Wyoming Wings

June 2010

Wyoming Wings
The Wyoming Wings is an authorized magazine published three times a year in the interest of the members of Wyoming Wing, Civil Air Patrol. The printers are a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Air Force or Civil Air Patrol. Opinions expressed by the publishers and writers are their own and not to be considered official expression by Civil Air Patrol or the Air Force. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including supplements and inserts, does not constitute an endorsement by Civil Air Patrol or the Department of the Air Force of products and services advertised.

Letter from the Editor

Captain Jeanne stone-Hunter
I want to thank everyone who makes this magazine a success. Without the input of our members there would be no Wyoming Wings magazine. You may notice that some units have a lot of articles. I challenge the other units, especially the cadets, to send me their info too! I would love to have so many articles from each unit that the magazine would have to be expanded, or so that an entire section could be dedicated to each squadron or flight! If you read an article elsewhere you think would be of interest to your fellow members, just let me know. In most cases, we can reprint it. If you plan to participate in any squadron or wing activities, take your camera and send me the pictures with either an article about the event or just a few words describing the photos. If youre leading an activity, send me the info ahead of the event and Ill get it in the magazine. Not a good writer? No problem. Send me anything hand written, typed, misspelled words, poor grammar, whatever. Ill edit your submission before publication. Great articles could be written about your experiences outside CAP where your CAP training has provided you an advantage, events you attend with other Wings or at the national level and in some cases activities not related to CAP which other Wing members will find interesting. Thanks Again!


H HEADQUARTERS H
Wyoming Wing Civil Air Patrol Bldg. 233 Warren AFB (307) 773-4519 Fax (307) 773-4783

H MAiling ADDRESS H
Wyoming Wing Civil Air Patrol P. O. Box 9507 Cheyenne, WY 82003-9507 Wing Commander Colonel stan skrabut Editor 1st Lt. Jeanne stone-Hunter For information on advertising rates and space, please call 1-800-635-6036

2010 Civil Air Patrol Annual Conference

San Diego Marriott Marina September 1-4, 2010
Dear CAP Member, You are cordially invited to attend the 2010 CAP Annual Conference & National Board in San Diego, California, Sept. 1-4. Take this opportunity to meet with members and leaders from across the country or take advantage of the many seminars that will be offered. To register you can visit www.capmembers.com/events and select the Annual Conference & National Board Option. The hotel cutoff for the discounted rate of $149 ends on July 31. If you register online by this date, you will be entered automatically into the drawing for a free laptop computer to be given away at the conference.

see you in san Diego!

 

Ad ve n t u re s o f a R o o k i e ,
Part II
I have a confession. Every time I get in the air, I feel like I am getting away with something. Feelings of guilty pleasure turn the corners of my mouth into a permanent smile when airborne. When the good thing comes to an end, I am not disappointed; I am filled with the joy of having flown. Of course, one thing you must know is that I live in one of the most remarkable places on the planet. How can you fly over Eagle Peak, the highest peak in Yellowstone National Park, and not marvel at the snow covered 11,358 foot summit. Ive seen it countless times from the ground. Cold winter days, looking over the frozen expanse of Yellowstone Lake, telling my then snowmobile clients about that peak which sits deep within the volcanic Absoroka Mountains. Ive seen it once By Kathy Clay

The Red Hills of the gros Ventre Drainage

from the air. Pilot Tim Cully and I had a mission. We departed Jackson Hole Airport two days after Christmas and flew the Teton Range to the south in quest of photographing avalanches. A

Teton Range in December 2009 

light snow fall year left us empty handed for avalanche images so we headed east over our little town of Jackson and north over the elk refuge. Acres and acres of yellow grasslands below and a herd of elk making a water crossing captured our view. Over Pacific Creek, Pilgram Creek, by Huckleberry Mountain and an eastern turn before Mount Sheridan. Tim watched the vertical plume of a geyser erupting below. It was a winter wonderland below. Cracks cut across a frozen Yellowstone Lake and soon we passed over Sylvan Pass. The snow-covered landscapes changed to hues of golds and browns. We landed in Cody to enjoy a hot cup of coffee as our plane was fueled. The day remained blue sky and turbulent-free. We took to


the sky again and headed southeast toward Owl Pass. Having spent a summer horse pack trip in the Shoshone Wilderness, I am captivated by the practically inaccessible Washakie Needles which lie at the southern end of the Absoraka Range. My excitement level increased when I realized we were heading just to the south of those twin peaks. Tim flew me on a remarkable visual journey of the Washakie

