Photo by Lt. Col. Steve Michaels – Captain Luella Dooley-Menet, a Blackhawk helicopter pilot, speaks with the Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5 cadets about her experiences.

Oak Creek–Captain Luella Dooley-Menet, a Blackhawk helicopter pilot, who spent 13 years in the Army National Guard, encouraged cadets at Civil Air Patrol, Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5’s June 6^th meeting to follow their dreams.

The Captain spoke of enlisting in the North Dakota National guard in 1999 as a refueler.   When she moved to Wisconsin, she joined the Wisconsin National Guard and eventually was commissioned an officer through Marquette University’s ROTC program, while pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration.  In 2007, Dooley-Menet attended flight school at Fort Rucker.  Most recently, she commanded a Medical Evacuation Detachment as part of Kosovo Force.  Her unit was responsible for providing MEDEVAC support to troops serving on the KFOR 15 rotation at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. 

Capt. Dooley-Menet’s much publicized last flight as a Black Hawk medevac helicopter pilot with the Wisconsin Army National Guard was also the first such flight with an all-female crew.  The flight took place on February 1^st and she retired from the National Guard a month later.^.

Dooley-Menet now works for American Transmission Company, where she is responsible for communicating to the public and media about ATC’s projects and operations.

Photo by Maj. Todd Mandel – Brigadier General John McCoy (left) presents the Spaatz Award, CAP’s highest cadet award, to Cadet Colonel Michael Ebert, along with Lieutenant Colonel Rose Hunt, Wisconsin Wing vice-commander.

La Crosse, Wis. – Chief of Staff (Air) for the Wisconsin National Guard, Brigadier General John McCoy, recently visited the La Crosse Civil Air Patrol facility to present the Spaatz Award, the highest CAP cadet award, to Cadet Colonel Michael Ebert.  Joining General McCoy in presenting the award was Lieutenant Colonel Rose Hunt, the Wisconsin Wing vice commander.

The award, named for the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, represents the culmination of Ebert’s Civil Air Patrol cadet career.  Less than one in every 200 CAP cadets reach this level which is a testament to the extensive knowledge and ability a cadet must possess to earn the coveted Spaatz Award.  Ebert’s accomplishment marks the first time a cadet has earned the award in the La Crosse Composite Squadron’s history.

While the Spaatz Award marks the culmination of Ebert’s CAP cadet career, he is only just embarking on the next phase of his life.  He will report in late June to begin his appointment to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Appleton Wis. – The Fox Cities Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, is hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast and Open House at W6558 Pathfinder Drive in Appleton in the General Aviation Area of the Outagamie County Regional Airport from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 15.

The breakfast will be held at the Fox Cities Composite Squadron facility at the Outagamie County Airport. Tickets are available at the event and cost $7 for those 10 and older and $4 for children 9 and younger. Those 4 and younger are admitted free of charge. Pancakes, sausage, eggs, orange juice and coffee are on the menu.

Civil Air Patrol aircraft and vehicles will be on display including the Civil Air Patrol Wisconsin Wing Mobile Command Center; Pierce Manufacturing, Inc.; Outagamie County Airport and Al Timmerman, President of Jet Air Aviation will have displays.

Events include family friendly interactive activities featuring the three Civil Air Patrol missions: Cadet Programs, Aerospace Education and Emergency Services.  Fox Cities Composite Squadron is honored to have as their guest, Julius Jackson, Captain, US Army Air Corp (ret). of the 332^nd Fighter Squadron, (Tuskegee Airmen), and a member of Civil Air Patrol in the Illinois Wing.  He will be available to answer your questions and share his stories of WWII and the Tuskegee Airmen.

Madison, Wis. – Wisconsin’s Congressman Ron Kind, District 3, joined Congressmen Sean Duffy, Thomas Petri, James Sensensbrenner, Reid Ribble and Congresswoman Gwen Moore yesterday in cosponsoring H.R. 755, the Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol’s WWII members, bringing the total to six Wisconsin cosponsors in the House. Senator Tammy Baldwin cosponsored S. 309, which passed unanimously in the Senate in May.

Currently, 62% of the goal has been met for the House with a total of 109 cosponsors still needed in order for it to go to the House Financial Services Committee for consideration. A total of 190 cosponsors are required to move forward on the bill.

