MAXWELL AFB, Ala. — Cadets meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell and visits with House and Senate leaders were the highlights of Civil Air Patrol meetings in Washington, D.C. during the first week of March.
The cadets were in the nation’s capital for the first annual Civic Leadership Academy, during which they met and talked with Powell, who said he had been familiar with CAP’s work for many years. “You are the future,” Powell told the cadets. “We must develop character in the young people who will become tomorrow’s leaders, whether they join the military or serve their communities in other ways.”
The 24 cadets who attended are some of the country’s most outstanding young CAP members. During the week, they studied persuasive leadership, the branches of American government and the influence of lobbyists and the press, and ways to prepare for careers in public service. They also explored America’s heritage and visited several significant landmarks, including the Central Intelligence Agency, Arlington National Cemetery, the Supreme Court, and the U.S. State Department.
Especially memorable to the cadets were the fast-paced federal working groups addressing current issues in Haiti, the State situation room, and an underground tour of the Capitol, with its “crypt” and “whispering room.”
“This was definitely the best CAP activity I’ve ever attended,” said Cadet Christie Ducote of Gretna, La., who is commander of her local cadet squadron. “I learned new and amazing things about our government, especially about the most important branch – the judiciary – and all the supporting branches.”
Tara Guthrie, a junior at Auburn University who has been a CAP cadet in the Florida Wing since she was 12 years old, said the academy only helped cement her ambition to work in policy and advocacy on the Hill. “We were able to visit 12 Congressional offices during the week,” she said. “Having the opportunity to make those visits was a dream come true for me.”
Senior leaders for CAP’s 52 wings were also in D.C. during the week, meeting with lawmakers about CAP’s capabilities in emergency services, homeland security and aerospace education. Several of the cadets went along for the visits to their respective lawmakers, contributing their perspective on the cadet program and its impact in their home communities. “It was a great privilege to meet with Senator Biden and Senator Carper,” said Katie Offen of Georgetown, Del. “To visit our nation’s capital and speak with two leading government officials was a very memorable experience. I consider it a major highlight in my cadet career.”
As the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, CAP receives some funding through Congressional appropriations. Most of its wings also receive funding through their states. During their visits, CAP leaders discussed state funding and other state issues with their lawmakers. They also requested support for CAP-related legislation pending in both the House and the Senate under the Public Safety Officer Benefit Act, which would include additional death benefits for CAP members performing Air Force-assigned missions. Legislation for such coverage currently has three sponsors in the Senate and 26 in the House and CAP is seeking additional support. H.R. 732 was sponsored by Rep. Darlene Hooley of Oregon, while the identical Senate bill S.693 was sponsored by Sen. W. Wayne Allard of Colorado and co-sponsored by Senators Norm Coleman and Mark Dayton of Minnesota. Other lawmakers supporting the bills are listed below.
As a prelude to the legislative visits, CAP sponsored a reception for Congressional members and staffers at the Rayburn Senate Building on March 3, 2004. Among those attending were Michael L. Dominguez, Assistant Air Force Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Brig. Gen. David Clary, USAF: Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, head of the CAP Congressional Squadron; Rep. Robert Scott of Virginia; Rep. Howard Coble of North Carolina, Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett of Maryland, Rep. Darell Issa of California and Rep. John Duncan, Jr. of Tennessee.
CAP’s week in Washington ended with the two-day semi-annual meeting of the CAP National Board, which is made up of wing commanders from all 52 wings (including the 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico), the CAP national officers, and the commander of CAP/U.S. Air Force. Among the business items was a presentation by representatives of Citizens Corps, a FEMA-sponsored organization which promotes homeland security on a community level. CAP is an affiliate member of Citizens Corps and is establishing guidelines to work with local Citizens Corps chapters throughout the nation.
Civil Air Patrol, the official Air Force Auxiliary, is a nonprofit organization with more than 62,000 members nationwide. It performs 95% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. 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.
______
Co-sponsors for H.R. 732
Rep. Neil Abercrombie (HI)
Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (SC)
Rep. Henry E. Brown, Jr. (SC)
Rep. Jerry F. Costello (IL)
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (IL)
Rep. Martin Frost (TX)
Rep. Christopher John (LA)
Rep. Tom Latham (IA)
Rep. Betty McCollum (MN)
Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz (TX)
Rep. Jim Ramstad (MN)
Rep. John M. Spratt, Jr. (SC)
Rep. Greg Walden (OR)
Rep. Robert E. Andrews (NJ)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR)
Rep. Dave Camp (MI)
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (TN)
Rep. Harold E. Ford, Jr. (TN)
Rep. Tim Holden (PA)
Rep. Ron Kind (WI)
Rep. James A. Leach (IA)
Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter (MI)
Rep. Collin C. Peterson (MN)
Rep. Mike Rogers (MI)
Rep. Thomas G. Tancredo (CO)
MEDIA RELEASE