Washakie needles, Shoshone Wilderness

Flows of lava Mountain, Bridger-Teton national Forest

Needles and I struggled with the constant conflict of interest in looking through the lens, anxious to capture the beauty below, and the anguish at not looking at it without the camera in the way. This most remote and enchanting country reeks of mystery and intrigue. A pass over Lava Mountain revealed its name sake. I had been all around this mountain in the winter on a snowmobile but now, from the air, seeing its folded snow-covered lava flow, I gained a new appreciation for its title. Images were captured of
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BElOW: Eagle Peak, Yellowstone national Park

a repeater tower perched on the top of Lava Mountain and we began our journey back home, flying down the Gros Ventre drainage. Looking down to the stick figure trees, which remain from the Purdy Fire of 2006, we soared over a drainage filled with hills of color. I looked up Crystal Creek drainage and issued out a silent hello to my friends who manage the lovely Red Rock Dude Ranch. The red hills color the landscape out my window and I capture their winter sugar-coated beauty. Full circle back over the refuge with a north heading then turning south for a fine landing, I step out of the Cessna knowing again what delight it is to be filled with the joy of having flown! H

Heather Gould Gains Unparalleled Access to Nations Capital Through Civil Air Patrol Academy
(DATELINE, CHEYENNE, Wyo.) Heather Gould of Sheridan, participated in the Civil Air Patrols Civic Leadership Academy from Feb. 20 to Feb. 27 in Washington, D.C., one of 24 top cadets selected for this activity. The CLA, an academically intense, interactive study of U.S. government in action, provides participants the opportunity to grow as citizens and young leaders through lessons in persuasive leadership, federal government, public service careers and American heritage. Gould, a member of the Wyoming Wing, Cloud Peak Composite Squadron has distinguished herself in numerous ways. Her accomplishments include: Major General John F. Curry Award, Billy Mitchell Award, Flight Commander, Amelia Earhart Award, Wright Brothers Award, Solo Pilot Rating, Ground Team Member Levels 3 and 2 and Public Affairs Officer. Gould, has been a CAP cadet since 2005. Civic Leadership Academy provides cadets an unrivaled opportunity to gain a wellrounded understanding of leadership, public service and the principles that guide our nation, said Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, CAPs national commander and
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CLAs founding director. This activity empowers our cadets to apply those principles in their own lives and to be thoughtful participants in our nations future. There is a real career thread running throughout the program, according to Lt. Col. Bill Brockman, CLA activity director and founding faculty member. In addition to a blend of field trips, lectures, seminars and assigned readings from historic and current sources, Gould and the other CLA cadets will visit the U.S. Capitol; the Supreme Court; the State Department; Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the Central Intelligence Agency; the Pentagon; legislative offices; and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, as well as World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Women in Military Service and Lincoln memorials. They will also encounter VIP speakers at these locations who will provide insights designed to deepen their understanding of government in action. Their CLA tasks will culminate with a final project a presentation on their CLA experience they will give to their peers in their home squadrons and wings. The success of CLA has been to keep the cadets engaged

in activities they could not do on their own, said Brockman. The cadets are not just learning about government, but also, how to interact with government, how they can be involved to make a difference, and how to look for internship opportunities. In recognition of the programs outstanding academic value, The National Association of Secondary School Principals has again placed CLA on the National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2009-10. In addition to their activities, Gould and the other CLA cadets will participate in CAPs 2009 Legislative Day on Feb. 25 by working alongside their wing commanders to brief legislators on how CAPs primary missions search and rescue, emergency services, aerospace education and cadet programs have benefited their communities. Legislative Day will be held in conjunction with CAPs Winter National Board meeting, which is slated for Feb. 2627 at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, Va. The CAP National Board consists of 69 members representing each state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, within the organizations eight regions. The board is CAPs policy-making arm
Continued on page 35 . . . 9

CAPs SLS Course You can do it the Hard Way Or The Easy Way

You Choose
By Lt. Col. mike Carlson CAP has a few courses out there that help us, as Senior Members, develop in our CAP career. The first one out of the blocks is the Squadron Leadership School (SLS). There is a new revised (SLS) version, and is being offered as an Online course or one it can be put on the Old Fashioned way. Ive just finished the on-line IG course. It was sort-a-Ok, but Im a teacher and like the Old Fashion ways of instruction. I like to see faces and the interaction that takes place. The course was touted to take only 6 hrs. Guess Im not that smart and took twice that, stretched over 5 days. But . On-line courses can be done at your leisure. I was asked to fill-in as instructor to an SLS

course and I enlisted the help of Capt. Robert Giese. The SLS Course was being run the same time (27-28 March) as a Commanders Call and a Mountain Fury Course at the Parkway Plaza in Casper. Instead of having classrooms close to the check-in area we were put out back in a building that is part of a Putt-putt arcade. The Mountain Fury folks got the downstairs area while we and the Commanders Call folks got the upstairs. Heat tends to rise and thats what happened here. The upstairs was pumping out the heat while downstairs was cold. A bit of ventilation and the situation became tolerable to continue. Three senior members signed-up for the course: 2nd Lt. John Thorne (Wing), 1st Lt. Allen Martin (Casper), and 2nd Lt. Theodore Twiford (Casper).
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Well into our course curriculum Col. Skrabut called everyone downstairs. By the look of things the Colonel was going to make some presentations. Low-and-behold the Colonel called on me, and I thought; Now what did I do wrong? looks like I was the recipient of the 2008 WY Wing Senior Member of the Year, and awarded a plaque. Back to the SLS Course .. it covers the following areas: Officership & Public Trust Intro to Professional Development Squadrons: The Heart of CAP Squadron Staff Officers Individualized Training in Staff Specialties Intro to Leadership The Staff Officer as Communicator Creative Thinking & Problem Solving We managed to take the 16 hour course and whittle it down to 13 hrs. Most of the reduction came due to not being able to connect to the internet. Surprising how much we depend on that. Lots of GOOD discussions occurred which, in my book, is the heart of improvement. So, The Hard Way or The Easy Way??? Which style do you like?? Do you like the eyeto-eye contact, or, are you self motivated to work on-line through course work? You Choose. H





