Des Moines Metro Squadron - Mar 2010

8/2/2019 Des Moines Metro Squadron - Mar 2010

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DES MOINES METRO CADET SQUADRON SPRING 2010

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The year 2010 will be

devoted to EmergencyServices training,according to the DesMoines Metro CadetSquadrons cadetcommander, Lt. JamesEimers. Right now 75%of our members areGTM 3 (ground teammember) and UDF(urban direction finding)qualified. That means

we can field nearly two

complete ground teams.

Training events are planned throughout the year. Says Eimers, There arethree SAREXES (search and rescue exercises) on the Wing calendar for 2010.Well be doing training at squadron meetings, then refining our training in theSAREXES. My goal is to have all the cadets train up to the next level, which isGTM 2. Well be learning more advanced search and rescue techniques.

About the SquadronThe Des Moines Metro

Cadet Squadron is one ofeight squadrons in the IowaWing of the Civil Air Patrol.

Cadet membership in thesquadron is open to people12-18 years old, while Seniormembership is available forages 18 and up. There areapproximately 20 cadets and

20 seniors in the squadron.

Most squadron memberslive in the countiessurrounding Des Moines,while a second contingentlives in southwest Iowa, nearRed Oak.

Specialitiesof thesquadroninclude

aerospaceeducation,search andrescue training,and leadershipdevelopment.

Thesquadron meets onThursdays, 1800-2000(6pm-8pm) at Exec 1Aviation, Ankeny Regional

Airport.The Des Moines Metro

Squadron is commanded byLt. Col. Allen Thatcher-Chilcote. For membershipinformation contact Col.Chilcote at (641) 672-1583 orby email, [email protected].

NEWSLETTEREimers Promotes To Top Spot

After passing a battery ofleadership, fitness andaerospace history tests,James Eimers wascommissioned a cadetsecond lieutenant in theCivil Air Patrol.

Eimers, the son of Jerryand Margaret Eimers ofAnkeny, is the senior

cadet officer in the DesMoines Metro CadetSquadron of the Civil Air

Patrol. The CAP is the official auxiliary of the US Air Force, andconducts cadet training, search-and-rescue missions, and aerospaceeducation programs throughout the United States. The Des MoinesMetro Cadet Squadron meets each Thursday night at 7 at Exec OneAviation at the Ankeny Airport.

ES Training Gets Squadron Ready To Serve


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WHY ENCAMPMENTS? by C/TSgt. Meyers

Let me start offby saying that encampment is designedand intended to stretch you to your limit, and then push ithigher. That being said, I had a great time at theMinnesota encampment last summer, it was not only

challenging, but very refreshing and strengthening.

At an encampment, you are almost always at the positionof attention, or of parade rest, and ready to snap toattention when an officer walks by. At meal times, younever look around, instead you look at your plate, the wall,or your SOP, which you will get very familiar withbefore the end of the week. You have a few minutes of

your own time each evening, in which to read letters fromfriends and relations, or make friends with fellow cadets.

I encourage every CAP cadet to attend at least oneencampment, and I'm sure that most will enjoy it nearly as

much as I did.

It was a brisk, winter evening when we met at the VA todeliver Christmas stockings. Chaplain Cole's church hadmembers of the congregation donate the materials and makethe stockings. They contained crossword puzzles, pencil anda toothbrush.

The CAP young men put these together in advance. We

were divided into three groups, then walked room to roomgiving the men a squadron salute and distributing their giftpack. We spent approximately an hour conversing and givingthe gifts. All CAP members were present and several adultsattended as well.

Cadets and seniors!om the DMMCS pose for a groupshot at the Veterans Administration Hospital in DesMoines, fo"owing the distribution of over 90 Christmasstockings.

In the last week of July and the first week of August, an airshow is held that has no rival or competitor. It the

Oshkosh Air Venture. The show lasts two weeks andmillions of pilots, mechanics, and aviation enthusiasts flocto Wittman Field in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Every year, allthe major American and some foreign civilian and militaryaircraft manufactures spends millions of dollars each just t

get a small booth and a single display aircraft hundreds ofyards from the main square.

AeroshellSquare is

where themain

attractionsare located.Planesranging fromC-5 Galaxys,the biggestplane in theU.S. AirForce, to aLancasterbomber fromthe Battle of Britain exhibit, to the Air Force Academys

glider team display. All types of aircraft have rested in

Aeroshell Square.

