The achievement was three years in the making, but the Knights of the Florida Wing’s Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron are National Cadet Competition champions again.
Following two years of postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Civil Air Patrol resumed its National Cadet Competition from July 14-19 in Dayton, Ohio.
The Florida Wing team, representing the Southeast Region came in first place, hoisting the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Sweepstakes Award Trophy for the third consecutive time, having previously finished first in 2018 and 2019.
Then came the Alaska Wing’s Kodiak Island Composite Squadron team, representing the Pacific Region, in second place. The Virginia Wing’s Burke Composite Squadron team finished third, representing the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Winners were announced July 18 at the competition’s awards banquet. In attendance were CAP’s national commander, Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, and he national command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Todd Parsons.
“Congratulations team for overcoming adversity despite all the challenges presented to you,” said Lt. Col. Anthony Mollison, the Wesley Chapel commander, who informed squadron members via the unit’s Facebook page. “You have shown what ‘right’ looks like and continue to exemplify the core values of this amazing program and our parent organization.”
The national competition featured 16 cadet teams from eight regions around the U.S. – from Alaska to Puerto Rico. Cadets competed over three days on various aspects of cadet life, such as indoor posting of the colors, drill, a leadership and aerospace written exam, a team leadership problem, uniform preparation, fitness testing, and public speaking.
The championship squad’s team coach is Capt. Cesar Alayon, who has mentored the team to all three of its national titles, and the lead escort is 1st Lt. Sandra Weiss.
“I am extremely proud of our team,” Weiss said. “They have exceeded all expectations, despite many challenges. I feel our team truly deserves this victory, as they have trained for many long hours, sacrificing time with friends and family to give their all to the team.
“I’d like to thank them for their dedication.”
Mollison, in turn, voiced his appreciation for Alayon and Weiss, as well as former two-time national champions Capt. Andrew Alayon and Senior Member Elicia Smith, who assisted with training and logistics for the team during the past year.
“This could not have been achieved without the mentorship, tireless efforts, and selfless dedication of our senior member coaches and mentors,” Mollison said.
The competition, held at Wright State University, went on without a hitch, said Wendy Hamilton, CAP’s deputy director of cadet programs.
“We have waited impatiently to resume the National Cadet Competition and were pleased to be able to run this capstone event this year,” Hamilton said. “It is one of our favorites because we see everything from teams that have been together for years (like the Wesley Chapel team) to those that decided to hone their skills to compete this year.
“Despite a resurgence of COVID, soaring transportation costs, and lots of rain, the volunteer staff hosted a top-notch competition. Thank you to the regions for pressing on despite the many obstacles and sending teams to compete. We are already planning for next year.”
Top performers in the various team categories were:
Indoor Drill
First – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Second – Mid-Atlantic Region (Virginia Wing)
Inspection
First – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Second – Great Lakes Region (Indiana Wing)
Outdoor Drill
First – Great Lakes Region (Indiana Wing)
Second – Mid-Atlantic Region (Virginia Wing)
Physical Fitness
First – Southwest Region (Arizona Wing)
Second – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Service Project
First – Southeast Region (Puerto Rico Wing)
Second – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Speech
First – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Second – Southwest Region (Louisiana Wing)
Standard Drill
First – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Second – Southeast Region (Puerto Rico Wing)
sUAS
First – Pacific Region (Alaska Wing)
Second – Mid-Atlantic Region (Virginia Wing)
Team Leadership Problem
First – North Central Region (South Dakota Wing)
Second – Southeast Region (Florida Wing)
Written Exam
First (tie) Middle Atlantic Region
First (tie) – Southwest Region (Arizona Wing)
Individual winners were:
Academic Excellence Award
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Robert Kammerer (perfect score of 70 on written exam)
Middle-Atlantic Region (Virginia Wing)
Fleet Foot Award – Female
Cadet 2nd Lt. Grace Ingebretsen (5:41 mile)
North Central Region (South Dakota Wing )
Fleet Foot Award –Male
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Samuel Harrison (5:11 mile)
Rocky Mountain Region Colorado Wing
Top Physical Fitness
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Natalie Salyer (195 score)
Rocky Mountain Region (Idaho Wing)
The participating teams consisted of:
Great Lakes Region 
Indiana Wing (Valparaiso Composite Squadron)
