Civil Air Patrol || Fullerton Composite Squadron 56

Happy Holidays and welcome to the last month of the oughts! As we reach the end of the year, we’re starting to look towards next year’s activities.  In the next couple of weeks, start looking forward to our 2010 calendar.

This month, we had the great pleasure of presenting two Billy Mitchell Award certificates to C/2d Lt Dave Truong and C/2d Lt Ronald Cervantes.  A video of the presentation by the Group 7 Commander, LtCol David Beohm is below.

We were also able to promote 6 cadets tonight.  They are:

• Cadet Joel Gamboa was promoted to C/CMSgt
• Cadet Matthew Rupprecht was promoted to C/SMSgt
• Cadet Philip de Castro was promtoed to C/SSgt
• Cadet Ryan Duran was promoted to C/SSgt
• Cadet Luigi Priore was promoted to C/SSgt
• Cadet Joshua Kim was promoted to C/A1C

While this time of year is a bit slow for activities, there are a few coming up, including:

• Non-Commissioned Officer School-North – 8-10 January 2010
• Advanced Communicator User Training – 30 January 2010
• Cadet Program’s Conference – 12-15 February 2010

Many regular visitors to the website have undoubtedly noticed that it has been non-operational for the past couple months.  Thankfully, we’ve fixed the problem and we’re back up and running.  We’ll start to get some new content flowing onto the site in short order.

One of the downsides of having the website down was that our steady trickle of new cadets stopped.  It might be coincidence that new cadets stopped coming just at the same time as the website was down, but more likely we’ve been getting the word out about Squadron 56 through the website.  Hopefully now that we’re back up and running, we’ll start to see some new faces.  But we’re not banking on it!  Instead, we’re starting to push for more recruiting within the squadron.

One great thing about the squadron right now is that we have many new Cadet Staff Sergent and Cadet Senior Airman.  Unfortunately, we don’t have enough staff positions for all of them.  The only way we’re going to open up new staff positions for these cadets is by growing the squadron and increasing the number of flights.  Hopefully we’ll be able to see this grown in short order.

There are a number of activities coming up in the next few months.  They include:

• Non-Commissioned Officer School (NCOS)-North – 8-10 Jan 2010
• Basic Cadet School - 4-6 Dec 2009
• National Cadet Special Activities – Various

This past month, the squadron has been an exciting place to be.  We visited NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a cadet has taken over updating the squadron’s website, we now have a Facebook page and the California Wing Drill Team won the Pacific Region Cadet Competition!

C/MSgt Allison Schuster has been appointed Cadet Public Affairs Officer and has taken over updating the squadron website.  Every week, she will be posting at least one story about what the cadets are doing.  This is a great example of the cadet staff taking control of the squadron and leading by doing.

Over the weekend the squadron attended the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Open House.  We had thirty members of the squadron and their families attend.  It was a fun and educational experiences for all that came.  For anybody who couldn’t make it this year, we will be going again next year, where we will start off by visiting Mission Control, since we didn’t have time to visit it this year.

In an effort to better keep in touch with the cadets, and to help get the word out about Squadron 56, we’ve created a Facebook page.  If you are on Facebook, become a fan and invite your friends.  Most of our new cadets have found our squadron via our website, so this will hopefully be another avenue to get new cadets.

Last week, I posted videos from the Pacific Region Cadet Competition, but at that time we didn’t know if the team from California Wing or Alaska Wing had won.  Last Wednesday, news came out that the California Wing Drill Team had won!  Five Fullerton Composite Squadron 56 cadets are members of the drill team, their efforts are to be congratulated.  The entire squadron wishes them luck as they head to the National Cadet Competition in June.

In addition to the squadron’s cadets involvement on the Drill Team, we’ve also had seven cadets active with the squadron’s color guard.  They are:

• Color Guard Commander and Senior Colors- C/MSgt Nicholas Iacovelli
• Junior Colors- C/Amn Everret Montano
• Senior Guard- C/Amn Justin Crosson
• Junior Guard- C/Amn Julian Arajuo
• Alternates- C/TSgt Joel Gamboa, C/AB Chris Morgan, C/AB Jesse Polen.

