NERPA505 Update

Season's Greetings & Happy Holidays! I hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas and that all will have a safe and happy New year! My Internet service was down all day yesterday, so please pardon the late update. Cadets, please print this update and ask your parents to read it so they can keep informed.

(1) We've had visitors to our squadron meeting lately, and three have committed to becoming members after the New Year. Let's try to be of encouragement to them, and remember that it can seem quite overwhelming during the first few meetings and achievements. Part of the CAP Cadet Pledge is to "advance my education and training rapidly to prepare myself to be of service to my community, state, and nation." Part of our mission is to help new recruits to learn to do all that CAP veterans take for granted, including advancement and education. Some of you experienced Cadets can expect to be assigned as mentors to new recruits.
(2) Tuesday, since it is a fifth Tuesday, will be an Emergency Services emphasis night. Our plan is to have all cadets and senior members fully signed off on their Ground Team Member 3 training records, except for the actual exercise portion, before the first training exercise of 09. A number of people get lost in the wilderness in our area every year, so we can add to their safety and survivability by being well trained and ready to offer our expertise in time of need. We all knew that it would take sacrifice of time, commitment, and effort to belong to CAP, and that we had something to offer as members when we joined. Emergency Services is where our squadron can truly shine, but we cannot shine brightly enough without participation in training and dedication to service. Don't forget to read and sign off on the Monthly Safety Briefing, posted on the bulletin board, if you have not already done so.
(3) Let's keep our emphasis on recruiting new members. We need at least 4 of 5 more committed senior members and 15 to 20 equally committed cadets. The law of large numbers teaches us that we have to introduce CAP to a large number of people to gain a few good members, and that probably only about 20% of those recruited will live up to their commitment. You can see that we cannot let up on recruiting efforts and that each of us who believes in the CAP mission needs to be involved! You can download reproducible literature online, or ask me for copies. I will also make a few business cards for each member who asks, and provide a master copy that can be copied onto card stock. Parents and caregivers, please consider joining CAP for a year to see what's in it for you! Adults can join at a couple of different levels, so please contact me or Lt. Hagberg if you are interested in learning more.
(4) Finally, let's all, cadets and senior members, work on advancement in CAP. Cadets will benefit from CAP training and activities at every level, but greater opportunities will open up to them only after reaching the Gen. Billy Mitchell Achievement. Senior members can benefit themselves, and most especially our cadets and community, by being dedicated to advancing their education and training as we encourage cadets do. CAP has some great opportunities for all of us! As unit Professional Development Officer, I'm here to help.

Semper Vigilans! See you at the next meeting!

Randall F. Matheny, 2 Lt.
Deputy Commander for Cadets
NERPA505
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kb3mom

NERPA505 Special Announcment

The following was inadvertently omitted from the last NERPA505 Update:

By order of the Commander: Normally scheduled squadron meetings and other organized squadron activities will be automatically canceled when there is a Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service in effect, or when a warning will take effect during the course of a meeting. Meetings will be conducted as usual during Advisories and Watches at the discretion of the commander.

Timothy Hagberg, 1 Lt.
Squadron Commander
NERPA505

Cadets, and those providing transportation for cadets, should exercise common sense and due caution when driving conditions are not favorable. If you do not think it is safe to travel, don't! It is better to miss a meeting than to check into a hospital, or worse. Always think Safety!

Randall F. Matheny, 2 Lt.
Deputy Commander for Cadets
NERPA505
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kb3mom

NERPA505 Update

Happy Holidays!  My prayer for all of you is for a wonderful, memorable and safe time with your loved ones!

Congratulations to Dillon Farrell on his promotion to Cadet Senior Airman!

There will be a squadron meeting this coming Tuesday night as well as on Dec 30.  We understand that several of you have said that you cannot come, but the doors will be open anyway for those who can.  Please let me know in advance if any of you need transportation to and from the meeting.

(1) Tuesday night is Aerospace Education emphasis night.  We will select a module of Aerospace Dimensions to go over with those who are able to attend, and perhaps watch a few short video clips. The uniform of the day is BDUs.
(2) Testing will be available for those who need it.
(3) Let's all be working on our recruiting drive for cadets and senior members!  If you have friends who have expressed interest in CAP, remind them that we are training for Ground Team members, and want to begin an Honor Guard and Drill Team as soon as we have enough interested cadets.  The cadet who recruits the most new members by the end of January will receive a special prize!
(4) As soon as we have a minimum of 6 members who can be trained for Red Cross CPR/First Aid, we will schedule a class.
(5) Don't forget to read and sign off on the monthly Safety Briefing -- it is essential for all activities other than classroom.

Stay safe this winter!  Dress appropriately for the weather, stay hydrated, and drive safely!

Randall F. Matheny, 2 Lt.
Deputy Commander for Cadets
NERPA505
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kb3mom

NERPA505 Update

Semper Vigilans! Here's hoping that each of you had a safe and pleasant weekend.

