About Us

Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary of the US Air Force. Founded in 1948, CAP provides three main services: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services. CAP seeks to teach both their cadets and the public about aerospace, and its importance in our world. Our cadets are able to participate in a variety of activities, all thanks to the support of our senior members and the USAF. CAP also seeks to provide emergency training and assistance, providing both ground and air searches (fun fact: CAP planes took the first pictures of the damage after the attacks on 9/11!)

Cadet Program

The Civil Air Patrol cadet program is heavily focused on leadership, aerospace, character development, and fitness. In the beginning of your cadet career, you are taught basic drill and marching, building discipline. The more you progress in the program, the more opportunities arise such as learning to fly, advanced drill and marching, leading units, and countless other activities that are only open to cadets. You must show commitment in order to unlock these opportunities by promoting and actively participating in squadron activities. If you have any interest in the military, the cadet program is a perfect introduction to military life and will help prepare you for that future. The Civil Air Patrol cadet program will make you a confident, disciplined leader.

Senior Program

With both youth and adult programs, Civil Air Patrol is a service organization the entire family can join together.  Many cadets become adult members, many adults join to share their skills with others, and many parents join to support their Cadet as a parent sponsor and then choose to join as a full member for themselves.  They choose to do this because of the community service we carry out, the mentoring of our youth, and the chance to be active in opportunities that will prepare us all for a future with advancing technologies. There are two main types of adult membership: Full membership or Cadet Sponsor member. A full member is someone who takes a full role in the squadron, helping fill one of many roles necessary for our operation. Cadet Sponsor members are the parents and grandparents of our cadets. They complete a limited amount of training, and are able to assist in cadet activities without having to fully join the program.

Cadet Opinions

"Civil Air Patrol is a fantastic program. There are so many opportunities that are open to you if you join. No matter what your interests are, whether it's going into any military service, getting your pilot's or drone license, being a part of search and rescue, getting into volunteer service, or just wanting to make new friends and memories that will last a lifetime, this is the right place for you. The people in CAP never drag you down, or make you feel out of place. Instead, they pull you up along with them and give you courage to excel even more. In my opinion, CAP is a program that needs more people and so I highly encourage you to join us." 

"The cadet program is a fun, and exciting experience. Not only are we the Air Force's auxiliary, but we also do search and rescue, volunteer services, survival skills, and much much more!... We do drill, color guard, and you can even rank up and be a superior leader in CAP! We also have camps you can go to called encampment. We have one in the winter and summer. You can go there to work on your drill, tests, and so, so much more! Not only is the program awesome, but the people in it that make it function are awesome too. And you make new friends in the program. You can also apply for financial coverage for scholarships, and financial help for college, getting your pilot's license, and so much more... If you want to have any career that has to do with planes, or anything that has to do with military, I definitely recommend CAP for you."