The Fisher sisters, Hannah and Abigail sing “The Star Spangled Banner”
Prince Frederick, MD – Lieutenant Colonel Wes LaPre summed up the success of the current members of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Calvert Cadet Squadron. “The strength of your team is what gets you through,” said LaPre while recalling the squadron’s mission this past July to an Anne Arundel County marina to locate a distress device that was being transmitted. The cadet squadron successfully located the device and fortunately, there was no dire situation discovered. The search and rescue missions the cadet squadron often finds itself responding to at odds hours of the day are just a few of the activities the young people who sign up get to experience. Calvert’s CAP cadet squadron has one of the largest “ground teams” in Maryland.
The 12-year-old Calvert Cadet Squadron celebrated a year of achievement and the CAP’s 75th birthday Saturday, Dec. 3 at their annual awards and recognition dinner at Courthouse Square in Prince Frederick. Civil Air Patrol is the United States Air Force’s auxiliary. Oddly enough, CAP is actually older than the U.S. Air Force.
A presentation made by Cadet MSgt. Hannah Fisher gave an overview of the squadron’s recent activities. The list included weekly meetings, learning about drones, attending camp, preparing and serving food to members of the Air National Guard, participating in five orientation flights, attending the Joint Base Andrews Air Show, attending an event at the Pentagon and participating in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC. “We got to hold a ginormous flag,” Fisher recalled. The squadron also participated in a Boy Scouts of America orienteering event “providing help with first-aid,” Fisher stated and got a rare opportunity to ride in a Black Hawk helicopter.
The Calvert squadron has soared like a black hawk, of late, earning state—or “wing”—recognition, receiving the 2015 “Squadron of the Year for the Wing” award. The squadron’s Quality Cadet Unit Award, which they’ve earned five years in a row, was a compilation of the group’s many individual achievements. “This is your award,” LaPre told the cadets.
During the awards ceremony, Lt. Col. Scott Harris of the Maryland Wing/Group 3 presented the General Billy Mitchell Award to Cadet 2nd Lt. Anh-Khoa Nguyen and Cadet 2nd Lt. Jim Kong. Nguyen and Kong also received proclamations from the Calvert County Commissioners, which were presented to them by Commissioners’ Vice President Tom Hejl. The cadets also received a “Sheriff’s Salute” from Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans. Other recognitions for the two cadets included resolutions from the Maryland General Assembly and an Award of Merit from American Legion Post 85.
Among those receiving recognition at the dinner were two adult participants in the local CAP squadron, Major Dana Hooper and 2nd Lt. Kim Mueller. LaPre noted that adults living in Maryland are now eligible for a tax deduction “for doing work in Civil Air Patrol” through the state’s Length of Service Award Programs (LOSAP).
In addition to the awards, the attendees enjoyed a truly amazing potluck supper and dessert, which included CAP 75th anniversary cake. After the pledge of allegiance, Hannah Fisher and her twin sister Abigail, also a CAP cadet sang The Star Spangled Banner.
LaPre told TheBayNet.com after the awards ceremony that the Calvert squadron has, on average, 30 members. Six members who have graduated from high school are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
For more information about CAP Calvert Cadet Squadron, visit their website
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
