyoming

4 December 2010

program, and aerospace education.Col. Skrabut has handed over a Wing that is

well-oiled and operating on all cylinders in these three missions. The staff members are highly qualified. Squadrons in the Wing are meeting training and operational objectives in each of these areas. They do this by working as a team, a team I am proud to join.

As a young infantry officer, I was once men-tored by a wise old master sergeant about the priorities of command. He coined them in a brief

Col. skrabut relinquishes command. Col. mitchell assumes command.

Page 4: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

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sentence I have never forgotten, “Accomplish the mission and take care of your men.”

To accomplish the mission, a commander must make informed decisions to assure unit readiness, which involves providing good training and ensur-ing operational readiness of equipment. Expanding roles for CAP in disaster relief and homeland security have added emphasis to the importance of unit readiness.

Commanders are also responsible for the wel-fare and morale of those serving under them, men and women, senior members and cadets. We do that in many ways – by maintaining standards and leading from the front. By living the core values of CAP – respect, integrity, excellence, and service. By making sure each person under us is likewise treated fairly and with respect. By communicating, communicating, and communicating.

To those in the Wyoming Wing, I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as your commander. I take this responsibility seriously, and I look for-ward to working with you as we continue to serve

Col. Cortum awards Col. skrabut.

our communities, the great state of Wyoming, and our Nation. May God bless each of you and our country during this Christmas season.

JoHn E. miTCHELL, Colonel, CAPWyoming Wing Commander

Change of Command audience.

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National Guard provides valuable resources that further the missions of CAP and Wyoming Wing, including the use of their facilities (Nearly half of WYWG squadrons meet in NG armories). The FAASTeam has shown it can collaborate with CAP to promote aviation safety in ways that boosts visibility to communities and the state, can involve both seniors and cadets, and lead to a safer flying environment. I organized an “Aviators Challenge” last year in Colorado, partnered jointly by FAAST and CAP that attracted more than 100 pilots and families – something I would like to do in Wyoming in 2011. The Region has encouraged Wings to support each other during training and actual missions. My background in COWG allows me to identify and utilize resources that WYWG may lack at any given time. Opportunities exist to work with other wings to advance our three mis-sions. For example, I have led multi-wing training in mountain flying, GA-8/ARCHER operations, and a check pilot clinic.

My strategy to strengthen WYWG does not involve making quick changes. Rather, I intend to visit units, observe senior member and cadet train-ing and aerospace education, and talk with leaders throughout WYWG before identifying any specific strategies. I am a firm believer in “managing by walking around,” which means visiting units and helping staff members.

3. What experiences have prepared me for the role of WYWG/CC?

I have nearly 20 years of experience as a small unit commander in various Army aviation units, primarily as a section leader, but also as a platoon leader in the 82d Airborne Division.

I served as Squadron CC for Thompson Valley Composite Squadron (CO-147) for three years dur-ing 2003-2005. This squadron has nearly 100 mem-bers, equally divided among seniors and cadets, making it the largest squadron in Colorado Wing.

I have served on COWG staff in three differ-ent areas: Stan/Eval, Safety, and Asst. Director of Operations. I have Master-level qualifications in Operations and Stan/Eval, and have the Senior level in Safety. I have been interviewed for the Operational Excellence Specialty Track.

I have served as President of the Colorado

Section of the Society for Range Management. The Section had 300 members and a budget, including investments, which exceeded $50K. I was also President of the SRM Advisory Council. As a former university professor and Forest Service scientist, I received and administered research grants totaling several hundred thousand dollars over my career. The grants always received clean audits. I supervised the work of graduate students throughout this period.

4. How will I balance the missions (AE, CP, ES) in the region?

I will balance the three missions of CAP by recognizing that most of my experience is in ES. Consequently, I will make a special effort to support staff members who represent the cadet program (Director of Cadets, Cadet Advisory Committee Chair, etc.) and aerospace education (Director of Aerospace Education, External AE Officer). I would recognize those members who are active in AE, and encourage commanders of composite squadrons. I am a big supporter of the orientation ride program, including the ROTC o-ride program. I managed the ROTC o-ride program at Colorado State University for �� years; for most of these years, CSU led the Nation in the number of o-rides given.

