Fall/Winter 1992 Wingspan

Fall/Winter 1992

COVER PHOTO: A KC-10A Extender maneuvers into position off the refueling boom of a KC-135A Stratotanker during an orientation flight hosting members of the Bismarck Composite Squadron. (Photo by C/Col. Chad R. Grondahl, Bismarck Composite Squadron) Commander's Comments Liaison Corner CAP Members Observe "Global Reach" Flight Instructor & Maintenance Technician of the Year CAP Memorials North Dakota Wing is "Outstanding" Again! Cadet Program Awards Help! What am I doing here? Grand Forks Composite Squadron Members Help Earn Outstanding CAP Radio For the Masses Dickinson Squadron "On The Go" All Summer Bismarck Composite Squadron News

Commander's Comments

By Colonel Wynola Thornton-Eide
Commander, North Dakota Wing

In the Spring Wingspan I did an article on teamwork. I talked about setting a goal, getting organized, and then doing the job. CONGRATULATIONS! North Dakota Wing earned the second OUTSTANDING in the SAR/DR evaluation. It takes an organized, hardworking team to receive such a rating. Once again you put all your efforts together and did a super job. We had the highest attendance at the SAR/DR ever. You came from all over North Dakota with one goal in mind. That goal was to be part of a team, whether it be aircrew, ground crew, flightline, safety, mission staff or to support anyone who needed it. My thanks to all who participated. You are indeed "OUTSTANDING." You were well organized, worked hard and met the challenge. I feel confident that if we had an actual emergency you would do an equally commendable job.

CONGRATULATIONS to Col. Chad Grondahl. You are the first cadet to begin your training in North Dakota and move through the entire cadet program concluding with the most honored Spaatz Award. We are proud to have you in North Dakota Wing. You visited Norway with the International Air Cadet Exchange. You earned your solo wings and moved onto a new career -- college. With your energy and hard work, you will achieve anything you set out to do. We will be watching you, cheering you on, and proudly saying, "He belongs to North Dakota Wing." Col. Chad, we care about you.

Keep Up The Good Work!

We have put together a calendar of events for 1993. Once again, we are offering a wide variety of training. Try to attend as many as you can so you will be ready to meet the challenge.

Always Be Vigilant!

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Liaison Corner

By Lieutenant Colonel Greg Maier, USAF
ND Wing Liaison Officer

Many people have asked the Liaison Office questions on the University of North Dakota's Aviation Department. To get some answers, the LO staff visited UND's campus and toured the aviation facilities. Giving the tour was the Wing's reserve officer Major Paul Lindseth who, when he is not with us placing targets or playing a lost fisherman, is an Assistant Professor of Aviation at UND.

The Aviation Department started in 1968 with two donated airplanes and a handful of students. UND assembled a group composed of Northwest Airline captains, general aviation training specialists, and curriculum developers to determine a program of academic and flight instruction. Today, enrollment in the aviation department is over 1,500 students with students coming from all over the world. The students we talked to were from South Dakota, Connecticut, and Taiwan. The University recently received a contract to train Russian Air Traffic Controllers and has a 5-year pilot training agreement with China Airlines to train 180 students.

After filling us with these facts, we walked through the facilities. The first stop was the altitude chamber. In a room approximately 15 by 30 feet filled with oxygen masks and hoses, students can experience the effect on their bodies of high-altitude flight. Each student is taught to recognize the physiological and psychological perils of hypoxia, decompression, fatigue, nutrition, and spatial disorientation as they affect pilot performance. In the safe, controlled environment of the chamber, students can experience their own early warning signals of these phenomena and learn to optimize awareness. Our guide offered a ride but we declined. Fearing we might be trapped, we promptly exited the room.

Next stop was the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. This area of study is for the student interested in weather forecasting, broadcast meteorology, aviation meteorology, air pollution, climatology, and radar meteorology. Some of the equipment and facitilites available include a Meteorology Data Center (means many computers), a digital Doppler radar, and a heavily instrumented Cessna Citation II research jet. Some of the projects they have been involved in are the detection of microbursts and icing, cloud research using tracer gases, and the study of acid rain. They are currently moving to bigger facilities in the building in anticipation of the co-location of Fargo's National Weather Service.

