Morale: A Tribute to Sheep Dogs

"Today is a day to be proud to be American"

Those words were shouted by Rick Rescorla as he herded 2700 people out of tower two, September 11, 2001.

"Men of Cornwall stop your dreaming
Can't you see their spear points gleaming?
See their warriors' pennants streaming
To this battlefield.
Men of Cornwall stand ye steady
It cannot be ever said ye
for the battle were not ready.
STAND AND NEVER YIELD!"
- "Men of Harlech"

This song was sung by Rick Rescorla in the Ia Drang Valley 1965 and in the stairway of WTC Tower 2 on September 11, 2001.

Rick was a British (Cypress and Rhodesia) and American (Viet Nam) war hero. He retired as a Colonel in 1990. Rescorla is the main characer in "We were soldiers once, and young as well as the movie "We were Soldiers".

CTWG: The passing of Charles R. Tennestedt Sr.

An organizer of the Connecticut Civil Air Patrol wing dies in Florida (NOTF)

Charles Russell Tennstedt, 94, of Port Orange, Fla., died on Sept. 1.
Born June 1, 1916, he was the son of Wilhelmina (Kraetschmar) and Charles John Tennstedt.
A 1934 graduate of Rockville High School, his great enthusiasm was for aviation. He was issued his first pilot's license at the age of 18 and made his first solo was in a Kinner Powered Standard Trainer on Jan. 24, 1934. He became a flight inspector for the Connecticut Department of Aeronautics, and played a significant role in organizing the Connecticut Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
He worked for 34 years for Eastern Airlines as a captain, flight instructor, check airman/captain in DC-3 to L-1011 planes, flight standards manager, flight jet engineer, and air traffic control specialist. After retiring from Eastern, he was involved in general aviation aircraft sales in Danbury, Conn., and wrote articles about aviation for flying magazines.
In 1982, Charlie and his wife moved to Port Orange, Fla., where he was active in a range of community activities.
The Wright Brothers "Master Pilot" Award was presented to Tennstedt by the FAA on Dec. 16, 2006.
A celebration of his life is planned for October. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, Inc., c/o Debi Girard, P.O. Box 2000, Boys Ranch, FL 32064, or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, FL 32129.

The following is from NER Historian, Col Fred Herbert;

Gill Robb Wilson started organizing the civil air patrol long before December 1941. Since he chaired the national aeronautic directors, he used that organization to enlist licensed pilots from across the nation and their aircraft. When the Office of Civil Defense established the Civil Air Patrol, Gill Robb Wilson had already drawn a national organization chart for the organization and had personnel assigned so they could “hit the ground running” on 1 December 1941.

Tennstedt, who worked with the Connecticut Director of Aeronautics (Lockhart) would have naturally been instrumental in organizing the Connecticut Wing. Lockhart became the first CTWG/CC --- this appointment was established prior to 1 December 1941.

Morale: British CSAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACA8wJ6dRWM

CAP: Blast from the past #2

CAP: Blast from the past

NER: North East Region Conference

CAP North East Region Conference

The 2010 Northeast Region Conference is scheduled for Friday 12 November thru Sunday 14 November 2010, at the Four Points by Sheraton in Leominster, MA, near Fitchburg Municipal Airport (Airport ID: FIT).

Hotel information, price and registration instructions may be found on the NER web site at http://ner.cap.gov

CTWG: 2010 Connecticut Wing Conference

2010 Connecticut Wing Conference

Friday, 22 October, 2010 through Sunday 24 September, 2010
The Sheraton at Bradley International
Windsor Locks, CT

Saturday, 23 October
0700 Registration (please pre-register)
0900 General Assembly
1900 Awards Banquet

Please refer to the Flyer distributed on 2 September, 2010 for additional details.

CTWG: 2010 Col Howard E. Palmer Cadet Ball

2010 Col Howard E. Palmer Cadet Ball

Friday, 22 October, 2010
1800-2200 (doors open at 1730)
Sheraton at Bradley International
Windsor Locks, CT

The presence of all Cadet Commanders and CAC Representatives is requested

Cost is $30 per person (no couple’s rate). All reservations are due by 30 September, 2010

Uniform of the Day
Male members - Semi formal preferred (white shirt under service dress, no name tag) / Class A / Class B
Male guest – Suit preferred / Shirt and tie.
Female members – Options: Floor length evening gown / Semi formal / Class A
Female guests – Floor length evening gown

For any questions contact
C/2nd Lt Alexis Wojtcuk
Cadet Ball Chairman

CTWG: Return to Olde Rhinebeck

Return to Olde Rhinebeck Airdrome

The CTWG trip to Olde Rhinebeck (Red Hook, NY) has been scheduled.

10 October, 2010
Events time: 1000 – 1600 hrs
Driving time: Aprox. 2 hrs (73 miles)
Uniform of the Day: BDU
Cost: $2.00 per Cadet, $15.00 Seniors
Lunch: Will be obtained at the airdrome

Please contact Capt Art Dammers if your squadron would like to participate.

