The Civil Air Patrol’s top cadets from across the nation are gaining a head start in their public service careers by participating in the Civic Leadership Academy, from Feb. 20-27 in Washington, D.C.
The CLA, an academically intense, interactive study of U.S. government in action, provides participants the opportunity to grow as citizens and young leaders through lessons in persuasive leadership, federal government, public service careers and American heritage, according to CAP officials.
“Civic Leadership Academy provides cadets an unrivaled opportunity to gain a well-rounded understanding of leadership, public service and the principles that guide our nation,” said Maj. Gen. Amy Courter, CAP’s national commander and CLA’s founding director. “This activity empowers our cadets to apply those principles in their own lives and to be thoughtful participants in our nation’s future.”
In addition to a blend of field trips, lectures, seminars and assigned readings from historic and current sources, the cadets will visit the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court; the State Department; Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the Central Intelligence Agency; the Pentagon; legislative offices; and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, as well as World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Women in Military Service and Lincoln memorials. They will also encounter VIP speakers at these locations who will provide insights designed to deepen their understanding of government in action. Their CLA tasks will culminate with a final project – a presentation on their CLA experience they will give to their peers in their home squadrons and wings.
The CLA cadets also will participate in CAP’s 2010 Legislative Day on Feb. 25 by working alongside their wing commanders to brief Capitol Hill legislators on how CAP’s primary missions – search and rescue, emergency services, aerospace education and cadet programs – have benefited their communities.
Legislative Day will be held in conjunction with CAP’s Winter National Board meeting, which is slated for Feb. 26-27 at the Crystal City Marriott, Arlington, Va. The CAP National Board consists of 69 members representing each state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia within the organization’s eight regions. The board is CAP’s policy-making arm and, in conjunction with the CAP Board of Governors, proposes amendments to the governing constitution and bylaws.
Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 59,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions and was credited by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center with saving 72 lives in fiscal year 2009. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 24,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 68 years. For more information: GoCivilAirPatrol.com