Color guard practices are every Thursday night at the Fullerton Airport. The Color Guard is currently looking for events to present the colors at (sports games, concerts, etc). If anyone has any information on any available events please contact C/2nd Lt Samuel Philp at (714) 494 5891 or stphilp@gmail.com

Upcoming, we’re planning on staying just as busy as we have been with this impressive list of activities.

• Squadron 40 Golf Classic – 18 May 2009
  Our squadron gets a great deal being located at the Fullerton Airport, largely because we get free use of our hangar. However, Squadron 40 rents our hangar from AFI so they will be having a Golf Tournament fundraiser to help pay for their, and our, continued use of the hanger. If you are interested in participating in the Squadron 40 Golf Classic, you can find more information here and fill out this registration form if you would like to play.
• Squadron Awards Banquet – 2 June 2009
  Squadron 56 will be holding its annual awards banquet on 2 June. This will be a chance for the squadron to come together, recognize its accomplishments and the people that have made those accomplishments possible and lay out our goals for the next year. We welcome all parents and family to attend. Cost and location, as well as formal invitations, will be forthcoming.
• Basic Cadet School/Airman Training School - 19-21 June 2009
  There will be a Basic Cadet School (BCS) and Airman Training School (ATS) held at March ARB in Riverside 19-21 June. This is a great opportunity for our newer cadets to jump in and learn everything they will need to know for their first promotion.
• Field Training Exercise – 27 -28 June 2009
  As we did last year, Squadron 56 will be holding a summer Field Training Exercise 27-28 June. The location and cost have yet to be determined, but we wanted to get this in everyone’s calendar as early as possible.
• Encampment – 8-15 August 2009
  Encampment will be held between 8-15 August at Camp San Luis Obispo. This is the single most important activity cadets can attend. Encampment is required for any cadet wanting to earn the Billy Mitchell Award and become a cadet officer. Above and beyond that, Encampment is one of the most rewarding activities CAP provides. Cadets come away from Encampment with life-long friends and a stunning attention to detail. It doesn’t hurt that they also learn to make a bed unimaginably well. We expect every cadet who can attend Encampment from the squadron will.

For the second month is a row, we’ve had the opportunity to promote a large number of cadets.  Now that the cadet staff has successfully meet the goal of getting all cadets their first promotion within their first 120 days in CAP, they are turning their attention to enhancing the training conducted for all of our new C/Amn.  This month, the following cadets were promoted:

• C/MSgt Nicholas O Iacovelli has been promoted to C/SMSgt
• C/TSgt Allison J Schuster has been promoted to C/MSgt
• C/AB Chris C Morgan has been promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB Jesse J Polen has been promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB Dominick T Gambino has been promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB Jacob Khacherin has been promoted to C/Amn

One final note, 1st Lt Jeff Rogers has decided to step down as Deputy Commander for Cadets and transfer out of the squadron.  He has decided that he needs to focus more on school and Army ROTC, and he just can’t make the substanital time commitment needed to effectively run the squadron’s cadet program.  This is a loss for the squadron but we charge on and continue to provide the great leadership training program for our cadets that we always have.  As always, if you, or someone you know, is interested in helping the squadron, please let me know.  We need the help now, more than ever.

The squadron has a calendar full of activities running through the spring and into the summer. Our upcoming activities are:

• UDF Training – 18-19 April 2009
  Squadron 40, the Senior Squadron that shares our hangar at the Fullerton Airport, is putting on an Urban Direction Finding Training Course. This will be a two day course starting at 9AM on Saturday the 18th, wrapping up each day around 5pm. The course is free, but all participants will need to bring money for lunch. If you are interested in attending, please email Capt Henninger so he can let Squadron 40 know how many people to expect.
• Airman Training School – 24-26 April 2009
  Squadron 714 will be holding an Airman Training School at Escondido Charter High School. This is a great opportunity for Cadet Airman through Cadet Senior Airman to learn more about followership and continue to progress through the Cadet Program.
• JPL Open House – 2 May 2009
  Squadron 56 will be attending NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Open House on May 2nd. We will be meeting at Fullerton Airport at 8AM and plan to return between 2-3PM. This is open to all family and friends, so we hope to have a large group of people attending. Please email Capt Henninger if you would like to come and if you are able to drive others to JPL.
• Squadron 40 Golf Classic – 18 May 2009
  Our squadron gets a great deal being located at the Fullerton Airport, largely because we get free use of our hangar. However, Squadron 40 rents our hangar from AFI so they will be having a Golf Tournament fundraise to help pay for their, and our, continued use of the hanger. If you are interested in participating in the Squadron 40 Golf Classic, you can find more information here and fill out this registration form if you would like to play.
• Squadron Awards Banquet – 2 June 2009
  Squadron 56 will be holding its annual awards banquet on 2 June. This will be a chance for the squadron to come together, recognize its accomplishments and the people that have made those accomplishments possible and lay out our goals for the next year. We welcome all parents and family to attend. Cost and location, as well as formal invitations, will be forthcoming.
• Basic Cadet School - 19-21 June 2009
  There will be a Basic Cadet School (BCS) held at March ARB in Riverside 19-21 June. This is a great opportunity for our newer cadets to jump in and learn everything they will need to know for their first promotion.
• FTX – 27 -28 June 2009
  As we did last year, Squadron 56 will be holding a summer Field Training Exercise 27-28 June. The location and cost have yet to be determined, but we wanted to get this in everyone’s calendar as early as possible.
• Encampment – 8-15 August 2009
  Encampment will be held between 8-15 August at Camp San Luis Obispo. This is the single most important activity cadets can attend. Encampment is required for any cadet wanting to earn the Billy Mitchell Award and become a cadet officer. Above and beyond that, Encampment is one of the most rewarding activities CAP provides. Cadets come away from Encampment with life-long friends and a stunning attention to detail. It doesn’t hurt that they also learn to make a bed unimaginably well. We expect every cadet who can attend Encampment from the squadron will.

This month we had the opportunity to promote a large number of our squadron’s members. One focus the cadet staff has had over the past few months is getting our newest cadets promoted to Cadet Airman. I’m happy to say that this month, that hard work paid off with the promotion of six Cadet Airman Basic to Cadet Airman. This month, here is the list of promotions:

• 2d Lt Jeff Rogers is being promoted to 1st Lt
• C/SrA Rupprecht is being promoted to C/SSgt and has earned the Wright Brothers Award
• C/AB Montano is being promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB Dirks is being promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB Johnston is being promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB Silva is being promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB McLoud is being promoted to C/Amn
• C/AB David Khacherian is being promoted to C/Amn

• This past month, Squadron 56 has continued to grow and become more active in various activities around the Wing.  There were ten members of the squadron that attended Cadet Programs Conference in San Luis Obispo.  A handful of cadets attended a Basic Cadet School as both staff and students held at Group 7′s newest squadron, 714.
• Promotions:
  • C/AB Julian Araujo has been promoted to C/Amn
  • C/AB Lehi J Smithson has been promoted to C/Amn
  • C/Amn Jonathan Elmore has been promoted to C/A1C
  • C/TSgt Nicholas Iacovelli has been promoted to C/MSgt
  • C/TSgt Payton Swanson  has been promoted to C/MSgt
• Activities:
  • The squadron will be touring the San Diego Air and Space Museum on 14 March. We will be meeting at the Fullerton Airport at 0800 and will be returning by 1800.  The cost will be $15.  This includes both admission into the museum as well as lunch.  Uniform for the event is blues or any appropriate civilian attire.
  • On 2 May, the squadron will be visiting NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.  They will be holding their annual open house, and the squadron would like to invite any family and friends to this public event.
  • There will be a Basic Cadet School held at March AFB on 19-21 June.  More information is available at CAWGCadets.org.

• This past weekend, two senior members and four cadets participated in the Night SAREX. This was a great training activity for everyone who attended.  There will be a recap of the event posted later this week, this announcement will be updated with a link when that gets posted.
• Promotions:
  • C/AB Justin Crosson has been promoted to C/Amn
  • C/SMSgt Dave Truong has been promoted to C/CMSg
  • C/2d Lt Micah Gamboa has been promoted to C/1st Lt
• Activities:
  • Cadet Programs Conference is in a week and a half. If any cadets need a ride to the activity, they need to let Capt Henninger know. There are currently seats available for any cadet that needs a ride.
  • There will be a Basic Cadet School held in Escondido on 20-22 February. This activity is primarily for newer cadets, however it is encouraged for more senior cadets to apply for staff.
  • The squadron will be touring the San Diego Air and Space Museum on 14 March. The squadron would like to invite parents with us on this activity, along with all of our members. If you’re interested in attending, please let Capt Henninger know.
  • Group 7 will be holding a Cadet Survival Bivouac on 21-22 March. The details on this activity are still tentative, but get it on your calendar now if you would like to go.