�. What time and CAP/family/business/other support will I have to ensure my success as WYWG/CC?

My wife has been a strong supporter of my service in the Army, National Guard, and CAP for �� years. She believes in the mission of both the military and CAP. I have retired from the Forest Service, and now work part-time as an emeritus scientist, on my own schedule, primarily to wrap up old research projects and mentor the scientist who replaced me. I routinely devote 30 or more hours per week to CAP activities, and consider Civil Air Patrol to be my primary profession.

To conclude, I am looking forward to visit-ing each Wyoming Wing squadron and meeting you. As I said in my acceptance speech at the Change-of-Command Ceremony, “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as your commander, and I look forward to working with you as we continue to serve our communities, the great state of Wyoming, and our Nation.”

Commander’s Corner Continued from page 1. . .

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At approximately 2050 hrs on 23DEC10 the Air Force Rescue Control Center (AFRCC) contact the Wyoming Joint Operations Center (JOC) regarding an Emergency Location Transmitter (ELT) beacon in Fremont County. AFRCC informed the JOC that there were no overdue or missing flights in the area, nor were there any local flights missing. CAP advised that they would send up an airframe from Casper at first light to conduct a search. Further developments later that evening prompted CAP to launch earlier that evening (approx 0200) to begin searching near Riverton. By first light CAP had 2 aircraft involved in the search, and approximately 10 personnel (5 on aircraft, 5 support). On 24DEC10 CAP had narrowed the search to the Lander area and continued the search with 1 aircraft with 3 personnel. CAP linked up with Fremont County Search and Rescue and took one of their members onboard to coordinate search and rescue operations. At approximately 1700 on 24DEC10 the CAP located the downed aircraft and relayed its location to Fremont SAR. Fremont County SAR returned to the scene via helo to conduct recovery OPS. The downed aircraft was reported to the JOC to be originally from Texas, and contained 3 individuals who did not survive the crash. CAP RTB at approximately 2130 that evening. AFRCC closed out the mission with the JOC on 25DEC10.

Also, see: http://trib.com/news/updates/article_4ba9d4b2-11d6-11e0-8d8a-001cc4c03286.htmlTwo Wing aircrews were involved in the search. The Casper crew of Bruce Lessig, Roy Baughman,

and Mel Dunn actually located the wreckage electronically. The Powell crew was comprised of Orville Moore and Sue Knighton. A member of the Fremont County SAR, Aaron Dillon, was on board the Casper aircraft on a sortie confirming the location of the downed aircraft. George Twitchell acted as Incident Commander. Everyone involved in the mission performed in an outstanding and professional manner.

Thanks to all concerned for a job well done - on the day before Christmas, a time when most folks look forward to hearth and family.

By Lt. Col. mike Carlson

Two Groups of Missing Snowmobilers Subject of Search and Rescue Mission

By Lt. Col. Rick Fawcett

We were alerted at 8:42am Feb 21st, 2011 by AFRCC to provide support to Albany County Sheriff in locating five (5) missing persons on snowmobiles. There were two separate groups reported missing in the same area of the Snowy Range. One group of two were from Nebraska. They were able to find their way to safety. The other group of three were from Colorado. They were all located late that afternoon. CAP provided one aircraft (N294CP / C-182T). Crew members were Col. John Mitchell (MP) and Major George Twitchell (MO). Staff members supporting this mission were Lt. Col. Mike Carlson (OSC), Capt. Jeanne Stone-Hunter (PIO), Lt. John Thorne (MSO trainee), Capt. James Ferrell (MSA trainee), and Lt. Col. Rick Fawcett (IC).

