Jonesboro Cadets Receive Awards

By
Maj. John Brandon

 

(January 25)  In an unusual awards ceremony, two cadets from the Jonesboro Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Squadron received two of the higher awards given to cadets. On Monday night, C/Capt Graham A. Bozarth received the Amelia Earhart award, and C/2Lt Carson A. Benton received the General Billy Mitchell award. Lt. Col. Bobby Allison, Arkansas Wing Director of Cadet Programs, presented the award. 

 

C/Capt Bozarth joined CAP in May 2006, and has progressed through the first 11 achievements of the Cadet Program. C/Capt Bozarth has served in various command and staff positions. He attended the National Flight Academy in Nebraska in July 2008, and has accumulated several flight hours toward his private pilot license. He has attended, and held leadership positions, at CAP encampments at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. He is second in command of cadets in the Jonesboro squadron, and is a senior at Westside High School, where he also participates in the Air Force JROTC program.

C/2Lt Benton joined Cap in June 2006 and is a junior at Valley View High School, and participates in the ROTC program at Valley View. He has also held various squadron staff positions and has attended Arkansas Wing encampments at Little Rock AFB where he served in staff positions. He currently is the 3rd highest-ranking cadet in the Jonesboro squadron, and is expected to assume command positions in the near future.

 

 

Arkansas Wing Participates in Wreaths Across America Ceremonies

 

(December 12)  More than 1100 people attended the  Wreaths Across America ceremony, organized by the 115th Composite Squadron, at Fayetteville National Cemetery on this morning.  The Walmart Foundation purchased more than 6,700 wreaths for the Fayetteville event. Attendance exceeded this year’s Memorial Day ceremony, and local Wreaths Across America organizers hope the December event will gain recognition comparable to Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

 

Maj. David Myers acted as the master of ceremonies for the program, which featured remarks by U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-Ark.). A ten-person Civil Air Patrol cadet color guard presented the national, state, and military service colors, and a nine-person cadet honor guard assisted representatives of the military branches in laying ceremonial wreaths recognizing each representative’s branch, the Merchant Marine, and prisoners of war and missing servicemen. The Arkansas Army National Guard’s 142nd Military Honors Unit provided a 21-gun salute, and Mr. David Rader of Buglers Across America performed “Taps.” More than twenty Patriot Guard Riders stood watch over the proceedings, each holding an American flag. Attendees, including members of local veterans groups, then fanned out across the cemetery to lay the remaining wreaths.

 

The 42nd Composite Squadron organized the Wreaths Ceremony at the Little Rock National Cemetery and received an unexpected surprise the next day when they learned that approximately 400 wreaths left over from the Fayetteville ceremony were delivered to squadron commander Capt. Ron Wingfield's shop in North Little Rock on Sunday.  Thanks to the efforts of squadron and wing staff members, these wreaths were moved to Wing headquarters on Monday and laid out at the cemetery on Tuesday the 14th. 

 

The 120th Composite Squadron, assisted by the American Legion, led the Wreaths ceremony at Oaklawn Cemetery in Jonesboro. 

 

 

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