Fox Cities Composite Squadron - Civil Air Patrol

For the first time in the history of Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a Wisconsin Wing Color Guard has placed in the top three teams in the nation.  The Fox Cities Composite Squadron Color Guard team located in Appleton, Wisc., competed in the 2011 National Cadet Competition held June 23-26 at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, placing third overall in the nation.  

Each of CAP’s eight regions was represented by a four-person color guard and a 13-person drill team.  Competing among one hundred fifty-two highly-skilled CAP cadets from across America, including Puerto Rico, the team also won first place overall in the Color Guard category for the Mile Run and Outdoor Practical Drill and placed second in Standard Drill. 

The team represented the Great Lakes Region as well as Wisconsin at the prestigious inspection and drill event that spans seven decades.  Though Drill Teams have always been a part of the competition, it was not until the past 20 years that Color Guards were allowed to compete.

Members of the Wisconsin Color Guard team were:

Cadet Technical Sergeant Michael Lang, Color Guard commander, Neenah, Wisc.

Cadet Senior Master Sergeant David Ama, Green Bay, Wisc.

Cadet Master Sergeant Jacob Reuter, Menasha, Wisc.

Cadet Master Sergeant Evan Thomsen, Hortonville, Wisc.

Cadet Master Sergeant Alex Roberts, alternate, Green Bay, Wisc.

Team escorts included Majors Jacqueline Miller, Nina Schmitt and Terrance Schmitt.

The youth demonstrated their skills in events that involved precision and teamwork, including standard drill movements, indoor and outdoor posting of the American flag and knowledge of aerospace and leadership related topics, including a written exam and panel quiz, as well as physical fitness challenge involving a mile run.  Prizes were awarded for individual scores as well as overall awards in each category.

“The Color Guard team motto of ‘Happy teams don't need trophies.’ served the team well at the Wing, Region, and National competitions” stated Colonel Clarence Peters, the Wisconsin Wing commander.  “The motto emphasized the Wisconsin Wing tradition of cooperation, hard work, perseverance, and dedication.”

For months, the team worked hard to achieve this honor.  Their dedication to the flag and country is what drove these young men to learn how to properly honor their country’s symbol of freedom.

"Four or so years ago, our team was just barely beginning to understand what (being on the) color guard meant.  Over these years, the color guard has taught me to be a better leader, strengthened my knowledge, and made me the person I am today” stated Cadet Senior Master Sergeant David Ama.  “Now as I leave for active duty with the Navy I know that my team will always strive for excellence and shoot for the stars."

Thrilled about placing third in the nation for Color Guard, Cadet Technical Sergeant Michael Lang, commander of the Color Guard, stated "…it has been the best three years of my life.”  He explains that “If you have a love for your country and the flag you will love color guard.”

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 61,000 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 113 lives in fiscal year 2010. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 26,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 69 years. It is a major partner with Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. For more information on Civil Air Patrol, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com.

(Photo by:  Captain Jeri Gonwa) 

Holding the awards which were won at the 2011 National Cadet Competition for Civil Air Patrol are Left to Right:   Cadets Master Sergeant Evan Thomsen and Jacob Reuter; Cadet Technical Sergeant Michael Lang, Color Guard commander; Colonel Robert Karton, Great Lakes Region commander; Cadet Senior Master Sergeant David Ama; Cadet Master Sergeant Alex Roberts, alternate.

(Photo by: Captain Jeri Gonwa) 

Standing at attention for inspection of their uniforms, the 3rd Place Color Guard winners are looking sharp.  Left to Right:  Cadet Master Sergeant Jacob Reuter; Cadet Technical Sergeant Michael Lang, Color Guard commander; Cadet Senior Master Sergeant David Ama and Cadet Master Sergeant Evan Thomsen.

(Photo by: Tom Roberts)

Major Terrance Schmitt, team escort; Cadet Master Sergeant Jacob Reuter; Major Jacqueline Miller, team escort; Cadet Technical Sergeant Michael Lang, Color Guard commander; Major Robert Koehler, Fox Cities Composite Squadron commander; Cadet Senior Master Sergeant David Ama; Cadet Master Sergeant Evan Thomsen; Major Nina Schmitt, Lead Team Escort; Cadet Master Sergeant Alex Roberts, alternate.

This past weekend the Fox Cities Composite Squadron Color Guard was awarded first place in the Great Lakes Region Cadet Competition and will be advancing to the National Competition in June, one of just eight teams nationally!

After consulting with my staff it has been decided that the meeting for tonight, 19 April 2011, has been cancelled due to current and forcasted weather.

I apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your dedication to our program, have a safe and productive evening.