Wyoming Wing Conducts Search and Rescue Mission on Christmas Eve

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Wyoming Wing CAP is again hosting an encampment at Camp Guernsey, Guernsey, WY. The encampment is scheduled from 26 June to 3 July 2011 with staff reporting on 24 June 2011. Staff is busy working on the schedule of classes and activities, which will hopefully include mili-tary orientation flights and use of the Firearms Simulator and obstacle course at the Camp.

Col. Stan Skrabut has been assigned to be the encampment commander and C/Capt. Ezekiel House will be the cadet commander. As always, Cadet and Senior member staff are needed. Cadet positions include deputy commander, first sergeant, flight commanders, flight sergeants, public affairs, administration and logistics. Senior member positions include officers for safety, logis-tics, administration, character development, medical, tactical, and public affairs.

Check the WY Wing Cadet Programs site at [email protected] and the WY Wing website at https://sites.google.com/a/capwyhq.org/wywgcap/ for updates on the encampment and contact information. Also check the wyocadets site for pictures of past encampments.

Cadets from Wyoming as well as other Wings and Regions are welcome, so come and join the fun. See you at the end of June.

2011 Wyoming Wing Encampment

Wy Wg sAR Ex schedule for 2011

June 4-5 iC - m Carlson sAR Ex out of Powell, Wy Have called Big Horn squadron to “Host”.

July 23-24 iC - g Twitchell sAR Ex out of Laramie, Wy Have called Laramie squadron CC for “Hosting”.

August 20-21 iC - J mitchell sAR Ex out of Casper, Wy AF Rated sAR Ex. Casper Composite squadron to Host.

september 10-11 iC - g Twitchell sAR Ex out of Afton, Wy to support the Wy military Dept. Have called the FBo and inquired on availability and feasibility. Hosted by Teton squadron.

october ? iC - R Fawcett sAR Ex out of gillette, Wy Have called the Powder River squadron CC to “Host”. They would be

responsible for dates.

Page 8: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

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CHEYENNE – Maj. Gen. K. Luke Reiner assumed command of the Wyoming National Guard this afternoon.

Reiner was bre-vetted to the rank of major general from the rank of colonel.

Maj . Gen . Ed Wright relinquishd c o m m a n d t o t h e governor who trans-ferred it to Reiner in a formal ceremony at the Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne.

The event also commemorated Wright’s eight-year tenure commanding the Wyoming Guard, his long military career and celebrated his retirement.

“You have achieved what I ask of Gen. Reiner. In a word: Excellence,” Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead told Wright.

Wright said his tenure has been punctuated by two central issues – war and t rans -format ion of the National Guard form a reserve force to an operational force.

Unfortunately, those will continue to be difficult issues t ha t Re ine r w i l l wres t l e wi th , he said.

T h o s e a r e demanding issues

from many perspectives, including the weight of sending young men and women into harm’s way.

Leadership changes at Wyoming National Guard

By Bill mcCarthy, Cowboy state Free Press

April 1, 2011

“It takes a lot,” Wright said. “In my short time as adjutant general, we were in a window when there were a lot of resources (due to revenue from energy taxes) and that made it very easy in many respects” to build facilities and equip personnel.

But he said Reiner may be facing a period of austerity, especially in federal funding, which will make the job more difficult.

The adjutant general directs the Wyoming Military Department, commanding the Wyoming Army National Guard and Wyoming Air National Guard. He also oversees the Wyoming Veterans Commission, the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery and the state agency functions related to those departments.

Wright took the helm in May 2003.Wyoming Air National Guard personnel were

in the middle of the largest deployment in its ��-year history. Wyoming deployed more than 500 airmen to Oman in the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

By May 2010, Wright had served as the adju-tant general for more than 20 Wyoming National Guard deployments. More than 4,500 soldiers and airmen deployed during Wright’s command.

Under Wright’s supervision, Camp Guernsey expanded and has become a top military training facility.

The Wyoming Guard estimates the facility has trained about 900,000 military personnel from around the country and world.

The number and kinds of missions and associa-tions and interactivity with the active-duty military expanded the adjutant general’s responsibilities, as well.

