Minnesota Wing - Mar 2008

8/2/2019 Minnesota Wing - Mar 2008

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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE MINNESOTA WING, CIVIL AIR PATROL

NORTHERN FLIGHTS

Lt. Col. John Quilling (left) and Maj. Jerry Rosendahl (right) lay a wreath at a soldiers grave.

Inside this issue . . .

- Wreaths Across America- Southeast Minnesota Flood Relief- St. Cloud Squadron Members Refuel USAF Thunderbirds. . . And Much More!

Spring

2008


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NortherN

Flights

Mesota W

Cvl A patol

6275 Cossma Lae

ive gove Hehts, Mn 55076

651-291-0462

[email protected]

Majo Coad peteso

Northern Flights Edto

Mesota W

Northern Flights is the authorized publicationof the Minnesota Wing of Civil Air Patrol andis edited by the Minnesota Wing HeadquartersOffice. It is published by a private firm whichis in no way connected to the United States AirForce or the Civil Air Patrol. Opinions expressedin the articles and advertisements in this magazineare the sole responsibility of the contributorsand are in no way endorsed by the United StatesGovernment, the United States Air Force, or theCivil Air Patrol Corporation. This publication ispublished two times a year.

Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit volunteerorganization. Federally chartered by Congressunder 36 U.S.C. 0-08, which is dedicatedto emergency services, aerospace education andmotivation of Americas youth to the highest

ideals of leadership and public service throughcadet programs. Funds received by the advertisingsales are used to support this publication and tosupport various CAP activities throughout theState of Minnesota.

Fo fomato o advets ates

ad sace, lease call:

1-800-635-6036

It gives meg r e a t h o n o r

to present toyou this inau-gural editionofNorthernFl i gh ts , t heofficial maga-z i n e o f t h eM i n n e s o t aWing of CivilAir Patrol. Ithas been a great experience in preparing this

for you the reader and I look forward to moreissues in the future. It is my hope that you willenjoy reading this magazine and taking aninterest in what we do as members of the CivilAir Patrol.

I would like to thank the many businesses thathave placed advertisements in this magazine and Iwould also like to thank those that have submittedarticles for this publication. Without the businessesto place ads and the members to submit articles wewould have many empty pages.

I also want to extend thanks to all of the staffof the publishing company that published thismagazine and made it come to life. Thank you!

Enjoy this magazine and in our next issue lookfor coverage on our Wing Conference with Changeof Command, MN Wing Encampment coverageand much, much more!

Lette fom

the EdtoMaj. Conrad Peterson


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The thirty-ninth con-secutive MinnesotaW i n g F l i g h tAcademy was held from July3-, 007.

The flight training took

place at the Mankato Airportwith housing provided by theGustavus Adolphus CollegeCampus in St. Peter, MN.

This years Flight Academyoffered the two tradit ionalcadet ight training programs

as well as two new advancedpilot ight programs.

Al l s t uden t s and s t a f f r epor t ed t o t he Gus t avus

Adolphus College Campus atSt. Peter on Friday, July 3 fora three hour Flight Academyorientation on program struc-ture, operational proceduresand schedules for the upcomingeight days of ight training.

Saturday morning at 0800the flight and ground training,

By Maj. Dave Odette

the point all students as staffwere waiting for, started. Eachday followed a vigorous dailyschedule from early morningto evening of ight and ground

instruction, allowing all students

the opportunity to accomplishtheir ight goals.

As in years past the cadetflight programs provided botha powered and a glider primaryight training program.

The power program providesthe cadet primary ight training

with the cadet receiving bothflight and classroom training.Each day the cadet receives a

morning and afternoon sessionof ight training in a Cessna 172

aircraft as well as morning andafternoon sessions of classroomground instruction.

The glider program operatesin a similar manner with bothflight training in a Blanik orSchweitzer glider as well as

classroom ground instruction.The glider program has a secondand third year program, whichprovide a student the opportu-nity to be prepared to test fortheir FAA Private Pilot Glider

Certicate. This year two cadetscompleted their third year andpassed their FAA Private Pilottest at Flight Academy.

The newly added advancedflight were Cessna 8T GlassCockpit training and CommercialPilot Certicate training.

The glass cockpit trainingprovided the ve attending pilot

students a concentrated time

frame receiving the neededground instruction and in-ight

training to transition from tra-ditional flight instrumentationto the new computerized instru-mentation termed the glasscockpit. The new glass cockpitinstrumentation provides the

2007 Mesota W Flht

Academy a eat success

Aircraft of the powered ight students in the tie down area awaiting their pilots and instructors at Mankato Airport.

Continued . . .

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pilot with many capabilities,which have typically been foundin commercial and corporate air-craft. The training went beyond

the basic instrument transitionbut also acquainted the studentswith the extended features of thenew glass cockpit system.

The commercial trainingprogram provided the four pilotstudents attending with bothground and in-flight instruc-

tion during the course of theprogram to attain a CommercialPi lot rat ing. The in- f l ightinstruction provided the pilot

students with training on theflight maneuvers required forthe FAA Commercial check rideand training in a Cessna 8 RG(retractable gear) meeting theFAA requirement of ight hours

in a retractable gear aircraft forthe commercial endorsement.

