Squadron 902

	Civil Air Patrol Willow Grove JRB Squadron 902
Historian Report for 2006

Squadron 902, Willow Grove JRB
Unit Historian’s Report for 2006
Submitted by 2Lt Heidi Weaver

Name of unit: Squadron 902, Willow Grove Joint Reserve Base Number of active members: Seniors: 18, Cadets: 52 Number of pilots: c/Lt Col Evan J. Conley c/Capt Joseph Semen Senior Officer Paul Foelster Mitchell Awards: None Earhart Awards: c/Capt Stephen A. Earp c/Capt William H. Walker Eaker Awards: c/Lt Col Dane V. Carroll Cadets to Military Academies: Air Force Academy - c/A1C Meagan Kuchan Annapolis - c/2Lt Jessica Johnson Certificate of Proficiency: Capt Rita League 1Lt Kevin Weaver Grover Loening Award: Capt Rita League PA Wing Cadet of the Year: c/Lt Col Evan J. Conley c/Lt Col Conley has successfully held positions of cadet commander of Squadron 902, PA Cadet Leadership School and PA Wing Encampment. He currently holds the position of captain of his collage flight team which again placed first qualifying for Nationals for the third straight year. “Lt. Col Conley’s enthusiasm for aviation is contagious and is quite noticeable when teaching aerospace education to both cadets and senior officers,” - Maj Julia Postupack Mission participation: 28 February ELT, Willow Grove JRB - Attendance:13 - Finds:1 11 March Group SAREX, Reading, PA - Attendance:13 (from 902) 17 March ELT, Willow Grove JRB - Attendance:11 - Finds:0 23 March ELT, Willow Grove JRB - Attendance:1 (Maj James J Weller) - Finds:1 29-30 April Hagerstown, MA Mission - Attendance:13 (from 902) - Finds:0 5-6 May Ft Indiantown Gap Wing SAR Evaluation 1 ground team plus 2 members in ground branch Exercise 6 May Northumberland, PA ELT - Attendance:10 Finds:0 6 May Northumberland, PA Sight security mission - Attendance:10 12-14 May French Creek, PA Ranger Weekend –run by 902 - Attendance:21 (From 902) Exercise 30 June - 2 July Willow Grove - Attendance:1 (from 902, TFO Brian Cuce) Disaster Relief (flooding in eastern PA) 11-12 August Sea Girt, NJw/NJ AFNG - Attendance:6 (from 902) Exercise 12 November Willow Grove - Attendance:4 Exercise 18 November Willow Grove - Attendance:3 Exercise 2 December near Quakertown, PA ELT - Attendance:1 (from 902) Finds:1 (Maj Julia Postupack) Special activities participation: 3-4 March - Combined training weekend-summer PA programs - Attendance:7 (from 902) 9 March - Tour of 913th at Willow Grove, PA - Attendance:34 18 March - Battleship New Jersey tour 21-29 July - Cadet Encampment - Attendance:16 (from 902) Staff positions: Chaplain: 2Lt Alvianette Kennedy Director of Information/IT/Webmaster/Chief TAC Officer: Capt Russell J Semen Director of Medical Affairs: Maj Julia A Postupack Nursing Officer: Capt Rita Marie League Assistant Health Services Officer: 1Lt Louis A Vitiello Training Officer: TFO Brian J Cuce Part Time Support Staff: 2Lt Raymond F Kase Cadet Support Staff: Liaison: c/Lt Col Evan J Conly Medic: c/Lt Col Matthew J Postupack Cadet Staff: Executive Officer: c/Maj Dane V Carrol Activities: 23 August - Atlantic City Air Show - Attendance:13 21 September - Willow Grove JRB Fire House tour 22-24 September - Niagara Falls Trip Attendance:3 (from 902) 30 September - 907 Banquet Attendance:3 (from 902) - Lieutenants Kevin and Heidi Weaver from squadron 902 were given a certificate of appreciation for running 907’s rocketry program. 9-12 November - Pensacola Trip Attendance-9 (from 902) 1-3 December - BCOP and NCOA at Squadron 904 - Attendance: Staff: 9 BCOP: 8 NCOA: 3 Course Participation: 24-26 March - TLC course Attendance-2 (Maj Julia Postupack, Capt Russ Semen) 24-25 June - SLS Attendance-1 (TFO Brian Cuce) 19-20 August - CLC Attendance-3 (Capt Russ Semen, 1 Lt Kevin Weaver and 2 Lt Heidi Weaver) 26 August - Ops training (at IPT) Attendance-1 (1 Lt Kevin Weaver) 13-15 October - Pennsylvania Wing Conference Attendance-9 4-5 November - SLS (SM Gerry Jansen, Capt Rita League) Attendance-3 Community Service: 11 June - 111th Family Day at Willow Grove JRB Attendance-4 18-19 June - Willow Grove Air Show 9 September - Wings Field Vintage Aircraft Day & Classic Car Show Attendance- 11 17 December Toys For Tots Highlight of Unit’s activities for 2006: Hagerstown Mission Squadron 902 sent a full ground team to support a search for a missing aircraft just north of Hagerstown, Maryland, from April 29-May 1. The team from 902 joined ground team members from West Virginia & Virginia Wings and from other Pennsylvania squadrons to make an oversized team of slightly more than twenty members. Their task was to search the ridgeline just west of Mercerburg, PA. The team’s area of responsibility was more than a mile long and covered 800 vertical feet of forest and boulder field. The team spent all Saturday afternoon climbing and traversing the ridge, giving its best effort. There was good camaraderie among the members of the team, even though the members from the various squadrons had never met before. The aircraft was found the next day, in an area to the south of where 902 had been searching. – Capt Kevin Weaver Willow Grove Air Show Squadron 902 provided support for the Willow Grove Air Show again in 2006. Squadron 902 seniors and cadets staffed booths both in the hangar and out on the tarmac, providing CAP and Squadron 902 information for the public that came by. Additional support was given to 913th Security Forces Squadron by the cadets. They helped to direct traffic both coming to the show and going home. The commander and staff of the 913th were impressed enough with the conduct of the 902 cadets that they presented each cadet and senior member with one of their unit