The simulator training area was next for our tour. Located in one of the newest campus buildings, the University has over 24 aircraft simulators plus several air traffic control simulators. Here, as in their flight training, the student pilot receives individual training from an instructor on aircraft limitations, procedures, and instruments. The air traffic control simulator trains not only brand new controllers but also trains controllers from around the world on the latest technological advances. On our tour, there were four controllers from the United States receiving training on new equipment.

Our last stop was the flight training area at Mark Andrews International Airport where UND mainains a fleet of 85 aircraft. Located in this modern training area is a bookstore, a large flight planning area, many briefing and debriefing rooms, and a crew/student lounging area. The operations area is conducted like North Dakota CAP's operations complete with a grease board of crews' names and aircraft tail numbers. Since the facility is located some distance from the campus, we asked how the students traveled to and from the airport. The University has a bus system that travels throughout the campus and to the airport. If a student does not have a vehicle, he can ride the bus. On this portion of the tour, the cleanliness of the aircraft and the maintenance area were most remarkable.

At the conclusion of the tour we were given the opportunity to ask questions. Our first question was the cost. Tuition was $1,072 a semester. Together with room and board, books, flying ($62/hour without instructor), and personal expenses, the cost can be upwards of $5-6,000 a year. UND does offer several scholarships, starting at $250, and internships, where students work in that area they are studying. The next question was job placement. At the present time the have an agreement to provide pilots to Northwest Airlines, but that depends on the needs of Northwest. Other than that, UND does not have an active job placement office. Our last question dealt with areas of study. The Department of Aviation not only offers degrees in flying, meteorology, and air traffic control, but also computer science, aviation and airport administration, space studies, and helicopter flight training.

Our tour of the University of North Dakota was informative and rewarding. We saw some of the best equipment used to train pilots and it was right here in North Dakota. If anyone needs information on the University, please do not hesitate to write the University. The address is:

Office of Enrollment Services
Box 8135
University Station
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND 58202

Or better yet, on the next search and rescue exercise, ask North Dakota's reservist Major Paul Lindseth.

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CAP Members Observe "Global Reach"

By Cadet Colonel Chad R. Grondahl
Bismarck Composite Squadron Public Affairs Officer

Ten members of the Bismarck Composite Squadron were given a recent orientation flight which refueled a U.S. Air Force KC-IOA Extender. The eight cadets and two senior members who took part flew aboard a KC-135A Stratotanker assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 906th Air Refueling Squadron at Minot AFB, N.D.

After takeoff the aircraft turned toward the southwest as it climbed to the designated cruising altitude. The route of flight for the training mission covered parts of three states and lasted nearly three hours.

As the aircraft made its last turn to enter the refueling track, the boom operator made final checks to ensure that all refueling systems were operational. Everything was now set for the midair rendezvous in the skies over southeastern Montana.

Moments later the gleaming shape of a blue and white KC-10 could be seen approaching from behind and below the KC-135. The KC-10A itself is an aerial refueling aircraft, but is configured so that another tanker can also refuel it. In fact, the KC-10A can carry almost twice as much fuel as a KC-135.

Slowly and delicately the KC-10 pilot maneuvered his monstrous airplane toward the boom, cautious not to disturb the airflow around either aircraft. For approximately forty minutes the two planes practiced air refueling procedures, allowing the pilots and boom operators to get ample training during several hook-ups.

After the KC-10A finished refueling, it flew to another KC-135, which had taken up station on a parallel course a few miles off the right wing of the first. There the two planes practiced additional hook-ups, allowing CAP members to observe the relative sizes of the two aircraft and appreciate the close proximity of the planes during refueling. Twenty minutes later the KC-135 orientation flight turned northward and began its descent into Minot AFB.

Thanks to the outstanding cooperation of the U.S. Air Force, several Civil Air Patrol members were able to observe firsthand the vital mission of aerial refueling--a mission which provides "Global Reach" to America's military forces.

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Flight Instructor & Maintenance Technician of the Year

Each year, nominations are received for a Certified Flight Instructor & Maintenance Technician of the Year award. The winners are chosen by a team of operations and airworthiness inspectors from their respective FSDO offices. The winners' names (from each FSDO) are then submitted to Region Headquarters where one Certified Flight Instructor and one Maintenance Technician will be chosen to represent their region in Washington D.C. The winners in Washington D.C. will be announced in October. Each winner will receive an all-expense paid trip for two to Washington D.C., along with cash awards and prizes. Presenting the awards, to North Dakota's winners is Accident Prevention Program Manager, Les Ellingson.