Wright also oversaw the expansion of the fleet of aircraft stationed in Cheyenne and construction of new facilities in Cheyenne.

Reiner

Wright

Page 9: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

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As the snow melts and spring and summer finally arrive, our old nemesis hay fever starts to return. Hay fever--or “allergic rhinitis” in medical terms—is one of the more common medical prob-lems to affect pilots and aircrew. In most cases, this is something that can be controlled, and shouldn’t limit your ability to fly. But there are some excep-tions that are important to know about.

Allergies occur when your immune system responds to a foreign intruder (or allergen) in your body. Your immune system is like the army that defends your body from bacteria, viruses and other things that can hurt you. Unfortunately, your immune system sometimes gets a bit overzealous and responds to something it shouldn’t – such as pollen from weeds, grasses or trees. Depending on what triggers the allergy, you can have symp-toms in a variety of areas including your nose (hay fever or rhinitis), your lungs (asthma), and your skin (eczema or hives). In very severe cases, allergies can cause anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening emergency. Anaphylaxis can cause severe swelling in the face and throat, difficulty with breathing, and can progress to shock (low blood pressure) and death. Any case of anaphy-laxis should be treated by calling 911 or going to an emergency department.

The most common allergy is hay fever, which can affect our pilots and aircrews in a variety of ways.

Your nose acts like a filter, and in fact has “vanes” called “turbinates” that look almost exactly like the pleated air filter just under the prop in our Cessna 182’s or in your car. It cleans and humidifies the air that you breath. Pollen, dust, and other allergens in the air get stuck on the turbinates to prevent them from getting into your lungs. If you are allergic to the pollen, your immune system releases a variety of chemicals, the most important of which is called histamine, to try and fend off what it sees as an attacker.

Allergies for PilotsHistamine is what is responsible for most of

the symptoms suffered by people with hay fever. The most common symptoms are runny nose, nasal stuffiness, sneezing, itchy eyes. More severe symptoms can include fatigue, dizziness and head-aches. These may be mild, but in some cases, can be quite debilitating.

So why can hay fever cause such a big problem for our aircrews?

First, if your nose gets blocked, it can cause blockage of the sinuses. The sinuses are air filled pockets inside the bones of your cheeks and fore-head. The sinuses have small drain holes that can easily get blocked by even a small bit of mucous. If you hop into a non-pressurized Cessna 182 on a mission and rapidly climb or descend to get over our mountainous terrain, even a minor sinus block-age can generate a significant amount of pain. If you experience a sinus blockage in the air, there are several things to do. First, let the pilot in com-mand know. The pilot can level off to allow time for the pressure to equalize. Second, try GENTLY blowing your nose, one nostril at a time. You do NOT want to blow hard. If you blow hard, you might introduce high pressure air into an already blocked sinus. This can result in what we call baro-sinusitis, and in some cases even rupture of the sinuses. I remember one unfortunate patient who blew his nose hard while trying to clear his sinuses and ended up with air under the skin and behind his eye. This was excruciatingly painful and required a hospitalization and extended antibiotic treatment. If those tricks don’t work, you might want to con-sider carrying a bottle of Afrin nasal spray (over the counter) in your flight bag. Afrin is a VERY effective nasal decongestant. It shrinks swelling and opens the nasal passages very quickly. Just be careful to limit it to short term use only, never more than 3-4 days in a row. Afrin is approved by the FAA for pilots and can be used in the air. I keep a bottle of Afrin in my flight bag, and in my carry-on bag when I’m flying commercial, for

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just this situation. Many of the professional pilots I care for, particularly the military pilots, use the Afrin trick for emergencies.

