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Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol

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Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol
Florida Wing of Civil Air Patrol
Associated branches
United States Air Force
Command staff
Commander Col David Panzera
Vice Commander Lt Col James Minsterl for north; Lt Col Julio Pastoriza for south
Chief of Staff Lt Col Lazaro Garcia
Command NCO CMSgt Jose Tamayo
Current statistics
Cadets1,910
Seniors1,806
Total Membership3,716
AwardsUnit Citation, National Commander Unit Citation
Websiteflwg.cap.gov
Statistics as of 9 November 2024

Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is part of Southeast Region (SER) and the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Florida. Florida Wing headquarters is on the Sun 'n Fun campus located at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida.[1] Florida Wing consists of over 3,500 cadet and adult members at over 66 locations across the state of Florida.[2] Col David Panzera assumed command from Col Luis Negron on April 6, 2024, at the Florida Wing Conference in Orlando, Florida.[3]

Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2021, Civil Air Patrol is congressionally chartered and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. CAP performs services for the federal government as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and for states and local communities. CAP is a strategic member of the Total Force, consisting of the Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Air Force auxiliary. CAP performs three primary missions — Cadet Programs, Aerospace Education, and Emergency Services.

History

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Main article: History of the Civil Air Patrol

Prior to the creation of Civil Air Patrol, the state of Florida created its own group of paramilitary civilian aviators to patrol its coastline. Organized in 1941, the First Air Squadron was mustered in on May 28, 1941. Organized under the Florida Defense Force, the First Air Squadron was made up of civilian volunteers, and all aircraft were privately owned. Members were required to either have a private pilot's license or have served in the military at least one year to join. The First Air Squadron patrolled the Florida coast for U-boats and assisted in search and rescue missions.[4]

Civil Air Patrol was created on December 1, 1941.[5] In Florida, the First Air Squadron was reorganized as a Civil Air Patrol unit. By early January 1942, Florida wing was organized into seven different operation groups, each with a commander and staff.[6]

Vision

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Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol will continue to build the exemplary organization of citizen volunteers performing missions for the communities of Florida... Train for Response, Succeed in our Response, Excel in our Service.

Mission statement

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Volunteers serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.[7]

Command Objectives

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  • Strengthen our organization through positive and professional interaction.[citation needed]
  • Maximize Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol support to our local, state, federal, and tribal partners, communities, and members.[citation needed]
  • Sustain a capable, responsive, and accountable organization.[citation needed]

Mission

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Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services.[8]

Emergency services

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National:

  • Conducts 90% of inland search and rescue in the U.S. as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and other agencies.
  • Coordinates Air Force-assigned missions through the CAP National Operations Center at Maxwell AFB, Ala., at a cost of $120-$165 per flying hour.
  • Has nearly 7,000 aircrew members and over 33,000 emergency responders trained to FEMA standards.
  • Provides over 450 chaplains and 600 character development instructors who minister to youth and adult members and help comfort victims of disasters.
  • Performs highly specialized aerial imagery for disaster damage assessment and more to support local, state and national agencies.
  • Provides air intercept training, impact assessment, light transport, communications support and low-level route surveys for the Air Force.
  • Transports time-sensitive medical materials, blood products and body tissues when commercial resources are unavailable.
  • Maintains an extensive national network of VHF and HF communications. Florida:
  • The wing provided aircraft, aircrews and small Unmanned Aerial Systems teams in response to the Puerto Rico earthquakes.
  • Pilots provided 636 CAP cadet orientation flights,13 ROTC orientation flights, 52 Junior ROTC orientation flights and 14 teacher orientation flights.
  • Aircrews flew 30 air defense target of interest flights for Fertile Keynote, 86 sorties for Exercise America's Shield and 42 low-level route survey sorties for Hurlburt Air Force Base.
  • The wing flew 11 sorties in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the responses to hurricanes Isaac and Sally.
  • Members participated in Falcon Virgo, AEROnet, Eglin AFB fire patrol, U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Command radar training, Charlotte County harbor patrol, Felix Keynote, Fertile Hawk and Super Bowl air intercept training.

Cadet programs

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Through their experiences as CAP cadets, young people develop into responsible citizens and become tomorrow's aerospace leaders. CAP is the volunteer, nonprofit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Its three missions are to develop its cadets, educate Americans on the importance of aviation and space, and perform life-saving, humanitarian missions.

  • Attracts over 24,000 members ages 12 through 20 for participation in its cadet programs.
  • Educates youth in four main program areas — leadership, aerospace, fitness and character development.
  • Enriches school curricula through afterschool programs.
  • Meets the high school graduation requirement in Florida for 100 community service/volunteer hours.
  • Offers orientation flights in powered and glider aircraft, as well as flight training scholarships.
  • Provides activities and competitions for cadets at the local, state, regional and national levels.
  • Provides opportunities for community involvement through color guard/drill team and emergency service missions.
  • Challenges youth to be ambassadors for a drug-free lifestyle.
  • Introduces thousands of cadets to cyber defense careers through CyberPatriot, the Air Force Association's National Youth Cyber Security Competition.
  • CAP cadets make up about 10% of the Air Force Academy's classes.
  • Cadets who have earned the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award enlist in the Air Force, U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard at a higher pay grade.
  • Participates in the International Air Cadet Exchange program.
  • Awards college scholarships in several disciplines.

