Arkansas Wing Civil Air Patrol

(May 3) The Arkansas Wing completed a two-day mission evaluation conducted by the CAP-USAF Southwest Region Liaison Region today. Conducted every two years, these evaluations are meant to test the Wing's ability to respond to search and rescue, disaster relief, and homeland security missions.

The complex exercise scenario began Friday with aircrews photographing locks and dams along Arkansas waterways in response to a simulated potential terrorist threat that came to pass Saturday morning with explosions at two locks on the Arkansas River. The Wing was tasked to photograph the locks for damage assessment purposes. The Wing was then asked to provide a fly the Governor over these sites and then had to implement emergency procedures when the flight did not return on time.

Meanwhile back at Wing Headquarters there was a simulated bomb threat that caused the building to be evacuated and a "kidnapping" of a cadet.

A missing airplane search was begun in the morning for a plane that supposedly disappeared while on a flight from Texarkana to West Memphis, which was eventually located in Lonoke county by a ground team comprised of members from several squadrons and Wing headquarters. A second airplane search was begun later in the day for a plane that was lost after taking off from Gurdon.

High winds kept aircrews from launching early from Fort Smith and Rogers, but they died down enough so that they could join in later. An aircrew and two ground teams from the 115th located practice beacons near Gravette and an aircrew from the 83rd participated in the main mission based in Little Rock.

The overall grade for the evaluation was "Successful" with two members of the mission staff, Capt. Reba Wingfield (Liaison Officer) and Maj. Blake Sasse (Information Officer) were recognized as Outstanding Performers and were given CAP-USAF Southwest Liaison Region coins.

Four 115th Cadets Reach Milestones

Maj. Marina Scott

(April 15) The 115th Composite Squadron held a milestone ceremony tonight in Rogers to recognize the achievements of four of its cadets. Cadets Austin Pollock, Jeffrey VerHoeven, and Jonathan Weed each received the General Billy Mitchell Award and were promoted to cadet second lieutenant. Jason Finney received the Amelia Earhart Award and was promoted to cadet captain.

Steve Gray, USAF LtCol, Ret. and David Bowman, USAF LtCol, Ret. presented the awards and offered inspiration and advice regarding leadership to the cadets and the family members present.

Gray, Senior Military and Veterans Advisor from U.S. Congressman John Boozman's office and President of the Northwest Arkansas Veteran's Association continued his discussion about the three different aspects of leadership: making tough decisions, fighting through difficult times, and taking care of those who work for you. Gray encouraged cadets to act when necessary and not to be afraid of failure.

David Bowman, Director of the Northwest Arkansas Community College Aviation Program, spoke of the need to master management, leadership, and teamwork as illustrated by the television drama “Band of Brothers”. He emphasized the importance of adaptability by reminding the cadets of John Lennon's words, “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” It is always important to have a plan B while keeping the original objective in focus. He noted that the teamwork and leadership training they were receiving now would serve them well in the future quoting Louis Pasteur’s statement that “chance favors the prepared mind.” He challenged the cadets, as leaders of their generation, to imagine what could be accomplished in the next 20 to 30 years.

107th Searches for Missing Boater

(April 2) An aircraft from the 107th Composite Squadron joined in the search Wednesday afternoon on the Black River for an 18-year old man who went missing after the boat in which he and another were traveling capsized on Tuesday.

Maj. Bruce Bailey, Lt. Col. Gary Smith, and Maj. Pete Orlebeke flew over the muddy brown waters four to six miles south of the Pocahontas airport for 2.6 hours but saw nothing other than debris.

95th Presents Awards

1st Lt. Lisa Worthington

(March 31) The 95th Composite Squadron held a combined meeting this evening where cadets and officer members came together for an aerospace education session, a safety briefing, and an awards night. Additionally there was a uniform inspection for both cadets and officers and a quiz bowl.

Several first flight certificates were given to cadets completing their first orientation flight. Cadets are allowed five free orientation flights that cover different parts of flying an airplane including take offs, landings, stalls, turns, and inspections before and after flights.

Cadet Airman of the quarter went to C/A1C Vincent Policky. Cadet NCO of the quarter went to C/TSgt Kayla Brown. Overall cadet of the quarter went to C/Amn Jonathan Cameron.

Four of the cadets were promoted to their next rank including the cadet commander, Davyd Fitzhugh, who was promoted to C/Major.

