Civil Air Patrol flight comes to Majors Field
May 14—Majors Field Airport is the home for a new Civil Air Patrol flight.
The Civil Air Patrol, which is an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is charged with three missions: aerospace education, emergency services, and cadet programs.
There is a job and skill set for anyone who wants to learn and serve.
The Civil Air Patrol will be recruiting at the Majors Field terminal building, 101 Majors Road in Greenville, at 6 p.m. Monday, May 16 to share information about the new patrol flight out of Majors Field.
The Civil Air Patrol at Majors Field is currently recruiting new members between the ages 12 and 21 for cadet programs as well as for senior members over age 18.
According to flight Cmdr. Choya Shanahan, who has worked with the organization for many years, the Civil Air Patrol has made a positive impact on communities and airports. Cadets learn to fly while still in high school, attend encampments, learn communications and cybersecurity, do STEM projects, perform search-and-rescue, participate in community service projects and dozens of other activities. Cadets learn leadership, discipline and physical fitness as they explore aviation-related careers.
Civil Air Patrol senior members participate in training for aircrew positions such as scanner, observer, aerial photography. They also fly missions in response to disasters like Tropical Storm Harvey. Senior members also train for ground mission specialties; participate in community service activities like food distribution during the pandemic; or learn advanced radio operations, IT, or incident command as operations specialties.
Formation of the Civil Air Patrol goes back the earliest days of World War II. Founded on Dec. 1, 1941, to mobilize the nation's civilian aviation resources for national defense service, the Civil Air Patrol has evolved into a premier public service organization that still carries out emergency service missions when needed — in the air and on the ground, according to the Civil Air Patrol's website.
As an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol is there to search for and find the lost, provide comfort in times of disaster and work to keep the homeland safe. Its 56,000 members devote their time, energy, and expertise toward the well-being of their communities.
Civil Air Patrol's missions for America are many, and today's adults and cadets perform their duties with the same vigilance as its founding members — preserving CAP's 80-year legacy of service while maintaining its commitment to nearly 1,500 communities nationwide.