Major General Charles Carr, Civil Air Patrol’s national commander, set the goal that each of the 52 wings in CAP obtain 70% of their delegation’s support by the July 4 recess.  Seventeen of the wings, including Wisconsin, have achieved this goal. However Wisconsin Wing members are still working to gain the support of Congressmen Paul Ryan and Mark Pocan, who is new to Congress this year.

Due to the heroic efforts of their predecessors in CAP, today’s members wish to give honor by seeking the Congressional Gold Medal for those CAP senior members serving during WWII. One medal would be awarded and kept in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Those CAP members still alive, as well as the families of those who have passed away, will receive replica medals to commemorate this honor at no cost to the government in honor of their service.

Updated information regarding Civil Air Patrol’s efforts to have H.R. 755 and S. 309 passed in the 113^th Congress, may be seen on the Congressional Gold Medal page of the national CAP member website.

Photo by First Lieutenant Carolyn Johnson – Cadet Major David Feig, receives his Wisconsin Wing Cadet of the Year Award from Colonel Clarence Peters, Wisconsin Wing commander.

Stevens Point, Wis. – Cadet Major David Feig recently received Civil Air Patrol’s Wisconsin Wing Cadet of the Year award at the Wisconsin Wing Conference, held May 4 in La Crosse.

Feig joined Civil Air Patrol in 2007 and is currently serving as the cadet commander for the Stevens Point Composite Squadron.  He is also an active ground team member.

This summer, following completion of high school, Feig will enroll in the Air Land Emergency Resource Team.  Based in east Texas, ALERT is a Christian leadership training and service program focused on rescue, disaster response, community support and humanitarian aid.

First Lieutenant Carolyn Johnson, the deputy commander of cadets for the squadron, was the recipient of the Torch Award.  The Torch Award is presented to the Civil Air Patrol member chosen by the Cadet of the Year for being the key mentor in his or her life.

The Stevens Point Composite Squadron has been serving central Wisconsin since 1985 and has 54 members, half of which are cadets.

Madison, Wis. – Wisconsin’s Congresswoman Gwen Moore, District 4, joined Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressmen Sean Duffy, Thomas Petri, James Sensensbrenner and Reid Ribble yesterday in cosponsoring the H.R. 755, the Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol’s WWII members, bringing the total to six Wisconsin cosponsors in the Senate and House.

The Senate passed their version of the bill, S. 309, earlier this week, but the house still needs over 100 Congressmen to cosponsor the bill in order for it to go to the House Financial Services Committee for consideration. 

Wisconsin Wing members are still working to gain the support of Congressmen Paul Ryan, who makes it a matter of practice to not cosponsor bills that come before his committee. However, members still contact his office in hopes of convincing him to join the effort.

The effort to have Congressman Ron Kind, who cosponsored the bill last year in the 112^th Congress, is ongoing to renew his support this year in the 113^th Congress. Congressman Pocan is new to Congress this year, so members are educating him on this important bill.

Due to the heroic efforts of their predecessors in CAP, today’s members wish to give honor by seeking the Congressional Gold Medal for those CAP senior members serving during WWII. One medal would be awarded and kept in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Those CAP members still alive, as well as the families of those who have passed away, will receive replica medals to commemorate this honor at no cost to the government in honor of their service.

Updated information regarding Civil Air Patrol’s efforts to have H.R. 755 and S. 309 passed in the 113^th Congress, may be seen on the Congressional Gold Medal page of the national CAP member website.

Written by Julie Nicholds,  parent of Cadet Liam Nicholds, Timmerman Composite Squadron.

Photo by Julie Nicholds – Cadets Master Sergeant Jacob Fuiton and First Lieutenant Travis Maxwell will report to the U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar in June.

Milwaukee, Wis. - Doors have opened for two of Civil Air Patrol’s Timmerman Composite Squadron cadets. Cadets First Lieutenant Travis Maxwell and Master Sergeant Jacob Fuiton were recently accepted to attend the U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar, June 1-6 at Annapolis, Maryland.

Not a Civil Air Patrol activity, the Seminar is a fast-paced, six-day experience for high achievers who have completed their junior year in high school.  Maxwell and Fuiton will have an opportunity to experience first-hand the Academy’s exceptional academic, athletic, extracurricular activities and leadership training programs. 

