by Carrie Steinweg
Civil Air Patrol, the long-time all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force. In this role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 aircraft, performs about 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 80 lives annually.
CAP’s 57,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief, and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. CAP also plays a leading role in aerospace/STEM education, and its members serve as mentors to 24,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. Visit www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com to learn more.
Thunder Composite Squadron meets every Wednesday from 6:30–9:00pm at Heritage Middle School in Lansing, Illinois. Membership includes Lansing residents as well as individuals from throughout the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana, including Calumet City, Mokena, Lynwood, Dyer, Munster, and Schererville. For more information on the Thunder Composite Squadron, contact Major Zalud with the Civil Air Patrol at (630) 779-9313.
