The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program

James Erickson, Announcements Department, Video Editor|October 17, 2022

Image Credit To: Greenville Journal

About The Civil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol is a program begun by the United States Army Air Forces (now the U.S. Air Force) in 1941 where cadets and senior members learn and teach about Aerospace, Meteorology, Military Drills, Bearing, and MORE! Cadets start as a CBC (Cadet Basic Course) and after an 8-week basic training (only every Tuesday with Northshore Composite Squadron) you are promoted to Cadet Airman – that’s when the fun starts! I’m not saying that CBC  isn’t fun, but when you are promoted to Airman, that’s when the REAL fun begins. By real fun, I mean that you get to take part in more C.A.P.-related activities.

C.A.P. Activities

There are a lot of C.A.P. Activities that cadets get to take part in, like simulation flights, all cadets get 5 orientation flights (where cadets get to fly in an aircraft – often Cessna 172’s and 182’s), as well as unlimited backseat rides in aircraft, our wing also has 2 gliders but they are not used that often. model rocketry, and encampment (pre-requisite boot camp (also it is needed for  National Cadet Special Activities). Those are basic activities that ALL cadets do. Sometimes squadrons plan special activities (like going to a movie theatre, an airport, a news station, etc)

Below is me during my first Orientation Flight!

Image credit to Silas Fetters, CAP

Uniforms

There are 6 different uniforms cadets wear during CAP activities (depending on rank).

Left is the male Cadet ABU uniform, Right is the Cadet/Senior Member Flight Suit

 

All of the above are the authorized male “Cadet Blues” uniforms

I apologize as there are no female uniforms pictured, I could not find any illustrations of female uniforms.

Squadrons & Opportunities

Squadron Info

My squadron is Northshore Composite Squadron, most likely (if you join) you will go here too because it is the closest and most local squadron around Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Brier. There are other squadrons around though. We also have been awarded 7 consecutive “Quality Cadet Unit” awards, meaning that the cadets in our squadron have excelled in the Cadet Program.

Opportunities

If you have C.A.P. on your resume for the military or any job that involves aviation, I can guarantee they will consider you. There is also the Cadet Wings program, yes, C.A.P. has its own private pilot flight school too, but this would be for later on in your C.A.P. career because you can’t apply for Cadet Wings until you are 17 years of age. There are many more opportunities that may arise in the future or ones that already exist but I cannot list them all.

Flight Management | Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol Mission Pilot Wings                                                                                                                                  Credit to: Oregon Wing, CAP

More Information

Please email me: ([email protected] or [email protected]) if you want to join, and I recommend you email me ASAP because the squadron open house for new cadets is on March 7th so please email me before then, preferably before the 6th. The open house gives you all of the important/more advanced information you will need. I also recommend you join with a friend, to be your wingman. (please CC them in the email if you do join with a friend) I will give you some basic information as well as the squadron address.

 

 

Sources: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/ , https://www.capnorthshore.com , https://www.wawg.cap.gov