Martinsburg CAP cadets complete summer encampment

Weeklong program held at National Guard facility

August 30, 2010

Submitted photo,

KINGWOOD, W.Va. - The West Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol recently completed its annual cadet summer encampment at Camp Dawson, an Army National Guard training facility in Kingwood.

The weeklong event is held each year in order to give the CAP cadets a greater understanding of CAP and its Air Force missions and capabilities, develop the cadets' leadership skills, enhance their interpersonal and time management skills and instill a sense of pride and discipline in them.

A total of 104 cadets from around the state attended this year's encampment, including 13 cadets and three officers from the Martinsburg (W.Va.) Composite Squadron.

The local CAP members participating in this year's encampment were Cadet Basic Emily Amador, C/CMSgt. John Dye, C/CMSgt. Tim Dye, C/Col. David Hill, Cadet Basic Rachael Johnson, C/TSgt. Spencer Lunsford, C/SMSgt. Brandon Might, C/2Lt. Andrew Mitchell, Cadet Basic Timothy Pate, Cadet Basic Taylor Riner, C/TSgt. Ty Stansbury, C/CMSgt. Caleb Sullivan and Cadet Basic Ian Sullivan.

Staff members were First Squadron Commander - C/2Lt. Joel Lyons and Flight "C" Commander - 2Lt. Nick Keefe. Adult Members: 1st. Lt. Dirk Stansbury, Capt. Adam Sanders, 2d. Lt. Chris Shields and Capt. Doug Hanson.

During the course of the week, the cadets got to fly in a Black Hawk helicopter, received land and water survival training, rappelled off a 100-foot tower, fired rifles on the firing range, practiced their drill and ceremonies, learned how to cross rope bridges, completed both the leadership reaction and confidence course, built and launched model rockets.

The encampment ended with a pass and review parade, followed by a formal graduation ceremony.

"To be honest, I think that the encampment week was probably the most fun I've had this year, and I highly encourage everyone to go. It's a great experience and I plan on attending next year," said Martinsburg member C/CMSgt Tim Dye.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 58,000 members nationwide.

CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 72 lives in fiscal year 2009.

For more information about CAP or its cadet program, go to http://www.gocivilair patrol.com/ or http://www.martinsburgcap.com/.

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