Nasal allergies also cause problems because they can block the Eustachian tubes, which are the small drain tubes that allow air and fluid to drain from your middle ear (behind your ear drum) into the back of your throat. If you’ve ever been on a flight and had trouble clearing your ears, you know what a problem the Eustachian tubes can cause. Some people seem to have HUGE Eustachian tubes that never get blocked… while others are very prone to blockage with even a mild cold or aller-gies. If you develop pressure, decreased hearing or pain in one or both of your ears, you most likely have a problem with a blockage of your Eustachian tubes. Once again let your pilot know so they can level off or slow the rate of climb or descent. Try chewing gum, yawning, or opening and closing your mouth which can sometimes open the tubes and release the pressure. Other treatments are similar to the treatments for sinuses. Try GENTLY blowing your nose, one nostril at a time. And if those don’t work, Afrin probably will.

One of the big problems for pilots is that in more severe cases of hay fever, you can build up chronic fluid in your middle ear. This can affect the vestibular system which is responsible for your sense of balance. In some cases, hay fever can cause debilitating dizziness or vertigo. This is obviously a bad situation for a pilot to have. If you are a pilot and have significant allergies, make sure to discuss it with your Aviation Medical Examiner before you fly. You don’t want to discover this problem when you are in the air. In most cases, we can help you and there should NOT be a risk to your FAA medical as long as you address the problem with approved medications.

There are a variety of medications that are safe for use by pilots and aircrew to prevent and treat allergy symptoms. The most common class of medications are antihistamines. The FAA approves the use of certain “non-sedating” antihis-

tamines for pilots, including Claritin, Allegra, and the generic equivalents of these. The FAA does NOT approve the use of any sedating anti hista-mines like Benadryl. One word of caution: Zyrtec is a popular and very effective over the counter antihistamine that is considered “minimally sedat-ing” and is therefore NOT approved by the FAA for use by pilots.

Another category of medication that can prevent hay fever symptoms are prescription nasal steroid sprays such as Flonase and Nasonex. Flonase is now available in a generic form so is less expensive. These medicines act to reduce inflammation in the nose, and should be used every day to prevent your allergies, rather than on an as-needed basis. Many of my patients use these medicines for several weeks during peak allergy season. These medications are approved by the FAA for use by pilots.

Don’t let your allergies keep you from enjoy-ing the nicer weather. They don’t have to keep you out of the sky!

Jim Little Jr. MD is a Family Physician and Senior FAA Medical Examiner in Jackson, Wyoming. He is a CAP Transport Mission Pilot with the Teton Squadron, and Assistant Health Services Officer for the Wyoming Wing. He is happy to assist CAP pilots with questions about FAA Medical certifications, and can be reached at [email protected]

Allergies for PilotsContinued . . .

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The Cadet Program is alive and well in Wyoming. We just finished a Training Leaders of Cadets and NCO Academy in February and are making preparations for the encampment coming up the end of June. See the encampment article in this publication for information.

Other plans for the future include a flight weekend in late summer to give cadets both powered and glider flights. This was a successful and popular activity in 2009 so we are excited to replicate it.

The Cadet Advisory Council is looking into organizing a camping trip that would incorporate emergency services training. A couple of senior members would like to explore the possibility of a road trip to aviation museums to the east.

Cadets will continue to be an important part of the Wing’s SAREXs that will be held throughout the year. Three cadets have applied for National Special Activities this year.

To improve communication we will be looking to leverage technology to share infor-mation and ideas between Senior Member cadet leaders.

Laramie Squadron conducted a successful open house in February and hope to increase both their cadet and senior membership by about 7-8 members. They will be using the new Cadet Great Start program to develop their new cadets into cadet airmen within 2 months. Other squad-rons will be looking into how to implement this program into their recruiting campaigns.

For further information about the WY Wing Cadet Program please feel free to contact me at [email protected]

Cadet Program Tidbits

By Lt. Col. BJ Carlson, Wy Wing Director of Cadet Programs

CAP Trivia: Air Force Rescue Coordination Center As the United States’ inland search and rescue coordinator, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land federal SAR activities in the 48 contiguous United States, Mexico and Canada. The AFRCC operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The center directly ties in to the Federal Aviation Administration’s alerting system and the U.S. Mission Control Center. In addition to the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking information, the AFRCC computer system contains resource files that list federal and state organizations, which can conduct or assist in SAR efforts throughout North America.Civil Air Patrol missions are assigned by the AFRCC.