The 007 Minnesota WingFlight Academy was a greatsuccess with a total of thirty-eight students and thirty-three

staff members attending. Againthis year, the students andstaff came from multiple CAPWings and Regions identifyingFlight Academy as a nationallyknown event.

A glider and tow plane take off from Mankato Airport. Capt. Mike Rehbein is the tow plane pilot.

A glider is positioned behind the N96579 tow plane own by Lt. Col. John Quilling.Flight AcademyContinued . . .


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By Maj. Conrad Peterson

OOn August 8, 007, Col.Gerald Quilling was inductedinto the Minnesota AerospaceEducator Hall of Fame duringa presentation at the AirExpoEvening with Eagles dinner.

As part of the criteria for thisaward, the nominee must be anaerospace educator who is orhas been engaged in teaching

and research in some field ofaerospace education and it maybe awarded to others who havemade substantial contributionsto aerospace education.

Col. Quilling has devotedmuch of his time to the educa-tion of those around him andadvanced their knowledge in theeld of aerospace.

After serving in the Army

from 9-9 Col. Quillingwent on to work in several schoolsand retired in 990 as the DistrictMedia Coordinator for the St.Louis Park School District.

He provided support tothe International Air CadetExchange (IACE) as an escortto Great Brittan in 963, Canadain 968 and Norway in 987.He acted as Project Officer orassistant in hosting cadets fromseveral countries for many yearsand introduced the visitors toorientation flights, aviationfacilities and took the cadets toOshkosh for Air Venture.

In 990 Col. Quilling tookover the Flight Clinics for theMinnesota Wing and received

Col. geald Qull iducted to MnAeosace Educato Hall of Fame

approval from the FAA for rec-ognition of his ground schoolpresentation training. Over2200 pilots have beneted from

the Flight Clinics he helpedprovide statewide.

Col. Quilling was a flightinstructor for seven years atthe Minnesota Wing FlightAcademy and has taught theground school since 006.

He has volunteered his timeto countless aviation museums

and activities around the country.We thank Col. Quilling for

his active involvement and con-tributions to aerospace educationand the aviation field and con-gratulate him on his inductioninto the Minnesota AerospaceEducator Hall of Fame.

This award is presented bythe Minnesota Department ofTransportation-Aeronautics and theNorth Central Region AerospaceEducation Association.

Col. Gerald Quilling and his wife, Lt. Col. Shirley Quilling, after Col. Quilling wasinducted into the Minnesota Aerospace Educator Hall of Fame.


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Embry-Riddle. Applicants needto be admitted into a degree pro-gram prior to scholarship moneybeing awarded.

The Minneapolis campusoffers 9-week classroom termswith courses taught one-nighta week or every other week-

end. Online degrees are offeredduring - or - week terms.All registrations are processedthrough the Minneapolis cam-pus. Call 6-90-99 or viewthe Minneapolis campus website(www.erau.edu/minneapolis) formore information on the degreeprograms and how to enroll.

Embry-Riddle AeronauticalUniversity, the worlds larg-

est, fully accredited universityspecializing in aviation andaerospace, offers more than 30degree programs in its collegesof Arts and Sciences, Aviation,Business, and Engineering. Theuniversity educates more than3,000 students annually inundergraduate and graduate pro-grams at residential campusesin Prescott, AZ, and DaytonaBeach, FL, and Worldwide atmore than 30 campus locationsin the United States, Canada,Europe and the Middle East,and through online learning. Formore information, visit www.embryriddle.edu.

Many Civil Air Patrol mem-bers may wish to nish their aca-demic pursuits or seek advancededucation degrees. They mayalso be pilots, mechanics, andformer military personnel.

T h e E m b r y - R i d d l eAer onau t i ca l Un i ve r s i t y -

Minneapolis campus offersthree undergraduate and threegraduate management degreeprograms for the adult learnerwho has lifetime experience.It awards college credit forFAA certificates and licenses,military training and transfer-able college coursework to itsBachelor of Science programsin Professional Aeronautics,

T e c h n i c a l M a n a g e m e n t ,and Aviat ion MaintenanceManagement. All programsrequire a core curriculum butallow students to pick areas ofspecialization including opera-tions, management, aviationsafety, and Human Factors. Thecampus also offers eight non-degree certicates in additional

areas of specialization including

logistics, system safety, sup-ply chain management, andOccupational Safety and Health.Students can later transfer certi-cate coursework credits to one ofthe four-year degrees.

Located at 36 CorporateCenter Curve in Eagan, the cam-pus also offers three Master of

EMBrY-riDDLES EAgAn

CAMpUS OFFErS DEgrEES

AnD SCHOLArSHipS FOr

CiViL Air pATrOL MEMBErS

Science degrees in Aeronautics,Management and TechnicalManagement. All are aimed atthe aviation/aerospace profes-sional who wishes to advance orexcel within a chosen eld.