NER: NER Aerospace Education Officer Academy

NER Aerospace Education Officer Academy

NOTE: THIS IS A SENIOR ONLY ACTIVITY. This activity is for all AERO ED Officers and Cadet Program Officers involved in AERO ED.

Additional info to be posted at http://ner.cap,gov/ae

22-24 October, 2010
USS Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum, NYC, NY
Registration is the evening of 21 October, 2010
Graduation is early Sunday afternoon 24 October, 2010

For information on the Intrepid: www.intrepidmuseum.org

Jacqui A. Sturgess, LtCol, CAP
Robert Reilly, Maj, CAP

CTWG: Hurricane Earl Press Release #3

PRESS RELEASE

3 September, 2010
Connecticut Wing Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol
United States Air Force Auxiliary
Public Affairs Office
Middletown, CT 06457


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Civil Air Patrol helps FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Team members conduct pre-storm photographic assessments

September 3, 2010 (Middletown, CT) – Today, multiple Civil Air Patrol aircraft from the states of Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island flew ten sorties in support of pre-hurricane damage assessment missions.

These sorties allowed Federal Emergency Management Agency, Search & Rescue Team Leaders to get a good aerial view of many sensitive areas before Hurricane Earl arrives. The aircraft overflew Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Providence and Province Town as well as many other parts of Southern New England. The aircraft were manned by members from all three states and were under the direction of CAP Hurricane Earl Incident Commander, Maj Mike Heath from the Connecticut Wing.

The Civil Air Patrol, a multi-capability all volunteer organization is often tasked with storm related missions that include air and ground search and rescue, disaster center services, searching for stranded survivors, monitoring of evacuation routes, digital imagery assessments of storm related damage and critical infrastructure impacts as well as air and ground transportation of critical personnel, medicines, materials and supplies.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 59,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and saves an average of 80 lives per year. 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 nearly 24,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 69 years. For more information on CAP, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com, or the Connecticut Wing at www.CTWG.cap.gov

Additional Connecticut Wing Press Releases will be released as conditions develop. The releases will be posted to the Connecticut Wing blog page, www.AlwaysVigilant.blogspot.com.

CTWG: Hurricane Earl Press Release #2

PRESS RELEASE

2 September, 2010

Connecticut Wing Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol
United States Air Force Auxiliary
Public Affairs Office
Middletown, CT 06457

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Connecticut’s Civil Air Patrol positioned to assist Federal and State Authorities in Hurricane Earl disaster relief efforts

September 2, 2010 (Middletown, CT) – Connecticut’s Civil Air Patrol working in cooperation with the State’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security has pre-positioned its multi-purpose aircraft and have notified it’s staff and ground search & disaster services members they are now on call should State or Federal agencies request their assistance.

Over the coming days, Connecticut’s 700 volunteer members, located at 13 squadrons throughout the state will be on standby for deployment. Connecticut’s membership base consists of both adults and cadets age 12 to 20 trained for either air or ground search and rescue or disaster services operations.

The Civil Air Patrol, a multi-capability all volunteer organization is often tasked with storm related missions that include air and ground search and rescue, disaster center services, searching for stranded survivors, monitoring of evacuation routes, digital imagery assessments of storm related damage and critical infrastructure impacts as well as air and ground transportation of critical personnel, medicines, materials and supplies.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 59,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and saves an average of 80 lives per year. It’s 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 nearly 24,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 69 years. For more information on CAP, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com, or the Connecticut Wing at www.CTWG.cap.gov

Additional Connecticut Wing Press Releases will be released as conditions develop. The releases will be posted to the Connecticut Wing blog page, www.AlwaysVigilant.blogspot.com.

CTWG: Hurricane Earl Press Release #1

Connecticut’s Civil Air Patrol members mobilize in advance for possible role in state wide hurricane disaster relief

August 31, 2010 (Middletown, CT) – This week, Connecticut’s Civil Air Patrol members began preparing for possible deployment should the North East Region Area Command, working in cooperation with the Federal and State Emergency Management Agencies (FEMA) and the 1st Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness Agency (AFNSEP) activate them to support disaster relief missions related to Hurricane Earl. Earl is currently a category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 135 MPH and is located east of the Caribbean islands moving north east in the direction of the eastern seaboard. In at least one scenario, it is expected to brush by the North East by the end of this week.

Should repositioning of Connecticut’s CAP air and ground assets be required, Connecticut’s aircraft and ground rescue teams will prepare to stage outside of hurricane Earl’s path. Should they be activated, preparing these multi-purpose resources will ensure the fastest possible post-storm assistance by Connecticut Wing pilots, aircrew, ground search teams and leadership staff, all with critical personal knowledge of their local areas.

The Civil Air Patrol is a multi-capability organization, often tasked with storm related missions that include air and ground search and rescue, disaster center services, searching for stranded survivors, monitoring of evacuation routes, digital imagery assessments of storm related flooding and critical infrastructure impacts, transportation of critical personnel, medicines, materials and supplies.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 59,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and saves an average of 80 lives per year. 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 nearly 24,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 69 years. For more information on CAP, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com, or the Connecticut Wing at www.ctwg.cap.gov.