challenge coins. – Capt Russ Semen 2006 PA Summer Encampment Continuing the tradition of supporting the Pennsylvania Wing Encampment, 902 senior and cadet members showed up in force so that the Encampment would be a success. The staffing positions ranged from Encampment Commander, to Medical Officer, Communications Officer, Chief TAC Officer, Web Master and TAC Officers on the senior staff and cadets Carroll, Conley, Walker, and Postupack on Cadet Staff. Additionally, four new cadets from 902 participated in the training as students. It was a highly successful Encampment that featured the return of the mile run which all the cadets finished on the final day. – Capt Russ Semen Wings Field Vintage Aircraft Day & Classic Car Show The Angel Flight East organization was the host of this event and named this event in honor of the American Troops serving abroad. CAP and military aircraft were invited for the first time in the history of this event to support their theme. During the show, cadets and senior members from squadrons 902 and 907 took part in assisting the spectators with parking and crowd control, CAP recruitment, CAP aircraft static demo and wing walking. In attendance was PAWG Commander Col. Appleblaum who presented the cadets with a PAWG Challenge Coin. Later on in the day, the cadets participated in O – Flights to close-out the event. – 2Lt Don Pond Niagara Falls Trip A trio of cadets from Squadron 902, Larry Patchell, Kelly Morris, and I were permitted to attend a trip that was sponsored by the PAWG and coordinated by Pilot/Captain Pompei. Our trip to Niagara Falls, NY, started with our departure at Quakertown Airport in a CAP aircraft to Pittsburgh, PA where we met up with cadets from squadrons 603, 605, & 711 (total of 19 cadets) and proceeded to Niagara Falls in a 911TH Air Lift Wing USAF Reserve C-130 aircraft, with only one stop at McGuire AFB to pick up some medical reservists. The weekend tour included a visit to the Niagara Aviation Museum, a boat ride on the “Maid of Mist” where we got soaked from viewing the falls and additionally, we did a walking tour of the Canadian side of the falls since the military vans were not allowed to leave the U.S.A. After a very long and fun weekend of getting wet and seeing the sights, the cadets hopped back onto the C-130 with our souvenirs and pictures and returned home. I will never forget that amazing trip since it was my first flight on a military aircraft and meeting other cadets from the other part of the state. We also had the opportunity to swap squadron patches. – c/Amn Ryan Young Special events conducted during 2006: French Creek Ranger Weekend Over Mother's Day weekend, Squadron 902 conducted its semiannual ground team training weekend at French Creek State Park in Elverson, PA. The weekend began with initial camp set up on Friday evening and concluded Sunday afternoon. Initial training classes started Friday evening to acclimate participants to wilderness living and campsite security. Saturday, participants engaged in a variety of hands on instruction from basic to advanced ground team member skills completing classroom instruction in specialties like GTM3 through GTM1, GTL, MRO, GBD, MSO, and others as well as learning leadership and survival skills as supplemental training. Sunday consisted of a several hour search and rescue exercise where students were able to apply the skills learned the previous day in a simulated training environment. Students were able to DF on an ELT and conduct patient treatment, packaging, and extrication as well as a missing person's search for a second "pilot." – TFO Brian Cuce BCOP/NCOA The Basic Cadet Orientation Program (BCOP) is designed to take very new cadets and educate them about all aspects of the Civil Air Patrol program. By participating in BCOP, new cadets will gain a better understanding of the program they are involved in; and the cadets will also be better suited for their future in CAP. The BCOP program is an essential part of preparing basic cadets for their participation in encampment and other CAP activities. The Non-commissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) is designed to take cadets who have a good grasp on the CAP program and further their knowledge in leadership. A crucial part of the program is to ease the transition from followership to leadership, which is an education that will provide these cadets with a better understanding of the NCO grades. NCOA is a big help for cadets who will be attending CLS and other advanced leadership schools. This past Group 3/4/800 BCOP and NCOA was held at Quakertown Airport on December 1, 2, and 3, 2007. There were over 50 cadet participants in the two programs, supported by the seniors and cadet staff. It was led by Squadrons 904, with heavy support from Squadron 902. – MAJ Julia Postupack Special awards presented to unit from CAP, community, organizations, etc. Unit Citation Awarded at Wing Conference at Harrisburg Squadron 902 coins presented as gifts from c/Lt Col Evan Conley and c/Lt Col William Walker Certificates and coins from 913th Security Forces Squadron – see paragraph on Willow Grove Air Show, above Other information which is felt worthy of being recorded: New Squadron 902 shirt New 902 Ranger shirt Squadron 902 coin	Squadron 902 Shirt, Front
	Squadron 902 Shirt, Back
	Squadron 902 Shirt, Front Logo
	Squadron 902 Ranger Shirt, Front
	Squadron 902 Ranger Shirt, Back
	Squadron 902 Ranger Shirt, Front Logo
	Squadron 902 Challenge Coin
	Squadron 902 Senior Chain Of Command
	Squadron 902 Historian Report

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