We proudly support thelifesaving efforts of our

Civil Air Patrol.Their dedication to the

ongoing mission of providingair search for downedand missing aircraft isespecially appreciated.

Thanks and good luck!

234-6679

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Cadets and Officers of the Wheatland Composite Squadron of the Wyoming Civil Air Patrol hit the ground running celebrating the New Year with our first Aerospace Class of 2011.

Our special guest speaker, Dr. Bill Britz, Colonel USAF (Retired), tantalized us with stories of his adventures as an USAF veterinarian who participated in the Mercury Project’s Chimpanzee training program. Dr. Britz showed us a digitized copy of the original 9-minute movie made of the famous Chimponaut, HAM. He also shared with us a special Power Point he constructed especially for our meeting. He covered the missions and purposes of the Chimp program.

HAM’s name is an acronym for Holloman Aero Medical. The chimps in the program were tested and trained to help determine the likelihood of a manned space program. The chimps were taught to pull levers when lights flashed and were rewarded with a specially designed food pellet when successful. HAM’s flight atop the grand Redstone rocket early is 1961 preceded Alan Shepherd’s flight and flew higher and farther than expected.

ENOS’ flight preceded John Glenn’s and was aboard the Atlas rocket.

When his career as a Chimponaut was over, HAM was moved to the National Zoo for 17 years and then he was moved to a zoo in North Carolina where he could socialize with other chimps. HAM lived there to the age of �� and is buried at the International Space Hall of Fame in New Mexico.

Wheatland Activities

Each year members of the Wyoming Wing meet with the Wyoming Congressional Delegation dur-ing the Civil Air Patrol National Boards. This year Col. Bill Morton and Col. John Mitchell met with Senators Enzi and Barasso and Congresswoman Lummis. They presented the lawmakers with the following information about the Wyoming Wing.

The Wyoming Wing, Civil Air Patrol, served the Cowboy State with distinction throughout this past year. In June, aircrews and support staff assisted local agencies and the Wyoming National Guard by monitoring severe flooding throughout the state, including in Teton, Fremont, Albany, and Carbon Counties. The hundreds of aerial photos taken on reconnaissance sorties provided sheriffs and emergency responders with vital information about specific areas of flood damage and where people were isolated.

In late June, a Wyoming Wing aircrew saved two lives when they located an elderly couple who failed to return from a hike in Natrona County. The Sheriff began a search, and soon reached out to CAP for assistance. The couple had left a note saying they planned to visit Pathfinder dam. Two aircraft were sent to search the area near the dam. Despite the specifics of their location, the search turned up nothing. Then, Incident Commander, George Twitchell, received unspecific intelligence that they had plans to visit an old cabin they once owned. Twitchell diverted an aircrew, where they found the couple with their vehicle stuck in the mud. Deputies were quickly there to get them home. The couple’s location made it difficult for ground teams to have found them.

Aerospace Education was promoted in July through a Top Flight program, held in Casper, in which 14 teachers were given orientation rides and tours of aviation facilities. Comments from partici-pants were so positive that plans are being made to offer the program again.

LEGISLATIVE DAY

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Safety TrainingAll members are reminded that they should complete the online training courses each month through eServices. Just log on to your account and select “Online Safety Training” from the menu on the left side of the home page.

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OPEN COCKPIT Cont.-Operations Directorate

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Cadet milestone AwardsWright Brothers AwardReo P. Radford, WY-059, 11 Jan 2011 Isaac N. Hubenthal, WY-072, 19 Nov 2010

Amelia Earhart Award Ezekiel D. House, WY-066, 31 Jan 2011 The Civil Air Patrol Amelia Earhart Award (since 1964) is awarded to cadets who have completed the first 11 achievements of the cadet program along with receipt of the General Billy Mitchell Award.