The Civil Air Patrol workshard to promote and support

aerospace education, whichhelps members rise to the situ-ations they face. Along withthe Civil Air Patrol, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University(ERAU) understands that edu-cation is the key to the kindof performance that can helpaviation enthusiasts succeed.Together they have partneredon a scholarship program for

active members and cadets of theCAP who meet degree programadmission criteria. The $00scholarship opportunity appliesto new undergraduate andgraduate Embry-Riddle studentsattending a campus or taking anonline degree program, perfectfor those who provide criticalemergency services and per-form 9% of the nations inland

search-and-rescue missions.Scholarship applications

are accepted at the Minneapoliscampus on an ongoing basis, andapplicants only need to provide aphotocopy of his/her active CAPmembership card along with aone-paragraph description as towhy he/she would like to attend


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Nearly 63,000 fans were

present to see the ValleyComposite Squadron ColorGuard and two members ofthe Minnesota Wing HonorGuard present the colors at theMinnesota Vikings and DallasCowboys game at the HubertH. Humphrey Metrodomein Minneapol i s , MN onThursday, August 30, 007.

It was the final preseason

game for both teams, and theColor Guard and Honor Guardmembers were as anxious togive the fans and players a goodshow as were the players whowere competing for the nal spots

in their respective team lineups.Cadets Mike Kenney (Anoka

Cadets peset Colos at MesotaVks Football game

By 1st Lt. Norine Olson

County Composite Squadron)and Andrew Puckett (HutchinsonComposite Squadron) were therepresentatives of the MinnesotaWing Honor Guard. Members ofthe Valley Composite Squadron

Color Guard included Cadets

Mark Albrecht, Tim Blesi,Kaelyn Olson and CalebPatrin.

The cadets assembled at theMetrodome two hours beforegame time to do run-throughson the eld. Kickoff was sched-uled for 7:0 p.m. and at 7:00p.m., the cadets marched out tothe yard line and presentedthe colors while the NationalAnthem was sung by a mem-ber of the Minnesota Viking

Cheerleading Squad. After theymarched off the eld, a good time

was had by cadets and chaperoneswatching the game from gamefloor seating, and celebrating aViking win over the Cowboys.

Minnesota Wing Cadets present colors at aMinnesota Vikings football game.

The St. Cloud CompositeS q u a d r o n t r a v e l e d t oMinneapolis, MN on Saturday,September , 007 to presentthe colors at the baseball gamebetween the Minnesota Twinsand their American LeagueCentral Division rivals theChicago White Sox. The color

Cadets pesetColos at MesotaTws Baseball game

By Capt. Richard Sprouse

Minnesota Wing Cadets prepare to present thecolors at a Minnesota Twins baseball game.

all four cadets enjoyed a greatexperience and have a greatstory to share with family andfriends.

guard consisted of C/SrA Derek Cash, C/SrAMitchell Fuchs, C/SrACharlie Ramler and C/SSgt.Lydia Stone. Following thepresentation of the colors thecadets joined nearly 3,000fans as the Twins lost 8-3.

Even with the Twins loss,


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While most teens look for something cool to do

each day, another generation of leaders found a dif-ferent kind of cool September 6, 007 when theyvisited Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota.

About members of Minnesotas St. CloudComposite Squadron began their day on a KC-3 Stratotanker winging its way to westernSouth Dakota to refuel the world renowned U.S.Air Force Thunderbirds after an engagement inCleveland, Ohio.

At about ,000 feet above Rapid City, SouthDakota, one of the seven F-16 ghters suddenly

appeared out of the clouds just feet behind thewaiting tanker. US Air Force SSgt. Chip Guthriedeftly maneuvered the refueling boom into placewhile C/nd Lt. Jeff Dvorak watched from thesmall compartment in the tail of the tanker. Dvorakwas the rst of 18 cadets and 5 ofcers to take the

once in a lifetime view.Todays ight just added padding to my dream.

It was awesome. I know now I would be contentying either a ghter or a tanker, Dvorak said.

The 39th Air Refueling Wing is comprised of

3 tankers routinely deployed throughout the world,said 1st Lt. Randi Norton, base public affairs ofcer.

Lt. Norton was involved with Civil Air Patrol whileattending Air Force ROTC. She said the St. CloudSquadron was given a rare opportunity.

Usually our guests are politicians, civic lead-ers or ROTC cadets who are given a tour of thebase facilities, Norton said. But the Civil AirPatrol cadets were able to see the operations sideof the US Air Force by participating in an actualaerial refueling mission with the Thunderbirds!How many of their friends can say theyve donesomething so cool?

The KC-3 crossed North Dakota, SouthDakota, Wyoming and Nebraska during its three-hour mission. The tanker, which can carry 83,000pounds of cargo and 67 passengers, can offload6,00 pounds of fuel per minute. Each of thethirsty Thunderbirds was refueled in about 0seconds according to cadets timing the activity.

St. Cloud Cvl A patol Membes

refuel USAF ThudebdsBy Capt. Richard Sprouse

Once refueled, the Thunderbirds flew off thetankers wings for a short time, giving the cadetsand ofcers plenty of opportunities for photographs

while each group gave the other a thumbs up.C/SSgt. Lydia Stone was even able to talk in-ight

with Capt. Nicole Malachowski, a former CAP cadetand the rst female member of the Thunderbirds.

This was an exciting opportunity. We only

spoke briey, but she was such an inspiration andencouraged me to follow my dreams, Stone said.

