March 25, 2007

Homeland Security Newsletter


Having a few minutes between researching China's Military and reading Shakespeare's All's Well that Ends Well, I logged onto e-services and decided to check out the Homeland Security Newsletter. It can be located at the left side of the screen and is available to anybody in CAP to read. The fall, 2006 issue is about seven pages and a quick read. I'm not going to post anything about it here, but if you are a CAP member, please take a minute to read it. You'll learn something.

March 20, 2007

Missing Boy Found!

Good Job, People! Happy that this one ended well.

March 19, 2007

Missing Boy Scout, Found Aircraft


From CNN:


WILKESBORO, North Carolina (CNN) -- Authorities searching for a 12-year-old Boy Scout missing since Saturday found his mess kit near where he had been
camping with members of his troop near the Blue Ridge Parkway, officials told CNN Sunday.
The missing boy, Michael Auberry, of Greensboro, North Carolina, had remained with an adult at the campsite while other scouts went for a hike, said Dave Bauer of the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park Service.
When the other scouts returned, they ate lunch with Michael who later disappeared from the camp, Bauer said. Once scouts and their leaders noticed Michael was not
in camp, they began a search and, within a half hour, called the park service,
Bauer said. More than 100 people searched nearly 10 square miles of
wilderness in western North Carolina Helicopters equipped with infrared
heat-sensing devices joined the effort Sunday as did searchers on all-terrain
vehicles, David Weldon, the search commander said.

Good Hunting Guys. Bring him home safe. Story found at http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/18/boy.scout/index.html
UPDATE: On a lighter note, Oregon Wing was activated to search for a downed airplane. They found it. Bravo Zulu People! (http://www.salem-news.com/articles/march172007/downed_plane_31707.php)

March 8, 2007

The Civil Air Patrol Homeland Security Support Act of 2007


Well, I got my hands on a copy of the new bill being presented in the House regarding CAP.

Overall, it's not that impressive, and not nearly as 'threatening' as many have made it out to be. All it really does is neutralize any Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) debate that has been floating around out there.

The most significant things in the bill are as follows:

  1. Authorizes the use of CAP Assets along the Border in "Reconnaissance and Communications" abilities.
  2. Provides for an MOU between DOD and DHS for CAP use in Border and Disaster Relief efforts.
  3. Requires DHS to reimburse DOD for the use of CAP assets.

And that's about it. Nothing too radical, but a large change at the same time. Provided it passes, this bill would merely make DHS 'rent' us from DOD as opposed to DOD footing the bill. And again, it nullifies any PCA debate about our being on the border.

I like it, but I think it's material covered already.

UPDATE: the full text can be downloaded at http://captalk.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1647.0;attach=426. It's a .pdf so be sure you have Adobe Reader.

March 6, 2007

The Squadron Library: An Idea

I was re-reading my post about "George Washington's Leadership Lessons" today. I also sent a message to my Cadet Command Staff about the book and how I recommend they read it (so much so, I bought another copy for the squadron). An idea then occurred to me; A Squadron Library. That is to say, a collection of books, owned by the squadron, that would be available to Cadets and Seniors alike, in various subjects such as Aerospace, Leadership, Writing/Communications skills (for help with those essays and speeches for Armstrong and Eaker), Books on SAR, DR, and other ES related subjects. Maybe even CAP/USAF History to round out the collection.

The use of such a collection would be simple: provide the resources for added study in the above areas. This would allow for better Cadets and better Seniors in all areas. This, in turn, would increase squadron productivity, and the added skill may help with recruiting/retention.

The only thing that could hold such a plan back is that our squadron doesn't have a place to call our own. We meet at an armory, which we share with the National Guard. Therefore, we will have to solve the problem of where to keep the books we place in the library. However, I'm sure this can be overcome.

Any thoughts? Please leave a comment with criticism. I plan to bring this up with my squadron tomorrow