Flight Instructor of the Year -- Allan Skramstad
Al has been a CFI since 1985 and is employed by the University of North Dakota. During the past year, Al has acquired over 1,000 hours of teaching. Al was nominated by Jerry Iverson, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor, UND.

Maintenance Technician of the Year -- Karmen Johnson
Karmen has been an A&P since 1978 and a member of he maintenance staff at UND. Since 1981 he has served as service manager. Karmen also serves as a member of the CAS Safety/Accident Prevention and Investigation Board and is an active pilot with both rotary and fixed wing ratings. Karmen was nominated by Frank Argenziano, Director of Maintenance, UND.

A Big Congratulations to both Al and Karmen, Keep Up The Good Work! (Editor's Note: Allan Skramstad is a former CAP member and father of Cadet Shannon Skramstad, Red River Valley Composite Squadron.)

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CAP Memorials

Captain Clarence G. Andrews, CAP

Clarence G. Andrews, who was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1975, served as the Bismarck Composite Squadron Commander from 1979 to 1981. As a pilot and loyal member, there wasn't anything Capt. Andrews wouldn't do for Civil Air Patrol or his squadron, which included accepting command of the unit and, literally, saving it from deactivation. Captain Clarence G. Andrews passed away July 30, 1992, in Bismarck at the age of 59. His loss was felt throughout the state.

The Silver Fox

Lt. Col. Arthur C. Foerster, a member of the North Dakota Wing Civil Air Patrol since March 1974, was promoted to his present rank in 1987, a rank not many members attain. Lt. Col. Foerster served as the Wing's Finance Officer and Computer Consultant, as well as an instrument-rated pilot. Lt. Col. Arthur C. Foerster passed away August 9, 1992, in Fargo at the age of 74. The Silver Fox. He will be missed.

My First Mission
By Arthur C. Foerster

My tour of duty with the Civil Air Patrol started 17 years ago in March. Prior to that in the fall and winter of 1973, I had been learning to fly. After I earned my Private Pilot's License back in January 1974, I was looking for some way to use it. I knew the CAP existed back then, but I knew very little about it.

The LO Officer at that time made sure I had received Level 1. He also gave me an open book test from CAPM 50-15. Now I was one of them? They were having a SAR in Grand Forks in the spring of 1974. So I rented a C-150 and went to see what was going on. They assigned an Observer who knew just a little more about a grid search than I. He had done it once before. The grid assigned was in an area between Manvel and the Grand Forks Air Base and the Grand Forks Airport.

We started at Manvel and worked our way back to the airport. The weather was not good that day. A cold front lay across the state from Jamestown to Grand Forks. The ceiling was coming down, but we were below it at 500 feet so we weren't overly concerned. Evidently, after we took off, the weather had closed in at the airport and no one else was flying.

We were out of contact with Mission Control during the flight, because we had only one radio in the plane and I needed that to coordinate with both control towers each time we crossed their approach path. They put up with us, but to this day I don't know why, with the weather as it was. About the time I was cleared to enter the base leg for landing, the rest of the CAP pilots decided, if I could do it, they would try it too. It didn't take long before they came back. Finally the mission was called off because of the weather.

Yes, that was my first experience with CAP type flying. I was hooked.

I soon realized no one seemed to know much about tracking ELT signals. The usual method was to rely on signal strength alone. They did have DF-88 equipment in the Bird Dog aircraft we had back then, but not many people were qualified to fly in that aircraft. Besides, I'm not sure the DF units were working, they were tied to one of the onboard radios in some way.

At any rate, I knew how to locate an ELT by signal strength. I had a lot of experience. My job with the FAA was to locate ELTs on the Hector Airport. I found the task to be much simpler from an aircraft platform. One moved across country at a much higher rate of speed!

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North Dakota Wing is "Outstanding" Again!

FARGO, ND -- U.S. Air Force Liaison personnel kept Civil Air Patrol members on their toes at the Wing's combined Evaluated Rescue and Disaster Relief exercise (SAR/DR) held Saturday, September 25, 1992, in the Fargo area. With exceptional participation from around the state, teams and coordinators worked together to earn their second consecutive "outstanding," the highest rating possible.