Charles E. ‘Chuck’ yeager Aerospace Education Achievement AwardWY-019 SM Rebecca M. Hawkins SM James R. Little Jr. 2nd Lt. Slade L. Ross SM Anna Hartman SM Kenneth Dyk

Benjamin o. Davis, Jr. Award (Level 2)1st Lt. Tim Cully2nd Lt. Adrian NunenkampMajor Robert Giese

grover Loening Award (Level iii)Major Harry Gillway, November 2010Captain Miguel Acevedo, January 2011Captain Gery Simpson, November 2010

Promotions WY-001Bostick, Lucinda 2nd Lt. 7 Jan 11Gillway, Harry Major 4 Dec 11Johnson, Jeffrey Lt. Col. 31 Jan 11Johnston, Ken Lt. Col. 5 Jan 11Mitchell, John Col. 4 Dec 11

WY-002 Feller, James 1st Lt. 28 Dec 10

WY-019 Giese, Robert Major 31 Jan 11

WY-069Dyk, Kenneth 2nd Lt. 1 Mar 11 Hendershot, Bryan 2nd Lt. 1 Mar 11 Strub, Justin 2nd Lt. 1 Jan 11Sweeney, Bonnie 2nd Lt. 1 Jan 11Sweeney, Kevin 2nd Lt. 1 Jan 11

WY-072 Ackerson, James Captain 28 Jan 11Nunenkamp, Adrian 2nd Lt. 11 Mar 11

WY-078 Todd, John Major 4 Dec 11

Professional Development Awards

Paul E. garber Award (Level iV)Lt. Col. Ken Johnston, January 2011

gill Robb Wilson Award (Level V)Colonel John Mitchell, November 2010

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l-R back row: nick Trujillo, Daniel Tucker, Reo Radford, DJ Cox, Alex Colson, Major Cornelll-R front row: Bradley Matthews, Tyler Stovall, William Sower

February Wheatland PromotionsPhotos 2nd Lt. george schilreff

Basics being sworn in (almost all of them were also promoted to Airman). l-R: nick Trujillo, William Sowers, Bradley Matthews, DJ Cox, Alex Colson. Brittani Emmons was unable to attend.

RigHT: Airman

Daniel Tucker being promoted to

Airman First Class

lEFT: Senior Airman Reo Radford being promoted to Staff Sergeant

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On Saturday 5 March, Wheatland Composite Squadron members visited with CW3 Fisbeck at the Army Aviation Support Facility home of the “Charlie Med” 5/159th.

We viewed a video shot in Afghanistan and learned about the Blackhawk helicopters they

Wheatland Composite Squadron Learns About Helicopters

By Lt. Col. susan mcDonald

have. Members got to see the night vision goggles, helmet, flack jacket and survival vests that the crew wear.

We were given a tour of their brand new facility dedicated last spring at the far north end of FE Warren AFB. It is a beautiful building and

gives them abilities in maintaining and caring for their aircraft that were impossible at the old facility.

We saw a helicopter in pieces and learned about the schedule they have for maintenance and repair.

Each cadet got to get “up close and personal” with the Blackhawk. We were allowed to sit inside. Most got pictures taken in the pilot cockpit. What an awesome tour. CW3 Fisbeck stated that due to the Guard’s budget concerns helicopter rides weren’t allowed right now but once the bud-get is back on track we can come back for a ride...

Cadet Airmen Emmons, Trujillo, Colson, Sowers and Matthews, C/2nd lt. Stovall and CW3 Fisbeck

Cadets nick Trujillo and Bradley Matthews strapped in and ready to go!

2nd lt. Schilreff, C/2nd lt. Stovall, Cadet Airmen Emmons, Matthews, Colson, Trujillo and lt. Col. McDonald

Page 24: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

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What happens when you put 13 senior member cadet leaders and 9 cadets together for a weekend? You get a lot of learning, good laughs and warm memories.