Speaking recently of the role of the Thunderbirds,Capt. Malachowski said, We are a team whose jobit is to go out there and represent the United StatesAir Force and the 30,000 men and women whowear Air Force blue with the honor, the respectand the dignity that they deserve. Were out thereto represent what we know to be true - the fantastichard work, dedication, and professionalism of themen and women in our Air Force that we have theprivilege to work alongside.

The Air Force has 68 female pilots, 7 ofthem ying ghter jets.

The St. Cloud group was also free to visittanker pilots Capt. Ryan Hyatt, Capt. Ray Tierneyand st Lt. Joseph Smith during the mission.

They had lots of good questions and were alot of fun to have on board, Smith said. I knew little

Two USAF Thunderbirds off the wing of a KC-135 tanker.

Continued . . .


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The doors to the facil i-ties were opened at 6 pm andguests were invited to visit sev-eral information stations that

included all three of the CivilAir Patrol missions.

Each information station wasmanned by Officer and Cadetmembers that were available toanswer questions and provideinformation to guests.

F l ight Of f i cer MelodyC e d e r g r e n c o n d u c t e d a nIntroduction to Civil Air Patrolpresentation to guests. The pre-

sentation included history of CivilAir Patrol, its main missions andinformation on how to join.

Cadets not helping at infor-mation stations demonstrateddrill and ceremonies on the ight

line and four aircraft including a

red W Celebates 40 YeasDu Oe House

Red Wing Composite Squadron kicked off their40th Anniversary celebration with an OpenHouse on September 27, 2007.

By Maj. Mari Lucas

glider were available for gueststo view and ask questions about.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) DonMikitta served as Master of

Ceremonies and shared squad-ron history, including past unitcommanders and past meetinglocations with the guests.

During the Open Houseawards were presented that rep-resented all three missions ofCivil Air Patrol.Lt. Col. Roger Brogren pre-sented C/SrA Ryan Lucas hisglde Solo Ws.

Maj. Jeff Bartelt presented C/SrA Ryan Lucas with his WhtBothes Awad and promotedCadet Lucas to C/SSgt.Twenty-two members of RedWing Squadron were awardedthe Dsaste relef medal ad

bbo wth V devce, forPresidential declared disaster,for their service in SoutheastMinnesota helping with flood

relief efforts. These awardswere presented by Maj. JerryRosendahl , Chief of Staf f for Mission Operat ions, of Minnesota Wing Headquarters.

A USAF recruiter was onhand as well to answer any ques-tions concerning future service.

Cookies, punch and coffeewere served to the guests. Someof the cookies even had frosted

representations of the Civil AirPatrol seal on them.

Thank you to all that visitedus during the Open House andwe look forward to many moreyears of service to our nation,state and community.

about CAP prior to the ight, but

after being around the cadets Ihave to say what a great programfor young people.

The flight was also a thrillfor CAP Maj. Lambert Zenner,a 79-year-old World War II andKorean War Veteran, who just

like the cadets, crawled into thetail of the tanker to get a first-hand view of the refueling effort.

The CAP is about helpingyoung adults get off on the rightfoot and giving them the disciplineto succeed in life, said Zenner.Opportunities like this allow themto see there are no limits if youwork hard toward your dreams.

CAP Capt. Pat Cruze, whoorganized the visit, agreed.

The most benecial part of

the trip was taking these teenag-ers at a decision point in their

life and allowing them to seethe men and women, only a fewyears older than them, work-ing with cutting-edge technol-ogy, Cruze said. The tour alsoexposed the cadets to Americasnest, and hopefully the lasting

impression the cadets get is Ican do that, too.

CAP Members refuelThunderbirds

Continued . . .


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From first l ight to well past sundownthose attending the Minnesota Leadership

Academy (MLA), and its components, the Non-Commissioned Officer School (NCOS) and theBasic Cadet Ofcer Course (BCOC), are on the

move: practicing drill and ceremony, poring overnotes as they prepare for speech competition orattending classes on leadership and team building.

These are cadets motivated to move aheadinto leadership positions within the MinnesotaWing, said Maj. Josh Puhl, 007 MLA direc-tor. He said NCOS and BCOC are both tough,demanding courses.

Drill and ceremony, human behavior modica-tion, verbal and written communication, and con-ict resolution are major components of NCOS.

The BCOC addresses elements such as characterdevelopment, project management, ethics, andleading by example.

The four-day academy held October 8-,007 at Camp Ripley drew cadets from acrossthe state at a time when most of their peers wereenjoying time off during the annual EducationMinnesota Professional Conference.

These are leaders in the making who wantedto be here when most of their friends were takingfour days off during the school year, Maj. Puhlsaid. Few teens would be willing to make such asacrice, so this speaks volumes about their com-mitment to learning the traits of leadership, to theirsquadrons and to the Civil Air Patrol.

C/SSgt. Tessa Berg of the Grand RapidsComposite Squadron was among the 36 NCOScadets. She was recovering from oral surgery theday before in-processing, so speaking and eatingwas difficult during the course. Despite her notbeing at full speed from her surgery she said thatNCOS was a must in her Civil Air Patrol career.