Personnel from the North Dakota Division of Emergency Management photographed possible choke points during flooding emergencies as part of the Wing's Evaluated SAR/DR. (Photo courtesy of ND Division of Emergency Management)

The scenario was set in April, following a heavy spring snow storm, which caused flooding of rivers caused by ice and debris jams, and melting snow. An aircraft was reported missing as well as a fisherman, numerous ELT transmissions, electrical outages caused by downed power lines, and CAP received requests from the Department of Emergency Management for rising river reports and jam locations. Lt. Col. Frank Jershe, USAF-NCLR, was the evaluator and summarized this exercise.

"The mission was graded an overall outstanding because of the performance in each phase of the exercise. The CAP Wing made every effort to involve other state and local agencies in this mission to further their relationships and refine their coordination during disaster relief and SAR events. The following agencies were involved in the exercise: State of North Dakota Department of Emergency Management, State of North Dakota Department of Energy, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Country Department of Disaster Preparedness, and County Sheriff's Department.

"The alert of the CAP for the mission person by AFRCC occurred at 0700 Saturday morning and the first crew was briefed and on their way to the aircraft by 0830 and a ground team was dispatched and on the road by 0840 which is an outstanding response time for this type of exercise.

"The state alert rosters maintained in the mission coordinator kits were useful, easy to use, and up to date.

"The communications system was set up in minimum time and supported the mission regardless of the location of the dispatched crews. The communications personnel quickly reacted with messages and prompt responses.

"The communications was handled by qualified personnel who also provided training to those desiring. When things were extremely busy, the qualified personnel stepped in to keep things running smoothly.

"Checklists were very appropriate and available for each functional area. The were also used by each functional area.

"The mission log kept by the mission coordinator and by the air/ground briefers were outstanding. The entries were numerous and it would have allowed for the restructuring of mission events. As the mission progressed, when or if a task had been assigned, accomplished, etc., it became easier for the mission staff to piece together past accomplishments to avoid redundant activities and keep the sequence of events in the correct order. This would also allow another MC to come on duty to relieve the MC that had been working all day on the problem and the new MC would be able to refer to what had been accomplished without having to find/wake up the previous MC.

"There was excellent member participation in this exercise. All units had members participate and all corporate vehicles and aircraft were present for the exercise.

"The general briefing was outstanding. It was well organized, brief, and covered all pertinent information including a short pilot weather briefing including weather charts which were posted on a bulletin board for those desiring to look at it after the briefing. The communciations briefer hit the highlights and handed out a printed communications sheet with frequencies, emergency telephone numbers, and required radio check in calls for the air and ground crews. Checklists were used to ensure all appropriate items were covered and the safety briefing was outstanding and very appropriate for the conditions under which the CAP would be operating.

"The safety officer conducted a very thorough inspection of all ground team vehicles and aircraft prior to their use. He also held 'refresher training' using a TAC slide/tape presentation of marshaling/flightline procedures followed by a short local area flightline briefing, and question and answer period for the cadets and seniors performing the flightline/marshaling duties. Two flightline crews were formed so that periodic relief was provided the members performing these duties. He also handed out a two page 'short and sweet' safety handout to each crew member and ground team spelling out exactly what was expected of them. It was short and to the point so members actually read it! The result was a safety conscious group and an orderly, safe flightline.

"The check-in verification, extensive documentation, crew briefings, and status boards for tracking of key officials and resources were outstanding.

"The mission coordinator delegated duties and responsibilities to qualified individuals and did not interfere or attempt to do their jobs. As a result, alternatives to various problems were presented to the MC for his decision on top level items and small problems and subsequent solutions were handled by each assigned staff member. This allowed the MC to concentrate on the 'Big Picture' instead of being concerned with every detail of the operation. It also reinforced each staff member's actions and position. This greatly contributed to the smooth flow of the entire operation. He also worked very harmoniously with the Air Operations Officer as they discussed the many possibilities and subsequent actions to perform each time a clue/information was received from the AFRCC and other sources.

"All news releases were coordinated with the MC prior to release to the public. In this manner, she could proof it prior to release and she would also have the exact information that the press was forming questions from so she could prepare herself for the answers without including any 'new' information. She also made periodic verbal updates to members in the 'waiting area' and posted news releases on the bulletin board in the 'general lobby area.'

"Ground teams and aircrew members completely and accurately filled out all mission reports. From the speed displayed in filling out all the paperwork, it was evident that members properly filled them out all the time as they were very familiar with their use. The same can be said about checklist use. It was second nature to them.