Wyoming Wing hosted a Training Leaders of Cadets and NCO Academy on 19-20 February 2011. Lt. Col. BJ Carlson was the instructor for the Senior Members while C/Lt. Col. Heather Gould and C/Capt. Jason Steed took on training for the cadets. All participants made it through their respective courses even though a snowstorm hit on Saturday night and Sunday morning, making everyone a little nervous about the trip home.

Training Leaders of Cadets and NCO Academy – A Perfect Fit!

The following WY Wing Senior Members attended the TLC course: Col. Stan Skrabut, SM Adrian Nunenkamp and Major Gary Chizever from Laramie; Lt. Col. Rick Fawcett, 2nd Lt. Joe Feiler and 2nd Lt. Marvin Owen from Casper; Lt.

Col. Susan McDonald, Major Dennis Cornell and 2nd Lt. George Schilreff from Wheatland; Capt. D. J. Sadler from Sheridan; and Lt. Col. Mike Carlson from Cody. In addition, 1st Lt David Small from Spearfish, SD joined the crew and gave insights into how cadet programs run in a different wing and region.

Senior members had spirited dis-cussions on various topics such as indi-rect leadership, the cadet/senior team, establishing goals and quarterly sched-ules, giving meaningful feedback to cadets, working with parents and legal issues in the cadet program. Several resources for cadets were displayed and discussed during the course.

Cadets from four WY Squadrons

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were present: C/2nd Lt. Tyler S t o v a l l f r o m W h e a t l a n d ; C/CMSgt. Joshua Kirkman from Casper; C/TSgt. Isaac Hubenthal, C/SrA Jonathon Chizever and C/AB Gavin Poor from Laramie; and C/Amn Brittni Duran and CA1C Brent Miller from Sheridan.

Cadets learned about profes-sionalism, how to teach drill moves, and NCO responsibili-ties. Each cadet led a flight through a variety of drill moves in order to pass the course. Even cadets that had attended an encampment before learned something new during the training.

Cadets and senior members teamed up and participated in three leadership reaction courses designed to promote teamwork. Teams had to lower a hula hoop to the ground, remove a ball from the center of a toxic swamp using only themselves and � ropes, and navigate their entire team through a minefield. All members worked together well to accomplish the tasks with great enthusiasm.

The WY Wing will host an event like this at least once per year, so, if you missed out on

this opportunity check the wing website for announcements about future trainings: https://sites.google.com/a/capwyhq.org/wywgcap/ Feel free to con-tact WY Wing Director of Cadet Programs, Lt. Col. BJ Carlson, at [email protected] for more information about the WY Wing Cadet Program. H

Page 26: Wyoming Wings Magazine, May 2011

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WYOMiNG WiNG CiVil aiR PaTROluNiTED STaTES aiR FORCE auXiliaRY

DRuG DEMaND REDuCTiONPO BOX 1594

WhEaTlaND, WYOMiNG 82201

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Wyoming Wing Drug Demand Reduction Administrator and the Wheatland Composite Squadron DDRO are once again teaming up with the DDR message. This time providing AEX classes for the dependent children of USAF members.

The next 12 weeks will find them teaching Aerospace to the children at the Base Youth Center. This past week found them surrounded by five to nine year olds learning about Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion. The children proved the third law which states “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. They used a balloon which was launched like a rocket when the air escaped. Each child was instructed to go home and teach their parents what they learned. They were also given two ‘laws’ to follow in taking their ‘rockets’ home.

�. Put the balloon in your pocket and don’t play with it in the car because that would dis-tract the driver and maybe cause an accident.

2. Do not let younger siblings get ahold of it as they might choke.

After they agreed with those ‘laws’ they were all deemed “Rocket Scientists”.

After short discussion about the dangers of drugs and how ‘rocket scientists’ can’t abuse drugs (and as the children pointed out neither can US military people) they received a bright red DDR pencil and encouraged to come back next time for the next fun activity.

Next week the classes will be for 9-15 year olds, with each grouping changing off every other week til school lets out and then we will plan an aerospace field trip.

Remember, we have better things to do than drugs.