Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol

Last updated
Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol
Florida Wing.png
Florida Wing of Civil Air Patrol
Associated branches
United States Air Force
Command staff
Commander US-O6 insignia.svg Col Luis Negron
Vice Commander US-O5 insignia.svg Lt Col Daia Jung
Chief of Staff US-O5 insignia.svg Lt Col Steve Kirkpatrick
Command NCO E9a USAF CMSGT.svg CMSgt Scott Jung
Current statistics
Squadrons67
Cadets1,666
Seniors1,740
Total Membership3,406
AwardsUnit Citation, National Commander Unit Citation
Website flwg.cap.gov
Statistics as of 22 Jan 2024

Florida WingCivil Air Patrol (CAP) is part of Southeast Region (SER) and the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Florida. Florida Wing headquarters is on the Sun n Fun campus located at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida. [1] Florida Wing consists of over 3,500 cadet and adult members at over 66 locations across the state of Florida. [2] Col Luis Negron assumed command from Col Luis Garcia on July 24, 2021, at the Florida Wing Conference in Tampa, Florida. [3]

Contents

Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2021, Civil Air Patrol is congressionally chartered and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. CAP performs services for the federal government as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and for states and local communities. CAP is a strategic member of the Total Force, consisting of the Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Air Force auxiliary. CAP performs three primary missions — Cadet Programs, Aerospace Education and Emergency Services.

History

Prior to the creation of Civil Air Patrol, the state of Florida created its own group of paramilitary civilian aviators to patrol its coastline. Organized in 1941, the First Air Squadron was mustered in on May 28, 1941. Organized under the Florida Defense Force, the First Air Squadron was made up of civilian volunteers, and all aircraft were privately owned. Members were required to either have a private pilot's license or have served in the military at least one year to join. The First Air Squadron patrolled the Florida coast for U-boats and assisted in search and rescue missions. [4]

Civil Air Patrol was created on December 1, 1941. [5] In Florida, the First Air Squadron was reorganized as a Civil Air Patrol unit. By early January 1942, Florida wing was organized into seven different operation groups, each with a commander and staff. [6]

Vision

Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol will continue to build the exemplary organization of citizen volunteers performing missions for the communities of Florida... Train for Response, Succeed in our Response, Excel in our Service.

Mission statement

Volunteers serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping futures. [7]

Command Objectives

Mission

Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services. [8]

Emergency services

National:

Cadet programs

Through their experiences as CAP cadets, young people develop into responsible citizens and become tomorrow's aerospace leaders. CAP is the volunteer, nonprofit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Its three missions are to develop its cadets, educate Americans on the importance of aviation and space, and perform life-saving, humanitarian missions.

Florida Wing, 2020 Cadet Programs Statistics (note - lower numbers than usual due to COVID19 organizational wide stand-down):

Aerospace education

Civil Air Patrol offers numerous products and programs—free to members—in fulfillment of both its Internal (cadets and senior members) and External (educators and students) Aerospace Education mission. Explore the Aerospace Education section of the Civil Air Patrol website at GoCivilAirPatrol.com for information on specific programs including STEM Kits, the K-6th grade Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE)program, Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX), Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flights (in CAP aircraft), and more. Florida Wing maintained educational partnerships with 76 high schools; supported the National Space Familiarization Course; and provided a space flight orientation course.

Organization

Florida Wing is divided into six groups across the state, with each squadron or flight being assigned to a group based on its geographical location. The Wing comprises 21 Cadet Squadrons, 7 Senior Squadrons, 29 Composite Squadrons (composed of both Cadets and Senior Members), and the Support and Legislative Squadrons. [9]

