Cadets from the Puerto Rico Wing’s Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron, representing Civil Air Patrol’s Southeast Region, are taking home the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Outstanding Team Championship Trophy after finishing first in the National Cadet Competition.
The results of the three-day, 16-team competition at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, were announced July 17.
The second- and third-place finishers both hail from the Pacific Region – the Alaska Wing’s Kodiak Island Composite Squadron and the Washington Wing’s Overlake Composite Squadron.
The Southeast Region has now captured four straight National Cadet Competitions. The previous three were won by the Florida Wing’s Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron, with the 2020 and 2021 events canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic..
The Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron team consisted of:
- Cadet Lt. Col. Rayesh Figueroa
- Cadet Capts. Jarielys M. Rosario and Mary E. Rosario
- Cadet 1st Lt. Saul G. Andino
- Cadet 2nd Lts. Ian Y. Acosta, Andres A. Casiano, and Jose L. Medero
The Kodiak Island Composite Squadron consisted of:
- Cadet Chief Master Sgts. C.J. Ancheta, Connor Burnside, and Liam Long
- Cadet Master Sgt. Vivian Lorch
- Cadet Staff Sgts. Kaylin Burnside and Peyton Eaker
The Overlake Composite Squadron team consisted of:
- Cadet Capts. Cristian Garland Kaier Magnan
- Cadet 1st Lt. Braden Russell
- Cadet Chief Master Sgts. Misha Check, Brenton Natale, and Andrew Poole
The Puerto Rico Wing team’s first-place performance included victories in four of the seven main categories – Indoor Drill, Standard/Element Drill, Inspection, and Physical Fitness.
The Alaska Wing cadets placed second in Standard/Element Drill and Physical Fitness and in a pair of elective event, Panel Quiz and Small Unmanned Aerial System – Drone Event.
The Washington Wing cadets took first in Written Exam and Team Leadership Problem, as well as Panel Quiz and another elective event, Service Project.
Here are the first- and second-place teams by category:
Core Events
Indoor Drill
Southeast Region – Puerto Rico Wing, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
Mid-Atlantic Region – Maryland Wing, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron
Outdoor Drill
Mid-Atlantic Region – North Carolina Wing, 111th Search and Rescue Composite Squadron
Mid-Atlantic Region – Maryland Wing, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron
Standard/Element Drill
Southeast Region – Puerto Rico Wing, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
Pacific Region – Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Inspection
Southeast Region – Puerto Rico Wing, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
Pacific Region – Washington Wing, Overlake Composite Squadron
Written Exam
Pacific Region – Washington Wing, Overlake Composite Squadron
Northeast Region – New Jersey Wing, Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. Composite Squadron
Physical Fitness
Southeast Region – Puerto Rico Wing, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
Pacific Region – Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Team Leadership Problem
Pacific Region – Washington Wing, Overlake Composite Squadron
Mid-Atlantic Region – North Carolina Wing, 111th Composite Squadron
Elective Events
Panel Quiz
Pacific Region – Washington Wing, Overlake Composite Squadron
Pacific Region – Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Service Project
Pacific Region – Washington Wing, Overlake Composite Squadron
Southeast Region – Puerto Rico Wing, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
Small Unmanned Aerial System – Drone Event
Northeast Region – New Jersey Wing, Twin Pine Composite Squadron
Pacific Region – Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Individual categories
Cadet Physical Fitness Test
Cadet Capt. Isaiah Zwirn (5:32) – Great Lakes Region, Indiana Wing, Shelbyville Composite Squadron
Cadet Tech. Sgt. Sadie Schwartz (7:09) – Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado Wing, Broomfield Composite Squadron
Highest Written Exam
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. C.J. Ancheta – Pacific Region, Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Fleet Foot Male
Cadet 2nd Lt. Andres Casiano (5:25) – Southeast Region, Puerto Rico Wing,, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
Fleet Foot Female
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Misha Check (6:06) – Pacific Region, Washington Wing, Overlake Composite Squadron
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems
Maverick
Cadet Master Sgt. Vivian Lorch – Pacific Region, Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Goose
Cadet Chief Master Sgt, Connor Burnside – Pacific Region, Alaska Wing, Kodiak Island Composite Squadron
Here is the complete 16-team field:
Great Lakes Region
- Anderson Composite Squadron, Indiana Wing
- Shelbyville Composite Squadron, Indiana Wing
Mid-Atlantic Region
- Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron, Maryland Wing
- 111th Search and Rescue Composite Squadron, North Carolina
North Central Region
- Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron, Missouri Wing
- Viking Composite Squadron, Minnesota Wing
Northeast Region
- Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Composite Squadron, New Jersey Wing
- Twin Pine Composite Squadron, New Jersey Wing
Pacific Region
- Overlake Composite Squadron, Washington Wing
- Kodiak Island Composite Squadron, Alaska Wing
Rocky Mountain Region
- Broomfield Composite Squadron, Colorado Wing
- Boise Composite Squadron, Idaho Wing
Southeast Region
- Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron, Puerto Rico Wing
- Brandon Cadet Squadron, Florida Wing
Southwest Region
- Tangipahoa Cadet Squadron, Louisiana Wing
- Thunderbolt Composite Squadron, Texas Wing