A History of F.E. Warren AFB

The Wyoming Wing Headquarters is located on F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. The base provides the Wing with one of the historic buildings on the main thorough fare, Randall Avenue. Several prominent persons in Civil Air Patrol history played roles in the bases development. It was on the branch of the South Platte River, three miles west of what is today Cheyenne that Fort D. A. Russell was established in 1867. Originally named in honor of Civil War Brigadier General David A. Russell, F. E. Warren Air Force Base is the oldest continuously active military installation within the Air Force. Its home to the 90th Missile Wing and Headquarters, 20th Air Force, of Air Force Global Strike Command. When President Lincoln and Congress set plans for the transcontinental railroad, they recognized the need for a military installation to protect Union Pacific workers from hostile Indians. On July 4, 1867, the railroad established its mountain region headquarters at Crow Creek Crossing, later known as Cheyenne. A few weeks later, the U.S. Cavalry moved from temporary headquarters in Cheyenne to a point three miles west and established Fort D. A. Russell. Thus, 1867 was the beginning of a city and a fort, and both have grown together over the years. Detachments of the 30th


Cavalry formed the first garrison, under the command of Col. John D. Stevenson. For a brief time the troops lived in tents, but during the winter of 1867-68 they moved into wood-frame quarters. The dwellings were set in the shape of a diamond, instead of a rectangle, to protect against harsh winter winds that howled across the then treeless high plains. The diamond opened to the east and measured 800 by 1,040 feet. The entrance to the original fort was at a point next to the present day Chapel . The first troops stationed here lived the rough frontier life, which meant coping with the rigors of the weather in winter and with Indians in spring and summer. In 1876, troops from Fort Russell participated in the Great Sioux Indian Wars, the same in which Lt. Col. Custers forces were defeated. Fort Russell was made a permanent post in 1884 because of its strategic location. In 1885, the War Department ordered the post be rebuilt to serve eight infantry companies. The Army built 27 red brick buildings for $100,000 to replace the older wood frame structures, and planted thousands of trees. The last expansion of the base took place in the early 20th century when large barracks along Randall Avenue were constructed. Many of the early brick buildings were stables that housed nearly 20,000 horses and mules. From 1885 to 1930, more

than 220 brick buildings were erected; all remain in use today. The base maintains the historic exterior of each building with appropriate interior modifications for todays living and working environment. Because of the lasting integrity of the bases historic architecture and setting, the central core of the base was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and the base was designated a National Historic Landmark. In 1866, Congress formed four black regiments: the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry. The 25th Infantry was the only unit that didnt serve at Fort D. A. Russell. Black soldiers were called Buffalo Soldiers, a title originating from Native Americans who likened the soldiers to the spiritual buffalo. In 1898, the SpanishAmerican War brought renewed importance to the post. Soon after President McKinley sent a message to Congress, the 8th Infantry left Fort D. A. Russell for Cuba. Later, the Wyoming National Guard mustered into service at the post and departed for duty in the Philippines. In the battle for Manila, the Wyoming Guard was the first battalion to reach the walls of the city and to raise the flag. In 1901, troops from Fort Russell again went to the Philippines to help put down an insurrection and bring peace to the Pacific. They returned with


a Queen Mary Tudor cannon forged in 1557 and the Bells of Balangiga. The seven-foot cannon, the only one of its kind in America, and the bells, which had been used by insurrectionists as a signal to launch an ambush on American troops, are on display near the base flagpole. In 1906, Secretary of War William H. Taft recommended Fort Russell expand to a brigade-size post. By 1910, the construction of red brick quarters, two-story barracks, offices and stables had tripled the area of the post. During this era, artillery units were assigned there, and the facility increased in size to accommodate troop training with the latest 20th century weapons. From 1913 to 1916, during the Mexican Revolution, post artillery units were stationed along the border to prevent the struggle from coming onto American soil. During World War I, the post served as a mobilization point and training facility for field artillery and cavalry groups. As World War I began, Fort Russell had become one of the largest military posts in the United States. What stands as quarters #2 today was, in 1885, the post commanders home. By tradition, the post commander always occupied the largest house on post. Hence, the commander moved into quarters #8 when it was built in 1903. Quarters #2 was then assigned to the family of Capt. John Black Jack Pershing, who later led American forces in Europe during World War I. Capt. Pershing married U.S. Senator Francis E. Warrens daughter, but she