Squadron Leadership School Completed

(March 30) This weekend twenty-one senior members from 9 squadrons and Wing staff completed the 1.5 day Squadron held at Wing Headquarters in Little Rock.

This course, held under the direction of Capt. Frank Warner, provides CAP's adult members with a basic understanding of operations at the squadron level and how they affect CAP's national missions. Additionally, members learn more about CAP customs, core values, and communications.

95th Conducts Flightline Training

1st Lt. Lisa Worthington

(March 15) Today the 95th Composite Squadron held a flightline training class that was attended by 8 cadets and 4 officers. After completing classroom work the group moved on to "marshalling" two cars in the parking lot which was then followed by doing the real thing with a CAP plane that was taking cadets on orientation rides that afternoon. The long day was concluded with a bar-b-que.

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Upcoming Events

May 6 - FAA Safety Meeting (Fayetteville)

May 17 -- Flight Clinic (Little Rock) (Operations Plan available in WMIRS)

June 7-8 -- Corporate Learning Course (Little Rock)

107th Couple Retire

After 40 Years of CAP Service

Maj. Pete Orlebeke

(May 1) After forty years of service in the Civil Air Patrol Major Beverly Christ and Captain Richard Christ of the 107th Composite Squadron have retired and received Certificates of Appreciation from CAP national headquarters.

Both began their CAP careers in Saint Cloud, MN, and after moving to the Twin Cities Area, and finding no CAP squadrons, organized one that grew to 80 members. and for some time Dick served as squadron commander. Recently Beverly has served as squadron secretary and Dick as supply officer in the 107th.

At a recent dinner held in their honor Dick recalled some of the early days when the CAP was flying fabric covered planes and some of the many search and rescue missions they participated in, and the kidding he takes about Beverly out-ranking him. Beverly and Dick live at the Valley Airport in Cotter where they keep their modified Cessna 150.

95th Cadets Take Advantage of Memphis-area AE trip

1st Lt. Lisa Worthington

(April 20) Six cadets from the 95th Composite Squadron were chosen to take a special trip to Memphis this weekend. They visited the Air Guard base there and were given a tour of life support, maintenance, the planes, and the simulator. The cadets learned much about the C-5 from the pilots and maintenance crew. The highlight was trying their hand at the C-5 simulator.

The next stop on this trip was a small museum where they saw several planes as well as the T-36 trainer recently obtained by the Wing. The day ended with some famous Memphis barbeque.

Today began at the Memphis Air Traffic Control Tower where the cadets learned about the duties of the air traffic control center at the airport as well as Memphis Center, which controls aircraft over the entire region. Cadets met with the meteorologists, dispatcher, computer tech, and more to see how this system works.

The majority of the day was spent at the Federal Express site where they learned about the maintenance of the air craft, the dispatchers working the schedules for planes around the world, and saw many planes. There was plenty of walking through the different planes including an airbus, 727, and a DC10. The day ended with each cadet trying their hand at the DC10 simulator.

Arkansas Wing Participate in EAA's Young Eagle Program

Capt. Betty Evans

(April 12) Cadet and senior members from five Arkansas Civil Air Patrol squadrons participated in an Experimental Aircraft Association sponsored event today in Pine Bluff that brought more than 100 youth together for a day of flying and learning about aviation.

Shane Free of the Razorback EAA Chapter 1388 invited the CAP to attend to give area students an introduction to Civil Air Patrol’s programs and activities. 1st Lt. Lee Nelson helped to coordinate CAP activities with EAA. Twenty-two cadets and 17 senior members attended from Wing headquarters and the 40th, 42nd, 67th, 99th, and 102nd Composite Squadrons. Ten EAA pilots and two CAP pilots, Lt. Col. Robert Penton and Lt. Col. Horace Furlough, provided flights in their personal aircraft for students attending the event. Also assisting with the event were Lt. Col. Bob Betzold, CAP-USAF liaison; Maj Doug Wood, Wing Administrator; Lt. Col. Chuck Bishop, Communications Officer and Capt. Sharon Parrett, DDR Officer; Capt. Frank Warner, Aerospace Education Officer from Arkansas Wing Headquarters in Little Rock; and Chaplain Ben Findley from Russellville.

