last modified: Wednesday, June 16, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAXWELL AFB, Ala. — A trained group of civilians played an important role in security for the recent G8 Economic Summit at Sea Island, Ga. At the request of the Air Force, Civil Air Patrol members flew training, security and transportation missions from May 19 until the summit ended on June 10.

Between May 19 and June 5, CAP members flew 63 sorties for a total of 142 hours. Their missions included radar evaluation, interceptor target support for training, communications support and transportation.

“CAP participation has been invaluable to the validation and training of the G8 Summit Air Defense Sector preparation,” said Maj. Jim Millovich of 1st Air Force. In some of its assigned missions, CAP planes posed as suspicious targets to test the nature and speed of military response in the event of a terrorist attack.

On June 6, CAP flew two sorties for the Air Force to provide aerial images of key conference locations. CAP is able to provide this capability because its aircraft recently have been outfitted with satellite digital imaging systems. Such systems allow CAP to capture images from the air with a digital camera and then transmit the images via satellite phone to e-mail recipients on the ground – all in a matter of minutes.

According to Lt. Col. Randy Mathis, director of operations for Headquarters CAP-USAF, the Air Force was pleased with the imagery mission results and used some of the images in a briefing prepared this week for the Air Force Northern Command, NORAD, and the Air Force Homeland Security Directorate.

Until June 12, CAP crews in the Sea Island area remained on alert to provide satellite digital imaging and/or transportation support as needed for the military and governmental groups securing the location.

“CAP’s participation in the G8 Summit demonstrates the quality of service our members provide,” said CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Richard Bowling. “It’s a tribute to our members that the Air Force would ask them to participate in such an important international event.”

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, CAP has provided training support for the Air Force. With its fleet of 550 single-engine aircraft and thousands of trained volunteers, CAP can help the Air Force train its personnel under realistic conditions at a low cost. The cost to put a CAP plane in the air can be as low as $90 per hour, compared to the higher cost of using military aircraft as simulated targets.

CAP squadrons from throughout the Southeast Region took part in the G8 Summit. Included were members from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Civil Air Patrol, the official Air Force auxiliary, is a nonprofit organization with almost 62,000 members nationwide. 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.

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