The Cobb County Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, hosted its first graduation for basic cadet students, where 12 young men and women, ages 12 to 18, were recognized for their progress in the program.
Starting this year, the squadron innovated its recruitment and training program, using a method called “Cohort Recruitment,” where a group of cadets joins all at once, trains together and graduates together. On March 7, the first group of these cadets graduated after working towards the rank of Cadet Airman for nearly three months.
Throughout the training period, the cadets learned the basics of drill, leadership, customs and courtesies, as well as took a flight in a Civil Air Patrol aircraft and learned the history of Civil Air Patrol.
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“These cadets have worked tirelessly and received the some of the necessary training to be our unit’s next leaders, and I believe they will flourish through their careers,” said Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Jamie Dewalt in a speech to the friends and family of the graduating class.
Some of the more senior cadets had the opportunity to use their leadership skills to train the basic cadets, instructing military drill and classes.
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Dewalt was also awarded the title of the most outstanding cadet staff member for this training period. Cadet Airman Katherine Perez was named the “most outstanding cadet” for her training cycle along with Cadet Airman Maury Duran, who was declared most improved.
The Cobb County Composite Squadron will host an open house on March 21 at 6:30 p.m. at 1901 McCollum Parkway in Kennesaw.
The Civil Air Patrol, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force, which consists of regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, along with Air Force retired military and civilian employees. CAP, in its Total Force role, operates a fleet of 550 aircraft and performs about 90-percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 78 lives annually.
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Civil Air Patrol’s 62,000 members nationwide also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Its members additionally play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 26,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet program.
For more information, visit ga090.cap.gov or email C/TSgt Gavin Miller at gavin.miller@gawg.cap.gov.