Join Our Leadership Team

TO ALL MEMBERS – FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM!

15 May 2012 is the deadline for applications/nominations for members to join in an outstanding leadership experience! Your Spaatz Association is seeking dynamic individuals who want to contribute to the success of TSA. Servant-Leaders who are dedicated to the support of Civil Air Patrol’s Cadet Program are being sought to round out our leadership team. Positions open include National President, National Secretary, and five Board members. If you think you have the dedication to support us in this endeavor, or if you know of someone who would be a valuable contributor to our team, please apply or submit a nomination.

To apply, all that is required is a 250 word nomination!  Include briefly what the nominee would to bring to the leadership of TSA. Please note that in order to be qualified as a candidate, nominees must be dues paying members, Lifetime members, or be a new Spaatz awardee as of May 15, 2012.

Submit your nomination/application to elections@officers.spaatz.org.  Please email Sandie Aurich, TSA Secretary at secretary@officers.spaatz.org with any questions. For more information, visit us at www.spaatz.org/elections.

SANDIE AURICH, #894
National Secretary

The Naming of an Award

Jack Sorenson, c. 1975

While digging through the TSA Archives in response to a query on the Frank Borman Falcon Award, TSA President Steve Austen ran across a letter he had recieved in 1998 from John V. “Jack” Sorenson.  An Army Air Corps World War II veteran and longtime employee of the Civil Air Patrol, Sorenson is considered by many to be the “father” and chief architect of the modern-day CAP cadet program.  This letter describes the evolution of the Cadet Program and the selection of General Carl A. Spaatz as the namesake for the program’s Phase III (now Phase IV) award.  An excerpt is provided below…

I cannot end this without a comment about the Spaatz Cadets.

I personally selected “Spaatz” as the name of the award.

One night long ago, General Spaatz walked into my classroom at Weber County High School, Ogden, Utah, and witnessed an event presented by the cadets in my CAP Squadron.  Brien Dale Ward was the Cadet Commander and Quarteback/Captain of the football team I coached.  Two hundred forty cadets led by Ward (who became a Major General in the United States Air Force) displayed how a CAP Cadet Squadron enrolled (to the last person) in an elective aerospace course for credit could work.  They demonstrated they could learn the lessons of aerospace power, master the regimen of the uniform and implement the disciplines of leadership. Spaatz was impressed, which was not an easy task.  Spaatz told Major General Lucas V. Beau, USAF, National Commander CAP, that this high school condition was to be repeated, if possible, in every high school in America.  Shortly thereafter, the CAP Coordinated High School Aerospace Education Course program commenced.

I (have) watched them all (Spaatz Cadets) from the magnificent Doug Roach, to the last recipient before I left the Headquarters in retirement.  I can honestly say that the Spaatz Cadet is the finest, brightest, and best representative that America can possibly deliver. I’ll stack them up individually or collectively against any and all programs or people, foreign or domestic.  Spaatz Cadets are truly the  nonpareil–a class unto themselves. I’m simply humbled by what they are, (what they) have become, and (what they) represent.

To make this epistle longer would infringe upon our associative CAP membership, so I will close by telling you that to know and work with the CAP Cadets that achieved the Spaatz Award is, and will remain, the greatest award I have been allowed.

God Bless you all,

John V. “Jack” Sorenson

Three Diamonds are Forever

While browsing through the Spaatz.org archives a while back, we re-discovered a great parody on the 1947 DeBeers slogan “A Diamond is Forever.”  Titled “Three Diamonds are Forever,” this minute long video was developed as a commercial for the California Wing’s Cadet Programs Conference in 1999 by California Air Force Association Cadet of the Year Kevin L. Johnston (Spaatz #1413) and Laura Parsons (Spaatz #1433).  The director, camera man, and film editor was Scott C. Matthews (Spaatz #1390), and the producer was Michael Kathriner.

Enjoy.

Ryan K. Chapman, Spaatz #1777 — Connecticut Wing Cadet of the Year

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 9:33 am by Rick H. Busig, Spaatz #125

Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell recently presented the General Ira C. Eaker Award to Cadet Ryan Chapman, a junior and commander of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet program at New Fairfield High School. The General Ira C. Eaker Award, which denotes successful completion of all achievements of the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program, is one of the highest honors in the cadet program. The award was named in honor of the late Air Force General Ira C. Eaker, aviation pioneer, career military officer, and one of the chief architects and visionaries of the US Air Force. In conjunction with the award, Cadet Chapman was also promoted to the rank of Cadet Lieutenant Colonel, making him one of the highest ranking CAP cadets in the State of Connecticut.

Cadet Chapman joined CAP as a cadet when he was 13 years old and has been active in the program for the past 4 years. During this time, Chapman has earned numerous emergency services qualifications and has graduated from three Search and Rescue courses, including the team leader course. Chapman trained with the Air Force’s elite Pararescuemen (PJs), Special Operations operatives trained to recover downed pilots in combat. Ryan has also earned his wings by graduating from the CAP Glider Academy where he learned to fly gliders. Cadet Chapman was elected as the primary Connecticut representative for the Northeast Region Cadet Advisory Council, a council of CAP cadets representing each state in the Northeast with the mandate of improving the cadet program.

Over the past year, Cadet Chapman was the Cadet Commander of not one squadron cadet program, but two cadet programs simultaneously. As the Cadet Commander of the 399th Composite Squadron (CT-042) at the Danbury Municipal Airport, Chapman’s leadership contributed to a doubling of active cadets in the squadron and the unit earning the Squadron of Merit for the best cadet program in Connecticut Wing for 2009. Cadet Chapman also led the 399th ground team that was credited with finding a distress signal emanating from a fishing vessel on Long Island Sound.

As the Cadet Commander of the 801st Cadet Squadron (CT-801) at New Fairfield High School, Cadet Chapman helped recruit the first cadre of cadets and establish the first school-based cadet program in the State of Connecticut. Although initially established as a flight in 2009, CT-801 has grown to 26 members and was chartered as a cadet squadron in January 2010 signifying the increased membership of the program. Cadet Chapman has been the key to getting this new school-based cadet program started and moving forward as all other members of CT-801, both cadets and teachers, were new CAP members in 2009 when the cadet program was formed.

Meeting General Spaatz

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:28 am by Rick H. Busig, Spaatz #125

This picture was taken on Saturday night, October 10, 1970 at the Statler Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. It was the Civil Air Patrol National Board Banquet. General Spaatz was very friendly and outgoing to this new Spaatzen from the Vancouver Composite Squadron in the Oregon Wing. I remember how with a sly smile he deftly hid his gin and tonic in his left hand when this picture was taken. I remember General Spaatz as being very kind and open. I realize now how lucky I was to actually meet the General, he died in 1974.