last modified: Tuesday, August 17, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Florida Wing members simultaneously working Charley missions and CAP national conference

MAXWELL AFB, Ala. — Hundreds of members of Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, are converging on Tampa this week for their annual national conference. At the same time, CAP members in Florida are also providing aerial assessment for areas affected by Hurricane Charley.

Florida air and ground assets and personnel that normally would have been used to support the conference have been diverted to the hurricane-related missions. CAP members are using digital cameras to capture images of the disaster sites and are transmitting them via satellite phone and e-mail to emergency response agencies on the ground.

The CAP national conference begins tomorrow at the Tampa Marriott Waterside and will draw hundreds of CAP members from throughout the nation. In conjunction with the conference, the CAP National Board will also meet in Tampa this week. The most important item on the board’s agenda will be the election of a new national commander for the all-volunteer organization, which has almost 61,000 members nationwide.

“Today’s missions – tomorrow’s technology” is the theme for this year’s conference. Presentations will include CAP’s new capabilities in satellite digital imaging and hyperspectral imaging for aerial reconnaissance. Members will also choose from more than 50 training seminars covering such areas as disaster relief, homeland security, drug demand reduction, communications, aerospace education, public relations and youth programs.

On Saturday morning, CAP will hold its national recognition program, during which the outgoing national commander, Maj. Gen. Richard L. Bowling of Knoxville, Tenn., will present special awards to those members who made special contributions during his three-year term of office. Gen. Bowling’s term was particularly significant in CAP’s history, since it coincided with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the crash of Space Shuttle Columbia, and several national disasters, including fires in the western United States and hurricanes Isabel and Charley.

Also during the awards ceremony, CAP will present national awards to outstanding members in a variety of mission and service categories. Included will be Air Force Association recognition of the CAP senior member and cadet of the year.

The conference will culminate in a banquet on Saturday evening. Speaking at the event will be Lt. Gen. John F. Regni, the new commander of the Air Force’s premier training division, Air University. Following the banquet, Gen. Regni will also preside at the official Change of Command ceremony for the incoming CAP national commander.

In Florida, CAP currently has 86 squadrons and almost 4,100 members, making it one of the most active wings in the organization. Nationally, CAP performs 95% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the almost 27,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 60 years.


NOTE TO EDITORS:

Within 24 hours, CAP will release more information on the Florida Wing’s involvement in disaster relief for areas affected by Hurricane Charley.

Attached is a conference schedule. Please contact Melanie LeMay of CAP National Headquarters Public Relations, to arrange coverage for any events or for more information. You may reach her any time by mobile phone at 334-787-0352.

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