Throughout the day at Oshkosh, there are flying displays t

show offaerobatic skill and new advancements in aircrafttechnologies. For example, when I was there last summer,

we saw the Airbus 380, WhiteKnight 2, a C-17 cargo plane, and a C-5 Galaxy, all in 2hours. Nowhere else in the world would you see a displaylike that, even at the Paris or Moscow military air shows. had a great time at Oshkosh and I hope I will see you thersoon.

Visiting Oshkosh by C/TSgt. Newe"

Bringing Holiday Cheer to the VAby C/MSgt. Keil


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Welcome Senior Member Jon Rothfus

I was born on November 14, 1989, at home nearEaster Lake, in Des Moines, Iowa. I have moved

within the Des Moines area a couple of times. I wasthe sixth and second-to-last child, so I'm from a

family of nine. I was home educated and self-taught. Iwas admitted to the Des Moines Area CommunityCollege this spring, January, 2010, where I amcurrently studying in the Associate of Arts program. Ishould graduate with an Associate of Arts degree inthe spring of 2012. After that, I am planning totransfer to Iowa State University as a junior and studyelectrical engineering and business.

My interest are studying and learning new things, andin general just trying to be useful . The followingparticularly interest me: reading, science, aviation, fencing(with swords), biking, and Airsoft.

I plan to become a private pilot, and possibly a professionalpilot at some point.I hope to become more involved with

the CAP and other volunteering when I finish college orotherwise get more time. Unfortunately, I can't give much t

others if I can't support myself. But I think everyone whocan should do something with their life to help others.

Cadets Serve As Wreaths Across America Color Guard

Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines, IA. Cadets of the Des Moines MetroCadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol braved snow and wind to honor

veterans on the national Wreaths Across America Day. Throughout thenation Civil Air Patrol units participated in wreath laying ceremonies, but

few units faced as much snow and cold.

Just days after a blizzard with more than a foot of snow and 50 mph winds,volunteers dug away enough snow to allow access to the cemetery. Theceremony began with the ringing of a replica of the Liberty Bell , followedby the presentation of the American flag by the DMMCS color guard.

After a moment of silence, Dr. Francis Keith shared the story of ValleyForge in winter, 1776, and challenged attendees to imagine how soldiersfelt in near unendurable cold.

Jon Rothfus takes the controls for his first CAP flight.

"Every 18 months Earth sends a spaceship to Mars," saysNASA astrophysicist David Beier. Addressing a group ofDMMCS cadets at an event at the Grinnell Public Library,Beier outlined the long-term plans for manned expeditions toMars.

Currently the spaceships are robots and probes. Experiments

are in the works at NASA to build a program that would allowmanned exploration of Mars.CAP cadets learned about NASA experiments in inter-planetary radiation protection, food production, and roboticsthat will lay the foundation for decades of exploration.

NEXT STOP: MARS


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DMMCS CADETS GET FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF APOLLO 13

Members the Des Moines Metro Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrolgot a first-hand look at the new Citation X business jet, considered to bethe worlds fastest civilian aircraft. In touring the airplane, they alsoreceived a lesson in the value of determination.

Townsend Aviations chief pilot, Bill Wagner, invited the cadets to seethe aircraft at its home base of Des Moines International Airport.

After lighting up the digital displays in the cockpit, Wagner outlined

his own career in aviation. He started out flying model airplanes as ayoung man in Cedar Rapids. He went on to become a Navy fighterpilot, flew 86 missions in Viet Nam, and then started a career as a flightinstructor and corporate pilot. He now has over 17,000 hours logged,and is a Gold Seal flight instructor.

When I was in school I wasnt an A or even a B student, Wagner toldthe cadets. But the thing that got me through was determination. I

was determined to become a pilot. The lesson of determination waswell-received by the cadets, some of whom plan careers of their own in

aviation.

Cadets get an up-!ont look at the Citation X.Leading the group is Townsend Aviation Chief Pilot,Bi"Wagner.