"The ground team found the 'missing person' who had spent the night by the edge of a river, at temperatures below freezing. He was found 'sleeping' on the ground. He was not sleeping in his truck which was parked about 50 yards away. When awakened, he told the ground team that he had just fallen asleep. He though it was Friday (the day he went fishing), but it was Saturday. He told them that he was okay and that he was going to go home now. There were some old beer cans in the vicinity, but he told the ground team that he had not been drinking. The ground team assumed from the old beer cans that he lied about this and passed information to the MC that alcohol was the cause. This seems logical, and with this in mind, one's first thought is that he can go home and he'll be okay. In this case, he was telling the truth as the beer cans were too old and dirty to be left from the night before. One has to assume the worst case scenario and assume that it is an unkown condition and that all man's faculties are not present. Pass to the MC only the facts, not the items which you believe to be the real truth. By doing so, competent medical authorities can check the individual out and they can make the determination. The ground team leader caught this before the individual was allowed to depart and the MC then too the appropriate action and had the Sheriff come out and take custody of the individual to bring him to the hospital. Also, if at all possible, keep the individual away from the radios when someone is transmitting the condition of the 'missing person' In this case, the individual was saying he was okay, but the CAP person was transmitting that he was not okay. In an actual case, this may cause the person to become belligerant and resist all efforts to keep hime there for the Sheriff or the medical authorities. After the first transmission, the senior member realized the potential impact, and lured him away from the radios in the CAP ground team van so the communications with the base could continue without adverse effects.

"During the wait for reports from dispatched ground and air teams, the MC kept running over to the Air/Ground Operations room to listen for more updates coming in on the radio. Toward the end of the day, a cadet with a radio stayed with the MC in the MC room so he could listen to the reports when he 'had nothing else to do.' This allowed all the staff easy access to the MC since they didn't have to go looking for him. If at all possible, preposition a radio with the MC as the start of the exercise. Then again, as one staff member said, 'Everything is going too smoothly, we must have overlooked something!' Ain't it nice to be outstanding?"

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Cadet Program Awards

By Cadet Colonel Chad R. Grondahl
Chairman, ND Cadet Advisory Council

The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program is composed of five program areas--aerospace education, leadership, physical fitness, moral and ethical values, and group and individual activities.

As cadets progress in the program they are required to complete a series of 15 achievements which involve study and performance criteria in each of the program areas. These achievements are grouped into four categories or phases. I successful completion of all but one of the phases is one milestone cadet awards.

Mitchell Award: Cadets who earn the Mitchell Award become cadet officers and are eligible to enlist in the U.S. Air Force at the advanced grade of E-3. They also have the opportunity to compete for various flight and academic scholarships. Approximately 1,200 cadets earn the Mitchell Award each year.

Earhart Award: Cadets who earn the Earhart Award become cadet captains and are eligible to apply for the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE). IACE is one of the most rewarding programs available to any CAP member. Approximately 400 cadets earn the Earhart Award annually.

Spaatz Award: The Spaatz is the highest award available in the cadet program and recipients are awarded the grade of cadet colonel. Less than 1% of all cadets who enter the program earn the award and only twenty percent of cadets who take the Spaatz examination have achieved passing scores to date. Fewer than 1,140 Spaatz Awards have been earned since the first was awarded in 1965.

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Help! What am I doing here?

By Major Edward Huntington
Bismarck Composite Squadron

BISMARCK, ND -- That question reverberated through my tired brain as I settled into my seat for the introductory session of Civil Air Patrol-U.S. Air Force (CAP-USAF) National Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. It was time to be welcomed, meet the staff, and learn the protocol and ground rules for our week-long sojourn of training at the highest level in CAP. Oh, yes! Time also for comments by the college director and CAP-USAF's Executive Director.

After that, it was time for our first official seminar meeting as we learned the purpose of the seminar advisor. I was already tired and thinking I could have been nearly home with the rest of my family at the end of our summer vacation. Oh, oh, what am I doing here?

What a way to begin National Staff College! National Staff College, that long sought-after, top-level educational and motivational experience of one's CAP "career," and here I am, ready to go home. This is going to be a rotten week, I can tell already. And now I have to go out on this "Seminar Dutch Treat Get-Together," when I could eat at Hardee's for two-and-a-half bucks. Boy, here goes my Scotch budget! Come And Pay!

What a way, you say to begin an article on National Staff College! How could we have let a guy like this go to our elite school? And he's our chaplain! What have we gotten into here?

Of course, I'm assuming that my readers have been able to detect a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek comment and have been willing to press on in order to find out how I made it through the week, because I did, you know! I had a frightfully good time, in spite of my initial hesitancy.