Additional Connecticut Wing Press Releases will be released as conditions develop. If you have any questions, please contact the Public Affairs Office.

CTWG: Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Assists US Coast Guard in New Haven Harbor

August 27, 2010, New Haven, CT - On Friday afternoon, a Connecticut Civil Air Patrol aircraft patrolling the Long Island Sound coastline for the CT Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security picked up a radio distress call alerting them to a local vessel in distress.

An overturned 18 foot sailboat was drifting near the west end of New Haven Harbor's East Breakwater. A nearby boat reported adults and children in the water and one person holding onto the overturned hull. The CT CAP aircraft diverted from its original flight plan arriving on scene five minutes later. They orbited the vessel to assess the situation, while the victims received immediate assistance from helpful nearby boaters.

Responding to the distress call, USCG New Haven immediately dispatched a response boat. Communications problems prevented the USCG Shore Station from communicating directly with their response boat, so the Civil Air Patrol aircraft continued to orbit the area providing live reports of the situation until the USCG took charge of the rescue.

The CAP aircrew from the Thames River Composite Squadron (Groton, CT) included Capt Thomas Petry the Mission Pilot, LtCol Lawrence Kinch, Observer and Maj Stephen Rocketto the Scanner-Photographer.

This and many missions like it are funded by a grant from the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management Services and Homeland Security. Throughout the entire summer Connecticut’s volunteer members fly periodic patrols along Connecticut’s Long Island shore area. Whenever required, they assist the Coast Guard and other Connecticut agencies in search and rescue as well as infrastructure surveillance operations. This program is administered by the Connecticut Wing Liaison Officer, Major Jack Shapiro.

CTWG: Tie Breaker Wins Rocketry Competition for Stratford Eagles

Story by Maj Steven Rocketto

Three Squadrons and 30 Cadets competed in the The 2010 competition for The Commander's Cup. The event went down to the wire. At the end of the official competition, The Stratford Eagles and Thames River Composite Squadron were tied at 13 points each.

In Novice Class competition, Cadet who had never entered the contest before were judged on the construction and finish of a standard kit built rocket. Cadets Riccio of the Eagles and Paquin of Thames River tied for honors and were awarded five points each. Cadet Fusco's entry from the New Haven Minutemen placed third for one point.

The "scratch built" Free Form competition required Cadets to construct a rocket from approved materials such as nose cones and body tubes but kits were not allowed. Laurels were garnered by Cadet Herzog with a model of a Tomahawk cruise missile for five more points for Thames River.

Stratford's Junk Yard Dog by Cadet Walker placed second and garnered three points. New Haven did not enter this event. Thames River took the lead ten to eight.

The Altitude Contest followed. The only restriction was that a standard engine supplied by the Wing must be used. Cadet Walker of Stratford sent his rocket up to 377 feet. New Haven's Fusco 289 feet which was equaled by Cadet Hall from Thames River. The scoring rules gave Stratford ten points and Thames River and New Haven eight points each.

The judges calculated the totals and found that that the Eagles and Thames River were tied at ten points each. A decision was made to use the second best scores from the Novice Class to break the time. The score sheets of Cadet Walker of Stratford and Cadet Daniels were pulled and compared. Each rocket was worth nineteen points based upon construction and finish. After averaging the judge's scores, Cadet Walker earned 14.75 points to Cadet Daniels 13.5 points to win the Commander's Cup.

The CTWG extends it thanks to Al Gloer and the members of CATO, the Connecticut amateur rocket club which has supported this event for the last three years, providing launch support and advice.

The judges were SM Decker, 2Lt Franco, 1Lt Fortes, Capt Petry, and Maj Rocketto.

CTWG: Connecticut’s Civil Air Patrol works with the US Coast Guard to protect Long Island Sound

August 7, 2010 (Groton)– A Connecticut Wing patrol aircraft crewed by members from around the state was asked to locate a partially submerged vessel drifting that could become a hazard to other boaters in the Groton-New London area,
After a performing an area search, the air crew, Capt Leonard Kimball, Capt James W. Fearon, and 2Lt Donna E. Yount located the completely swamped vessel. The boat having previously been abandoned was drifting and invisible to other boaters traveling in Long Island Sound. After locating the target, they orbited the site until a Coast Guard patrol craft arrived. With a very good airborne sight picture, they safely guided the patrol craft to the swamped boat so they could take charge of the recovery.
This and many missions like it are funded by a grant from the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management Services and Homeland Security. Throughout the entire summer Connecticut’s volunteer members fly periodic patrols along Connecticut’s Long Island shore area. Whenever required, they assist the Coast Guard and other Connecticut agencies in search and rescue as well as infrastructure surveillance operations. This program is administered by the Connecticut Wing Liaison Officer, Major Jack Shapiro.