preferred staying with her father when her husband was on campaign. Due to the influence of Senator Warren, Capt. Pershing was promoted to general within six months of his marriage. Pershing was promoted to General of the Armies, a position shared by only one other man, Gen. George Washington. In 1927, the last cavalry units left the installation, ending 60 years of cavalry history at Fort Warren. In 1930, President Hoover issued a proclamation changing the name of the post to Fort Francis E. Warren, honoring Wyomings territorial governor and first state governor. Warren was a U.S. Senator for 37 years. He received the Medal of Honor when he was 19 for heroism during the Civil War. Other well-known figures stationed here include Gen. Billy Mitchell (the Father of the Air Force), Gen. Mark Clark (World War II general in Europe), Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. (first black general), Dr. Walter Reed and singer Sammy Davis, Jr., Entertainers Neil Diamond and Chris LeDoux grew up at this installation. During World War II, Fort Warren was the training center for up to 20,000 of the Quartermaster Corps. More than 280 wooden buildings were constructed without insulation and interior walls to temporarily house the increased number of troops. In the harsh Wyoming winter, waking up in these barracks often meant shaking snow from ones blanket before heading for the just-as-cold communal showers. A prisoner of

war camp was also constructed at that time. Even though this installation became an Air Force base in 1947, the only airfield ever at F. E. Warren was a single dirt strip. This field, never used by modern day pilots, was made famous by World War I ace Cap. Eddie Rickenbacker who crashed his plane on the field - and survived! The airfield was used in 1919 by the Western Flying Circus, then led by Maj. Carl Tooey Spaatz (later promoted to general and the first Air Force Chief of Staff). Warren was initially used as a training facility. In 1958, the 4320th Strategic Missile Wing was established with responsibility for 24 Atlas missile sites under Strategic Air Command. Although not the first designated missile wing, Warren became the first fully operational missile wing in the command. On Sept. 2, 1960, the 564th Strategic Missile Squadron was declared the first fully operational Intercontinental Ballistic Missile squadron. Only two years later, the new Minuteman replaced the Atlas, and on July 1, 1963, the 90th Strategic Missile Wing was activated. During the early 1970s, the SAC ICBM Force Modernization Program began replacing Minuteman I with Minuteman III missiles. In November 1973, the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron marked the transition by becoming the first all Minuteman III squadron at Warren. The 90th Strategic Missile Wing was selected to base the Peacekeeper
Continued . . . 

History F.E. Warren AFB

Continued . . .

WHy sHoULd yoU joIN THE CAP?

Phil stahla sm, Wy069 squadron, gillette, Wyoming

missile in 1975. Warren was home to the Peacekeeper missile from 1986 to 2005, when deactivation was completed. Warren missile fields currently maintain 150 Minuteman III missiles. During a period of Air Force reorganization in the early 1990s, Warren transitioned from SAC to Air Combat Command, to Air Force Space Command and finally, in December of 2009 fell under Air Force Global Strike Command. The current realignment was designed to encompass similar ICBM and bomber operations under a single command. The 90th Strategic Missile Wing was also renamed the 90th Missile Wing. The wing became the 90th Space Wing on October 1, 1997. The wing returned to the 90th Missile Wing designation July 1, 2008. For more than 136 years, the men and women of Warren have excelled as Guardians of the High Frontier. Whether protecting a railroad or the American way of life through its strategic deterrent, Warren has been at the forefront of our nations defense, and will continue to do so long into the future.
Source F.E. Warren AFB Office Web Site

My name is Phil Stahla, a Senior Member of the WY069 Civil Air Patrol Squadron located in Gillette, Wyoming. I also qualify as a SENIOR member, my silver hair proves my eligibility for that elite group of CAP members. I joined the CAP for the second time about a year ago, with the goal of becoming a pilot for the CAP. I have finally qualified as a transport pilot, completing all the CAP and FEMA tests and requirements. The FEMA tests werent hard, just time consuming. The Form 91 check ride is a good refresher course for all pilots, it will keep all of us safer, and it was fun flying with Orville Moore. He has a lot of experience that he is willing to share with CAP pilots at no charge. Now thats a good deal! Now that Ive put most of you to sleep, Ill get to the reasons you should join the CAP. First of all, Im a pilot, and I get to talk flying with other pilots, and even the non-pilots like to hear about flying, and all the things that happen to pilots, including the near miss stories that keep getting longer and the clouds get lower, the ice gets thicker on the wings, the remaining fuel gets less, and of course, how we greased the landing with a 30 knot crosswind gusting to 50knots. Its just like fishing, we just get to go faster and higher. I really enjoy the meetings, because theres always something to learn, and its fun and relaxing to talk and learn about stuff that most pilots and wannabees like to talk about. Basically, theyre a bunch of nice people that want to help other people when the time comes, and were gonna try and have some fun along the way. If you would like to help other people and have some fun along the way, plus get to fly a darn nice aircraft, if you qualify, then you need to join the Civil Air Patrol. Its a challenge to get to the top, but its worth the effort, and you might be able to help someone down the road, and its nice to know that theres a bunch of nice people waiting to help you if you need it someday! Its cool to be part of the US Air Force. When do we get a ride in the F-22?
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Wyoming Wing
Launches new Website
http://sites.google.com/a/capwyhq.org/wywgcap/home