I learned a lot about what it takes to become aleader, and how to gain the condence and respect

of my subordinates, Berg said. I thought the roleplaying activity was extremely helpful on how todeal with situations that come up when workingwith cadets, for example, I miss my mom, etc.


2007 Mesota Leadesh Academy

She said her first instinct would have been toMommy them, but felt the alternatives suggestedby the NCOS instructors were a better option.

C/CMSgt. Ethan Helgager of Bemidjis NorthlandComposite Squadron joined 6 cadets completing theBCOC. He said that the course was challenging.

It was demanding, but all of the training wasgood, Helgager said. I took a lot of notes andhave a lot of ideas to take back to my squadron.The BCOC Dstushed gaduate C/nd Lt.

Keyona Sanchez of Anoka Composite Squadron.Alha Sema Hoo gaduate C/st Lt. JoshWoodard, Crow Wing Composite Squadron.Bavo Sema Hoo gaduate C/MSgt. DavidBlessman, North Hennepin Composite Squadron.Chale Sema Hoo gaduate C/CMSgt.Benjamin Hartley, North Hennepin CompositeSquadron.The nCOS Dstushed gaduate C/SrA.Michael Weston, St Croix Composite Squadron.Alha Sema Hoo gaduate C/TSgt. DavidChanski, North Hennepin Composite Squadron.Bavo Sema Hoo gaduate C/TSgt.Lydia Stone, St. Cloud Composite Squadron.Chale Sema Hoo gaduate C/TSgt.Dane Bjorkman, Anoka Composite Squadron.Delta Sema Hoo gaduate C/SSgt. DavidTrudeau, St. Croix Composite Squadron.Echo Sema Hoo gaduate C/SrA. TimBlesi, Valley Composite Squadron.

Students and staff being briefed at the Minnesota LeadershipAcademy at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, MN.


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The crew of a plane reported missing early onWednesday, October , 007 perished in a crash.The plane was discovered by an aircrew from theMinnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol (CAP), around:0 pm on Wednesday in a swampy area nearTurtle Creek Township, approximately 0 miles

northwest of Little Falls.A search and rescue team from the Todd

County Sheriffs Department, along with aCAP ground team from St. Cloud, conrmed the nd.The Todd County Sheriffs Department announcedthe pilot, Annette Klosterman, , Seattle, WA,and her passenger, Adam Osateiko, , Duluth,MN, both died in the incident. Both were afli-ated with the University of North Dakota inGrand Forks.

Fifty Minnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol

members, including a ground team and pilots,used seven aircraft in the search for the missingPiper Seminole aircraft, ying from St. Paul to

Grand Forks, ND.The FAA s M i nneapo l i s Cen t e r l a s t

had contact with the aircraft near Little Fallsl a t e Tuesday evening around 0: pm.CAP aircrews from Brainerd, Cass County,Duluth, Hutchinson, North Hennepin, St .Cloud, and St. Croix participated in the search.The Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol consists

of 3 squadrons located in every area of the state,with more than 00 members and 8 light aircraft.Minnesota Wing routinely ies thousands of hours

per year of operational flights, and contributessome 0,000+ person-hours to Search and Rescue,Counter Drug, Disaster Preparedness, HomelandSecurity and other humanitarian missions.

Mesota WMembes LocateMss Acaft

ad CewBy Richard Sprouse

On December 3, 007, Minnesota WingHeadquarters staff were treated to an appreciationdinner, compliments of Col. Steve Miller, Lt. Col.Tom Kettell, Lt. Col. John Quilling and Maj. JerryRosendahl. Mrs. Kirsty McCracken helped withplanning and decorating.

Staff members arrived early and at about 7 pm every-one took their seats at tables arranged in a large circle.

The festivities began with a surprise visit by Santa(Mr. Bill Willis) and his elf helper (Maj. ConradPeterson). Santa and the elf served the staff beveragesand Lt. Col. Quilling began the dinner with a toast,thanking staff members for a great year in 007.Maj. Rosendahl in turn toasted staff and shared a fewwords in looking ahead to 008. Col. Miller made atoast and shared some highlights of the current yearand shared some thoughts about the coming year.

Maj. Eric Peltier of the USAF, North CentralLiaison Region (NCLR) gave a toast to all MNWing members on a job well done and sharedsome thoughts for the wing as a whole.

When the staff nished their dinners they were

treated to an outstanding presentation on leader-ship by st Lt. Robin Helgager. Lt. Helgager madethe trip from Bemidji to the Wing MaintenanceFacility especially for the occasion.

After Lt. Helgagers presentation, Maj. Eric Grubbwas presented his Paul E. Garber Award by Col. Miller.

Mesota WHeadquates StaffTeated to De

By Lt. Col. John Quilling

Santa (Mr. Bill Willis) and Elf (Maj. Conrad Peterson) serveMinnesota Wing HQ staff members beverages at theappreciation dinner.


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Practicality met technologywhen about a dozen members

of four Civil Air Patrol Wingsmet at the Fleming Field Airportin South Saint Paul recently fora Mission Information Officer(MIO) workshop held by theMinnesota Wing.

