Further Information :
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Welcome to the Civil Air Patrol,
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was created as the first all-flying armed service immediately prior
to World War II. The roots of the present day U.S. Air Force come from both the Army Air Force and the Civil
Air Patrol. While technically a part of the Civil Defense program, the CAP flew combat missions during
W.W.II from mainland U.S. bases, and participated in training with the armed forces. In 1943, the CAP was
reassigned to the War Department under Army Air Force jurisdiction. The CAP scored hits against the enemy,
and suffered casualties. After W.W.II, the present day CAP converted to a benevolent, non-profit corporation under public law (36 USC 201-208). Its status as The Auxiliary of the Department of the U.S. Air Force was established under the CAP Supply Bill (10 USC 9441), in 1948. The CAP is dedicated to providing aerospace education, emergency services, and cadet programs for men and women interested in a career with the aerospace industry, or destined to join the armed services that fly. The CAP is an Equal Opportunity, non-discriminatory organization, open to men and women of all ages,
races and religions, regardless of ability or disability. The CAP is a VOLUNTEER organization composed of men and women who commit their personal time to service without pay. The CAP stands ready to deliver help during disasters, crisis situations, and events that are organized for the public interest. It delivers services to our youth, and maintains an integral role in the fight against drug abuse. Volunteer Action, Commitment to Service, and being Ready to Serve are all CORE VALUES of the CAP. The ideal member is self-starting, determined, inquisitive, and perhaps above all, patient. He/She is a representative of the core values stated above. The CAP actively recruits such individuals, and continually promotes members who have these qualities to manage and lead the organization. This makes membership worthwhile for everyone. For whatever opportunities you may find being a CAP member, you will be playing a vital role in the future
of America's aerospace programs. Like your local volunteer fire department, the CAP team For the purposes discussed above, proper training and qualification is a critical part of the CAP involvement
as mandated by the Air Force, particularly in Emergency Services. As an applicant to the CAP, you are going
to get your first exposure to what is an inevitable part of this place: paperwork. (There are few organizations
that you will ever belong to that you will be required to submit so much paperwork. Try to keep an upbeat attitude
about it, and you'll do O.K.). Due to unfortunate circumstances in recent years involving the interaction between adult and non-adult members
in various organizations, the Air Force and the Civil Air Patrol have mandated a ZERO
TOLERANCE policy regarding sexual harassment, abuse, discrimination, etc. This policy is incorporated
into the CAP membership application process. All member-candidates must submit to a background investigation,
which includes obtaining a set of fingerprints from the applying member to be reviewed by the Justice Department
for any criminal activity, prior to being approved, or disapproved, to join the CAP. There are no exceptions.
While intrusive, this process should be viewed as a measure meant to protect our greatest assets....our cadets.
i.e., paperwork again. There is basically a form for every action and mandate in the CAP and you must
stay on top of it all. Maintaining good records is a key to success in the CAP, and it can all be done by
being patient and not being overcome by it all. A requirement for participating in any CAP activities or training, and a mandate for remaining in the CAP, is the successful completion of the Level One - Cadet Protection course. All CAP members must complete this course within 2 years of becoming a member. Once this has been accomplished, the door to opportunities within the CAP begins to open. From this point, you determine if you wish to participate in the essentials of emergency services, which might
eventually include flying programs with the Civil Air Patrol. You will need more training to get to these
points, which brings us to the point of what qualifications you must have... For the majority of those who wish to join the CAP, there is one outstanding question: "When can I fly?" There are many who have heard rumors about getting free flight training, or "flying for free with the CAP." Please read the accompanying documentation located under "Training and Forms / CAP 'Flight Path'" to get the facts. Civil Air Patrol units such as this one maintain a level of emergency readiness, and the emphasis on
all flight activity is in preparation for scenarios that may require assistance on our part in a large scale operation.
This requires personnel who are onboard the aircraft to obtain a level of qualification for mission involvement.
All pilots who join the CAP must be "released" to fly prior to becoming Mission
Pilots, meaning that they must qualify for that task. These piloting requirements are stringent, involving
flight experience and medical certification beyond the FAA requirement. You may or may not be able to participate
in such tasks under certain training conditions. There will probably be non-piloting personnel, e.g., Scanners
and Observers with you in the aircraft
who must also be properly qualified to be there. Consider these roles, as they might be the best starting point
for you to fly in the CAP. CAP members must pay annual dues to the National Headquarters
of the Civil Air Patrol. These dues help maintain the business expenses of the entire organization. The
CAP HQ maintains documents and reviews the status of members who pay dues, and revokes membership for those
persons who discontinue paying them. So if YOU are contemplating joining the CAP, please consider the 7-6 Air Cavalry Squadron. Squadron meetings are held every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:30 PM at the Army Reserve Facility located at the:
or contact our Squadron Commander, Maj. Ted M Tessitore, at (713)254-5019, or e-mail at ted.tessitore@sbcglobal.net.
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