Civil Air Patrol?????

[Big Dawg]

Does anyone know anything about Civil Air Patrol? I was a cadet in CAP before I became a firefighter. I got a lot of good training and experience from my time in CAP. Actually, it's what sparked my interest in firefighting so many years ago. So, any former members? Any experiences with CAP?

[BFD14]

I am currently a Cadet Captain in CAP. What you wanna know? I can tell you pretty much whatever you wanna know.

[codeblue81]

Cadet LTC here. Been a member for....oh boy.....about 8 years now. Almost to that point of going SM. I've done abit of everything. Student pilot's license in Gliders and Hot Air Balloons, Worked REd Cap SAR missions, Attended Air Force firefighing classes in WI. Doe about everything, and had fun the entire time.

code_blue81

[Station7Cadet]

I reseacrched them and it looks fun but where I live the booneys there is no CAP around here, atleast I don't think that there is, do you know where I can make sure?

[Big Dawg]

To answer Station7cadet's question, the best way to find out is to talk to a local air force recruiter. Also, I was a member of Squadron 301 in York PA, and I do remember hearing about a squadron in Westminster MD. Be careful though, I was lucky enough to get into a ranger Squadron, but in MD they don't have a ranger program and they don't do much SAR.
As for needing to know, I was just curious how many firefightres had CAP experience.
Thanx for responding everyone.

[DFCFFEMT14]

I've been in CAP since Dec of 1999. I am currently a C/1Lt, but will hopefully be getting C/Capt within the next month or so. My squadron is fairly small. During the time I've been there it has fluctuated from between 6 to 15 cadets per meeting on a regular basis. We are at about 10 right now. I am also currently the Cadet Commander. I've been to quite a few activities and Cap is great if you have the time to devote to it. The biggest problem I have with it, esp in my squadron is the 'politics', basically there is one cadet, a C/2Lt, that the sr members all just love. She isn't an effective leader and relies too much on what the sr members tell her. That can be a pain trying to rectify because there are things that need too be fixed, yet because of the situation it is hard to just say "these things need to be fixed" because the cadet and sr members feel like I'm picking on that cadet. So needless to say, in some ways I'll be glad to go off to college this fall and be done with it.
Well, I guess I said more than needed, but oh well, it gives my POV on what things can be like.
So, yeh, there are other members out here!!