Civil Air Patrol to celebrate 77 years

FROM STAFF REPORTS

If you attend church services on Sunday, you may notice some members of the congregation in uniform.

These individuals may be part of the Sumter Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol who are observing the anniversary of CAP, founded on Dec. 1, 1941, just before the beginning of American involvement in World War II.

Each year, CAP observes its anniversary during the first week of December.

The Sumter Composite Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. George Stanley, is one of 1,400 units around the country that perform emergency services missions including disaster relief, search and rescue, humanitarian and national security activities.

CAP also serves the community through aerospace education and youth leadership training.

Membership in CAP's cadet program is open to youth ages 12 to 20, and senior membership is open to adults 21 and older. Also, many clergymen across the nation are members of Civil Air Patrol, serving as chaplains in the organization.

Civil Air Patrol Sunday is intended to emphasize CAP's moral leadership training and is one of multiple events planned to commemorate the group's anniversary.

A longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, CAP is the newest member of the Air Force's Total Force which consists of regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, along with Air Force retired military and civilian employees.

In its Total Force role, CAP operates a fleet of 550 aircraft with approximately 56,000 members nationwide and performs about 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search-and-rescue missions tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 78 lives annually.

Visit www.capvolunteernow.com for more information.