Florida Wing, 2020 Cadet Programs Statistics (note - lower numbers than usual due to COVID19 organizational wide stand-down):

  • More than 370 cadets attended a wing-wide encampment.
  • Four cadets achieved the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, Civil Air Patrol's top cadet honor.
  • The St. Augustine Composite Squadron cadet team placed second nationally in the All Service Division during the Air Force Association's first virtual national CyberPatriot cyber security competition and third in the CISCO NetAcad Challenge.
  • Two cadets earned their private pilot certificate through CAP's Cadet Wings program.
  • Four cadets received CAP flight scholarships and one was awarded a CAP academic scholarship.
  • The Cadet Leadership Academy drew 193 cadets.
  • Florida Wing 2021 Quality Cadet Unit Award Recipients: NORTH PERRY COMPOSITE SQUADRON SRQ COMPOSITE SQDN, Sarasota CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMPOSITE SQDN SEMINOLE COMPOSITE SQUADRON SAINT AUGUSTINE COMPOSITE SQUADRON POLK COUNTY COMPOSITE SQUADRON PATRICK COMPOSITE SQDN TAMIAMI COMPOSITE SQDN JACKSONVILLE COMPOSITE SQDN PENSACOLA CADET SQDN TALLAHASSEE COMPOSITE SQDN WESLEY CHAPEL CADET SQUADRON 463RD COMPOSITE SQUADRON, Kissimmee

Aerospace education

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Civil Air Patrol offers numerous products and programs—free to members—in fulfillment of both its Internal (cadets and senior members) and External (educators and students) Aerospace Education mission. Explore the Aerospace Education section of the Civil Air Patrol website at GoCivilAirPatrol.com for information on specific programs including STEM Kits, the K-6th grade Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE)program, Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX), Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flights (in CAP aircraft), and more. Florida Wing maintained educational partnerships with 76 high schools; supported the National Space Familiarization Course; and provided a space flight orientation course.

Organization

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Florida Wing is divided into nine groups across the state, with each squadron or flight being assigned to a group based on its geographical location. The Wing comprises 21 Cadet Squadrons, 7 Senior Squadrons, 29 Composite Squadrons (composed of both Cadets and Senior Members), and the Support and Legislative Squadrons.[9]