The Wyoming Wing was forced to close its Ning website recently when the sites operators instituted a fee. Col Skrabut has created an entirely new website to allow Wing members and anyone interested in the Wing to follow our activities and learn about us. The new site is located at http://sites.google.com/a/capwyhq.org/wywgcap/home.

Wheatland Promotions
March 2010
On 30 March 2010 Wheatland Composite Squadron held a promotion ceremony for cadets. Cadet Tyler Stovall was promoted to C/SMSgt. Cadet Radford received his C/A1C stripes he had not received at the last promotion ceremony. Cadet Airman Basics Bailey Roth, Wesley Sturdivant and Kelley Sterling were sworn in as CAP members and Cadets Roth and Sturdivant received their first stripe. Congratulations to those promoted and we hope next time to have a few more receive their stripes as well. The next promotion is planned for the Unit Anniversary celebration in mid May.

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social Media strategy

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen has released his social-media strategy, which details goals of increasing interaction with Twitter and Facebook followers and identifying new socialmedia platforms to use. Mullen started using Twitter in April 2009 and has since opened accounts at Facebook, YouTube, iTunes and Flickr, and launched the Chairmans Corner Blog. Recognizing there is room for improvement in his social-media efforts, Mullen and his Office of Public Affairs have created a 2010 plan to make the most out of the new media. The Chairmans 2010 Social Media Strategy outlines four goals to achieve in the next six to 12 months, which include engaging with followers, assimilating social-media content creation into existing Joint Staff processes and products, leading the discussion and focusing questions through social media, and expanding the online audience. To better engage with followers on Facebook and the Chairmans Corner blog, the director of social media and the outreach staff will create professional Facebook profiles (Rick at the Joint Staff) that identifies them as Mullens representatives. A FAQs page will be built on JCS.mil to cut down on the number of queries that come in. To further interact with the public, the plan suggests using Facebook Chats where a public affairs officer or subject matter expert will answer questions for an hour on the site. The plan further states that Mullens goal should be to send two Tweets a month about books he is reading, leisure activity on the weekend or some other topic not related to work. By developing a video capability, it will be possible to show short behind-the-scenes clips that allow allowing the public to virtually embed with the chairman. These clips could also be used to conduct outreach events with schools and organizations that send questions over social media at the conclusion of the event or trip. The strategy also sets goals for expanding and improving site traffic for the Joint Staff Website, increasing Mullens Twitter followers and Facebook fans, and upping iTunes downloads, Flickr picture views and Chairmans Corner views. According to the plan, achieving these goals will require continued promotion of the sites and posting of viral or newsworthy content. It will also require Mullen to mention his online presence during All Hands Calls and incorporate them into appropriate speeches. The social media director will also work to identify new or emerging platforms to create a presence for the chairman and the Joint Staff by providing social media business cards at all events as a source of more information. Aides, speech writers, and personal assistants will send emails explaining CJCS online presence during coordination for events and request distribution to the audience. The strategy also mentions advertising JCS. mil on Info Link Kiosks and flatscreen picture displays in the Pentagon as means of reaching more people. All the goals will be included on the monthly Social Media Statistics in order to monitor progress over the next half-year. The Chairmans Public Affairs Office will conduct a review of the four goals and adjust the corresponding objectives in September 2010.





Wheatland Composite squadron Rocket Launch

Lt. Col. Assunta mcDonald The Wheatland Composite Squadrons latest rocket launch was held 20 March 2010. It was a little chilly and a tad bit windy which may have accounted for some lift off problems we had. But, all in all, we had a great day. We arrived at Phifer Field in Wheatland at approximately 0900 hrs. Braving the chilly morning were: Lt. Col. McDonald, Major Cornell, Major Hawley and Rocket Dog (Louisa May Alcott), 2nd Lt. Schilreff, C/2nd Lt Court, C/MSgt Stovall, C/TSgt Gutierrez, C/SSgt Sterling, S., C/SrA Jones, C/AB Roth, C/ AB Sturdivant, C/AB Sterling, K., and 4-H youth Marissa









Rukavina and Brenden Roth. The highest altitude achieved by a cadet or 4- H youth was 412 feet. The highest altitude reached by an adult was 461.7 ft. This time we launched both Alpha III and Viking rockets. Major Cornell also had a large silver rocket. When we finished our lunch we loaded into vehicles and traveled down to Chugwater, actually 10 miles south of Chugwater, and toured the facilities of Frontier Astronautics. Mr. Timothy Bendel took us through his facility and told us bits of history as we went. Mr. Bendel was a cadet as a youth. It was rewarding for the cadets to see the career of a prior cadet. I think this was our very best field trip so far. H





June 2010, Vol 1. No. 1

We Got the Car Home, but!

