Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol

Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is part of Southeast Region (SER) and the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Florida. Florida Wing headquarters is located at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida.[2] Florida Wing consists of over 3,500 cadet and adult members at over 66 locations across the state of Florida.[3] Col Luis Garcia assumed command from Col Henry Irizarry on April 29, 2017 at the Florida Wing Conference in Orlando, Florida.[4]

Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol
Florida Wing of Civil Air Patrol
Associated branches
United States Air Force
Command staff
Commander Col Luis Garcia
Vice Commander Lt Col Rafael Salort
Chief of Staff Lt Col Lazaro Garcia
Command NCO CMSgt Scott Jung
Current statistics
Squadrons66
Cadets1,707
Seniors1,870
Total Membership3,577
AwardsUnit Citation, National Commander Unit Citation
Statistics as of 27 June 2020[1]

History
Main article: History of the Civil Air Patrol

Prior to the creation of the Civil Air Patrol, the state of Florida created its own group of paramilitary civilian aviators to patrol its coastline. Organized in 1941, the First Air Squadron was mustered in on May 28, 1941. Organized under the Florida Defense Force, the First Air Squadron was made up of civilian volunteers, and all aircraft were privately owned. Members were required to either have a private pilot's license or have served in the military at least one year to join. The First Air Squadron patrolled the Florida coast for U-boats and assisted in search and rescue missions.[5]

The Civil Air Patrol was created on December 1, 1941.[6] In Florida, the First Air Squadron was reorganized as a Civil Air Patrol unit. By early January 1942, the Florida wing was organized into seven different operation groups, each with a commander and staff.[7]

Vision

Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol will continue to build the exemplary organization of citizen volunteers performing missions for the communities of Florida... Train for Response, Succeed in our Response, Excel in our Service.

Mission statement

To actively and professionally support CAP’s missions, our country and state by providing a capable and trained volunteer force and motivating our membership to be strong leaders and better citizens.[8]

Command Objectives
  • Strengthen our organization through positive and professional interaction.
  • Maximize Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol support to our local, state, federal, and tribal partners, communities, and members.
  • Sustain a capable, responsive, and accountable organization.

Mission

Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services.[9]

Emergency services

Civil Air Patrol is responsible for providing emergency services including air and ground search and rescue, disaster relief, counter-drug operations, and homeland security missions. CAP aircraft fly non-combat homeland security missions, including observing critical infrastructure, providing an airborne communications relay, and the airlifting of important cargo. CAP units provide impact assessment, light transport, communications support and low-level route surveys for the Air Force[10]

Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Florida Wing CAP members flew aerial missions, performed ground missions, and oversaw the distribution of more than 30,000 pounds of relief supplies. After Hurricane Wilma struck Florida, pilots from the Florida Wing flew 63 air missions over 147 hours and carried out 21 ground mission over 902 man-hours, with more than 160 Florida members participating in emergency response activities.[11]

Cadet programs

Cadets aged 12–21 (Cadets age out of the C.A.P. Cadet Program upon their 21st birthday) attend weekly meetings, participate in a weekend activity once per month, and have opportunities to participate in national cadet events each summer. Cadets have access to cadet orientation flights provided by senior members. Cadet members also assist in providing humanitarian aid following natural disasters.[12]

Aerospace education

CAP supports aerospace education workshops, hosts the National Congress on Aviation and Space Education, an annual national convention for aerospace teachers, and creates teaching materials which can be used as a part of a school curriculum.[13]

Organization

Florida Wing is divided into six groups across the state, with each squadron or flight being assigned to a group based on its geographical location. The Wing comprises 31 Cadet Squadrons, 7 Senior Squadrons, 36 Composite Squadrons (composed of both Cadets and Senior Members), and the Support and Legislative Squadrons.[14]