Junior and high school aged students from the Pine Bluff area were treated to free EAA sponsored flights in an effort to show the variety of programs offered by EAA that focus on information about making flying safer and more fun. Many of the students were members of school sponsored ROTC programs and indicated interest in futures in aviation related military careers. Most experienced their very first flights, while others were treated to their first general aviation flight in a small airplane.

During rotations of groups of students, CAP officers and cadets ran a series of demonstrations relating to emergency services, honor guard and the Wing's new T-37 cockpit trainer was on hand to give kids the feel of being in a military jet cockpit. CAP cadets served as wing walkers on the flight line and escorted groups to the different displays and demonstrations.

Flights were cancelled for the afternoon due to an increase in wind gusts. EAA member pilots determined that conditions were too dangerous to continue flying. Students that were not able to get their flights in were invited back by the Razorback EAA group to enable them to have their first flights.

107th Members Attend SLS

Maj. Pete Orlebeke

(April 10) 1st Lt. Richard Hatten and 2nd Lt. David Freeland of the 107th Composite Squadron recently completed a Squadron Leadership School held at St. George, MO. and were awarded their completion certificates at the end of the two day course.

The 107th also welcomes new members Keith Collard, Byron Mckinley, Sharon Hatten and David Freeland.

120th Cadet Earns Earhart Award

Capt. John Brandon

(April 7) Cadet Donnie Cox received the Amelia Earhart award in a ceremony at the Jonesboro Airport this evening. Accompanying the award was a promotion to Captain as a member of Cadets in the 120th Composite Squadron.

Capt. Cox has been serving as Cadet Commander for the 120th Composite Squadron since April, 2007, and he is a senior at Paragould High school. He is the son of the late Don & Patty Cox. His parents are Brenda Sue Hill, also a CAP member, and Jim & Donna Parks of Piggott. Capt. Cox also participates in the JROTC program at Paragould High School.

Arkansas State Representative Joan Cash of Jonesboro made the presentation of the Amelia Earhart award to Cox.

Arkansas Wing Responds to Tornado and Floods

(April 5) This morning Arkansas Wing members from across the state gathered in Little Rock to conduct a large-scale exercise when they were tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center with a mission in response the tornados that ripped through central Arkansas on Thursday evening.

The storm caused extensive damage at the North Little Rock airport and resulted in the activation of the emergency beacons on many of the planes based at the field. While many of these had been shut off by one of the airport businesses, several were still transmitting signals that were picked up by satellites being monitored by the Air Force.

The Wing dispatched a ground team made up of members from units in Little Rock, Russellville, and Texarkana to the airport where they found 3 active emergency beacons amongst the wrecked planes and deactivated them. A fourth beacon was determined to be in a plane that had been crushed by its hanger and which was not reachable.

Also, this afternoon the Wing took Mr. John Moren, of Governor Beebe’s staff, on a flight to survey damage to levees and other infrastructure affected by the floods in eastern Arkansas and as well as the destruction caused to the Hurricane Lake mobile home park in Saline County by one of Thursday's tornados.

67th Tours FedEx and TN Air National Guard facilities

(click for story)

115^th Wins Southwest Region Color Guard Competition

Major Marina Scott

(March 30) Four cadets from the 115^th Composite Squadron put it all together last weekend to win the Southwest Region Color Guard competition at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. C/CMSgt’s Nathan Hassett, Emily Loewer, Will Smith, and Juli Lestina competed against teams from Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana to bring home the win.

The 115^th took 1^st place in the written exam, 1^st place in the panel quiz, 1^st place in the outdoor practical drill, and 2^nd place in the in-ranks inspection.

Individual Awards won by Arkansas cadets were: the “Fleet Foot Award (Female)” to C/CMSgt Juli Lestina and “High Score Written Exam” to C/CMSgt Nathan Hassett.

One judge from the Barksdale AFB Honor Guard was so impressed with the cadence used by the 115^th color guard squad that they said they were going to incorporate that same cadence in their formal ceremonies.

The team now advances to the 2008 National Color Guard Competition in Dayton, Ohio in June.

Pictured l to r: C/CMSgt Juli Lestina, C/CMSgt Will Smith, C/1Lt Calvin Johnson, Cadet Commander of the 115^th, C/CMSgt Nathan Hassett, and C/CMSgt Emily Loewer.

Thanks to officer members Majors Jeff Smith and Donna Baker whose special dedication and support contributed to the success of the color guard. Numerous hours have been spent by cadets, officer members, and parents preparing for this competition. Now the real work begins.