Lessons learned from towing a disabled vehicle
By Dean Roller, 1st Lt., CAP (in-002, monroe County Composite squadron) Prior to a planned visit to see my son and his family, their car had broken down in a small town in Central Texas about four hours from their home in Wichita Falls. My son, Paul, is an Air Force technical training instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base. I tell this story with his permission. Fortunately, Pauls pickup truck was more than capable of towing the smaller car on a car dolly, which we located at a nearby U-haul outlet. After carefully loading the car onto the dolly and double-checking everything we headed home with the car nicely in tow. Then it happened. About half-hour from home the trailer jerked the truck and swayed back and forth behind the truck. Thankfully, Paul didnt panic. He let off the accelerator, slowed the truck down and pulled off on the shoulder. The hitch pin was missing and the draw bar was out of the receiver lying on the pavement. Fortunately, the safety chains had done their job and my sons proper action in getting the situation under control resulted in only one minor scrape mark on the draw bar.

Lesson 1: Safety consciousness does not make you invulnerable.

In his job as a technical school instructor, Paul practices safety in the classroom every day. He teaches safety to young men and women learning to maintain Air Force equipment. Moreover, he was a former unit safety NCO. We had looked over everything after loading the car. So, how did this happen to someone who lives safety every day? The first lesson we learned that day was that safety consciousness does not make one invulnerable.

Lesson 2: If you havent done something in a while, rethink it

Fortunately, almost every other vehicle on the road in Texas is a pickup with a towing package and after a passing motorist provided us with a replacement hitch and cotter pins, we re-hooked the trailer to the truck. Then the problem became apparent: the cotter pin that holds the hitch pin in place had been installed incorrectly for that type of hitch pin.
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In a former job, Paul routinely towed equipment around the flightline. The Air Force uses hitch pins that have a hole in them and common practice is to push the cotter pin clear through to the largest part of the pin. So, for the cotter pin to come out of a hitch pin with a hole, it has to pass through two places where the pin comes together. The hitch pin that my son was using on this day was grooved and so pushing it clear through to the larger rounder portion of the pin caused it to bounce off during towing and the draw bar to come out of the receiver. As important as the proper installation of safety pins is, a broader application to safety in general is made. The second lesson we learned that day was that, if you have not done something in a while, rethink it.

Lesson 3: Watch how a person is doing something, not just that they are doing something.
I thought I was doing a good job in helping with the loading. I stood behind Paul and watched him install the cotter pin, but I never looked down and inspected how he installed it. There is no guarantee that I would have caught this, but it would have been one more attempt to prevent this incident. The third lesson we learned that day is that when you are helping with an operation, check how things are done, not just that they are done.

Lesson 4: When youre tired, slow down.

After finishing the trip we had the car parked on the dolly in front of my sons house. We were safely home! Or, were we? We quickly undid the ratchet straps over the wheels and my son jumped in to back the car off the dolly. Then I noticed that we had not put down the ramps. While backing the car off the dolly without using the ramps would not have resulted in injury, there is a good chance some front end damage to the car could have occurred when it caught on the back end of the dolly before it dropped a foot or so to the pavement. After putting the ramps down, we were ready to safely back the car off the dolly. Or, were we? Next, the front wheels (front-wheel drive car) began spinning on the dolly. At first, we thought the dolly was slick as we had been driving through some rain. Then, we realized that we had not removed the additional set of safety chains wrapped around the frame, and added measure of safety if the ratchet straps over the tires failed. After removing the safety chains and this time safely backing the car off the dolly, we both realized we were going too fast for being as tired as we were. The final lesson we learned that day is that when you are tired, you should slow down, as you are probably the most vulnerable to an incident or accident. The story does have a happy ending. We did get the car safely home and a $100 or so in parts fixed it good as new. And, we learned four important lessons to share from the experience: you are never too safety conscious to be invulnerable from an accident or incident, rethink operations you have not performed in a while, watch how a person does something, not just how they are doing it, and when you are tired, slow down. Be safe.

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Wyoming Wing
Civil Air Patrol

Conference
Mark Your Calendar Now and Plan to Attend the Wyoming Wing Conference

September 18 19, 2010 Best Western Ramkota Inn Casper, WY

Please contact Lt. Col. Susan McDonald with questions.

inSTRUCTORS ARE STill nEEDED FOR ClASSES.