I suppose the Seminar Dutch Treat really was the ice breaker it was intended to be. We piled our ten members, along with the wife of one and the husband of another and our advisor into two vans and made our may to one of Montgomery's fine mid-price eateries. A good meal and a good time were had by all. By the time we returned to our quarters, we were in the midst of a downpour, tired, ready for sleep, and especially ready to work the next day. And so it was, that still missing my family, of course, I poured myself into bed as I prepared my body, and hopefully my mind, for the 'morrow.

Every morning, each seminar met in its meeting room to start the day at 7:35 a.m. Any special announcements, certain papers, and miscellaneous business was carried out before the serious work began. This also gave some of our "late risers" an opportunity to wake up before the lecture began. We began classes class at 8:00 a.m. and finished at 5:30 p.m. with an hour and a half for lunch. Sounds like an easy day; after all, that's only ten hours including lunch.

Those days, however, were chocked full!! Day One: Leaders and Leadership; types and personalities of leaders, leadership methods, how to adapt your styles adjusting to your people, both leader and follower-types, time management, lists and priorities, and files and using them. Day Two involved effective communications, team-building and group dynamics, and executive health.

On Day Three was Project X. The highlight, of course! This special activitiy course was divided into 24 sites on which 64 different leadership/teamwork training/testing scenarios can be performed. Everything from crossing raging rivers with a wounded friend on a stretcher to crossing mine fields with delicate radio equipment to crossing toxic chemical pools to blow up munitions plants -- all this was conducted within specified geographic and time restraints. While this is designed to train leaders in leading-following roles and effective communications, it is also a very real test of teamwork and camaraderie.

The "Top Ten" Seminar at bombed-out bridge during Project X, National Staff College 1992. (Photo courtesy of Major Edward Huntington)

The instructors for this segment are the officers who train the up-and-coming USAF leaders at Squadron Officer School. These are the best training those with the potential to be the best. The Air Force cooperates with Civil Air Patrol and allows us the use of these instructors to create our own "best" school.

This is just a sample of the courses we had at NSC. There were more, designed to improve our leadership abilities and help us understand who we are, who CAP is, and how we live, work, and struggle together to accomplish our mission and programs.

To this same end, a number of our classes were led by both Air Force and Civil Air Patrol members of CAP-USAF Headquarters. These members briefed us on such subjects as our ten-year strategic plan, the Cadet Program, CAP-USAF relations in this time of force reduction, and more. Our days were full of valuable information, and though they surely could have trained us for two weeks, our emotions ready, psyched up as we were, our brains endured only as long as our seats did!

This used to be a longer course; then one very wise Air Force officer came to CAP headquarters and said, "Let's trim the fat, give our students the meat, make the time enjoyable!" And so they did. For that reason, there were also social activities, for the CAP creature is a social creature as well as a Good Samaritan. We had picnics, bowling, and meals out with our friends and co-workers.

For those who did not use their seminar time to full advantage to prepare their case study projects, there were also short lunches and socials and late nights. I am very glad and thankful that Seminar 10 (The Top Ten) used its time wisely and slept and ate well.

The highlight? The entire National Staff College, after all is said and done, was the highlight! Even those parts you may think you know a lot about or think you will be bored to death with or you don't need. The pace is fast but even, rapid but not exhausting; you don't have time to be bored, yet you have enough time to be rested.

Project X was great! To meet with former North Central Region Commander, and now National Vice Commander Richard Anderson was also great! It was important to meet more CAP'ers with the same needs and new answers, too.

What was I doing here? Training. Getting answers. Learning anew what Civil Air Patrol is and how to do. Making friends. Being refreshed.

There are only two things I can think of that will rise higher than National Staff College. The first, and foremost, will be as an escort on IACE. A very close second (perhaps at 1..15 or even 1.15) is being on staff at NSC. Both of these are very important ways that I can take what CAP-USAF, my squadron, my North Dakota Wing, and my North Central Region, and my National Headquarters have given to me and use it to help prepare others for their roles in Civil Air Patrol.

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Grand Forks Composite Squadron Members Help Earn Outstanding

By First Lieutenant Alice Mansell
Grand Forks Composite Squadron Public Affairs Officer

The North Dakota Wing received an "outstanding" rating by the Air Force evaluator for the Disaster Relief SAR exercise last month thanks to the nearly 70 members of the wing who participated.

