This weekend, Group 3 was finally able to meet up in person as a group for the first time in approximately a year and a half. After being heavily involved in COVID-19 related missions across Pennsylvania, the group was able to come together for a return to normalcy.
The day started off with an early morning call for the Group 3 Honor Guard Training School. Six cadets from Group 3 including four from Squadron 1007, participated in the inaugural session. The cadets received approximately 2.5 hours of Honor Guard training. Long term, these cadets will bring these specialized skills back to their squadrons. This knowledge will support activities both within Civil Air Patrol and within our community.
Later, Group 3 gathered for a picnic and reconnected across squadrons. Activities included cornhole, cadet-led aerospace education, and various sports. After a long time apart, participating in virtual activities, it was clear that the team was ready to return to a normal rhythm. This is the start of more in-person activities at both the squadron and group levels. The attendees of Squadron 1007 thoroughly enjoyed themselves and look forward to future events. In 2021, we expect two Emergency Services training weekends and multiple conferences.
Civil Air Patrol is the longtime auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a valued member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 single-engine aircraft and 1,994 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). It performs about 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 82 lives annually. CAP’s 60,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Operating as a nonprofit organization, CAP also plays a leading role in STEM/aerospace education, and its members serve as mentors to about 25,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.
Visit www.squadron1007.org, www.CAP.News, or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.