Wing CALenDAR
July 10-11 SAREX (Casper) July 17-25 Regional Staff College (Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs) July 20-22 IACE (Cheyenne) July 30-August 8 Encampment (Camp Guernsey) August 16-22 Air Force Guided Training Exercise (Casper) September 1-4 National Board and Conference (San Deigo) September 15 Wyoming Wings Magazine Deadline September 18-19 Wyoming Wing Conference (Casper) September 25-26 SAV Staff Assisted Visit (Wing HQ) October 9-11 Corporate Learning Course January 15 Wyoming Wings Magazine Deadline
 

Missed Opportunities
Take a moment to think about opportunities that youve missed in your lifetime because you hesitated, did not have the self-confidence, lacked information to make a decision, or even worried about what other people would think or say. If youre like the average human being, youve thought of several of these moments which have had a significant impact on your life. Now take a look at the other side of the coin. Have you ever had someone give you that little nudge, that extra boost of confidence, the right information, or even taken you aside to show you how to do something you never thought youd be able to do? Each and every person has a memory of that special person thats made a difference in their life or career path. Recruiting and mentoring go hand in hand. Dont miss the opportunity to recruit an individual that you believe is talented and would benefit your organization. You may be that person who gives the encouragement needed to make someone a great community asset! Recruiting is defined as seeking out an engaging someone for work or service and mentoring is taking that one step further. Mentoring is defined as the sharing of skills, knowledge, information and perspective to foster the personal and professional growth of someone else. It doesnt sound much different than parenting because its not! Here are a few simple steps to seek out the opportunities to recruit and mentor someone else: 1. Seek out good people. You ask yourself how to do that? Throughout history our skills, information and culture have been passed down through generations by simple story telling. Dont be afraid to talk about what you do, and express the pride and satisfaction you have from doing what you enjoy. Be it flying, sports, carpentry, or just a hobby that you love dearly. Soon you will start to recognize those who have the same passions that you have. Step one complete! 2. Take the opportunity to train and impart that instructional knowledge. Here is where the mentoring begins. If you want someone to know how to do something and do it correctly, then take the time to train them and remediate if necessary. Remember we all learn differently but thats an entirely different article! Make training a learning experience thats not dreaded or difficult. Its important when dealing with volunteers to be positive and know your students limitations. 3. Positive reinforcement. Give credit where credit is due. Acknowledge a job well done and provide feedback both positive and constructive. This is the mentoring part. Dont be afraid to make corrections and step in when something is on the downward spiral. Recover and try to make every situation a learning opportunity. Talk about mistakes and how to avoid them in the future. My Pap said, Theres more than a 1000 ways to skin a cat! You dont have to do it my way, and I just might learn something from you in the process. As long as its the same when its all said and done - its a good day for skinning cats. Honestly, weve never skinned cats! 4. Set realistic goals and expectations. This is one of the major keys to success in any organization. Have achievable goals and reasonable, realistic expectations for everyone. If expectations are set too high then the cream of the crop will rise, and the others will settle and fall away. Remember not to make exceptions, but hold everyone to the same standard. No one likes the good ole boy system! 5. Build, promote, & reward. Every organization has a tool for recognizing and rewarding good performance. This must be something that is truly earned. If its given out at a whim, it becomes meaningless and ineffective. Build relationships, promote wisely, and reward generously when deserved. These 5 simple steps can help an organization move forward. Each person within a unit must ask themselves a truly important question. Do I want someone to volunteer by default, or do I want someone to volunteer that I have great confidence in? It seems obvious, but we would pick someone whos willing to provide strong leadership and vision to help improve and expand what already exists! Remember that an organization is only as good as the members that support it, but membership itself is not enough. Strive to support your organization the best way you can by helping create partnerships - - be a RECRUiTER and a MEnTOR!!
Reprinted from Alaska Wing CAP magazine, Alaska Wing Tips, Winter 2010 



Wheatland Composite squadron Celebrates Accomplishments

susan mcDonald, Lt. Col., CAP December 29, 2009 was a great day for the members of Wheatland Composite Squadron. We came together as a CAP family to celebrate the holiday and the accomplishments of our members. We gathered first to partake of the delicious food brought by members and their families. Then we played the National Anthem and honored the military with the playing of all the branch music. We then proceed to honor our cadet for their accomplishments. Cadets TeRay Haynes and Mason Jones were promoted to Cadet Senior Airman. They received an autographed copy of the Mary Feik Certificate which was given to Colonel Mary Feik when chapter three was named for her. Colonel Mary Feik was instrumental in the training of many airmen during WWII. Cadet Shelby Sterling received her Wright Brothers Award and was promoted to Cadet Staff Sergeant. This is the first of the Mile Stone Awards tracked by National Headquarters. Cadet Samuel Gutierrez was promoted to the grade of Technical Sergeant and received his Eddie Rickenbacker Certificate. Cadet Tyler Stovall was promoted to Cadet Master Sergeant and received his Charles Lindbergh Certificate. Cadet Evan Schmitzer was promoted to Cadet Chief Master Sergeant and received his Dr. Robert Goddard Certificate. The highlight of the evening was the promotion to Cadet 2nd Lieutenant for Cadet Matt Court. Our Wing Commander Colonel Stan Skrabut and the unit commander Lt. Col. Susan McDonald did the honors of placing the new rank insignia on his shoulders. State Auditor Rita Meyers presented him with his General Billy Mitchell Certificate. Colonel Skrabut also presented Commander Commendations to Cadet 2nd Lt Matt Court, 2nd Lt. George Schilreff and Major Dennis Cornell. Lt. Col. Susan McDonald also received a wing level award as Wing Logistician for 2008. We are looking for a few new cadets at this time. The CAP cadet program accepts both male and female students ages 12-18. Please contact the commander at 331-5565 or feel free to just drop by a meeting on Tuesday nights at the Wheatland Fire Training Center on Cole St. Our meetings begin at 6pm. Parents welcome.