Florida Wing Group and County Boundaries Florida Wing Group Boundaries.png
Florida Wing Group and County Boundaries
A group of Florida Civil Air Patrol cadets visit the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB. Florida Civil Air Patrol cadets visited the 920th Rescue Wing.jpg
A group of Florida Civil Air Patrol cadets visit the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB.
Members of the 89th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron sort through boxes of donated BDUs they received at MacDill AFB. Florida CAP cadets collect donated BDU's.jpg
Members of the 89th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron sort through boxes of donated BDUs they received at MacDill AFB.
SSgt Khaalis shows cadets from the Clearwater Composite Squadron how the Charleston AFB Nondestructive Inspection shop uses x-rays to detect cracks, delaminations, voids, processing defects and heat damage on aircraft structures and parts. SSgt Khaalis with Florida Wing CAP cadets.JPG
SSgt Khaalis shows cadets from the Clearwater Composite Squadron how the Charleston AFB Nondestructive Inspection shop uses x-rays to detect cracks, delaminations, voids, processing defects and heat damage on aircraft structures and parts.
Cody Powell, 13-year-old son of Maj Jeff Powell, USAFR, the 919th Maintenance Operations Flight commander, helps a member of Eglin's Civil Air Patrol learn to fly a radio controlled aircraft. Eglin's Civil Air Patrol, Florida Wing cadet watches Cody Powell fly remote aircraft.jpg
Cody Powell, 13-year-old son of Maj Jeff Powell, USAFR, the 919th Maintenance Operations Flight commander, helps a member of Eglin's Civil Air Patrol learn to fly a radio controlled aircraft.
Members of Civil Air Patrol from the Clearwater Composite Squadron prepare for a flight out of MacDill AFB on a C-17 Globemaster III. Clearwater Composite Squadron, Florida Wing CAP.JPG
Members of Civil Air Patrol from the Clearwater Composite Squadron prepare for a flight out of MacDill AFB on a C-17 Globemaster III.
Lt Col John Clark, CAP, Commander of Civil Air Patrol Group 6, presents Capt Scott Morris, USAFR, 93rd Fighter Squadron pilot, with a certificate of appreciation at Homestead Air Reserve Base. John Clark, Commander of Civil Air Patrol Group 6, Florida Wing CAP.JPG
Lt Col John Clark, CAP, Commander of Civil Air Patrol Group 6, presents Capt Scott Morris, USAFR, 93rd Fighter Squadron pilot, with a certificate of appreciation at Homestead Air Reserve Base.
Cadets and senior members of the Homestead Air Reserve Base Composite Sqdn during a Young Eagles Flight event at Homestead General Aviation Airport. 279th Civil Air Patrol, Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol, group photo.jpg
Cadets and senior members of the Homestead Air Reserve Base Composite Sqdn during a Young Eagles Flight event at Homestead General Aviation Airport.
Florida Wing Units [9] [10]
GroupCharter No.Unit NameLocationNotes
SER-FL-000Florida Wing Support SquadronLakeland
SER-FL-001 Florida Wing HQLakeland
SER-FL-999Florida Legislative SquadronTallahassee
Group 1SER-FL-423Eglin Composite Squadron Eglin Air Force Base
SER-FL-424Emerald Coast Senior Squadron Pensacola
SER-FL-425Pensacola Cadet Squadron Pensacola
SER-FL-432Tallahassee Composite Squadron Tallahassee
SER-FL-435Tyndall Panama Composite Squadron Panama
SER-FL-444Marianna Composite Squadron Greenwood
Group 2SER-FL-021Lake Composite Squadron Tavares
SER-FL-049Ormond Beach Composite Squadron Ormond Beach
SER-FL-116 Seminole Composite Squadron Lake Mary
SER-FL-122Merritt Island Senior Squadron Merritt Island
SER-FL-142Gainesville Composite Squadron Gainesville
SER-FL-171Fruit Cove Cadet SquadronSt. Johns
SER-FL-173Saint Augustine Composite SquadronSt. Augustine
SER-FL-242Orlando Cadet Squadron Orlando
SER-FL-259Central Florida Composite Squadron Orlando
SER-FL-267Ti-Co Composite Squadron Titusville
SER-FL-293Patrick Composite Squadron Patrick Space Force Base
SER-FL-323Fernandina Composite Squadron Fernandina Beach
SER-FL-361Marion County Composite Squadron Ocala
SER-FL-383Jacksonville Composite Squadron Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport
SER-FL-457Indian River Composite Squadron Vero Beach
Group 3 [ permanent dead link ]SER-FL-066St. Petersburg Cadet SquadronSt. Petersburg
SER-FL-08989th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron MacDill Air Force Base
SER-FL-182Pinellas Senior Squadron St. Petersburg
SER-FL-237Brandon Cadet Squadron Brandon
SER-FL-243North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron Tampa
SER-FL-274Polk County Composite Squadron Winter Haven
SER-FL-301 Hernando County Composite Squadron Brooksville
SER-FL-310Hillsborough One Senior SquadronTampa
SER-FL-447 Clearwater Composite Squadron Clearwater
SER-FL-458 Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron Wesley Chapel
SER-FL-459Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron Zephyrhills
SER-FL-463463rd Composite SquadronKissimmee
SER-FL-466Lakeland Composite SquadronLakelan
SER-FL-829Azalea Middle School Cadet SquadronSt. Petersburg
Group 5SER-FL-023Naples Senior Squadron Naples
SER-FL-044SQR Composite Squadron Sarasota
SER-FL-051Charlotte County Composite Squadron Punta Gorda
SER-FL-335Venice Cadet Squadron Venice
SER-FL-373Naples Cadet Squadron Naples
SER-FL-376Marco Island Senior Squadron Marco Island Airport
Group 6SER-FL-011North Perry Composite Squadron Cooper City
SER-FL-016Coral Springs Cadet Squadron Coral Springs
SER-FL-024Stuart Composite Squadron Port St. Lucie
SER-FL-054Lantana Cadet Squadron Lantana
SER-FL-078Treasure Coast Composite Squadron Hialeah
SER-FL-152North Palm Beach County Cadet Squadron West Palm Beach
SER-FL-286Pines-Miramar Composite Squadron Pembroke Pines
SER-FL-337Fort Lauderdale Composite Squadron Fort Lauderdale
SER-FL-372Boca Raton Composite Squadron Boca Raton
SER-FL-811Crystal Lake MS Cadet Squadron Pompano Beach
Group 7SER-FL-076Miami Senior Squadron 1 Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport
SER-FL-279Homestead Air Reserve Base Cadet Squadron Homestead Air Reserve Base
SER-FL-319Doral Cadet SquadronDoral
SER-FL-355Tamiami Composite Squadron Miami Executive Airport
SER-FL-462Key West Cadet Squadron Cudjoe Key
SER-FL-464Opa-Locka Cadet SquadronFlorida Memorial University

