USAF PME Students: CAP Info

Thanks for your interest in the Civil Air Patrol...
Think you know all about Civil Air Patrol?  Take this quiz.

1. True or False? The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the Official Auxiliary of the US Air Force when performing AF-assigned missions.

 

True. CAP is granted auxiliary status and is an instrument of the federal government when performing AF-assigned missions... and it performs those missions every day!

 

2. True or False? CAP attacked and sank two German submarines patrolling off US coasts.

 

True. During WWII CAP pilots, flying their own aircraft, used crude homemade sighting and triggering equipment to launch small bombs and depth charges. In addition to sinking two subs, it also sighted 173 subs and fired on 57.  Additionally, CAP pilots summoned help for 91 ships in distress and located 17 floating mines off America's shores.

 

3. True or False? CAP was championed by legendary Army Air Force and USAF leaders such as General Henry "Hap" Arnold, and General Carl A. "Tooey" Spaatz.

 

True. General Arnold championed CAP from before its inception, viewing it as a tremendous way to use civilian aviation capability on the home front. After the war, both he and General Spaatz worked to keep CAP as a national resource. General Spaatz was also CAP's first Chairman of the National Board from 1948 - 1958. 

 

4. True or False? CAP was founded in December 1941, just one week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

True. The Civil Air Patrol was founded at a time of global unrest and national crisis, mobilizing civilian volunteers to defend the nation as in no time since the American Revolution. No wonder they were called “Flying Minutemen.”

 

5. True or False? CAP is a congressionally chartered non-profit organization and among its purposes is to support the USAF.

 

True. On July 1, 1946, President Truman established CAP as a federally chartered benevolent civilian corporation, and Congress passed Public Law (PL) 557 on May 26, 1948, making CAP the auxiliary of the new U.S. Air Force. CAP was charged with three primary missions: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services.

 

The following is a timeline of important CAP dates in history:

• Established 1 Dec 1941 under the Office of Civilian Defense

• 1943: Transferred to War Department

• 1946: Incorporated (PL 476)

• 1948: Auxiliary of the United States Air Force (PL 557)

• 2000: Auxiliary status clarified by Congress

 

6. True or False? CAP flies approximately 70% of all 1AF/AFNORTH missions daily supporting Disaster Relief (DR), Homeland Security (HS), and Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts within US borders.

 

True. AF Component Commanders task the AFAux/CAP to perform flying missions through AF/AFNORTH and CAP receives SAR taskings direct from Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC).

 

7. True or False? CAP has a robust and highly acclaimed Aerospace Education (AE) program supporting both cadet & adult members, as well as multiple civilian schools nation-wide.

 

True. CAP’s AE program does all of the following to support our nation’s education efforts:

• Educates adult and cadet members and the community on the importance of aerospace.
• Provides support for educational conferences and workshops around the country.
• Develops, publishes and distributes national academic standards-based aerospace education curricula for kindergarten through college classrooms.
• Offers grant, award, college credit and scholarship opportunities for adult, cadet and teacher members.
• Provides educators with free educational programs, products and services, including orientation airplane flights.
• Serves as an aerospace resource center for education through CAP’s Web site.

 

8. True or False? Around 10% of every USAF Academy class is composed of CAP cadets, and each year hundreds of CAP members volunteer to enter the US Armed Forces as officers or enlisted personnel.

True. CAP cadets are an ideal group from which to recruit. CAP cadets have a love of country, a knowledge of the Air Force environment, do better in school, and trend towards service.

Military members who were CAP cadets have achieved much for their country... dozens of former cadets have become general or flag officers throughout the Armed Services; at least two former cadets became astronauts (Col Frank Borman, and Col Eric Boe); the first 2 women to become Thunderbird pilots (Maj Nichole Malachowski, now a White House Fellow, and Maj Samantha Weeks); and one Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF James Binnicker, 1986-2000).

9. True or False? Today, over 34,000 adults and 23,000 youth are members of CAP, performing search & rescue missions, disaster relief training, opening the world of aerospace to tens of thousands of students in schools across the country, and learning about leadership while proudly wearing the cloth of their country.

 

True. CAP’s Mission is:
To serve America by developing our Nation’s youth; accomplishing local, state and national missions; and educating our citizens to ensure air and space supremacy.

 

10. True or False? CAP is primed to be a valuable resource to you when you return to your home station.

 

True. CAP stands ready to help you in a variety of ways, at your local base.

 

Just as our adult program has five levels of professional development, we offer you five levels of orientation into the Civil Air Patrol. Please take a few minutes and discover your auxiliary! 

Level I: Haven't heard of Civil Air Patrol?    Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force.  Click here to learn about CAP's proud history, by accessing the CAP Foundation's brief interactive history site. For an overview about CAP today, have a look at the Civil Air Patrol Factsheet.

Level II: Want to know how CAP helps the USAF, federal, state, and local agencies?  Please review the Civil Air Patrol CAPabilities Handbook, a field operations guide that local, state and federal agencies can utilize to task CAP for incident response assistance.  This guide identifies ways in which CAP can assist you and your agency in both routine operations as well as local and national emergency and humanitarian missions.

Level III: Are you interested in viewing what CAP does for cadets and communities today? To view current CAP news and the latest issue of CAP's quarterly award-winning magazine, "CAP Volunteer", visit the on-line "CAP Volunteer Now” magazine.