This intense seminar will also give these cadets a sample of what daily life is like at the Naval Academy.  They will be expected to attend physical training at 5:45 a.m. and mid-morning academia led by Naval Officers that serve as professors at the academy. A series of 90-minute workshops will focus on topics ranging from political science to oceanography and aerospace flight-testing

Daily activities include enhanced physical activity or military drill and evening programs such as the U.S. Marine Corps Sunset Parade in Washington D.C.; career opportunity presentations by Navy and Marine Corps officers; Sea Trials and the popular mock plebe indoctrination session, which simulates some of the strictest Naval Academy training.  The cadets will also experience college life as they live in the midshipmen’s dormitory hall. 

Fellow Timmerman cadet, Second Lieutenant Carter Welsh attended the program last summer and highly recommended the program to Maxwell and Fuiton.  They applied to the Seminar and were accepted in early April on the basis of grades, volunteer service and athletics.  They must submitted responses to a three-question short-answer essay explaining who they are, their future plans and what they expect to benefit by attending.

The cadets will rely on their experience and leadership skills during their attendance to the Seminar.  Maxwell plans on using what he learns as valued experience for CAP.  “The aspect of teamwork, working and communicating with others effectively while learning to manage your time and overcoming hardships,” he explains, are some of the skills he find most helpful on his return home.

Madison, Wis. – Wisconsin’s Congressman Reid Ribble, District 8, joined Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressmen Sean Duffy, Thomas Petri and James Sensensbrenner yesterday in cosponsoring the Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol’s WWII members.

The Senate passed the bill this week but the house still needs over 100 Congressmen to cosponsor H.R. 755 in order for it to go to the House Financial Services Committee for consideration. 

Wisconsin Wing is working to gain the support of Congressmen Paul Ryan, Mark Pocan, Ron Kind and Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

Kind and Moore cosponsored the bill last year in the 112^th Congress, but have yet to renew the pledge to do so this year in the 113^th Congress. Congressman Pocan is new this year while Ryan makes it a matter of practice to not cosponsor bills that must come before his committee. None of this however has deterred the membership to keep contacting the offices of the Congressmen asking for their support. 

Because of the heroic efforts of their predecessors in CAP, today’s members wish to give honor by seeking the Congressional Gold Medal for those CAP senior members serving during WWII. One medal would be awarded and kept in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Those CAP members still alive, as well as the families of those who have passed away, will receive replica medals to commemorate this honor at no cost to the government in honor of their service.

Updated information regarding Civil Air Patrol’s efforts to have H.R. 755 and S. 309 passed in the 113^th Congress, may be seen on the Congressional Gold Medal page of the national CAP member website.

Madison, Wis. – This past week saw Wisconsin’s Senator Tammy Baldwin with an additional 34 cosponsors of the Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol’s WWII members in the Senate, pushing the bill towards a vote in the full Senate soon.

The House currently has 159 cosponsors and still needs another 131 Congressmen to cosponsor H.R. 755 in order for it to go to the House Financial Services Committee for consideration. 

While Wisconsin’s Congressmen Sean Duffy, Thomas Petri and James Sensenbrenner have cosponsored the bill this year, Wisconsin Wing strives to gain the support of Congressmen Paul Ryan, Mark Pocan, Ron Kind, Reid Ribble, and Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

Kind, Ribble and Moore cosponsored the bill last year in the 112^th Congress, but have yet to renew the pledge to do so this year in the 113^th Congress. Congressman Pocan is new this year while Ryan makes it a matter of practice to not cosponsor bills that must come before his committee. None of this however has deterred the membership to keep contacting the offices of the Congressmen asking for their support.  

Because of the heroic efforts of their predecessors in CAP, today’s members wish to give honor by seeking the Congressional Gold Medal for those CAP senior members serving during WWII. One medal would be awarded and kept in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Those CAP members still alive, as well as the families of those who have passed away, will receive replica medals to commemorate this honor at no cost to the government in honor of their service.

Updated information regarding Civil Air Patrol’s efforts to have H.R. 755 and S. 309 passed in the 113^th Congress, may be seen on the Congressional Gold Medal page of the national CAP member website.

Madison, Wis. – Two members of Wisconsin Wing Civil Air Patrol were among 97 students from 34 wings attending the 2013 CAP National Staff College held at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. this past week.

Major Roger Rognrud, 153^rd Madison Composite Squadron and Major David Snyder, Sr. La Crosse Composite Squadron, graduated the week-long course which is designed for those seeking to reach executive level positions in the organization. The training is also a requirement for earning the Gill Robb Wilson Award, CAP’s highest professional development achievement.

Congratulations gentlemen!