deer valley squadron - oct 2007

8/2/2019 Deer Valley Squadron - Oct 2007

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FullFullThrottleThrottle

Monthly e-newsletter ofDeer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302, Arizona Wing, U.S. Civil Air PatrolDeer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona

50 years of service to Arizona and America50 years of service to Arizona and America 19571957--20072007Capt. Paula Ramage, Squadron Commander Vol. 2, No. 2 October 2007

Performing Missions For AmericaPerforming Missions For America Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)

Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007

Cadets from Deer ValleyComposite Squadron 302

gained valuable ground-team

experience and certifications

as part of the squadrons field-

training exercise (FTX) con-

ducted in September near

Strawberry.

Among the activities werebasic survival skills, map-and-compass class, fire building,

Elper training for pinpointingemergency locator transponders,and shelter building, says C/Lt.Col. Matt Ramage, squadron

(continued on page 2)

InsideInsideFull ThrottleFull Throttle Cadet leader stepping down 3 Getting to know 4 Wing SAREX follow up 5 Mayoral congratulations 6

Group IV Dining Out 6 Sound barrier anniversary 7

See the Quarterly Training Sched-ule (QTS) for upcoming events and

contact information. Also, go tohttp://azwg.us for the calendar ofactivities within the Civil Air Pa-trols Arizona Wing.

FTX:FTX:Training to save livesTraining to save lives

GroundGround--team experienceteam experience

demonstrates CAP isdemonstrates CAP ismore than meets the skiesmore than meets the skies


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FTX emphasizes ground-team training(Continued form page 2)cadet commander. The cadetslearned more on this activity be-

cause the focus was on sign-offsfor ground-team qualifications, andthey practiced until they were pro-ficient at the task.

Squadron cadets participating inthe FTX included Leanne Albillar,Travis Babcock, Kyle Corales,

Blaine Esgar, Kegan Edmondson,

David Matteson, Michael

Padrick, Jacqueline Shortridge,

Daniel Vogt, Robert Gassert andMatt Ramage.

Squadron commander Capt.Paula Ramage and Group IV di-rector of operations Lt. Col.Ken Ramage supervised theevent, with Lt. Col. BohnWanamaker conducting cer-tifications for Ground TeamMember - Level 3.

While aerial searches bythe U.S. Civil Air Patrol(CAP) tend to garner themost public awareness,ground teams play an integralpart in search-and-rescue op-erations. Ground-team mem-bers often are the first toreach the sites of downed air-craft or to locate missing per-sons and provide immediateaid.

The importance of groundteams is among the reasons

why the national organizationis introducing more thanmeets the skies as the themeof its new marketing and pub-lic-relations efforts to ac-quaint the public with CAPsvarious service roles.

Full Throttle October 2007 P age 2

(Top photo): Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 cadets (from left)Blaine Esgar, Daniel Vogt, Michael Patrick and Kyle Corales learn aboutmap reading and UHF directional finding from Lt. Col. Ken Ramage(right). (Bottom photo): Squadron cadets Michael Padrick (left) and KyleCorales prepare a shelter. (Photos courtesy of C/Lt. Col. Matt Ramage.)


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Ramage to step down as cadet commanderC/Lt. Col. Matt Ramage, who has served since January as cadet commander of Deer Valley

Composite Squadron 302, has elected to step down effective Monday, Oct. 1, to devote more

time to his studies at Arizona State University-West, where he is a sophomore majoring in

global business.During the squadron open house on

that date, C/2Lt. Robert Gassert willbe installed as the new cadet com-mander. C/2Lt. Gassert recently wasappointed as the squadrons cadet ex-ecutive officer in charge of the cadetsupport staff. The four-year squadronmember is past flight commander ofboth Alpha and Bravo flights andserved as commander of the squadroncolor guard.

He is a solo glider pilot who is con-tinuing his training to become a pow-ered-aircraft pilot. The MountainRidge High School senior seeks to be-come either a flight pilot or transport

pilot in the U.S. Air Force.With his experience, C/2Lt. Gassert is well-prepared to step into this leadership role, says C/Lt.