Florida Wing Group and County Boundaries
A group of Florida Civil Air Patrol cadets visit the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB.
Members of the 89th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron sort through boxes of donated BDUs they received at MacDill AFB.
SSgt Khaalis shows cadets from the Clearwater Composite Squadron how the Charleston AFB Nondestructive Inspection shop uses x-rays to detect cracks, delaminations, voids, processing defects and heat damage on aircraft structures and parts.
Cody Powell, 13-year-old son of Maj Jeff Powell, USAFR, the 919th Maintenance Operations Flight commander, helps a member of Eglin's Civil Air Patrol learn to fly a radio controlled aircraft.
Members of Civil Air Patrol from the Clearwater Composite Squadron prepare for a flight out of MacDill AFB on a C-17 Globemaster III.
Lt Col John Clark, CAP, Commander of Civil Air Patrol Group 6, presents Capt Scott Morris, USAFR, 93rd Fighter Squadron pilot, with a certificate of appreciation at Homestead Air Reserve Base.
Cadets and senior members of the Homestead Air Reserve Base Composite Sqdn during a Young Eagles Flight event at Homestead General Aviation Airport.
Florida Wing Units[9][10]
Group Charter No. Unit Name Location Notes
SER-FL-000 Florida Wing Support Squadron Lakeland
SER-FL-001 Florida Wing HQ Lakeland
SER-FL-999 Florida Legislative Squadron Tallahassee
Group 1 SER-FL-423 Eglin Composite Squadron Eglin Air Force Base
SER-FL-424 Emerald Coast Senior Squadron Pensacola
SER-FL-425 Pensacola Cadet Squadron Pensacola
SER-FL-432 Tallahassee Composite Squadron Tallahassee
SER-FL-435 Betty McNabb Composite Squadron Panama City
SER-FL-444 Marianna Composite Squadron Marianna
Group 2 SER-FL-021 Lake Composite Squadron Tavares
SER-FL-049 Ormond Beach Composite Squadron Ormond Beach
SER-FL-142 Gainesville Composite Squadron Gainesville
SER-FL-171 Fruit Cove Cadet Squadron St. Johns
SER-FL-173 Saint Augustine Composite Squadron St. Augustine
SER-FL-323 Fernandina Senior Squadron Fernandina Beach
SER-FL-361 Marion County Composite Squadron Ocala
SER-FL-383 Jacksonville Composite Squadron Jacksonville
SER-FL-831 Liberty Middle School Squadron Ocala
SER-FL-607 Suwannee River Composite Squadron Branford
Group 3 SER-FL-066 St Petersburg Cadet Squadron St. Petersburg
SER-FL-182 Pinellas Senior Squadron St. Petersburg
SER-FL-301 Hernando County Composite Squadron Brooksville
SER-FL-447 Clearwater Composite Squadron Clearwater
SER-FL-458 Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron Wesley Chapel
SER-FL-459 Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron Zephyrhills
SER-FL-829 Azalea Middle School Cadet Squadron St. Petersburg
SER-FL-828 Sunlake High School Cadet Squadron Land O' Lakes
Group 4 SER-FL-463 463rd Composite Squadron Kissimmee
SER-FL-267 Ti-Co Composite Squadron Titusville
SER-FL-293 Patrick Composite Squadron Satellite Beach
SER-FL-259 Central Florida Composite Squadron Orlando
SER-FL-116 Seminole Composite Squadron Sanford
SER-FL-122 Merritt Island Senior Squadron Merritt Island
Group 5 SER-FL-314 Highlands County Composite Squadron Sebring
SER-FL-044 SQR Composite Squadron Sarasota
SER-FL-051 Charlotte County Composite Squadron Punta Gorda
SER-FL-335 Venice Cadet Squadron Venice
SER-FL-023 Naples Composite Squadron Naples
SER-FL-376 Marco Island Senior Squadron Marco Island
Group 6 SER-FL-024 Stuart Composite Squadron Port St. Lucie
SER-FL-457 Indian River Composite Squadron Indian River
SER-FL-054 Lantana Cadet Squadron Lantana
SER-FL-078 Treasure Coast Composite Squadron Ft. Pierce
SER-FL-152 North Palm Beach County Cadet Squadron Jupiter
SER-FL-830 Pahokee Middle High School Cadet Squadron Pahokee
Group 7 SER-FL-076 Miami Senior Squadron 1 Opa-Locka
SER-FL-279 Homestead Air Reserve Base Cadet Squadron Homestead Air Reserve Base
SER-FL-319 Doral Cadet Squadron Doral
SER-FL-355 Tamiami Composite Squadron Miami
SER-FL-462 Key West Cadet Squadron Key West
SER-FL-464 Opa-Locka Cadet Squadron Miami Gardens
Group 8 SER-FL-237 Brandon Cadet Squadron Brandon
SER-FL-089 089th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron MacDill Air Force Base
SER-FL-243 North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron Lutz
SER-FL-274 Polk County Composite Squadron Winter Haven
SER-FL-310 Hillsborough One Senior Squadron Tampa
SER-FL-466 Lakeland Composite Squadron Lakeland
Group 9 SER-FL-011 North Perry Composite Squadron Pembroke Pines
SER-FL-016 Coral Springs Cadet Squadron Coral Springs
SER-FL-286 Pines-Miramar Composite Squadron Hollywood
SER-FL-337 Fort Lauderdale Composite Squadron Ft. Lauderdale
SER-FL-372 Boca Raton Composite Squadron Boca Raton
SER-FL-606 Gold Coast Senior Squadron Ft. Lauderdale
SER-FL-811 Crystal Lake MS Cadet Squadron Pompano Beach
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Under the State of Florida Civil Air Patrol Leave Act, members of Civil Air Patrol who are employed within the boundaries of Florida, by a company which employs fifteen or more people, are allowed up to fifteen days of unpaid leave annually for the purpose of participating in Civil Air Patrol training or missions. Employees will not be required to use accrued vacation or sick leave or any other type of accrued leave prior to taking unpaid Civil Air Patrol leave, but may choose to use such benefits. Employers are forbidden from requiring Civil Air Patrol members to use vacation, annual, compensatory, or similar leave time for the period during which the member was on Civil Air Patrol leave. Employers are also forbidden from penalizing or firing employees for taking Civil Air Patrol leave. These employee rights are codified under Florida Statutes § 252.55.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "About Us". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. ^ "2014 Statistics" (PDF). Capmembers.com. 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Southeast Region Online News System". news.sercap.us. Archived from the original on 2017-04-18. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  4. ^ "Civil Defense: Florida Defense Force". Palm Beach County History Online. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  5. ^ Introduction to Civil Air Patrol (PDF). Maxwell AFB: National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol. April 2013. CAP Pamphlet 50-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  6. ^ Reilly, Thomas (1998). "Florida's Flying Minute Men: The Civil Air Patrol, 1941-1943". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 76 (4): 417–438. JSTOR 30149932.
  7. ^ "About". Florida Wing - Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  8. ^ "History of the Civil Air Patrol". Gocivilairpatrol.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Find A Unit Near You". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  10. ^ "Civil Air Patrol Unit Directory". GoCivilAirPatrol.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 August 2015. Retrieved 25 Aug 2021.
  11. ^ "Fla. Stat. § 252.55". Florida Legislature. 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.

Further reading

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