Under the State of Florida Civil Air Patrol Leave Act, members of Civil Air Patrol who are employed within the boundaries of Florida, by a company which employs fifteen or more people, are allowed up to fifteen days of unpaid leave annually for the purpose of participating in Civil Air Patrol training or missions. Employees will not be required to use accrued vacation or sick leave or any other type of accrued leave prior to taking unpaid Civil Air Patrol leave, but may choose to use such benefits. Employers are forbidden from requiring Civil Air Patrol members to use vacation, annual, compensatory, or similar leave time for the period during which the member was on Civil Air Patrol leave. Employers are also forbidden from penalizing or firing employees for taking Civil Air Patrol leave. These employee rights are codified under Florida Statutes § 252.55. [11]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "About Us". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "2014 Statistics" (PDF). Capmembers.com. 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  3. ↑ "Southeast Region Online News System". news.sercap.us. Archived from the original on 2017-04-18. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  4. ↑ "Civil Defense: Florida Defense Force". Palm Beach County History Online. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  5. ↑ Introduction to Civil Air Patrol (PDF). Maxwell AFB: National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol. April 2013. CAP Pamphlet 50-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  6. ↑ Reilly, Thomas (1998). "Florida's Flying Minute Men: The Civil Air Patrol, 1941-1943". The Florida Historical Quarterly . 76 (4): 417–438. JSTOR   30149932.
  7. ↑ "About". Florida Wing - Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  8. ↑ "History of the Civil Air Patrol". Gocivilairpatrol.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Find A Unit Near You". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  10. ↑ "Civil Air Patrol Unit Directory". GoCivilAirPatrol.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 August 2015. Retrieved 25 Aug 2021.
  11. ↑ "Fla. Stat. § 252.55". Florida Legislature. 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.

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