06 February, 2013

Winter Training & Fun

Three members of the Civil Air Patrol's Millington Composite Squadron recently participated in the Florida Wing Winter Encampment held at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City Florida. One distinction of this encampment is that these cadets and seniors were able to participate in the testing of the new encampment curriculum created by National Headquarters.  You can learn more about this week-long event at their website.

Nine members of MCS recently participated in a weekend Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) that was held in Union City, Tennessee.  SAR exercises are a critical part of the CAP training program.  They afford members the opportunity to practice radio communications and coordination between ground teams and air crews.  These training events help members to hone their skills, and for new members they give valuable experience.  Typically what happens is a plane crash is simulated by placing an emergency beacon somewhere (possibly deep in the woods or near an airport).  Using special equipment, ground team members trace the radio signal to its location while air crews fly overhead doing an aerial visual search. Mission Base coordinates the two teams by radio, giving and receiving updates throughout the event.

In December alone there were three live missions state-wide, one of which included a fatal plane crash.  Being prepared for these missions is critical, thus making the training exercises very important.  A Field Training Exercise and another SAREX are currently being planned for early March and in April.


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