Florida Wing Group and County Boundaries
A group of Florida Civil Air Patrol cadets visit the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB.
Members of the 89th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron sort through boxes of donated BDUs they received at MacDill AFB.
SSgt Khaalis shows cadets from the Clearwater Composite Squadron how the Charleston AFB Nondestructive Inspection shop uses x-rays to detect cracks, delaminations, voids, processing defects and heat damage on aircraft structures and parts.
Cody Powell, 13-year-old son of Maj Jeff Powell, USAFR, the 919th Maintenance Operations Flight commander, helps a member of Eglin's Civil Air Patrol learn to fly a radio controlled aircraft.
Members of the Civil Air Patrol from the Clearwater Composite Squadron prepare for a flight out of MacDill AFB on a C-17 Globemaster III.
Lt Col John Clark, CAP, Commander of Civil Air Patrol Group 6, presents Capt Scott Morris, USAFR, 93rd Fighter Squadron pilot, with a certificate of appreciation at Homestead Air Reserve Base.
Cadets and senior members of the Homestead Air Reserve Base Composite Sqdn during a Young Eagles Flight event at Homestead General Aviation Airport.
Florida Wing Units[14][15]
Group Charter No. Unit Name Location Notes
SER-FL-000 Florida Wing Support Squadron Miami
SER-FL-001 Florida Wing HQ Lakeland
SER-FL-999 Florida Legislative Squadron Bartow
Group 1 SER-FL-423 Eglin Composite Squadron Eglin Air Force Base
SER-FL-424 Emerald Coast Senior Squadron Pensacola
SER-FL-425 Pensacola Cadet Squadron Pensacola
SER-FL-432 Tallahassee Composite Squadron Tallahassee
SER-FL-435 Tyndall Panama Composite Squadron Panama
SER-FL-444 Marianna Composite Squadron Greenwood
SER-FL-460 Captain Collins H. Haines Composite Squadron Pace
Group 2 SER-FL-021 Lake Composite Squadron Tavares
SER-FL-049 Ormond Beach Composite Squadron Ormond Beach
SER-FL-116 Seminole Composite Squadron Lake Mary
SER-FL-122 Merritt Island Senior Squadron Merritt Island
SER-FL-123 South Brevard Cadet Squadron Melbourne
SER-FL-125 Space Coast Composite Squadron Leesburg
SER-FL-142 Gainesville Composite Squadron Gainesville
SER-FL-143 Eagle Aerospace Composite Squadron Longwood
SER-FL-169 Cecil Field Cadet Squadron Jacksonville
SER-FL-171 Fruit Cove Cadet Squadron Saint Augustine
SER-FL-173 Saint Augustine Composite Squadron St. Johns
SER-FL-242 Orlando Cadet Squadron Orlando
SER-FL-259 Central Florida Composite Squadron Orlando
SER-FL-267 Ti-Co Composite Squadron Titusville
SER-FL-293 Patrick Composite Squadron Patrick Space Force Base
SER-FL-323 Fernandina Composite Squadron Fernandina Beach
SER-FL-361 Marion County Composite Squadron Ocala
SER-FL-383 Jacksonville Composite Squadron Jacksonville
SER-FL-457 Indian River Composite Squadron Vero Beach
SER-FL-463 463rd Cadet Squadron Kissimmee
SER-FL-465 Olympia Cadet Squadron Orlando
SER-FL-826 North Marion Cadet Flight Ocala
Group 3 SER-FL-066 St. Petersburg Cadet Squadron Pinellas
SER-FL-084 Oakhurst Cadet Squadron St. Petersburg
SER-FL-089 89th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron MacDill Air Force Base
SER-FL-182 Pinellas Senior Squadron St. Petersburg
SER-FL-237 Brandon Cadet Squadron Brandon
SER-FL-243 North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron Tampa
SER-FL-274 Polk County Composite Squadron Winter Haven
SER-FL-301 Hernando County Composite Squadron Brooksville
SER-FL-310 Hillsborough One Senior Squadron Seffner
SER-FL-315 Citrus County Cadet Squadron Beverly Hills
SER-FL-447 Clearwater Composite Squadron Clearwater
SER-FL-458 Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron Wesley Chapel
SER-FL-459 Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron Zephyrhills
SER-FL-466 South Lakeland Composite Squadron Lakeland Linder International Airport
SER-FL-809 Barrington M.S. Cadet Squadron Lithia 809
Group 5 SER-FL-023 Naples Senior Squadron Naples
SER-FL-044 SQR Composite Squadron Sarasota
SER-FL-051 Charlotte County Composite Squadron Punta Gorda
SER-FL-314 Highlands County Composite Squadron Sebring
SER-FL-335 Venice Cadet Squadron Venice
SER-FL-373 Naples Cadet Squadron Naples
SER-FL-376 Marco Island Senior Squadron Marco Island
SER-FL-804 Student Leadership Academy Cadet Squadron Venice
SER-FL-806 Sarasota Military Academy Cadet Squadron Sarasota
SER-FL-816 Lee County Schools Cadet Squadron Cape Coral
Group 6 SER-FL-011 Cooper City Composite Squadron Cooper City
SER-FL-016 Coral Springs Cadet Squadron Coral Springs
SER-FL-024 Stuart Composite Squadron Port St. Lucie
SER-FL-054 Lantana Cadet Squadron Lantana
SER-FL-078 Treasure Coast Composite Squadron Hialeah
SER-FL-152 North Palm Beach County Cadet Program West Palm Beach
SER-FL-286 Pines-Miramar Composite Squadron Pembroke Pines
SER-FL-337 Fort Lauderdale Composite Squadron Fort Lauderdale
SER-FL-372 Boca Raton Composite Squadron Boca Raton
SER-FL-453 Okeechobee Composite Squadron Okeechobee
SER-FL-811 Crystal Lake MS Cadet Squadron Pompano Beach
Group 7 SER-FL-076 Miami Senior Squadron 1 Opa Locka
SER-FL-090 Miami Enterprise Cadet Squadron Miami
SER-FL-101 Miami Beach Cadet Squadron Miami
SER-FL-279 Homestead Air Reserve Base Composite Squadron Homestead Air Reserve Base
SER-FL-319 Miami Springs Optimist Cadet Squadron Miami Springs
SER-FL-355 Tamiami Composite Squadron Miami
SER-FL-462 Key West Composite Squadron Cudjoe Key
SER-FL-464 Opa-Locka Cadet Squadron Virginia Gardens