RePRinT The Platte County Record-Times, Jan 6, 2010

Heather Gould
Continued from page 9 . . .

and in conjunction with the CAP Board of Governors, proposes amendments to the governing constitution and bylaws. Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 59,000 members nationwide. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent


o f c o n t i n e n t a l U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 72 lives in fiscal year 2009. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state

and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 24,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 68 years. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com for more information. H


NASAs
A review of the Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Dimensions and Aerospace: The Journey of Flight revealed that NASAs Virtual Skies would be an excellent complement to your Aerospace textbooks. NASA has just released the new face of Virtual Skies, an online interactive program introducing the key concepts in the world of aviation. Virtual Skies is comprised of six modules centered on key aviation concepts such as the science of aeronautics, navigation, and air traffic management. Virtual Skies includes beautiful color graphics, problem-solving applications, a Teachers Desk guide to the online program, and an extensive glossary that supports and reinforces the concepts taught in CAPs Aerospace textbooks. Each of the 6 Virtual Skies modules include: Overview: A brief listing of the aviation topics covered in the selected module, supporting activities, and a description of an application case study. Tutorial: The curriculum subdivided by major topics. Take Control: Interactive activities that reinforce knowledge and skills presented in the Tutorial.
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Virtual Skies
By stan skrabut

You Decide: Case study simulations that provide an opportunity to use high-level cognitive skills to solve realworld scenarios. Certification: 20-question, multiple-choice assessments to test knowledge and a printable NASA certificate of completion with individuals name. Virtual Skies is FREE to

all users and can be accessed at http://virtualskies.arc.nasa.gov Virtual Skies is recommended for high school and community college students, formal classrooms, and independent study with specific consideration for Civil Air Patrol. We hope you will share the Virtual Skies website with other CAP members as appropriate.
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Reprinted from the CAP Volunteer magazine, April-June 2010

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Wheatland Composite squadron News

2 April 2010 was a big day for the members of Wheatland Composite Squadron. Cadets and seniors headed to Denver to tour the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum at the old Lowry AFB site. Housed in a large hangar, one of the few buildings that survived the base closure, a visitor can view the history of Lowry AFB and aviation and space. There are many aircraft and other displays available. A rather new display is the Colorado Astronauts display. Visitors can also envision what it was like to fly the Wright Flyer with a simulator. Laying down on your tummy you must use the controls the way the Wright Brothers did. Our members had fun with this one each trying to last

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City and visited Rose Hill Cemetery. During World War II members of Colorado CAP flew as members of the Coastal Patrol. Lt. Ben Berger was sent to serve at Patrol Base #1 in Atlantic City. On Easter Sunday 1943, Lt. Bergers plane crashed on take off and he died. He is buried there at Rose Hill. The cadets noticed the many military personnel that were buried there. longer afloat than the Wright Brothers did. Each cadet was given a scavenger hunt sheet to find answers for. Trying to tie together the displays with items we had talked about over the last several meetings. C/SMSgt Tyler Stovall, who attended the Joint Dakota Encampment at Ellsworth AFB last summer, enjoyed the display of the B-1A Lancer. Having spent time at the home of the Lancer he enjoyed seeing the bombs that it had carried and the large bomb bays. Each member had their favorite display. Most of the cadets enjoyed the Cockpit Alley the most; although the F-14 and the World War II display also were favorites. Major Cornell found a photo display on General John F. Curry. Lt. Col. McDonald found the display of the Christmas mission Colorado Wing flew years ago that was documented in a recent copy of the Volunteer Magazine. Lt. Col. Pierce was part of that mission. After enjoying the many facets of the museum, we ate lunch and headed north east to Commerce

From here we headed southwest across Denver to the Fort Logan National Cemetery to visit the grave of our first national commander, Major General John F. Curry. The cadets were awestruck at the rows and rows of white head stones. While there we met some of the Colorado Patriot Guard Riders there for a funeral. We were told that the tail gunner, George R. Bob Caron, on the Enola Gay is also buried there. We didnt have any luck finding his grave but plan on going back and finding him another time. The trip, although long and tiring, was well worth the time. We look forward to taking the next group of Curry cadets to visit Fort Logan again soon. If you have the chance to go to Denver, we recommend the cemeteries and the museum as a MUST SEE on your trip. We plan to make it an annual event for our cadets. H

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