Stanton Flight Civil Air Patrol Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

STANTON, MN – On Tuesday, January 30, 2018, the new Stanton Flight of Civil Air Patrol held a one-year anniversary open house. The event was very well attended, with an estimated 80 guests from the surrounding communities coming to celebrate with the members of the flight.

The evening began with opening welcome remarks by Stanton Flight Commander Second Lieutenant Jeffrey Rezac and Cadet Flight Leader Staff Sergeant Abigail Rezac.

Colonel James Garlough, Minnesota Civil Air Patrol Wing Commander then presented the official unit charter to Lieutenant Rezac, thus making the Stanton Flight the 23rd Civil Air Patrol component in the state of Minnesota.

Lieutenant Rezac presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Major Stephen Wall, Commander of the Red Wing Composite Squadron for the work that he has done in forming and building the Stanton Flight. Over the past year Major Wall has dedicated hundreds of hours and driven thousands of miles to ensure the success of the Stanton Flight.

Following the cutting of the anniversary cake, guests were able to view exhibits showcasing the Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services missions of the Civil Air Patrol. Stanton Flight cadets and senior members were on hand to discuss and answer questions about various topics, including: uniforms, summer encampment, honor guard, flight training, rocketry and more.

Captain Randall Knox, Deputy Commander of Cadets for the Stanton Flight, who helped organize the event said “We were very pleased with the turnout; we were hoping for 60 guests-we got 80. This shows, I think, that the community is very supportive of the Civil Air Patrol, and we look forward to a very successful second year.”

Cadet Staff Sergeant Abigail Rezac added: “I am proud of all we accomplished regarding the open house and I am looking forward to recruiting and welcoming many new cadets in the near future!”

Lieutenant Rezac stated: “I want to thank all the members of the surrounding communities who came out to learn more about the Civil Air Patrol at our open house. We greatly appreciate that so many came and we look forward to welcoming the new prospective cadets and senior members who have already committed to come to our next meeting.”

The Stanton Flight of Civil Air Patrol meets weekly, 7:00 p.m. each Tuesday, in the operations building at Stanton Airfield, 1235 Highway 19, Stanton, MN 55018. All members of the community are welcome to visit. For more information, contact Lieutenant Jeffrey Rezac (jreza532@earthlink.net) or Captain Randall Knox (rsknox@gmail.com).

About the Civil Air Patrol

Civil Air Patrol (CAP), 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. Civil Air Patrol’s 56,000 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 24,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet program.

Performing missions for America for the past 75 years, CAP received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014 in honor of the heroic efforts of its World War II veterans.

CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.capvolunteernow.com for more information.

About Stanton Airfield

Stanton Airfield is a privately-owned, public airport located between the Twin Cities and Rochester, Minnesota. Pilots from all over the Midwest come to Stanton for the nostalgic feel, open skies, friendly atmosphere and to experience some of the greatest grass runway flying in the Midwest. Stanton Airfield is also home to the Minnesota Soaring Club.

Stanton Airfield, is owned by Stanton Sport Aviation, a shareholder-owned Minnesota corporation managed by a Board of Directors. Unlike most airports, no federal, state, or local financial support is received.

Dedicated owners and volunteers are the backbone of our organization. Stanton Airfield seeks to preserve grass roots aviation and provide a place for people to pursue recreational aviation now and into the future. For more information, visit www.stantonairfield.com.