Members of Civil Air Patrol who are employed within the boundaries of Florida, by a company which employs fifteen or more people, are guaranteed by law up to fifteen days per year of leave for Civil Air Patrol responsibilities. Employers are forbidden from requiring Civil Air Patrol members to use vacation, annual, compensatory, or similar leave time for the period during which the member was on Civil Air Patrol leave. Employers are also forbidden from penalizing or firing employees for taking Civil Air Patrol leave. These employee rights are codified under Florida Statutes § 252.55.[16]

See also

References
  1. "eServices, National Headquarters". Civil Air Patrol., login required
  2. "About Us". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  3. "2014 Statistics" (PDF). Capmembers.com. 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  4. "Southeast Region Online News System". news.sercap.us. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  5. "Civil Defense: Florida Defense Force". Palm Beach County History Online. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. Introduction to Civil Air Patrol (PDF). Maxwell AFB: National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol. April 2013. CAP Pamphlet 50-5.
  7. Reilly, Thomas (1998). "Florida's Flying Minute Men: The Civil Air Patrol, 1941-1943". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 76 (4): 417–438. JSTOR 30149932.
  8. "About". Florida Wing - Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  9. "History of the Civil Air Patrol". Gocivilairpatrol.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  10. "Emergency Services". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  11. "Civil Air Patrol Responds" (PDF). Capvolunteernow.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  12. "2012 Statistics" (PDF). Capmembers.com. 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  13. "Aerospace Education". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  14. "Find A Unit Near You". Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  15. "Civil Air Patrol Unit Directory" (PDF). Gocivilairpatrol.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  16. "Fla. Stat. § 252.55". Florida Legislature. 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.

Further reading
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