This was probably one ofthe best courses I have attendedsince joining CAP, said stLt. Christopher Colvin, newlynamed I owa W i ng Pub l i c

Affairs Officer (PAO). Theinformation was relevant andthe practical exercises put thelessons into easy to use realworld situations. It was alsogreat to see the talented andpassionate people of the NorthCentral Region (NCR) cometogether. The importance of theMIO was clearly demonstratedin this course.

The workshop included astep-by-step review of MIOfunctions, including arrivingat the incident command post,prepar ing the ini t ia l newsrelease, working with the news

pactcalty Meets Techoloy

media, and role playing actualmedia interviews.

Lt. Col. Mike Marek, NCRPAO, addressed the workshopfrom his home in South Dakotavia internet video explaining theevolving role of the informationofcer in the wake of such major

missions as Hurricane Katrinaand the Steve Fossett search.

While once the MIOs rolewas limited to primarily seekingpublic feedback that would help

accomplish the search, Lt. Col.Marek said, Todays MIO andmission staff must also be awareof the impact mission infor-mation can have on recruiting,retention and positive relation-ships with partner agencies.

There are many new chal-lenges for the MIO, said Lt.Col. Marek, and the membersattending this workshop showedthat they are willing to step upto the plate!

An MP3 audio podcast ofLt. Col. Mareks presentation isavailable at: www.ncrpao.org.

This training was unique in

that it brought together IOs andtrainees on a regional basis, as

well as use of innovative tech-nology to have Lt. Col. Marekjoin the workshop via Skype fora presentation, said Capt. AlPabon, Minnesota Wing PAOand host of the event. Lt. Col.Marek was able to call in anddeliver a great video and audiopresentation and have audiencefeedback that he could hear andreact to via the internet.

Capt. Pabon said the resultwas that students receivedan introduction to the MIO roleand function from some experi-enced MIOs. Several tasks weresigned off and those attendingleft with an understanding ofhow to work with the mediaduring an actual mission. Capt.Pabon said the experience wouldhelp these members becomegreat MIOs.

Maj. Jerry Rosendahl, MNWing Chief of Staff for MissionOperations, and Capt. RichardSprouse, Group Two PAO, alsoassisted with the workshop.

Capt. Richard Sprouse, Group 2 PAO, shares some of hisyears of experience with attendees of the MIO workshop.

Lt. Col. Mike Marek addresses the group from his home in SouthDakota via internet video and explains the role of the MIO.



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Minnesota Wing membersfrom five squadrons and Wing

Headquarters participated inWreaths Across America at Ft.Snelling National Cemetery onSaturday, December , 007.This was the second year ofthis memorial service whichhonors all former and currentmembers of our military, butespecially those who have diedwhile preserving our freedom.During the memorial service,an Honor Guard of MinnesotaWing cadets laid wreaths ongraves representing each of thebranches of the military.

Lt. Governor Carol Molnauspoke of the important role playedby our military in securing our

Wreaths Across America By Maj. Jerry Rosendahl

safety. She also thanked the CivilAir Patrol for providing this

opportunity to honor our heroes.Representing Minnesota

W i ng Headqua r t e r s , M a j .Jerry Rosendahl highlightedthe mission ofWreaths AcrossAmerica, which is to rememberthe fallen, to honor those whohave served and are serving,and to teach Americas youththe value of freedom. After theservice, hundreds of additionalwreaths were placed on gravesby those in attendance whilemembers of the Patriot Guardstood watch, each with a U.S.ag by their side.

In 006 all Wings of CivilAir Patrol participated in this event,

and were expected to do so again.The National Commander, Brig.

Gen. Amy Courter, attended theceremony at Arlington NationalCemetery in Washington, DCwhere she said Wreaths AcrossAmerica provides a nationwidevenue for our ,000 volunteersto complement the innumerableways in which CAP membershave been serving their communi-ties through Emergency Services,Aerospace Education and CadetPrograms for more than 66 years.The infinite possibilities thatWreaths Across Americaprovidesto honor Americas Veterans inpartnership with patriotic-mindedcitizens is an exciting addition toCAPs mission.

(INSET) Minnesota Lt. Governor Carol Molnau speaks toWreaths Across America attendees.

Minnesota Wing Cadet salutes after placing a wreath at the grave of Medal

of Honor recipient, Machinist Mate First Class Oscar F. Nelson, USN.


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The wea ther p red ic -tion for SoutheasternMinnesota was rain.

Much needed rain consideringthat a drought was underway.Nobody knew all the rainwould come at once. The areareceived from -7 inches ofrain in a 36 hour period.

As with most missions, thecall came at around 030 on a

Monday morning. Maj. JerryRosendahl, Chief of Staff ofOperations for MinnesotaWing, took the call. He thenalerted Lt. Col. Stan Kegel,who started the call downprocedure for the wing.

The mission originallyopened as a missing person

Membes resod to SoutheastMesotas Call fo Hel

By Maj. Don Dalton

search but rapidly grew into adisaster relief mission on a verylarge scale. Three countiesin Minnesota were includedin the Na t iona l Di sas t e rDeclaration. Eventually themission grew to include acall down for the WisconsinWing to assist. It was greatto see that Minnesota Wingand Wisconsin Wing were

able to integrate so smoothlytogether to get the relief tothe people who needed itsaid Maj. Chet Wilberg. Maj.Wilberg is the Commanderof the Hutchinson CompositeS q u a d r o n a n d w a s t h eIncident Commander (IC) forthe operation.

