Cadets from the Peachtree City-Falcon Field Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) recently joined nearly 200 other CAP members from across Georgia – as well as Alabama, South Carolina and Nebraska – for the annual CAP Georgia Wing encampment held at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia.

The Peachtree City-Falcon Field cadets that participated in the encampment were: C/Amn Nathan Bernth of Peachtree City; C/SrA Benjamin Casado of Fayetteville; C/Amn Joshua Conant of Fayetteville; C/A1C William Dee II of Peachtree City; C/A1C Andrew Farrell of Peachtree City; C/2d Lt Sydney Hedden of Molena; C/Amn Kayley Holloway of Peachtree City; C/Amn Matthew Janinda of Tyrone; C/A1C Daniel Kimani of Fairburn; C/2d Lt Cara Leary of Peachtree City; C/Lt Col Christopher Murray of Fayetteville; C/CMSgt Adam Pendleton of Brooks; C/Amn John Posey of Peachtree City; C/CMSgt Andrea Rivera of Sharpsburg; C/SSgt Ryan Thomas of Peachtree City.

The seven-day encampment offered cadets an intense training program with a series of activities that equipped cadets with skills that are useful in their CAP careers; and in life. Cadets engaged in drill and physical training; employed military customs and courtesies; and learned the value of honor, discipline and teamwork. Highlights among the full schedule of activities included rappelling, M-16 firearms training, orientation flights aboard UH-60 Blackhawks and C-130 Hercules aircraft, and land navigation

Cadet Christopher Murray served on the Support Staff as the Land Navigation Instructor. Murray trained over 100 cadets in daytime land navigation, in which the cadets learned the skills needed to read maps and locate targets using a compass and coordinate system.

Awards were presented to cadets based on their personal achievements, determination, diligence, military bearing, and conduct that best exemplifies CAP’s core values of integrity, excellence and respect. Only seven cadets were honored with individual awards. The Peachtree City-Falcon Field cadets captured five of the seven individual awards, and numerous Commander’s Coins.

Cadet Andrew Farrell was presented with the Honor Cadet Award. Farrell was chosen from among approximately 115 cadets for this prestigious award. Farrell also received a Commander’s Coin.

Cadet Sydney Hedden was assigned as a flight commander for one of the nine flights into which the cadets were organized for the encampment. Cadet Hedden was presented with the Most Outstanding Officer Award. Moreover, the flight that cadet Hedden commanded was awarded the Encampment Honor Flight.

Cadets Joshua Conant and Matthew Janinda were members of the honor flight, and contributed to the flight’s victory in various flight competitions leading to the coveted honor flight award. Cadet Janinda was the guidon bearer for the honor flight. Cadets Dee, Kimani and Pendleton were also selected to be guidon bearers for their respective flights.

Cadet Kayley Holloway received the Most Improved Cadet Award. She also won the Fleet Foot Award for fastest female runner in the mile run; and was awarded a Commander’s Coin.

Cadet Andrea Rivera served on the Support Staff as an Administrative Officer. Rivera was presented the Most Outstanding NCO Award. She also received a Commander’s Coin, and had the privilege of serving on the color guard during graduation and the Pass in Review ceremony. Brigadier General J.L. Napper served as Reviewing Officer of the ceremony, and presented the graduation address. Brigadier General J.L. Napper is the commanding General of the 7th Signal Command (Theater), United States Army.

The encampment also included a specialized Regimental Noncommissioned Officer Academy program. This program equipped cadets with the knowledge and practical skills needed for leadership at the NCO level. Cadet Cara Leary was chosen to be a Flight Commander in the NCO Academy. Also, Cadet Leary and Cadet Hedden were presented with the General Billy Mitchell Award at the encampment. The Mitchell Award is the second milestone award of the cadet program. The award is earned after completing the first eight achievements of the cadet program, and passing an arduous comprehensive exam testing leadership theory and aerospace topics.

Civil Air Patrol – the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force – is a nonprofit organization with 57,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center; and was credited with saving 90 lives in fiscal year 2008. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 22,000 young people (12 – 21) currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 67 years. For more information, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com. Also, visit the Peachtree City-Falcon Field Composite Squadron at www.gawg.cap.gov/GA116/.

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