Col. Ramage.The outgoing cadet commander, who joined the squadron in 2002, completed a two-week stay this

summer near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as a participant in the International Air Cadet Exchange(IACE) program. His other U.S. Civil Air Patrol (CAP) accomplishments include serving as a mem-ber of the Southwest Region Drill Team that won the CivilAir Patrol Cadet National Competition in 2006.

He also attended CAPs prestigious 2006 National BlueBeret at Oshkosh, Wis., was a member of the Honor Flightat the 2005 Cadet Office School at CAPs national head-quarters at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and participatedin the Air Education Training Command in 2004 at Laugh-lin Air Force Base, Tex.

C/Lt. Col. Ramage earned his private pilots license inApril 2006 and is pursuing his instrument/commercial pi-lots rating. In addition, he has soloed in a glider and re-

ceived a scholarship from CAPs Arizona Wing to pursuehis pilot training.

His CAP citations include the Wright Brothers,Mitchell, Earhart and Eaker ribbons as well as Com-manders Commendation and Exceptional Service awards.He is qualified as a ground-team member and radio opera-tor.Full Throttle October 2007 Page 3

C/2Lt. Robert GassertC/Lt. Col. Matt Ramage

Buchanan is appointed

interim commander

of Deer Valley squadronAt press time came an announce-

ment Lt. Col. Chas Buchanan, direc-

tor of homeland security for the Ari-

zona Wing of the U.S. Civil Air Pa-

trol, is succeeding Capt. Paula

Ramage and will serve as interim

commander of Deer Valley Compos-

ite Squadron 302.

The leadershipchange is effectiveOct. 1, announcedMaj. Adam Such,

Group IV commander.


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Full Throttle October 2007 Page 4

Chris Wingard, R.N., B.S.N., one of Deer

Valley Composite Squadron 302s newest

members, is assuming responsibilities as the

squadrons health-services officer, announced

Capt. Paula Ramage, squadron commander.

Following are questions and answers intendedto acquaint squadron officers, cadets and sup-porters with this highly qualified healthcare pro-fessional and pilot:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Q: When did you join the squadron?I joined the squadron in May after learning

about the community services provided by CAPand Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302.

Q: As a new member, what motivated you tojoin the squadron?

My motivation is serving others. I could seeimmediately how my professional experience asa critical-care nurse combined with being a pilotwould provide many opportunities to serve mycommunity.

Additionally, I see CAP as a way I can servemy country. I am a patriot at heart and feel CAPallows regular Joes such as myself to make agreat impact on our country and communities.My wife and I adopted two boys last year, andCAP is a way for me to model the quality expec-tations of young men. I look forward to whenthey can join as cadets.

Q: What are your areas of interest within thesquadron and CAP?

My strongest area of interest within the squad-

ron is creating the avenue for emergency-response education for cadets and senior mem-bers alike. I am looking forward to serving as thesquadrons health-services officer because mybackground in intensive care and clinical-teaching skills can be of value as CAP furtherdefines the health-services specialty.

Getting to knowWingards motivation is

warrior spirit of serviceHelping us

to be betterprepared asfirst respond-ers to disasterswill makeDeer ValleyCompositeSquadron 302stronger. We

have plans toconduct a first aid/CPR provider course later thisfall and then offer a12-week first-respondercourse in the spring.

Q: How would you describe your first missionas a squadron member?

It was exhilarating! My first mission was as ascanner trainee on a SARX (search-and-rescueexercise) mission. As a pilot, I love to fly even ifI don't have the yoke in hand. Having neverflown a CAP mission, I had difficulty sleeping

the night before because I was so excited. I washonored to fly with Maj. Attila Szokol, who ex-emplifies enthusiasm and professionalism for usnew folks. I look forward to future missions.

Q: How long have you been a pilot, and whatare your flight qualifications?