• To complement our Parent’s email list, we have started new email lists for both Cadets and Senior Members. If you have not received an email from one of these lists, and you’re a member of the squadron, please let Capt Henninger know so he can add you to the list.
• Once again, we have a host of activities coming up. As always, you can check our 2009 Activities Calendar to see everything that’s coming up.
  • This past weekend we had a number of cadets attend the Cable Air Show. All cadets report that they had a great time. Hopefully we’ll be able to bring one of their accounts of the activity to the website so you can read what it was like in their own words.
  • This weekend is the Group 7 Awards Celebration that will be happening 17 January 2009 at Escondido Charter High School in Escondido, CA. This will be a great event where members will be able to see the facilities for the latest squadron added to Group 7 and have a chance to meet members from through Orange and San Diego Counties.
  • Cadet Noncommissioned Officers’ School (North) will be happening 23-25 January in Fairfield, CA. Any cadets that would like to be on staff at NCOS South this spring who have not attended NCOS previously are encouraged to attend this school.
  • A Night SAREX is being held 31 Jan-1 Feb. Squadron 56 will be providing one Ground Team to get trained and help support this SAREX. Any cadets that are interested in Emergency Services are encouraged to participate.
  • Cadet Programs Conference will be held at Camp SLO on President’s Day Weekend, 13-16 February in San Luis Obispo, CA. All cadets should try attending this activity. It is a great opportunity to find out what’s going on in the Cadet Program and meet cadets from throughout California.

Welcome to 2009!  I hope everybody had safe and fun holidays.

• We get to start the new year off with a host of promotions:
  • Capt Chris Storey is being promoted to Major,
  • C/SSgt Payton Swanson is being promoted to C/TSgt,
  • C/AB Ryan Duran is being promoted to C/Amn
• Two cadets had the opportunity to go on their first Orientation Flight this past weekend. We are very thankful to Squadron 40 for getting our cadets up in the air on a more regular basis and we are looking forward to more orientation flights on an ongoing basis in the future.
• There are a number of activities coming up over the next month or so, we’ve put together a 2009 Activities Calendar that will be updated as new activities are announced.  Here are the upcoming activities:
  • This weekend is the Cable Air Show.  Hand-carried applications will be accepted.  Cadets need to bring a signed CAWGF 150 with them to the air show if they would like to attend.
  • Group 7 Awards Celebration will be happening 17 January 2009 at Escondido Charter High School in Escondido, CA.  This will be a great event where members will be able to see the facilities for the latest squadron added to Group 7 and have a chance to meet members from through Orange and San Diego Counties.
  • Cadet Noncommissioned Officers’ School (North) will be happening 23-25 January in Fairfield, CA.  Any cadets that would like to be on staff at NCOS South this spring who have not attended NCOS previously are encouraged to attend this school.
  • Night SAREX is being held 31 Jan-1 Feb.  Squadron 56 will be providing one Ground Team to get trained and help support this SAREX.  Any cadets that are interested in Emergency Services are encouraged to participate.
  • Cadet Programs Conference will be held at Camp SLO on President’s Day Weekend, 13-16 February in San Luis Obispo, CA.  All cadets should try attending this activity.  It is a great opportunity to find out what’s going on in the Cadet Program and meet cadets from throughout California.

• Orientation Flights were canceled this past weekend. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate with our plans.  We will reschedule these flights for next month.
• National Cadet Special Activities deadline coming up, it is 15 January.  Any cadets that have completed Encampment should apply to attend at least one NCSA if they can.
• The Cable Air Show will be held 9-11 January.  Cadets can hand carry a signed Form 150 to the air show if they wish to attend.
• South Coast Group 7 will be holding a Group Celebration on 17 January at Escondido Charter High School.  All members are invited, along with family.  There will be a tour of CAP’s new facilities at the High School, a Desert Survival presentation in preparation for a school that will be held this summer, and sports for the cadets.
• Finally, there will be no meetings last two weeks of the year.  Squadron 56 wishes all of our members and their families a safe and happy holidays.