EXPLORING THE WORLDS FASTEST BIZJET

C/Meyers (le%) and family meet astronaut Fred Haise

Cadets, seniors and CAP families heard from the sourceabout the drama behind the phrase, Houston, we have aproblem. Astronaut Fred Haise was aboard Apollo 13 in1970 as the missions lunar landing commander when a

short circuit in an oxygen tank sparked an in-spaceexplosion. In September, Haise spoke about the mission

at Iowa State University during an event attended by adozen members of the Des Moines Metro CadetSquadron.

Haise, who flew fighters with the Marines, Navy, and AirForce before joining NASA, was putting equipment awayin the lunar lander when the explosion occurred. There

was a bang, but in space, nothing echoes, so there was nopressure wave to carry the sound. Technicians inMission Control assumed that the ringing bells andflashing lights were the result of an indicator failure. It

took long minutes to establish that the Apollo 13spacecraft had been damaged, and would not be landingon the Moon.

Our safe return was no accident, Haise said as hedetailed the team effort that brought Apollo 13 back to anear-perfect touchdown. At its peak there were around400,000 working with the space program, and let me tellyou, many of them worked around the clock during thismission.

Haise touched on the differences between the RonHoward film, Apollo 13, and the real event. The

spacecraft itself was very accurate. But the only astronaudialog from the flight that made it into the film wasHouston, we have a problem. Everything else was madeup for dramatic reasons.

Following Apollo 13, Haise was involved in a harrowingcrash of a WWII fighter being used for the movie ToraTora Tora, and was burned over 65% of his body. Hedetailed to the cadets, seniors and families his year-longeffort to fight his way back to flight status. Hesucceeded, and went on to command two test flights ofthe Space Shuttle. His motto for life could be the samethat brought Apollo 13 back to Earth, Failure is not anoption.


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ACHIEVEMENTS AND ADVENTURES

DMMCS Cadets present the colors to morethan 600 attendees of a dance competition at

ISU Memorial Union.

Ankeny Mayor Steve Van Oort(right) presentthe Civil Air Patrols Bi"y Mitche"Award to

Ankeny High School sophomore James Eimers(le%). The award, given to less than 15 of CAcadets nationwide, is named a%er aviation pioBi"y Mitche".

CONGRATULATIONS TO...

Jacob Eimers, promoted to 2nd Lt.

Kent Keil...promoted to C/MSgt.

Josh Newell...promoted to C/TSgt.C/MSgt Will Van Zee...attended hissecond Glider Encampment.

Maj Susan Chilcote: Senior of theYearC/A1C Kent Keil: Cadet PhysicalFitness Outstanding Awardand-Cadet Airman of the YearC/MSgt James Eimers: Officer of theYear1st Sgt Jacob Eimers :2009 CadetNCO of the YearC/CMSgt James Eimers:Cadet of theYear

C/A1C James Ratikin: Best Uniformof the YearC/SSgt Joshua Meyers and C/SMSgtWill Van Zee: MostImprove Cadets of the YearMrs. Margaret Eimers: Sponsor ofthe Year

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WELCOME TO...

New Members: Daryl Purcell, JohnRothfus, Brad Keil, BradMeyers,Cadet Acord

Maj. Chilcote (center) the Level Vaward!om North Central RegionCommander Col. Kuddes (le%) andCAP National Vice CommanderChitwood(right). The award

represents the highest level of trainingavailable for a CAP senior member,and has been earned by less than 5 ofa"CAP members, past or present.

Cadet commander Veen (right) is presented the Squadron of Merit Award by IowaWing Commander Col. Scheitzach.. With them are C/Van Zee (center) and Lt. Col.Chilcote (right).


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Lt. Col. Chilcote shining his boots at Blue Beret, gettingready for the next day s inspection. Even CAP seniorsworking at Oshkosh have to fa"out in formation eachday, boots shined and uniforms looking sharp.

Ft Des Moines Color Guard on Memorial DayCadet Van Zee played taps.

Iowa State University international students and families checkout the!ont seat of the CAP glider at Ames Municipal Airport.CAP set up an information booth during the airports open house.

Maj. McLaughlin (center) and C/Newe"(right) prepare for flightline marsha"ing training at Ankeny Airport.

Editors Note: If we missedyour accomplishment oradventure, let us make it rightin the next issue. Email:[email protected].

DMMCS cadets assist the EAAS classic Ford Tri-Motor.

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Des Moines Metro Squadron - Mar 2010