ROBERT P. KOEHLER, Major, CAP 
Commander
Fox Cities Composite Squadron

Due to the impending weather, we will be re-scheduling the O-Flight Rally to next Wednesday, 27 April. This means that you do not have to miss school this Wednesday, 20 April, but instead on 27 April. 

On 27 April, we will be meeting at the squadron at 0700 and cadets should be in BDUs and bring a lunch and CAPID. 

Sorry for any confusion, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email or call 1st Lt Bertram.

There will be no meeting tonight due to the forecasted weather and road conditions.

1st Place winners - Fox Cities Composite Squadron Color Guard. L to R - C/SSgt Jacob Reuter, C/SSgt Michael Lang (color guard commander), C/MSgt David Ama, and C/TSgt Evan Thomsen.

The annual Civil Air Patrol Cadet Competition for Wisconsin was held March 19 with Fox Cities Composite Squadron, located at the Outagamie County Airport in Appleton, winning first place overall for Color Guard. The team will advance to the 2011 Great Lakes Region Competition held at the Illinois Military Academy in Camp Lincoln, Illinois National Guard, Springfield, IL on May 6-8 where they will compete against teams from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.

Teams are judged in this one day event in Indoor and Outdoor Practical Drill, Standard Drill, In-Rank Inspection, Written Exam and Quiz Bowl. Fox Cities won first place in In-Ranks Inspection and Standard Drill. Cadet Master Sergeant David Ama, also of Fox Cities Composite Squadron, won first place for highest score in the written exam.

“As the competition neared completion, there was clearly no team ahead as the scores were so close, making for a very exciting conclusion,” said Major Robert Koehler. “As the Fox Cities Composite Squadron Commander, I was proud to see the skill and knowledge demonstrated by my team and excited to see them moving onto the Great Lakes Region Cadet Competition in May.”

Major Joseph Hackett, director of cadet programs said “This year’s competition really brought out the best in Wisconsin Wing cadets and how they value and implement the Core Values of Civil Air Patrol; especially when they are asked to be flexible when things don't go according to plans.”

The Fox Cities Composite Squadron’s Color Guard team is:  Cadet Master Sergeant David Ama, Cadet Tech Sergeant Evan Thomsen, and Cadet Staff Sergeants Michael Lang (color guard commander) and Jacob Reuter. Team escorts are Majors Terrance Schmitt and Jacqueline Miller, and 1st Lieutenant Monica Bertram.

Winning second place overall was Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5, located at the National Guard Armory in Oak Creek, Wis. Third place overall winner was won by Racine Composite Squadron, located at the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s Battery C, 1st Battalion in Racine, Wis.

Article written and photos taken by:

JERI GONWA, 1st Lt, CAP
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Wisconsin Wing

EAA Aviation Center, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  The Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. proudly announces that Nicholas Sosinski of Oshkosh, WI has been accepted to attend the EAA Basic Air Academy 2011 in Oshkosh, WI.

This new award was implemented in November 2010 and is given to squadrons who have strong program fundamentals. Motivating the squadrons to obtain goals leads to a vibrant cadet program and is purely objective.

Criteria for the cadet and composite squadrons composed of meeting five of the eight items listed below.

1. First Year Cadet Achievement.  At least 33% of first year cadets in e unit must earn the Wright Brothers Award during the previous calendar year.
2. Cadet Officer Achievement.  At least 4 cadets in the unit must earn the Mitchell, Earhart, Eaker, or Spaatz Award during the calendar year.
3. Orientation Flights.  40% of cadets on the unit roster must receive at least one orientation flight during the previous calendar year.
4. Encampment.  40% of cadets who were in their first or second year of membership during the previous calendar year must have completed an encampment as a first-time attendee.
5. Aerospace.  The unit must have earned the Aerospace Excellence Award (having completed 6 AEX activities and a 2 hour aerospace event) during the previous year.
6. Membership Growth.  The unit must show cadet membership growth of 10% for the previous calendar year, or a growth of 10 cadets for the previous calendar year.
7. Membership Retention.  The unit must retain at least 40% of the first year cadets from the previous calendar year.
8. Adult Leadership.  At least one senior member on the unit roster must complete the Training Leaders of Cadets course during the previous calendar year, or the unit must have three senior members on its roster who have completed TLC in the previous two calendar years. 

Each unit is automatically entered in this yearly award with the cutoff date of December 31Since units electronically post their cadets records on the national data base, it is easy for national headquarters to keep track of the items listed for the criteria, thus eliminating the need to apply for this award. Each unit is automatically entered in this yearly award with the cutoff date of December 31.

1st Lt Sam Parker, who is a SSgt in the United States Air Force, is seen here carrying the Fox Cities Composite Squadron Guidon in Kabul, Afghanistan.