The scenarios included a missing person search and a flood assessment of the English Coulee project near Grand Forks.

From the Grand Forks squadron, C/Sgt. Kevin Morin served as a ground team radio operator. C/MSgt. Kelly DeGregorio also worked as a ground team member. Both had fun being interviewed by KTHI Fargo news. Other Grand Forks cadets at the exercise were C/MSgt. Brian DeGregorio on ground team and C/Ltc. Johnene Vardiman on aircrew.

Senior members 1Lts. Jeff Wagner and Alice Mansell flew on two sorties as mission pilot and observer/scanner respectively. One of their sorties was to survey the English Coulee diversion project from the Red River to the dam southwest of Grand Forks with the help of C/Col. Chad Grondahl from Bismarck. They took still photographs and a video of major structures.

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CAP Radio For the Masses

By Major Tom Weston
Magic City Composite Squadron Commander
"Blackfoot 901"

At the last Commander's Call, I was commenting about the non-use of the nightly CAP High Frequency (HF) Net. This prompted the PAO to challenge me to submit a radio story for the Wingspan, and having cornered myself, I gracefully agreed. Here is my interpretation of CAP radio.

For all intents and purposes, the Civil Air Patrol Radio System consists primarily of two radio systems: the Very High Frequency, Frequency Modulation (VHF-FM) system, and the High Frequency (HF) system. The VHF is used by the aircraft (Phoenix) radio, vehicle radios, and the hand-helds; HF is the long range radio used nationwide.

The VHF system has a major advantage over the HF system; VHF has relatively short range. This allows many stations to use the same frequencies at the same time without overlap. Essentially "line-of-sight," VHS is unusable for operations over the horizon. For routine local CAP traffic, the radios all use the frequency 148.15 MHz.

The VHF frequency is able to be used over longer distances with the help of a device called a repeater. This is a special radio which receives the signal, and then re-transmits it on another frequency. Thus, if you have a stationary repeater antenna placed at a high altitude location, the line-of-sight for that radio is increased, and your transmitter has a greater effective range.

This is even more evident on those occasions where an airborne repeater is used. As the name implies, a repeater is placed aboard an aircraft, and then the pilot simply orbits at altitude in a pre-determined area, allowing much greater "line-of-sight" for ground radios. The repeaters and individual radios us a method called "duplex" (two frequencies), where the radios transmit on 143.90 MHz (ground repeater) or 143.75 (airborne repeater), and which the respective repeaters receive. Then, the repeaters re-transmit the message on 148.15, the frequency received by all individual radios.

The HF radios, on the other hand, are long range radios, capable of transmitting and receiving over the horizon. The radio waves are of a proper length where they are actually able to reflect off the different atmospheric layers, and may go around the world if conditions are right. On the usual Wing Net frequency, 4506.0 kHz, I have been able to check in with the Dogwood net, from Arkansas. This frequency can be used for nationwide messages, especiallyy in a national emergency.

The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with the different facets of CAP radio, especially concerning the HF Net. North Dakota (Blackfoot) had set aside each day at 0200Z (CDT) and 0300Z (CST) [Greenwich Mean Time is Zulu Time] one-half hour to use the HF radios for messages, practice, and familiarization with the system. Each unit is authorized an HF system (as they become available) an all of your members with the proper credentials should be encouraged to use the net as indicated.

The Wing Communications Guide has a listing of the routine night which each squadron is responsible for primary net control, and I'm sure Mark Carlson [Wing Director of Communications] would be glad to give a refresher to anyone interested.

The radios aren't hard to use, and can be a lot of fun. But to use them properly, you must practice, or you efforts may fail you at a crucial time. I hope this article has sparked some interest, and I'm looking forward to hearing you on the net!

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Dickinson Squadron "On The Go" All Summer

In July, four cadets and one senior member attended Encampment at Camp Grafton, in Devils Lake, ND. Teamwork played an important role during the week. It was found that working together as a team made the encampment a greater experience than it would have been if we were competing against each other.

On August 30, we went to the Thunderbirds airshow in Grand Forks. The cadets got together with a few of the Grand Forks cadets and socialized.

Last month, the senior members and three cadets attended the evaluated SAR/DR in Fargo. Cadet Major Troy Powers recently attended Civil Air Patrol's Cadet Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Upon graduation, Cadet Powers flew on to Mather AFB, Sacramento, where he attended CAP's Aviation Training Familiarization Course. The ATF course is designed to give cadets an opportunity to explore different careers in the aerospace industry. Cadet Powers plans to pursue a career in military aviation after graduation from high school.