In some areas the devas-tation was complete. In thesmall farming community ofStockton, Minnesota, with apopulation of around 300, nohome was left undamaged.

Some businesses were

completely gone, while oth-ers suffered various levelsof damage. One home waswashed approximately 00yards down stream with thefamily clinging to the roof ofthe home during the perilousride. The home came to restafter catching on a portionof railroad tracks. The forcebent a 0 foot section of track

into a vertical position. Thefamily was rescued by thelocal fire and rescue team,miraculously surviving withonly minor injuries.

T h e t w o w i n g s c a m etogether in the town of LaCrescent, Minnesota. Thisserved as the staging, rest and

Minnesota Wingmembers helpSoutheast MN citizensfrom a boat after thetorrential rains.

8


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refit area. From there teamswere dispatched throughoutSoutheastern Minnesota for

various missions including amissing person search. Thismission involved the WinonaC o u n t y s h e r i f f s o f f i c e ,dive/rescue team, and threeground teams from CAP. Thesearch was successful butunfortunately the individualdid not survive.

After that mission was

closed, many teams were dis-patched throughout the areato render aid and comfort tothe people. Aid and comfortsoon turned to helping thetowns with the clean-up. C/SSgt. Ryan Lucas of the RedWing Composite Squadron,Minnesota Wing commentedThe devas ta t ion i s overwhelming, Ive never seen

anything like it!Efforts continued through-

out the week when moreassistance was requested bythe police chief of Rushford,Minnesota. After three daysof Army National Guard pres-ence the Guard pulled out.CAP was requested to assistlocal authorities with infor-

mation about curfew viola-tions and looting. RushfordPolice Chief Sam Stengardrequested a CAP presenceto assure the towns peoplethat there was a semblance of

order and safety and to act asinformational guides for localauthorities. Up to ten teams

consisting of four to six per-sonnel were dispatched acrossthe town to provide informa-tion to local authorities. Mr.Gerrad Eide, a volunteer re-ghter from Rushford related

Having Civil Air Patrol intown has given us peace ofmind and the ability to try toget our lives back in order.

We greatly appreciate thembeing here. Many of the CAPteams reported hearing muchthe same sentiment from otherpeople of the town.

Capt . Pau l Markegardof the St. Paul CompositeSquadron, Minnesota Wing,remarked This was my firstlarge scale disaster. I was areghter/EMT for 15 years. I

have never seen property losson this scale. The town I livein had a tornado strike it in998 and my house was dam-aged. I was never homeless

or had to get rid of all myproperty. Emotionally that iswhat struck me as the worst

part of this. People work allthere lives to get somewherein life and in as little as 0hours it is all ruined. I havebeen to house res and seen

the whole house as a loss.You think well i t burnedand its gone In Rushford itis not gone. These peoplehave to go through the pain

of losing everything and thenthe pain of throwing it to curband watching all their pos-session shoveled into a dumptruck. I talked to one homeowner in particular and hedescribed, with tears in hiseyes, watching 0 years ofhis life unceremoniously justhauled away. What do yousay to someone after that, I

could come up with nothingcomforting to tell him. Hethen thanked me for comingto help and walked away!

Flood levels shortly after the rains thatooded Southeast MN.


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30 30

Members of the St. CloudComposite Squadron of theMinnesota Wing, Civil AirPatrol (CAP) played the ultimatevideo game when they took thecontrols of a Blackhawk FlightSimulator at Camp Ripley,Minnesotas large NationalGuard training facility.

We have the most expen-sive video game in Minnesota,said Dennis Dzieweczynski,Blackhawk Flight Simulator sitemanager. It 00% representsthe functions of a Blackhawk

Cadets play Most

Exesve Vdeo game By Capt. Richard Sprouse

helicopter, and provides thecadets with the same, challeng-ing scenarios experienced bythe actual Army National Guardpilots that train on it.

It just wowed us, its cer-tainly not your average ride at theMall of America, said C/MSgt.Christian Schuller, one of cadetsto pilot the Blackhawk. It was justan amazing experience becausewere used to fixed-wing aircraftso to actually fly the Blackhawkwas really, really neat.

The $ million helicopter

simulator, in operation since lastMay, sits on a platform of hydrau-lic lifts that can duplicate the thrust,yoke, roll and other movements ofan aircraft. Anything from a thun-derstorm to tanks to a medevacto running low on fuel during amission can be programmed intothe simulator.

The CAP cadets are not theonly ones flying the simulator.National Guard pilots from Iowa,Michigan, Minnesota, NorthDakota, and South Dakota regu-larly visit the post to train there.

(L-R) CW2 Steve Schifi and C/MSgt. Jessica Stone, St. Cloud Composite Squadron cadet commander, prepare to y the$15-million Blackhawk helicopter ight simulator at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, MN.


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3 3

Nine cadets andtwo officers fromFt. Snelling CadetSquadron had theo p p o r t u n i t y t otour the NorthwestAirlines TrainingCenter in Eagan.The tour was ledby Col. MichaelHuttner, MinnesotaW i n g U S A F RC o o r d i n a t i o nO f f i c e r a n dNWA pi lo t andinstructor.