I have been a private pilot since 1994 single-engine land, 260 hours as pilot in command. I justcompleted my SQTR (Specialty QualificationTraining Record) for mission scanner and amanxious to complete my SQTR for mission ob-

server. I want to be checked out as a mission pilotbut also learn the many roles available in CAP.

Q: Do you have military experience?No. I am a civilian with a warrior spirit who

serves his country/community/brother as a volun-teer. On the other hand, my wife was a captain inthe U.S. Army. She also is a nurse.

(Continued on page 5)

Senior Member Chris Wingard


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Health-services officer brings experience(Continued from page 4)

Q: What is your current occupation andcareer experience?

I am employed as a manager in critical careat Sun Health Boswell Hospital in Sun City andhave been in a leadership position for the last10 years.

I fell into nursing by accident. Growing upon a farm in Alabama, I worked my waythrough business school as a nurse aide in anintensive-care unit, never realizing one day Iwould become a nurse. During my last semes-ter of business school at Auburn University, acorporate recruiter told me I looked too young

for many first-line marketing jobs and advisedme to get a job at Wal-Mart and work myselfthrough the ranks. That wasnt what I had inmind.

Instead, my nurse manager encouraged meto go to nursing school. I was the only male inmy class and hated every minute of it.NOT!Actually, I never had dated much until I wentto nursing school. Man, was that fun! I had todate almost all of the other nursing students in order to meet my wife.

My career has been focused primarily in critical care, and I spent six years in the area of organ do-

nation and transplantation. In fact, it was organ donation that brought my family and me to Arizona. Ileft the University of KansasMedical Center in 1999 astransplant director to assumethe directorship of clinical ser-vices for the Donor Networkof Arizona. I came to SunHealth in 2004 as the patient-care manager of critical care.

Q: What are your hobbies?I have too many hobbies if

you ask my wife and kids, al-though each of my hobbieskeeps them entertained.

Among the top contenders Ienjoy the most are carpentry,landscaping, painting, paint-ball, camping, fishing andhunting.

New squadron member Chris Wingard found his firstmission as a scanner trainee to be exhilarating. A pilotand critical-care nurse, Senior Member Wingard looksforward to serving as the squadrons health-servicesofficer.

Wing SAREX involves 11 aircraft,

101 personnel throughout ArizonaMembers of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 partici-

pated in early September in an Arizona Wing search-and-

rescue exercise (SAREX) that involved a total of 11 aircraft

and 101 personnel statewide. Operations were coordinated

through four mission and remote bases.

A total of 23 air sorties were flown, totaling 33.4 hours of flight

time. The SAREX also included seven ground sorties.We established communication with all bases using the IMU,

FM & HF radios, the internet, instant messaging and telephones,notes squadron member Capt. Michael Rich, who recently gainedhis qualification as an incident commander. It was impressive tobe located in the Arizona Mission Base and watch the sortie infor-mation being updated from the remote bases in real time.


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Note these dates

of squadron eventsSenior members, cadets and parents

are encouraged to make note of thefollowing October activities involving members of

Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302:

Oct. 1 Squadron dues of $40 are past due!

Oct. 1 Squadron open house and awards.

Oct. 6 Heliport training at Deer Valley Airport.

Oct. 13 Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

Expo and Competition Carnival Event in Prescott.

Oct. 20-21 Arizona Wing SAREX at Deer ValleyAirport.

Oct. 27-28 Copper State Fly-In in Casa Grande.

Please see the appropriate commander for additionaldetails.

Group IV Dining Out event

scheduled for mid-NovemberFollowing military

tradition of a formal

social event, Group IV

of the U.S. Civil Ai Pa-

trols Arizona Wing is

hosting a groupDining Out event on

Saturday, Nov. 17, at

the Luke Air Force

Base Officers Club

(Club Thunderbolt).

The event is open tomembers of Squadrons 302, 308, 313, 356, 508 andGroup IV Headquarters staff. It is recommended atten-dees bring a spouse/date and for cadets to bring their par-ents.