Cadet Capt. Tyson Borgelt
Cadet 2nd Lt. Caleb Johnson
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Brayden Schrock
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Damon Virgo
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Noah Johnson
Michigan Wing (Maj. Kevin J. Adams Memorial Composite Squadron)
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Alexander Harrison
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Harrison Humes
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Alexander Nemecek
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Vandermolen
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Shannon Armstrong
Cadet Staff Sgt. Edward Warren
Mid-Atlantic Region
Maryland Wing (Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron)
Cadet Capt. Amie Huynh
Cadet 2nd Lt. Joseph Sciortino
Cadet 2nd Lt. Emily Sechler
Cadet Master Sgt. Harold Fischer
Cadet Master Sgt. Noble Gray
Cadet Senior Airman Stephany Santoyo
Virginia Wing (Burke Composite Squadron)
Cadet Maj. Lucas Bottorff
Cadet Capt. Samjuel Ten
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Robert Kammerer
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Ethan Edwards
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Tyler Webb
Cadet Staff Sgt. Audrey Edwards
North Central Region
Minnesota Wing (Viking Composite Squadron)
Cadet 1st Lt. Arjav Krishna
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Julia Gregory
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Ethan Woitas
Cadet Master Sgt. Levi Gregory
Cadet Master Sgt. Elizabeth Lassila
Cadet Senior Airman Bennet Nii
South Dakota Wing (Sioux Falls Composite Squadron)
Cadet Maj. Keon Den Hoed
Cadet 1st Lt. Zephaniahh Tolliver
Cadet 2nd Lt. Ethan Den Hoed
Cadet 2nd Lt. Grace Ingebretsen C
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Clara Giddings
Cadet Master Sgt. Alexander Smith
Northeast Region
New Jersey Wing (Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. Composite Squadron)
Cadet Capt. Jessica Hoschek
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jake Cahill
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. William Mares
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Nicholas Mascio
Cadet Master Sgt. Daniel Clayton
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Cassidy Kittel
Connecticut Wing (103rd Composite Squadron)
Cadet 1st Lt. Andrew Serrazina
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Mason White
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Sigmund
Cadet Master Sgt. Mia Wismar
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Cipollini
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Johnathan Tobias
Pacific Region
California Wing (San Diego Cadet Squadron 144)
Cadet Capt. Katelyn Winkleblech
Cadet 2nd Lt. Isiah Gonzalez
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Horton
Cadet Master Sgt. Benjamin Hartle
Cadet Master Sgt. Fiona Wang
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Jace Frazier
Alaska Wing (Kodiak Island Composite Squadron)
Cadet 2nd Lt. Bella Klier
Cadet 2nd Lt. Hunter Simeonoff
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Branden Lorch
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. William Long
Cadet Master Sgt. Carl Ancheta
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Connor Burnside
Rocky Mountain Region
Colorado Wing (Montrose Composite Squadron)
Cadet 1st Lt. Sydney Loos
Cadet 2nd Lt. Kyle Stielow
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. William Chen
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Samuel Harrison
Cadet Master Sgt. Jonathan Pratt
Cadet Staff Sgt. Alix Stielow
Cadet Staff Sgt. Levi Stielow
Idaho Wing (Boise Composite Squadron)
Cadet 1st Lt. Spencer McConnell
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Sihu Hwang
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Natalie Salyer
Cadet Staff Sgt. Torin Brown
Cadet Staff Sgt. Finnegan Cretser
Cadet Airman 1st Class Hallie Esmiol
Southeast Region
Florida Wing (Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron)
Cadet Col. Michael-Anthony Mollison
Cadet Capt. Maria Granados Reyes
Cadet 2nd Lt. Matthew Santos
Cadet 2nd Lt. Alexandra Weiss
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Mason Lockert
Cadet Master Sgt. Trent Greco
Puerto Rico Wing (Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron)
Cadet Lt. Col. Michael Brito
Cadet Master Sgt. Ian Acosta
Cadet Master Sgt. Saul Andino
Cadet Master Sgt. Andres Casiano
Cadet Master Sgt. Jose Medero
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Fabian Hernandez
Southwest Region
Arizona Wing (Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302)
Cadet 1st Lt. Caleb Miller
Cadet 2nd Lt. Dominic Agostini
Cadet 2nd Lt. Liam Arnold
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Colin Mason
Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Moses Lopez
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Gianna Kordylas
Louisiana Wing (Tangipahoa Cadet Squadron)
Cadet Capt. Josiah May
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Dave Dematteo
Cadet 2nd Lt. Landen Parfait
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Parker Blades
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Katherine Price
Cadet Senior Airman Marion Schenk