Col. Huttner led the CAP members through classrooms equipped

with computerized learning and testing abilities, practice emergencyequipment, and ight simulators. Cadets sat behind mock cockpitsused to familiarize pilots with switch and gauge locations beforemoving on to the real simulators. Each cadet and officer had thechance to sit in the pilots seat of the giant hydraulically operatedsimulator and y the jumbo jet out of Honolulu Airport. Cadets also

practiced using emergency exits, putting on emergency lifesavingequipment, and learning about the ELTs airliners use.

The tour was quite outstanding. I had fun because its great tosee aviation here in the Twin Cities and see how pilots are trained.It was especially interesting because being a pilot is a career I am

considering, C/CMSgt. Alex Selner said.The facility, three oors packed with aerospace training equip-ment, included simulators for the DC-9, DC-0, A-30, A-330,77, 77, and 77 airliners. The $ million 77 simulator wasthe highlight of the event. When asked about the tour, C/AB TreyeHarrison said, I learned all about the NWA simulators. My favoritepart was denitely getting to y the 757 simulator.

Ft. Sell Membes

Tou nothwest Ales

Ta CeteBy C/Col. Charles Cox

Col. Michael Huttner, Minnesota Wing USAFRCoordination Ofcer and NWA pilot and instructor,guides Ft. Snelling Composite Squadron membersthrough the facility.

Its a terric tool that brings

realism to virtual training, saidDzieweczynski. We were gladto share it with the cadets.

The pilots see the cockpitdisplay screens and other ight

instruments of the Blackhawk.They have to perform eachstep in the simulator much asthey would in an actual aircraft--- maneuvering the aircraft,dealing with in-ight emergen-cies, keeping station with otheraircraft, using radios, aimingand ring weapons.

Using the simulator alsosaves time and money. ChiefWarrant Officer Three (CW3)James Figliuzzi, Blackhawksimulator operator/instructor,estimates a - savings ratiowhen comparing the simulatorto actual ight costs.

The virtual Blackhawk sim-ulation is so realistic it is as closeto actually ying a helicopter as

you can get, Mr. Figliuzzi said.By simulating a Blackhawkight, we are saving the National

Guard and taxpayers the costs offuel and engine maintenance, andif you crash you can do it allover again since theres no risk tothe helicopter or crew.

Mr. Figliuzzi and ChiefWarrant Officer Two (CW)Steve Schifi spent considerable

time ensuring each of the cadetshad a positive experience, as wellas plenty of time on the simulator.It was the rst time either man had

been around CAP cadets.You have a great group of

young people, respectful, curi-ous. We look forward to ying

with CAP again!

3


21/21

Minnesota th DistrictCongresswoman BettyMcCollum honored

members of the MinnesotaWing of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol(CAP) with the Flag of theUnited States of America andthe CAP Disaster Relief Ribbon

with V device for their valorand service during the ooding

in southeastern Minnesota.Civil Air Patrol members from

Anoka and North Hennepin com-posite squadrons were presentedwith the honors during a cer-emony held December 7, 007at Congresswoman McCollumsofce in St. Paul, MN.

Congresswoman McCollum

called from Washington, DC tosay Thank You for the ser-vice rendered by each honoreeduring the flood. McCollumsstaff in Minnesota presentedthe group with a flag that wasflown over the U.S. Capitol inhonor of their efforts during theflooding. Maj. Don Sorenson,f o r mer Anoka Compos i t eSquadron Commander, assistedMcCollums staff with the pre-sentation of the Civil Air PatrolDisaster Relief Ribbon with theV device.

Civil Air Patrol awards aredesigned to recognize heroism,service and program achieve-ments. The coveted Civil AirPatrol Disaster Relief Ribbon

Coesswoma HoosMembes fo Flood relef

By 2nd Lt. George Supan

with V device may be awardedto any member who participatesin a Presidential declared disaster.

The missions in the floodarea included search and res-cue, cleanup, trafc control, city

street patrol, and most impor-tantly, helping people who losttheir business or home.

T h e C i v i l A i r P a t r o lmembers receiving the hon-ors were Maj. Don Sorenson,f o r mer Anoka Compos i t eS q u a d r o n C o m m a n d e r ,Andover; Capt. Andy Bosshart,Anoka Composite Squadron

Commander, Elk River; nd Lt.Shelly Supan, Anoka CompositeSquadron Deputy Commander,Maplewood; nd Lt. Tim Frameof Ramsey; nd Lt . TerryPittman of Scandia; nd Lt. JaySpreitzer of Andover; nd Lt.George Supan of White BearLake, C/TSgt. Peter Mayhewof Stacy; C/SSgt. Matt Frameof Ramsey; C/SrA. Emi lyTholen of Arden Hills; C/AC.Hanna Olsen of Elk River; andC/CMSgt. Ben Hartley, NorthHennepin Composite Squadron,of Maple Grove.

Recipients of United States ags that ew above the U.S. Capitol and staff fromCongresswoman Betty McCollums ofce.

Documents

Minnesota Wing - Mar 2008