A social hour begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at6:45 p.m.

Attire is a mess dress, blues of formal CAP corporateblazer. Guests should wear business dress.

The price is $27.50 per person. Registration forms areavailable from commanders and must be submitted byNov. 2.

Mayor congratulates

squadron PAO on

national CAP awardFollowing is excerpted from a letter

received at Deer Valley Composite

Squadron 302 and addressed to 2Lt.

Jerry Porter, squadron public affairs

officer, who was the national co-

winner of the U.S. Civil Air Patrols

first-ever award for public-affairs ex-

cellence in newsletters.

The letters content reflects favora-

bly on the service of all squadron

members who are the subjects of pub-

lic-affairs outreach efforts:~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dear Lieutenant Jerry Porter:

As Mayor, I want to extend my per-

sonal congratulations on your recent

recognition as recipient of the Maj.

Howell Balsem CAP Public Affairs Ex-

ceptional Achievement Award. Your

dedicated service to our community and

country has led to an increased public

awareness of the Civil Air Patrol and the

great sacrifices made by its volunteerofficers and cadets.

As I frequently tell all servicemembers

I am honored to meet, your service to

our country can never be overstated. On

behalf of a grateful city, thank you once

again for your efforts and congratula-

tions on a job well done.

Sincerely,

Phil Gordon

Mayor


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Sound barrier shattered 60 years ago~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yeager flight ushered in new aviation eraA significant milestone in the history of aviation will be reached on

Sunday, Oct. 14, when the 60th anniversary of supersonic flight is

reached. On that date in 1947, U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles E.Chuck Yeager became the first pilot credited with breaking the soundbarrier in level flight.

Capt. Yeagerpropelled mannedflight into the su-personic era whileat the controls ofthe GlamorousGlennis Bell XS-1 rocket plane high above the California de-sert at what is known today as Edwards AirForce Base. Estimates of the speed he at-tained that day range from Mach 1.03, whichis what Capt. Yeager logged in his own flightreport, to as high as Mach 1.07.

Today, Yeager is a retired U.S. Air Forcebrigadier general living in Penn Valley, Calif.

The U.S. Civil Air Patrol offers the Aero-space Education Program for Senior Mem-

bers (AEPSM) that can lead to the Charles E.Chuck Yeager Aerospace EducationAchievement Award (see CAPR 280-2). Sen-iors may earn the "Technician," "Senior" or"Master" ratings in the 215 Aerospace Educa-tion Officer Specialty Training Track.

Seniors may use attendance at a NationalConference on Aviation and Space Educa-tion, attendance at a Region Aerospace Edu-cation Conference or preparing an aerospacemanuscript for publication to fulfill certain

senior-member training-program progressionrequirements (see CAPR 50-17).

All senior members of Deer Valley Com-posite Squadron 302 are encouraged to pur-sue the aerospace award. Details are availableby contacting the squadrons professional-development officer, 2Lt. Ruben Kafen-baum, at [email protected].


Full ThrottleFull Throttleis the monthly e-newsletter for offi-

cers, cadets and friends of Deer Valley CompositeSquadron 302, Arizona Wing, U.S. Civil Air Patrol.Its mission is to bolster communication with andamong officers and cadets, enhance awareness ofsquadron activities, and share news and informationabout the squadron and its personnel.

Story suggestions and submissions can be for-warded by the 15th of the month preceding publica-tion to2Lt. Jerry Porter,squadron public-affairsofficer, at [email protected].

To guarantee receipt of the newsletter, readers

should ensure their e-mail addresses and other con-tact information remain current with the squadronand on e-services at www.capnhq.gov.Vol. 2, No. 2 October 2007

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

National First-Place Co-WinnerNewsletters2007 Maj. Howell Balsem

CAP Exceptional Achievement Awards

Capt. Chuck Yeager poses in 1947 with the Bell XS-1.

Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager

deer valley squadron - oct 2007

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