(1) Tuesday night is Emergency Services emphasis night. Lt. Orris and I will conduct a class on ES that will begin our study of the CAP Ground Team Member & Leader Reference Text. The lesson is "SAR IS An Emergency." These studies will prepare us for field work and help get items on our SQTRs signed off. We want to have as many people as possible prepared for the first training mission of the Spring, or for the first call-out of our squadron. We will also have regular practices of ground team maneuvers in the gym or outside as weather permits. The uiform of the day is BDUs.
(2) Remember that you need to be signed off on the monthly safety briefing (posted on the bulletin board) in order to participate in anything other than classroom activities, including ground team training and PT. If you have not already done so, please read the safety briefing and sign the attached log.
(3) We are hopeful of having visitors to our squadron meetins over the next several weeks while our recruiting drive is on. First impressions make a lasting impression, so let's all do our best to present the squadron and the CAP in the best light. As I have already announced, the cadet who helps recruit the most new members by the end of January will receive a special prize.
(4) Check out the squadron blog at http://nerpa505.blogspot.com/ . These updates and other important information will be posted there.
(5) All senior members and cadets who reach their 18th birthday need to take the Cadet Protection Program course. Check with me if you need information, or look up the course on the gocivilairpatrol.com/members link.
(6) Do not miss meeting because you do not have transportation! Let Lt. Hagberg or me know if you need a ride, especially during bad weather. As always, testing for achievements will be made available for those who need it. See you tomorrow night!
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Randall F. Matheny
kb3mom

2009 Power Flight Encampment Information for Interested Cadets

For those of you who may not have received this notification, I received it from Maj. Baker, Group 6. Note that the application deadline is 7 Jan 09. If you need the materials that were attached to the original email, contact me.

Lt. Matheny
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TO ALL PAWING CADETS:

If you are interested in participating in the 2009 Power Flight Encampment from June 20, 2009 through June 27, 2009 PLEASE read the enclosed attachments.

Interviews will be conducted at PAWING Headquarters January 17, 2009.

Interviews will also be conducted at the Venango Regional Airport (Franklin Airport) in Venango
County for those cadets who do not wish to travel to PAWING Headquarters, January 17, 2009.

Application deadline is listed as December 31, 2008. The 2009 PFE deadline has been extended to January 7, 2009

If you have any questions please feel to contact me.

Maj. Richard Baker
PAWING 2009 PFE Commander

starsrus55@hotmail.com
814-677-3548 (H)

NERPA505 Update

Semper Vigilans! Hope everyone had a great, though cold & snowy weekend!

(1) Thanks to Cadets Matheny & Durnell for helping me out with a presentation and display on behalf of the squadron at Beaty Middle School on 4 Dec. A good number of students and some staff expressed interest in CAP and plan to attend meetings in the near future. Those of you who plan to attend meetings, please put on your best attitude and be in complete uniform. The first impression that you give will be lasting!
(2) Tuesday is Character Development night. The uniform of the day is USAF style blues for cadets and blues or alt. senior uniforms for seniors. BDUs are appropriate for those who do not have blues. If we have visitors, I will merge an introduction to CAP with a character development class. Remember that you need one character development class per achievement for promotion.
(3) Everyone needs to be signed off on the monthly safety briefing in order to participate in squadron activities other than classroom, including drill, PT, and ES training. Read the briefing that is posted on the bulletin board and sign the Safety Briefing log attached to it.
(4) I announced in November that the cadet who recruits the most new members by the end of Dec. would receive a special prize. I have extended the deadline until the end of January to give others a chance to compete.
(5) SPECIAL NOTICE FOR CADETS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO LET THEIR MEMBERSHIPS LAPSE -- The squadron wants you back and needs your support. Please reconsider renewing today. You will have to renew via USPS or phone if your eServices account had been deactivated. CAP Member Services can be contacted at (877)227-9142. If you have already decided not to renew, as some of you have indicated, please fulfill your promise to return the BDU and USAF blue uniforms, boots, and any other materials that you accepted from the squadron so new cadets can make use of them. We appreciate you and miss you, and have confidence in your integrity.

See you Tuesday!

Randall F. Matheny, 2 Lt.
Deputy Commander for Cadets
NERPA505
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kb3mom

Welcome!

Welcome to the Squadron Blog! I hope we can make good use of this forum to keep members up to date on activities and important information, and to tell others about the exciting things our squadron is doing. Cadets Matheny and Durnell accompanied me to Beaty Middle School, Warren, PA, on December 4, 2008. C/Amn. Joe Hensley was also present as a student at Beaty, and helped encourage some of his friends to consider CAP. The interest and interaction from the students was great and we are hopeful that our squadron will grow as a result. Unlike our visit last year when we did not distribute much literature and had little dialogue with students, this year we didn't have enough literature or time to meet the demand! We have already been invited back anytime! Durnell and Matheny did a great job mingling and interacting with the students. I had an opportunity to speak to the Principal, Mr. Webber, about our CAP mission, and he was very receptive. I also had an opportunity to speak to several interested teachers. Special thanks goes to Ms. Linda Falconer, Beatty Guidance Counselor, for arranging our visit and for being so helpful! We hope to develop a long and mutually fulfilling relationship with Beaty.