Not only have we been on the go, but we have made many changes over the summer. Just recently, we experienced a change of command. Cadet Major Troy Powers stepped down, and Cadet Major Kari Hondl took over as Cadet Commander. The other positions were also reassigned.

Another change we have made is the switching of our meeting days. The cadets no longer meet on the first and third Sundays of the month. They now meet every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This change has not only increased the attendance, but it also increased the number of recruits.

Dickinson Cadets "Find" Everything -- Even Elvis!! Fourth of July Parade 1992: Cadets M. Banyai, L. Pavlicek, K. Pfau, "Elvis", D. Paulson, T. Powers, K. Hondl.

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Bismarck Composite Squadron News

By Cadet Colonel Chad R. Grondahl
Bismarck Composite Squadron Public Affairs Officer

Conducting surveys, touring military facitities, and riding in exotic aircraft are just a few of the activities which added a little excitement to the Bismarck Composite Squadron's schedule this summer. Of course, the squadron also continued its more traditional activities of meetings and emergency services training.

On 27 June 1992 the squadron held a search and rescue exercise (SAREX) in the Rattlesnake Butte area southeast of Bismarck. Aircrews and ground teams were sortied to find the targets, which simulated a downed aircraft. The aircrews had little difficulty locating the practice ELT but the panels simulating debris were more challenging. The ground team located its targets fairly quickly, despite having to contend with a medical problem that involved giving first aid to an unconscious team member with a broken leg. The mission was a success and participants had a safe and enjoyable day.

2Lt. Randy Meissner and Cadet Sheldon Babeck transport an injured ground team member, 1Lt. Warren Pauling, to safety during a Bismarck Composite Squadron search and rescue exercise. (Photo by C/Col. Chad R. Grondahl, Bismarck Composite Squadron)

The most time-consuming and manpower-intensive project conducted by the squadron this year was an observational seat belt survey coordinated with a local traffic safety organization. The survey was conducted during two different months, July and September, and served as both a fundraising and public service activity. The squadron received a total of $1,000 for providing volunteers to assist with the project.

Cadets Sheldon Babeck (left) and Craig Zimmer intently count the number of vehicle occupants wearing shoulder harnesses as part of an observational seat belt survey conducted by the Bismarck Composite Squadron. (Photo by C/Col. Chad R. Grondahl, Bismarck Composite Squadron)

Bismarck Composite Squadron cadets were treated to a tour of Minot Air Force Base on 17 July 1992. The first stop on the tour was Radar Approach Control, where arriving and departing air traffic for the base and the civilian airport is controlled. After that the group moved on to view several aircraft on static display, including the HH-1H, T-38A, B-52H, and KC-135A. Crew members were on hand to answer questions and the cadets had virtually unlimited access to all the aircraft. The final event of the day was a military working dog demonstration from the security police. The generous hospitality and professionalism displayed by all base personnel was greatly appreciated -- especially that of our tour guide, who was a former CAP cadet.

Cadets Chad Grondahl (left) and Chris Hetzler stand in front of the "blistered" nose of a B-52H Stratofortress at Minot AFB during a recent tour. (Photo courtesy of C/Col. Chad R. Grondahl, Bismarck Composite Squadron)

Four squadron cadets were in the right place at the right time recently when they received an orientation flight aboard a Beechcraft Starship 1. The cadets were waiting for a squadron meeting to start when the aircraft landed at the Bismarck Municipal Airport to get fuel. After asking to look at the aircraft more closely, the cadets were invited by the flight crew to go up for a short ride and a few minutes later the plane was airborne. The crew flew the aircraft and their eager passengers in a wide traffic pattern over the local area, allowing the cadets to view the digital displays which make up the Starship's "glass cockpit." Event the air traffic controllers in the tower were excited by this rare visit, requesting that the aircraft make a low approach so they could get a better look at its radical design. The plane then entered the pattern once again and the pilot executed a perfect landing, ending a once-in-a-lifetime flight which will not be forgotten any time soon by those who took part.

Cadets (from left): Dan Fetting, John Telenga, and Sheldon Babeck received an orientation flight aboard a Beechcraft Starship 1. (Photo by C/Col. Chad R. Grondahl, Bismarck Composite Squadron)

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