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/2L
t
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.
|
|
Subscribe to the Arkansas Wing e-mail
announcement list. Get your news ASAP! |
|
Arkansas Wing members only |