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Not for Profit: Civil Air Patrol

July 15, 2007 — The Civil Air Patrol is possibly the most ubiquitous presence at community events, as cadets in their smartly tailored uniforms can be seen directing traffic or passing out water at the popular fund-raising walking and running events.
The not-for-profit organization is the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force. CAP flies more than 95 percent of all federal inland search and rescue missions directed by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.
CAP’s cadet program has more than 27,000 members, ages 12 to 21. The cadet programs are credited with teaching the importance of personal integrity, accountability, self-discipline and respect for others to the nation's youth. The cadet programs offer an immense amount of resources and activities, not found elsewhere.
Yet, the St. Thomas unit is hurting for recruits and for adult supervisors. Lt. Col. Clarence Hansby, CAP Group 8 commander, sitting in his Sub Base office, which is stuffed with past glories, certificates of merit, pictures and badges, says, "Right now, we are trying to stay afloat."
Which is not to say the unit isn't active; several members recently helped at the annual American Cancer Society Relay at Charlotte Amalie High School in June.
"We have a lot of competition now," Hansby says. "The Junior Firefighters, the ROTC and a public safety program are vying for the youngsters too." The St. Thomas unit has about 30 members, ages 12 to 18, about equally divided between boys and girls."
He's been at the job now for 26 years, ever since his then 15-year-old son, a CAP cadet, talked him into checking the program out.
"I made the usual excuse," he says. "I don't have the time." Hansby was then retired from an Army career, and working full time at the V. I. Housing Authority. "You can see I changed my mind. Today, I'd go to the end of the world for the Civil Air Patrol."
Hansby doesn't have to go that far, but he does need to spruce up the unit's recruitment process.
"We have an orientation program at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, which we will do at an assembly when school starts," he says, "but we need adults as well, adults who love kids."
This year there are no summer camp programs. "We used to have a camp at Magens Bay, but the beach is closed to group camps now," Hansby said.
"Our program offers three primary opportunities: an aerospace education, emergency service training and a leadership program," Hansby says. "The cadet programs are credited with teaching the importance of personal integrity, accountability, self-discipline, grooming and respect for others."
The CAP cadet program offers unique opportunities. In February, several cadets spent a weekend at the Air National Guard facility on St. Croix learning about combat communications, a singular opportunity for the youngsters.
The CAP Leadership Camp Out weekend saw the cadets learning about communication teamwork. They had a tour of the facility, talked to guardsmen and learned about the facility's data collection and satellite capabilities.
Though not all cadets have an eye for soaring solo in the skies, there is the opportunity to do that. The St. Thomas unit falls under the Puerto Rico wing, but Hansby says cadets can get flight training on St. Thomas.
"Under a grant from the United Way," he says, "we can train three cadets a year to fly. Cleo Hodge of Ace Flight School takes them for ground school and flight lessons. Cleo's a CAP member, so that's an opportunity the kids cannot get in other programs."
Some cadets pursue technical degrees and others go on to one of the nation’s prestigious military academies. Each year, at least 10 percent of the freshman class at the U.S. Air Force Academy is made up of former CAP cadets.
"Cadets must be 12 to 18 years, a U.S. citizen or legal alien, and be willing to learn," Hansby says, with an emphasis on last. Classes are held Saturdays at the Sub Base facility in the Gramboko building. Dues are $25, and uniforms and books are supplied.
Hansby lauds Delita Francis, and says she "is our workhorse. She is always organizing food sales, helping with our classes. We need more like her," he says.
The Civil Air Patrol was founded Dec. 1, 1941. During World War II, its principal purpose was to allow private pilots and aviation enthusiasts to use their light aircraft and flying skills in civil defense efforts.
In the Virgin Islands, it was started in the early seventies, largely by Alton Adams Jr. "Gov. Melvin Evans was in office then," Adams says. "He suggested that I take the lead on forming a unit in the V.I. since I was a retired Air Force pilot. I got together with then Sen. Eric Dawson and a few other diehards, and we started our own chapter of the CAP.
"The first year, we had something like 42 members. We called ourselves the St. Thomas Squadron, but we were under the Puerto Rico wing," Adams says. "We had some good recruits, primarily from the junior high schools. We were quite successful. When I took the lead as squadron commander, we sent four kids to the military academies."
That is quite an accomplishment, Adams notes. The military academies are notoriously difficult to get into. "I can't remember all the complete names," Adams says, "but we sent one to West Point, one to Annapolis. One cadet entered the Air Force, and eventually wound up as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and one eventually became a Green Beret."
Adams recalls an incident which didn't sit well with the CAP at the time. "We had fund-raising events, and we purchased our own aircraft, a Cessna 150. One of our senior pilots flew it down from the states. Then," he recalls, "Puerto Rico took it from us. They said we weren't allowed to have our own aircraft."
He eventually retired from the CAP, because his workload wouldn't permit the time. "We used to be about 60 strong," he says. "We were always extremely active, singled out by several organizations to assist."
Adams’ advice for today is to spruce up recruitment efforts. "The benefits of the program should be made clear. It's a matter of going into the schools and working with the student advisors, and selling the program's benefits. My suggestion would be to get military recruit teams down here to help. There's so much interest in the military today, this would give the kids a chance to bypass some basic training."
Lt. Col. Clarence Hansby can be contacted at 775-0288 on Wednesday and Saturday.
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